Alex's father surprises him by coming home from deployment in time for his 16th birthday. However, the visit is short-lived, and before his dad can disappear again, he gives his son a strange birthday gift: a marble globe and the cryptic message, "You'll know what to do when the time is right." In a fit of rage, Alex unlocks the secrets of the globe and is transported to a parallel universe called Permainan. Trapped in a frigid tundra, Alex is swept into a terrifying battle against attacking Bandits and is saved by the sibling duo Kojak and Paige. He quickly learns not everything is as it appears on Earth: humans are scarce, centaurs are expected, and war looms over the inhabitants, threatening to end their very way of life (okay, maybe that one's like Earth). Alex must remember every wilderness lesson his militant father taught him if he wants to survive. Still, as he and his allies near the Oracle that can take him home, he learns the dark secret of why his dad gave him the globe and the sacrifice Alex must make.