The blue glow from the sacred peach slowly faded, leaving a strange warmth lingering in the hands of the group. A quiet breeze passed, carrying with it an odd whisper—like the island itself was speaking.
Suddenly, a brilliant beam of light shot from the Blue Peach and pointed into the sky. The clouds above parted slightly, revealing something unusual: a floating ruin-like structure half-hidden in the sky, impossible to reach with bare eyes alone.
"Was that always there?" Rel muttered, shielding his eyes.
Neen narrowed his eyes, the image of the sky reflected in his now-glasses-free gaze. Ever since stepping on the island, his eyesight had become perfect. His hair had also subtly changed—shimmering with light brown strands.
"There's something the island wants us to see," he said.
As they wandered deeper into the terrain, the environment changed drastically. Trees became ancient and twisted. The terrain more rugged. But more than anything—they began seeing things that didn't make sense: flickers of a city that shouldn't be there, statues of unfamiliar gods, broken murals depicting battles in the skies.
Shion carefully studied the markings. "These aren't from the Mika Tribe…"
"They're older," Hana added. "Far older."
A Hidden Past Unearthed
As the group explored the ruins, they stumbled upon a collapsed building—half sunken into the earth. Inside, dust-covered journals and stone tablets hinted at something stunning: The Sky Island once belonged to another race long before the Mika Tribe ever arrived.
According to the ancient text, a divine being had grown bored of the heavens and descended to create a "game of life" on a ruined land—constructing the island, the trials, and the legends that followed.
But something had gone wrong. The creators left, leaving only one being behind—a god who remained in disguise, hiding among the Mika Tribe.
The Stranger in the Shadows
At sunset, the group was watched.
A man cloaked in gray stood at the edge of a high cliff. His face was partially covered by a mask, his posture calm yet ominous. He held no weapon, yet something about him sent chills down the spine of anyone who caught a glimpse.
As he gazed down at the forest below, his voice, unheard by anyone, whispered:
"So… the children have come at last."