The Lone Traveler's Diary and other Short Stories

Sky Log #1: The Beginning

When I first opened my eyes, I found myself standing ankle-deep in the sand with ocean surrounding me. The only place not inhabited by the ocean was in front of me, a short flight of steps with two pillars framing the top of the steps. Perhaps it was once a gateway but due to years of abandonment and the lack of maintenance, time has whittled away the doors to stick-like structures. A little more forward was a huge cave that sprouted out from the sands, there wasn't much remarkable about it so I had glossed over it.

I know not where I come from or who I am. I only know that this world (or realm as I look back on my logs) is mysterious and strangely silent. There was no one around me to tell me what I am or where I was.

It was lonely, but strangely exciting for me in this strange world.

I kneeled near the waters and found a masked being staring straight at me. I was taken aback by surprise until I touched my face and found the mask sitting snugly. A chuckle escaped from my lips at the mere fact that I had scared myself silly with my reflection. Curious about the mask on my face, I tugged at it, trying to take it out to see my true face but a feeling of foreboding shot through me as quick as lightning. Suddenly, I was not sure if I really wanted to see my face and quietly left it at its place.

The holes of the mask revealed two glowing yellow orbs that blinked slowly at my reflection. I wondered how my eyes looked like but the same feeling warned me not to lift my mask off. Apart from the ordinary looking mask, my snow-white hair framed my face, stopping short at the nape of my neck. A bunch of my hair at the side of my face was wrapped up in a green hair tie.

Having my curiosity fulfilled about my own looks, I decided to move forward. As I stumbled through the sands towards the cave, interestingly, the walls of the cave were lighted up to form murals. The seemingly mediocre cave was suddenly a keeper of secrets and history. The murals spoke of a time when the previous residents of the world resided in and once thrived upon. They prayed to the stars, hoping for them to help them out. The gods granted them their wish. And a star came to the land. It seemed that I was one of the many stars who came to this world. I was meant to help the residents.

And I did not know what it was until I reached Eden.

But that was much later on.

As I reached the end of the cave, I saw a light child standing silently at the edge of the cliff. A halo of light surrounding the child which beckons me forward. Out of curiosity, I touched the child. At the barest moment of my touch, the child turned to golden dust and went into my being.

There was a burst of light surrounding me.

When it has subsided, I realized that I was wearing a brown cape. It fluttered slowly around me and gave me a warmth that I did not realized that I was missing all this while. It felt like a friend that I had always known, a friend who will stay with me through rain or shine. As I felt the cape, I instantly knew what I was supposed to do with my newfound friend.

I released a call that I did not know it was possible.

At my cry, I watched the butterflies, which previously floated around me lazily, swirled around me and lifted me up to the sky. The cape took advantage of the winds and brought me through the air. My heart leapt into my mouth as I felt the joy and euphoria of flight. It was as though the Sky was my home and the land was just a shackle to my body.

However, it did not last long.

I found myself pummeling into the sandy ground not so gracefully (and inhaled quite a bit of sand despite the protection of the mask). I was feeling troubled and had a selfish want of finding that feeling again. So, I searched for the light children, although wondering where they had come from and why they are so willing to help me to fly.

Finding them was like a treasure hunt. One in the cave. One standing on a fallen boat, stranded in sand, its destination unknown...

Until...

... I found a spirit who glowed blue.

Lured by it, I lighted him up to follow his memory before realizing that he was teaching me the follow emote.

Maybe this would be useful for the future.

But for what, I am not sure. I continued exploring, finding a light child standing precariously on the top of a cliff. The winds took me high up in the air once I took in the child, taking me to a temple peeking from the fluffy clouds.

There were more fallen boats there. Overtaken by nature, they were covered by the grass and vines, an indication of past time and neglect. Everything was oddly in a state of abandonment.

Where are the people?

I thought aloud before finding another child like me standing beside me. Like me, he was just equally confused and unsure of what to do in this world. I do not remember if I had befriended him but I'm sure we had gone through the temple, lighting up candles to see that the murals were revealing a kingdom within the clouds before we opened the doors. There was a straight path to a tombstone with one single candle in front. Seeing that there were no other places apart from this place, we decided to light it.

Suddenly, there was a voice.

A small voice in my head that told me to sit in front of the altar. Feeling no danger, I decided to heed it.

I had not expected what I would see in my meditation.

For I had met a great being that towered over me.

He wore a broken mask and sported a great long beard that reached his waist. He was very old and very wise as he inched forward with the help of his staff to collect the light that I had brought to him. By some miracle, the light fixed his broken mask. He, the Elder of Isle of Dawn (which I later found out) gestured that I needed to do more, to help the other Elders in the other five realms. Once he relayed his message, he raised his majestic staff, summoning flocks of birds to open a door.

I was awoken by the large creaking groans of the doors behind the altar of the Elder. Despite my inquisitive eyes, I had failed to notice those doors. It seemed that they were made to blend among the walls of the temples. The purpose behind such a design eluded me and this thought soon flew away, like a speck of dust in the desert. The blue lifeless eyes of his tomb were now sparkling in yellow, as though urging me to go forth through those doors.

I took a hesitant step towards it.

My fellow friend, whom I had met at the front of the temple, also followed suit.

...

And that was how my adventure in Sky started.

Thinking back, I realized after many months of travelling and interacting with Sky kids like me, I had met the Elder of the Isle of Dawn, Daleth, overseeing the little moths that were born in his land. The altar that I had meditated was his altar, hence why I could meet him. Through mediating the Elders' altars in the other realms, I have managed to meet the others.

They all spoke of Sky in its flourishing time.

But...

They were all gone because of something. It led to the downfall of the Kingdoms and started a new era of Sky kids, fallen little stars sent to save other trapped kids and relive the lives of the spirits.

However, that would be a story for another time.

Until the next entry, young one,

LT

~~~~~Author's Note ~~~~~ 1 Nov 2020

It was a very basic summary of what I (the author) experienced Sky for the first time. It seemed like years to me but actually I started playing mid-July 2019, which is LT's birthday too. I can't decide on an actual birthday date for LT so I just left it there. 

Hmmm... I don't think there is a specific gender for LT. Besides, in the Sky world, the children of the light have no concept of gender so you can dress up as a lady, a handsome boi and even a fabulous old man.