Adventures on the Aelso Continent: The Secret Behind the Fall of Civil

It all felt like a strange dream—yet everything was so incredibly real.

That day, a blinding white light suddenly flashed before my eyes. The next moment, when I opened them again, I found myself in an entirely different world.

I stood on a vast, unfamiliar land. The scenery before me was breathtaking and bizarre. In the sky, massive whales soared gracefully, their colossal forms drifting among the clouds. From the depths of a dense forest, a silver-white unicorn leaped gracefully through the trees, its shining horn gleaming in the sunlight. Further ahead, a golden Eastern dragon burst forth from a winding river, its long body shimmering as it twisted through the air. And on the rim of a distant volcano, a magnificent phoenix spread its blazing wings, flames swirling around it as it took to the skies.

This… is beyond imagination.

Before I could even begin to process what I was seeing, a strange creature darted into my view. I had never seen anything like it—its body a hybrid of feline and reptile, with shimmering scales and piercing green eyes. Hot on its trail was a girl with flowing golden hair, riding a snow-white horse, her figure swift and graceful as she chased after the beast into the depths of the forest.

My curiosity got the better of me.

Without thinking, I sprinted after her. My mind swirled with confusion—Where am I? What is this place?—but my legs carried me forward instinctively.

Just as I was about to call out, her figure vanished into the dense sea of trees. I stopped, breathless, heart racing. Her golden hair, glinting under the sunlight, was all I could picture in my mind.

Who was she?

But before I could dwell on it, a wave of dizziness overtook me. My vision blurred, the world spun, and in the next second, everything faded into darkness.

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on soft grass. Warm sunlight filtered through the leaves above, dappling the ground. The golden-haired girl was crouched beside me, her delicate face filled with concern. She spoke softly, her voice gentle—but I couldn't understand a word she was saying. The language was unlike anything I had ever heard. Melodic yet complex, it was completely foreign.

I sat up, gesturing at my ears and shaking my head, trying to indicate my confusion.

She seemed to understand, though a trace of frustration flickered across her face. She switched to hand gestures, attempting to communicate through simple motions, but I still couldn't piece together what she meant.

An unsettling thought crept into my mind—What if I'm stuck here forever? What if I can't ever find a way back? The weight of isolation hit me hard.

The girl must have noticed the growing panic in my eyes. She waved at someone behind her, and moments later, a servant brought over a strange-looking fruit.

It was oddly shaped—something between a dragon fruit and a melon—but it exuded a sweet, tangy aroma, like a blend of lemon and citrus. She held it out to me, motioning for me to eat.

I hesitated for a moment, but there was something calming in her gaze. I took the fruit, its cool surface smooth under my fingers, and bit into it.

The taste was unbelievable—a fusion of lychee, mango, and pineapple, soft and juicy, the flavors bursting in my mouth. But then, a sharp jolt, like electricity, shot through my body. It was as if lightning had surged through my nerves, intense and painful.

I gasped, gripping my head. The pain peaked—then suddenly vanished.

"Can you understand me now?" the girl asked.

I blinked in shock. I understood her.