- A young art student suffers from a lack of confidence and her troubled lecturer struggles with dark visions. Unexpectedly, their fates begin to intertwine on a strange and hazardous journey into the unknown.
- A young art student loses her creative confidence. Her troubled lecturer struggles with dark visions which seem to inhabit his eerie paintings. Following his mysterious disappearance their fates intertwine on a hazardous journey of self-discovery across uncharted waters among strange and otherworldly beings.
- Note: This synopsis contains spoilers.
Young art student Mya Westbrook finds masonry fascinating. Every day she wanders among the imposing buildings that surround her home, painting them from every conceivable angle. But the gallery curators she wishes to impress are far from enthusiastic about her lifeless and static portrayals of local architecture.
Thomas Arkwright is an embittered artist reluctantly resigned to working at the Public School of Arts in order to make a living. Despite being a dedicated lecturer his students find him lacking in patience for those who fail to share his vivid passion. Teacher by day, artist by night, how he would love to spend every waking moment at his own easel without distraction.
Arkwright presents one of his outlandish personal works to the students and Mya becomes fascinated by the mysterious motif, inspired by the strange dreams and eerie visions that haunt her teacher. It radiates a form of expression that lies in stark contrast to Mya's own soulless style of painting.
Mya insists that Arkwright tutors her. She's ready and willing to take her work to new heights. Arkwright is pleased to finally have found a student who's prepared to work hard and make the necessary sacrifices needed in order to achieve her goals. He promises to help her.
But then, just as they are about to embark upon this steepest of learning curves, Arkwright disappears. When neither the school board nor the authorities make any effort to locate the missing teacher Mya defies her homebody nature and embarks upon a life-changing journey with the ambition of finding her mentor all on her own.
Guided by clues found in Arkwright's unearthly paintings she finds herself alighting onto a remote and rocky atoll from a boat hastily customized from an old bathtub. As she approaches the only building in sight, a light house, Mya is knocked over by a small cackling creature, a thieving goblin who's stolen an essential part of the light mechanism. The lighthouse keeper pleads with Mya to help her retrieve it in order to restore the light beam before sunset or the lives of many sailors could be at risk. Mya promptly finds herself in a heavy and very old-fashioned diving suit scouring the seabed. But she is not alone down in the depths.
Despite having come perilously close to those who would prefer she remain with them at the bottom of the dark abyss forever, Mya manages to complete her mission and the lighthouse is saved just in time. But in return, the lighthouse keeper is unable to offer Mya any clues which might help towards finding her missing teacher.
Downhearted, Mya rests on a pile of rocks. Suddenly they begin to rise up. Rocks, of which she is so fond, suddenly don't seem so appealing when imbued with life. Mya is confronted by a gigantic stone troll whose slumber she has inadvertently disturbed. However, there is no need for fear. Having regained its composure, this towering, moss-encrusted being quickly becomes enchanted by Mya's eager spirit and agrees to help her find the missing teacher. Having lost touch with its fellow stone trolls, it too is seeking answers. Together they set off on a search for clues. A search which ends in sorrow for Mya's new friend but which leads onwards for her.
Mya encounters many dangers on her momentous journey. Having failed to bribe some ill-natured sailors with treasure she manages to retrieve from large thieving birdlike creatures who inhabit underground mines she is instead helped by a benevolent sea captain who shows more sympathy towards her struggle. Finally she embarks upon her final passage across remote seas to the strangest place she could ever have imagined. And there she finds her missing teacher, in an ancient temple city. A city only whispered about by the few who may have suspected its existence.
But Arkwright appears to have changed. He seems different and things are not at all as Mya had expected. Her teacher will not be coming back. He has chosen to make an irreversible pact which will allow him total and everlasting creative freedom. Mysterious cult-like powers that reside within the city walls have made their impact and Arkwright is preparing for one last never ending journey.
At first Mya is devastated but then comes to a gradual realization. She didn't really need someone to guide her through painting techniques. She simply needed the motivation and courage to venture beyond her comfort zone. By travelling beyond familiar horizons she has found the inspiration she needs. In this sense, Arkwright has kept his promise.
Mya returns home to create art on a new level. Even the most scornful and contemptuous gallery curators now seem impressed . But Mya will herself no longer ever be satisfied. An unquenchable thirst for new experiences now courses through her veins and she sets off on a new journey into the unknown.
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