Chapter 1: Birds Migration

Warm Dream: Order

Volume 1: First day, first month

One year ago…

Have you ever longed for your life to be different?

Overwhelmed by frustrations, by lacking, by monotony, by suffering, by the unfulfilled desire…

“It's simple. Not everything is under our control, not everything can be changed.”

Concrete blocks fell from the sky like a torrential rain.

They were the screams of men. They shook the ground, causing the foundations around them to collapse. The rubble was so great that dust and ash covered their bodies.

An army in an inevitable war.

That was the first idea the young man in his parents' arms could relate to.

“It's so ironic… It was nothing more than a war…”

We live bound by earthly chains, by human ones, and even more so by individual ones.

From the moment we are born, we allow others to decide our path for us. We let the current carry us through the river of ignorance until we reach the insignificant sea of ​​death. It's not until we stand on its banks that we realize how small we were, how little we accomplished, and the poor memories by which we will be remembered.

However, it is possible to ask the question. A simple question, right now.

Are you happy?

“Am I happy?”

A funeral procession from beginning to end.

While wiping his tear-stained face, the young man remembered.

Every day they convince us of all this. They convince us that we are cogs that make this world turn.

They educate us to resign ourselves to reality. To aspire to what has no real value, to what suits some, and to be subservient to them.

Are you alive?

“Are we...?”

The young man scanned the flames of the cars on the streets. His father led the way and his mother held his hand.

He stumbled over the bodies scattered across the cracked ground, doing his best not to turn around and look at them.

Screams could be heard coming from all directions.

The family didn't know how far they had traveled, but being engulfed by them meant the extent of that pandemonium was immeasurable.

It wasn't hatred that came from his chest.

It was frustration.

"It's true. They didn't listen to us..."

The young man didn't have the right to judge them, but he was unable to forgive them.

"What would you do if you had the opportunity to change your life?"

“Everything is okay. We did what was right. All of us.”

"To be someone in life, to build the path with your own hands, and run along it with your own feet."

"Did I demand more than I should have? ...”

Freedom can be more than an ideal.

There are those who firmly believe in it, just as there are those who oppose it.

The line that divides the crazy from the sane, the weird from the normal, and the happy from the unhappy.

No. Joy and happiness are different concepts.

The former is fleeting, the latter is eternal.

Smiling doesn't necessarily bring happiness, therefore, being happy doesn't necessarily bring smiles.

The young man was unaware of this fact.

His mother stroked his messy hair and smiled at him, for no apparent reason.

They knew. They knew there would be a price.

“We are responsible”

Dreams are too precious not to offer something in return.

“We can finally rest, and appreciate our work.”

And this was the result...

Chapter 1: Birds Migration

Year 2027

On February 1st, somewhere in the Atlantic sky, they were flying overhead in dreams.

The white phoenix departs from the West.

A Boeing 707 airplane, clear, two lines: red and yellow, flew across the immense blue sky of the Atlantic Ocean at over 800 kilometers per hour, close to the Caribbean coast. More than 50 passengers could admire the landscape through their windows, following the trailing trails of their wings.

One of them, Yong Haeri, a mere 17-year-old student, spent her time listening to music, soon to fall asleep on the comfortable blue leather seat where she rested.

“…Bombings have been reported in... Overexploitation of resources in Antarctica... Guerrilla movements in the nations... International entities are incapable of controlling...”

These were the few statements the young woman managed to disinterestedly hear, from the news broadcast on the small TV monitor in front of the seat, in front of her.

"Haeri..."

"Hmm... What happens now...? Gitta. I wasn't sleeping. I was just resting my eyes."

The boy next to her, with dark skin like his serene gaze, let go of her shoulder.

"Haeri, wake up. We'll be there soon," he reiterated, switching his gaze between the end of the aisle and the panorama through the windows.

After a deep yawn, the young woman opened her fine black eyes, stretched, and leaned out the window, still sleepy, while removing the small earphones from her ears and watching them approach the shore.

The scenic beauty from the one outside the window separated her was undeniable.

It was early in the morning, and the clouds formed thin rows one after another in the pure blue sky over the untouched, endless green land.

She watched it, fascinated, with a faint smile. She knew that if she could only reach out her hand, she would be part of it all, and leave a trail as proof of her existence. There was nothing that she wanted more than that.

"...Manecia, huh? I've really never heard of it before."

"It's to be expected, Haeri."

A blonde girl's voice echoed between them. Resting her arms on the seats, she poked her head over theirs. This was Ketsy Maloney, a member of the circle of acquaintances accompanying them on the trip.

"A country so tiny goes easily unnoticed on maps. There isn't even information on the web other than its location. Isn't it interesting? Visiting such a mysterious place with buddies."

"Hey Ketsy, sit down. I'm trying to sleep..." the passenger next to her clarified.

"S-Sorry... By the way, Alon, didn't you want to come with your parents either?"

Alon Ostell, a blonde boy like her and, like most of them, a young man barely entering adulthood.

"They're busy on a business trip," the boy emphasized, adjusting his thin glasses, still with his eyes closed. "I must admit it's certainly liberating..."

"It's not like we're traveling on our own. This absent-minded old man is following us." Haeri slightly pushed the seat in front of her.

The gray-haired man sitting there quickly came out of his slumber with a weary expression. His name was Eldan Upton, and as their guardian, he was in charge of keeping an eye on them.

"Hey... Haeri, stay still..."

"Don't blame me, it was you who dragged me into this after all."

"Haeri," Gitta chided her, and then turned to the man. "Excuse us, Mr. Eldan..."

"Calm down, Gitta. The fresh air of Manecia will soothe your bitterness. And you know you can call me Uncle Eldan, he he."

"I could be doing something more useful with my time right now," the girl continued complaining.

"You need to be more flexible, Haeri," Ketsy chimed in again. Haughtily combing her straight blond hair sideways, she continued. "Besides, you've seen how things are there and in the East."

"I don't believe any of that, Ketsy... Tsk... If only people were allowed into the flight deck, something positive would come out of all this..."

"Come on, guys. It might be entertaining," added a boy sitting next to the gentleman. With long, auburn hair, like his eyes, he was commenting without taking his eyes off a pamphlet. "The Republic of Manecia... According to what they say here, it's a country visited by foreigners for vacations, although these statistics are somewhat old. Lush scenic beauty... Diverse and exotic flora and fauna..."

"Hm... Brawell... doesn't it say something more... interesting? I'd like to visit a beach... or maybe a botanical garden. That sounds good," Ketsy asked, leaning between the seat armrest and her freckled cheek.

"Well... let's see..."

"What a waste of a trip..." Haeri crossed her arms and returned her gaze to the window.

She was never one to admire art. She simply didn't find anything attractive that wasn't considered "real and tangible." This would be one way to describe her realistic perception of life.

"Children, children, be quiet for once, we're not the only passengers here, you know?" Eldan raised his hand authoritatively.

"Okay, fine..."

"Besides, it's a trip for academic purposes. You can have fun, as long as you keep school and your studies in mind. In fact, you'll have to worry about adapting first and foremost."

"Well... let's try to get along with them," Ketsy emphasized, looking at the group. "They'll be our companions for months. Heh, and I didn't learn Spanish so I wouldn't use it, guys."

"Yeah... it was a pain in the butt (and it's already numb from sitting here...)" Haeri thought, adjusting herself in her seat.

"...Hey Brawell, how much do you check your cell phone?"

"A little history of Manecia in an encyclopedia," said the young man, who was now carefully checking his cell phone.

Brawell hesitated. With a glance to his left and right, he has slipped his phone from the side pocket of his jacket. He wasn't trying to break any rules—not really. The device was already set to airplane mode, cutting off any signals that could interfere with the flight’s instruments, and the service provided exclusive Wi-Fi connection to connect manually. Still, there was something about the gesture that felt slightly rebellious.

"What does it say?"

"Not much... The country was a victim of political and social problems, but... nothing in detail. It's... It's kind of strange."

"Strange?" Haeri questioned her expression, finally showing some interest.

"There are many incomplete lines in the texts... It only exists in Spanish, and the edit history is the most extensive I've ever seen. In fact, the last edit was a few minutes ago."

"There must be another site with information," Gitta added.

"I've already looked, but no; the ones that exist are as scarce as the information they contain." "I think it's normal for a site that allows multiple editing to be more comprehensive in that sense," he replied, sliding his finger across the touchscreen.

"One more reason not to be here... With no idea where we're going," Haeri said quietly. "Though I doubt it could be any worse than the city we came from... Whatever. I just want to get there soon. I'm starving."

"If you want... I can order some food for you," Gitta offered.

"We'll be landing soon, there's no point. And Gitta... You should take off that vest. When we get off this plane, there won't be any air conditioning to save you," Haeri mentioned, removing her hood and opening the small black sweater she was wearing.

"...I'll be fine, but thanks for worrying."

A peaceful expression crossed the tilted face that accommodated his blue vest and denim beret.

"As you wish..."

"Hey, kids," Eldan announced, straining his gaze out his window. Most of what could be seen was a vast forest, but hints of civilization seemed to loom on the horizon. "I think we're almost there! That's the airport over there, I suppose."

Hearing the man, the students whispered excitedly between happy gestures and smiles:

“Finally!”

“It's about time!”

“How exciting!”

Of course, five students wouldn't justify an entire trip abroad. An entire class surrounded them; a class of boys and girls similar in age to their own, several parents, and teachers. A few flight attendants were also present, though they hadn't seen them in a while.

However.

A curious noise.

Something like a roar was heard amid the jubilation, and it went unnoticed by everyone except Ketsy.

"Alon... What was that?"

"Hm?"

"The noise..."

"I didn't hear anything specific... turbulence, perhaps?" the boy replied with short answers, trying to return to his dreams.

"But..."

"It might have been someone's cell phone, young lady," he added, seeing that she wouldn't calm down. He searched his own pocket as he did so. "...It wasn't mine."

"It is mine," Brawell clarified, taking it out of its case. "I'm sure it's a message from my mom. Always worrying about nothing..."

"No, it wasn't..."

"Stop it, Ketsy. We'll be landing soon," Haeri concluded, losing her temper.

On the other hand, Brawell's gaze turned cloudy.

Breathless, her body froze for a few moments as he checked the text message. The strange behavior soon caught the attention of Mr. Eldan at his side.

"Bram, is something wrong?"

"W-What does it mean? Is it a... joke?"

"What? Tell me, kid."

With his trembling hand, he slowly lifted the device and placed it in front of the man. He leaned closer to read the still-open message with intrigue.

"Hmm... Don't come home... Please... We... love... you..." Eldan read aloud. "Um..."

Before he finished his sentence, a loud noise was heard outside the plane, followed by a violent jolt.

The 8-minute parameter.

It's normal to be uneasy during that time when it comes to a plane flight, but what was happening now, on this occasion, was truly serious.

The passengers immediately panicked. It was difficult to understand what was happening between the women's shrill screams and the contents of the overhead bins yielding to gravity and movement.

“What the hell is going on?””

“SHIT!”

“We're going to die! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!”

“J-Jesus! No!”

“Mom!”

Without even an announcement from the pilot or flight attendants, Haeri, holding onto her seat, stared out the window at thick smoke that obscured her vision. However, a gust of wind helped her glimpse something that immediately made her shudder.

The plane's right wing was no longer there.

"We're going to..."

Perplexed, the next thing she felt was her companion's hands hastily fastening their seatbelts. She saw in his eyes the panic they shared in the longest second they had ever experienced.

Upon making contact with her gaze, he noticed how she looked at him, frozen, clearly in a state of shock.

He closed his eyes, took her by the shoulders, and hugged her vigorously. He thought of nothing but to remain in that position and wait.

-[Ø]-

Republic of Manecia

Acracia Mountains

February 1st

The Republic of Manecia. This was the name of her country; the beautiful nation where she grew up and which she loved.

This self-proclaimed "Republic" was bordered by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. That's right; it turned out to be a huge island lying in the middle of nowhere.

Its origins date back to the end of World War II, when it was nothing more than an island with certain indigenous and peasant villages within its borders, receiving refugees from every corner of the world; refugees escaping the atrocities of war at the time.

This huge independent island quickly grew in population and infrastructure like no other. It possessed abundant natural resources and extensive rivers irrigated it from its great mountains, so hosting a few thousand foreigners was perfectly permissible.

No matter where its inhabitants set foot, the imperturbable nature was evident all around them.

It was a paradise.

However, if there was one thing this paradise lacked, it was stability.

With immigration came people, with people came societies, and with societies came the need for someone to lead them.

This gave rise to all sorts of power struggles, and governments changed year after year.

It wasn't until 2020 that a new government from abroad was welcomed and progress finally took place.

Isolated yet connected to the rest of the world, few had a full understanding of this nation, except for its inhabitants, however, thanks to its new government it was visited by both a few foreigners and selected international merchants.

Paradise became a utopia that lasted for years. This was the case during the so-called "golden years."

But now, in 2027, its reality couldn't be more different.

The nation was in decline.

Poor administration? Fraudulent business dealings? No one knew exactly the cause. And naturally, the government was blamed for these misfortunes.

Disputes erupted again in the country. Just as quickly as it had prospered, it found itself in ruin.

Jobs were as scarce as food, and criminal activity increased as much as hunger.

The utopia essentially became a necropolis.

Izzy Rylee, a simple 19-year-old girl, looked down on her country from high above, reaching the same conclusion.

It was located near the center of the country, where the Acracia Mountains rose to more than 3,000 meters above sea level.

“With high green vegetation, large cliffs, wide streams, and temperatures below 20°C… “These were just some of the conditions a group of young explorers were exposed to on a single camping trip dozens of kilometers away from civilization.

There, at that moment, were nearly a hundred young people walking slowly away from the small cabin in the middle of nowhere.

They were wearing the official school uniform: a light blue shirt and long dark pants for both men and women.

Their presence in such a desolate place was explained by the excursion planned by their high school.

The school year was beginning, and with the goal of engaging the students; discouraged by the end of their vacation, one of the teachers suggested such an educational trip.

Among the wave of young people walking on the grass, two of them were lagging behind the rest.

"...Nisha, we're falling behind. Hurry up," called the girl behind him. Distinguished by her sharp eyes as clear as a full moon on a blue night, she brushed the dirt off her hands after standing in the bushes.

The young man in front of her stood staring at a specific, slender tree, sandwiched between it and an extravagant book used merely as a notepad in his hands.

"Oh, sorry, Izzy, I'll be done with them soon."

"Don't you think you're taking this too seriously? ...It's just a field study." The dark-haired, light-eyed girl sighed.

"Well... If we don't do this, Mr. Henroy will reprimand us... And it's kind of entertaining," he replied with a slight smile, twirling a pencil between his fingers.

"...”

"They're interesting, aren't them? Look," he encouraged his classmate to come up to him.

Using the same pencil he'd been playing with, he lifted a bunch of leaves to reveal the vines that bound the tree from its exposed roots to the top.

"It's a hedera, or ivy as most people know it. It's not very common in these regions, which is why it's often used as an ornament due to its climbing nature, although it actually does so to seek water and nutrients."

"Like all kinds of plants... What does this one in particular possess?"

"What it symbolizes, Izzy." The boy smiled calmly.

The young woman simply shifted her characteristically serene gaze toward him. Without saying anything else, she waited for him to explain, which unsettled him a little.

"I mean... I admire its shape and appearance; of any plant that resembles it. Its symbolism is primarily born from that. A continuous cycle that intertwines each part into a whole. It remains united, no matter where it grows."

The young man's dark-eyed expression turned somewhat depressed as he commented.

The lady knew perfectly well the reference he was alluding to; the murky situation in which what they called "home" was found.

The demonstrations that filled entire streets, the signs and flags that waved high toward the sky in search of God's ear. The songs that prophesied a change for the better in the nation. The cries of frustration toward a few, the despair caused by indifference, the chaos resulting from the riots...

The violence, the murder, the theft, the abuse, the pain...

She turned and looked into the distance, toward a vast, unsettled plain, as far as her eyes could see. She was no longer looking toward her nation, but toward the sky.

"...That won't happen until their actions change... or ours."

"Uh?"

"I said don't touch it too much," she said, returning her gaze to the boy still entertaining himself with the ivy. Taking him by the forearm, she gently guided him away from the plant. "Nisha, even though it looks flimsy and harmless at first glance, the insides can hurt you."

"Hey, you two! What are you doing standing there loitering?" a deep voice chimed in a few feet away.

A pair of boys, one more robust than the other, were approaching, parting the dense vegetation in their paths.

These were Garwin Stanford and Sein Deakin, two friends who were part of their usual close group at the Institute.

"I guess we're doing what we came here to do, Garwin," Izzy replied with a hint of sarcasm.

"We're just taking a break from work. The fact that it's right when the professor isn't here is purely a coincidence, he he," the burly young man said.

"…"

"Anyway, we'll meet up with the other groups at the top of the mountain as agreed. We don't want to get lost in this maze of undergrowth, right, Sein?"

"Um… And snack time too…" The crestfallen boy next to him mentioned his first.

"Uh! I completely forgot." Nisha hurriedly knelt down, gathered the other materials he had with him, and stuffed the book with the notes into a backpack.

The sturdy young man offered his hand to help him up.

"Hey, let's hurry. I'm starting to get hungry."

"Okay..."

"... Do you want me to give you a hand too, Miruno?" He shifted his gaze to the side.

Walking up the hill a few feet away from them was the youngest boy in the group. His blond hair was slicked back completely and his skin was paler than usual.

"I appreciate... the willingness, Garwin... Ah... But it's nothing to worry about... Ah... ah..."

He walked, panting repeatedly and stopping, using the trees in his path and the shoulder of a young woman accompanying him as supports.

The latter was Xiomara Fiorello, a pretty girl with hair as pale as the boy's skin, although older than him. Her hair covered much of her face, except for her left eye.

"Miruno... You know you have the professor's permission to wait in the cabin if you don't feel well," she said.

"Thank you for requesting it..." Ah... ah... Let's move on."

“…”

Watching the two of them walk away into the bushes along the path, Garwin smilingly accepted their rejection and, along with his companions, went their own way.

It was still early that day, but the sunlight was already shining so intensely that it made it difficult to see above. They could barely make out the other groups climbing the steep hill; they, tired and sweaty, stopped to drink water from their bottles.

Garwin and Sein had no trouble passing them at all. Their excellent physical condition allowed them to, and hunger motivated them.

It was a pleasant and peaceful day.

However, they were soon interrupted by a distant echo in the air.

“Guys, do you hear that?”

Someone asked behind them.

The other students stopped walking to search for the source of the noise.

Like a gloomy world; only that gradual echo was possible to perceive in that long instant.

In one of the groups closest to the top of the hill, Sein was lucky enough to be the first to distinguish the source of what was catching so much attention.

"…"

"Sein, is something wrong?" Garwin asked immediately after seeing his shocked face, and then followed the same trail of vision.

Realizing the situation, he turned around, overwhelmed, looking at all his companions.

"GET DOWN!!" he exclaimed as he pushed his friend to the other side.

Without time to react, they watched in perplexity as a huge burning airplane passed just a few meters above them, tearing their structures to pieces and devastating everything in its path.

The group fled down the hill and threw themselves to the ground. The wreckage grazed their backs, and the magnificent silver phoenix glided across the open field until it stopped behind a yellow bus parked near a cabin.

“If I had just one chance to fix everything…”

There were no more animals or plants, only a trail of burning earth. At the end of it, the dying bird.

-[Ø]-

Inside what had once been called an airplane, one of its passengers, Haeri, gradually parted her eyelids on her scraped face under sparks and a thick curtain of smoke.

The birds had arrived.

Blurred vision, difficulty breathing... She separated from the arms of her companion, Gitta, who lay motionless beside her.

A loud buzzing afflicted her ears, weakness took over her body, and her vision sporadically dimmed and blacked out, almost as if she were looking through a funnel.

Despite that, seeing the dazed boy in front of her forced her to react.

"Git...ta... Tch." She held her aching forehead. "Gitta..."

She looked up to see the shocking scene around her. Several passengers were covered in the now-debris of the airplane.

And the blurry vision returned to Gitta. With difficulty moving, he unbuckled both of their seats.

Amid the noise of electrical wires and the spreading fire, multiple footsteps were heard a few meters from a huge opening on the side of the plane. A piece of metal was thrown forward, and a brown-haired boy peered out of the hole, covering his mouth from the smoke.

"A-Are you all right?!" he asked, stressed. He turned around to what seemed to be a call to his companions, or so Haeri perceived it; ambiguous figures moving, but she couldn't understand what they were saying.

"Let's go! Guh! We have to get them out quickly!" he announced, entering the building; a woman and two burly men followed him.

There was one minute left.

From outside and at a safe distance, the other students watched the disastrous situation in shock. Fear and cold sweat were reflected on each of their faces.

None of them were willing to take a step, until a blond boy intervened fiercely.

"Tch, move aside!"

It turned out to be Miruno, who then tore off a sleeve of his torn uniform, tying it between his sweaty face and the back of his neck.

"M-Miruno, wait!" Xiomara exclaimed in terror, extending her hand, but the blond young man had already started running.

The other students looked at each other, wondering what to do in such tense circumstances. Most took short steps back. The remaining observers lay paralyzed, while others looked for places to hide, knowing what would happen next.

After a short period of uncertainty, it was possible to make out several individuals leaving the burning airplane. They carried the former passengers they had been able to extract from the scene by any means possible. Among the last of them were Miruno, helping Eldan, the foreigner, move, and Gitta, who was being held by Haeri and Nisha.

Nisha turned to see how the flames were rapidly spreading throughout the plane. He looked away to the spectators as they quickened their pace.

"GUYS, MOVE AWAY!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

Haeri, still in her delirium, knew immediately what would happen. With both arms, she pushed the boy to the ground and grabbed Gitta to follow.

A deafening roar echoed behind her, and the explosion began. The intense flames rose into the air. Metal debris was violently thrown in all directions, some embedded in the surrounding trees, others in the side of the bus parked near the cabin. The shock wave was enough to cause it to tip over.

Beneath the resulting smoke, Gitta was waking up. He slowly opened his eyes as a drop of sweat splashed across them; his companion was over him, face to face, exhaling unevenly.

"H-Haeri... What are you...?!"

For her, disoriented by deafness and a high-pitched whistling like a cricket, it was a trance in which she was unable to understand what he was trying to say. However, when she saw him respond, it was enough for her to let go and lie, exhausted, on her back with her arms outstretched.

Gitta turned around, repeating her name uncertainly, but she had already succumbed.

To be continued...

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Disclaimer:

This work contains material that may be considered inappropriate or sensitive for some readers. Please be advised that this narrative includes scenes of violence, explicit sexual situations, and strong and offensive language. In addition, the plot addresses social, religious, political, and cultural issues, among others, that may generate conflicting opinions or provoke emotional reactions in readers.

Readers are asked to be aware that the inclusion of these elements is not intended to promote or glorify any negative behavior, but rather to explore various facets of the human experience and its implications.

The content herein is purely fictional and any resemblance to real events, people, or places is merely coincidental.

Reader discretion is recommended, as the critical reflection on the content and its implications. Interpretation and reaction to these situations are subjective and may vary depending on individual sensitivity.

The author and editors assume no responsibility for any discomfort, offense, or upset that may arise as a result of reading this work.

By continuing to read this work, the reader accepts these terms and conditions.

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