THE FALLEN RELICS

The world of Aeris had always lived beneath the sky.

Not under stars.

Not under the endless darkness people spoke about in ancient stories.

Only the sky.

Blue during the day. Silver during the night.

And for thousands of years, the people of Aeris believed one thing:

Nothing existed beyond it.

Kael never cared about legends.

Legends didn't help him gather firewood.

Legends didn't fix broken roofs.

And legends definitely didn't put food on the table.

"KAEEEL!"

A loud voice echoed through the forest.

Kael winced.

"...There it is."

He sighed and placed the bundle of wood on his shoulder.

A few moments later, a round-faced boy pushed through the bushes while panting heavily.

"You idiot!" the boy shouted. "I've been searching for you everywhere!"

Kael raised an eyebrow.

"Then stop screaming like the village is burning."

The boy froze.

"...The village isn't burning."

"Good."

"I'm serious!"

Kael chuckled.

His friend Rowan looked ready to explode.

Rowan was one of the few people around Kael who talked too much for his own good.

"You forgot today is the festival!"

Kael blinked.

"...Festival?"

Rowan stared at him.

"You forgot?!"

Kael scratched his head.

Maybe he had forgotten.

Actually...

He definitely forgot.

The Sky Festival happened once every year in their village.

People gathered, lights filled the streets, food was everywhere, and old storytellers repeated the same legends over and over.

Kael usually avoided it.

Mostly because old men always pulled him into conversations that lasted forever.

"Come on!" Rowan grabbed his arm. "Everyone is already there!"

Kael rolled his eyes.

"Fine."

The two walked back toward the village while sunlight filtered through the trees.

Soon voices filled the air.

Children ran through the streets laughing.

Bright banners hung between houses.

Music echoed from every direction.

Kael sighed.

Too noisy.

Way too noisy.

"Kael!"

An old man suddenly called out.

Kael's expression instantly changed.

"No."

The old man smiled.

"Come here."

"No."

"Come."

"No."

Rowan immediately betrayed him.

"He was looking for you!"

Kael stared at Rowan.

"...You're dead."

The old man laughed loudly and pulled Kael beside him.

"Boy, have I ever told you the story of the sky?"

Kael already knew where this was going.

"...Eight hundred times."

The old man ignored him.

"Long ago, gods lived beyond the sky."

Kael looked away.

"Mm."

"They watched humanity."

"Mm."

"They built cities above the clouds."

"Mm."

"They—"

Suddenly—

BOOOOOOOOM!!

The entire world shook.

People screamed.

Kael's head snapped upward.

Something was falling.

No.

Someone.

A blue light tore through the sky like a giant blade.

The clouds split apart.

A terrifying pressure exploded outward.

For a second, time itself felt frozen.

Kael's eyes widened.

"What..."

The object continued falling.

Faster.

Faster.

FASTER!!

BOOOOOOOOM!!

The earth shook violently.

Trees bent.

Dust exploded into the air from somewhere deep inside the forest.

Silence.

Complete silence.

Nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Rowan slowly looked toward Kael.

"...Did..."

Kael stared into the distance.

"...Something just fall from the sky?"

Nobody answered.

Because everyone already knew the answer.

Something impossible had just happened.

And for the first time in thousands of years—

The sky had sent something down.

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