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The_Shattered_Firmament

In a world where the earth was long ago pulverized into thousands of floating islands, humanity clings to life in the High Reach—a vertical civilization suspended over the Miasma, a bottomless sea of toxic, violet fog. To fall is to be forgotten; to fly is to be hunted. For eight centuries, the Consensus has maintained order by controlling the flow of Aether-Cores—the crystalline hearts of fallen stars that grant supernatural abilities to those brave (or desperate) enough to graft them into their flesh. But these "Gifts" come with a grim tax: the Burn. Every spark of power consumes a portion of the user’s life force. The more powerful you become, the faster you die. The world’s equilibrium is shattered when a dying exile named Kaelen "Crow" Vane discovers a forbidden star-chart. It points to the Nadir, the mythical absolute bottom of the Miasma, where the Zero-G Engine—the machine that keeps the world afloat—is rumored to be failing. If the Engine dies, every island falls. If the Consensus keeps it, they will continue to decide which nations live and which are dropped into the fog to "lighten the load." Kaelen assembles the Misfit Fleet, a crew of outcasts, each harboring a "Cursed" Core and a reason to see the old world burn. Together, they must sail through gravity-storms, dodge the Consensus’s Iron-Clad dreadnoughts, and face the Harbingers—monstrous beings mutated by the Miasma. It is a race against time, gravity, and their own dwindling lifespans. Kaelen doesn't want to be a King; he wants to find the Engine and give the world back its weight, even if he has to burn his entire life to reach the bottom.
The_QuillArchitect · 2.4k Views

A God of hope.

Heath Dollen was a man in his 40s who lived in a suburban complex in Lund, Sweden. He was lonely and spent most of his days tending to himself after an accident that had left him scarred for life. Heath had travelled throughout Europe and Asia, painting and writing avidly about his experiences. When he is not in his apartment, he does his best to give warmth to others around him, helping people around his neighbourhood, aiding in light labour, cleaning the environment, and donating much of his money to people he verified that required it. Heath saw the downtrodden teen Elias drop his phone on accident from the other side of the street. To help, he thought of buying a new phone for this young man. He introduced himself and after gaining their trust, Heath and Elias became good friends and Heath was even nicknamed 'uncle.' There, he was introduced to many games, specifically sandbox games. Heath heard of Games like Minecraft and Roblox, but after being introduced to 7 Days to Die, Cities: Skylines, Dwarf Fortress, Enshrouded, Going Medieval, Valheim, Project Zomboid, Rimworld, Vintage Story and more. Heath became an avid gamer while also gaining strength by replacing some of his joints with prosthetics and managing his exercises and diet. It was slow progress, but his life became more fulfilling than ever. Now he had a family to look forward to! But at one point, while Elias was helping with Heath's troubles, he spotted a man who appeared lost, walking across the street in traffic, yet was somehow never hit. Heath said aloud that they should be careful there and asked if they needed assistance. The man, that 'thing,' turned to him. Now walking towards Heath robotically, yet avoiding the vehicles like a phantom, they soon came upon him. Once close enough, its features were noticed: A beautiful, yet uncannily androgynous face, eyes that appeared too clear and glassy, and skin that was too perfect with no features of wrinkles or pores and no hair throughout. A voice that sounded harmonic with the world spoke, yet their mouth never moved. "Perfect." A melodic sound, one expected for a tenor, it captivated Heath but simultaneously scared those around him, then. . . Suddenly, Heath blacked out. Hearing the cry of Elias for him. He left this world.
Jaedyn_Jasmara · 183k Views