Chapter 19: Floating city

“Maybe... there’s more waiting for me above the clouds.”

Nagomi sat by the edge of a mossy ridge, catching his breath as the golden sun bathed the horizon. Behind him, the forest whispered tales of the Hollow Veins he had just escaped. Ahead, the sky stretched endlessly, painted in soft blues and golds. A single parchment rustled in his hand—a flyer he had found clumsily stuck inside his travel journal. He didn't even remember how or when it got there.

“Explore the Sky-City of Skyrend! Adventure, opportunity, and mystery await above the clouds. Daily airships from Delthorn.”

He chuckled. “Seriously? Did someone just sneak this into my bag for plot convenience?”

But the more he stared at it, the more the idea called to him.

He had faced death. He had stumbled through traps and fought strange monsters. He had touched ancient stones that whispered secrets in forgotten tongues. And yet… he was still breathing. Still moving. Still curious.

“I want to see more. I didn’t come to this world to play it safe in backwater villages.”
“A city above the sky? That sounds like the kind of adventure people in my old world could only dream of.”

Without overthinking it, Nagomi rose to his feet, dusted himself off, and made a decision. His next destination: Skyrend.

Two Days Later – Delthorn’s Cliffside Port

“Are you sure this thing can actually fly?” Nagomi squinted up at the massive vessel docked above the floating platform. It looked like a cross between a steam-powered ship and a castle turret, with propellers on either side and glowing crystals embedded in its hull.

The dockhand gave a lazy grin. “She’s made the trip over a hundred times. Name’s The Silver Gale. Fastest ship this side of the continent. You’re lucky—we’ve got a few spots left.”

“Flying ships... why does this still feel like sci-fi cosplay?”

Nagomi paid the fare with a pouch of silver coins, climbed the sturdy ramp, and stepped aboard. The deck buzzed with a low magical hum, and the moment the anchors released, the ship gently lifted into the air, riding currents only visible to those who believed in them.

As the ship ascended, the forest below shrank into a sea of green waves. The clouds enveloped the vessel like fog in a dream. It was quiet—peaceful.

Nagomi leaned on the rail and watched the clouds shift. “So this is what it feels like... to chase something beyond reason.”

Back home, I used to stare at the sky from my room and wonder what it would be like to just... leave. No school, no work, no expectations. Just air, freedom, and the unknown.

A gust of wind tugged at his hair. The city began to appear in the distance, shimmering through breaks in the clouds like a mirage.

Arrival – The Floating City of Skyrend

It was even more majestic than he imagined.

Skyrend hovered over the clouds like a kingdom of myth—dozens of platforms suspended by magical turbines, each linked by elegant bridges. Towers stretched upward like silver trees, and floating lights flickered along the streets as if the city breathed magic.

“Wooooah…” Nagomi whispered, eyes wide. “Is this seriously real?”

The ship docked smoothly on the outer ring. Golems moved crates with mechanical precision, and strange creatures Nagomi couldn’t name fluttered through the air like spirits.

As he stepped onto the sky-stone platform, he felt something stir inside him. A calm thrill. The kind of feeling he hadn’t experienced since arriving in this world.

“This... This is the kind of adventure I was hoping for.”

Skyrend – Merchant Quarter

Nagomi wandered through the vibrant streets, soaking in the sounds and smells—fresh spices, gear whirrs, snippets of laughter. He paused at a central plaza where a towering bulletin board displayed dozens of mission requests.

“Artifact Recovery – Skydown Sector. High danger. High reward. Explorers needed.”

He tilted his head. “Skydown Sector? That sounds... vaguely ominous.”

As he reached to tear the slip from the board, a voice spoke behind him.

“New face, huh?”

He turned to see a silver-haired young man leaning casually against a lamppost. He wore a high-collared coat etched with faint magical runes, and his eyes gleamed like someone who knew the city’s secrets.

“Just arrived,” Nagomi said. “Skyrend’s a lot... more than I expected.”

The man nodded. “Kael. Local guide, scavenger, part-time troublemaker. You?”

“Nagomi. Wandering idiot, I guess.”

Kael laughed. “That’s the right spirit. You planning to head into the Skydown?”

“I was thinking about it. I’m curious.”

“You should be,” Kael said, his voice dipping into a more serious tone. “That place holds remnants of the city's past. Magic, tech, and stuff people would rather forget. But if you’re not prepared… you’ll become one of those forgotten things.”

Nagomi smirked. “Sounds perfect.”

Kael raised an eyebrow. “You’re either brave or stupid.”

“Little of both,” Nagomi replied.

The following morning, Skyrend was cloaked in a pale mist. Magical lanterns floated low over the streets, their blue glow casting long, dancing shadows. Nagomi wandered through the quieter parts of the city, following the directions Kael had scribbled onto a napkin the night before.

“There’s an elevator that takes you to Skydown,” Kael had said.
“Most people avoid it, but that’s where the good stuff is—the old tech, the sealed sectors, the dangerous relics. If you’re going, don’t go unarmed... or alone.”

Nagomi wasn’t sure which he was—reckless or just curious—but either way, he had to see it with his own eyes.

“Alright... Magic-powered ruins underneath a floating city. Yeah, that’s totally something I never thought I’d say in real life.”

He found the lift embedded in the wall of an old watchtower, guarded by what looked like a sleeping automaton knight. Its armor was dull and cracked, but its chest glowed faintly.

The lift groaned to life as Nagomi stepped onto it. Metal gears churned and steam hissed from unseen vents. With a lurch, the platform began to descend.

“...Why does this feel like the start of a dungeon in a RPG?”

The Skydown Sector – Lower Depths of Skyrend

As the lift reached the lower levels, the air changed—thicker, colder, and eerily silent. The walls were made of an older stone, overlaid with exposed magical circuits and metal piping. Forgotten banners hung limply from the ceiling, depicting a sigil long since erased from modern use.

Nagomi stepped off the platform, boots echoing softly. “This place… feels like a forgotten world.”

He took a few steps forward before freezing. A soft scraping noise echoed ahead. Slowly, he turned.

A twisted shape shambled out from the shadows—part machine, part creature. Its face was hidden behind a cracked mask, and metal wires jutted from its limbs. It didn’t walk so much as it dragged itself forward, groaning like a malfunctioning speaker.

“Okay. That’s new.”

Nagomi drew the blade he bought in the market the day before—a lightweight weapon imbued with minor enchantments.

“No magic yet... Not until I actually learn how to use it properly. Time to rely on what I do know.”

He exhaled slowly, lowering his stance.

The creature lunged.

The battle was fast, chaotic, and grimy. The corridors were narrow, forcing Nagomi to duck and weave instead of charging head-on. His swings were awkward, his breath shallow, but his instincts kept him alive.

With one final strike, he slashed through the creature’s torso, sending it into a sparking heap. He stumbled back, panting.

“...Okay. First fight in the sky ruins. Still alive. Still confused. Still no idea what that was.”

A light clicked on above him.

An ancient projector in the ceiling flickered to life, revealing a holographic map of the Skydown sector—large red zones blinking across its surface, with a pulsing blue dot at the center.

Nagomi tilted his head. “Is that... where I need to go?”

He stared at the map for a long moment, then smiled.

“Alright then, Skyrend. Let’s see what you’ve been hiding.”