Uponhearingofhismentor'simpendingdeath,haggardmusicianKinoWarrenbeginsajourneyonfootacrosscountry,andthroughaplacenotofthisworldreferredtoas"theterritory".Kinobelieveswholeheartedlythatthementorcannotdieuntilhearrives.Onhisjourney,Kinoisunawareseveralpeopleareonhistail-varyinglymaliciousandpoliticallyinvolved-insearchoftheonly-knownrecordingofthegreatestpieceofmusicevermade,apiecesupposedlycapableoftakingawayallpainwithinthelistener-createdbyhismentor,andinhispossession,completelyunbeknownsttohim.