Prologue

Alaric stared blankly at the flickering neon sign outside the warung, wondering how he'd ended up with this life. Eighteen years, a double personality disorder, and a destiny as a magnet for bad luck had left him feeling more than a little underwhelmed by it all. Next to him, Ragna chomped on a packet of chips with the enthusiasm of a child in a candy store.

"Oi, Alaric, listen up!" Ragna said, practically bouncing in his seat. "Have you ever thought about how crazy it'd be if magic were real? Like, you and me casting spells, fighting dragons, the works!"

Alaric just rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the nagging voice in his head that always spoke up at the worst times. What's the point? Life's boring, just a gray line of endless nothing… But then, his other side—the side he'd rather ignore—started nudging him. What if magic were real? Maybe life wouldn't be such a waste then.

"Imagine," Ragna went on, his voice getting louder, "if we had spells, bro! I'd be a beast—a warrior with lightning powers!" His eyes sparkled as he flexed an imaginary bicep. "And you, you'd probably have... what? A spell to keep you from spilling coffee on yourself every day?"

Alaric sighed. "I'd probably just get a curse that makes everything worse. Maybe I'd end up turning myself into a frog or something."

Ragna laughed, slapping his back hard enough to make him nearly fall off the bench. "A frog! I'd love to see that. But nah, you'd probably be one of those dark and brooding sorcerers, standing in the shadows with your 'mysterious double personality.'"

The two ordered their meals, Ragna going on and on about warrior spells and ancient creatures. They barely noticed the waiter plunking down their plates of steaming fried rice and fish soup.

"Alaric, do you ever think maybe we're just… missing something? Like we were meant for something bigger?" Ragna asked, waving his spoon for emphasis.

Just as Alaric was about to answer, the entire world tilted.

It was as if someone had ripped the warung right out from under them. Everything around blurred in a dizzying, whirling vortex of color and sound. They were falling—or maybe just spinning—and then, suddenly, silence.

The two sat up, blinking in confusion. The warung, their food, the noise of the city—it was all gone. They were surrounded by trees so ancient-looking they seemed like they'd been there since the dawn of time.

"What… where the heck are we?" Alaric stammered, brushing dirt off his shirt.

Ragna's face lit up with a grin. "Bro… we're in the past. Like, way past."

Alaric's other side whispered to him, This can't be real. But the other half—the half that was oddly thrilled by the absurdity of it all—grinned back at Ragna. "Well… I guess we're about to find out how 'magical' the past really is."

And just like that, they stumbled into a new kind of chaos, two bumbling "first humans" on a journey that would take them from the ordinary to the extraordinary… whether they liked it or not.

Into the Green Unknown

Alaric took a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill his lungs. It was unlike anything he'd ever breathed back in the city. The air wasn't just fresh; it was alive, like it had been distilled from pure green, untouched wilderness. Every inhale felt like sipping water from a pristine mountain spring.

"Dude…" Alaric muttered, half to himself, as he stared up at the towering trees that surrounded them. Their bark was ancient, with deep creases and knots, and their branches formed a dense canopy that cast eerie shadows across the forest floor. These trees were giants—roots as thick as cars, leaves so green they looked almost surreal.

"Yeah, man." Ragna took in a deep breath too, slapping Alaric on the back. "This is the real stuff. None of that polluted, 'oh, the air index is a little high today' nonsense. This is what air's supposed to be."

Alaric raised an eyebrow. "Imagine if people back in our time actually took care of this kind of stuff. You know, replanting trees instead of tearing them down for another mall or parking lot."

Ragna snorted. "Yeah, because who needs breathable air when you can have… discounted designer shoes?" He threw his hands up sarcastically, the muscles in his arms rippling. "People don't think twice about cutting down a forest, but here we are, standing in the middle of one that's probably been untouched for centuries. Bet they never even heard of reforestation."

They walked a little farther, weaving between the massive trunks. The forest floor was carpeted with soft moss that cushioned their steps. Here and there, bright wildflowers peeked out of the green, adding spots of color to the deep shadows. But despite the beauty, there was an edge of eeriness to it all. The forest was silent, save for the occasional rustling of leaves overhead. No birds chirping, no animals scurrying.

"Do you get the feeling we're being… watched?" Alaric muttered, glancing around. The trees loomed overhead, their gnarled branches casting long, twisted shadows that stretched out like claws.

Ragna shrugged, unconcerned. "Eh, it's probably just our imaginations. Or maybe a monkey or something. They must have had monkeys back in… whenever we are, right?"

Alaric's other personality—the cautious, darker side—started to whisper, This place isn't just alive. It's watching you. He shook his head, trying to ignore it. Don't be ridiculous, he told himself.

They kept moving, although the silence started to weigh on them. Each step was swallowed by the moss, leaving no echo, no trace of their presence. It was as if the forest itself was absorbing every sound, keeping them isolated from whatever lay beyond the next tree.

"So… still no sign of dragons or magic spells," Ragna said, breaking the quiet. "Guess we got the raw deal when it comes to time-travel perks, huh?"

Alaric cracked a half-smile. "I'd settle for just finding a stream or something to drink from. All this… walking is making me thirsty."

Ragna nodded, wiping sweat off his forehead. "Yeah, a drink wouldn't hurt. But if I have to pick between finding water and finding a way back to our time, I'm taking the latter." He glanced up, as if hoping the sky might open up and spit them back to the modern world.

Just then, they entered a small clearing, where sunlight poured through the gaps in the canopy, illuminating a patch of moss that looked almost like a natural rug. They paused, taking in the sight.

"I mean, I hate to say it," Alaric murmured, "but maybe being stuck here isn't the worst thing. Look at this place. Imagine if people back in our time could actually experience this kind of nature instead of staring at it through some cracked phone screen."

Ragna rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but knowing them, they'd probably just chop these trees down, pave it over, and call it a 'wilderness-inspired recreation zone' or something."

The thought made them both shiver a little.

"Well," Ragna said, clapping Alaric on the shoulder, "let's keep moving. If we're gonna be the first humans here—or, you know, not the first humans—we might as well explore before something big and prehistoric decides we look like lunch."

And so they pressed on, deeper into the forest, each step taking them further from anything they'd ever known, and closer to whatever strange adventure awaited in this untouched world.

The Buff Bird of Doom

The forest continued to stretch on in every direction, the silence broken only by the crunch of leaves beneath their feet and the occasional mutter from Ragna about wishing they had a map. They'd been walking for what felt like hours when suddenly, a shadow passed over them, gliding silently across the forest floor.

Alaric squinted up through the branches, trying to make out the source. "Did you see that?" he whispered, suddenly on high alert. His mind was racing—maybe it was a pterodactyl, or a giant bat, or one of those mythical monsters they'd joked about in the warung.

Ragna shrugged. "Nah, just a bird, probably. A giant, prehistoric bird, but a bird."

The shadow swooped down lower, and then they saw it—a massive eagle perched on a nearby tree branch, eyeing them with the intensity of a bodybuilder sizing up competition at the gym. This was no ordinary bird. Its feathers gleamed, each one like a perfectly sculpted plate of armor, and its body was… well, it was absurdly, ridiculously muscular.

The bird flexed. Yes, flexed.

"Is it… posing?" Alaric asked, blinking.

The eagle gave a low, mighty squawk and struck another pose, lifting one wing and showing off what looked suspiciously like biceps. It puffed up its chest, casting a shadow that somehow seemed to grow larger and more intimidating with each shift. Then it fixed them with a glare, as if daring them to admire the majesty of its feathered physique.

Ragna's mouth hung open. "Bro… that bird is jacked."

The eagle spread its wings wide, and for a second, it looked like it was about to dive-bomb them. Alaric tensed, ready to duck. But instead, the bird lowered its gaze and squawked proudly, clearly relishing in their awe.

"Is it… are we supposed to be impressed?" Alaric muttered.

"Dude, are you kidding?" Ragna said, barely able to contain his excitement. "That bird's showing off! Look at those wings! Those pecs! I'm honestly inspired. I mean, we're standing in front of nature's ultimate gym bro."

The eagle, as if to agree, did a kind of birdly nod and puffed out its chest further, casting them a final look of smug approval. Then, with a powerful flap of its wings, it took off, leaving behind a small whirlwind of leaves and twigs.

Alaric stared after it, dazed. "Did we just… get shown up by an eagle?"

"Bro, that wasn't just an eagle." Ragna shook his head, looking wistful. "That was a sign. That bird is telling us we need to toughen up, maybe hit the prehistoric gym or something."

Alaric scoffed, still not entirely convinced. "A sign? From a bird with a bodybuilder complex?"

But before they could continue arguing, the ground beneath them started to tremble. It was subtle at first, just a low rumble, but it quickly grew stronger, rattling the roots of nearby trees and sending flocks of smaller birds scattering.

"Oh, great. What now?" Alaric muttered, backing up as the tremors intensified.

Ragna's face lit up. "Maybe it's a giant dinosaur! Or, like, a herd of them! We're gonna get to see a real-life Jurassic Park!"

But what burst through the undergrowth was… not a dinosaur. It was a herd of small, dog-sized creatures with tiny horns and wide, frightened eyes, running for their lives. They darted past Alaric and Ragna, bleating in terror, their little legs kicking up clouds of dirt.

"What are those?" Alaric asked, half-laughing, half-terrified as he sidestepped to avoid being trampled.

"Dinner, if we're lucky!" Ragna replied, eyes gleaming.

They tried chasing after one, but the creatures were surprisingly fast, zig-zagging in every direction like they'd mastered the art of escape. Ragna managed to grab at one's tail, but it twisted out of his grip and bolted, disappearing into the shadows of the trees.

Just as Alaric was catching his breath, there was another rustle from the bushes behind them.

"Please don't let it be another buff bird," Alaric whispered, glancing nervously over his shoulder.

But it wasn't a bird this time. What emerged from the trees was a creature that defied all logical description. It looked vaguely like a wolf, but with saber-like fangs and scales along its back. Its eyes glowed with a hungry intensity as it fixed its gaze on them.

Alaric gulped. "So… we're dead, right?"

Ragna grinned, barely able to contain his excitement. "No way, man! We're getting a real adventure! Finally!"

Without warning, Ragna grabbed a nearby stick and brandished it like a sword, grinning like he'd just won the lottery. "Bring it on, prehistoric puppy!"

Alaric groaned, looking for an escape route, but before he could decide, Ragna charged at the beast, waving his stick with an overconfidence that was somehow both inspiring and terrifying.

The creature snarled and snapped at Ragna's "weapon," but to their surprise, it hesitated. Apparently, Ragna's enthusiasm—and possibly the memory of that buff eagle—gave it pause. It backed up a few steps, watching them warily.

"Yeah, that's right! You don't want any of this!" Ragna taunted, puffing out his chest in a hilariously bad imitation of the eagle's earlier flex.

The creature growled once more, then turned and slunk back into the shadows, clearly deciding they weren't worth the effort.

As soon as it was gone, Alaric let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "I… I can't believe that worked."

Ragna grinned and patted Alaric on the back. "See? That bird was onto something. We are tougher than we thought."

Alaric shook his head, half-laughing, half-shaken. "Or maybe the universe just has a twisted sense of humor."

And with that, they continued their journey through the dense, ancient forest, uncertain of what other bizarre creatures—and equally bizarre signs of "encouragement"—might be waiting for them around the next tree.

As they walked deeper into the forest, marveling at every surreal sight and strange encounter, Alaric and Ragna fell into a comfortable, if wary, silence. The encounter with the buff eagle and prehistoric wolf-thing had left them on edge, but the vast, untouched landscape was enchanting in its own way.

They'd been hiking along a ridge when they heard it: the unmistakable sound of human grumbling nearby.

"Did you hear that?" Alaric whispered, freezing.

Ragna squinted, trying to make out the figure through the dense trees. "I swear, if it's another random muscle bird trying to pose us to death…"

But as they stepped closer, pushing aside some tall ferns, they spotted a familiar face hunched over a small, hastily-assembled campfire, poking at something in frustration. He was dressed in modern clothes—a rumpled school uniform, to be precise—with an expression of absolute irritation plastered across his face.

"Saputora?" Alaric's voice came out in a mix of disbelief and confusion.

The boy looked up, squinting at them with a mixture of shock and slight annoyance. "Alaric? Ragna?" He gaped at them for a moment, then quickly regained his composure, adjusting his glasses as though they were the only thing grounding him in this strange world. "What are you two doing here?"

"That's our question, man!" Ragna laughed, bounding forward. "Bro, we thought you were, like, lost in some remote corner of civilization, maybe kidnapped by some nerdy cult or something. They had search parties out looking for you!"

Saputora sighed, rolling his eyes. "Typical of the club to be dramatic. I've only been missing for, what, three months?"

"Only three months?" Alaric echoed, his eyebrows shooting up. "The whole school thought you'd gone totally off-grid, maybe joined a secret science expedition or something!"

Saputora scoffed, pushing up his glasses with a finger. "I wish it were that simple. One minute, I was running an experiment on electromagnetic pulses in the chemistry lab, and the next thing I know…" He gestured around helplessly. "I wake up here. In the prehistoric wilderness."

Ragna's mouth dropped open. "Wait, so you're telling me… a science experiment sent you back in time?"

Saputora shrugged, a weary look on his face. "Your guess is as good as mine. All I know is that it involved electromagnetic waves, and then—bam—I'm here, with no equipment, no supplies, and only my limited survival knowledge to keep me alive."

"Limited survival knowledge?" Alaric echoed, looking at the flimsy campfire that barely had any flame. The charred remains of something that looked suspiciously like a fern lay smoldering on the edge. "Sap, how long have you been… surviving like this?"

"Not long enough to be proud of it," Saputora muttered, blushing slightly. "Turns out, scientific theories don't prepare you for actually catching your own food or building a shelter."

Ragna shook his head in mock sympathy. "And you're telling me the head of the science club has been surviving on ferns and vibes out here? That's… wow. Honestly, kind of impressive and sad at the same time."

Saputora threw him a glare. "Hey, I'm not exactly a trained wilderness expert, alright? Besides, it's not like I have much choice! And I can't exactly perform a teleportation experiment with, you know, sticks and stones."

Alaric looked at him thoughtfully. "But… why haven't you tried exploring? I mean, what if there are other people, other weird people, who also wound up here because of… science accidents or whatever?"

Saputora crossed his arms defensively. "Look, it's not that I didn't want to! I just—well, let's just say I had a little… incident."

Ragna leaned forward, grinning. "Let me guess—you found the buff eagle?"

Saputora's face paled. "You… you saw it too?" He shuddered. "That creature haunts me. I tried to get close once, just to study it, and it started posing at me, like it was flexing! I thought I was hallucinating. I ran back here as fast as I could."

Ragna burst out laughing. "So the bird even intimidates our very own science prodigy! Man, that thing's got everyone shook."

Saputora huffed, clearly offended. "I wasn't scared, just… cautious. That creature looked like it could bench-press a mammoth."

Alaric bit back a laugh. "So, what's the plan, Sap? Were you just planning to stay out here… forever?"

Saputora looked at them seriously. "Honestly, I've been trying to find a way back to our time, but without any equipment… it's basically impossible. I was starting to think I'd be stuck here forever." His eyes darted between them, lighting up with a glimmer of hope. "But now that you're here… maybe we can actually do this. I mean, together, we might be able to figure something out."

Ragna clapped him on the shoulder, grinning. "That's the spirit! Now that we're a team, nothing can stop us! I mean, we survived muscle-bird, right?"

Saputora didn't look entirely convinced. "I just hope there aren't more… surprises around here."

Alaric smirked. "Saputora, I think this is just the beginning of a very strange adventure."

And with that, the three boys set off together, Saputora quickly falling in stride beside them as they navigated the prehistoric landscape with equal parts excitement and trepidation. They didn't know where they were headed, or if they'd ever make it back. But one thing was certain: the three of them were in it together, come rain, shine, or muscle-bound eagles.

The trio trudged along, eyes scanning the strange landscape, when suddenly they felt the ground start to vibrate beneath their feet. It was a rhythmic thumping, like heavy footsteps approaching, growing stronger and more intense with each passing second.

Alaric froze. "Guys… do you feel that?"

Ragna grinned, looking way too excited. "Oh man, this feels like something big. Like, really big."

Before anyone could respond, a shadow loomed over them, and they all looked up. Towering above the trees, a massive T. rex head appeared, its scaly skin casting a mottled shadow across the forest floor. Its eyes locked onto them, and for a second, they thought they'd become prehistoric appetizers.

"Uhh…" Alaric whispered, trying to avoid sudden movements. "Maybe we should—"

Before he could finish, another T. rex stomped into view. Then another. And then… a whole herd of T. rex emerged from the trees, each one looking more menacing than the last.

"Are we, uh, hallucinating?" Saputora stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "Because I'm seeing way more T. rex than my scientific mind can handle."

Ragna's face broke into a wild grin. "This is amazing! We're about to be the first humans ever to meet a T. rex!"

"Ragna," Alaric hissed, "I think 'meet' is a bit optimistic here. Try 'get eaten by.'"

Just as the massive predators seemed to close in, the lead T. rex—who, oddly enough, had a chipped tooth and a few battle scars—reared back its head, let out an earth-shaking roar that sent birds scattering from the trees… and then, as if on cue, the entire herd turned and trotted away, their footsteps fading into the distance as they disappeared into the forest.

The boys stood in stunned silence.

"Did… did we just survive a herd of T. rex?" Saputora finally managed, clutching his heart.

Ragna let out a laugh, clapping Saputora on the back. "See? All we had to do was show them we weren't afraid!"

Alaric raised an eyebrow. "We were afraid. Tremendously afraid. In fact, I'm still afraid."

Just as they were about to relax, Ragna's attention snapped to something glittering on the ground, half-hidden beneath a fallen tree. "Hey, what's that?"

They crouched down, brushing away dirt and leaves to reveal a strange, shiny object lodged in the ground. It was a metallic, spherical contraption with intricate engravings that didn't belong in the prehistoric era.

Saputora squinted at it, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "This… this isn't just some ordinary object. It looks like some kind of… ancient tech?"

Alaric's face lit up. "Maybe it's a clue—something left by travelers before us? Or maybe… other people got zapped here from our time!"

Ragna grinned, brushing off the last bit of dirt. "Or it could be a time machine! Imagine we could just hit a button and poof back home!"

Saputora's fingers traced the engravings, his brow furrowed. "If this thing is a time device, it's like nothing I've ever seen. These markings… they don't look human. It's almost as if…" He trailed off, staring at the markings that seemed to glow faintly.

"What? It's as if… what?" Ragna prompted eagerly.

"It's as if someone—or something—was here long before us. Maybe even before the dinosaurs. Like, way before."

Alaric let out a nervous laugh. "Great. So not only do we have to worry about giant muscle-birds and T. rex, but now there might be ancient aliens too?"

Ragna's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Aliens, dinosaurs, and ancient tech? Best field trip ever!" He gave the metallic sphere a gentle poke, but the moment he touched it, the engravings started to glow brighter, a soft hum filling the air around them.

"Uh… Saputora," Alaric said, watching the sphere with concern. "Is this thing… supposed to do that?"

Saputora gulped. "I… have no idea."

Before they could react, a small panel on the sphere slid open, revealing a set of glowing, indecipherable symbols. A holographic projection blinked to life above it, displaying images of strange creatures and landscapes that looked even more bizarre than anything they'd seen so far.

The boys stared in awe.

"What is it showing us?" Alaric whispered, entranced.

Saputora shook his head, utterly mesmerized. "It's like… a map? Or maybe a recording? Whatever it is, it's definitely not from our world."

Ragna, unable to contain himself, grinned even wider. "Forget about making it back home just yet. We've got an ancient alien treasure map to follow!"

Alaric sighed, glancing nervously back at the trees. "Ragna, I'm not sure we're exactly equipped to handle an alien treasure hunt. Or, you know, an entire herd of T. rex."

But Saputora was already studying the map, his scientific curiosity clearly taking over. "This could be our ticket to understanding everything about this place! I mean, if we're going to be stuck here anyway, why not make the most of it?"

Alaric groaned. "Why do I feel like this is going to get us into even more trouble?"

Ragna slapped him on the back, grinning. "Trouble's half the fun, bro. Now, who's with me?"

With a mix of trepidation and excitement, the three boys set off, the holographic map projecting strange coordinates that led them deeper into the wilderness. Unbeknownst to them, this was only the beginning of a journey filled with mysteries, danger, and maybe—just maybe—the answers they'd been seeking.