In a world marked by an ancient, never-ending war, two boys live very different lives. Good-hearted Oren Raevin, with his mother dead and his father missing, is an outcast in his village. In contrast, Syris Ulzary is the pride of his people, although his heart is corrupted. As tensions rise in their homes, a talking bear named Ral appears to each one and spirits them away. Where the bear plans to lead them, however, is far more dangerous than they...