Humanity has shrunk, and Lakeside University becomes a battlefield where Lucas Grant, Ivy Shepherd, and the others must keep themselves alive. Every faction wants the Alien Crystal Cores, from infected beings to the Inferno Crew, the Sunrise Fellowship, and mutated creatures. As strange powers awaken within them, trust becomes a weapon and alliances are forged on the move. Their southbound search for vital items turns urgent when Ivy is captured, pushing the survivors into one last rescue mission.