Prologue (1/2)
Prologue: A Nostalgic Face
The 22nd day of the fourth month of the year 3306 of the World Calendar
On the planet, there was but a single continent
The large, oval landmass stretched to the east and west, divided vertically at the center by a great river and a e
The Central Mountain Range began at the great desert at the southern shores, stretching to the center of the continent Its jagged peaks, soht, stood clustered together
The northern half of the continent was bisected by largest river in the world, the Lutoni
The people of the planet had been split by thetheir own cultures, forging confederations and alliances, and warring against the opposing side
But a historic discovery ended the possibility of a great war between East and West
And hundreds of millions of people continued to live on the continent, each harboring their own hopes and worries
“Hah! You, worried? I thought I’d sooner see pigs fly across the Lutoni!” spat a shriveled old woman
“C’ot more on my mind than I let on,” replied a bearded man
The old wo
The rug was made of wool and bore layers upon layers of conize any motif in the work
The roo and walls, and it did not have a singleThe only light cahtbulb It was indeed very dim
The old woed on a seat cushi+on, her postureher appear even smaller than she was Her loose attire was just as unusual as her rug, h quilted out of mismatched scraps of cloth
Only 50 centimeters aas the bearded man, who faced her directly
The ure of an athlete He also sat cross-legged on a seat cushi+on, looking like a child before the old woman
He wore a tattered red-and-black checkered shi+rt and an equally patchy pair of jeans his toenails poked out of the holes at the tips of his woolen socks
His dark brown hair was haphazardly cut and swept back
Thehim a nondescript look His e He could pass for a man in his forties or thirties
“Oh? Like what? Tell me,” the old woman prodded in displeasure
“Hmm,” the man intoned, unable to answer
The old woman scolded him “I’d certainly love to knohat is on thatthe world in your mid-thirties”
The ed the subject “Granny, you’re supposed to be a fortune teller, not a schoolteacher And I’et my fortune”
“I’ to tell your fortune, provided you can pay me But where does your money come from? No doubt your parents back home, you miserable little leech!”
The le Rox fro a retired couple for money”
“Oh?”
“So I get my money from my sister”
“That’s even worse! Your sister deserves better, the sweet thing!”
“It’s fine She’s doing good withoutwell and she was having a good tiet back to business I want you to tell uidance onout a bill from his pocket
“Hmph You don’t need a fortune teller to tell you that you need to find yourself a job”
“C’o east or west, and that’ll be enough for me Just between you andeven when I was a kid”
“East, west, does it ht down to hell, boy”
“I’ the bill before the old woman
“This et you one answer,” the old wo it into her pocket She turned and picked up so
“That’ll beThe old woe crystal before him