Chapter 6: The Journey to Sky City

Morning in the Cave

The cave was quiet when Cedric opened his eyes. A faint beam of sunlight filtered through the entrance, The fire they had made last night had burned out, leaving only ashes.

Cedric sat up, stretching his sore muscles. The night had been rough—his body still ached from the fight with the Night Crawler.

Ciara stirred beside him, rubbing her eyes. Orin, as usual, was already awake, sitting near the entrance with his back against the wall.

"Finally awake?" Orin said, smirking.

Cedric ignored them and stood up, dusting off his clothes. "We need to go back to the village."

Ciara looked at him, worry in her eyes. "Do you think… do you think anyone's still alive?"

Cedric hesitated. He wanted to believe there were survivors. He needed to believe it.

"We won't know unless we go," he said firmly.

Orin stretched and got to their feet. "Alright. Let's go see the ruins of your old life."

The Walk Back

The three of them left the cave and started their journey. The forest was eerily silent. No birds. No wind. Just the sound of their footsteps crunching over dead leaves.

As they walked, Cedric clenched his fists. His mind raced with thoughts of his father. Had he escaped? Was he alive?

He wasn't sure what he would do if the answer was no.

After nearly an hour, the trees thinned, and the village came into view.

Or what was left of it.

A Village in Ashes

Cedric stopped, his breath catching in his throat.

The village was gone. The houses were nothing but burned ruins. The fields where he used to play as a child were covered in blackened earth. The well in the center of town had collapsed.

It was a graveyard.

Ciara gasped beside him. "No…"

Her voice cracked, and Cedric could see tears forming in her eyes.

They stepped forward cautiously, scanning for any sign of movement.

Then—

"Ciara!"

A voice. Weak, but familiar.

Ciara turned toward the sound. Her eyes widened. "Mom? Dad?"

She ran forward, and Cedric followed. Near the remains of a broken house, two figures sat against a fallen beam.

It was Ciara's parents.

They looked exhausted—clothes torn, covered in dust and soot. But they were alive.

Ciara collapsed to her knees beside them, sobbing. "I thought you were gone…"

Her mother weakly reached out and stroked her hair. "We thought… we wouldn't make it."

Cedric stepped back, giving them space. He felt a strange relief. At least some people had survived. But what about his own father?

A Surprise Rescue

"Well, well, well. Looks like more strays survived."

Cedric spun around, his heart pounding.

A group of armored men stood at the edge of the village. Their armor was silver and black, with a symbol Cedric recognized—the crest of the Lower King.

One of them stepped forward, removing his helmet. He had sharp brown eyes and dark hair tied back in a ponytail. "You're Cedric, right?"

Cedric tensed. "Who's asking?"

The man chuckled. "Relax, kid. We're here to help."

Cedric frowned. "Help?"

The man nodded. "Last night, we arrived too late to stop the attack, but we managed to save some of the villagers."

Cedric's chest tightened. "My father…?"

The man studied him, then gave a small nod. "He's alive."

Cedric exhaled, his knees nearly giving out. His father was alive.

The man continued, "We took the survivors to a temporary camp. But we can't stay here. The demons will return."

Orin crossed his arms. "So, what's the plan?"

The man smirked. "Simple. We take everyone to Sky City."

The survivors were gathered—there weren't many. A few families, some elderly men and women, and a handful of children. The Lower King's soldiers escorted them to a large transport carriage pulled by white-furred beasts.

Cedric sat in the back, feeling the weight of everything that had happened. The village was gone. His home was gone.

But his father was alive.

Ciara sat beside him, holding her parents' hands tightly. Orin, as usual, looked unbothered.

The journey was long, and as they traveled, Cedric dozed off.

When he woke up, they had arrived.

Arrival at Sky City

The sight before him was breathtaking.

Sky City wasn't just a floating rock—it was a massive kingdom suspended in the sky. Towers of white stone stretched high, connected by bridges of golden light. Rivers of glowing blue water flowed between the buildings.

But what caught Cedric's attention most was the people.

The High Humans.

They walked with grace, wearing elegant robes of silver and gold. Their eyes glowed faintly, and some floated rather than walked.

Cedric felt… out of place.

The carriage stopped in the grand courtyard. The survivors were guided out, their faces filled with awe and fear.

A man in golden robes approached. He had long silver hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Welcome to Sky City," he said in a smooth voice. "You are now under the protection of the High Humans. But remember—this is our home. And you will follow our rules."

Cedric clenched his fists.

This wasn't home.

This was just another cage.