An Old Legend, Port Town Nayers

The weather was superb, as the bright azure sky remained as clear as day with a few straggling clouds slowly moving about its endless scope. Here, a vast plateau with small hills and trees spread of for far and wide, the roars of various animals and beasts sounded now and then along with the cries of the birds the soared the open skies.

Swoosh! A wind blew gently, as clusters of leaves soared through the air being carried across the wide-open field, making their way amongst tall trees and grass. They veered towards a series of moving carts, and various individuals, each equipped with weapons and different types of armors ranging from leather to steel as they traveled towards different locations.

Cluck-Cluck-Cluck! Creak!

At the back of this group, the sound of horse steps across the coarse path, followed by the creaking noises of the rattling wheels of a large carriage sounded throughout the already busy trail of dirt and grass.

Looking towards this carriage, one would notice that a group of powerful-looking individuals moved in a trained formation as they escorted it towards a town that could vaguely be identified in the distance. It stood at the edge of the land, as beyond it was a sea of clouds and midst that expanded far and wide to no observable end, as of below them was a bottomless pit connected to nothingness.

Amidst the group of travelers and mercenaries was a youth with green hair with a large wrapped up sword on his back, he looked around curiously as they leisurely made their way towards the town located at the very edge of the horizon. A bearded man who was dressed in leather armor with a large sword on his back looked towards the youth and spoke with a smile on his face

"Kid, is it your first time traveling far away from home?" He said as a slightly melancholic expression was on his face.

"Yes sir, it is also my first time traveling to these parts. I had been wandering for the past few days in search of this town, if you hadn't shown up when you did I would have probably still been roaming," Rajen replied as a slightly embarrassed look came upon his face when he recalled his previous state.

"Bates, it turns out that this brat is just like you, no sense of direction!" Another muscular looking man said with an even larger beard who was walking with the group.

"Oh, come now, it's not like I'm that bad, am I?" Bates said with a slightly embarrassed look, contradicting his fierce appearance.

"Hahaha!" The group of strong-looking men and women laughed when they saw his denial, as Rajen heard this he too laughed as they all started to make merry during their travels.

"Quiet down!" A loud and demanding voice said from within the carriage that also carried a trace of contempt. In a moment, the laughter had died down as silence returned to the area. Inside of the carriage was a callous looking nobleman who had a large pointy hat, dressed in well-decorated garments.

Seated on the other side as was a pale looking youth, he had black spiky hair that flowed down his forehead covering most of his face and his large pointed ears, as he wore noble-looking clothing. His face was emotionless as if nothing in the world could stir his emotions.

"These damn vagabonds! If I didn't have to escort you to Syndona, I wouldn't have had to go through this shit. You better not mess up on the Adventurer Trials, our family needs you to gain the favor of the prince," The man said coldly as he looked at the youth with a serious gaze.

"Understood," The youth replied in an indifferent manner.

"Che! What's the point in talking to you? You're just like that dead father of yours," As he said this, he couldn't help but close his eyes as he felt that if he continued to look at this youth, he'd probably end up the same.

Outside of the carriage, Feng Yu looked at the silent Bates and inquired about the people in the carriage.

"Sir Bates, who are you guys escorting?" Rajen asked with a curious expression on his face.

"They are top-brass characters from a prominent family from the Northern Territory," Bates said vaguely.

As Rajen heard this, he didn't pry any further as he focused his attention on the town that was growing closer and closer as they traveled along the pathway. His eyes veered from the town towards the sky of clouds and mist beyond it with interest.

Bates seeing his look smiled and spoke, "Kid, do you want to know how this endless pit of clouds and mists came about?"

Rajen hearing this looked at him and asked, "Oh, is there some kind of story? Please do tell Sir Bates."

The other mercenaries from the party who saw this, shook their heads as a few spoke in hushed tones.

"Looks like he's at it again, going into those old tales of his from legends," One person said.

"What do you care? Let him be, it's not often he meets innocent kids to talk with you know," Someone else said.

"Haha, it's nothing mystical, but while I do say this, the legends say that many years ago what was once there was no different from the land we are walking on," Bates said as his eyes showed an in-depth look.

Rajen was a bit surprised as he questioned, "Are you saying that the broad endless chasm used to be land? Could it be that...?"

As Rajen was about to say something, Bates smiled and spoke in reply, "Correct; it became like that due to the War of Ages. A part of the fabled Division Shock, I didn't believe it at first, but after hearing the stories over and over again it became deep-rooted, I can only wonder just how powerful those ancient warriors must have been to cause such a scene."

Rajen's eyes shone as he felt a slight tickle beneath his skin, he took a whiff of the air as if trying to draw the energies from the gorge to feel the powers that caused its devastation.

Soon, a smile came upon his face as he gripped his fists tightly and licked his lips as he spoke, "They must have truly been astounding... people with strength worth facing."

Bates gave Rajen a deep look as he thought to himself, 'Hmm, not scared, or filled with wonderment; he even looks as if he relished the idea of such dreadful powerful beings. This kid, he is far from ordinary...'

After finishing their words, the two no longer spoke but continued to focus on their journey towards the town. The carriage and its escort soon after fading away into the distance, leaving behind a trail of dust and wind.

******

The Port Town Nayers, it was a lively and well-developed town, with people actively shopping and going about their daily businesses. The merchants had their stores opened in the crowded markets, and travelers, wanderers, and noblemen made their way through the crowded streets indulgent in this intense atmosphere.

The buildings in the town were of an ancient medieval style, with roughly tiled roofing and wooden stalls set up in the market areas, even the streets were paved with a hard stone.

At this time, Rajen and Bate's mercenary party had successfully arrived at the town. Once they got here, he made his goodbyes with Bates and the others as he started to walk amongst the crowded streets, after exchanging the Meteor Fire Fruit to a large commerce store for a standard price, he put away his force stones and began looking for an Inn.

As the air of commerce was abundant, Rajen, who wandered through the streets, couldn't help but feel a sense of strangeness. It has been a long time since he ventured into a different town, especially since he was picked up by Master Yoshi.

After walking for a bit, his eyes couldn't help but drift over towards a large platform in the central district. There, he saw a few people standing in a line as they headed towards a person seated around a table.

"Hey, what's going on over there?" Rajen said to a lone wanderer who stood nearby, as he pointed his finger towards the crowded stage.

"Oh, you don't know? Today is the day they start registering for the airship that will be heading towards the capital of our Syndona Empire," The lone practitioner said.

"Huh, really? Oh crap! Thanks for the help!" Rajen exclaimed as he made a thankful gesture towards the lone wanderer.

'It's a good thing I didn't detour, it was sure lucky to catch Bates and those travelers, or I'd have been in big trouble,' Rajen thought as he made his way over to the area.

Quickly, he walked over to the line beside a registration counter on the podium. In front of him stood a beautiful girl and a tall guy. After a few moments, it was time for the guy and girl to register for their boarding passes to the capital.

The beautiful red-haired girl wore a decorated dress with two huge twin tails that gently swayed with the wind by her sides; she wore red gloves that had odd but profound markings signifying a deep heritage, with perky red lips, a rounded nose, and large rounded shaped red eyes.

The slightly older young man who stood beside her also had bright spiky red hair; he wore a long dark gray jacket with a high, upturned collar reaching his chin with a large traveling backpack on his back. His sharp eyebrows fit perfectly with his slender eyes as he held a long and unusual looking spear on his right shoulder with one hand placed around it, both of his arms were in wrappings.

"Brother, are you finished?" The pretty girl said as a slight look of boredom could be seen on her face.

"Yeah, I'm just about done, let's head out now," The guy answered as he left the registration desk, he looked around glancing at Rajen for a short moment before then both of them went about their ways.

Rajen's nose wriggled as he thought to himself, "Hmm, quite strange. I didn't smell any 'Qi Force,' but they had a unique kind of energy..."

"Next registrant, please step forward!" An impatient sounding female voice said.

"Right, on my way!" Rajen hurriedly said as he went and completed his registration and collected his boarding pass after paying a few force stones.

Not long after he finished his registration, Rajen turned and looked around the town, noticing that the sun was beginning to set painting the world with a hue of orange-red.

'Well, since the sun is setting, I may as well take one more stroll; it truly has been while since I was by myself,' Rajen thought as his eyes flashed with recollection, he then took a step forwards and vanished into the distant crowded streets.