June 2018 – Explorer's Landing Conference Room
The conference room overlooking Explorer's Landing was unusually quiet. Only the hum of the air conditioner and the distant sounds of guests carried through the glass walls.
Golden afternoon light slid across the long table where Lucas and his core team sat.
Walter flipped through a folder of construction reports. Emma held a tablet showing the latest visitor numbers. Around them sat four new faces: architect Sofia Lenz, landscape designer Jonas Frey, ride engineer Daan Keller, and show designer Mira Volkov.
They knew this wasn't a normal meeting.
Lucas stood beside the projector, calm but focused.
"You've each helped build part of this park," he began. "But what I'm about to show you isn't just another expansion. It's something that should change what Elysion Park is."
He clicked the remote.
The screen filled with an aerial photo of the park — the familiar entrance plaza, Jungle Zone, and the temple building of Legends of the Lost Realm.
Then the image slowly drifted eastward, revealing a vast stretch of open fields.
"This," Lucas said, pointing, "is where the next chapter begins. Fourteen hectares in total. Eleven completely new, three reimagined."
He paused for a moment. "And here's what it will become."
The slide changed.
The photograph faded into a concept render — a sweeping valley filled with bridges, streams, and towers of copper and glass glimmering under the sun. Between them, a roller coaster weaved gracefully, curving over water, diving through tunnels, and threading between structures.
"Welcome," Lucas said softly, "to Project Sky Frontier."
No one spoke. The only sound was the faint whir of the projector fan.
Lucas stepped closer to the screen. "Guests will enter from the upper ridge," he explained. "When they cross the bridge, the view opens into this valley — fed by a single waterfall. The streams below will seem to carry water from that source, though in reality, it's a hidden circuit under the ground. Everywhere you look, there's motion. Wind. Water. Light. Everything connected."
Sofia leaned forward. "So the existing park sits higher, and Sky Frontier sits below it — like a natural basin?"
"Exactly," Lucas nodded. "That elevation change is what gives us the sense of descent, of discovery. People will stop walking when they see this. They'll just… breathe."
Jonas studied the render. "And these towers? They almost look mechanical."
"They are," Lucas replied, smiling faintly. "The design borrows from steampunk — not fantasy, but functional beauty. Brass, glass, motion. Every tower captures the energy of air: slow-turning fans, moving banners, kinetic sculptures. It all feels alive."
He changed the slide again. Now the coaster filled the screen — twisting over bridges and under pathways, diving through a glass observatory, gliding past a terrace filled with tables.
"This is Aetherion – Flight Beyond Gods," he said. "It's not just a coaster. It's the heartbeat of the valley. You'll see it from almost everywhere, but never all at once. It disappears behind towers, crosses over you, echoes through the water. It's part of the world's rhythm."
Emma exhaled softly. "It's beautiful," she said. "But… can we really build something this detailed?"
Lucas turned to face her. "Yes. It'll take years, and precision. But if we do this right, it won't just be another park zone. It'll be a place people remember for the rest of their lives."
He looked around the room, making eye contact with each person.
"We'll design it piece by piece — every bridge, every beam, every drop of water. Nothing here will be random. Sky Frontier isn't about size or thrills. It's about connection."
On the final slide, the valley glowed under evening light. The waterfalls shimmered gold, and the paths glowed softly along the edges. The title appeared above it:
"Sky Frontier – Where the Air Comes Alive."
For a moment, no one moved. Then Walter closed his folder, breaking the silence.
"So," he said with a faint grin, "where do we start?"
Lucas smiled. "Right here," he said quietly. "With a dream that finally feels real."
The sun had long disappeared behind the trees when the meeting finally settled into focus. The concept of Sky Frontier was now more than an idea — it was a commitment.
Blueprints covered the table, coffee cups stood in clusters, and the soft light above them gave the room a calm intensity. Lucas stood near the projector again, the render of the valley glowing behind him.
"We have the foundation," he said. "Now comes the heart — the coaster that defines everything."
All eyes turned to Daan.
Lucas continued, "Aetherion – Flight Beyond Gods. That's the name we'll use for now. It has to be the kind of ride people travel across Europe for. The one that defines us — not just another fast coaster, but one that feels alive."
Daan nodded slowly. "So what do you want the layout to be? Smooth terrain coaster or more extreme?"
Lucas didn't hesitate. "Both. I want it to flow, but I also want it to hit. Fast, aggressive, but controlled. The launches should feel like lightning — short, precise, and powerful. Smooth steel, but with punch."
He moved closer to the screen and gestured toward the render. "The valley gives us everything we need: elevation, water, tunnels, natural curves. The track has to use every bit of that. No wasted space. Every transition should have purpose."
Walter leaned forward. "So we're not building a family ride."
"No," Lucas said. "We're building something people will talk about for years. The kind of coaster that reminds you why you love parks in the first place."
He turned back to Daan. "Next week, I want you to visit Phantasialand. Take a full day. Study Taron. Watch how it uses the terrain, how it never slows down, how the launches are timed perfectly. Don't copy it — understand why it works."
Emma smiled. "Field trip, then?"
Lucas nodded. "Exactly. Stand beside the track. Feel the pressure when it launches. That's what we're chasing — that pulse that makes your heart skip. The kind of energy people can't describe but never forget."
Sofia looked up from her notes. "You still want inversions, though?"
"Yes," Lucas said immediately. "Not for show, but for rhythm. Each roll and dive needs to belong to the movement. It's not chaos — it's choreography."
Daan grinned. "A dance through steel."
Lucas smiled faintly. "Exactly. Aetherion should move like air — unpredictable but natural. Every motion should make sense, even the ones that scare you."
Walter glanced at the concept art again. "And what about the rest of the year?"
"Smaller expansions continue," Lucas said. "New food outlets near Jungle Zone, wider paths, a better playground. You'll handle that, Walter. Keep the park improving while we plan Sky Frontier."
Walter nodded. "Got it."
Lucas looked around the table, the energy shifting from discussion to resolve. The render of Sky Frontier still glowed behind him — towers, bridges, and a single steel track cutting through them like a heartbeat.
"This isn't about breaking records," he said quietly. "It's about creating something people will feel. The ride should remind them what freedom means."
No one spoke after that. They didn't need to.
The dream had direction now — fast, sharp, and unstoppable.