Shinta floated inside a shimmering, translucent sphere that pulsed with soft, multicolored hues, casting faint prismatic reflections against the sky. The bubble, crafted by one of the fairies accompanying her, propelled them forward at an astonishing speed. From the outside, it looked like a streak of rainbow light cutting across the heavens.
For hours, they traversed the skies until the terrain transformed once more—towering mountains covered in ancient, unspoiled forests, their peaks wreathed in wisps of silver mist.
Finally, they descended toward a hidden valley nestled between the peaks. Here, a vast expanse of trees stood tall, their canopies woven together like an emerald tapestry. Tiny lights flickered among the branches—fairies, watching their arrival curiously.
As they landed, the bubble dissipated into glittering motes of light, and Shinta took in her surroundings.
Fairies and wood elves emerged from their hidden perches, offering deep bows of respect as Kaeylin and her attendants passed.
“This is not the fey village, is it?” Shinta asked, her voice edged with suspicion. “Why are we here?”
Kaeylin ignored her, striding forward with purpose. Shinta hesitated before following, her gaze sweeping across the sacred grove. At its heart stood a colossal tree, unlike anything she had ever seen. Its trunk bore the likeness of a serene, ancient face, its eyes closed as if in deep meditation. Luminescent veins of energy pulsed through its bark, shifting in mesmerizing patterns like the flow of a cosmic river.
The two fairies accompanying them approached the base of the tree, raising their hands in unison. Their wings fluttered, scattering dust-like energy into the air, and the surrounding formations flared to life. Symbols of old fey magic wove themselves into existence, circling the tree like celestial constellations.
Shinta’s breath caught in realization. “This is… a gate, isn’t it? A portal to the Fey planet.”
Kaeylin turned to her. “You’re quite sharp. Yes, it is.”
A deep, resonant sound echoed through the valley as the ancient tree responded to their ritual. Its roots uncoiled from the earth, twisting apart like an awakening beast until a swirling vortex formed—a portal of cascading emerald light, pulsing with raw, untamed energy.
“Let’s enter.”
Shinta hesitated for a moment, but there was no turning back now. As Kaeylin stepped forward, the fairies flanking her, Shinta swallowed her apprehension and followed.
The sensation was immediate. She felt as though she had stepped into a rushing river of colors, a tunnel of light that stretched infinitely in all directions. The walls of the portal swirled with hues of violet, blue, and gold, like an ever-shifting aurora. Despite its beauty, there was an underlying sense of power—an overwhelming force pulling them toward their destination. The air buzzed with unspoken voices whispering in forgotten tongues.
The journey seemed endless, yet in reality, it lasted only an hour. When they emerged, Shinta stepped onto solid ground, her senses reeling from the transition. The portal behind them faded, dissolving like mist at dawn.
They stood in another shrine, yet this one was completely different from the one before. The architecture was woven seamlessly with nature—pillars formed from intertwined vines, glowing blue flowers lining the edges, their petals releasing soft motes of light into the air. The energy here was richer, purer, and Shinta could feel it thrumming beneath her skin.
“Welcome to our domain,” Kaeylin announced. “We still have a day’s journey to the fey shrine, so let’s not waste any time.”
With a flick of her hand, another iridescent sphere formed around them. Shinta barely had time to take in the shrine before they were lifted into the sky once more.
What lay beneath them was unlike anything she had ever witnessed.
The planet was a world of wonder, a paradise sculpted by nature’s hand and guided by fey magic. It wasn’t just forests—though there were countless, spanning vast regions in a sea of emerald. What caught Shinta’s breath was the sky itself.
Rising high above the land were enormous pillars—dozens of them… gigantic structures composed of living roots and vines, stretching beyond the clouds. Suspended between them were floating gardens, lush with greenery and cascading waterfalls. Each of these skyborne sanctuaries housed life, and from their vantage point, Shinta spotted figures moving within—fairies, and something more.
She narrowed her eyes, studying the inhabitants of the floating gardens. They weren’t just fey; among them were beings with distinctly primal traits—humans with furred skin, tails, elongated ears, and eyes that gleamed with predatory sharpness. Each bore intricate tattoos on their faces and across their bodies, pulsating with magical energy.
“Who are they? Are they all part of the Fey clans?” Shinta asked, her gaze sweeping across the peculiar inhabitants of the sky gardens.
Kaeylin nodded slightly. “Yes… they are our people. But not many of them carry true Fey blood.” Her words served as a reminder of their purpose—to confirm Shinta’s lineage.
As they soared across the vast world, Shinta slowly came to the realization that she was no longer in the same realm. She had crossed into another world, far from Pardera City. The journey had been surprisingly smooth, prompting her to wonder aloud,
“Since we got here so easily… I can return home just as quickly, right? Or my father could use one of these portals?”
Kaeylin shook her head. “No. We used a rare return rune formation, and setting it up again would take months. As for your father, he can use the Rainbow River when it appears.”
Shinta’s heart sank slightly. She had heard of the Rainbow River—a mystical current that only materialized once a year. And it was due to appear in just a few weeks. She could only hope her father would finish his training in time.
Noticing the concern on Shinta’s face, Kaeylin smirked. “Why worry now? I can see the truth in your heart… You came with me willingly.”
Kaeylin was not wrong. Shinta had suspected that the Fey would not dare to harm her friends, which meant that she had chosen to come with them of her own free will.
She should just make the most of this journey.
“We have arrived.”