The next morning, soft light came through the wide openings of the high suite.
Iromi sat on the edge of the long seat, his small legs hanging in the air. He looked out at the endless green sea of leaves far below. The height still made his chest feel a little tight, but it was not as scary as the day before.
Vaelen stood near the open side of the room. At five meters tall, he did not need to bend much to look at the child.
Until now, Iromi had been naked. He had not thought much about it. His new body simply existed.
Vaelen walked into the room carrying a set of simple clothes. They were soft, light, and made to fit a small child's body.
"These are for you," Vaelen said calmly. "Even a god should not walk through the world without clothes. People might feel strange if they see you like this."
Iromi looked at the clothes with curiosity. He floated closer and let Vaelen help him put them on. The fabric felt gentle against his skin. When he was dressed, he looked down at himself.
So this is what clothes feel like…
Vaelen gave a small nod of approval.
"Better. Now you look like any other child."
Iromi nodded.
Vaelen gave a small smile.
"Iromi… this world is very large. There are ninety-three continents spread across its surface. Oceans, forests, mountains, cities of many different races… so many places."
Iromi turned his head to listen.
Vaelen continued gently.
"You have the knowledge of a god inside you. But knowledge is not the same as experience. I think it would be good for you to see this world with your own eyes. Not as a god looking down from high above… but as a child walking through it, little by little."
Iromi blinked.
"You mean… travel?"
"Yes," Vaelen said. "A slow journey. We can visit one continent at a time. There is no need to hurry. We can stay as long as you want in each place. You can meet the people, touch the ground, taste the food, listen to their stories. I will stay with you the whole time and keep you safe."
Iromi looked out at the wide green world again.
"Ninety-three continents…" he thought. "So many places I have never stepped on."
The ancestral voices in his mind stayed quiet this time. They did not push him. They simply waited.
Iromi floated a little closer to Vaelen.
"Will it take a long time?" he asked.
"Yes," Vaelen answered honestly. "A very long time if we go slowly. But that is the point. You should not rush. The world will still be here. And I will be here with you."
Iromi was silent for a few seconds. Then a small, curious feeling rose in his chest.
"I want to see it," he said softly. "I want to walk on the ground of every continent. I want to know what this world feels like."
Vaelen nodded once.
"Then we will begin. We can start with the continent closest to Gaia. It is called Eldrin. There are wide forests, clear rivers, and many peaceful villages. We can fly there today, or we can walk part of the way if you prefer."
Iromi looked at his small hands, then at Vaelen's much larger form.
"Can we fly first… and then walk when we arrive?"
"Of course."
Vaelen turned toward the open edge of the platform.
"Whenever you are ready, Iromi. The first continent is waiting."
Iromi floated up and moved beside him. The morning wind touched his face. Far below, the living world of Torol stretched out in every direction ninety-three continents, countless lives, and endless things to discover.
For the first time, the little god felt a quiet excitement.
"I will see it all," he thought. "One step at a time."
Iromi slowly asks, " You know you are very big. What if people become scared of you."
Vaelen smiles, " Don't worry. I can compress my skeleton and decrease my height.
Vaelen starts to shrink slowly.
"I am around 2.5 m now."
Iromi was surprised.
"I did not know you could do that."
Vaelen nods, " I am still a lot taller that average beings."
After some time.....
The guardian and the small child rose into the air and left the high suite behind.
Their slow journey across the vast world had begun.
Vaelen and Iromi flew side by side toward Eldrin.
The air was fresh and clean. It smelled of green leaves, soft earth, and distant flowers. All around them, beautiful creatures flew through the sky. Some had wide colorful wings. Some glowed softly like living lights.
Iromi watched everything with wide eyes.
"So many living things…"
"And they all look free."
They had been flying for some time when a strange sound suddenly came from Iromi's stomach.
Grrrrowl.
Iromi stopped in the air and looked down at his own belly in surprise.
Vaelen stopped too. He turned and observed the small child for a moment.
"You are hungry?"
Iromi blinked.
Vaelen looked a little surprised himself.
"I did not expect that. You are a child of the god. I thought your body would take energy in other ways. But it seems even a god child can feel hunger."
Iromi placed both hands on his stomach. The empty feeling was new and strange.
"It feels… uncomfortable," he said softly.
Vaelen nodded.
"Then we will eat something when we reach Eldrin. It is not far now."
After a few more minutes of quiet flight, the land of Eldrin opened below them.
It was a vast tropical plain with gentle hills. Forests stretched in every direction. Clear rivers shone under the sun. Beautiful houses stood among the trees, and the gates around the villages looked surprisingly strong and well-made.
Many different people lived here.
Some were beasts covered in thick hair with tails.
Some had scales on body and walked on four legs. Some were bipedal like Irome. Some simply floated and flew through the air with wings.
Iromi stared.
"I have never seen so many kinds of beings in one place…"
They landed near a busy path. People turned to look at them. A tall metal-clad figure walking beside a small floating child was not a common sight.
Suddenly Iromi's stomach growled again, louder this time.
Vaelen looked down at him and smiled.
"Come. Let us go to that eatery over there. They serve good food."
He pointed to a wide, open building with the smell of warm meals drifting out of it.
As they walked closer, Vaelen's body slowly shrank. In a few seconds he was only two and half meters tall. Even so, he still looked like a giant among the bipedal people around them.
They stepped inside the eatery.
Many eyes turned toward them. Conversations paused. A huge person covered in shining metal and a small floating child made everyone stop and stare.
Iromi floated a little closer to Vaelen, feeling the weight of all those eyes.
Vaelen simply rested a calm hand near the child's back and guided him toward an empty table.
"Do not worry," he said quietly. "They are only curious. Let us sit and eat. Your first meal in this world should be a good one."
Iromi landed softly on the seat. The empty feeling in his stomach was still there, but now a new feeling mixed with it—curiosity about the food, the people, and the wide new continent called Eldrin.
His journey had truly begun.