KEIICHI MIURA

As the thick fog surrounding us gradually dissipated, the 44th realm began to reveal its mysterious nature. The sky above resembled a tranquil, silent lake with a white sun suspended serenely, yet strangely, the atmosphere carried the essence of both dawn and dusk, as if trapped in a perpetual state of dimness.

"I’ve never seen anything quite like this. The lighting is peculiar," Cliff remarked, his eyes scanning the unusual horizon.

"Indeed. It’s as if the realm is suspended between day and night," I replied, my mind trying to make sense of the unique phenomenon.

When I peered down, I saw floating white blobs far below me. These appeared to be familiar in some way. After taking a closer look, I immediately recognised them.

"These are…clouds!" I came out yelling.

"It appears that we are above the clouds." Cliff added his voice.

His supposition was probably correct, since it explained the odd atmosphere and the absolutely clear sky above. Our bodies would have been smashed to bits by air pressure by now if it hadn’t been for the immense amount of sol in Limbo.

"The ground looks strange too. It’s like we’re standing on the curved top of a massive sphere," Davy observed, tilting his head to examine the stone surface beneath our feet.

As the fog dissipated further, three stone buildings came into view, constructed with the same material as the ground beneath our feet.

"What is that?" Davy widened his eyes as he stared in a particular direction. When I followed his gaze, my mouth gaped open, and fear mixed with excitement dominated my mind at the same time.

It was an enormous face made of stone. The same stone that we were standing on. The face was so large that we could see a large building of stone on top of its stony head. Below it, two enormous stone arms extended downward, and the lower portion of the statue's body was shrouded by clouds.

"A stone giant... Does this mean that Before Cliff could make a deduction, both Davy and I were already running towards the end of the curved ground, having realised the same thing. As soon as we saw the ground end abruptly, curving downward, we confirmed it.

"We’re standing on top of the head of a large, giant statue made of stone. And there are more statues around ours, with buildings on top of their heads too," I explained, the realisation of the meaning behind the realm’s name, "Refuge of Titans," dawning upon me.

Fear and excitement mingled as we grasped the magnitude of the discovery. This realm held untold secrets and challenges for us to unravel and conquer.

"It’s astounding, but also unsettling. These stone giants are both awe-inspiring and eerie," Davy said, his voice tinged with a mix of emotions.

**

"We should proceed to the next statue," Davy declared after carefully examining the abandoned stone buildings surrounding us. The decayed state of the stones indicated that they had been unoccupied for a considerable length of time.

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As we approached the edge of the stony head we were standing on, a sense of awe and apprehension washed over me. The distance to the next statue was enormous, and jumping over was out of the question.

"Cliff, can you manifest a wooden path?" I requested it, understanding that Cliff’s wood-weaving abilities could prove useful in bridging the gap. The next statue towered above us, its neck stretched high, making it difficult to see beyond.

Cliff wordlessly got to work, focusing his energy on crafting a sturdy wooden path that would connect the two massive stone giants. As we stepped onto the wooden path, I couldn’t help but feel a slight unease. Any misstep here could lead to instant death as we hovered above the clouds.

Arriving at the second stone statue, we noticed a faint light emanating from one of the four small buildings that adorned it. "I can sense a few presences here," Davy whispered, his instincts on high alert.

Approaching cautiously, we knocked on the door of the illuminated building. After a brief moment, the door opened, revealing a thin man with a small moustache and green eyes. He wore a robe, and his surprise was evident as he welcomed us inside.

"I did not expect that there would be other Venturers arriving here since most of us abandoned Compound 009 due to the Herald’s death," the man said in a hushed tone as he ushered us into the building.

Inside, we found a stone-crafted tavern with chairs and tables. A large bar stood at one end, adding to the ancient charm of the place. Two other figures occupied the tavern: a burly man dressed similarly to the one who greeted us, presumably his companion, and an imposing elderly man standing about two metres tall.

The old man’s pale temples and streaks of white hair gave him an air of wisdom and experience. His deep brown eyes were piercing, and he donned a robe made from white cloth, which seemed to possess an otherworldly quality.

He stood behind the bar counter, exuding an air of authority that suggested he was the owner of this establishment. A lantern beside him cast a soft glow, illuminating the tavern’s interior.

"We are also venturers like you. My name is Karan, and he is Rahul. We arrived here a few days ago," the thin man who had greeted us explained as he motioned for us to take a seat on the vacant stone chairs.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I inquired casually, "Why didn’t you go back to earth? The limbo is in grave danger."

With a hint of melancholy in his voice, Karan responded, "We have nothing left back on earth—no family, no friends. We decided to stay in Limbo, accumulate relics, and eventually sell them to start a new life. In these last few realms, relics are not difficult to find."

As I glanced at the elderly man seated quietly at the bar counter, urging Karan to introduce him, the old man’s chilling gaze pierced through me, making me shiver involuntarily.

"I am a dweller—the last survivor of the settlement that once thrived here. In our prime, we were at least a thousand, but our numbers gradually dwindled due to our diminishing reproductive ability. Eventually, we all perished," the old man explained with an air of serenity and honesty.

The deserted stone buildings around us served as a haunting reminder of the once-thriving community.

With curiosity still burning within me, I couldn’t resist asking, "How did you manage to survive in these harsh environments? And did you not attempt to explore the land below the clouds and expand your civilization?"

"We can survive by consuming stone. The land below is treacherous and hostile, inhabited by nature-defying beings and otherworldly environments," he responded in a rugged tone, his breathing laborious.

Rahul, Karan’s friend, chimed in, confirming the old man’s words: "No Venturer or Paladin has ever returned after descending to the land below the clouds. Thankfully, the passage to the next realm is here, atop the tallest stone giant."

Understanding the risks involved, I acknowledged their experiences with a quiet nod.

"Would you like to exchange some knowledge? It would benefit both of our parties on our journey," Karan offered, drawing closer to us.

Davy, intrigued by the prospect of shared knowledge, replied, "Sure, the more we understand about Limbo, the better equipped we’ll be."

"Then, we’ll begin. Have you heard of the ‘Voidwalker’?" Karan asked sharply, his gaze unwavering as he focused on us.