Cielo Möwe 

Cannibalism, kidnapping, occultism/cult activities, child abuse, suicide, decapitation, general war-related themes such as violence.

Slavery and racism are mentioned offhand and not explored in depth.

Since some time ago, the “Sibyls” had the unfortunate role of connecting Elementals and humans.
Possessing supernatural powers, they have been revered and respected by humans.
In reality, however, they were nothing more than a means to fulfill people’s selfish desires.

They are put on the spotlight to incite wars and have to carry a burden, only for humans to sacrifice them and run away when the situation turns sour.
They're like disposable tools. I even think that Sibyls are harder to handle than tools because they understand human speech.
Most of the “Wind Sibyls”, such as myself, have ended their lives in this way.

There are two countries on this continent: Agidis, suffering under extreme inequality, and Luthra, enjoying wealth.
And I was in Agidis.
Me and Mother chose to leave the village because we had enough with those people who used the power of Sibyls for their own personal gain.
So our village was burned to the ground, and we were quickly put on a bounty and hunted down.

…Actually, me and Mother have a secret.
That is, both of us have the power of “Sibyls”. When Mother gave birth to me, it seemed that I inherited all of her power, but she still has a little left.

In the midst of all this, me, Cielo Möwe, and Mother are on an aimless journey in search of a place of rest, where the power of the Sibyls is not needed.

Some time passed after we started traveling.
One day, Mother and I arrived at “Tioquia, the Water Capital”.
In this city rich of water, it would be possible for just the two of us to live quietly.

“Mother, we can finally live in peace.”
“I'm so glad, Cielo. I'm happy as long as you are with me.”

At that moment… We truly believed it.

We took up residence in what used to be a stable on the outskirts of town.
On the next day, my joy at sleeping in a covered shed was short-lived when it was disturbed by a piercing shriek and roar.
Through the window, I could barely see the city being ravaged by the Agidis soldiers.

“Mother, let’s get out of here.”
“No, why must I suffer this… I can’t take it anymore!”
“M-Mother….”

Mother was utterly exhausted from our repeated escapes, and became a shadow of the woman she’d been back in the settlement.
We had to get out from this town somehow.
But such a wish would never reach God.
Agidis’ soldiers broke into the houses and began to capture the inhabitants.

“What are they going to do?”
“He, hehe… They’ll turn us into slaves. We will no longer be human. I don’t want to go back to those days!”
“Mother…”

At the sight of her mumbling, my heart flutters slightly.
It would be a suicidal act to go outside right now.
But while I was thinking that, a sudden crash echoed as the cabin door was kicked open…

“No, we have to hide…!”

I hastily hide myself in the straw.
As the men wildly searched the inside of the house, I held my breath and waited for them to disappear.
I don’t know how much time passed, but they finally gave up looking and went back.
–The danger had passed.
I sigh with relief and sit down.
But it seems I made a louder noise than I thought I would.
And so the men turned around.
If I didn’t do something…even Mother would have been caught.
With that thought, my body moved on its own, and I jumped in front of the men.

“You little shit, you were hiding, weren’t you?”

The men who approached me were saying something to each other.

“Hey, isn’t this one a survivor of the village?”
“Yes, she is. And look at her, she’s a pretty girl. Hehe, let’s use her as our slave.”

The men licked their lips.
They laughed in such a vulgar and ugly way that one could not help but frown.
But I could hit them if I used my wind powers!
…How strange.
I should be able to channel my power by holding out my hand and focusing my will, so why!?

“What’s wrong with your hand?”
“No! Don’t come any closer! No!”

The fear of being surrounded by adults and the memories of that village came back to me, and my body was not strong enough. And so, I was unable to use my Sibyl powers.

“Be quiet!”

The sudden shock sent me rolling on the floor and slamming into the wall.
I was kicked in the stomach so hard that I couldn’t breathe.

“…G…gh…”

In my fading consciousness, I turn my gaze toward the haystacks.

“Hey, hey, are you losing your mind? Don’t hurt her too much…”
“It’s just a matter of sooner or later, right? Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Great. They didn’t notice Mother.
Mother, I can’t go with you, but at least you are alive.

I feel a rattling, jolting tremor in my body.
As my consciousness gradually recovers, memories of that moment gradually resurface.

(That’s right… they took me away-ouch)

Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, but the pain I suffered in the stable forced me to wake up.
The vibrations I feel… Those guys are probably still on their way to Agidis.
I suppressed my swelling frustration and thought of a way to get out of this situation as quickly as possible.

My hands and feet are tied tight, but I can handle this.
Perhaps because I’d been shoved into the cargo hold, none of them are inside.
The vibrations are getting stronger, so I guess we’re approaching the mountain path to Agidis.

In other words…now was my only chance to escape!
I concentrate my mind to the maximum and release my power.
The small blade of wind that I generated cut through the rope.
Likewise, with my free hand, I cut through the rope at my feet.

“I want to get back at them, but escaping comes first.”

After making sure that there were no Agidis soldiers behind me, I wrapped myself in a wind barrier and jumped down.

“Phew… Looks like I still can’t control my power.”

I got sand in my mouth, making me feel sick.
I decided to head to Tioquia, not looking at the wagons moving away.

It’s completely dusk, but I can finally see the city.
I want Mother to be safe. Unable to suppress my impatience, I run toward the town. I’m almost there. Almost-

“…Oh? What…”

Most of what used to be the “Water Capital” had been burned to the ground and destroyed. It was filled with an enormous amount of “death”.

“Oh… Mo…ther….”

The nausea that surged up distorted my vision.
My sobbing voice dissolved into the dead of night with the setting sun.

After sunrise, I searched around the stables, but Mother wasn’t there.
If I stay here, they might eventually come after me.

“I should get away from Agidis from now.”

As I was about to move forward, something caught my toe.
What had fallen there was a dagger with a pale light – the “Azure Dagger”.

“This is… Mother’s…”

This dagger is a magic item that has been passed down to us Sibyls. By holding it, we can support our wind powers.
When I was running away with Mother, she used it to help herself when she was weak.
The fact that it was lying here means that Mother is no longer…

“…Uh.”

I raise the dagger to the sky and say to myself,

“…I’m going to live by myself.”

It was the only thing that could support my shattered spirit.
I would live for my mother and find a place of rest.
That’s what I decided.

After that, I did everything I could to survive.
In the villages I visited on the run, I stole from the fields and stalls to survive the hunger.
I mercilessly killed the Agidis soldiers I encountered and anyone who turned hostile.

My hands are dirty beyond redemption.
So I will never look back.

To be honest, the role of “Wind Sibyl” was not important to me.
But this power is very useful and has become indispensable for survival.

“WAIT! YOU BURGLAR!”
“A loaf or two! Take this!”
“What!? …cough…”

I used my power to create a sandstorm, and lightly nudged the shopkeeper who was chasing me.
This power can easily kill someone, depending on how I use it. But I don’t do that because I’m grateful for the deliciousness of this bread.

–Wanting to get as far away from Agidis as possible, I headed southeast towards Tioquia.
I thought that it would be better to avoid battle by proceeding through the frontier of Luthra.
The newly visited city was prosperous in its own way, and it was barely affected by the war.
The poor area, with its countless barracks, was the perfect place for a “problem child” like me to hide out.

“I should be safe now.”

I ran to the back alley, sat down, and took out a loaf of bread from the paper bag.
The freshly baked bread danced in my mouth.
This moment made me feel so alive.

“…Heh, I’m full.”

As I sat up to look for a place to sleep, I suddenly felt a movement out of the corner of my eye.
My hand slid to my dagger as I whipped around. A young boy was lying on the ground, out of breath.
He looked like he was on the brink of starvation, barely able to move anything but his mouth.
I didn’t feel sorry for him.

“…Save me…”

I just didn’t want to see a child younger than myself die in front of me.
That’s all, really.

“Are you okay? Want some bread?”
“…Oh!”

The boy changed expression and bit into the bread with great vigor.
At the sight of his frantic behavior, I smiled.
I wonder when the last time I smiled was.

“…Thank you, big sis.”
“No problem. I gave it to you.”

After that, I talked a little with the boy. His name was Fin. He had lost his family in the war and had been living on his own.
Nowadays, there are many people in this same situation. Yet I found myself drawn to Fin, sensing a strange kinship.
His eyes were sharp and not suited to his age… He looked completely different from other people.
Fin didn’t say anything, but I could tell from that that he’d been through hell.

But that doesn’t mean I sympathized with him.
Caring too much about him would only become a hindrance.

“Well, I’m going now.”
“…Wait, don’t go.”

Here he comes.

“I won’t wait.”
“Wait, wait! At least let me repay you!”
“Shut up!”

My grip tightens, and I use my Sibyl powers on the spot.
A sudden gust of wind blows the boy away, and he crashes into the wall and loses consciousness.

“Oh… Sorry…”

I'm honestly sorry for hurting him.
I was the one who beckoned him. It is my fault.

…I’m going to leave this town for a while.
It wouldn’t be good for either of us to get any more hopeful.

Leaving the city where I met Fin, I wandered aimlessly through various places.
I wonder if my skin is that unusual. I encounter people who try to mess with me in any way they can.
I don’t know why because I “dispose” of them without any question, but maybe Agidis has put a bounty on me.

All I want is to be left alone…
Unless I push further than I am now, this situation won’t change.
For that, I need to cross this desert that spreads out before me.
And so, I need a lot of food and water.

Just as I was thinking that,
my stomach rumbled.
At the same time, the memory of the bread I had eaten at that time came to mind.
In the end, having that bread one last time wouldn’t be so bad.

–After returning to the town, I quickly stole a loaf of bread and decided to eat in some ruins where no one seemed to be coming.

“If only Mother were here…”
“Big sis, I found you!”

A familiar voice echoed through the ruins.
Looking over, I saw Fin standing there, with a huge smile. I thought he was a different person from the first time we met.

“Fin…? It’s been a while. I’m glad you found me. And those clothes…”

His flax cloth, which should have been in tatters, was spotlessly clean and freshly washed.
The inorganic whiteness made me itch a little.

“The bakery guy was making a lot of noise. It must be hard to get out of the city now. The military police are joining in the search.”
“It was a mistake to come here for the bread…”
“Don’t say that. I finally got to see you again, so I think this is God’s will.”

God? I can’t believe Fin would come to believe in a being that we don’t even know exists…

“I think you should hide in the church, and then you can leave when the time is right. I’m sure they won’t be watching you for more than a few days.”
“Yeah, right…”
“Finally, I can repay you.”

I’m not really keen on it, but after how I hurt Fin before, I can’t just turn him down.

“Okay, can you show me the way?”
“Leave it to me. Come this way!”

I let Fin take my hand and we left the ruins.

“Welcome! Are you the girl Fin mentioned? Good to see you!”
“Welcome! Thank you for saving Fin’s life back then!”

As soon as I arrived at the “church,” I was welcomed with open arms by Fin’s guardians.
The impression I got from the church was morbid whiteness.
The chairs and desks were neatly arranged without any stasis, and there were flower crowns everywhere.
Children were dressed in all white.
The residents, who exude a strange atmosphere, all look like porcelain, and their pasted-on smiles amplify the sense of discomfort.
They are something else, different from the Aterima followers.

“Fin has told us a lot about you. If you don’t have any relatives, you can stay here.”
“Yes, that would be good! The Leader will be pleased!”
“No, no… I don’t mind…”

They were strangely intrusive and uncomfortable.
I knew I had to get out of town, even if it meant using my power.

“I’ll stay here for today, but I’ll be leaving tomorrow.”
“I see… Then I’ll do my best to make you a meal, so you can enjoy it.”
“Thank you.”
“Fin, help me prepare the meal. You’ve been looking forward to this day, haven’t you?”

Fin nodded slowly with a quiet smile as he was called away.

“I’ll see you later, Big sis.”

–A short time later, the dinner party began.

The table was lined with bright red meat and colorful vegetables.
A child of their age would be delighted by that alone, but they are all silent, as if they are waiting for something.
The group leader looked at the scene with a mysterious expression on his face, and then spoke as if in prayer.

“Blessed are all the living creatures of this world. Thank you for being our flesh and blood, and for the eternity we share together.”
“”Thanks for the meal!””

The children politely devoured the meat on the table.
Before long, they were back to smiling.
Except for one.

“”It was a delicious meal.””

Soon after, the dinner was over and everyone was cleaning up their own dishes.
I was about to follow in their footsteps and put the dishes back in their hands when,

“…Vikka, why didn't you eat it?”
“…I couldn’t eat it…”

The one who answered was the girl who hadn’t been able to smile properly.
She was frightened, and her expression was twisted.

“It's you again... Vikka?”
“I’m sorry. But I don’t like meat…”
“Such a rude thing to do in front of a guest… That’s not nice, Vikka.”

She approached me, still smiling.
Vika has completely hidden herself behind me, crying and begging for forgiveness.

“She's sorry, forgive he-“
“This is our problem! Let’s go.”
“No, no!”

While I was surprised by the sudden change, Vikka disappeared into the back of the room.
The other children who should have been watching her did not change their expressions, but simply laughed.

It was night.
When everyone was asleep, I quietly woke up.
I had to get out of this church as soon as possible.
A clinging, claustrophobic sensation had been present since I entered it. The light made it hard to notice, but the church had no paths leading outside at all. It was a world completely cut off from the outside.
It was as if it was ruthlessly preventing believers from escaping.

“I’m such a fool… I decided to live alone, and yet…”

I thought of the boy’s face as I said that.
I was a little regretful that I hadn’t had a chance to talk to Fin since then…

My room was in the back, so I opened the door a little without making any noise and looked outside.
There were no lights in the hallway, making it easy to move around.
Even if I strained my ears, I couldn’t hear anything.

Hiding my presence, I slowly advance against the wall and descend the stairs at the end of the hallway.
No lights were visible on the lower floor. Everyone must be sleeping.
I continued on, passed the room where I had eaten dinner, and went straight down this passageway to the outside.
I moved cautiously, but there were no traps. I reached the door without any trouble.
But then, I finally noticed something.
The door was covered with sturdy iron bars.
There was no need for traps or guards.

“Sneaking out of your room, huh? You're a bad girl.”
“…!?”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind me.
At the same time, a shock hit my head and I lost consciousness.

“Bad kids must be punished!”

The smile illuminated by the light was so ominous.

My hazy consciousness gradually took shape.
At the same time, the cold sensation spreading from my hands revealed one undeniable fact.
I'm…trapped in an iron cage.
At this rate, I can’t get out even with my wind powers.
My Azure Dagger has also been taken away.
Just like the iron bars earlier, it felt like they knew exactly who I was.

“Looks like you’re awake.”

I turned towards the voice and saw the couple, still smiling as ever.

“Do you know what you’re doing!?”
“Of course. We gave you a place to sleep and food, and yet…”
“You’re an insult to our kindness. You sneaked out of your room… You did something bad.”
“We can’t just let a bad girl go outside like this. We’ll take responsibility and guide you in the right direction. Then you’ll realize our love.”

What the heck have they been saying?
Do they really think this is love?
This is just abuse.

“There’s no way I will just obey you, right?”
“Hmm, this is pretty deep-rooted…”
“If you can’t accept our love, you’ll follow the same path as Vikka.”
“What do you mean…?”

They spoke with beaming smiles, almost singing.

“She left what we had prepared for her. It means she refused to become one with us.”
“We have a rule that we eat those who refuse our teachings or do something bad.”

Eat? Vikka?
Come to think of it, Vikka had refused earlier too. That couldn’t be…

“What you ate was human meat. You are already one of us.”
“By offering yourself to God, your sins are forgiven, and you live eternally within us. Isn’t that wonderful?”

That was insane. Twisted.
That’s why Vikka was scared. She knew this would happen.
Suppressing the rising urge to vomit, I screamed.

“You have to be kidding!”
“Oh? You didn’t like Fin’s meat?”

Those words, digging into my heart, were enough to put an end to me.

“Uh, ugh-“
“Oh, are you going to throw up? He offered himself to thank you… Poor boy.”

The moment I heard that, my anger reached its peak.
I unleashed the full power of the Wind Sibyl.
My wind blades sliced the two people in front of me.

“Gaaaah! It hurts, why are…!”
“Don’t speak anymore.”

The moment I snapped my fingers, a red line ran down the man’s throat, and blood spurted out. The woman screaming next to him was also an eyesore, so I sent them together to hell.

“Haa, haa… I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Fin… If I hadn’t met you, this wouldn’t have happened…”
“That’s right, Cielo. It’s your fault.”

A bright voice echoed in the midst of this terrible scene.
The moment I heard it, a chill ran through my body.
It was a voice I’d heard since I was a child. There was no way I could mistake it.

“Mo…ther…?”
“It’s been a long time, Cielo. I never thought you’d make it this far.”

Mother, dressed in a pure white robe with lace woven into it and a flower crown on top, had a somewhat distorted smile on her face. I never imagined that this “white” outfit would be so unifying.

“Mother, are you the head of this church…?”
“Yes, I am. Technically, I’m the one who took it over.”
“…S-since when!?”
“Soon after I left Tioquia. Hehe, it was very easy. I only had to show them my Sibyl powers and they obeyed me.”

Then, as if she’d just remembered something, Mother spoke.

“Oh yes, I was so happy when I heard about you from Fin. I never thought you could have escaped to me.”

That meant one thing.

“So… Does that mean you sent all those pursuers?”
“Yes, that’s right. I wanted to capture you and lock you up here.”
“You should have just come to me from the start instead of doing that!”
“No, I don’t want to give up this comfortable life.”

Mother had completely changed…
My image of a “mother” was shattered to pieces.

“But anyway, Cielo… I have a favor to ask of you.”

Her eyes sparkled with joy,

“Would you die for me?”

The woman in front of me did indeed say that.

“Would you die for me?”

My mind refused to comprehend that sudden request.
All I could do now was try to conjure up the words as best I could.

“Uh? …Mother, what are you saying…”

My teeth chattered and I couldn’t form words properly.

“If you die, the power of the Elemental will return to me. With that power, I can once again live a richer and freer life as the “Wind Sibyl”! So, please give it to me!”

…Is this woman saying that she has been acting just for her own selfish desires?
With every word she spoke, I felt something inside of me crumble. What Mother did tell me once…?

“But you once said…that you are happy as long as I am with you.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t really want you. When I got pregnant, I was still a slave and couldn’t reject you. It hurt so much, so you should be thankful. Oh, are you crying?”

I found myself with large tears streaming down my face.
No matter how much I wipe them away, the tears just keep flowing and I can’t hold them back.

“Egh… Uuh… Aaahhh, AAAAAAHHHHH!!”
“…Haa, that’s why I didn’t want to have a child. I just want to enjoy myself. Dream on my own. It really makes me sick. Now, let me have some fun. Can you die quickly with this dagger?”

Saying that, she threw the Azure Dagger.
I’ve done everything to survive.
Can’t this cursed woman even kill someone to stay alive?

“Now, Cielo. You must be tired too, right? It’s about time you rest. If I get my powers back, you can live forever within me, you know?”

Even after all this… I still believed in Mother. Some part of me still loved her.
Because I couldn’t hate the person who gave birth to me.
But I don’t understand anymore. The world I’ve seen and Mother are gone.
Haha, haha… I feel so stupid.

What was the point of surviving? What was the point of living together?
Laughing together, sleeping in the same futon, was all just a convenient illusion I had created.
Where did I go wrong?
What should I have done?
I don’t care anymore.

“Mother… I’m going to die.”
“Really?! I’m so happy. Now I can live a more elegant life!”

Even though I had chosen death, Mother’s eyes didn’t look at me at all.

“…Goodbye.”

I gently thrust the dagger into my chest.
This is my way of saying goodbye to the world.

Oh, if it was going to be like this…
I wish I had never been born.

As death draws near, memories flow through my mind.
In this sea of memories, there were my own memories, the one of the Elemental and of the past Wind Sibyls, all mixed together.
I was even able to learn the origins of this world.

Then, a memory from a long time ago – “the age of Zero” – showed me a girl with pale, pure white skin that was almost sickly.

Ah, I see. That’s how it is.
There was no way for me to escape from this worthless world from the beginning.

How cruel.
How ugly.

The flickering flame of life is extinguished, and my soul is separated from my body.
At the same time, a lukewarm wind blew as if it was licking up my skin.

“Ah! What’s with this wind? It’s so unpleasant… Oh? That’s weird. Cielo died, but I still haven’t gotten any of my powers back.”

At that moment, the world shook for a moment.
Frowning in confusion, Mother noticed a pale-skinned girl standing before me.

“I don’t have any powers to give you. They belong to me.”

The girl approached the woman, silently and slowly.

“Who are you? Where did you come from… Ah… My throa…!?”
“Your powers are nothing more than dregs, but I can’t overlook an exception.”

A white arm tightened around the woman’s neck.
It wrapped around her like a snake.

“…S… Save m….”
“Don’t worry. For you Sibyls, death is salvation.”

Mother wriggled like a butterfly whose wings had been stripped off.
But her strength was mercilessly drained, leaving her unable to escape.
Soon, with a grinding sound, her neck is crushed and torn off.
The red tears streaming down her bloodstained face were like the tears of a believer begging for God’s forgiveness.
The white girl sucked the power from her silent corpse and threw it away.
She then spoke to what used to be me.

“Unfortunately, even if you continue to turn your eyes away from reality and run away, there is no salvation in this world. It’s a failed world, after all.”

The girl absorbed the sparkling light from the Azure Dagger and vanished.
It seems that it is time for my soul to disappear as well.
–I looked at Mother for the last time.
And for just a moment, I felt like my eyes met hers.

I’m glad for you, Mother.
We’ll always be together.