"Nova! Marlene fell asleep!" the green-eyed woman shouted, alerting the man white-haired one.

"I knew it!" Nova's words hit like a sledgehammer of sanity against reality.

"They take away their driver's license at a certain age for a reason! Wake her up!" Nova cried, his eyes overflowing with tears as the land approached them.

"Marlene! Wake up! Please!" The girl urgently shook the elderly woman, who rested peacefully with a bubble of mucus at her nose.

"Shit! shit! shit!" Nova tried to think of something that might save them while the old lady slept and their end drew near.

"Do you know how to drive!?" he asked the young woman.

"Of course not! I can barely drive magnetic cars! This is beyond me!" Their hysteria mixed with the impending doom, leading them to curse their fate as the airship neared the ground.

"Wake up, old woman!" Nova had shouted in despair, tears streaming down his face as he had clung to the pilot's seat and screamed.

"Who are you calling an old woman, you impertinent brat!" Marlene's voice snapped back with surprising anger.

Then she saw the ground approaching quickly and turned the wheel, making the plane veer violently before crashing.

"Hahaha, geez, that was close." Marlene sighed in relief and brought the airship back to a safe altitude.

"Are you guys okay?" she asked, but they remained silent, slowly regaining their composure.

"Hehe, this crystal generation doesn’t tolerate anything..." Marlene murmured to herself.

After a few moments, both young people began to feel better, their cheeks regaining some color.

A small glow appeared on the horizon, prompting Nova to gaze out at the landscape and admire the sunrise.

"This is gorgeous..." he marveled, taking in the fields of rice, vegetables, tubers, flora, fruit trees, and animals enjoying the morning light.

"Is this your first time seeing the agricultural sector?" Marlene asked.

"Yes, it is. Until a few hours ago, I didn’t even know Etheria was a floating city." Marlene and the girl laughed softly at his revelation.

"You didn’t know? Didn’t you go to school or something?" Marlene teased.

"Ah, I suffered from amnesia and forgot everything about this world, so everything is new to me," he explained, choosing a lie that sounded better than the truth about his rebirth.

The women exchanged embarrassed glances, regretting their earlier laughter.

"Amnesia? Is that why you didn’t know what city you were in?" the girl asked, receiving an affirmative nod from Nova.

"I’m sorry; I saw you throw an officer and got scared. What happened wasn’t right." She lowered her face, clearly embarrassed.

"Don’t worry, I was scared too. Honestly, you were the only one who wanted to help me, and in this place, that means you’re very kind," Nova said, receiving a smile in return.

"Anyway, Nova, why did you decide to leave the city? Wouldn’t it be better to stay and look for your family?" the old woman asked.

"Even if I stayed in Etheria for a thousand years, I don’t think I’d find any of my family. Besides, I attacked a policeman, and I don’t want to end up in a cell. I think Etheria isn’t for me," he joked, gazing out the window at the scenery.

The young girl and the old woman understood the issue was settled. Despite their initial prejudices, they thought the same thing: Nova didn’t seem violent or dangerous.

"Haha, I like that. A true explorer doesn’t need a home, just a destination," the old woman said with a smile, turning to the young lady.

"You can relate, right? Etheria isn’t for you either?" The old woman’s words prompted a half-smile from the girl, who leaned her head against the window.

"Yeah, something like that." The answer led to a brief silence.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Curious, Nova turned to look through the hatch glass, observing the floating city supported by a massive inverted cone-shaped platform with huge green-hued crystals.

"Are the B-Synchros really that terrifying?" Nova asked, catching the women’s attention.

"Sorry, I was just thinking out loud. I find it amazing that their presence forces an entire city into constant levitation," he explained.

"The B-Synchros are inhuman monsters with a sole desire to exterminate us. Humanity had to respond." The old woman’s serious tone conveyed the gravity of the situation.

"Anyone living below knows that at any moment, one of them could end their life. That’s why, despite the difficulties, most people prefer to stay in the city. However, everyone is free to leave if they choose."

Marlene’s words reminded Nova of the great cities of his world: New York, Delhi, Shanghai, Seoul—all home to people from every walk of life, with many enduring hardship in hopes of a better future.

"Unless they’re criminals like you, in which case they must use my not-so-legal flight services," Marlene said with a laugh, trying to lighten the serious tone she had adopted.

"The books say all cities were once on the ground, but when B-Synchros appeared and the population began to decline alarmingly, they found it more feasible to use magnetism technology to suspend the cities in the sky to preserve humanity," the young woman explained, catching Nova's attention.

"Although that was centuries ago, today, thanks to Terra Nexus, we’ve had several decades without a B-Synchro higher than Minotaur level venturing into human territory," she seemed pleased to share this information, as if it brought her some satisfaction to know it.

"Of course, there are still wolf, lion, and centaur level B-Synchros outside the city perimeters that can easily destroy human lives or villages," the older woman added, dispelling any false sense of security and diminishing the girl’s cheerful expression.

"I don’t mean to make you feel bad; I just want to remind you that it’s dangerous out there," Marlene said, trying to sound kind after her blunt comment.

"What do you mean by levels? Is it similar to those people with a certain number of stars?" Nova asked, struggling to understand the concept they both seemed familiar with. He only knew Adan's level and hoped to learn more now.

"No, B-Synchros are categorized differently from agents. They range from the most harmless slime to the deadliest Kraken," the girl explained, turning to address him directly.

"They are classified as slime, wolf, lion, centaur, gorgon, cyclops, minotaur, chimera, dragon, cerberus, hydra, and kraken," she continued, listing the levels from least to most threatening.

"TN agents, on the other hand, are classified based on their mastery of Synchrony and merits in their disciplines, ranging from 1 to 5 stars. Achieving 5 stars means being among the most powerful humans on the planet," she said, her green eyes reflecting clear admiration for these individuals.

Nova recalled Adan and was sure he was one of them.

"This might sound silly, but what exactly is Synchrony?" Nova asked, eager to understand more about the concept that seemed so commonplace.

“Synchrony is a latent force in our DNA, a power that only some humans can awaken when exposed to the resonance of B-Synchro pheromones. Not everyone can unlock it; it’s rare and considered an innate quality,” the brown-haired girl explained, her expression tinged with discouragement.

"I don’t know much more about it myself, as this is my first time outside Etheria." she concluded.

"What is the resonance effect?" Nova asked again, intrigued.

"Hahaha, why tell you when you can see for yourself?" Marlene said, pointing ahead so that Nova and the girl could see the view before them.

Beyond a large concrete wall marking Etheria’s agricultural sector lay a unique natural world. Trees with never-before-seen shapes, enormous mountains shimmering with untapped minerals, and a stunning variety of colors and forms stretched out.

"Resonance is the term for the effect B-Synchro pheromones have on our ecosystem. Their presence has altered the world, transforming the fauna and flora. That’s why they say blue carrots used to be bright orange. Can you believe it? It sounds ridiculous," Marlene concluded, surprising Nova, who was already in awe of the unique landscape.

For several miles, Nova felt he was approaching a world that, although similar in some ways, was fundamentally different from his own.

The young woman was equally amazed. "It's even more incredible than in the books," she marveled.

"Silly girl, the books can't capture what you’re about to experience. Just pay attention, and if you see a B-Synchro, run without hesitation, okay?" Marlene's tone was that of a worried grandmother as the airplane began its descent, signaling the end of their journey.

The aircraft landed gently in an open area of the striking forest.

"Well, kids, this is goodbye. I hope to see you again," the old lady said with a touch of nostalgia as she pressed a button on the steering wheel to open the canopy. Despite having just met them, she felt they were good people heading toward certain danger.

"Thank you, Marlene. I’ll visit you when I return. Take care," the young woman said, hugging Marlene warmly before getting out and descending.

"Nova?" Marlene called, noticing he was taking his time. Seeing his nervousness, she asked with a gentle smile, "Afraid?"

"No, it's not that," Nova replied wistfully. "It's just that I feel like I’m taking someone else’s place." He was referring to his friend, who had originally proposed the trip, and felt uneasy about being the one in that situation.

"Nova, everyone has a role to play in this world. Maybe his role was to lead you here. Stop dwelling on it; I’m sure he wouldn’t want to see you so somber. Smile for him, kid," Marlene’s words struck a deep chord. Nova immediately stood up to hug her.

"Thank you for bringing me here, Marlene. I promise I’ll come back to tell you about my trip." Afterward, the amber-eyed boy jumped off the airship and landed on the ground.

The girl was waiting for him.

"You’re heading to the next city, right? How about we go together? It might be safer that way," she suggested, bringing a smile to Nova's lips. It was comforting not to be alone in such an unfamiliar place.

"Enjoy your youth, kids. I look forward to seeing you again!" Marlene’s shout from the airship made them both look up as the plane took off. They waved goodbye until the old woman disappeared into the distance.

"I hope she doesn’t fall asleep," Nova joked as he watched the plane fade away.

This comment made young woman laugh. "Hahaha, you’re right. Hopefully not," she said, chuckling.

"Hey, since we'll be traveling together, what’s your name?" Nova asked, causing surprise on the woman's face.

"Right, I never introduced myself. I’m Katya Ivanova. Nice to meet you." She extended her hand, and they shook hands, marking the start of their journey.

It wasn’t long before they set off. Nova pulled out his map as they moved forward.

"What are you doing?" Katya asked, puzzled.

"Just checking the way," Nova replied, unsure if he was holding the map the right way.

"On that?" Katya asked again.

"Yes, why?" Nova wondered, not understanding her point.

"Well, I have a satellite GPS." Katya pulled out a small device from her backpack, the size of a small Rubik’s cube. She activated it, and a holographic map appeared, showing their position with a red dot.

"Okay…" Nova felt a pang of envy as he looked at his crumpled map and then at the holographic one. "Alright, lead the way," he said with a forced smile, grumbling inwardly about the disparity.

From then on, Katya guided them through the beautiful forest with blue moss, across a small green river, and onto flat terrain with picturesque meadows in the distance by midday.

"A little further and we’ll reach the road," Katya said with relief as she put away her device.

"Roads? I didn’t think there were any out here. I assumed it was an unexplorable wilderness," Nova responded, turning to her.

"Trade between cities is crucial, so there are roads for large mag vehicles transporting goods. They usually hire TN agents or are escorted by military forces to prevent theft. With any luck, we might join a caravan," Katya explained as if it were obvious.

Nova felt fortunate to be traveling with her, realizing he’d probably be lost in the wilderness otherwise.

However, their calm would soon be disrupted. As they crossed the meadow, a strange sound began to echo in the distance.

"What’s that?" Nova asked, looking toward the noise.

Soon, due to the terrain, they saw a large group of small red creatures with pointed ears, sharp teeth, and prominent clubs rapidly approaching them.

"Goblins? The B-Synchros are goblins?!" Nova exclaimed.

"Fuck!" Katya shouted as she started running, pulling Nova along.

"No, they’re not B-Synchros! They’re a subspecies that evolved from monkeys due to resonance. They’re called Moblings and are dangerous!" Katya explained while running.

"What? Why is the name so unoriginal?" Nova was incredulous. He knew the dangers of this world were real, but he didn’t expect even the ordinary creatures to have such a mundane name.