What the heck is that?!
A nous.
Nous Falaina.
A nous?
You mean the strange thing that was on your island?
There's one on the Mud Whale too?
The nous are like the hearts of the ships that float in the Sand Ocean.
If its nous is destroyed, the Mud Whale will sink.
Neri?
So you've made it this far.
Island girl, I see you have us figured out.
However, it's too late!
Do it! All is for the Mud Whale!
Stop!
No!
Oh silence, melodies, you Marked of fleeting lives
seijaku yo senritsu yo hakanaki shirushi yo
Oh silence, melodies, you Marked of fleeting lives
seijaku yo senritsu yo hakanaki shirushi yo
So long as you choose to live upon this land above sand
sajou ni kono chi ni ikitsudzuketa no nara
So long as you choose to live upon this land above sand
sajou ni kono chi ni ikitsudzuketa no nara
Listen to the whale's song from this world bathed in sin
tsumi wo matou sekai kara kujira no uta wo kiita
Listen to the whale's song from this world bathed in sin
tsumi wo matou sekai kara kujira no uta wo kiita
Listen to the whale's song from this world bathed in sin
tsumi wo matou sekai kara kujira no uta wo kiita
Embrace fate, emotions, and do not fear, children
unmei wo kanjou wo idaku beki kotachi yo
Embrace fate, emotions, and do not fear, children
unmei wo kanjou wo idaku beki kotachi yo
Embrace fate, emotions, and do not fear, children
unmei wo kanjou wo idaku beki kotachi yo
Follow them, follow them, to the future that lies beyond
sono saki e sono saki e michibikareta no nara
Follow them, follow them, to the future that lies beyond
sono saki e sono saki e michibikareta no nara
Follow them, follow them, to the future that lies beyond
sono saki e sono saki e michibikareta no nara
A thousand voices lead to a dream land
ikusen no koe kuusou no chi e
A thousand voices lead to a dream land
ikusen no koe kuusou no chi e
Turn the rudder and change course
kaji wo kitte ikou to shita
Turn the rudder and change course
kaji wo kitte ikou to shita
A thousand voices sing the sand ocean ballad
ikusen no koe suna no umi no baraado
A thousand voices sing the sand ocean ballad
ikusen no koe suna no umi no baraado
A thousand voices sing the sand ocean ballad
ikusen no koe suna no umi no baraado
What's happening this time?!
The Mud Whale has never shaken this much before!
What?!
Seems like it's begun.
Whoops!
Don't give up now! Everyone will be dead in a few hours.
Why don't we just keep playing until the end?
Are we really going to sink?
That's right.
We'll all die.
And you're okay with that?!
I should ask you.
Are you really that attached to your own life?
Because I'm not.
Living is a pain.
Humans are bothersome creatures.
Our hearts are the biggest nuisance.
Let's liberate everyone with the power of the sand.
Both you and I can be saved from the suffering of life!
Don't decide for me.
What you want to dispose of is your world alone.
Not mine.
My life is my own to decide!
We were born and raised on the Mud Whale.
On this tiny world.
What overwhelmed me the most about the outside world
was learning that even there, the lives of so many different people intertwine.
And yet each of their paths is not straightforward.
They make up the colossal record of a vortex of blinding light and darkness.
It scared me.
That people, and the records of their lives, could vanish in an instant.
Keep going! Falaina's life must be completely extinguished!
Lykos!
Hurry up and fire!
No matter how painful or sad it may be, I do not want to ever give up my role as archivist.
We do not yet wish to give up on ourselves.
Lykos!
Stop...
Please just stop already!
You dumbass! The hell're you thinking hurting a comrade?!
Everyone on the Mud Whale is like family!
Why?
Why is someone from the mainland trying to stop us?
Are you not a soldier sent to destroy us?
If Falaina is destroyed, the Mud Whale and all its people will sink.
Is that not what your country wants?
I... don't want that to happen.
You are not sinners.
You hold something important that we've lost.
You are this world's hope.
That is what I believe.
Lykos!
You call us hope?
Preposterous.
We have borne our sins for the last hundred years.
To shed them, our only recourse is leaving this mortal plane.
We are sinners!
And who the hell decided that?!
Are you saying that Lady Taisha and Sami and everyone else were sinners, so it was fine for them to die?
Are you saying that's okay?!
I don't know anything about the past.
I don't know anything about the people who attacked us either.
You say it's hopeless, but Lykos came from the world outside and grew to love the Mud Whale!
Is that not what you call hope?
One day, other people out there may come to understand us too!
What's wrong with believing in that?!
As long as there's still hope, I don't want to run!
I swear I'll protect Lykos and everyone else!
Be silent!
Move aside!
No!
Hurry!
Shoot Falaina!
What are you doing?!
Let me see!
We need to treat you.
Rest easy. Most Unmarked are trained in medicine.
Elder Shiraai! Elder Nashiji!
Sorry, Hakuji. Take her to the infirmary.
Hang in there.
Why don't they understand?
We did not decide this lightly.
Why are they still hesitating?
Hakuji. I was the one who summoned them here.
Why?
I've burdened you with unnecessary anxiety.
I'm sorry, Mama.
Did the shaking stop?
Did he do it?
Darn, the geezers chickened out at the last second.
Hey, your eye...
This is a false paradise. Everything is doomed to rot.
The children of the whale are all born into this curse.
It would be so much easier if we abandoned these decaying bodies and unneeded hearts.
We'll finish our fight another day.
I like saving my favorites for last.
If I have to keep living, I want the fun to last.
What was with all that rocking?
It broke.
Our jailbreaking tool!
What now?! How are we supposed to save Suou?
You're the one who fell on it.
Lose some weight.
Sh-Shut up.
Elder Hakuji.
I've lived my life with restraint, closing off my heart, and doing what I thought right only to have it all fall apart...
We have lost our way.
What should we do for our island, our people?
Here.
Drink up. It'll help you relax.
We promise not to lock you up anymore.
You can rest easy.
We must go and properly talk it through.
To what end?
If mass suicide is off the table, what should we...
What should the children do?
Have you seen Neri?
Nope.
Where did she go? I have so much to ask her.
Thank goodness the Mud Whale is still here.
Chakuro!
Congratulations on becoming Chieftain.
It suits you, Master Suou!
We're your aides starting today.
But I thought you served Lady Taisha.
Normally the aides would be chosen again, but it's an emergency situation.
We haven't asked the Council of Elders yet, but it's okay if we report it to them later.
Then I'll be counting on you, unreliable as I am.
We've got a problem if the Chieftain's calling himself unreliable at a time like this.
Just quit if you aren't up to it.
Whew, talk about being blunt.
Who're you calling blunt?
Your attitude was totally different with Lady Taisha.
It's only—
Sh-Shut up.
Come along now, Suou.
Huh? To where?
To see Lykos.
She has something important to tell us.
What about the Council?
What?! You're way too naive.
They can hear about it after.
Honestly, I don't feel like we can trust them after what they've done.
I know they did it for the Mud Whale's sake, but still.
Should we be dividing ourselves at a time like this?
We're just gathering information first.
Fortunately, it seems like she's really opened up to Chakuro.
Basically, Lykos is in the palm of our hand.
I always thought the Chieftain's aides were just the Council's pawns.
This time's special.
We're doing it for our people.
Both we and the Council are on the same page.
Nous?
The Elders were attempting to destroy that to sink the Mud Whale?
Yes.
Every ship has a nous on it!
That means we can repel them by destroying their nous!
But I guess if we do that, the people of your country will end up sinking.
Don't worry. They have ways to safely return to the mother ship.
They have a mother ship too?!
Still, losing Skylos will be a significant blow to their force.
Is this "Skylos" the only battleship your country has?
You stay out of this!
Back off!
I think it's fine.
We need as much knowledge and experience as possible to put Chakuro's plan into action.
You really think Masoo's got any useful knowledge?
Shut up and go back to dying!
Just sleep until you're healed!
I'm fine and dandy, thanks! Why don't you just shut your mouth, musclehead?
Please go on, Lykos.
The Empire possesses eight nous ships in total.
They have eight of those huge ships?!
For real?
They only have eight.
The nous are creatures who eat emotions.
Those who own the nous have the power to control the hearts of man.
That's why my brother...
Why they prioritized retrieving the nous Lykos.
Why was your ship in shambles and all of the other people dead?
Who did that?
A ship from a country hostile to the Empire.
There are even more out there?!
Yes, several.
You guys have eight of those huge ships with trained soldiers on each?
And you all come from a bigger country, plus there are other countries who fight you...
And still other nations exist besides those?
My head hurts.
Incredible!
I'll have to tell Ouni about this later.
And they are our enemies as well?
Only the Empire is trying to destroy the Mud Whale.
The other countries don't even know of Falaina's existence.
Why is the Empire trying to destroy the Mud Whale and Falaina?
Falaina is different from the other nous.
Different how?
It can't eat people's emotions.
And just as Falaina has a different nature from other nous, so did your ancestors from ours.
Huh?
Your ancestors rejected the control of the nous, and made the decision to live with emotions.
Falaina, having failed its original purpose of eating emotions,
was used by the Empire to imprison your ancestors in the Sand Ocean instead.
We learned—I was taught that Falaina was full of barbarians who lived with emotions.
That this small ship was a living hell overflowing with hatred and distrust.
Now that the Empire's adversaries have gained the ability to traverse the Sand Ocean,
they can't risk Falaina falling into their hands.
But even now, the Empire can't recognize or accept Falaina and its sinners.
Their only choice...
was to destroy Falaina and exterminate all of the sinners' descendants.
B-But there might be people who aren't our enemies out there too, right?
Somewhere in the outside world.
Maybe, but I don't know anything about the other countries.
Still, there's a huge difference between the entire world being our enemy and not.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as they say.
Do you think someone out there can find the Mud Whale and accept our existence?
Lykos.
Is it possible for us to wait for such a time?
You'll need to withstand the Empire's attacks until then.
Until we can find friends out there,
do you think we can hold out and fight for hope?
If that is what you wish, then I...
I will put my life on the line to help.
The new Chieftain has something to announce.
I wonder what caused yesterday's shaking.
It's the new Chieftain!
It's Suou!
I get the feeling that there's more to the truth than what Lykos told us.
Is there a deeper reason regarding our existence why the Empire wants to erase us?
Either way, it's a fact that we have hope.
Everyone!
He's starting.
Do not forget that every day without fail, every year without fail, the sun and stars continue to bless us.
They have never forsaken us.
Neither the heavens nor the sands curse us.
I'm amazed the Council approved this gathering.
Suou, you can do it!
I will now fully explain the situation we are in and what actions I propose we take.
We faced unprecedented tragedy only days ago.
There are those of us who are still in mourning.
Unfortunately, that will not be the last of it.
We have knowledge that they are planning to attack once more four days from now.
Please do not be overcome with despair!
Now is the time for us to raise our heads.
We must stand together!
We must not stop until we have found others in the world who understand us and will take our side!
I believe we must fight without being discouraged or intimidated.
It's okay. There, there...
To that end...
I must rely on you Marked and your thymia.
I've always wished to save you from the chains of your brief lifespans.
And yet...
I have accomplished nothing.
And now I must request this of you.
You're the only one here who's still weak-willed!
We all accepted the curse of our short lives long ago.
And we'll do the same however our fates may change!
All you need to do is stand proud and order us to fight!
Ouni?
Will you... lend your strength as well?
I will.
Good grief.
Nobody could tell whether our choice was right or wrong.
Four days remained until Skylos' full assault.
That was the only thing we knew for certain.
Passage 5
I don't want to run
Staring into the dried ocean remains
kawaita umi no ato nozonde
Staring into the dried ocean remains
kawaita umi no ato nozonde
Staring into the dried ocean remains
kawaita umi no ato nozonde
Imagining a river that may have flowed
mada minu taiga wo egaku
Imagining a river that may have flowed
mada minu taiga wo egaku
Imagining a river that may have flowed
mada minu taiga wo egaku
If my heart had remained imprisoned
toraware no kokoro no mama nara
If my heart had remained imprisoned
toraware no kokoro no mama nara
If my heart had remained imprisoned
toraware no kokoro no mama nara
I could have lived unaware of this pain
konna itami mo shirazu ni ita
I could have lived unaware of this pain
konna itami mo shirazu ni ita
I could have lived unaware of this pain
konna itami mo shirazu ni ita
But then they came speaking of such beauty
utsukushii kotoba wo tsugeta hito
But then they came speaking of such beauty
utsukushii kotoba wo tsugeta hito
But then they came speaking of such beauty
utsukushii kotoba wo tsugeta hito
I rise before the sun wakes to swim beyond the furthest reaches
yoake mo matazu ni hate no sono saki wo oyogu
I rise before the sun wakes to swim beyond the furthest reaches
yoake mo matazu ni hate no sono saki wo oyogu
I rise before the sun wakes to swim beyond the furthest reaches
yoake mo matazu ni hate no sono saki wo oyogu
We lay awake listening to memories within the song of bugs
mushi no uta nemurazu kimi to kiita kioku
We lay awake listening to memories within the song of bugs
mushi no uta nemurazu kimi to kiita kioku
We lay awake listening to memories within the song of bugs
mushi no uta nemurazu kimi to kiita kioku
Just keep holding my hand, I'll accept half-cold purple, travel to faraway lands
te wo tada musunde hashitairo demo tooi kuni demo
Just keep holding my hand, I'll accept half-cold purple, travel to faraway lands
te wo tada musunde hashitairo demo tooi kuni demo
Just keep holding my hand, I'll accept half-cold purple, travel to faraway lands
te wo tada musunde hashitairo demo tooi kuni demo
Let's go to embrace this dream born of our short lifetimes
mijikai isshou ni umareta yume wo dakishime ni yukou
Let's go to embrace this dream born of our short lifetimes
mijikai isshou ni umareta yume wo dakishime ni yukou
Let's go to embrace this dream born of our short lifetimes
mijikai isshou ni umareta yume wo dakishime ni yukou
Passage 6
Tomorrow, I might end
up having to kill someone