"Father," a young boy, barely six years old, held the hand of an older man and called out to him, eager to gain his attention.
"What is it, son?" The older man, unmistakably the boy's father from the way they both addressed themselves, turned to look at his son and asked what he wanted.
Having captured his father's attention, the young boy quickly pointed towards the magnificent 50-metre wall in the distance. The father followed his son's gaze, a peculiar expression on his face as he sighed and prepared to address his son.
"What is it about the great walls, son?" the man inquired.
The boy, accustomed to being turned away every time he had asked about the great walls, was surprised to see his father actually willing to listen this time.
Excitement surged within him as he posed the question that had been lingering in his mind, one that other children his age often wondered about but adults seemed to avoid.
"What lies beyond the great walls, Father?" The boy's bright neon eyes sparkled under the dark skies as he stared intently at his father.
Observing his son's expectant gaze, the older man sighed and answered softly yet seriously.
"Beyond the great walls son, lies the very reason humanity sought refuge within these walls after decades of war," the man explained, scooping up his son from the ground and cradling him in his arms.
"Beyond the great walls, Alex, lies the corrupted, the very threat these walls protect us from."
"The corrupted?" the boy muttered after his father, his gaze shifting towards the walls, a peculiar expression in his eyes.