Side Una/Ailis/Cross - Chapter 1: A Gust From Another World
After attempting to smuggle themselves aboard the Windy Mare, Una and Ailis are forced to investigate a fire on the shores of the ship's position. Cross set fire to a patrolling pirate in an attempt to lure others closer. When Una and Ailis reveal themselves to be thieves and adventurers to Cross, one of the Windy Mare's members, Thrace, encounters them, having apparently stalked them to their location under suspicion of them being disguised. The group fight, and Thrace is wounded by Una's blade, forcing Cross to amputate the limb.

[the following is speculation]

Thrace's albatross, Forbes, keeps watch and warns the pirates searching for her of their location. Outnumbered and in the presence of the undead Captain Artal, they have no method of escape or killing all of them. They are taken prisoner back aboard the Windy Mare, and Captain Artal questions them. There they learn that the Windy Mare and its crew are searching for a fabled treasure called the Skyblade, capable of tearing a powerful jetstream in the Auroran sky to allow for near-instant travel between Spheres. The Captain claims an entire set of Spheres exists on the "other side" of Aurora that is too far to reach by conventional means. The Sphere of Dis contained an ancient structure underneath its surface, holding the Skysword within.

If one is to believe him, then it is revealed that Aurora, and therefore the Infinite Ocean, are not infinite, in fact being a Sphere themselves of such immense size that they appear infinitely flat. Whether or not they escape capture was up to how they roleplayed, of course. Captain Artal was meant to be their "Story Boss", and if defeated would have given them the Skysword. What they did with it was up to them. They could have ventured to the other side of Aurora, and found that Maelstrom serves as just one of two "poles" at each end of Aurora. The other side is much like their own, albeit with different Spheres and different peoples, but having the same layout.

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Side Lithus - Chapter 1: Out of the Sky
Lithus works at a library for meager pay on the Bulwark Sphere. On his way home, however, he witnesses a gathering of citizens at the base of a stage with Bulwark soldiers upon it. A woman notices Lithus, and thinking him a mage, offers him a wealthy sum of money in return for helping her on an expedition to Maelstrom. Lithus accepts, and in the following days boards an immense Bulwark Sky Fortress headed for Maelstrom.

[the following is speculation]

Lithus, along with the knightess who invited him, approach Maelstrom on the back of a pegasus, as the sky fortress (running on gas mana) cannot approach the Sphere. On the surface of Maelstrom, Lithus explores with countless others to try and deduce the purpose of the Sphere. Lithus and others managed to reach the far interior of the Sphere using what seems like an elevator. At the center, they find an immense internal Sphere pulsating with energy, as well as what seems to be a clock-like machine. A mathematician deduces that the clock has a full cycle of 3000 years (the time it takes for Maelstrom to fully rotate), and that only a year remains on the clock.

Suddenly, the Sphere seemingly begins to shift. The walls, layers, etc of the entirety of the Sphere reform themselves such that the spire becomes wider. They notice it is starting to point towards the Infinite Ocean directly. Energy builds up at the base of the spire. Lithus and a large number of explorers attempt to flee the Sphere as it practically falls apart at the seams, managing to reach the sky fortress just as a beam of light pierces the Infinite Ocean's shield.

Taking this into account, as well as the knowledge from Side Veyati - Chapter 2: Meatshield, it is known that only a year is left until some sort of "End of the World", with Maelstrom being a focal point.

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So there you have it; two pieces to the puzzle, unfortunately unable to be written fully given Anderiel and Bikko's dropping. Oh well. More stories to be had.