A young boy dives into an imagination land that can be accessed through a magic book called The NeverEnding Story. In the process of saving this wondrous fantasy world from the horrifying Nothing and other villains the boy learns valuable lessons and gains many magical friends.
Bastian Balthazar Bux is a shy and outcast bibliophile ten-year-old raised by his widowed father, teased by bullies from school. On his way to school, he hides from the bullies in a bookstore, interrupting the grumpy bookseller, Mr. Coreander. Bastian asks about one of the books he sees, called "The Neverending Story", but Mr. Coreander advises against it. With his curiosity piqued, Bastian seizes the book, leaving a note promising to return it, and hides in the school's attic to read.
Bastian Bux is having troubles at home: his father Barney's busy workload is keeping him from consoling Bastian's Acrophobia, which in turn is hurting his chances of joining the school swim team. As such, he then heads to an old bookstore where he again meets Mr. Coreander, who proceeds to help find a book on courage. While waiting, Bastian rediscovers the Neverending Story's book, and is shocked to see its words disappear off its pages. Deciding to take the book instead, Bastian returns home and finds himself able to claim AURYN right off the book's front cover while hearing the Childlike Empress summon him to Fantasia.
In a prologue, the Old Man of Wandering Mountain reads from a large book, begins to record a prophecy of a day when "The Nasty" will arrive in Fantasia, and describes the savior of "Extraordinary Courage".
