Elena gazed nostalgically at the unremarkable rock.
Marcos listened intently to her story, waiting in silence for her to continue.
"A long time ago, when I was very small, my mama passed away. She was warm, like the sun, and I loved her so much... When she was gone, the loneliness was overwhelming."
"I imagine it was. Losing someone precious is a sorrow that weighs heavily on anyone."
"Yeah... I used to come here just to cry. I’d hide behind the rocks and sob my heart out. One day, I realized I could hear a crying sound that matched my own. When I looked up, I found Poruru washed up on the beach."
Elena spoke softly, her eyes narrowing as she revisited the memories of that day.
She turned her gaze toward Poruru, who was currently frolicking along the shoreline. Marcos followed her lead, watching the creature play as Elena continued her tale.
"When we first met, Poruru was just a baby—even smaller than I was back then. It was covered in wounds and crying so painfully."
"Did Poruru have no companions? No others of its kind?"
"Papa said it had probably been attacked by monsters living nearby. We searched, but we never found any other Golden Cancers around the island."
"I see..."
As he listened, Marcos realized that Poruru was a kindred spirit to Elena; it too had lost its family before drifting to these shores. It struck him that even a creature as energetic as that monster carried the weight of a tragic past.
Elena went on to describe what happened next.
"I brought Poruru home and tended to its wounds. When Papa told me what had likely happened, I realized that Poruru was just like me. We both lost someone we loved, and we were both hurting. Once that thought took root, I couldn't just leave it. I decided then and there that we would stay together forever."
"So that is how the two of you became a family."
"Mm-hm! We’ve been inseparable ever since. Poruru grew up in the blink of an eye—now it's bigger than me and almost an adult! We've spent all this time by each other's side. Not as a replacement for my mama or for its own kind, but as a family that truly cherishes one another."
Marcos offered a gentle smile to Elena, who spoke with a mix of pride and lingering bashfulness.
He reflected on the idea that when two beings with the same emotional scars connect, the walls between their races simply vanish. As if sensing his thoughts, Elena continued.
"Fate is a whirlpool. It draws in joy and sorrow alike, spiraling into a great, surging swell... That’s what Papa always said. He told me that a fate that grows that large eventually pulls others into its wake, changing their destinies too."
"Those are profound words. And I suspect they are quite accurate."
"Right? The grief of being separated from someone precious is what brought Poruru and me together. It's the same for you, Marcos. You met Yugo, were pulled into his fate, and you changed because of it, didn't you? That’s why we’re standing here talking right now. If even one small thing had been different, none of this would have happened. And now that we've met, our paths have crossed... maybe our destinies will merge into an even greater fate."
"Haha, perhaps. If that’s the case, then we'll likely end up changing the lives of an incredible number of people."
Marcos found her words striking; they perfectly illustrated their current circumstances.
Even a small shift in destiny could create a ripple that grew into a vortex, eventually sweeping up the lives of others. His own path had been irrevocably altered when he was drawn into the wake of a man named Yugo. If he continued to grow alongside him and began to influence the fates of others in turn, they would eventually become a powerful whirlpool capable of moving the world.
He was glad he had come to this island. He hadn't found the weapon he was looking for yet, but he had gained something far more interesting.
As Marcos and Elena shared a quiet moment of mutual understanding, Poruru’s voice suddenly pierced the air.
"Kani! Kani-kani!"
"Poruru? What is it? Why are you making such a fuss?"
"Has something happened?"
Recognizing that Poruru’s tone wasn't its usual playful chirp but something closer to panic, the two of them hurried toward the sound.
They rounded a cluster of rocks on the beach that had obscured their view. When they reached Poruru's side, their eyes went wide at the sight before them.
"What are these boats? Shandia doesn't have anything like this...!"
Elena gasped in shock. Hidden among the rocks were several vessels that were clearly new-model boats.
Marcos stepped closer to inspect them. Suddenly, he sensed a volatile surge of Magic Power. His instincts screamed, and he immediately hauled Elena and Poruru away from the ships.
"Get back!"
"Kyaa!?"
"Kani!?"
The instant Marcos pulled them clear, a succession of sharp pops and cracks rang out—a series of small explosions.
The blasts weren't powerful enough to incinerate the boats, but they were more than enough to disable their navigation functions. Once the smoke cleared, Marcos moved back in to examine the wreckage.
"Marcos, what does this mean?"
"These belong to the Blue Ever Group. I'm certain of it. They’ve already landed on the island. But why would they rig their own transport with scuttling charges...?"
He couldn't think of anyone else who would sneak onto the island with such secrecy.
However, before he could puzzle out why the Blue Ever Group would destroy their own means of escape, his thoughts were cut short by the sight of thick, black smoke rising from the island’s interior.
"The fire! That's the area where so many of the monsters live! They’re in danger!"
"Let's go! Whatever is happening, we have to save them!"
The three of them broke into a dead run toward the rising flames.
Dashing through the brush until their lungs burned, they raced to save the monsters from the encroaching disaster. But when they finally arrived at the scene, the sight that greeted them left them paralyzed in silent horror.