by Rakai Vozch
A young boy struggling with his own life, trying to escape maturity and haunted by visions of a world that should not exist. Above the sky lies Anapados, the "ceiling world," a realm hidden from ordinary eyes, veined with colossal roots of the Life Tree. Chased by tragedy and drawn into mystery, Atama steps into this inverted world of gods, monsters, and forgotten societies. There, he discovers the seven layers of existence, each holding fragments of power, Mana, Soul, Authority, and more. But every truth he uncovers leads him deeper into peril, where even gods wear masks, and parasites bind all life together. As Atama wanders the world, he discovers the unbreakable bond between brothers and lovers. Yet his call, his mission of being free, fighting by all means, was never truly his own to choose. Marked by a creature he cannot name, guided by a voice he cannot place, and hunted for a purpose he does not yet understand, Atama carries a light the shadows hunger for. And somewhere in the layers above and below, the answers he seeks are waiting: who is Viona Caine, what became of the friend he could not save, and what it truly means to be free in a world that has already decided what he is.
