The Song of Arthur, set between September of 542 A.D. and Eastertide of 543, balances King Arthur (now at the end of his life) and his nephew Perceval (at 21 just coming into his own) and finds them both struggling with the impossible ideal of turning Britain into the "City of God." Arthur, dealing with the deaths of his wife, his son, and his comrades at Camlan, is keenly aware of his failures as king. Perceval has only the vaguest sense of direction as the story begins, but a series of visions propel both Perceval and Arthur forward. By novel's end, Perceval, now married and crowned Grail King, knows that his life's mission is to build the City wherever Grace affords it. Arthur, now finally at peace, has a "vision" of reconciliation with his nephew Modred as he suddenly realizes he is at the gates of the City at last.