The world of Shaards is vicious.  Magical creatures roam and rule the lands, air and seas. The apex of these are monsters known as Titan Beasts.  Survival on the surface is an impossibility, outside of the fortress cities humanity has built for themselves. Just to travel between these bastions, high level magic is a prerequisite but still not a guarantee of survival. Altair Bashtuck has just been abandoned on Shaards, far from any human city and left to survive.