Chance claws his way through survival in the decaying industrial nation of Ashford, scavenging refuse after his father sold him into factory servitude. His escape to the toxic wastelands keeps him hidden from the regime's enforcers—until Aetherium, a floating utopia built for the elite above the poisoned landscape below, conscripts him for a radical purpose: to pilot one of their legendary dragons in military service. Paired with Nightscale, a sentient dragon suffering from mysterious amnesia, Chance discovers an unexpected psychic link that allows the creature to operate through his senses. As he and his fellow riders train together, Chance gradually uncovers a darker truth about Aetherium's dragons and its ruthless imperial expansion, while his teammates each harbor personal reasons for drawing him closer. His gratitude for escape from the wastelands wars against his determination to unlock Nightscale's stolen past, setting the stage for a journey where loyalty, truth, and connection collide.