"Something responded to Azal's inner plea, something reached out and touched her ever so gently, caressing her hair, awakening her soul." The story of Azal explores ancient themes: how humanity used magic to manipulate its environment, how temple power was developed and later polarized, and how deities evolved. It also explores the idea of reincarnation through ritual patterns, how souls choose specific times and reasons to incarnate, and how those incarnations can be viewed as deities by future cultures. These themes are explored through the stories of women, their struggles, their love, and their magic.