"Your story was supposed to unfold gradually, the way all children's do. But you're being fast-tracked, because of where the world is headed." Tucked away in the village of Ducks Down, Noah feels lost and confused after the loss of his father. But when Noah meets Pretzel, a visitor from somewhere in the cosmos, his world changes forever. Pretzel teaches him to stand up for himself--although the result ends in a fight with the local bully, Axel. When Noah attracts the dangerous attention of Mr. Carter, Axel's father, after overhearing a secret conversation, he knows he must solve the mystery of Mr. Carter's increasing power and the new, frightening hold he has over him. With Pretzel's help, Noah begins to understand that his adventures are preparing him for a more important mission, one that will require even greater courage.