Ethan's Fantasy-Drift

Back on his familiar ship, surrounded by the familiar endless sea, and under the familiar warm sunshine, Ethan exhaled deeply.

Though it had only been a month, the feeling of the sun on his skin was something he had almost forgotten.

"Sure, I gained a lot and made some good friends... but I'd really rather not go back to that cold, dark world again," he murmured to himself.

Still, Ethan knew that if he ever became powerful enough in the future, he wouldn't hesitate to return and repay those who had helped him.

"Maybe... maybe their world really does deserve to be saved, stuck as it is between heaven and hell."

After living in the dark world for a month, Ethan had learned quite a bit from Akara and Xul about its deeper truths.

Strictly speaking, the dark world consisted of three realms: Hell, home to the demons; Heaven, ruled by divine beings; and the human world, caught in the middle of their eternal struggle. The human world was the place Ethan had been thrown into.

The Rathma priests, to which Xul belonged, had long understood a harsh truth about their world: balance was key. If either Heaven or Hell gained the upper hand, humanity would face annihilation. This belief formed the core teachings of the organization, which saw its role as maintaining that precarious balance between the two powers.

"It's such a harsh world," Ethan sighed.

He now understood why the demons in that world could never be eradicated entirely, because complete destruction of one side would only allow the other to dominate unopposed. If the angels held absolute power, humanity might be reduced to nothing more than enslaved worshippers, a fate no better than being ruled by demons.

Heaven and Hell, Ethan realized, were like rival nations ruled by higher beings. Humans, trapped between the two, had no choice but to play the role of pawns. The fragile balance between the two sides was the only thing allowing humanity to survive at all.

"Ah..." Ethan sighed again, thinking about Isendra and Xul, who were heading off to confront Diablo. He knew their fates likely wouldn't be happy. Like the heroes of Diablo 1, their paths seemed destined to end in tragedy.

Looking down at his gear—the bracers on his wrists, the ring on his finger, the light armor on his body, and the long sword and iron rod beside him.

"I owe them a lot," he muttered.

Resolving to repay his debts someday, Ethan began to sort through his newly gained treasures.

There were several books: an introductory guide to magical potions, a basic text on magic circles, a beginner's guide to elemental magic, and a swordsmanship training manual filled with detailed handwritten notes.

Then there was his equipment: the bracers, the ring, the light armor, the iron rod, and the long sword, all imbued with magical properties.

Even without considering the knowledge he had yet to fully digest, Ethan could confidently say he'd become far stronger than the man he'd been a month ago.

"And I've gained plenty of combat experience, too," he added.

A month ago, Ethan had still been nothing more than the son of an ordinary fisherman. Now, he felt like a legitimate adventurer.

"Unfortunately, I didn't find any space-equipment," he lamented, glancing at the large pile of bags and gear scattered across his small ship.

Ethan couldn't help but worry about his future travels. If he continued collecting resources and books like this, his boat would soon be overflowing. And that didn't even account for food and water storage, which were essential for survival at sea.

"Books are the real problem," he muttered, frowning at the pile. "They're bulky, fragile, and in this humid, salty air, they're bound to get damaged if I don't take them out to dry regularly."

For a moment, Ethan thought back to the clerk at the Adventurer's Guild who had used a magic stone to store information. Glancing at the white wristband hidden beneath his bracer, he remembered that it contained his own data, which the guild could read.

"Wait," he said to himself. "Doesn't that mean the magic stone can store data from paper? That's exactly what I need!"

Ethan groaned in frustration. Why hadn't he thought to ask for a tool like that earlier, back when he had plenty of resources to barter with?

"Well, there's no point regretting it now. If I want something like that, I'll have to find a floating island."

His curiosity about the floating and sinking islands of this world hadn't waned. The thought of an empty sea suddenly giving rise to a lush, resource-rich island in a matter of days was fascinating.

"It must be a spectacular sight," he thought.

Before entering the dark world, his island pointer had already locked onto a nearby target. What he didn't know was how much time had passed in this world during his month away. Was that same island still there?

Glancing at the pointer, Ethan saw it still firmly indicated a direction. Whether it was the same island or a new one, the fact that something was nearby was enough to spur him into action.

"Wood did say the islands vibrate before they sink," Ethan recalled. "The shorter the intervals between vibrations, the closer the island is to disappearing."

He remembered asking guild staff for more details about these mysterious islands. Once a floating island emerged, life began to flourish at an astonishing rate. Plants grew rapidly, and in rare cases, animals appeared as well.

The lifespan of these islands varied. Some lasted mere days before sinking back into the sea, while others remained for months or even years. Interestingly, islands that hosted animals always lasted at least a year before disappearing.

"How do animals even appear out of nowhere?" Ethan wondered, shaking his head. The logic of this world continued to defy his understanding.

Sitting at the bow of the Goddess of Dawn, he let the spray of the ocean wash over his face.

Back in the Sea of Calm, Ethan resumed his daily routine of practicing spiritual techniques and water-gathering spells. This time, however, his training regimen had expanded to include melee combat and the basic swordsmanship techniques Kashya had taught him.

The exercises were dull and repetitive, but with nothing else to do on his small boat, Ethan embraced the monotony. Alone at sea, with no one to talk to, training and reading were the only ways to pass the time.

Perhaps it was this environment that had allowed his mental strength to improve so quickly before. With no distractions, he had been able to focus entirely on his development.

Now, Ethan filled his days with endless practice, gradually refining his skills. Though the progress was slow, he could feel himself improving bit by bit, which kept him motivated.

Still, there were moments when he longed for a break in the routine. "Even a strong wind and some choppy waves would be a nice change of pace," he muttered.

"Maybe being too idle is what makes people suicidal," he added sarcastically, laughing at his own joke.

As he spoke, his gaze caught sight of a small black dot on the horizon. Ethan froze, staring at it for a long moment before reaching for his telescope.

Peering through the lens, he felt a surge of excitement.

"It's an island!"

Ethan stood at the bow of the boat, staring intently for over ten minutes, half afraid that the island was just a mirage conjured by his desperate mind. Only when he was absolutely certain it was real did he lower the telescope and breathe a sigh of relief.

He glanced at the pointer. Sure enough, the direction it indicated perfectly matched the island now visible ahead. After ten days of endless sailing, it seemed his journey was finally coming to an end. Ethan couldn't help but smile, his mood brightened by the prospect of something new.

"As long as it's not more open sea, it's already worth celebrating," he muttered.

An island meant food and resources. Although Ethan had started this voyage well-stocked with provisions and had even supplemented them with rations from the Diablo world, his supply had steadily dwindled over the long days at sea. Fishing and scavenging seafood had helped stretch his food supply, but his reserves were now dangerously low. If he hadn't found this island, he would have had to adjust course and head toward the next space-time energy point, hoping to restock along the way.

"If that clerk wasn't lying, there's a good chance I'll find a magic stone here," Ethan thought to himself. "Even a mediocre-quality one would be enough to trade for food, water, and maybe even a tool to store data."

He wasn't aiming for a high-quality magic stone. Something average would be perfectly fine, it could at least buy him what he needed to make the next leg of his journey easier. The possibility of acquiring an item to record his growing collection of books and materials was particularly enticing.

Lost in thought, Ethan barely noticed as the island grew clearer and more distinct. Its lush, green vegetation painted a vibrant contrast to the endless blue of the sea. From this distance, he couldn't see much beyond the dense foliage, so it was impossible to tell if the island supported any animal life.

Carefully, Ethan adjusted the boat's speed and altered its course slightly. Instead of heading directly toward the island, he angled the boat so it would graze the island's perimeter. This allowed him to circle it, observing the surrounding waters and scouting for a safe place to anchor.

It didn't take long for him to find an ideal spot.

The island boasted a small natural harbor, partially concealed by a narrow entrance flanked by a few large, jagged rocks. The channel wasn't particularly wide, but it was just large enough to accommodate his boat. Looking into the water, Ethan saw smooth, sandy shallows below, free of reefs or sharp rocks. Even during low tide, there would be little risk of damaging the boat.

"Perfect," he said aloud, a note of satisfaction in his voice.

Not only was it a secure place to dock, but the nearby coastline also seemed like an excellent location to establish a temporary camp.