The only way to see the floating island of Vensalor from Deadbay City was to reach a high vantage point by the sea.
And the only place that offered such a view was the watchtower perched on the cliffs at the edge of the city.
Tave walked alongside Lily through the bustling streets of Deadbay City, his eyes constantly wandering. Every corner of this place fascinated him. The city was vibrant, alive, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Lily, on the other hand, kept glancing back at him with an odd expression, but eventually, she just sighed, as if she had given up trying to understand him.
After some time, they reached the coastline, where a small watchtower stood at the cliff's edge. Nearby, two guards sat idly, keeping watch over the area with a relaxed posture.
As Lily approached, they immediately stood up.
"Hi, Lily. Don't see you around here often. Need something?"
Tave could tell instantly. They didn't even acknowledge his presence.
Not surprising.
Lily wasn't just anyone in this city. She was a prodigy, she was already at Level 24, a Gaia Guardian. People expected her to rise quickly, and some even believed she would one day become the next Knight Commander.
Meanwhile, Tave?
It was like he didn't even exist in their memories.
"Hi, I just… uhm… want to check the ocean view from the top."
One of the guards tilted his head. "Is this for a mission? Well, the tower's always open for you."
Lily nodded and stepped forward.
Tave followed, only for one of the guards to block his path.
"You stay here. This isn't a place just anyone can enter."
Tave clenched his jaw. He already didn't like this guy.
Lily turned back, visibly annoyed.
"Let him come. He's my brother."
The guards exchanged glances. "But Lily, you know this isn't an open area."
"I have my father's permission. I'll take responsibility."
One of the guards finally looked at Tave, really looked at him, for the first time.
The expression on his face?
Disdain.
For a second, Tave had the urge to punch that look right off his face.
But before he could react, the guards stepped aside, begrudgingly allowing him through.
The watchtower itself was a small stone structure, mostly consisting of a narrow spiral staircase that led up to an open-air platform.
Once they reached the top, Tave exhaled, finally able to take in the vast horizon.
He turned to Lily, smirking.
"You're surprisingly useful, my sister," he teased.
Lily rolled her eyes. "You better be quick. Father wouldn't be happy if he found out we came here without permission."
Tave smiled, already looking toward the ocean and the skies beyond.
Lily leaned against the railing, arms crossed as she gazed into the distance. "This isn't your first time seeing it, Brother."
"Yes…" It should be, but in Tave's memories, the image was hazy. Besides, he wanted to see it with his own eyes this time.
"You once said that someday, you wanted to visit the island," she continued.
"Of course. Visiting a floating island, one truly suspended in the sky, is a dream for many."
"But I'm not sure that's even possible." Her tone was calm, but there was something knowing in her voice.
Tave didn't answer right away. Instead, he waited.
The clouds above the ocean were still thick, drifting lazily across the sky, but he knew, the island should be visible soon.
Then, just as expected, the mist parted slightly, revealing a small floating landmass on the horizon.
It was distant, barely more than a silhouette against the sky, but Tave knew exactly what it was.
The Kingdom of Vensalor.
One of the most significant locations in his story.
A floating kingdom ruled by the Forest Elves.
It was one of the most beautiful places he had ever written. A land where the elves lived in harmony, untouched by outside forces. Within its borders, the Forest Elves reigned supreme, holding absolute power over their own kind. Their civilization flourished, deeply connected to nature and strengthened by an ancient, unbroken lineage of rulers.
And yet, all Tave could think about was how temporary it was.
He let out a slow breath, his gaze fixed on the distant floating island.
He knew the future. Of course he did. He had written it.
In the second volume of his novel, the First Great War was inevitable.
And it would happen there.
On that floating island.
Vensalor would fall, destroyed by the Demons.
Tave stood in silence, the weight of that knowledge settling over him.
And you know what was even worse about that great war?
Vensalor wasn't even the first to fall.
Before the battle in the skies, before the floating kingdom crumbled, another would fall first…
Dissidia. This kingdom. The very place where Tave now stood was the demons' first target. Not because of its power, but because of its location.
The demons needed a way to reach Vensalor, and Dissidia was their closest access point.
That was why the war would begin here.
The ruler of Vensalor was a 9th Stage Gaia Mystic, a being so powerful he was practically godlike. But even he wouldn't be able to stop what was coming.
Because this war was inevitable.
A catastrophic conflict between the Forest Elves of Vensalor and the Demon race.
And by the time it reached the floating island, Dissidia would already be lost.
Its cities reduced to ruins.
Its people slaughtered.
Its land turned into the demons' staging ground, their first stronghold in this world.
And in the end, Vensalor would fall too.
Tave exhaled slowly, shaking his head. If that war truly happened, this city would be wiped out. He would die here. His father. His sister. Everything would be gone.
How much longer until it all started?
But that wasn't his only concern. After speaking with Lily, he had confirmed something even more pressing. At this point in the timeline, Theo, the original protagonist, should already be a teenager. Which meant… he had regressed far earlier than Tave. And that was bad news.
Tave had no idea how far Theo had already come. Had he started gathering allies? Unlocking hidden resources? Manipulating events behind the scenes? How much had he already changed?
Yet, as Tave pieced everything together, one thing stood out that nothing significant had changed in the timeline.
At least, not yet. The story was still unfolding exactly as he had written it.
Which meant Theo hadn't acted, or at least, not in any way that disrupted the major events.
But why? Was he waiting? Planning? Or had he already begun moving in ways Tave couldn't see yet?
And more importantly, how powerful was Theo now?
And… Damn it. Tave was still only Level 11!
He was practically trash at this stage. If war broke out now, he'd be one of the first to die.
Even if the timeline followed the original story, the war would only happen for another five years.
And yet… Five years wasn't a long time.
What could he possibly achieve in such a short period?
No… five years was enough.
If he focused completely and made only the most optimal choices, he could catch up.
That was his advantage.
He knew the future. He had the Echelon Chest, which would grant him powerful rewards with every stage breakthrough.
But he needed a plan.
First, he had to awaken his relic.
And for that, he needed a place rich in Fire Elemental energy, something this city, or even this kingdom, couldn't provide.
He turned to Lily. "You have an expedition to the Gaia Rifts soon, don't you?"
Lily blinked, frowning. "Huh? And why?"
"I need to join a Gaia Rift expedition."
"What?!"
Her reaction was immediate, shock, then disbelief.
Gaia Rifts.
In another story, they might have been called dungeons, but here, they had a different name.
They were fragments of a world beyond this one. It was unstable realms that connected directly to the main world. Each Rift contained monsters, trials, and hidden dangers, and if left unchecked, it would break open, unleashing its contents into the world.
That was why Awakeners were always sent in to conquer them.
This was the primary duty of the Knights and Adventurers in every city, to enter these rifts, clear them, and prevent disaster before it could spread.
Lily narrowed her eyes. "Brother, you just advanced to Gaia Apprentice. You do realize what kind of power you'd need to even think about stepping into a Gaia Rift, right?"
Tave smirked. "Yeah, sure… I'm not that clueless."
Lily stared at him like he had lost his mind, then shook her head.
"You're kidding!"