Liberi Reader

The enormous monster beneath their feet is breathing heavier and heavier by the second. The temperature in their surroundings has risen quite a bit. The lava spewed out from the volcano's crater rapidly cools and turns into rocks that come rolling down.

Adele lifts her staff, but the rocks are falling like rain. Her Originium Arts are unable to melt all of them down.

She focuses on protecting her allies, yet she can't hear their warnings or the sound of the danger behind her.

The ocean doesn't answer her. It merely sits between the two Siestas as always.

Suddenly, the girl notices that the calm, quiet shoreline has gotten closer to her at some point. The seawater gradually drowned the dry surface and has reached her feet.

Their surroundings suddenly fall silent.

The bubbling lava, the falling rocks. All of it are suddenly without sound whatsoever, as though time itself has ground to a halt.

Adele isn't sure if it is her hearing aids that have failed or that she has once again fallen into a dream. All she can feel is that she is enveloped by a formless warmth, as though she has fallen into a cozy mattress.

Adele lifts her head up and looks into the distance. There is lava gushing out of the crater sporadically, but she can faintly make out silhouettes of critters enjoying themselves. At the same time, there are many more creatures happily making their way toward the crater.

The mountain is covered in a blanket of white wool, almost like clouds have come falling down from the sky and draped themselves over it.

Just then, another scar appears on her old, tattered protective gear.

A little girl always earnestly reading her books in that tiny, little spire.

As the child of two genius academics, many had high expectations of her. She was seen as a gifted Caster and scholar.

Outstanding, remarkably talented individuals like her are always burdened with achieving results to match their talent. Even if they are inflicted with an incurable disease, they are seen by others as a tenacious role model.

The fluffy creature shakes its body a little, walks forward a few steps, and lightly brushes the girl's cheek with its snout.

The seawater has risen above their soles, making it difficult to even walk.

At first, the waves were just a hazy line at the far reach of their vision, but in just the blink of an eye, they are right here in front of them.

Enis tightly clutches his sister as the waves beat against his less than robust back, causing him to stagger.

Another, taller wave is approaching them.

Enis tries his hardest to feel the 'rock' in his body. It's close to his heart. Every time his heart beats, he can feel its hard texture.

A rock the size of a man rises from the ground in front of the siblings and immediately crumbles just barely withstanding the crashing of the wave.

There is an intense pain in his chest.

Enis wipes the blood on his face and pulls his sister so she isn't hurt by the crumbling gravel.

After who knows how long, the ground has finally stopped shaking, and the waves gradually start to calm.

Just like cotton candy dissolving in the water, the beastling suddenly disappears.

The night deepens, and at some point in time, the bustling crowd's clamor gradually started to fade.

Someone has taken out a guitar and started playing a gentle melody.

Almost like some kind of tacit understanding, everyone looks in the same direction.

A pillar of smoke gradually rises from the volcano's caldera, followed by spews of dark red and ash gray. The ground is trembling slightly underneath their feet.

The people in the crowd hold the hands of those around them. Parents hug their children tight, as pedestrians begin to hold their breaths.

As though they all finally feel a weight off their shoulders, or perhaps like a giant boulder has finally crushed their hearts, sighs and quiet mumblings can be heard amongst the crowd, yet this just makes the whole street seem even more quiet.

This continues for a very, very long time, until the crowd snaps back from the sight before them.

The old man clears his throat. His beard slightly twitches, as though he remembers something, and starts singing a song stiltedly.

The volcanic ash slowly spreads, covering half the sky.

I've lost my way, I'm a fowl without wings ♪

I grasp at hope, I'm holdin' on out ♪

Oh on the road, will I come tumblin' down ♪

And maybe somethin' scares in me, if tomorrow's sun I see ♪

But I'm just headin' far, I'm no wanderer ♪