Serif tilted his head back toward the moon, lifting his hand as though measuring it between thumb and forefinger. The faint silver glow traced his sharp features.
"Right on time," he muttered.
Axel followed his gaze. The moon hung like a clipped fingernail in the sky, a crescent instead of the full disk he expected.
"Shouldn't it be, you know, rounder?" he said, brow furrowing.
Serif ignored him and stepped closer to the waterfall. The roar of the cascade filled the clearing, cold mist spraying against Axel's face.
When Serif pressed his palm to the rushing surface, the thunder abruptly cut off — like someone hit "mute" on nature.
The water stilled midair, droplets suspended and trembling. Then the surface began to swirl, spinning upward in defiance of gravity, curling into a luminous, circular vortex. The soft sound of churning water turned to a low hum that Axel could feel in his bones.
The glow came next, blue, pale and otherworldly, like moonlight trapped in the swirl.
Axel turned to Amy. Her eyes sparkled, reflecting the light, hands clasped in awe, a smile spreading across her face.
If only I had a camera, Axel thought.
He smirked and looked back at the shimmering spiral. "Guess it's beautiful," he muttered, pretending he wasn't impressed.
Serif walked straight toward it, stopping just short of the swirl.
"Follow me," he said flatly, and stepped through.
No ripple. No splash. Just gone.
Axel blinked. "Yup, definitely a portal. What was I expecting?"
"See you on the other side," Amy snickered and jumped in right after, vanishing with a faint shimmer, leaving Axel alone.
He frowned, curiosity tickling the back of his mind. Circling around the portal, he checked the other side, nothing but rock, mist, and a normal-looking cave.
The water still swirled.
"Nothing, hu..." He froze.
A low, deep exhale rolled through the mist behind him, followed by a chill wind that brushed through his hair. The mist thickened, twisting like something alive.
Axel carefully stepped back towards the portal as he saw a massive silhouette shift within the mist.
His brain skipped from curiosity to survival mode in half a heartbeat. "Nope, nope, I'm out," he whispered and dove into the portal.
The world turned into a blender. He spun, tumbled. It was like being sucked through a cosmic washing machine on "spin cycle."
When he stumbled out the other side, he immediately dropped to one knee, groaning.
He clamped a hand over his mouth. Do not puke.
Amy patted his back. "You okay?"
He raised one shaky finger. "Give me… a sec."
After a deep breath and some internal pep talk, he stood. "I'm good now. Just slightly traumatized."
Then he noticed the spears. Two guards, both aiming right at them, eyes narrowed.
"Identify yourselves," the men barked, their accents thick and hoarse, the consonants dragging on.
Axel instinctively tightened his grip on the Gishiki, muscles tensing.
Serif raised a calm hand, slowly retrieving a circular badge from his pocket.
The men stiffened, following every movement like coiled springs ready to strike. The badge caught the light, a falling star engraved into it, similar to the currency.
One of the men slowly reached out and snatched it, he carefully examined it, and his face drained of color.
"Relax," came a voice from deeper in the jungle. A man emerged, smiling like someone used to being obeyed. "You don't recognize the Guardian of the Gishiki? Or do you prefer calling him the cleaner?"
The two guards instantly lowered their spears, and their gazes along with their pride. One returned the badge with a trembling hand.
Serif pocketed it without a glance.
"You've recovered the Gishiki, then?" the newcomer asked, climbing the mossy steps toward them.
Serif gave a short bow. "Yes, sir." He gestured toward Axel, no the Gishiki.
The man's eyes landed on him. "So… you're the one holding it."
Axel swallowed. The guy was built like a general and dressed like a legend — white embroidered shirt, red vest trimmed with gold, dark trousers tucked into boots, and a turban wound tightly around his head. Even the guards wore a similar style, though with less flair and a lot more intimidation.
The man's presence felt heavy, like the air thickened around him.
"You really are something special," he said, towering over Axel. His tone was half compliment, half examination.
Great, Axel frowned.
The man chuckled, reading his expression. "To hold the Gishiki so casually is no easy feat. Be proud, boy." He patted Axel's shoulder, and though the gesture was friendly, Axel's instincts screamed predator.
He smiled anyway. Yup. I definitely don't like him.
"You've been through a lot," the man continued, voice softening. "You'll be safe here."
Speaking of which were are we? Axel wondered as he finally looked around, he hadn't observed the place considering when he got in there were spears pointed at him.
He blinked, finally taking in their surroundings — and instantly forgot to breathe. The place was out of this world, probably literally as well, cause he doubted if they were still on the planet at this point.
Floating islands stretched randomly in every direction, mist clinging to there underside. Ropes or bridges connected them like a massive web, some islands piercing the clouds, others hanging low and veiled in fog. The air smelled of damp moss and ozone, cool and sharp.
"This is… insane," Axel whispered.
"Straight out of a fantasy game. Inside a waterfall."
The portal stood on a high platform under a half-crumbled archway, what looked like ruins of some grand structure. It looked as if the remaining building was cut off as the island was carved out, he couldn't tell.
Below it sprawled dense jungle, massive pillars tangled with roots and moss.
Behind the portal was a cliff. "You sure this is the safest place for a front door?" he questioned the logic, unless they had no control over where to place it.
Axel carefully walked to the edge of the cliff, about to look down, when the man's voice rang out.
"I wouldn't do that."
"Why?" Axel asked, still leaning a little too close.
"Because nothing good is down there."
He gulped hard and stepped back.
Good enough reason for me.
The man clapped his hands. "You must be exhausted. For now let's get you rested and fed, we can talk after." He started going down the stairs.
So what was the point of climbing in the first place, Axel wondered.
He scanned the horizon for a village but saw only trees, colossal ones, and the rope bridges swaying in the wind. His stomach dropped. Oh no. Please don't tell me we're crossing those.
"Uh, sir?" Axel called. "Where exactly are we?"
The man glanced back, amused. "It's Drazen, not 'sir.' And we're in the continent of Zvezdan. Now we head to Tihodol."
Zvezdan. The name clicked something in Axel's mind. Wait, the metal, is this where it crashed? That explains the floating rocks… maybe.
"Drazen," he repeated aloud.
Instant reaction, the guards gasping, Serif's eyebrow twitching, Amy smirking.
"What?" Axel asked, bewildered.
"In the presence of others," Drazen said with unnerving calm, "it's Sir Drazen." He resumed walking. "And no questions."
Axel sighed. Right. Totally normal social rules in the flying island dimension. Got it.
He was about to follow when his body suddenly locked in place, frozen mid-step. A crushing yet oddly serene pressure filled the air.
Above, a man descended slowly, robes fluttering, beard catching the moonlight. The air itself seemed to bow around him.
"He can't enter Thiodol," the man's voice boomed, deep enough to vibrate the stones beneath their feet. "He isn't pure."
Everyone around Axel quickly dropped to one knee, Serif, Drazen, the guards, even Amy, although reluctantly.
Do I kneel? Is that mandatory? He hesitated, then began to lower himself.
"Don't," the man said sharply. "Don't perform rituals you don't understand."
The man landed gently, eyes falling on the Gishiki. He cupped his fist and bowed slightly.
"I thank you for returning the Gishiki," he said, voice calm now. "But you cannot enter Thiodol. You have already seen enough. Ask Drazen for any compensation, he'll fulfill it as long as it's within his power— but you step no further."
He pointed at Axel's feet.
Axel looked down, then up again, mouth half open.