Prince Alto dreams of being a hero like his mother, the Lady Brightblade. Her legend was woven into stories by the magical bard who fought by her side, and Alto, who has been learning the bard's magic, has grown restless with royal life.

Determined to have an adventure of his own, Alto runs away and finds himself meeting new friends and encountering new and exciting magic. But he discovers that there are dangers threatening the kingdom that he might not be able to handle alone—and being a hero is harder than the stories make it seem.