I was staring out the window of the carriage.

The grey cloudy sky stretched out, and it felt a bit chilly. The wind was strong, making the grass sway, and my heart felt uneasy too.

My name is Luminita.

This is the story of the first time my siblings and I came to this country, ten years ago. I'm doing my best to remember and tell you about it, so you can get to know us.

Next to me, my big brother, Libel, was quietly staring ahead. Looking at his profile, I could tell he was a bit nervous. Libel always protects us, but today he seemed deep in thought about something.

Clara was dozing off beside me. She's still little, so I guess the long journey had tired her out. I gently stroked her hair and smiled to reassure her. Watching Clara sleep made me feel a bit more at ease too.

"Is the scenery of Plato, the Plains Country, unusual for you? It's cloudy all year round here," the carriage driver said to my brother. Libel looked a bit puzzled for a moment because the language was slightly different from what we usually spoke.

"It's been about 40 years since the new regime started. Now, even fine carriages like this one run in such places," the driver said proudly.

I looked at Clara sleeping beside me. We'd been wearing the same clothes for a long time, and our hair and skin were dirty with dust and mud. Libel was the same. But the tough journey was almost over.

Our bags only had old books and writing tools. We didn't have much else, but for me, who loves writing stories, and Clara, who loves drawing pictures for those stories, it was enough. Those were our happy times.

Suddenly, the carriage stopped.

The driver said, "We might be getting a storm soon, so let's take a break." The three of us got out together.

The sun was setting in the west, and the grey sky was turning crimson. Night was approaching.

"Isn't it a magnificent view? The weather changes a lot and it's mostly cloudy here, but that's part of its charm," the driver said.

Libel seemed more concerned about us than the scenery.

I think I was staring wide-eyed at the sky. Clara was gazing at the view absentmindedly. Seeing us, Libel seemed to feel a bit relieved too.

But he was also a bit worried. We'd heard that the carriage was supposed to head to the next town by nightfall.

Libel must have been thinking the same thing because he asked the driver,

"Thank you for showing us this beautiful view. But it's getting dark soon. Shouldn't we be leaving now?"

"Just wait," the driver answered.

"Look at my carriage. Doesn't it look beautiful standing on the sunset road? It's meant for carrying cargo, but it has springs for a smoother ride. Wasn't it more comfortable than other carriages?"

"Yes, maybe..." Libel seemed a bit troubled.

"This job pays well. I used the grant money to refurbish this carriage! Isn't it cool? But that only matters after I deliver all the orphans to their new homes. I have to calculate the cost per head and the number of passengers. You need to study, you know."

What was he talking about? I didn't really understand the driver's story. It seemed like Libel didn't either.

Just then, I saw the wind whip up the grass. The sound of the wind grew stronger, like wolves howling.

"Have you finally noticed? It seems true that you can't sense the spirits. My grandfather's village was destroyed by your country. Barbarians from the Relic Country, Substania..."

The driver continued to say more hurtful things, but the wind was so loud that I couldn't hear well.

Libel pulled Clara and me closer. We gripped his clothes tightly. He tried to smile to reassure us, but the wind was so strong that we almost fell over.

What was going to happen next? Libel looked up to seek help from the driver.

But the carriage had already left.

It had abandoned us. We couldn't catch up even if we ran.

"Libel... I'm scared... What's happening?"

Tears filled my eyes, but they were quickly blown away by the wind. The wind was so strong that we had to sit down on the ground.

Libel was desperately trying to make sense of the situation, but I was just filled with anxiety.

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Memories of the orphanage, being separated from friends, the long walk to the port town, the boat ride to this country, watching friends go to new homes, and the grey cloudy sky all flooded my mind.

The wind grew even stronger, and my precious notebook and writing tools were scattered. The clasp of the notebook came undone, and the pages filled with our stories and drawings flew everywhere.

I felt like something terrifying was closing in on us.

"Let's go back the way we came! Hold hands and don't let go, walk slowly," Libel said loudly to be heard over the wind. The dust and sand made it hard to see, but we held hands and started walking.

I noticed blood flowing from Libel's shin. It looked like he had been cut by something sharp. Blood also started dripping from his forehead. Stones carried by the wind were hitting us. It felt like the wind was angry. The very land seemed furious, lashing out at us.

On the ground, I saw the piece that hit Libel's forehead. It wasn't a stone but an iron fitting. Looking around, I saw rusted and decayed helmets, armour, swords, and spears buried in the ground. This place might have been a battlefield long ago.

One of them, a blackened dagger, was lifted off the ground and caught in a whirlwind. The dagger swirled in the strong wind as if an invisible swordsman was testing his weapon before a fight. The invisible swordsman closed in on us, and the blade was just about to reach us.

Libel turned his back to the dagger, holding Clara and me close. I called his name out of concern, but he didn't respond. I was filled with fear, but I felt Libel protecting us. My feet felt unsteady, but I couldn't tell if it was because of the wind or my own dizziness.

I didn't want to let Libel and Clara suffer any more. I didn't want them to see this terrifying reality. I think Libel felt the same way.

At that moment, I heard Libel's faint voice.

"At least... together..."

I couldn't hear everything, but I somehow understood what Libel was thinking. Tears welled up in my eyes. Libel was crying out of his own helplessness.

How could I ease Libel's pain?

"Is it hard for you, Libel?"

I touched his chest and tried to smile as if everything was normal.

"No, big sister. Libel is just hungry," Clara said in her usual relaxed manner, as if it was just before lunchtime. Clara was always at her own pace, saying things that didn't make sense. Even though our brother was struggling so much!

"Sorry, I'm fine," Libel said, smiling a little. Maybe he felt a bit better?

I couldn't afford to cry either. I had to think of a way for the three of us to get out of this situation. But how...?

Suddenly, a melody popped into my head.

It was a cheerful yet somewhat ephemeral melody, like a children's fairy tale.

It was my favourite song from our time at the orphanage, a song we called the "Whale Song."

Before I knew it, I was singing the "Whale Song."

"Luminita, what are you...?"

Libel looked surprised.

I was surprised too. I felt a strange sensation, like I wasn't myself.

In that moment, the strong wind seemed to weaken a bit. Until then, the wind had been so fierce that we couldn't even stand, but now, maybe we could run and escape.

Libel grabbed my hand, picked up Clara, and started running. In a mix of fear and excitement, I swore to never let go of them as we ran desperately.

It might have been only a few seconds. We felt like we broke through a thick, soft wall of air.

Suddenly, the wind around us stopped. The feeling of being trapped in a storm disappeared.

When I looked back, I saw a small tornado rising into the sky where we had just been. Iron fragments, stones, blackened swords, spears, and pieces of armour were swirling wildly in the tornado. The metal debris was colliding and breaking apart, yet it continued to swirl, causing destruction.

"What's that?" Clara asked, staring at the tornado.

I stared at it too, feeling like I saw something. But I couldn't tell what it was.

Just as I felt like I was about to see it, my head suddenly felt fuzzy, and my legs became wobbly. I grabbed Libel's clothes for support. He noticed that I wasn't looking well.

"Let's go," he said, taking Clara's and my hands and leading us.

But... where should we go? Was there any place for the three of us to go back to?

The carriage driver said his job was to deliver orphans to new homes. But...

Maybe there was no place for us in this country.

As these worries crossed my mind, Clara spoke up.

"I'm hungry. I want to eat something delicious. And I'm so sleepy. I want to sleep in a fluffy bed."

Clara said in her usual way.

"Yeah... Let's aim for a place with good food and a warm bed. It might not be right away, but we'll get there," Libel said gently.

"What, not right away? I want it right now," Clara said, looking dissatisfied. I leaned on Libel's shoulder and gently scolded Clara, "Don't trouble our brother too much."

"You're leaning on him too, sister... That's not fair."

"It's not unfair..."

Hearing our little quarrel, Libel laughed. We laughed too, following his lead.

The sun was almost completely set. We were in an unfamiliar land, with no adults to rely on. We felt a mix of anxiety and excitement at the unfamiliar sights and incomprehensible forces.

But for now, we were together. And we would continue to live together.

The night began to blanket the sky. The time when day and night lose their boundary.

Libel murmured, "Ouma-ga-toki."

In the darkness that seemed to swallow the land, I felt a strange beauty. Despite almost being killed by the storm, I felt as if we were being welcomed by something unseen in this country. I wondered if it was just my imagination.

The setting sun didn't answer, of course. It only stretched our shadows to the edge of the horizon.

***

In this world of myths and legends, abundant nature, and ancient ruins, we live our lives.

A few decades ago, the world ended a major conflict for the umpteenth time, and people began to take steps toward peace. But the scars of ancient wars have yet to heal.

Spirits, gods, supernatural powers, ancient relics, blessings, and curses... Non-human entities and forces, sometimes accompanying and sometimes conflicting with humans, weave the history together.

This world is called Almatria.

In the year 1718 of Almatria, the three of us arrived in Plato, the Plains Country.