Next, the two friends arrived on a planet with intertwined trees, whose gnarled branches seemed to carry ancient knowledge, as if they held ages-old stories. The crowns of the trees formed a dense canopy, allowing only a few rays of sunlight to peek through. The misty, humid forest, with its moss-covered, soft ground, resembled a tropical rainforest.

  Hidden by her skill in camouflage, a wise Wol observed the approaching silver spacecraft. Her feathers shimmered in the green hues of the leaves, and her antlers blended so well with the surrounding branches that she could easily be mistaken for part of a tree.

  Above a clearing, the Gordan hovered over the exposed roots of massive trees, while a misty yellow light illuminated the surroundings.

  The young turtle remembered how strange her own forest had once seemed and compared it to this fascinating, if slightly eerie, place. But with the Linea by her side and the experiences they had shared so far, she felt brave enough to step into this world as well.

  “Yippee!” Artemis cried joyfully as she and Helios floated weightlessly toward the ground. After a gentle landing, they began to carefully explore their surroundings.

  The Wol, who resembled an owl, sat on a moss-covered branch and spoke softly to the two friends as they wandered across the forest floor beneath her. “Welcome, strangers. What brings you here?” Her wide, yellow eyes followed even the smallest movements with keen attention.

  Artemis and Helios looked up as they heard the unfamiliar voice. A brief moment of surprise flashed across their faces, but Helios quickly regained his composure and managed to speak a few brave words. “Oh, hello! This is Artemis, and I’m Helios. We want to learn more about life. Could you maybe tell us something about it?”

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  The Wol tilted her head thoughtfully to the side. “I thought you might be searching for the tiny mushroom beings that grow in the shadows of the trees. They say they’re the most intelligent beings in the whole universe. But I’m happy to answer your question as well.”

  The creature with the leafy green coat gazed pensively into the distance. “Life is a bit like the horizon. No matter how far we go, it always keeps moving farther away, doesn’t it?”

  Helios nodded immediately, though he hadn’t fully grasped the deeper meaning. Artemis glanced at him briefly and couldn’t suppress a smile.

  The owl-like creature continued, “It’s the same with life. There’s always more to see and understand.”

  Now, Artemis realized just how vast the world beyond her pond truly was. The thought made her pause. “But …,” she began hesitantly, “if everything is so boundless, how do you know where to start and where to stop? It seems like learning will never end.”

  The thought felt overwhelming, like an endless list of tasks that could never be entirely completed.

  The Wol sympathetically tilted her head to the other side. “That’s a good question. It’s important to set goals. You don’t have to accomplish everything at once, do you?”

  The turtle looked again at her friend, who was now eagerly nodding, even though he still wasn’t entirely sure why.

  After a moment of silence, the green creature perched above them added, “Be like children; they ask one question at a time and take life step by step. That way, you’ll grow without feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities.”

  Artemis and Helios fell silent, letting her words sink in. They both felt reassured as they absorbed the meaning.

  Before the Wol flew off, they thanked her for her wise words. Then they set off in search of the hidden mushroom beings, eager to learn from them as well.

  Back on the spaceship, a line now appeared on the Kensho stone, winding its way up from the bottom all the way to the top. Small dots glowed at regular intervals along its length—a reminder of the importance of setting goals and moving forward step by step.