The wind whispered softly, lifting swirls of golden sand.
The air carried a fresh, sweet scent—the kind only desert palm trees could produce.
Efa slowly opened her eyes, still disoriented.
Around her stretched an unreal landscape as far as she could see.
Then she jolted upright.
— "The train?!"
The train she had been riding minutes earlier no longer existed as one piece.
Its fragments were floating in midair, scattered across the sky like debris drifting in space, defying all sense and logic.
A crackling sound echoed nearby:
> Bzzz… elcome! I wish you a pleasant stay in drrrrrream Desert!
Efa turned her head left, then right—nothing.
Then she felt a tiny nudge at her foot.
She crouched down.
— "You're so cute! Wait—you're a robot, right? That's so rare here!"
A small circular robot, no taller than her boot, stared back with its glassy eyes.
It balanced on a single wheel, wobbling slightly as it moved.
The robot replied in a glitchy voice:
> I am Model RING, serial number 060605. Niiice to meeet yooou…
Efa couldn't help but smile.
— "Ring 060605 is way too long… How about Rin instead? Sounds much better."
The robot emitted a cheerful tchak-tchak, as if delighted by its new name.
Efa glanced up at the sky.
It was night.
— "Hold on… You greeted me with 'good morning,' but it's clearly nighttime."
Rin responded:
> Dream Desert is covered by an artificial veil capable of shielding the entire archipelago.
It's used for sand commerce.
I was originally a tourist guide for visitors… but now I'm pretty much scrap material…
Efa shook her head softly.
— "Don't say that. That little glitch of yours gives you a certain charm, you know?"
But her expression soon darkened.
— "I'm mostly worried about my companions… They were on the train with me. Then it exploded."
Rin answered calmly:
> You survived.
Given your small build, it is statistically likely that your companions—who appear more robust—survived as well.
— "Hey! That's not very nice!" Efa protested, offended.
Rin continued in his usual flat tone:
> For now, you should head to the city of DREAM.
Temperatures here change veeeery quickly. Follow me.
The little robot rolled forward, leaving a faint trace on the sand.
Efa followed him silently.
— "I hope you're right… They must be alive…"
She stared at the distant, dark horizon.
— "DREAM, huh? Not a very original name."
Rin vibrated slightly, almost mysteriously:
> Names tend to be misleading in this region…