Bubbles

Maris is sitting on the soft sand, her bare feet digging into the cool granules.
The sun is setting, casting a warm golden glow over the ocean.

Suddenly her older brother Kai sits down next to her.
She just looks at him but doesn't say anything.
He just keeps sitting there, his eyes fixed on the horizon.

He's always been the adventurous one, eager to explore the unknown and discover new places.
Maris, while being intrigued by his stories, is more cautious and prefers the safety of their small village on that small island close to the Fruit Coast with her friends.

As the waves come closer she watches them crash against the shore, creating a symphony of bubbles that are dancing in the foam.

Oh, these bubbles...

You always loved these bubbles, didn't you?
I still wonder why...

Her voice is barely audible over the sound the of the waves.

Kai smiles. His gaze never leaves the water.

Bubbles are like our world, Maris. They're beautiful, but they're also fragile.
They can only exist for a short time before they pop and disappear.

Maris nods, her eyes wide with wonder.
Could this world just cease to exist in the matter of seconds?

But we aren't living in a bubble...

Kai sighs, turning to face her.

Maybe not literally.
But have you ever wondered what's outside the world we know?
This part of the world is our little bubble.
And your bubble might be even smaller. Your bubble only contains this island. And maybe the Fruit Coast. You've never been anywhere else.

But even if I haven't been everywhere yet, we basically know everything about the world, right?
The island I'm living on is in the northern part of this ocean, the island ocean.
It's close to the Fruit Coast, which separates the ocean from the mainland.
The southern part of the ocean is called the rock ocean. It's a pretty cold part of the ocean.
You told me all of this yourself!
And don't let me get started about the mainland.
There's the jungle, the wasteland, the forest, the cold mountains...

Don't forget about the central city.
But that's only the part of the world we know about.
What if you walked further and further away from the center? Or go by boat? What would happen?
Do you really think the world just ends there?

Of course not! Doesn't it just go on like this forever?
Just the same jungle, wasteland, forest, cold mountains or ocean.
You would only find fewer and fewer people, until there's nobody around.
Weren't the people who left the central area to go farther and farther away the ones who populated the world in the first place?

Not at all! You still know so little about the world, my cute Maris.
But that's okay. You're still young.

Hey, I'm old enough. Just tell me!
I just don't see how the world could be different.
You said, it doesn't just end. And it also doesn't go on like this forever.
So what else could there be?
Will there be more huge cities like the central city?

Actually, nobody really knows what's outside the world we know.
That's why it's called the known world.
Maybe you're right and there will be more places like this very far away.
The further we get away from the center of this world, the more forces try to push you back.
You usually don't notice them. We're still too close to the city.

No, we're not.
The city is around a hundred kilometers away.

You have to get further away. Don't you know how huge the known world is?
It's hundreds of kilometers until you reach the last human civilization.
And it's almost twice as far until you reach the actual border of the known world, which cannot be crossed.

So what's behind this border?

As I said, there's still not much we know about the outside world.
We have some information. But I'm not sure if I should tell you. Not many people think it's valid anyway.
This information was spread some time ago.
Before I was born, there was a researcher named Ellis, who spread this information.
She's the only person known to have left the known world, who come back again.

Why have I never heard of her before?
Do you really believe this?

I know she existed. There's a lot of evidence.
She was very well known for a short amount of time.
Even back then many didn't believe her. But the rumors still live on.
Sadly she soon disappeared again.

Oh, that's sad. Did she...

Nobody knows what happened to her. But because of her, we know there's something outside.
It's a harsh life out there. Not many people.
And she left a powerful treasure there. She left the truth about this world.
The Dark Heart is out there!
It will free us!

What?
Free us?
From... what?
So you think we are trapped here?

That's the world we live in, Maris...
They won't let us out. That's a fact.

But why?

There are many stories.
Some say they want to protect us form this harsh world.
Others believe they want to hide something from us.
But no one really knows for sure.

Who are they?

They?
I think I told you enough today.
It's getting late.

Maris's eyes light up as she looks at her brother.

You know more about the outside world, right...?

Kai has to chuckle as he ruffles her hair.

I don't know everything, little one.
But I do know that it's important for us to explore and learn about the world around us.
Even for a young girl like you.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, beautifully carved wooden box.

Here, I got this for you!

Maris takes the box. Her eyes widen as she takes the box, her fingers tracing the delicate carvings.

Thank you, Kai!

But don't open it before you're ready, okay?

Sure! But... how would I know?

When you're ready, you'll know.
So come on, let's go home.
It's late!

As they walk back to their small village, Maris can't help but think about the stories Kai had told her.
She wonders what secrets lie beyond the ocean.
And what happened to Ellis.

Maris wants Kai to sleep in her bed.
He won't stay for long this time, so he wants to spend as much time with him as possible, even if they're just sleeping.

The next morning, Maris wakes up to an empty bed next to her.
She rushes outside, only to find the village already bustling with activity.
Soon she spots Kai standing by the docks with a determined look on his face. He had always been fascinated by the unknown, and now it seems he's ready to embark on a new adventure.

Kai, you already leave? Where are you going?

Kai turns to face her, his eyes filled with excitement.

I'm going to find the treasure, Maris.
I'm going to explore the outside world myself.
I'll be the one to bring back the truth about this world.

Maris is excited. Her heart is racing as she watches her brother board the small boat.
She waves goodbye, tears streaming down her face.

As the boat sails away, Maris clutches the wooden box tightly, her mind filled with images of the unknown places of the outside world.

When he left, she realizes he would probably not come back if everything he told her is true.
She has to be strong and brave, just like Kai, if she ever wanted to join him on his quest for the truth.