Stepping into the library, I'm assailed by the familiar scent of old and new books. The library's the same as always, except for the singular missing gigantic bookshelf due to the attacks from before. A few were burned but saved by Mr. Reader's quick thinking. Unfortunately, the ones where we, the students, were more or less all broken to an extent. Those hugging the walls held no damage but those making up the aisles weren't as lucky.

Iris's spell busted a hole through the bookcase and it toppled over tons of others. In the end, the spell achieved its goal of delaying the person attacking us, however, sadly, quite a bit of damage was done to the cases. Many of the fallen bookcases' shelves were damaged and the backs were cracked.

Mr. Reader sits at his desk just like he would during school days. He mulls over dozens of papers, picking one up then setting it down once again. He pinches his forehead with three fingers no doubt troubled by the workload and processes.

Despite it being a Sunday and a holiday, more than twenty students are roaming around the library. Some sit down, reading diligently, engrossed in their book of choice while others browse the wide collection of stories and facts. Wasting no time, I immediately begin searching for a book to calm myself.

Finding a good story isn't hard, in fact, I think all books have a good story that just appeal to different kinds of people but I sometimes have trouble finding one I can start reading right away in times like these. I don't know how to explain it. Though all books are good, in their own way, I can only find myself to be interested in certain ones at certain instances when usually I should be happy to read any story.

Like the mulling Mr. Reader, I simply take books off the shelf, give it a quick read before deciding I'm not in the mood and putting it back. Entire minutes go by as I continue to search. If so many people weren't around, I'd probably let out a scream right now... not a loud one, I'm in a library after all.

Gah! I feel like Nalzal when he had to choose between charging in head first to save Jalor or going back to get the rest of his team treated. But of course... I'm not having any dilemmas like he's had. I only say that as a feeling, he had a much harder choice than I do now.

Suddenly, an idea hits me. The author of that book. If can remember the last name, I can pick out one just like it! Right, it started with M, look for M.

"AHA," I say aloud. "I found it!"

By the time I look up, many eyes are focused on me. I want to speak up, to say something, make them stop staring at me, but I don't. Eventually, after mumbling out an apology for my noise, I'm able to slink back into obscurity. Crouching low, without actually needing to, I run my finger along the spine of the books. If I'm like this, I hope no one will bother me....

Meytour. It's an interesting last name. However, once I lay my eyes upon the books tagged with his name, the story with Nalzal and his adventure's aren't there. In reality, there were practically no books with his name on them. Only a single book, one called, The Demon Islands and The Lost Floating Cities

I've never heard of this one. Is it perhaps another adventure that Nalzal and his group went on? Did I miss an important piece of the story?

Fearing that I did, I rush over to the tables, excited to start my reading. Sending a glance at my favorite spot to sit I find it's taken by an elven girl, Harneth. She's the one that battled against Rainen and me when we used the spirits. Uuuu. I picked that spot because no one usually sits over there.... It's a table near the corneriest corner of the middle of the room right by the windows. Now, if they only had spots to sit among the cover of the book shelves in the darkest parts of the library.

Carrying the book with two hands, pressing it against my chest, I hold my breath and cross the room and sit down at the table with Harneth. I don't sit next to her, or even across from her, no, I instead choose to sit on the opposite end of the table. It's a little shameful, I'll admit that. Why don't I have the confidence just to sit down across from her? And... why don't I have the confidence just to give the gifts over to Iris and Elis?

I let out a sigh. I'm not here to think about any of that. I should read, yes. I should start reading, mhm.

Tossing aside all other worries in my head, I prepare myself for the continuation of Nalzal's tale. Reading the book, I start to lose myself in it. The story isn't so much of a story as it is a recounting of a land replaced by the Demon Islands. In short, one passage summarizes it perfectly.

Long ago, before the existence of the Demon and Angel Islands, multiple lands graced the sky, each carrying a magnificent city along with it. Each building as large as the walls made to protect kingdoms, each street so clean and flawless, one would mistake it for glass, each person as happy as a child allowed to play under the morning sun. These cities weren't ruled over by anyone, there were no kings whom imposed laws, nor were there any gods who monitored the lands.

Yet, upon the utopic lands were beasts with near unparalleled strength to their counterparts on the ground. Goblins, for example, were smarter, faster, stronger. They lived in communities, in groups that would depend on teamwork to down a foe. The strongest of these "tribes" eventually created their own hierarchies, just like the races on the ground. Forgoing their hunter gatherer lifestyles in favor of a start towards civilization. Though, for whatever reason, they could never let go if their tribal roots and stayed as such.

Wildlife flourished on the flying islands. Grass, trees, plants grew like no other. Great vines, some longer than 100 meters, hung off the gigantic chunks of land. The rocks nearest to the land with those hundreds of meter long vines were, at times, used as a way to the flying rocks. From these masses of land, hanging just beneath the clouds, fell the most towering of waterfalls.

It is said that from those waterfalls, the largest lakes of the world were made. It is said that all monsters originated from those outstanding lands, only weakening due to their displacement from home. It is said that the reason for the lands' ability to defy gravity, are due to the large amount of magic fueling them. Yes, it is said that each of those floating islands held a piece of the original orb, the one sent by the dragons, the primordial dragons.

Despite what has been written so far, many more thing have been said about those islands. Such as claims against their existence. I, Malal Meytour, have no evidence to back up my own claims for their existence, however, I still hold on firmly to the belief they once were, at one point, of this world.

My own theory to explain their disappearance, connects to the appearance of the Demon Islands. Demons, beings from the other place, the Void. A place not unlike the one where spirits are summoned from. Maybe, they're no different at all. Simply two spaces slightly separated by a thin line.

Moving on. The demons of our world, the physical plane, are not originally from here. The time during Malkuron's, the Navack God's, appearance sparked many conflicts, The Great War. It ended with victory for all those who participated against the Navacks, with the humans coming out much stronger yet much more scattered than before.

Searching within some of the ruins of the southernmost continent, I have discovered multiple things suggesting that the demons appearing in our world and the fall of the floating islands are connected. The draconic writings of my village also state the same. The demons entered as the sky fell. The gods watched, none offering their hand in assistance. Glad to see the things outside of their reach come crumbling to the earth.

What happened to these floating masses of land? My research has led me to believe one of two things, either they were teleported to the Void, or, a much more yet also confusing conclusion, they fell to the earth. Like the writing said, "The demons entered as the sky fell. The gods watched, none offering their hand in assistance. Glad to see the things outside of their reach come crumbling to earth."

I have yet to bring anything one would consider as proof. Those who I have told of my findings have labeled me as a fanatic, not fit to be within the magic community. They have refused to look for these ruins along with me, ignorant to our world's history and instead choosing to focus on creating more powerful governments.

I shall continue my search for answers. If I ever find any, they shall be published in another book. So far, the only thing I can come up with that is not simply guesses, is a timeline based upon the text I have read. The war against the Navacks, during year 20 of the Draconian calendar, took place three thousand years after the islands fell.

With the more I have read based upon demons, I have also come to believe that they, having no physical bodies of their own, took over the inhabitants, monsters of the islands, and over time, mutated them to become actual bodies. For now, this is nothing more than speculation based upon old documents. My adventure shall continue until an answer is found, for now, I leave this behind.

Meytour, year 120 of the Draconian calendar.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a voice says, "What are you reading?"

"AAH!" startled, I jump back in my seat. Immediately, the chair shakes, pressure is shifted from my butt to my back, gravity pulls me down, my legs bump the table, and I see the ceiling.

"Ooof!" the falling sensation stops. The chair and I are placed safely back into our original positions. I look up at the person. "You okay Ellar? I didn't mean to scare you there."

It's Feno and he's wearing a big grin.

"I-It's okay." I answer. He really scared the heck out of me.

"What are you doing here on Dondan?" he asks.

"Reading."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. It is a library after all heheh." Feno scratches his head.

O-oh... Did it seem like I was being mean or-or rude? I-I'm here to read but did I say it in a way that someone would take offense to it? I-I hope he didn't take it badly. I should say something, yeah. Need to clear the air.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him.

"Looking for a book." he replies, smiling, the former feeling gone.

"O-Oh, of course you were looking for a book." I sink back into my chair. Why'd I ask such a dumb question? Ah, my face is hot. I’m an idiot.

"What are you reading, Ellar? Anything interesting?"

Good, this is-should be an easy question to answer. Steadying my breath, I leave my shell and say, "I-It's more of a book documenting a man's research on the uh... Floating Islands."

"Floating Islands?" he furrows his brows, "I think I've heard of those before. Really big floating bodies of land, right?"

I nod.

"Well, what did you think about it?" he asks. Right before I answer, he continues, "I for one think he was a little bit... eccentric. Stories are told all the time but to me, it sounds like flying islands are just a bit of an over exaggeration."

He... doesn't believe?

"Ellar?"

"Huh?"

"What did you think about it?" he asks again.

I reply, "A-Ah. I-I thought, I thought that it was a little bit over the top.... Demons possessing monsters and then evolving sounds really...odd. I-It's also strange how there aren't any signs of the floating islands today...."

He nods, agreeing with me, "The man might've been a little too into the romantics of the world. Anyways, glad I got to speak with you today," he starts to turn around but stops in his tracks. " Did you get anyone a gift or did you get any gifts for Dondan yet?"

I shake my head, but I remember the warm scarf around my neck as I reply and embrace it, "I-I did. Iris and Elis got me this scarf....I'm worried about what they'd think of my present."

"So you've only gotten a present from Iris and Elis?” his eyes flicker around the room, “Rainen didn't get you one?"

"No." I shake my head. "I-I don't think he even thought about it. N-Not that I mind. W-We're not really in the position to be that friendly anyways....O-Oh ummm. Did you get anything, Feno?"

"Yeah, Axel got me something. Heheh. It wasn't the best thing in the world and he said it was only because we were partners, but it was still something.” his hands fiddle around in his pocket, “If you're worried about what Iris and Elis are going to think about your gift, you shouldn't. They'll probably be glad to receive something. I feel like they're those kinds of people that would. Right, well, I need to get going. See ya, Ellar."

He turns around but doesn't leave.

"Hmmm. Hey, Ellar. Would you like this bookmark?" he asks.

"A bookmark?" It doesn't sound like a bad proposition. I usually don't have a way to keep track on which page I'm on other than remembering the number but that sometimes fails me.

"Yeah, a bookmark. I notice there,"he points to the book, "That you don't have one so maybe this one would be nice?" He pulls a thin, flimsy, strip of leather-like material from out of his pocket, holding it up for me to inspect. The design bursts with stars of differing hues of blue filling the space in between each one.

"C-Can I really have it?" I ask, unsure of whether it's okay to take it.

"Go ahead. I carry around a ton of these. Here." he grabs hold of my wrist and places it in my palm. "Happy reading," he says while walking away.

I hold it between my thumbs and forefingers. It's... a thoughtful gift, even if it wasn't meant to be a gift. I wonder...

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"Iris. Elis." I call out to them. They're casually walking back to the dorm.

"Hey El!" Elis responds excitedly, waving her hand in the air. "We haven't seen you all day! When we knocked on your door this morning you didn't answer. We thought about breaking down the door just to check if you were sick again- oof!"

Iris pulls her elbow away from Elis's stomach, "Correction. Elis wanted to break down your door. I simply respected your choice to be left alone for the day."

"Aha." I scratch the back of my head. "Ummm. I-I w-wasn't avoiding you guys o-or anything bu-but..."

"But what?" Elis asks, tilting her head quizzically.

"C-could you b-both close your eyes and hold out your hands?"

The shoot each other a glance before nodding.

"A-All right. M-Make sure they're closed," I say, reaching into my pocket.

"Yes yes, of course they're closed El," Iris says, "We promise they're closed."

"Cross our hearts!" Elis responds. "But not enough to die."

Ignoring that last part, I take hold of both the pairs of gloves and place them on their hands. Elis promptly pulls back her hands, starting to grasp onto the gloves, but Iris firmly holds her wrist.

"Not until El says to open our eyes."

"I know Iris!" she protests.

"Y-You can open your eyes," I say. They do. "W-What do you think? I-I'm not sure if they fit... I was trying to search for something all day yesterday." there's nothing but silence for seconds. Uncomfortable, I rub my hands and legs together, staring at the ground.

"Haaa. Haaa. Haaa."

Hearing the ghastly sound, I timidly let my gaze rise. Elis holds her gloved hands near her mouth, breathing warm air onto them. Her breath easily visible despite the absence of the sun's light. In sync, she and Iris both hold their hands in front of them.

Elis's eyes glitter, "I love pink!" she replies. "Thanks El!"

Iris wears a big grin, "They fit perfectly. Thank you."

"Haaah." I let out a sigh. I did it. I gave it to them and they liked it, they liked it! They both reach out with one hand to grasp mine. The flash each other a smile before pulling me along. I let my head fall closer to my chest, and breathe into the warm scarf around my neck.

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Author's Notes: Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and if you did, leave a comment of your thoughts or maybe even write a review if you haven't!

It took me quite a while longer to write this chapter than I thought it would, mostly because I kept getting stuck with the beginning of the chapter. I hope that it wasn't too slow for all our tastes but things will be picking up later, it's always calm before the storm as they say.

I also hope that the story didn't feel too infodumpy in any way. I also know that it's a lot of information to be poured on you guys considering how far we are and how many things seem to be happening at once now. Anyways, once things start to pick up, hopefully chapter production will too. I was worried about how this one would turn out but I feel like it surpassed many of my previous expectations.