Over the Sky | Image Gallery | Artbooks | Fam Aerial Log | 058
Chapter 1
The flock of rainbirds that flew out of Anatoray seven days ago had attempted to pass through the thick wall of near-impenetrable, turbulent currents three times since then. Half of them had been lost along the way. They were on the verge of giving up attempting to cross the Grand Stream, their beautiful wings breaking, feathers losing their luster. A single, final stretch remained as their greatest obstacle, and one after the other, the birds and their companions were swallowed by the torrents of the Grand Stream. Their nesting grounds in Disith were so close, just beyond that final hurdle...
Sweeping along within the raging currents was a boy's body, the pure white pilot suit he wore barely keeping him alive. Regardless of how hard he tried to breathe in oxygen, the Grand Stream did not permit it. Death had begun to stretch its hand toward the boy's body, when a countless number of rainbirds suddenly flew toward him. Circling their wounded comrade, they wrapped him within their wings - from his arms to his feet, his entire body seemed to be protected by the warmth of so many lives.
"Lucciola..."
His fingers moved very slightly as the final breath of life was about to pass through his lips. But the beak of a young rainbird hit the switch located on the pilot suit's neck, and the visor expanded from the collar and shaped itself to wrap around the boy's head. The life-sustainment display changed from red to all green as his lungs began to fill with fresh oxygen. The fangs of the Grand Stream seemed to loosen its turbulent grip around the boy and the rainbirds that carried him, wrapping him up in their soft embrace.
The boy fell asleep. However, it was not the eternal sleep of death, but a sleep longing for tomorrow's awakening.
Chapter 2
From where he stood inside of the returning ship, Claus Valca stared through the glass window and into space at the huge, artificial world that slowly grew before him as they approached. It was a giant hourglass-shaped world that he was seeing again for the first time in a year. Until they journeyed through outer space, this world was the only home he ever knew. Anatoray and Disith were once two nations at war here, death and devastation being brought to many people due to the scheming of the Guild.
It was also the resting place of the boy's mother and father.
The light from the setting sun dyed the vast wheat fields gold as it slowly sunk behind rolling hills.
