The One Who Remains

I just had some thoughts and memories connected to Sky and I think I want to put them here.
I’ve been flying around the world of Sky since 14th of October 2019, which was around halfway through the Season of Lightseekers, but I didn’t know that there were actual seasons in the game at the time. I was inspired to join this place where people all over the world could easily connect with each other.
I remember how I first logged in and began completing the tutorial, but then I decided to go and explore to the right of the temple in Isle of Dawn. And my dear was I surprised when I found the Winged Light waiting for me, concealed on that small island (back then it was merely a small island instead of a huge location) in the middle of nowhere. I ventured off the intended path as a new player and got… rewarded for it. That exact moment became the core to my understanding of Sky: it appreciates dreamers. I think back then I had already understood that I was going to stay here for a while.
I remember how I was confused when I couldn’t find Laidback Pioneer in Forest after the season came to an end. I can vividly recall the pain of looking for that 8th spirit in that same location to gain access to the Sunny Forest, and the pure joy I had when, with a group of strangers, I summoned Oreo at the 8-player puzzle for the first time. I will never forget that feeling of absolute fear as I navigated the krill infested pathways of Eden. I think that my first time completing the game will forever have a special place deep in my heart.
Days of Feast 2019 allowed me to visit the Office for the first time and wow was I impressed. Near that time, I decided that my fate was to start helping new players; my plan was to get them to the Office and chat with them during that boat ride because chat was expensive for me back then. That’s how I got to know one awesome person who isn’t playing anymore.
On one of my journeys through Eden I took the opportunity to help a couple of friends who got stuck below the stairway. I was already familiar with some ‘out of bounds’ paths at that time, that’s what I can still remember. After completing the Eden run, I stopped in Orbit and chatted with a lady from that friendship group with the help of her bonfire. That’s how I met a friend who still visits the game occasionally (she’s a doctor and she’s busy nowadays, y’know). I named her “Good Person” since I don’t know her name. We just… have a great time together, even though we don’t speak very often.
Helping people out has rewarded me with one of my closest friends. We became close through sharing OOB’s with each other, and we used to chat for hours at a time, up two or three times a week sometimes. Those were awesome days; however, my life was quite uncertain during my three-month summer break mid-2020, and they haven’t been back to play since my return. I miss them, and other friends who have also disappeared.
I must say that a Chatting Table (which I purchased before the break) was the best investment I made in Sky to this day, because it provided me with some amazing, wonderful Sky Kids to connect with, including another close friend of mine whom I met at the Prairie Cave’s Rooftop OOB. She visits the game less frequently these days, but each time she does we usually hang out together.
Nowadays many things have changed. Chatting Table is still my favorite item here, but it has so much more usage now. Some people I met after the end of my break appeared to be my fellow citizens, and we created a small community to hang out together. They don’t appear online anymore and, having completed my outfit, I stopped candle-running. I came back to flying through the world of Sky alone, occasionally seeing my old friends, of whom I have many stories to be shared (but not so many listeners to share them with).
I know the in-game etiquette/traditions well enough to enrich my own experience of the game’s environment with the ones I developed through the countless months of playing solo. The game has evolved so much since I first opened it more than two years ago, and that’s what I admire in this world of constant changes.
I would have ended the story there, flying alone through entire locations occasionally, visiting old places and relieving old memories, but no — the game is alive! And it is definitely not empty. I have magnificent new friendships developing quickly, lots of new stories to tell, and even more to be a part of in future. I find new spots in OOB, discover new techniques… and, well, after all this time I don’t have to fly alone anymore. These friends have been playing for around 4 months, and I have lots of things to show them! I have never been so happy with using my last 70 candles on friendships over the past two days. This is the start of a yet another great story on my travels through the Sky. People come and go, life will never be the same as it was yesterday, but well… you are the one who remains. For as long as you can be yourself, everything’s going to turn out fine. For me it already did, and I believe it will continue, no matter what. This is my journey across the Sky, and these are my thoughts from today.