On the Worlds

By Harun Khan | Writer | England

What is the Worlds Project, and what are the different worlds?

The “Worlds Project” is a collection of interconnected worlds, each with its own story. As of now, there are nine worlds (including Zinnia’s World): The World Before, Aeruinia, Naryūpha, Aeternaséria, Infiniéria, The Sealed Islands, an unnamed cat world, The World After. I’ve gone into more detail in the descriptions of some of my music, and on my website if you’re curious!  

Why did you call the worlds the Fleeting worlds (and in some cases, the Passing Worlds)?

I chose the name because these worlds are based on the ideas of memories. They’re important, but they don’t always stay the same. Sometimes they’re forgotten, or they change as life moves on. The time when those memories were made has already passed, but they still led us to where we are now, hence the name. As for switching between calling them the Fleeting Worlds or Passing Worlds… I was just a little unsure back then, but I have decided to refer to them as the Fleeting Worlds. (laughs)

How does each world connect to each other?

The worlds are connected narratively, but not in a forced way. Usually, the connection comes from a character’s actions, choices and journey within their own world. Those actions can have effects that reach other worlds. I like the idea that these connections feel natural, like the stories are unfolding on their own rather than being directly controlled. 

Does each world have its own theme and how does each world portray their theme?

Yes, each world has its own theme, and I spend quite a bit of time developing it, especially through the name. I like studying the etymology and origins of worlds, and understanding them helps give each world a deeper identity. From there, the stories are written to reflect those themes, so certain ideas become more prominent depending on the world. It’s like allowing the theme to guide the direction of the world and its stories, rather than forcing it.

What did you base these stories on, and what was your main inspiration for these stories?

A lot of my stories come from personal experiences, like moments with friends or events that had a strong emotional impact on me. I think those moments tend to stay with you for a long time, and being able to express that into something everyone can experience and understand is a nice way to share them. I also find inspiration in the world and in nature, just by observing. Sometimes, I start with a simple ‘what if this had happened differently’, and then explore that idea further.

Will you ever delve more into these worlds?

Yes, definitely. I really enjoy spending time working on these worlds, and it's like they're always growing. I’m always curious to see where the stories might go next, or how a character would develop in ways I didn’t initially expect. I’d like to keep exploring them and gradually dive deeper into each world, and see them change naturally. 

Would you ever expand upon this collection?

I plan to expand the collection of worlds and their stories over time. There are still many ideas I’d like to explore, but right now, I think it’s more important to focus on what I have, and to finish developing the stories and music for the current worlds first. It feels more meaningful to fully understand and complete them before starting something new, instead of leaving things unfinished.

Will any of these stories come together into a single narrative?

Yes, most of the stories in this collection do come together into a single narrative. Even though each world is separate at the moment, they all come from the same starting point. As the stories progress, those connections will slowly become clever, and eventually they will begin to come together again. 

Do you wish to one day see the original game designs come to fruition?

Yes, I would really like to see the original game ideas take shape someday. The worlds and stories were intended to become games from the beginning,but due to some setbacks, that wasn’t possible at the time. I didn't want to leave those ideas behind, so I found another way to express them through music. That helped me understand and develop the worlds even further and to share them, and I still hope I can return to the original vision when the opportunity is right.

Would you want to expand the story into other types of media?

At the moment, not really. My main focus is on developing the music, and if possible, eventually bringing the ideas back into games. That feels like the most natural direction of the stories right now. But I think it’s important to stay open-minded, so I wouldn’t completely rule out exploring other forms of media in the future.

What's your favorite world?

That’s a difficult question… I like all of my worlds and stories, and they are connected to each other. Without one world, the others wouldn’t exist. That said, if I really have to choose, I think my current favourite is Zinnia’s worlds. It brings together many of the ideas I’ve explored in the other worlds, along with other things I wanted to personally express. It feels like a place where everything comes together, and now I’m at the stage where I can share that with others. 

Why did you choose to focus on Zinnia's story?

I chose to focus on Zinnia’s story as the main idea behind her world was ‘a world that shouldn’t exist’, and it also explores the idea of dreams. That gave me a lot of freedom to explore her story in a different direction. I was able to bring in themes and ideas from the other worlds, so it almost became like an anthology: a collection of ideas I’ve been interested in, but seen from a slightly different perspective. In that way, it also adds something new to the overall narrative while still being connected to everything else.

What is Zinnia's story?

It’s a simple story at heart. It is about an ordinary girl who suddenly learns that she is destined to save the world. She rejects this destiny and runs away initially, but over time, she begins to understand her role as the hero and chooses to embrace it. There are other aspects of her story that connect it to the overarching story, for example a mysterious character that appears in her dreams. Those details are something I’d want to explore in depth in a future development and other releases.

How does Zinnia's story end?

(laughs) I have been keeping it a secret haven’t I? Well, originally, I couldn’t decide if Zinnia would win or lose in the end. I hinted at her losing, which was pretty unexpected. Now that “Of Fleeting Worlds: For The Dawn” has been released, I’m glad to say that Zinnia does win in the end, although she still loses her entire world and friends in the process. Being the only one that remembers her world, she uses those memories to rebuild it. However, the act of restoring the world makes her memories fade, and so does her place in everyone else’s memories. In the end, she sets off on another journey through a new world that feels familiar, onward to a new destiny. 

Are you working on anything that does not connect to this universe?

Currently, I’m working on a few projects that aren’t directly connected to this universe. I think it’s nice to explore ideas outside of it as well, and try different things. However, I do sometimes include small, non-canonical references in works I’m a part of. It’s not always obvious, but it’s something fun I enjoy, so do keep an eye out for them!