Just when he thought nothing else could stun him after everything he'd witnessed on Aterra so far—from magic abilities to dungeons, to wyverns and drakes—Kaiden was still left speechless at the sight before him. You couldn’t quite prepare yourself for seeing a floating island, let alone one of this size.

“How far away is it?” Kaiden finally regained his voice to ask.

Davick tilted his head, thinking for a moment. “Uhh, something like 300 miles or so.”

Private First Class Daen, standing nearby, remained utterly indifferent, clearly having seen it countless times already. But the same couldn’t be said for Davick, who was looking at the island with childlike joy, as if seeing it for the first time again.

No one else talked for a few moments as all eyes took in the floating mass.

Even from this distance, the island was impressive. Though Kaiden couldn’t make out any fine details, the sheer size of the floating landmass was mind-boggling. The way it hovered in the sky, hundreds of miles away, defied logic. Of course, there had to be magic at work—nothing else could explain it. Monsters, he could understand. Wyverns and drakes? Sure. But an island that massive, floating effortlessly? That was a whole new level of the unbelievable.

“Do you really think there are dragons still there?” Tessa asked, breaking the awed silence.

Davick shrugged. “The official word is no, and trust me, if anyone had seen one, we’d know by now.” He pointed toward a watchtower up the road near the cluster of military buildings. “They keep a constant eye on it.”

“Right,” Rallen muttered, nodding as he followed Davick’s gesture.

Before anyone could continue speculating, Private First Class Daen cut in, his tone curt. “We should get going already.”

“All right, all right,” Davick said, waving his hand in mock surrender. The group, slightly disappointed to leave the view behind, agreed half-heartedly but followed Davick and the PFC as they resumed their journey.

“Incredible,” Kaiden said under his breath, stepping in beside Davick as Tessa, Lyra, and Rallen broke off into their own conversation further back.

Davick grinned, clearly pleased. “Thought you’d like that. Haha.”

“I didn’t realize the island was so close that it could be seen from here,” Kaiden said, still marveling at the sight.

Davick shrugged. “It’s not that close.”

“You know what I mean,” Kaiden replied with a small chuckle.

“Yeah, but apparently, you can’t see it from everywhere in the city,” Davick said. “Like down by the port, you might not be able to see it at all.”

“Because of the curvature of Aterra and the sea level not being high enough. That makes sense,” Kaiden said, piecing it together.

Davick blinked, then hesitated for a moment before replying. “Uh, right... yeah, sure.”

Kaiden chuckled, shaking his head.

“So anyway,” Davick said, brushing off the topic, “we’re pretty much here.” He gestured ahead, and Kaiden noticed the military buildings now loomed closer.

Surprisingly, this military compound was much larger than the garrison headquarters. A tall iron gate stood at the entrance, flanked by imposing stone walls that extended in both directions, enclosing the entire area. A checkpoint was set up just beyond the gate, staffed by sharp-eyed soldiers who inspected every group entering or leaving. Once through, Kaiden noticed the compound was split into organized sections, with neatly maintained roads leading to various buildings and facilities.

After passing through the checkpoint, Davick gestured toward a cluster of buildings off to the left. “Those buildings over there belong to the 2nd Battalion,” he said.

Private First Class Daen, who had been silent for most of the walk, finally spoke up again. “This is where we’ll be splitting off,” he said curtly, turning to face the group. He pointed at Rallen, Tessa, and Lyra. “You three with me.”

“See ya later, Kaiden,” the three said, offering quick waves as they followed Daen toward the 2nd Battalion’s area.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Kaiden returned the wave, watching them go for a moment before Davick clapped him on the shoulder. “C’mon,” he said. “3rd Battalion is over here.” He gestured toward the right and began walking.

“So both 2nd and 3rd Battalions share the same compound, huh?” Kaiden asked, falling in step beside him.

“Yup,” Davick said. “We’ve got separate barracks and offices, but we share training grounds, mess halls, and warehouses.”

“Got it,” Kaiden replied, taking mental notes as they walked.

Davick pointed ahead toward a modest building that looked like an administrative office. “We’ll check in with Staff Sergeant Treyne and see what her orders are.”

Kaiden nodded, his nerves starting to build again as they approached the building. The prospect of meeting his new command and officially joining the unit made his stomach churn slightly, but he forced himself to focus. He followed Davick inside, ready to face what came next.

Once inside, Kaiden took in his surroundings. The room was a large open floor plan with about six desks spaced apart, each occupied by soldiers in standard military attire. They were busy working through stacks of paperwork, their focus unwavering despite the steady hum of voices and movement in the room. Toward the back, a blonde woman with her hair pulled back into a tight bun stood up from her desk.

“Ah, Forgewell, you’re back,” she said, her tone brisk but not unkind.

“Yes, Staff Sergeant,” Davick replied, walking toward her with an easy confidence.

The woman appeared rather plain in the unflattering uniform, her features sharp and practical, and she looked to be in her thirties. She glanced at Kaiden briefly, then began to speak. “And this must be...” She trailed off, clearly struggling to recall the name of the person she was expecting.

“Kaiden Hayward,” Davick filled in smoothly.

“Ah, yes, that’s right,” she said, nodding. “Welcome to 3-12.”

“Thank you, Staff Sergeant,” Kaiden replied politely.

She nodded again, then turned her attention back to Davick. “Forgewell, show him the barracks and take him to the quartermaster after. Meet back here in one hour, and I’ll introduce him to his party.”

Without looking, she threw a key in Davick’s direction, which he caught easily

“Aye, Staff Sergeant,” Davick said.

The staff sergeant sat back down without another word, immediately engrossed in her paperwork again. Davick motioned for Kaiden to follow, and they headed back out the door.

As they made their way toward a large building, Kaiden glanced around. “Is there just one barracks?” he asked.

“Three, actually,” Davick said. “Two for the guys, one for the girls. They’re just behind this building and are smaller. We’re both in the smaller one—it’s kind of an overflow.”

“Got it,” Kaiden said, following Davick around to the back of the larger barracks. Sure enough, there were two smaller buildings, each with doors on the outside, lined up side by side in a layout reminiscent of a motel.

“Wait, we get our own rooms?” Kaiden asked, a spark of excitement in his voice.

Davick chuckled, shaking his head. “Not quite.” He pulled the key from his pocket that Staff Sergeant Treyne had tossed to him and examined the number etched into it before hanging a left toward the other side of the building. “It’s two to a room. I’ve got a roommate, but I was told yours, uhh... recently passed.” His tone grew awkward as he finished the sentence.

“Oh,” Kaiden said, slightly taken aback. While he couldn’t deny a small thrill at the prospect of having a room to himself, the thought of his would-be roommate dying in a dungeon left him uneasy. It was a sobering reminder of the dangers that lay ahead.

At the end of the building, they stopped at room 109. Davick handed Kaiden the key with a grin. “There ya go.”

Kaiden took the key, matching the grin with one of his own. He inserted it into the keyhole and pushed the door open. Inside, he was greeted with a small, functional living space. Two beds lined opposite walls, each accompanied by a desk and a closet. An empty bookshelf sat against one wall, its plainness highlighting the room’s barebones setup. The only sources of light were a few candles and lanterns scattered around. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. The room had the atmosphere of a dorm—just enough space for two people to coexist without stepping on each other’s toes. There was no bathroom attached, like in a hotel room, but Kaiden didn’t mind.

It was small, sure, but Kaiden was genuinely appreciative to have his own space. After the open-floor barracks back in training, this felt like luxury.

“My room’s upstairs, 202,” Davick said, leaning casually against the doorframe. “The bathhouse is right next to the mess hall, and I’ll show you where it is later. 2nd Battalion’s got their own bathhouse on the opposite side of the mess hall, but you won’t confuse them. Ours is closer to our barracks.”

“Got it,” Kaiden said, taking it all in as he glanced around his new home. It was plain, but it was his, and for now, that was enough.

“Now,” Davick said, straightening up and folding his arms. “You can finally tell me what the hell happened to you.”

Kaiden grinned, leaning against the edge of one of the desks. “I don’t think you’re ready for this epic tale,” he said with a chuckle. “I can hardly believe it myself.”

“No way it was anything epic,” Davick said, waving him off dismissively. But his expression betrayed him—there was excitement in his eyes, a spark of curiosity and eagerness to hear every detail. The words might have been nonchalant, but his tone and the slight edge of impatience gave him away.

Kaiden couldn’t help but laugh. “You sure? I don’t want to blow your mind or anything.”

Davick gestured dramatically for him to get on with it, and Kaiden took a moment to gather his thoughts, trying to decide how much of the story to tell—and how much to leave out for now.

“Okay,” Kaiden said, leaning forward. “But before I say anything, this has to stay between us. I‘ve been sworn to secrecy and you gotta do the same.”

Davick’s eyes widened, his curiosity piqued. “Really?”

Kaiden dropped the grin, his face growing serious. “Davick, I mean it. You cannot tell anyone.”

The shift in tone wiped the playfulness from Davick’s face. He straightened, his expression more sincere now. “I got it. I promise I won’t tell a soul.”

“Good,” Kaiden said, nodding as if to seal the agreement. He took a deep breath, readying himself to share. Then, he launched into his tale.