Plots - Sci-Fi, Historical, Drama | 15th century Italy
Main characters
The story is set in 15th-century Italy and follows the lives of a young mother named Caterina and her son, Giovan Battista. Caterina, a widow, lives a simple but happy life, and raises the boy with love and dedication. They live in Tuscany, she is a seamstress, honest, caring, and with the money bequeathed to her by her husband she can allow the boy a peaceful life. Giovan Battista is a very intelligent boy, curious, always active, and despite being ten years old he shows a wisdom uncommon even in adults.
The call to adventure
One day, while mother and son are walking through a forest near their village, they witness the sudden fall of a mysterious celestial light from the sky. The light turns out to be a spacecraft belonging to a race of extraterrestrial beings who have come to Earth to study human life and its various cultures. The aliens, fascinated by Italian culture and its history, decide to make initial contact with Caterina and Giovan Battista, having sensed the intense bond of love that unites them.
The extraterrestrial visitors impressed by the solidarity and hospitality of the boy and his mother, who do their utmost in explaining, helping, and protecting them, offer Giovan Battista the chance to travel through time and space, allowing him to discover new knowledge and live extraordinary experiences. However, the proposal involves a difficult choice: the two will have to separate for a long time, and Catherine fears that the bond with her son may weaken, which is why the extraterrestrials will give the two a great gift.
The conflict
John Baptist is driven by curiosity and a desire to grow up, and his mother urges him to accept the aliens' offer. Thus the boy embarks on an incredible journey to distant galaxies. John the Baptist is welcomed among the aliens and learns about their advanced scientific and technological knowledge, while Catherine remains on Earth, but she is not alone: during the time of separation, Catherine and John the Baptist maintain an emotional bond through a special telepathic connection, which the aliens have established between them.
Despite the distance, mother and son learn to communicate and share their experiences, strengthening their love and support for each other. Thus Catherine is able to experience her son's experiences.
The key
The years pass differently between mother and son, and when Catherine sees her boyfriend again she finds a young man, while she is on the verge of death. Yet she is happy, for they have never been separated. John the Baptist has brought with him the knowledge and experience gained during travel.
Thus, having buried his mother, after saying his last goodbye, he leaves his mother's home. Thanks to the teaching of the aliens, he wants to contribute to the welfare and prosperity of his community and decides to create a new past and a new identity for himself; Giovan Battista adopts the name Leonardo da Vinci and leaves for Florence.
