Chapter One: The Enchanted Kingdom
Millions of years ago, before the kingship of King Kundar in the Kingdom of Lizyaar, the world was full of wonders. Beasts roamed the world wildly, magic, abilities, and sorcery were at their peak, but the strong relentlessly oppressed the weak, seeing them as nothing more than dirt to be brushed aside. In turn, the weak craved power more than the air they breathed. In this era of imbalance, there existed a kingdom called Naif-al'azal.
Naif-al'azal was a kingdom on the island of Barafnan, located in the Ocean of Bahan Barafnan—the largest and deepest of the world's three hundred and nine oceans.
The waters of the ocean were a dazzling azure, appearing as though they mirrored the sky itself. At night, they glowed, as if illuminated from within. This enchanting hue persisted even when the water was drawn, its mystical color never fading.
Day or night, the ocean reflected ethereal creatures hovering above, adding to the breathtaking beauty.
Doctors claimed the waters could cure ninety-nine different diseases, while sorcerers insisted that magical items crafted from these waters were more powerful than those made with ordinary elements.
_ _ _
A boy, about fourteen years old, stepped down from a massive ship alongside his parents, his eyes wide with wonder.
As his foot touched the ground, he slipped and fell with a soft grunt. Looking down, he was awestruck. Instead of soil, the ground beneath him was made of transparent, enchanted glass. Dirt from people shoes was absorbed and vanished without a trace, leaving the surface smooth and pristine.
Gods! Even the slightest scratch seemed to mend itself instantly, a magical property the boy could easily deduce.
Beneath this glassy surface, sea creatures swam harmoniously, oblivious to the happenings above.
The boy's attention was caught by a peculiar sight—the glass floor became rough just before his father stepped on it and immediately smoothed out once his father's foot was lifted.
As he scanned his surroundings, he realized that this magic was everywhere. The ground was enchanted to prevent slips, turning rough before being stepped on and smoothing itself afterward. This allowed for both stability and beauty, a perfect balance.
Looking up, the boy forgot to breathe. The scene before him defied description; it was far beyond words like "beautiful" or "amazing." The view was otherworldly, so overwhelming that his thoughts spun.
"Am I dead? Did I die? But when?" He tried to recall his last moments, but nothing came to mind.
But... how could a place like this exist? How could such beauty be real? It seemed more splendid than any paradise he'd read about. If this wasn't paradise, then what was? And if it wasn't, then how much more magnificent could paradise be?
He could not imagine.
Looking around, the boy noticed the same astonishment mirrored in the faces of the people around him. Their mouths hung agape, their eyes wide, lost in the incomprehensible beauty. Only a few seemed accustomed to the sight, going about their business normally.
"Let's go," his father said, pulling him back to reality.
they began to walk, and as they did, the boy continued to stare at the magical ground, mesmerized by the way it transformed beneath each step. It was as if the very land was alive.
The naked roots of trees, appearing like a henna on the beautiful hands of a bride, the mystical sky and the fantastic ground were just wonderful.
Eventually, they reached an area filled with swaykans—creatures used for long journeys due to their adaptability, ability to fly, and incredible speed.
Swaykans, used by those unable to afford more expensive beasts, resembled horses but were much larger, with six legs, two enormous wings, and three horns protruding from their foreheads. Instead of hair, their bodies were covered in sleek feathers.
They halted in front of a white swaykan with a rider already seated in the saddle, holding the reins.
The boy's father tossed three Kass coins to the rider, who caught them with ease, pocketing them quickly.
"Where to?" the rider asked.
"Samzas," the father replied.
And then, he lifted the boy onto the swaykan's saddle, then climbed on himself, followed by the boy's mother. Once everyone was settled, the rider shook the reins and kicked the swaykan with his heels.
The creature took off at a tremendous speed, faster than any horse the boy had ever seen. The boy closed his eyes against the force of the rushing air, struggling to catch his breath.
And unaware of the boy's discomfort, the swaykan unfolded its wings, flapping them powerfully as it gained even more speed, leaving the ground far behind.
The sky was filled with swaykans, all flying in various directions. Among them were other creatures—dragon beasts, phoenixes, air snakes, and many others, all darting through the air.
There were even... flying mats!
The sky itself was a canvas of vibrant colors, alive with movement.
Their swaykan weaved skillfully through the chaos, narrowly avoiding collisions with other riders and creatures. The rider's expertise was evident as he dodged and maneuvered around what seemed like inevitable accidents.
And then—
Amidst the dangerous flight, everything started to change, at first, the boy heard a sound. No, It was a scream—no, several screams, all blending together in an ear-piercing cacophony. Men, women, children, plants, animals, and beasts—all seemed to be wailing in agony.
He opened his eyes and was met with a scene of utter terror. The once beautiful kingdom was collapsing. Trees were ablaze, the enchanted glass ground was cracking, and the sky itself was shattering like fragile glass.
The screams grew louder, deafening, like thunder crashing all around him. The sounds threatened to drive him mad. He pressed his fingers into his ears, trying to block out the noise, but it was no use. The screams pierced through, causing blood to drip from his ears.
His mind teetered on the edge of collapse when he heard two more screams, these closer, and... familiar! They were his parents' voices, calling out to him in sheer panic.
He turned just in time to see them—his parents and the rider falling from the swaykan, their hands outstretched, screaming,
"Save me!"
"Save us!"
The ground trembled, the air quaked, and the sky shattered further. The kingdom itself seemed to cry out, its voice almost pleading, "Help me... !!!"