Max Windsor is a mischievous fourteen year old boy living on the Bridge, a tropical archipelago controlled by the kingdom of Arkania. Max's father has been missing for longer than he can remember, and most presume the man dead. However, Max holds out hope. He finds a mysterious note left by his father, which leads him to the discovery of three unexplained items: a map, a key, and a watch - each buzzing with magic. Max takes them to his uncle, Arthur Goose, a renowned explorer and scientist, for answers.

With little warning, things began to spiral out of control. A sinister Harbinger visits the islands, accusing Max of being a long-foretold Blight. Agents of the king arrive to arrest him, and he flees, uncertain who to trust: his mysterious uncle who seems to be withholding information, or the silver-tongued Arkanian Underchief who calls for Max to be loyal to his country. With new enemies around every corner, Max finds himself whisked away on a treacherous adventure, facing assassins, monsters, and haunted landscapes, all before he must make a final, world-altering decision in a dark and final showdown.