The wagon creaked and shook as we moved on the grassy roads away from Berkton. The town of Berkton got smaller and smaller as we went, until all I could see was the outline of the great Berkton forest that stood tall. I felt how a lonely tear fell from my eye as I now left my home and family. I was going to see them again, but I had no clue when that would be.

The open field that the path went on slowly but surely got replaced with lush trees and plants. I decided to move closer to Sebastian, who sat in the front holding the leach for the horses.

"So, how long will it take us to get to this falling city place?" I asked, wiping away my tears.

"A rough estimate... maybe six months." Sebastian said nonchalantly.

"Six months?!" I let out, surprised.

"Well, that’s just how it is." Sebastian told me.

The road seemingly got smaller as we rode into a more winding road leading further out of the open fields.

"So, you knew I was a giant?" I ask, with an awkward feeling enveloping within me.

"Yeah. However, you weren’t the best to hide your giant traits. Your height was an indicator, your rocky fingertips as well as your eyes were a pretty dead giveaway. I just want you to know I have nothing against giants. If I was, I would have spread the word to Uranos already. So, I just want you to know you can trust me." Sebastian says.

I nod.

"I know" I respond.

The next few moments are quiet as the wagon rolls on. Wanting to break the silence I ask.

"So, what is this falling city place?"

"Well, it’s… a falling city. Some hundreds of years ago some arcane accident occurred that caused a giant crater. The kingdom that once stood there was destroyed in the initial blast. And then started to descend into the hole slowly. And it has been descending ever since. Forever falling.” Sebastian tells me.

"Whoa! So, is that the reason it's safe for me to be there? Because of its nature?" I ask.

"No, or at least not just that. The falling city is made up of people who are strongly against Uranos and are fighting on the front lines against them. That’s why it would be safe for you. Why I'm going there is because I have another store there. That’s why I offered to take you with me to the falling city." Sebastian explains.

"You have another store that you just left over there?" I ask him.

"Indeed. I asked a friend of mine to keep it open while I travel outwards to see if I could expand my business, and maybe find some hideouts of Uranos members. And I think we both know how that went." He explains.

I don’t say anything, just sitting there quietly thinking of what happened yesterday.  I pick up the puzzle Henry had given me out of my bag, I remember seeing him on the roof and that mother said he was alive but that was all I knew. Eventually, my curiosity won and I asked Sebastian.

"Do you know what happened to Henry? The old man who was with me on the roof." I ask him.

Sebastian is quiet for a moment. It looks like he is trying to remember who I was referring to.

"Oh, you mean that old toy maker? Eh, He is alive. However, I don’t know if that’s any better for him though." Sebastian tells me with a sigh.

"What do you mean?"

Sebastian is quiet for a moment before he responds.

"He didn't leave that chaos with just some scars. That I’ll say."

"Oh..." I say.

"W-well speaking of that fight. eh-I was able to see what you did. Those attacks eh they didn't seem like anything arcane. Were they infused with your pressure waves?" Sebastian asks, seemingly wanting to shift topics.

"Oh. I think so. I felt how my pressure waves became more loose and just kinda, flowed into my sword. From there it was like a normal spell, an incantation appeared in my mind and from that I just kinda went on." I say trying to explain what happened.

"Okay, I have to ask Arameth, have you studied any arcane arts?" Sebastian asks.

"No. Since I managed to get a feel for pressure waves beforehand my father thought it would be best, I kept trying from there. And don't you need years of study to use the first principle?" I ask.

"True. You need years’ worth of study and sacrifice to use the first principle, if you can handle it of course. But you haven't even harnessed it? Even if you can’t use it almost everybody should be able to harvest arcana to some extent." Sebastian says.

"Well as I said I haven't really gotten to it. Besides none of my parents use arcana much so they aren’t the best teachers in that regard." I tell him.

Sebastian is silent for a moment before he speaks.

"I’m not much of a teacher but if you want, I could help you with pressure waves and arcana. Though I’m not so sure how much I can be of help, even if you are able to harness arcana." Sebastian tells me.

"Really? Thank you! But what do you mean by even if I'm able to harness arcana? Isn’t that something everyone can do?" I ask him.

"Well out of the three giants have been known to have a lesser compatibility with the first principle and arcana in its entirety. Now it’s not impossible for a giant to be compatible with arcana but most of them aren’t even able to harness it. However, giants and giant blood have been known for being highly compatible with the third principle." Sebastian explains.

"So, I won’t be able to do cool arcana stuff like you?" I say saddened.

"No, but you might in fact do something cooler. For example, have you heard of a spell known as 'Mirage'? It creates a mirror image of the caster and it's only doable by altering pressure waves." Sebastian says to cheer me up.

The mention of the spell makes me feel a bit better. Especially since I had already performed it.

"We can try if you are compatible or not if you want? Since we will be traveling for some time why not try it now?" Sebastian asks me.

"How?" I ask.

"Okay. make yourself comfortable back there. Now close your eyes and clear your mind. Let go of emotions and breath with your entire body." Sebastian begins.

I close my eyes and try to keep my mind clear. Flashes from yesterday keep on appearing in my head as I do but I try to put them away. Not wanting to think of them.

"Now Imagine arcana as a thick and heavy sea that covers the entire realm. Now to get to the surface you would need to move upwards. However, since the water is too heavy it is hard to move, to do that you have to let the arcana flow through you. To your hands and feet or other material so that you can begin to move. This is how it would be to harness arcana, do you understand?" Sebastian explains.

"I guess..." I say in response.

"Now others would learn to breathe underwater instead of learning how to swim. These are the ones who use the first principle." Sebastian continues.

"Now I want you to focus on this image and really focus on opening yourself up. Doing this will have you eventually feel the arcana around us."

I sit there listening to the hooves of the horses hit the ground and the wheel of the wagon crunch the fallen twigs that lay on the path we travel on. I keep focusing on the image of a giant sea covering me and all around me, but I feel no different. I only feel a sense of familiarity to when I first felt the pressure waves around me.

Since Nothing seemed to happen no matter how long I had been sitting here I went to speak with Sebastian.

But as I go to open my mouth the feeling of water filling my mouth hits me and I can’t speak. No, I can’t breathe. Like if someone were to hold me underwater. I try to open my eyes, but they stay shut.

I feel how my lungs start to fill up and I start to choke.

In desperation, I start to wave my arms around and kick with my feet. Hoping to feel something but I can't. My limbs seem to be unresponsive as if something was holding them down. When I start to feel my chest burning up in pain, I feel something grab onto me, and in a flash, I am back in the wagon with Sebastian, having stopped the wagon now sitting in front of me.

"Can you hear me kid!" Sebastian shouts.

I open my mouth and breath. Taking in a deep breath.

"I couldn't breathe!" I say with a heavy breath.

"I noticed. I wanted to check how you did and saw your face turning blue. What happened?" He asks.

"I did like you said but I couldn't move, and I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even open my eyes. It felt like water was running down my throat even if my mouth was closed, like if my body was full of holes and letting the water pass through." I explain.

Sebastian gives me an understanding look.

"This is what I meant by giants not being compatible. Normally people could move, open their eyes, and easily exit that state. But it's not the same for some giants. Sorry for having you go through that." Sebastian says.

I only shake my head. Not wanting him to take the blame for something I chose to do.

After making sure I'm good Sebastian went back to his seat, and we started back on our travels. After spending the next two hours focusing on the pressure waves around me, wanting to feel more in tune with them. I Alter my waves to the ones in the wagon, focusing on the spot on the wall next to me, to create a small thin spike from the wagon’s form. Like I did to the ground around me when I fought the Grizzly.

Eventually, I get bored and I ask Sebastian.

"Can I look through some of your books?"

"Go ahead" He responds.

I go through the crate of books sitting in front of me.

"Hugo the serpent, rising of the Sol Empire, The clash of Bor and Lots, The fantastic Mr Hox." I read out loud as I looked through the books.

Until I stopped at a book called "Encyclopedia of Kings written by L.T Smith".

I quickly looked at my sword that sat next to me.

"Maybe I can find something about him in here?"

I pick the book up and flip through its pages. Finding the register, I look for the kings beginning with M.

"Mountain king, Mountain king, Mountain King...Nothing?"

"Why isn't he here? It has the other kings but not him? Maybe it’s just old and not updated?"

I look through the other books referring to the kings in Sebastian’s box, but I find nothing regarding the mountain king. Having looked for kings ruling over mountains, kings born on mountains, mountains named after kings, Kings with black swords, kings with swords, anyone that has any connection to mountains. But I find nothing.

"Excuse me Sebastian, can I ask you something?"

"I'm all ears." Sebastian says.