Red emergency lights bathed the bridge in a gruesome glow, and ear-splitting alarms clawed at our eardrums.
On the external screen, all we could see were walls of flesh rapidly healing and sealing shut.
We were now perfectly trapped inside a living giant's tomb.
"Damn it! At this rate, we'll be completely isolated in five minutes. Plasma cutters can't pierce biological tissue this thick!"
For the first time, despair stained Leon's voice as he analyzed the data.
Even his genius, even his technology, was powerless before the will of this colossal life form.
But strangely, as I gripped the helm, my heart was calm.
"No..." I murmured low.
"This isn't anger. It isn't pain. This is... joy. It's the relief of a wound that has festered for far too long finally beginning to heal."
Through my Aether, the Sky-Whale's immense, warm emotions washed over me like a tidal wave. It wasn't hostility directed at us.
"Mother hasn't forgotten us."
Lilia whispered, closing her eyes and clasping her hands together. Her voice held unwavering faith.
"Right now, she is thanking us."
At that moment, every alarm ceased as if it had been a lie.
From beyond the flesh walls that imprisoned us, a soft, brilliant blue light began to seep through.
The light melted away the blocked walls, creating a new path that extended gently toward us.
The Sky-Whale, liberated from pain, was opening a safe 'Path of Life' directly for us as a token of gratitude.
Following that mystical light, the Lumina Rip carefully slipped out, like a new life passing through a birth canal.
* * *
What greeted us outside was a miracle.
Wooooooo—
The Sky-Whale, 'Orca Maris,' let out a sound that was not a groan of pain, but a deep, majestic song of joy that resonated across the entire sky.
It wasn't just a sound. It was a Symphony of Creation that shook the very roots of life.
As if answering the song, everything in Echora, which had been dying in ash-gray, began to revive.
Brilliant blue shoots sprouted from the remains of the withered 'Mother Tree,' and the murky river water turned crystal clear.
And the city's bioluminescent plants, which had flickered with a sickly yellow light, burst into a vibrant, luminous blue all at once. The city was instantly filled with the vitality of life.
At first, the residents of Echora couldn't believe the sight before their eyes. But soon, they embraced one another, shedding hot tears.
Their gazes turned toward the Lumina Rip floating in the sky.
There was no longer distrust or hostility in their eyes. Only gratitude and awe remained.
As the Lumina Rip settled onto the landing pad, even before the ramp opened, every resident bowed their heads as if by promise.
When we stepped off the ship, a woman holding a child approached and offered a freshly bloomed blue crystal flower.
"Thank you... truly, thank you. If it weren't for you all..."
I hesitated for a moment, then awkwardly accepted the flower.
Leon cleared his throat unnecessarily and crossed his arms, while Lilia smiled faintly watching us.
Then, parting the crowd, the Guardian Captain, Kairen, stepped forward.
He stood before us, hesitated for a moment, then laid his obsidian spear on the ground. And then, he knelt on one knee.
"Forgive our ignorance, Outsiders."
Speaking with his head bowed, his voice trembled low.
"You did not bring a knife to Mother's body; you cut away the veil of foolishness that blinded our eyes. As a Guardian of Echora, I offer you my deepest gratitude and respect."
"Stand up, Kairen. You only tried to protect your Mother in your own way." Leon spoke stiffly, but his face was full of pride.
At his sincere apology, the other residents began to bow one by one as well.
We had gone from intruders to heroes who saved their paradise.
*
Amidst the festive atmosphere, Lilia quietly slipped away.
Her steps led her to the small grave of her teacher, Elara, located beneath the remains of the 'Mother Tree,' which was just beginning to sprout blue leaves.
It had happened the very moment the Lumina Rip landed and the cheers of the residents erupted.
Lilia had pushed through the rejoicing crowd to find her teacher.
Just then, an old man blocked her path, speaking quietly with eyes full of sorrow.
"The Shaman... she watched everything, then closed her eyes peacefully. As if... she had fulfilled her final calling..."
The moment she heard those words, Lilia's world lost its sound for a moment.
Having witnessed the Sky-Whale's healing, Elara had passed away peacefully, as if her mission was complete.
Sitting before her teacher's grave, Lilia recalled Elara's final teaching.
It was a night when the Sky-Whale's groans were at their deepest.
A frail Elara had called Lilia to her bedside.
"Lilia... come closer."
"Master...?"
Elara had looked out at the sickly sky through the window and spoken in a low voice.
"We listen to the Mother's song and read the breath of the sky... but we have lived with our ears closed to the screams of the world for far too long. The world is much wider than we know, and it is sick much deeper than we realize. Someday, you may have to go beyond this small paradise and face greater pain."
"I will protect Echora, Master. No matter what threat comes."
Elara had held Lilia's hand and smiled faintly.
"Of course, you must. But remember, my child. Protecting a single tree is important, but sometimes... to save the entire forest, there are times when you must willingly leave that tree behind."
As the sole shaman of Ecora, she now had the duty to lead this paradise.
Lilia gently stroked the blue sprout that had just risen next to the grave.
"Master... I must stay here. Because this is my fate..."
But her soliloquy scattered emptily into the air.
She raised her head and looked at the Lumina Rip standing on the landing pad in the distance.
The Empire's 'Steel Thorns' were not just embedded in the Sky-Whale. The entire world was sick and groaning.
She now knew all too well that no matter how hard Echora tried to protect itself, if the entire sick sky collapsed, this paradise could not be safe either.
She thought of Jayn.
The girl who piloted the Lumina Rip, the symbol of mechanical civilization, yet sympathized with nature's pain more deeply than anyone else.
Her blue Aether flame was not a power of destruction, but a power of communion.
"That child's flame... was not of a machine. It was a flame of life..."
Lilia had seen the possibility of nature and machines coexisting in Jayn.
She looked back and forth between the grave, which now belonged to the past, and the Lumina Rip, which would become her new future.
"You are right, Master. Just as you said... I must go to save the forest, not just the tree."
Finally, she solidified her resolve and rose from her spot.
* * *
Lilia appeared before us as we prepared to leave.
She stood before us not with the dignity of a Shaman candidate, but with the determined gaze of someone seeking to become a comrade.
"The world is already ailing. I realized that to heal those sick parts, I cannot remain only here."
She looked straight at me and spoke.
"Jayn, I saw a new path of communicating with nature in you. Please, take me on your ship. Let me become the Lumina Rip's helmsman and embark on this journey to heal the sick sky with you."
At her plea, Leon placed his hands on his hips and flashed his signature rational smile.
"There is no reason to refuse the ultimate bio-navigation system! You are more than welcome!"
Soon, everyone's gaze shifted to me. I looked at Lilia for a moment.
Her clear turquoise eyes held the same kind of sorrow that I carried. And they were also filled with a strong will to save the world.
Once again, I took off the mask of 'cheerful madness' I had worn to protect myself.
And with a sincere, warm smile—one I hadn't worn in a very long time—I reached out my hand to her.
"Welcome, teammate."
*
Amidst the blessings of all Echora's residents, the Lumina Rip prepared for takeoff.
Kairen handed us a flask containing the clearest water, drawn from the very heart of the Sky-Whale, and spoke.
"These are the Mother's tears. They will bless your path ahead."
Young Noah ran up to me and pressed a small pouch of seeds into my hand.
"Sister, these are seeds from the strongest tree in the world. They'll grow well no matter where you plant them!"
I took the seed pouch and ruffled the kid's hair.
"Thanks, kid."
Moments later, we stood at our new positions inside the bridge.
I, the Captain, stood before the central 'Core Synapse,' and Leon, the Engineer, stood before the engine control console.
And our new Helmsman, Lilia, stood before the organic steering mechanism entwined with living plants and crystals, newly installed by the front window of the bridge.
As she placed her hand on the steering mechanism, vines of plants gently wrapped around her arm, becoming one with her.
Lilia closed her eyes, feeling the invisible currents of the sky, and whispered.
"To the East... a new wind is blowing. I can hear a song calling to us."
I nodded and shouted.
"Alright. Leon, increase output! Lilia, take us to the new sky!"
"Roger, Captain!"
Leon pushed the throttle lever forward with force.
With two wings—Leon, the strategic navigator, and Lilia, the helmsman who communes with nature—the Lumina Rip soared into the sky, stable and powerful beyond comparison to before.
"Please stay safe!"
"Come back anytime, heroes!"
Leaving the cheers of the residents behind, we surged forward toward an unknown course.
"Let's go, Lumina Rip!"
"Toward the new sky!"
Captain Jayn, Engineer Leon, Helmsman Lilia.
Three people with their own scars had gathered to finally become one team.
The 'Song of the Sky-Whale' has ended. Now, it is time for our 'Song of a New Course' to begin!