The gentle summer breeze here is enough to soothe the souls of even the most troubled individuals. The scent of the fields and the scrumptious dishes being prepared for tonight's festival will really help me think of other things besides that vivid nightmare I've had this morning. With the floating rhime crystals reflecting the sun's rays and creating a magnificent array of sparkling colors, the view this morning is unmatched. Truthfully, today would be the perfect day, except...

Clank!

"Hey, father, why are you making me fix three different floors of roof tiles!? It's the only holiday we have off the entire year!"

"I warned you about sleeping outside up there, didn't I!?"

I look down from the fourth floor roof past the pile of stone tiles I plan to put into place to see the man calling to me.

"Hey, toss me some more tiles, will you, father?"

He is a very large man of 210 centimeters in height with very muscular limbs. Despite his slowly distending waistline, he is still considered the pinnacle of strength around here. His long brown hair and beard both are shoulder-length, but even this cannot hide his green eyes and the cheerful smile that he usually wears. Too bad today he's more stern than cheerful...

With only his right hand, he tosses about six stone tiles up to the fourth floor.

"Dad, you're the one who wanted a house that resembled the smaller Chinese Yellow Crane Tower from the First Age! Honestly, why did you want so many floors anyway?"

Clank!

"You know we need more storage for our harvests, correcto? That was your request!"

(Animal tones...They still cannot get their proportions right. Two floors total would be fine.)

"How many times have I told you not to sleep on the roof?"

"Um...one moment."

I rush over to a few stone tiles with tally marks on them and scratch another mark into the third one from the left.

."..167 times over the past 3 years, father!"

"Don't go scratching those up! We're not made of money, you know!"

(All the more reason why you shouldn't have built something so massive!)

"So what caused you to fall through so many floors anyway? The last time you had a bad dream, you simply rolled off the third floor."

."......"

"You weren't having immoral thoughts about my daughter, were you?" My father asks with a smirk on his face.

"SAY WHHAATTT!?!?"

Distracted, I slip on a stone tile, fall off the roof and plunge towards the ground.

THUD!!!

"Hehehe."

"Ahem...Doryoko Tsurai," I say as I brush myself off, completely unscathed, "I can take a joke here and there, but accusing me of doing such things with my sister is an insult to my person."

"Says the one who is blushing," he snickers.

"Honestly, anybody would at a statement like that!"

"Hahahahahaha! You're so adorable when you're flustered!"

...

...

We both burst out laughing. I suppose I'm being...

Too...serious...

"Still, dreaming about you and Sueka getting killed is no laughing matter. And this one was so realistic."

"Like those last three? Where Sueka almost led to your own demise accidentally?"

"Not her fault that she was in heat. You know how animal tones get around that time of year. But otherwise, yes. I can still remember the silhouette of this blonde girl I don't recognize."

Occasionally, whenever I'm in a life-death situation, I end up having these detailed dreams and wake up abnormally tired in the morning due to rhime deprivation. What's more, I don't even know why it happens.

"Well, you do seem pretty tired today, hijo. Did you use 'Soul Conversion' in your sleep again?"

"I think so, but I only recall using 10%. I feel much more drained than that right now. It's almost like I've only got 40% of my rhime left."

(Soul Conversion 1...BEAT!)

Gaining more physical strength, I push hard with my legs and backflip up to the third floor.

"Don't worry, father. A dream that extreme is probably just a nightmare and nothing more. Come on, a snake capable of killing you? I can't think of anything that can beat you."

...

Clank!

"Hey, son! If you finish up quickly and help me get some supplies for the Rebirth Festival, almuerzo is on me!"

"You serious!?"

(Soul Conversion 10...BEAT!!!)

Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank!

With blinding speed, I finish laying all the tiles on the remaining floors in a matter of seconds. I stop in front of Doryoko and fall to my knees from exhaustion.

"Hey...we're out...of grout."

Doryoko looks to me and smiles. "Bien, we'll get some of that too."

Putting his hand on my shoulder, Doryoko picks me up with one hand and helps me walk into town.

"Alright, everyone, get your rhime enhanced vegetables now! Get them before they're sold out at the Rebirth Festival! A bundle of everything for the low price of five mesures."

"Hey, Doryoko, want to buy some flowers for your lovely daughter? Heck, if she'll date my son, have them for free!"

"Sorry, but we're in a hurry. I can't make any promises."

"Hey, guys, want some fresh carne?"

(Ugh...)

(Oooohhh...I think I'm dying.)

"Just kidding! Here, some bananas, on the house!"

"Want to perform more powerful drives using less rhime? Then use these buffer crystals from New Vegas! Demonstrations at the Rebirth Festival!"

Rhime, pronounced "rhyme"...the main energy source for the citizens of all the continents of Orageru.

As we are taught in school, Orageru was once seven continents during the First Age, known as the "Age of Man," and has changed over the past three ages. The Second Age is known as the "Age of Elves," while the Third Age is the "Age of Dwarves," and the Fourth Age is known as the "Age of Yokai." Why each age ended is unknown, but we are currently living in the Fifth Age, the name of which has not yet been decided. Orageru itself is divided into five continents. The four naturally formed continents are Angelia, Belgoraga, Nakarein, and Obaken. The fifth and only artificial continent is referred to as Teconial and is home to the most technologically advanced societies at this time, using technology salvaged from the ruins of the First Age.

My hometown is Terraz, an agriculturalism based town that produces 80% of Angelia's food supply. Around here, the homes are a blend of Zhou Dynasty buildings and eighteenth to nineteenth century United Kingdom farms from the First Age. We work 364 days a year, except on the "Rebirth Festival," the day we pool our rhime together to replenish the rhime crystals that surround our town, in order to make the land more fertile for the upcoming year.

"Hey, we need some more grout and stone tiles."

"The usual? Coming right up!"

"Why don't you sell Second Age music?"

"Care to listen to my new song? I want to perform it at the festival!"

"Hey, Oren! Don't forget to tune that harp of yours this time!"

Despite the differences in each age, all ages have records of the existence of rhime. Though I only know eight, there are a total of nine "tones," or "elemental types," of rhime. The primary source of rhime is a giant crystal of all rhime tones known as the Rhoken that appears and disappears at the beginning of a new age for reasons unknown by scholars.

It is said that the single tone crystals that are floating everywhere across Orageru are fragments of the Rhoken. Also, people, like magnets, repel different rhime tone crystals. Just like I do. Rhime is naturally produced by everything, including our own bodies, but magic itself can only be used when our rhime is affected by specific vibration wavelengths.

CRASH!

"You call this pottery!? I could make something better than this in my sleep!"

Doryoko and I turn to a nearby antique booth and see a man in his early 20s or late teens. He is clearly a foreigner, not because of his height of around 170 centimeters, but it's because he's too slim for tedious physical labor. His attire is finely woven with gold and dark blue strands of silk that complements his wavy black hair and goatee. No doubt, he is of the upper class elsewhere.

Pity that his light-blue eyes, which could ease the hearts of many, are showing only anger and disdain towards the poor booth manager.

"I should have known that someone so imbecilic wouldn't be able to make something as simple as a mediocre decoration pot. You animal tones can't do anything right! I, Darius Dives, son of the New Vegas millionaire Arthur Dives, could make pottery infinitely better blindfolded!"

(I know that I critique Animal tones more than I should.) I think. (But these racist offenses cross the line!)

I move towards the man, but Doryoko grabs my arm.

"Just ignore him," he whispers to me.

"But...!"

"We don't want to cause any trouble between Terraz and more economically efficient settlements. Besides, you can't change a person's mind that easily."

"..."

"..."

"I...hate it when you're right about such things."

Just like us, the rest of the locals simply turn a blind eye and continue on their way. We walk a few meters. The bustling of Terraz's streets begins to drown out any insults hurled by the man.

"What música do you listen to, foreigner?"

"Mostly songs by 'Rin'' from the First Age. I'm glad music CDs and such remained intact."

"Hey, buddy, can you spare a mesure?"

"Have you heard about New Vegas? Three more casualties."

"You think it's the Keisetsu? Or is it that Se...Sel...best not to say his name out loud."

Nowadays, with the exception of those with complete control over their rhime, everyone activates their rhime magic, also known as "drives," using music. Each rhime tone can only be activated whenever a unique style of music is played, and no two types share the same musical style.

"Two pumpkins? Coming right up!" says a tall storekeeper.

Clapping his hands together, he begins to sing a verse from a traditional Japanese style chant.

Listen to thy soul, O Earth,

Please heed my humble call.

As he continues to sing, an aura of green rhime begins to disperse from his body and circulate clockwise around him with increasing speed. A common, but never a boring sight around here.

Bless us with your bounty

To share by one and all.

As soon as the chant ends, pumpkins begin to grow at his feet. That is one of the many powers of rhime.

In Terraz, the two native tones are animal tones and plant tones. Animal tones can turn into specific animals from varying genera and habitats by listening to samba, while plant tones

control their powers by listening to traditional Japanese music.

"Think that's everything?" I ask Doryoko.

"Well, we still need..."

GONG!

"Wait," I say as I stop to listen. "Isn't that the...?"

GONG!

(The temple gong? Now?)

"Um, father? What time is it?" I ask with alarm.

"11:00. The tournament should finish getting registrations."

....................................................

"OH NOOOOO!!!!"

I look around for a place to put my groceries.

(No time! No time!)

As a last resort, I turn around and toss my groceries towards Doryoko in the hope that he will catch them.

"Sorry, Doryoko! I've gotta go!"

Turning in the direction of the gong's sound, I go into a crouch four point starting position for sprinting.

(Soul Conversion 5...BEAT!)

And with newfound energy, I push off at breakneck speed towards the coliseum near Terraz's celebratory temple.

"Hey, Oren! Don't do anything crazy!" my father yells out after catching some of the groceries.

Many of the townsfolk watch this scene and simply smile and chuckle. Doryoko, listening to the crowd, hears a few "That's our Oren" and "Some things must run in the family." One man remarks, "about 70 kilometers an hour - he's desperate." A tall man dressed in a plant decorated monsuke walks up to Doryoko and helps him pick up the remaining groceries that he missed, asking...

"Think he will win this year?"

After pausing to think, Doryoko bursts into his usual laughter.

"Not a chance!"

"AND HERE WE ARE at the 100th annual Rebirth Festival Tournament!" proclaims the announcer into his microphone. Everyone attending could guess that he isn't local, given his fancy white tuxedo and his lean figure with short, trimmed blond hair.

"Who will be the winner and show us the true definition of power? We have 14, no, now 16 participants this year wishing to go home with the grand prize! A full roster! And for all you foreigners, now's the time to place your bets while you still can! I know that everyone who lives here knows what's at stake, but for those of you from other locations of Angelia, here is a little history lesson!..."

"As most of the locals are plant and animal tones, survival of the fittest has been a driving force for these people. However, since Terraz locals work every day of the year for our fresh produce for all of Angelia, socializing and wooing the opposite sex are hindered due to constant work. But today, the one day off this busy town has the entire year, this is their chance to make their feelings known. Today is not only Terraz's day of rest, it is also their Valentine's Day! And what better way for physical powerhouses to show their dedication than fighting for their loved ones! Love is in the air and is driving these gifted fighters...!"

"Will he ever shut up?" asks one of the animal tones softly. This one is taller than most, at 180 centimeters, but not really muscular, with shaggy hair blocking his left eye. Over the years, I have come to know him as a very compassionate friend.

"Hey, Tony!" I yell, gasping for breath.

"Hm? Oren? You're here?" Tony says in surprise. "This is unexpected."

"I got the third to last position, can you believe it?"

"Considering how fatigued you look, you should be glad you get the last fight of the preliminaries. And besides, I thought you weren't participating this year."

"Not with the grand prize on the line!"

"I don't see why you need it. Unlike the rest of us, you actually have someone special..."

I hope he cannot see me blushing underneath my hood.

"And I doubt she would want you beaten to a pulp like the last couple of years."

(Ouch... I forgot about that. Hehe. Honestly, I don't recall much of those battles.)

"Well, I've improved quite a bit over the past year. Don't underestimate me just because of my previous record."

I look back to Tony and see him grin. "Looking forward to it," he says to me.

"And with that out of the way..." states that announcer, "Here is this year's grand prize!"

We all look up to see him holding a necklace of pure white pearls.

"Kindly donated by the Dives' Newspaper Corporation, this necklace will look good on any of the lovely ladies here in Terraz! And for you female participants, this can sell for more than enough to buy stuff for yourself and the loved one you're fighting for!"

I look around to see many of the foreigners rolling their eyes and whispering in confusion. Maybe it doesn't amount to much for them. But for us, people who constantly work all year long, such a "trivial" trinket is impossible to obtain and is beyond luxury. I'm sure Sueka would love it!

"Now that you know what's at stake...Let the tournament...BEGIN!!!"

"YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!" roars the crowd.