It was the year 2243 A.D., and the world had discovered what was once deemed "magic." Korea had become a miniature paradise on the polluted planet because it was the only country to have water users in a place where water had become a scarce and prized resource. The land expanded then divided into 12 tribes based off of what kind of magic their inhabitants used: light, earth, wind, telepathy, flight, healing, teleportation, fire, time control, lightning, frost, and finally, water. The Water tribe controlled all the tribes by their water rations, even though the new government was based off the Council of 12- twelve equal representatives from each tribe. Korea is severly divided, with some tribes ruling over others and no chance to change their social standing. Suho, son of the Water Tribe's Councellor, betrays his father and joins an anti-government group including a member of each tribe in the only city where all the tribes intermingle, Seoul. Their time traveller, Tao, breaks the one taboo his lowly tribe has: to bring things from the past to the present. And even worse, he brings back a living organism: a young woman with no idea about the future.