Geel Fisher had yet to see it to that end. Cuttlefish Island: a grand place full of sand, palm trees, sand, rocks, sand, dirt, and sand. It's so large that it takes over an hour to walk, slowly, from one end to the other. But it's all that 12-year-old Geel Fisher has known. He longs to sail to the larger islands, but how can he ignore his community's warning about danger abroad? However, when a bumbling magician accidentally lands on the tiny island, Geel feels he must assist. After all, he'll only be gone for a day. Alchemist Gawny and the Princess soon join Geel and the magician, and--with the addition of the Healer Elma and the Warrior Boy--they have an entire band of eccentric adventurers. But the adventure doesn't last long. A growing specter haunts the magician's dire mission, and Geel's decision to leave home has greater consequences than he imagined. The band of travelers soon find themselves hunted at every turn by a hidden presence that will do anything to stop them.