Life at Heincraft wasn’t what I expected. Back on Lower Earth, everything felt slower. Peaceful, even. People took their time, and the pace of life seemed in tune with the seasons. Here at the academy, it’s a continuous flow of activity. There is always something happening, never really stopping. It’s like you’re stuck in a race that never ends, and you’re just trying to keep up. When you’re running at full speed, it’s hard to catch your breath. After another grueling week of classes and training, my mind felt overloaded, and my body ached from the demanding routine. I knew I needed a break. A chance to get away from the pressure. I needed to breathe.

So Saturday rolled around, and Lina and I decided it was time to get out of the hustle and bustle of school life for a bit. We were heading to Skywalk Town. Nothing fancy, just a quiet, brief escape. At least, that’s what I thought it’d be. You know, no pressures, no expectations, just two friends enjoying a day off. The walk toward Skywalk had been the perfect reset. The more we got away from the academy’s walls, the more I felt the weight lifting off my shoulders. The air felt clearer, quieter. The stillness was almost jarring, like I’d forgotten how good it felt to just… not be in constant motion. I hadn’t realized how tense I’d been until I sensed my body finally relax. And then, just like that, there was Hans. Of course. He had this way of showing up when you least expected it.

I mean, it’s Hans. He was always around, and though he could be a bit of a wildcard, I wasn’t about to turn him down. After all, the guy knew the area inside and out, and it wasn’t like we had a solid plan, anyway. Why not let him join? So, I invited him, and he gladly agreed. Besides, with Hans tagging along, it almost felt like we had a local guide. Someone who could show us the spots tourists might miss.

We reached the outskirts of Skywalk, and the pace slowed down even more. That’s when Hans led us to this postal service building, one of those places that just felt right. The building itself was covered in colorful flags, fluttering in the wind. It was bright and inviting in a way that made you feel like things were simple here. People inside were just doing their jobs, but they were smiling, exchanging pleasantries, not rushed or stressed. I couldn’t remember the last time I saw so many genuinely happy faces. I stood there, my hand hovering over a stack of paper as I realized I wanted to write a letter. To home. To my mom. It’s strange how a simple act like holding a pen could hit me like that, but as soon as I began writing, a wave of homesickness crashed over me. I missed my mom. I missed the quiet life of my hometown. I hadn’t realized how much until that very moment. It hit me harder than I thought.

We wandered further into Skywalk, and then we stumbled across Forgefire, a legendary blacksmith shop. The second we stepped inside, it welcomed us with an air thick with heat and the sound of a hammer striking metal. The famous blacksmith, this guy everyone talked about, was in the zone, hammering away, shaping weapons that could take on any battle. You could tell he was good. No, ignore that. He was great. People from all over came to him, and it was easy to see why. The way he moved, the way he forged metal, it was almost like each swing of the hammer was a part of history being made. I didn’t know much about weapons, but even I could see that there was something special about this place.

We left the forge with smiles and a little warmth on our faces, and then came across this alley. It was hidden away, like it didn’t want to be found, but I couldn’t help myself, drawn to it anyway. There, behind a few buildings, was a bookstore. It wasn’t big, nor flashy, but something about it whispered, “come in.” I didn’t really know why I felt that way. Books are books, right? But this one felt different. I didn’t say anything at first, but Lina picked up on it right away. She asked me why I seemed so intrigued, and Hans, well, he was more interested in hitting the academy library. I get it. The main library was packed with all the knowledge you’d ever need to know. But I wasn’t in the mood for it. Today, I had something else on my mind.

Remember the symbol engraved on Professor Ambacht’s book? I wasn’t going to tell them about it, not yet, anyway. That symbol had been bothering me for days. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. But I wasn’t about to drag Lina and Hans into it. This was something I had to figure out on my own.

While Lina and Hans settled into a small lounge area in the bookstore, chatting and relaxing, I dove into the shelves of books. I ran my fingers along the spines. I hoped to find something, anything, that could tell me more. The symbol or something similar had to be here somewhere. I kept telling myself that. A little more than an hour passed, and nothing. Nothing concrete. Nothing real.

I gave up on the books. I went over to the counter, where a stack of maps caught my attention. Aegis, Aqua, and other floating islands I barely knew, but wanted to know more about. I picked one up when I noticed Mr. Howard, the bookstore owner, watching me. It was like his eyes knew a secret I didn’t. Something that, frankly, made me uncomfortable.

I couldn’t help it. “Is there anything bothering you, sir?” I asked.

He just smiled at me. “Please forgive me, miss, but there’s a distinct feeling about you. You seem… familiar.”

I tried to brush it off with a laugh. “Maybe I just look like the academy girls who frequent here.”

But he shook his head, his gaze becoming distant. “No, it’s not the academy girls. It was a boy around your age, used to get lost among the bookshelves. He’d spend hours buried in old pages, like he was looking for something.”

A boy? That got my attention.

Lina and Hans made their way over to the counter, sensing the awkwardness. I tried to play it off like nothing was really happening. But when Mr. Howard met my eyes again, I saw it. Something shifted. A memory.

“I remember now!” Mr. Howard said, his face lighting up. “A male student who looked exactly like you used to come here several times. Spent hours in my books. It must’ve been… two decades ago.”

A boy who looked like me? Two decades ago? I couldn’t breathe for a moment. Could it be? Could he be talking about my dad? He, too, like my mom, used to be a student at the academy. My mom had said that except for the color of my hair, my face resembled my dad’s. The possibility that this could be the first genuine lead I’d had in years was almost too much to process. For a second, I almost let myself believe it. This could be it. The piece I’d been missing, the thing that could finally connect me to my father. But I had to ask, had to make sure.

“Can you remember his name, sir?” The words slipped out before I could stop them. My throat tightened as I waited for his answer.

Mr. Howard’s expression shifted. The bright look in his eyes faded as quickly as it had come. His gaze dropped, and I could see the weight settle into his face. “I’m sorry, miss, but he never introduced himself.”

Just like that, the fragile thread of hope I’d been holding onto snapped. A boy who used to come in here, someone who looked like me but didn’t even share his name? It felt like the world had just pulled the rug out from under me. How was I supposed to track down someone with nothing but a name? More frustratingly, I didn’t even have a picture of him from our family photo album to help me with my search. It was as if when my dad left us he took all his pictures with him. When I asked my mom about this, she just gave me this puzzled look and shrugged her shoulders, as if the memory of my dad was also vague in her mind.

Lina and Hans must’ve sensed the shift in my mood. They both turned to look at me, waiting for some explanation. Seeing this, I explained about my situation, aware of their pressing curiosity regarding my boisterous manner. The quest to find my missing father, John Redgrave, who was a former student and used to work as an academy sword instructor. Unfortunately, no pictures of him remained in my possession. Only a scant collection of his letters.

Hans was already thinking ahead. “What if we talk to the professors at the academy? They might know something more. They have records. They might have a lead.” His words were calm and rational, like he was already sure it was the next logical step. And maybe it was. I didn’t want to give up. I didn’t want to just let this slip away, but what else could I do? It wasn’t like I could go around asking every bookstore owner on the island about a guy who’d walked in twenty years ago.

I wanted to thank Hans, to express my appreciation, but before I could even get the words out, he was already making plans. “I’ll reach out to them,” he continued with quiet confidence, already moving to follow through on his idea. I smiled at him, despite everything. He was the type who didn’t waste time thinking about things. He just acted.

“You’re the best, Hans,” I said, my voice full of gratitude. I meant it more than I could put into words. Upon hearing my praise, Hans’ face blushed, and before he could return my compliment, Lina, as if sensing something was about to spark between me and him, cut into our conversation.

“Ahem! Okay, guys, I think we’ve already spent too much time here. Let’s go.” The three of us bade our goodbyes to Mr. Howard and left the bookstore.