Skyarnia was a floating continent. Therefore, no matter how vast it seemed, it had to have an edge—some boundary where the land stopped, and the vast sky began.
Eventually, we saw it.
The edge of the continent was lined with countless waterfalls, cascading down like rivers from the massive mountain ranges inland. From up here, they were like shining threads of silver, descending into the sea of clouds below.
The water—pure, clear, and dazzling—descended endlessly. I couldn't tell whether it fell into the ocean or into land. Maybe the continent floated over dry plains or deserts, and the water created rivers down there. Maybe even massive lakes.
That is, if the continent didn't move.
Which, as it turns out, it does.
Regardless of where it led, the sight before me was more beautiful than anything I'd ever seen.
Even if I was brought into this world by mistake—just a cosmic slip-up by some divine being—I couldn't help but feel grateful.
Just witnessing this view was worth it.
And of course… I had my parents to thank for this life too. They made it more than worth it.
"Fooo~!"
Naturia, the little spirit born from my bond with Yggdra, floated from my soul and twirled beside me, marveling at the view.
"These are the Holy Waterfalls," my mother said. "This is the purest water in the entire world. It flows from Skyarnia and nourishes the lands below."
"This water is a blessing," my father continued. "Skyarnia doesn't stay still. It floats slowly across the world, guided by the will of the world itself. It drifts toward barren lands where energy is fading, and the rain from these waterfalls restores life."
"Ooooh… so the continent actually helps the world below?" I asked.
"Pretty much," mother nodded. "It emanates divine energy constantly. Wherever it drifts, it brings healing and rebirth."
"I see… and you said the gods made this place, right? So… if this place is helping, why does the world hate the gods and humans?"
My question was met with silence. Then a sigh from father.
"That's… a complicated question," he muttered.
"We better not talk about that just yet," mother added softly. "You're not ready."
"Ready…?"
I frowned. I didn't really like the way they said that. I wasn't some helpless child… well, actually, I was—a literal one-year-old. But even so, I wasn't mentally a baby. Still, I dropped the subject.
We passed through the mist of the falling water, getting slightly drenched in the gentle spray.
Even though the waterfalls were powerful, the water descended more like a soft rain the farther it got from the continent, scattered by the winds rather than falling in one destructive stream. Maybe that's why it didn't flood the world below.
After we crossed the clouds, I saw it—the world beyond the floating continent.
And it was vast.
A sweeping land of grasslands, scattered forests, glistening rivers, and distant mountain ranges.
Compared to the scale of Skyarnia, the land below seemed more grounded—smaller, but richer in color and sound.
Still, I noticed patches of dryness. There were areas that weren't as green, places where the land clearly struggled. But the rainfall from Skyarnia was reaching those places, slowly revitalizing them.
"Ah… looks like we're over Gacia this time," mother commented.
"Gacia?" I asked.
"There are four continents in this world," she explained. "Gacia is the largest and where most of the human kingdoms are located."
"So… this is the human continent?"
"You could say that," mother replied with a soft chuckle.
"But there's more than just humans here," father added. "To the north are the Wildlands—dense jungles, untamed beasts, and tribes. The Amazon live there. That's where Aquarina and her parents are from."
I perked up at the mention of Aquarina. It had been so long since I'd last seen her. I couldn't wait.
"What about the other continents?" I asked curiously.
"Well," mother began, "the second is the Demon Continent. That entire landmass was formed from the corpse of the First Demon King. That's where most demons and monsters originate."
"Then there's Deldoria," father continued. "It's a wild continent home to beastkin, elves, dwarves, and many other demihuman races. Some humans live there too, but it's mostly non-human."
"And finally," mother added, "there's Atlantis—the mystical continent. A land of advanced civilizations, ancient ruins, magic towers, and races from across the world. It's also where the gods once walked. We Elves are among the native races there."
"Ooh… will I get to rule land there?" I asked excitedly.
Mother blinked, then laughed. "W-Well, you're our child… so technically, yes, we could give you land. But ruling it would be another story. Governance is hard work, Leon."
"Oh…"
Father patted my head gently. "That's a conversation for when you're a bit older."
"Anyways," mother continued, "while Atlantis and Deldoria are more tolerant of non-humans, Gacia has always had a bit of a supremacy complex. It's known for its harsh treatment of demihumans and even slavery in the past."
"But we helped dismantle slavery in several kingdoms when we were younger," father said. "Though we haven't been down here in a while… we don't know if things have changed."
"I see… that must have been hard," I said quietly.
"It was worth it," mother said, smiling.
"Eustace, pick up the pace," father called out.
"Understood," the owl replied.
With a brilliant burst of light, Eustace accelerated through the skies, his massive wings slicing through the air like blades.
We sped through the sky like a comet, crossing vast distances in moments.
Soon, we would reach the Wildlands.
Soon… I'd see Aquarina again.
I couldn't help but smile. I had waited so long for this.
But then—
TRUUUMMM!!!
The owl halted suddenly in midair.
A dark pressure engulfed us as an unnatural chill swept through the air.
"What's that?" I asked, my senses tingling.
Ahead of us floated a tall, humanoid figure clad in dark armor. Its face was that of a skull, and a sickly aura of death clung to its form.
"A Death-attribute familiar?!" my mother gasped.
"What's something like this doing here…? Wait… This is—" Father narrowed his eyes. "A Demon King Remnant's familiar?"
"Kakaka… I found youuu…"
A ghastly voice echoed through the skies.
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