Two time lines - one occurring in the present NYC art world, and another in a primitive future - are woven together by divine personalities to test humans to transcend their present circumstances.

In a primitive world 200 years in the future a young girl witnesses her friends ambushed and killed in a violent attack. She is saved by a reclusive sage who teaches her survival techniques, including how to overcome the illusions inherent to the material world.

To illustrate this teaching he recites a tale about a young artist living in New York City, circa 2018. This artist passionately desires success and fame, and after signing a lucrative contract with mysterious clients, slowly begins to lose control over what he creates.

In both plot lines divine personalities - in disguise - intermingle with the human beings to test and provoke them to overcome their present limitations.