The Islands

I absolutely love pirates. Sinbad was one of my favorite movies growing up and now I've collected numerous books on true pirates and pirate lifestyles. I have also been inspired heavily by Final Fantasy 12 which has the character Balthier, a sky pirate. My dream job was always to be a sky pirate but, until we have the technology, I'll have to write about it for now.   There is a world where the land that the people walk on floats in the air as if an invisible bird has hoisted the land onto its back. Some islands rest in the water and ships come to and fro between the vastness of the oceans to bring food and supplies. However, the best way to travel and to steal and to conduct business is through the air. In this world, shadows cross over whole towns as large vessels approach, promising food and goods from far away places.   The Aristocats reside to the East on a fairly sizeable island called Fastos. They send diplomats out to the other islands so they may keep an eye on how the citizens are reacting to their reign. The legend goes that the Aristocracy was put in place by the gods. They hold the fact of "divine right" over the heads of citizens like an anvil, waiting to crush them at one wrong word. They dress in dark, luxurious fabrics and are very strict. They are masters in weaponry and battle and cutthroat politics. They are to be feared, never loved. This is the family that Julien comes from and he is determined to tear it down.   On the other islands, there are places that prosper, places that perish, and places that lie somewhere in between. There is a particular island called Asata that is wealthy near the harbor. At that place filled with wonder, people trade fish and birds and hide and dishes and trinkets and ornaments and almost anything under the sun. The people there also trade favors. There is a section of the city that is poor only because the Aristocracy wants to keep it that way. The guards keep them at bay and ruin their fields and destroy their trinkets and their businesses. This is the place where Sarsa was raised and he longs to even out its odds.   In this story, those two men meet. They would never have crossed paths if Julien didn't hate his family and his inheritance with a desperate passion and Sarsa didn't love the sky with an abundant ferocity. They sail through the skies, looking for anywhere that has not been, excited to see the things that have not seen. They share memories and worlds and build bridges where society has created gaps between them. They love and they hate and they protect and defend and they do it all together. But where did this all start? Let's go back.