Kyle has spent all thirteen years of his life in the Child Teaching System of Tehrahey dealing with bullies and abusive guardians. His only comfort has been his friends; Andy, the smart girl he's known for as long as either can remember, Jason, a grumpy kid who grew up out in the world, and Max, Andy's old bully turned energetic friend. Life in the CTS is rough, and life on Tehrahey is even tougher. Their world is dying, and everyone knows it. The only hope is to venture into the Erima desert and search for magical relics left behind by the mysterious Traveler, a powerful hero who created their world. But can these four kids hope to succeed when generations of adults have failed?