Before heading deeper into the forest, Kael decided to stop by his uncle's house at the edge of the village. The house was made of stone and old timber, moss-covered in places, but still stood strong—just like its owner, Uncle Elro.
As soon as Kael arrived, a gruff voice shouted from behind the house.
"If you're here for breakfast, Kael, I've only got yesterday's bones!"
Kael laughed. "Relax, Uncle! My belly's full with my sister's prayers. I'm just here to borrow..."
Elro appeared, hands full of small tools, his hair a mess. "A horse. Of course. You think I don't know? You show up like harvest season—only when you need something."
Kael raised both hands with a grin. "But I come bearing love and smiles. That's priceless, you know."
Elro sighed, though a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He pointed toward the stable.
"Take Roki. But don't bring him to any cliffs or trees. I don't want my horse learning how to climb."
"Promise, Uncle! Roki will return still shaped like a horse."
After feeding the horse and strapping on a simple leather saddle, Kael led Roki out. The horse was large, chestnut-colored with a dark black mane. Stubborn—much like Kael himself.
"Thanks, Uncle! If I bring home a fat deer, you're getting the front leg!"
Elro crossed his arms. "If you bring home your own head, I'll already be grateful. Be careful."
Still smiling, Kael climbed onto Roki and gently nudged the horse forward, heading toward the forest trail. Excitement stirred in his chest. He didn't know exactly where he'd go, but one thing was clear:
Today, he would go farther. Deeper. To a place no one had ever reached.
And somewhere beyond the trees…
Something was waiting.
Kael entered the forest.
It was a long journey through towering trees, their roots twisting across the ground like ancient traps. He rode Roki calmly, occasionally stopping when he heard a branch snap or movement behind a bush. At one point, he spotted a prehistoric bird—broad-winged, rough-feathered, with a curved beak.
Ffut!
An arrow flew. The bird fell, flapping weakly before falling still.
Kael retrieved his catch and stuffed it into his leather pouch. "Grandma would probably say this is a spirit bird," he chuckled to himself.
He pressed on, guiding Roki farther north. The roots became slippery with dew, and the trees spaced farther apart. The air grew quieter... and colder.
"Why is the air so cold up here?" he muttered, hugging himself. Roki let out a low whinny, uneasy.
Suddenly, through the mist—a white deer emerged. Large, majestic, with branching antlers and pearl-like eyes. A prehistoric deer. Rare. Mythical.
Kael held his breath. Raised his bow. Focused.
Swish!
The arrow struck—clean hit near the neck. The deer staggered, then collapsed.
"YES!" Kael jumped down. He tied Roki to a large tree trunk, then ran down a small slope to reach the deer.
But as he bent down to retrieve it, something caught his eye—behind the trees and the tall shrubs... was stone.
Not a boulder. Not a cave wall. A wall. A massive, moss-covered wall.
Kael's heart pounded. He moved closer, craning his neck. The wall stretched high—so high, he couldn't see the top. He followed the base… until he found a crack.
A narrow opening. Just enough to peek through.
He swallowed and leaned in to look—
His eyes widened.
Beyond the wall—an endless ocean roared. Waves crashed against jagged shorelines. But it wasn't the sea that made his legs weak.
In the far distance… stood another wall. An icy one. Towering, white, glistening like the sky itself. And near the shoreline… a ship. A large, strange vessel unlike anything Kael had ever seen.
He backed away, breath ragged.
What is this? A world outside ours?
Grabbing the deer, he returned to where Roki waited. He fastened it to the saddle and rode back to the village, his mind racing.
He didn't stop at home. He rode straight to his uncle's house.
The door swung open with a loud bang.
"UNCLE! I… I need to tell you something!"
Elro raised an eyebrow at the sight of Kael carrying a massive deer. "Whoa! Did you shoot the forest god or what?"
"Not that! Well, yes—this deer too—but… I saw something. A wall. An ocean. A ship."
Uncle Elro stared at him silently. His expression shifted slowly. "A ship...? Kael… did you say ocean?"
Kael nodded quickly. "And another wall. An icy one. It's real, Uncle. Beyond the forest. Outside… our world."
Silence fell between them. Elro looked at Kael—something in his eyes that Kael had never seen before.
Fear. But also… recognition.
"So… you really found it."
Kael slung the white deer over his shoulder and urged Roki, his horse, to gallop back home. His mind raced faster than the hooves beneath him—his heart pounding with wonder, confusion, and a creeping sense of fear.
What exactly had he seen?
He rode straight to his uncle Elro's home and knocked on the wooden door with urgency.
"Uncle! I need to talk to you—now!"
Elro opened the door, his brow furrowed. "Kael? Is that a white deer you—wait, what's going on?"
Kael nodded quickly, panting. "Yes, but that's not it! I… I found something. Beyond the forest, past the cliffs—I saw a wall! A massive wall! And beyond it… I saw the ocean. And then, even further... an enormous wall of ice. And a ship. A strange one."
Elro fell silent.
His eyes shifted, distant, as if they were staring through time itself.
"Come inside, Kael."
Within the warm, dimly-lit home, Elro sat on his old wooden bench. He stared at Kael for a long moment before finally speaking, his voice low and steady.
"So… someone has finally seen it."
Kael's breath caught in his throat. "You know what it is?"
Elro gave a solemn nod. "What you saw is a remnant of a world long hidden. It's not another land. It's not a myth. What lies beyond that wall... is Earth."
"Earth? But… that's just a children's tale. A legend!"
"No, Kael. It's very real. Our ancestors came from there. From Earth. But they—those in power—cut us off from it. They built that wall. Not to protect us, but to bury the truth."
Kael leaned forward, his voice a whisper. "Why? Why hide it?"
Elro rose slowly and pulled out an old, weathered scroll from the shelf. He unrolled it to reveal a map—one unlike any Kael had seen. It showed lands beyond the known, drawn in careful detail.
"Earth isn't ruined. It still thrives—far more advanced than us. But long ago, they chose to isolate a group of humans. Our ancestors. They sent them here, to Ticonic. To live simply, disconnected from the chaos and control of their world."
Kael's brow tightened. "So… we were abandoned?"
"Not abandoned. Hidden. Our world is called Terra Infinita—the Infinite Land. But it's only infinite for those who don't know the truth."
"And that ship I saw? Was it from Earth?"
"Yes. A patrol ship. Sent by the elite who oversee the barrier. Only top-ranking officials and scientists from Earth are allowed to cross the divide. They keep watch to ensure no one from Ticonic finds a way through."
Kael sat in stunned silence. The world he had known his entire life… was just a fragment.
"But why keep us like this? Hunting, dancing, farming… like nothing else exists?"
"Because they fear what knowledge might bring. If we knew the truth, we might demand to return. Or worse—unleash something dangerous back into their controlled society. That's why they built the wall. Why they send patrols. To maintain the lie."
Kael clenched his fists. "So everything we are… it's a story crafted by them?"
Elro nodded slowly. "Yes. And now that you've seen it, you must be careful. Anyone who knows the truth is a threat to their order. You must be wise about who you share this with."
Kael exhaled, his voice steadier now. "I won't tell anyone. But I can't pretend I didn't see it."
Elro placed a hand on Kael's shoulder. "And perhaps… that is the beginning of something much bigger."
Uncle Elro slowly unrolled the scroll, revealing a faded map. Despite the wear of age, the lines remained clear—vast lands, misty mountains, oceans surrounding the continents, and unfamiliar symbols scattered across it.
"This, Kael..." Elro spoke softly, his finger tracing the edge of the map, "...is the map of Terra Infinita. The world we live in now. But it's not just some forgotten land—it was made to be a sanctuary. A place of refuge."
Kael stared at the map in awe. "There are so many markings… animal tracks?"
Elro nodded. "Yes. Many of the ancient creatures you see today—the giant birds, the thick-furred horses, the white deer, even massive saber-toothed beasts—they're not random. They didn't evolve naturally here. They were moved here."
"Moved? You mean... on purpose?"
"Yes. Long ago, scientists on Earth chose Ticonic—Terra Infinita—as a backup world. They relocated endangered and extinct species here. They believed this land was 'pure.' Stable climate, free from war and destruction. A perfect place for life to survive."
Kael nodded slowly, absorbing the weight of every word.
"But… why aren't there dinosaurs?" he asked.
Elro chuckled gently, then pointed to a corner of the map filled with strange markings and layered lines.
"Because for creatures that massive… they needed a larger, harsher land. Dinosaurs were moved to another planet, far from Ticonic. A world known only by its code—Sarna-Q. A rugged, rocky planet, but big enough to house them."
Kael's eyes widened. "So there's a planet out there full of dinosaurs?!"
"Yes. But no ordinary person can go there. Even Earth's scientists only monitor it from afar. Their focus is here—on keeping Terra Infinita hidden... and controlled."
Kael stared at the map in silence, his heart racing with awe, fear, and deep curiosity. It felt like his world was peeling open, layer by layer, and something much bigger was waiting beyond.
"You're the only young person who's ever seen this map, Kael," Elro said. "Keep this secret well. Our world isn't as innocent as it looks. And I believe... there's a reason why you were the one to find that wall."