Prologue

Wakey wakey, Big Bro! Aldo... Wake up, Aldo!

Ngh... Wha...

Aldo, wake up! The sun's already risen well above the Pekari trees!

*yawn* But I came back here for a break. Can't I sleep in a little longer?

Honestly! You've got Baruoki Guard training today, remember?

Oh no, I completely forgot about that! I'd better get going!

Sorry! Were you waiting long?

A little while, yes. But... You must have been in quite the rush. You haven't even fixed your bed hair yet.

Huh?!

Just like the old days! So what are we doing today?

The plan was to do some basic rescue training and mock-fighting in Nuaru Uplands. But perhaps we could save that till later. I heard some concerning news on my way over.

What news, exactly?

Some unfamiliar monster's been sighted in Moonlight Forest. Near the pond up ahead. It should still be in the forest, so I thought we should go look for it before we start today's training.

Okay, let's split up and look. There's a chance it's left the pond by now, so be careful as you go.

The monster was sighted around here. Aldo, you search the area.

The monster was sighted around here. Aldo, you search the area.

(Should I ask about yesterday?)

You came back to the village last night, right Aldo? Have you recovered from your journey yet? Once we've finished training, let's go get something to eat with May.

It doesn't look like there are any monsters here... I'll go look further in. Make sure you check out anywhere suspicious!

It doesn't look like there are any monsters here...

(Should I ask about yesterday?)

Yesterday? Darunis and I did our training, just the two of us, yesterday. But today, the three of us get to train together!

Hey, where are you going? The monster will be further in.

Hey, where are you going? The monster will be further in.

He said the monster was sighted around here.

Th-The monster! It's here!

It's over there?

I don't know where it came from, but it's made a mess in the forest. We'd better defeat this thing quickly.

Let's do this!

Phew! That should do it.

Huh? May? Feinne? What are you two doing here?

I thought it was you.

You startled us! We were out looking for some cooking herbs when we heard all this commotion.

Oops, sorry about that. So are you cooking something?

Yes! I'm cooking up a feast. Enough for everyone!

So finish up your training quickly! I want to party!

Heheh, that was so much fun!

It sure is nice being back here. It's getting late. Why don't we set off tomorrow?

Wakey wakey, Big Bro! Aldo... Wake up, Aldo!

Ngh... Wha...

Aldo, wake up! The sun's already risen well above the Pekari trees!

*yawn* Can't I sleep in a little longer?

Honestly! You've got Baruoki Guard training today, remember?

Huh? But wasn't that yesterday?

What are you talking about? You only got here last night!

I did?

Heheh, you're such a sleepyhead! Come on, you've gotta get going!

Sorry! Were you waiting long?

A little while, yes. But... You must have been in quite the rush. You haven't even fixed your bed hair yet.

Huh?!

Just like the old days!

Wait, I... Didn't this happen yesterday?

I remember it so clearly. We were all here...

So what are we doing today?

Basic rescue training and mock-fighting in Nuaru Uplands, right?

Oh, you knew already?

And there's a monster in Moonlight Forest. We need to look for it first.

Hey, how did you know all that? How strange, it's like you know what I'm about to say before I even say it. But yes, you're quite right. Let's go and look for this monster in Moonlight Forest.

......

Okay, let's split up and look. There's a chance it's left the pond by now, so be careful as you go.

It doesn't seem like anyone else remembers yesterday... But I remember it far too clearly for it to have been a dream.

As I remember, Nomar finds the monster while checking out the pond, we beat it, and Feinne and May turn up. We do our training, we all have dinner together, it gets late, I go to bed, and that's it for the day.

Should I do the same thing all over again?

Hey, where are you going? The monster will be further in.

Hey, where are you going? The monster will be further in.

If I wait for Nomar to find the monster, everything will happen as it did yesterday. What should I do?

Huh? That's the monster!

That's the one we defeated yesterday! I'd better follow it.

It flew off this way... Huh?

What the?!

Whoa?!

Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or did that monster just get sucked into that thing? What in the world?

Ogre Rancorem?!

I do not like it...

Huh?

I feel an interfering power strong enough to disturb my sleep... The flow of time is in disarray. Something from far beyond this world...

Beyond this world? What do you mean? Hey, wait... Does this have anything to do with why I feel like I'm repeating the same thing all over again today?

Hmm... Perhaps all of your traveling through time has sharpened your intuition. Through that rift...I sense a vortex of immense power. Our world is only touching the very edge of that torrent. But it is enough to distort time here.

Then...

Time should flow from past to future, but this vortex is dragging it in, forcing it to rewind. This reversed time merges with the past, flows to the future, then back, then forth. And we're caught in the middle.

So what you're saying is... The flow of time in this world is stuck, endlessly going around and around like a whirlpool? And this huge vortex thing is dragging it along, like a cog in a machine? And that's why the same day is being repeated?

Precisely.

Then what should we do?

I don't know. All I know is the size and direction of the force.

Come on, help me out here! Unless we do something, we're going to be stuck repeating the same day forever!

Then you should look for a way to sever the distortion.

And you say, this distortion's being caused by some powerful vortex from outside this world?

Quite. But it is too immense. I can't see the whole thing with my powers.

So to stop it... Hey, wait. Do we really need to stop it?

What do you mean?

I don't really get how this thing works, but isn't the flow of time only being distorted since the vortex touches it? So couldn't I just cut off the bit that's connected to our world?

Sever the connection with the vortex? Interesting. It's worth a try. The connection must be this rift. Wield me, Aldo!

Okay, here we go!

Wha?! What the... There's something different about this. It doesn't look like the other wormholes I've seen.

Don't touch it. That leads to the vortex.

Huh?!

Or, to be precise, it's the gap between the vortex and this world. It is likely only temporary, but who knows what might happen if you got too close to it.

That doesn't sound good...

Hey, wait! You said it was a gap? So we did it? We separated the vortex from this world?

Indeed. I no longer feel the time- distorting power. Now, I can finally slumber undisturbed.

Hey! Ogre Rancorem!

......

How can he just go to sleep at a time like this?! I still had questions. Forget it. At least this should mean I'm no longer stuck repeating the same day?

That's a relief...

Waaah!

Wh-What was that?!

That sounded like a scream!

Nooo! Get away from me! Shoo! Shoo!

The vortex...is talking?!

No way. There must be someone on the other side. Maybe that monster from before is wreaking havoc over there?

Eeek! Leave me alone! Nooo!

He did say that there was a huge vortex through here...

Help me!

But I can't just leave them. Hold on, I'm coming!

What is this place? I've never seen anything like it! Ah! That's...

That's definitely the monster from before.

Phew. It should be safe for now. But then...

I don't see whoever was calling out just now. Maybe they got away?

Wargh?!

Wh-What the! Who's shooting at me?!

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Why are you shooting at me?! Hey! Whoever you are, could you PLEASE stop shooting those arrows at me?! I'm sorry if I've done something wrong!

It stopped?

No way...

Hm? That's the voice from before. Who's there?!

No way, nuh-uh. This can't be real. My eyes must be playing tricks on me.

Hey! Stop it! Are you trying to make me angry?!

Eek! It talked! Then it really is...

......

A person?

Huh?

Yippee! It's a person! Not a monster! An actual, genuine, bona fide PERSON!

Yeah, I feel like I'm missing something here? First you start shooting at me, now you're jumping for joy because I'm a person?

Oh, sorry! It's just been so long... I was so shocked to see you. Erm, I guess I should explain!

Okay...

Huh?

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that.

If you were so happy, then why did you try to shoot me?

Huh?!

So that's why you nearly killed me?!

My name's Aldo. I'm from a village called Baruoki. I got here through a place called Moonlight Forest.

Are they bringing back any memories? They're part of the Kingdom of Miglance.

Oh... Then maybe you're from a different place or time.

Oh, umm... That might take quite a while to explain.

But we can always walk and talk. Either way, we've got to start looking for a way to get you home!

No, I can get back. Look...

I came here through this gateway. I'm pretty sure it's still connected to Moonlight Forest.

Why not? Aren't you looking for your way home?

It's because I can go home that I want to help you do the same. How can I just abandon you after finding out that you've been stuck here all alone, trying to get home?

Well, now there's two of us. That should make it a little easier.

Well, if you say so! Come on, let's try heading in this direction.

This is where I searched yesterday. Should I do the same thing all over again?

No, there's no point in doing the same thing again. I'll try doing something different.

I'll do what I did yesterday. Maybe I've got the wrong end of the stick about this whole thing.

Th-The monster! It's here!

Just like yesterday! Then...

I don't know where it came from, but it's made a mess in the forest. We'd better defeat this thing quickly.

Let's do this!

The fight even went exactly the same. That settles it. Today is definitely a repeat of yesterday. Which means that May and Feinne...

I thought it was you.

You startled us! We were out looking for some cooking herbs when we heard all this commotion.

Oh, right. You're cooking up a feast today, aren't you?

Whoa, how did you know that! I only started preparing after you left!

So finish up your training quickly! I want to party!

Heheh, that was so much fun!

Yeah... So today really was a repeat of yesterday. No matter what I did, it still ended up the same. I hope this is just a bad dream. I don't want to be stuck doing the same thing again tomorrow...

Wakey wakey, Big Bro! Aldo... Wake up, Aldo!

Ngh... Wha...

Aldo, wake up! The sun's already risen well above the Pekari trees!

Urgh!

*giggle* There's no need to get all flustered.

But you've got Baruoki Guard training today. You'd better get yourself ready.

Oh no, not again...

Huh?

Oh, it's nothing. Unless I find some way to change things, I'm going to be stuck living out this same day again and again...

Okay, let's split up and look. There's a chance it's left the pond by now, so be careful as you go.

Okay. This time, I've got to find a way to escape from this time loop.

I've got to find Nona a way home, first.

This is such a strange place...

Isn't it? It's not just the monsters, there's all these lumps of steel, old pots, and who knows what else! And whenever I retrace my steps, things turn up that definitely weren't there before. Creepy, right?

Hmm. Maybe things from different times are washing up here?

What's that supposed to mean?

Before I came here, my sword, Ogre Rancorem, told me...

H-Hold on a minute! Your sword talks?!

Heh, yeah. I guess I've got a lot of explaining to do! You see...

Whoa! You can travel through time?! That's incredible! Your talking sword was one thing, but WHOA! I can hardly get my head around all this!

Yeah, I know. Sometimes I still find myself wondering if this is all just a dream. But anyway, now that I've filled you in, we can get back to the topic at hand. You see, this place...

Nope, we can talk about that later!

Huh?!

I want to hear more about your adventures! There must be loads you haven't told me, right?

Yeah, but that would go on forever!

PLEEEAAASE? Just humor me! I've been so bored on my own...

Fine. But only till we get over there.

*giggle* Your stories are like fairy tales. I love them!

Are we happy yet?

Yes! I could keep listening forever, but I should really save some for another time!

So... Ogre Rancorem, was it? He said something about this place?

Okay, this is pretty difficult to explain, but...

...Oh, I see. So we're inside a huge vortex.

Yes. And I think all these objects and monsters here have been swept in from different worlds. And the same probably goes for you, Nona. We just don't know from where or when.

Huh. It's certainly possible. I wish I could remember something, anything, about where I used to live. I mean, what happens if we never find my home?

Well, if you ever decide you want to stop looking, you could always come traveling with me and my friends.

Really?! You're not just saying that?

I'm serious. We could go on some fun adventures. Is there anywhere you want to go?

Umm. Well, I do like the sea.

The sea?

Sometimes I feel like I almost remember the image of a glittering horizon, far off in the distance. But I don't know which sea it is. Or if it even IS the sea...

It sounds like an important memory for you. Okay, I'll take you to the sea!

Yay! I'm gonna hold you to that!

So even if I don't find my way home, at least I won't have to be alone anymore! *giggle* Knowing that makes me feel so much better!

I'm so excited, I feel like I could run around this vortex 100 times!

Hey, take it easy!

...... Hey! Aldo!

Yes?

Whoa! You turned around! Then you really are real...

Of course I'm real?

But what if you weren't? I was having so much fun before, I felt so happy. I thought maybe it was too good to be true. I was worried it was all a dream...

Ah, that's what's troubling you?

Don't worry, it's not a dream. Life's been pretty tough on you, hasn't it?

Stop it! Don't say such nice things! You're gonna make me cry!

Just because of that?!

Okay. We've explored pretty much everywhere, but I don't see any clues.

No. But this was way more fun than searching on my own...

Hm?

What's wrong?

I thought I heard a voice coming from over there?

R-Really?

Let's go, Aldo! We might find something!

Aldo! Over here!

Hey, slow do, ! Whoa?!

Hey, you can't just stop like that! You made me run right into you!

Sorry... But, look...

Is that a person? We're not the only ones here?

So I'm not just imagining things?!

Hm?

What the...

Looks like he's as surprised as we are.

Do you think he's lost here, like us?

Aldo, you go check him out! I'm scared of strangers!

Since when?! Aren't I a stranger?!

Hey, you two. Sorry to disturb you.

Eeep?!

You're not monsters or ghosts or anything, are you?

No... It's kinda a long story, but we're both lost in here.

How did you get here?

Me, from a place called Moonlight Forest, near the village of Baruoki. But Nona here doesn't remember.

Interesting. I guess you're in the same boat as us, then.

US?!

I reckon we've got a lot to talk about. Why don't I take you to the others?

You can call me Noahxis. Up ahead is our base, Arat.

I never would have imagined there were other people actually living here.

Well, same! We thought we were the only lost souls here!

Many a monster washes up here, but never people.

Anyway, it's good that you made it here in one piece. There's all kinds of dangerous things out there, huh?

Hey, quit crowding them or you'll scare them off! Anyway, aren't you meant to be on watch? Having guests is no excuse to slack off.

Fine. Honestly, you're such a nag, Boss.

Boss?

Um, yeah. The young'uns call me that. They think they're being funny.

Sorry about them. But you're the first visitors we've ever had in Arat, so this is pretty mind-blowing for them.

Arat, eh? So what is a village doing in a place like this? How long have you all been here?

That's a fair question. Now how to explain it... I'm guessing that you two arrived in these backwaters with nothing but the clothes on your back, right? Well, same. One day, we just found ourselves here.

Wha?!

Who knows how long we've been here. We've managed to survive easily enough, using whatever items wash ashore. We have all we need, so we're just getting on with our lives in this little bachelor pad of ours.

You don't want to get back to wherever you came from?

Sure, we're looking for the way home, but living comes first. I don't exactly pine for home or anything. But you two are different, right? What's your story?

...So, this is a huge vortex that distorts time? I never imagined we were living in such an uncertain place. But this does actually explain one mystery...

And what's that?

Well, inside this vortex, there's this place we call the Maze. There are all kinds of ancient treasures and weapons from who-knows- when there, all bent out of shape. A few got curious and went to take a look, but they came across a weird monster. They ran back here for dear life. The treasures and monsters might be related to the time distortion?

Interesting. Maybe this place will have some kind of clue about your home, Nona.

I'm not so sure about that. No one's ever seen this otherworldly portal you mentioned in there, plus it's way more dangerous than here. But if you just want to see what this place is like, I can tell you how to get there. There's a trick to it, you see.

Thank you! We might take you up on that!

And, Nona. If you ever have problems in these parts, you can always come to us. And if we find anything of interest, we'll let you know right away.

Really?!

Of course. If you want to get home, then we're here to help!

Thank you so much! That's so kind!

But, Aldo.

Yes?

Maybe don't say anything to the others about a sword that can cut through space.

Why not?

I'm ashamed to say, one of the villagers is a little light-fingered, if you know what I mean. I'm just not sure who. And talk of such a rare sword will get those fingers twitching, you mark my words. You said this sword chooses its owner? That sounds like an accident waiting to happen...

Y-Yeah. It's not exactly safe for someone else to use it.

I am sorry about this.

But please don't tell anyone.

Okay, I won't.

Hm?

Noahxis! There's something new! Over there!

It's like a pillar of light or something! Come and have a look!

Coming!

Are you two coming with?

Um, sure...

Okay, I'll go on ahead. Follow me!

Ah, there you are. This is what they found.

What is it?

We threw a pebble at it, and it got sucked right in. It looks like it leads somewhere.

But it doesn't look like that wormhole you came through, Aldo. I wonder what it is.

It looks a bit like the pillars of light in the Spacetime Rift.

It turns up the same day I meet you two? This can't be a coincidence.

Maybe it has some kind of connection to you...

I was thinking the same thing. We might find Nona's home, or at least some sort of clue through here. But we won't know unless we jump in.

Will you come with me, Aldo?

Of course!

Okay, we'll see you off. If you need anything, we can sort you out in Arat!

Understood! Thanks!