Troy

A gigantic rock floated in the sky, above the clouds. There were two of them; one smaller than the other. Besides them, there were many other small rocks all around.

The two main islands were connected by small wooden bridges and a main one made of metal. The houses were more modern, made of copper and filled with pipes. Their chimneys spewed steam ceaselessly. It was, essentially, an industrial village.

"He's so brilliant, isn't he?" said a woman, resting her face on her hand, enchanted. She was watching a very young boy playing with cogs and a wrench.

"He's going to grow up to be an engineer," replied a man beside her, equally fascinated, "just like me!" He pointed to himself with pride.

Time went on.

"Justin, breakfast is ready!" a maternal voice called out. It came from inside one of the houses. There was a boy in a room. The room was dark, lit only by lamps.

The boy was blond and had wavy hair. He wore an aviator helmet with goggles on his head. His shirt was plain white. He was tinkering with a device on the table, which was cluttered with gears and metal components.

He smiled and stood up. "I'm coming, Mom!" he shouted. He ran out of the bedroom and found his mother at the lunch table.

In contrast to his bedroom, the breakfast room was bathed in light streaming in from outside. Tiny dust particles were revealed by the beam of light. It was something almost ethereal.

"I made toast for you, as always, Justin," his mother said. "Are you sure you don't want something more nutritious?"

"Nah, I'm good," he replied curtly, with a welcoming yet hollow smile. "Thanks for the meal, Mom." He quickly nibbled at the toast to finish it as fast as possible.

"Don't worry about that, my son." She smiled. Her dark hair tied back, along with her dress, gave her the look of a housewife.

"Will Dad be here soon?" he asked. "I don't want him to miss the competition."

"Oh, yes, he went to the surface just a few hours ago," she replied. "He said he'd be back... in a few minutes, I guess?"

"Got it," the son replied with a smile. After finishing his toast, he quickly drank the coffee his mother had prepared. It was sweet, as he didn't like bitter coffee. Once he finished breakfast, he stood up, ready to leave. "I think I'm ready to go."

"Already?!" she exclaimed, surprised by his speed. "Wait a moment — let me finish getting ready!"

"You're already ready to go, Mom." He sighed impatiently. "It's just a casual flight. Why do you need to wear a dress? We don't have to impress anyone."

"I know, but —" She sighed, weary of his indifference. "It’s called etiquette. We don’t need to impress anyone, but we shouldn’t make people uncomfortable with our presence."

"I don't feel uncomfortable at all," her son remarked. "As long as they aren't naked, I don't mind."

"That's not enough, Justin," she added, as a lesson. "We need to at least consider what others think and feel. That's called empathy. You're still young, but you'll learn in time."

Empathy...?  I wonder what it feels like...

"And what if I get it all wrong?" he asked, trying to understand her logic.

"Just... apologize, okay?" She smiled tenderly. "We can't understand everyone's feelings, but we can at least try."

Justin smiled automatically, as if it didn't mean much. He couldn't quite understand people, so all he could do was learn. And that was what he did best.

"Alright, Mom, you don't have to hurry," he reassured her. "But I'll head on ahead, okay? I'll wait at the airport."

"All right, then, my dear," she replied in a maternal voice. "Make sure your plane is running as it should."

"Sure!" He waved to his mother, put on the leather jacket hanging from the coat rack, and a metallic backpack. It looked like it was made of brass and had tubes pointing downwards and to the sides. He left the house.

The sun was intense, so Justin was momentarily blinded as he tried to adjust his vision after so much time in a dark room. He shielded his face with his palm.

Even so, he felt as if his eyes were burning. He closed them and then slowly opened them, revealing the breathtaking view of the second floating island and the beautiful cloudy sky beneath him. From there, he could see everything on the surface that wasn't covered by clouds. However, he was not on the surface of the island.

He was "below" the island; his home was carved into the rock walls, from which many other metal structures also protruded — including some sharp, pointed ones that resembled weapons. There were wooden bridges suspended by ropes and anchored to the underside of the larger island. They didn't look very secure, but since the inhabitants were accustomed to the place, this was not an issue.

The strong wind brushed against his hair, threatening to carry off his aviator cap. He adjusted it firmly on his head so it wouldn't fly away; then, he zipped up his jacket.

It was cold. The lack of air caused the local ecosystem to function very differently from the one on the surface. The inhabitants' bodies were also adapted to the environment.

He stepped onto the wooden platform — it creaked slightly; nothing out of the ordinary. "When I have more materials, I'm going to upgrade this bridge," he said, his eyes shining with hope.

From there, there were many paths, including stairs leading to the island's surface, but he stepped into a very spacious elevator. It had no solid walls, having been carved directly into the island itself, with only metal frames separating it from the rock. He pressed a red button, and the elevator began to descend.

He tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for it to reach the lowest level. "I should have made it faster..." he murmured, thinking of all the possibilities he could create. One floor went by, but the elevator continued to descend. The platform finally came to a halt, revealing a spacious hangar.

The "room" had no walls, save for the metal beams that supported each level and anchored the structure to the island's walls. In the center stood a circular metal platform. Resting upon it was a yellow-and-brown metal aircraft. It was small and seated only two people. The hangar wasn't very large, so the plane had little room for takeoff — again, nothing out of the ordinary.

Justin positioned himself next to his toy and smiled like a proud father. He pulled a lever next to it. Rust was beginning to accumulate on the metal parts and brass switches, yet they still functioned normally. A blue light emanated from the lever, illuminating the platform as if they were arteries. The floor began to spin.

He climbed into the aircraft, inserted the key, and started the engine. Blue lines lit up along the fuselage. It was surprisingly silent. The rotor began to spin. A few seconds passed, and the platform kept spinning. Justin was growing increasingly impatient.

He clicked his tongue, looking somewhat regretful. "If only I had a little more bysteen..." he murmured softly, thinking of a way to get more. "I need to win this." He braced himself for the worst. His determination was written all over his face. The platform finally stopped. The aircraft was now pointing toward the sky, since there was no wall on that side.

He stepped on the accelerator, ready to take off. An oval blue shield began to materialize around the aircraft. It finally started moving on its wheels. Upon reaching the edge, a holographic platform appeared beneath the aircraft, causing it to hover for a few seconds before accelerating and finally taking off with a thunderous roar.

The plane flew so fast that it instantly broke the sound barrier. The blue shield protected everything inside from the sudden acceleration. Although Justin had seen that scene hundreds of times, it never lost its magic. He smiled, marveling at the sky, the surface, and the clouds separating them. It was a division between worlds.

I will fly to the surface someday, just like Dad...

The aircraft made a slow turn to head back to the islands. It could have been faster, but Justin loved taking in the view. He finally landed on the surface of the smaller island. There were a few airports scattered across the two islands, so it was easier to park there than in his home garage.

To save energy, he slowly reduced the aircraft's speed, causing the blue shield to gradually fade away. When it finally came to a halt, he jumped out and landed on the dirt ground — an impact that hurt his legs, given the metal backpack he was carrying.

He gave a start, regretting having made such a risky decision, even though the fall had been quite short. "I have to train my body a little more..." he muttered. "How about some implants?"

He noticed someone approaching. There were two boys, about the same age as him. He waved at them amicably. One had red hair and wore black clothing; the other had bright yellow hair and wore an aviator uniform just like Justin's. They stopped a few meters away from him.

"Are you ready to lose, Justin?" said the redhead, frowning angrily. He didn't seem quite friendly.

"Well, not exactly," he replied. "Are you?"

"Oh!" the blond one exclaimed, staring open-mouthed at Justin's aircraft. "Did you build this thing?!"

"My father helped me, but yes," the prodigy replied, resting his fists on his hips with pride.

"That's amazing!" the redhead's pal shouted. Then, he noticed his friend's reaction, which wasn't very positive. He coughed to mask his excitement. "I-I mean, even with all that, you don't stand a chance against us."

"'Us?'" remarked the red-haired, resentful boy, pointing at his partner. "You're not even the one flying this time! And Justin..." he turned slowly to look at his rival, "...what is that thing?" He pointed at his backpack. "Why would you need a breather up here? Are you planning to cheat?"

"Ah, this?" He looked at his own device. "You didn't know this isn't just a breather? It has several functions — it even works as a jetpack!"

"A jetpack?!" exclaimed the blond one. "Did you make it? And how? I want one!"

"My dad helped me make this one," Justin replied. "You know kids like us can't leave the islands, so a breather just for you wouldn't be any use. That's why my dad let me keep this one, as long as I promised not to go out alone until I became an adult."

"Your... dad?" muttered the redhead, clearly irritated. "It's always your dad! You can't do anything on your own! How long do you intend to depend on him? Until you become an adult?"

"Until I can survive on my own," he said, as the wind caressed his hair. His smile remained empty, but this time, it carried more meaning. "Besides, what can you do on your own? We're still kids."

"I can tame a dragon!" proclaimed the hot-tempered one. "Did you hear that? I can control a living being — unlike you, who depends on machinery for everything!"

"Hey, machines are cool," the blond guy commented, a bit disappointed.

"But does your dragon recognize you as its master?" Justin retorted. "Controlling someone just isn't the same as controlling something. You know, sometimes machines have more life and personality than a mere subordinate."

"Are you saying I'm not a good master...?" the redhead muttered, growing increasingly furious. "I'll show you who the best master here is!" 

He pulled back one of his long sleeves, revealing a watch filled with intricate mechanisms — just like the rest of the island. The device displayed the time, but he used it for another purpose: when he touched it, the blue lights on the watch hands glowed intensely.

After a few seconds, a roar could be heard. From there, a small, dark castle could be seen. A blue creature emerged from it and flew straight toward the group of children, landing promptly at the airport and lowering its head. It was a dragon, not much larger than Justin's plane. The creature wore a necklace that appeared to be made of brass.

"See?" the redhead boasted. "All it took was less than a minute for it to get here!"

"A shock collar?" Justin asked.

"Huh?" The fiery one glared at him with disdain.

"All it took was less than a minute... and a shock collar," the engineer remarked. "Seriously, didn't you hear its roar? It was clearly in pain."

"What do you know about dragons that I don't, huh?!" the hot-tempered one retorted, his voice laced with venom. "And what about it?! What matters is that it's under my control!"

"Forced control isn't the same as synergy," Justin said, his expression serious. "You need to become one with your partner; if you have to force him to acknowledge you as its master, you have no value as a leader."

"Huh?! Who the hell do you think you're talking to?!" The redhead lunged forward, furious. His friend held him back desperately. "H-How about we just start the match already?" he suggested.

Justin sighed, disappointed but not surprised. This is why I prefer inanimate objects... "Our parents haven't arrived yet," he remarked. "Let's just wait."

The minutes ticked by as the two friends sat apart from their rival, waiting for the others to arrive. Justin's mother finally arrived to watch the match. He smiled at her.

"Are you sure this is safe?" his mother asked, worried about her son.

"Relax, Mom, I've done this a million times already," he boasted, so as not to appear insecure. "Besides, I have an extra precaution this time." He pointed to his backpack.

"But you still don't know how to properly use this thing..." she commented.

"I've gotten the gist of it." He waved, feigning indifference. "Dad helped me."

"Hey!" shouted the redhead from afar. "Why does he get to use a jetpack and I don't?! That's cheating!"

"Hm?" Justin made a sound, looking somewhat smug. "You're right — my bad. I think you need this more than I do. Keep it."

"Huh?!" He felt the urge to lunge at his opponent, but this time, he held back.

His parents were right behind him, somewhat embarrassed by their son's behavior. They were elderly and dressed in very fancy clothes — worthy of a family that lived in a castle, even if a local one. 

"Dragon users don't need jetpacks," the bearded father replied. "If yours fails for some reason, we'll send ours in time."

"Hmph!" the redhead grumbled, retreating. "I already know that, Dad."

"Then mount your dragon and get ready," the old man emphasized. "We don't have all day."

Both participants mounted their vehicles, ready to start the race. Justin took a little longer to start the engine and ready the shield.

"Ha!" scoffed the hot-tempered one. "Need some help there?"

Justin ignored his insult.

"That's why dragons are better," his adversary continued. "They don't malfunction or rust like that heap of junk of yours."

Suddenly, an unexpected visitor came flying in and landed at the airport. It was an aircraft very similar to Justin's. A middle-aged man was piloting it. After the shield depleted, he jumped from the vehicle and landed on the ground, feeling pain in his knees.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, feeling pain. "I'm too old for this..."

"Dad!" Justin shouted, waving at him.

"Did you really think I’d let this day pass quietly?" the old man said with a smirk, stroking his mustache.

"You're late!" the redhead complained.

"Sorry, I was a little busy trying to get these." He picked up two heavy cylinders that were attached to his waist. They glowed blue and had brass caps at the ends, as well as a handle for holding them.

"Heavy power cells?!" Justin shut down his aircraft and jumped out to get a closer look. The red-haired boy rolled his eyes, impatient.

The excited boy broke into a genuine smile, his eyes shining. "How did you get these? Were they expensive?"

"Meh, not that much." His father waved them in the air proudly. "I just won a bet — something you're about to do."

"Who are you to decide that?!" shouted the annoying child.

"Seriously? Was it really that easy?" Justin repeated, surprised. "In that case, I'm going to win this flight. For you."

"Nah, not for me." The old man knelt down; his knees cracked softly, and he let out a cry of pain for a moment. Quickly, he forced a smile to mask the pain. He stroked his son's head. "You gotta do this for yourself, Justin."

The boy thought for a moment, trying to deeply imprint his father's words on his mind. He smiled and nodded. "Understood, Dad."

He jumped back into his aircraft and started it up. "Are we finally ready now?!" the insufferable boy asked sarcastically. The shield covered Justin's plane.

"How about I start the countdown?" the middle-aged man suggested. "When my plane's shields are active, you begin." He powered up his aircraft again, and the shield slowly began to form. As the last few gaps were about to close, Justin stayed focused.

The oval shape was finally completed. Justin's glider began to move. The redhead urged on his dragon, which took flight.

The aircraft started off slowly, as it was still picking up speed. The dragon had the upper hand. "Go, Justin! Er... I mean..." shouted the friend of his adversary, rooting for both of them.

The plane was finally in the air, leaving the island. It accelerated much faster than the dragon, so the creature had to flap its wings with more intensity.

Unlike the machine, the creature lacked a shield to protect its rider from the strong wind. The boy had to brace his body to ride such a swift beast. They were finally approaching a floating rock, about a kilometer from the smaller island.

They began to bank — each in their own direction — and head back to the starting point. The aircraft had a very clear advantage: the tubes beneath it served both for exhaust and as thrusters. Not only that, the shield also made it easier for Justin to execute very tight turns, as it isolated the interior from external forces and resistance.

The dragon fell behind, as the turn had to be wide to avoid hurting the boy. He thought about urging his dragon to fly faster, but he was already feeling nauseous. He gave up on the idea and slowed down.

A holographic runway appeared beneath Justin's plane as he was about to reach the island, helping him land safely. The dragon landed almost a minute later, in second place.

The aviator's parents cheered loudly, proud of their son. He jumped from the plane, uninjured this time. He ran to hug his parents.

"You did it, Justin!" his mother exclaimed, full of joy. "We are so proud of you!"

"It wasn't that hard," said the son, downplaying his achievement. "It's not even an official competition."

"But we all start somewhere, don't we?" the father remarked, giving a thumbs-up.

Justin reflected on their words. He could not fully grasp them, as his mind worked somewhat differently from what was considered normal. He offered a hollow smile, trying his best to show genuine emotion in response to the praise.

They heard something from the other side: his opponent was vomiting on the ground, feeling very sick. His father was holding two small power cells, ready to hand them to the winner of the flight. The boy took the batteries and walked toward Justin with a look of defeat.

He held them out, frowning. "Here, take them," he said, trying not to sound pathetic. "They’re not even useful for a dragon user like me anyway."

Justin smiled, but not in a snarky way. He acknowledged his opponent's honor and took the power cells without saying a word, attaching them to his waist with a magnet.

"Don't think you're going to win against me next time," said the dragon tamer as he walked away.

They watched the boy walk away. The wind caressed their hair, bringing an atmosphere of peace and simplicity. It was merely a casual contest in which both had agreed to compete and place a wager — nothing harmful. Both were satisfied and motivated to improve.

"A casual match, eh?" a voice echoed in the distance. They turned to look at the old man approaching. He was bald and sported a white mustache and goatee. His brown clothes resembled those of a monk.

"Oh, look who we have here!" the father shouted, approaching the elderly man and greeting him with a friendly handshake. "Were you watching the match?"

Although the man exuded wisdom and a sense of responsibility, he greeted Justin’s father as if they were close friends. "Well, I’ve seen a few things here and there," he said. "And I must say, I’m impressed by Justin’s adaptability. How old is he now? Twelve?"

"Yeah!" Justin exclaimed with a proud smile.

"Well, that makes it all the more impressive," the wise man praised. "The years fly by, and soon you will be qualified to travel the world. I hope to be alive to see it."

"What do you mean, you think you're getting old?" the father asked in a friendly tone. "Just look at this." He pointed to his own knees. "I'm what — two decades younger than you? And my body is already giving out. You're in much better shape than I am."

"That’s not true," the old man replied, chuckling softly. "You travel the world from end to end — I never leave these islands. I’m the one who is slowly deteriorating."

"Wait, I think I get it now," the friend remarked. "You're trying to leave your responsibilities to the villagers, aren't you, old man? Don't even think about selling yourself short. We don't need another leader — you're the best one we could ask for." He broke into a wide grin.

The old man observed their smiles for a few seconds and then let out a mocking laugh. "Well, I can't say I don't feel flattered — to say the least." 

The leader approached Justin and knelt down to pat him on the head. "And you?" he asked the boy, looking proud. "You have potential — make the most of it. Wouldn't you like to take part in a more... professional championship?" He raised and lowered his eyebrows as he offered the boy an attractive opportunity.

"To become a professional flighter?" Justin asked, reflecting on the question. "I don't think I'm qualified for that yet. But I want to... give it my all when I'm ready."

"Is that so?" The old man closed his eyes and nodded understandingly. He stood up, satisfied with the answer. "Well, I look forward to seeing your progress, Justin." He slowly walked away.

They watched him leave for a few seconds. "Well, let's test these beasts." He waved his heavy power cells in the air. "I'll see what I can do to insert these in my plane. Do you want me upgrade yours as well?"

"Really?! Can I help?" asked Justin, giving him a puppy-dog look.

"No, not this time, son," the father refused. "These cells are too powerful and could release a really strong electric charge; that's why it's best you don't mess with them. And, you know, my experiments are a little... dangerous."

"Yeah, I know that better than anyone, Dad," Justin said, sounding somewhat disappointed.

"How about you go home and store your power cells somewhere safe?" the father suggested.

"Sounds simple enough!" the son readily agreed. "Mom, are you coming with me?"

"Sorry, Justin," she declined, "but I need to keep an eye on this idiot, in case, you know, he does something stupid."

"Haha, so I'm the child now?" the father joked.

"Yes, you are," she said, rubbing salt in the wound. "You are less mature than our son."

"We only get to live once, don't we?" he continued, trying to deflect her concerns.

"Alright, then." Justin waved to them. "I think I'll take a walk around the island before heading home."

"Have fun, son!" The father gave a thumbs-up. "I'll treat your baby as if it were my own!"

"You have two babies now?" his mother joked, sounding disappointed.

"Three, if you count my plane!" he reiterated.

She covered her mouth with one hand and nodded slowly, as if she were ashamed.

"Well, I guess I'll be going then," Justin confirmed.

"Be careful, my son," his mother warned. "Don't go jumping around like you always do."

"Don't worry about that, Mom!" He pointed to his own jetpack. "Even if I fall, I'll be safe!"

She sighed, unsurprised by his and his father's lack of care.

Justin walked aimlessly to clear his mind. He moved with a light, springy step, trying to savor that moment of peace. He wasn't smiling — not because he wasn't happy, but because he no longer needed to fake a smile. He felt everything deep inside, without the need to express it outwardly.

He crossed the metal bridge connecting the two islands and sat on the railing, swinging his legs like the child he was. Satisfied, he jumped back onto the bridge and headed toward the larger island. He climbed down the wooden staircase that connected the island's surface to the rocky walls and the underside. He ran his hand along the railing.

He saw a few people resting their elbows on the railing, enjoying the view. He waved at them, smiling instinctively. After passing them, his face returned to a serene expression. Upon nearing home, he stopped in the middle of the feeble bridge, lost in thought.

He looked down, trying to find something. His hair swayed in the wind. He couldn't stop thinking — about everything and everyone. His mind was always teeming with thoughts, yet he was beginning to doubt its inner workings, which seemed to have some sort of flaw.

He leaned back, his back to the sky, and gazed at the island’s rocky walls as the light bathed him from behind. Like that gray wall, his mind was simple and devoid of complexity. He could think, but not feel much. He could comprehend many things, but not emotions. 

He turned and rested his elbows on the railing, watching the clouds below and trying to recognize each point of interest on the surface. Am I a machine...? he wondered, conflicted by his own thoughts. Something strange happened to interrupt his train of thought: a hole seemed to open up in the middle of a large cloud. Something came flying out of it.

Then, many other points began to appear amidst the clouds, with tiny figures flying toward the island at impressive speed. Justin rubbed his eyes, trying to make out if they were other aviators returning home. He heard a sound nearby: the sharp devices protruding from the island's walls aimed themselves at the approaching silhouettes.

Suddenly, a deafening sound echoed across the island, shattering Justin's moment of peace. "Identify yourselves immediately," sounded a very loud, static-filled voice. Justin covered his ears, uncomfortable with all that sudden, disruptive noise. "If you don't stop within five seconds, we will open fire."

Time seemed to slow down as Justin's heart began to beat increasingly faster. It wasn't because he was scared of someone, but rather due to the growing dread that something bad might happen. His survival instincts took over, triggering a five-second countdown. In the short amount of time, he tried to identify the incoming threat. They were flying so fast that they would reach the island in less than a minute.

They were mostly red, winged creatures. Justin had never seen anything like them before — not in person, at least. He had read books about evil creatures sealed in an endless cycle of despair after having destroyed civilizations. But he thought it was nothing more than a fairy tale, since he had never even heard of any account regarding them.

The cloud continued to dissipate as more and more creatures flew past. There were so many that they were impossible to count. It was clearly an army. Sweat trickled down Justin's forehead as the last second of peace was nearing the end. The pointed devices began to charge, with their hollow internal blades glowing blue and energy beams connecting the two parts.

Justin covered his ears as he sprinted across the bridge toward the staircase leading to the island's surface. A loud, thunderous roar echoed across the island. The cannon fired its first energy beam, tearing through everything in its path. Dozens of demons were instantly disintegrated. The beam exploded on impact, wiping out a small section of the army.

"Dear residents," the voice announced loud and clear, "proceed quickly to the nearest shelter and await instructions. An unexpected event is taking place. We ask that you do not panic while we attempt to resolve the situation as quickly as possible."

The cannon began to recharge while others fired equally powerful energy beams, eliminating the demons one by one. Justin ran as fast as he could, trying to ignore the tremors shaking both islands. He climbed the staircase and ran toward the second island. The bridge connecting the two landmasses lurched, causing the boy to stumble and fall onto the metal floor.

He quickly got to his feet and kept running. The center of the bridge began to buckle upward, as if something were striking it with full force. Justin kept running until he started to run out of breath. He grabbed the mask that connected to his backpack by a tube and placed it over his mouth. He took a deep breath to replenish his stamina.

The cannons fired at full force, but the endless onslaught of demons overwhelmed the island's defense system. They destroyed the bridge connecting the two islands, causing them to destabilize. Justin ran, for his life was in imminent danger.

He finally found his parents. His father was holding his mother in a desperate embrace while seeking shelter within the shield surrounding his aircraft. A gigantic winged demon punched the barrier relentlessly. Justin watched them, trying to find a way to do something.

I can't do anything...

The shield finally gave way; the father inserted one of his two heavy power cells into the aircraft's interface, refueling it. He finally saw his son; both their eyes widened as they locked gazes. The older man tried to shout for his son to run, but the shield blocked the sound, preventing any transmission between the inside and the outside. Instead, he nodded toward Justin’s aircraft, signaling that he should escape the island.

Justin knelt and set his backpack on the ground, checking to see if he could tinker with its components and create something useful. His father’s terrified expression shifted to one of serenity and determination. He shook his head. Justin knew there was nothing to be done. The place was ablaze, with dozens of demons destroying houses and a red dragon breathing fire at the small, dark castle...

The father stood up and inserted the other heavy energy cell into the already full slot, overloading it. The shield was deactivated and a huge blue explosion engulfed everything. The wind was so strong that it pushed Justin back several meters, causing him to fall face down on the ground. He raised his head to check if his parents were still alive. The mushroom cloud from the explosion was still there, leaving nothing behind.

He knew his parents were dead, as was the demon that attacked them. He had no doubt; because there was no other possibility. He accepted the fact as if it were inevitable. He couldn't shed a tear, because he felt no sadness. The only thing that worried him was not having a way to survive, since he was still a child. They were his only support. Even if he survived the raid, he wouldn't be able to do much on his own. Losing that security made him apprehensive.

Even so, he knew what he could do. He stood up and ran to his aircraft. He started the engine, but the shield was failing to fully deploy and was malfunctioning, as if an internal mechanism was faulty. The engine would not start properly. The aircraft's interface had a large hole where the slots for the small power cells could be inserted.

Dad was tinkering with it when he was attacked...

Justin grabbed a wrench from his belt and tried to fix it. The hole hadn't been forced open. The slot had three different sizes that could be adjusted with a wrench or a screwdriver, but the largest one had never been opened until that moment.

Dad forbade me from using heavy power cells... to protect me.

He looked back, trying to feel something in relation to his parents. He turned his attention to the problem at hand: fixing the interface and closing the large and medium holes, since he only had two small power cells. Actually, he had three. He picked up the one he had been using before the attack — which had been thrown inside the cabin — and reinserted it.

Meanwhile, a war was breaking out nearby. The inhabitants of the two islands had weapons, but they were no match for demons of that size. Justin was surprised they managed to put up such a fight and felt a certain sense of relief.

Suddenly, the red dragon from before landed before him, roaring. But it didn't attack him; instead, something pulled it from behind. Its wings were being torn apart by an unknown force. This force positioned itself in front of the creature and tore open its jaws, killing it.

It was a demon, with a rigid red carapace that resembled armor. It stood atop the dragon's carcass. Although the red beast was human-sized, Justin was terrified and cowered in fear. He couldn't fear for others, but when his life was at stake, his survival instincts took over.

The imposing monster reached out toward Justin, as if trying to grab him. It clutched its own arm, stopping abruptly. It grasped its own face in pain and tried to tear it off, screaming in agony. The defenseless boy was about to fly at full speed to ram into the beast, but he feared that doing so would seal his own fate. Its shell began to give way, revealing a human face.

"Get off me!" he said in a demonic voice, which Justin couldn't understand. "You've already done your job of bringing me here!"

The aviator was confused. He tried not to move, attempting to play dead. There was something strange: the earlier sounds had vanished. Absolute silence reigned, as if there were no one else on the island besides the two of them.

The demon continued to struggle with himself, finally regaining control. He paused to catch his breath after that grueling battle. Justin was amazed by the scene; he had never heard of a demon transforming into a human.

"Finally..." said the man, panting. "My name is Cli..."

He clutched his head, as if something were attacking him from the inside out. Justin was scared, confused, and amazed, all at once. He could tell the half-demon was suffering, even though he couldn't understand his words.

The man held out his palm, signaling for him to wait. He knelt and held his index finger poised, very close to the dragon's scales. Then, he pierced the surface with his finger so quickly that Justin couldn't follow the movement. The holes formed words. The boy was able to understand them.

"My name is Cliff," said the words in Siffren's language. "I am part of the reason why this attack happened. I am terribly sorry." He prostrated himself as a gesture of profound apology.

"Huh...?" Justin murmured, as if it made less and less sense by the second. "You speak my language? Can you understand me?"

Cliff nodded.

"So you can understand me, but not speak...?" the boy said, trying to convince himself that was normal. "I can't understand very well, but... at least you're not my enemy, are you? I mean, you killed the demons, didn't you?"

The regretful man nodded again — more slowly this time — but kept his gaze on the ground, unable to look the boy directly in the eyes.

"Well, then—" Justin was cut off by a violent tremor. The two islands were no longer connected, so some instability was to be expected. However, this earthquake was no ordinary one. The ground began to shake more and more violently, until the entire sky seemed to rise up. The two giant rock masses — and the smaller ones — began to fall.

The undersides and sides of the islands were damaged, as were their bysteen reactors, causing their levitation powers to give way. Justin had never experienced anything like that before, so he didn't know how to react at first. He was terrified. Cliff stood up, looking around for a way out.

Justin let out a little laugh. "Come on, Cliff, get up here!" he shouted, since the strong wind made it hard to hear. The man looked at him, confused. He pointed at himself, trying to figure out if the kid was serious.

"You said part of the blame was yours, right?" he continued, screaming at the top of his lungs. "If you had really caused it, would have had no reason to save me — but you still did! Doesn't that qualify you as a hero?"

Cliff didn't know how to react. He had never imagined anyone would think that way. He had expected the worst, yet he was forgiven so easily... it was almost insulting.

"Besides—" the boy emphasized, "if you feel you owe me something... how about taking care of me from now on, like a father? I have neither a home nor a direction!"

The man found a new goal: to redeem himself for his sins. Although he knew he could never repay that debt, he accepted the generous offer. It seemed better than simply letting it slide.

He jumped into the aircraft's passenger seat. Justin started the engine, raised the shield, and took off, following a holographic flight runway. The machine was unstable, having just undergone adjustments, but it still worked well enough for them to escape the falling islands.

They watched the gigantic landmasses cutting through the clouds. It was almost beautiful, were it not for the fact that it signaled such a disastrous event. Even so, Justin smiled. It was that same hollow smile of his — the one that usually got him out of trouble. He had no other way of dealing with the problem at hand than to let fate decide his destination — and to stay optimistic about it.

As the islands were about to crash into the ground and cause immense destruction, Justin and Cliff knew there was nothing they could do to stop it.

Even so...

The boy knew he shouldn't simply forget his past, even though he could easily do so. He needed to remember it somehow.

...I can't let Mom and Dad vanish and be forgotten.

"Cliff," he called out as the gigantic crater began to form, triggering an atomic explosion caused by the reactors and destroying the vast plains below — as well as any small settlements nearby. "I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Troyka. Justin Troyka."