In a distant future, mankind discovers they're not alone in this universe. Aliens arrive, and the Earth gets engulfed in space wars, where humans turn out helpless and defenceless, regardless of their nuclear and biological weapons. One of the stron...
Ellie and Dohta found themselves on a strange colourful asteroid floating through the immense space. It was entirely covered in green, purple, blue, yellow, and all the other colours of shimmering crystals. They seemed like living houses and whole cave-cities. Human-like people with glowing crystal spines were walking around freely. Some were munching tiny oval crystals and talking amongst each other in the strange language Dohta often used for his incantations.
"Wow, this place is beautiful!"
"This is the Daluma Asteroid – the place where I was born and raised. At least, this is how it looks like in my childhood memories. I don't think it would've changed much, though".
"I've never seen anything so marvellous before..."
The environment began to go blurred and soon changed into a green underground crystal palace. They appeared in a special room where a lot of green crystals were generated, glowing brightly. Near this mass of crystals, a lot of people were gathered, mostly women. They had surrounded a tall couple in shiny clothes – a green-haired woman with beautiful yellow eyes, yellow crystal spine, and a brightened face like the sun; and a dark-purple-haired man with darkened eyes full of coldness and nihilism. For some reason, Dohta's gaze came to Ellie's mind when she beheld the countenances of these two entities – the woman's sparkling liveliness, and the man's cold demeanour.
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"W... What is this place?"
"This is where Daluman children were being born. The Daluma give birth from crystals they generate together. In that sense, we breed the same way as the Bakhals do. That couple," Dohta pointed on the blackened man and the lively woman, "were the rulers of the Daluma Asteroid – Chiefess Ethna Vaagard and Hral Hadosh Vaagard, born as Hadosh Ruht. 'Hral' is a title men earn when they marry Daluman chiefesses. It is sort of a 'king-husband' position. Since in our culture women are superior, men do not get to rule..."
Ellie could see how at this last sentence Dohta's fist clenched so hard it nearly bled, and his face got covered with a deep frown. Sensing the sinister energy had begun to emerge from him, she decided to change the subject:
"So, why are we in this place? It should be your remembrance too, shouldn't it? I don't see you here..."
"I am already here. The very minute a Daluma child gains consciousness inside its crystal, its memories are already clear. We remember everything from the minute we are born to the very second we die".
"Wow! Humans cannot do that. I don't even remember my father's face since he left when I was still tiny..."
"Don't worry. I was told family bonds are strong. Even if you don't remember him, once you see him, you'll understand it's him".
"Told? Have you not felt it on your own_"
"Ah, Hadosh, look, it's starting to break through!"
Ellie's speech was cut by Chiefess Ethna Vaagard's joyful exclamation as she and her husband, together with their subordinates who supervised the childbirth process, stared at one of the green crystals that had indeed begun to break. Dohta smiled:
"Let's save conversations for later. A very important event is going to unfold. I guess, once you see all these memories for yourself, you'll find the answers to your questions on your own".
Suddenly, the crystal began to glow blue, even though it was green. Not only Ellie who was seeing the Daluman childbirth for the first time, but every presenting subordinate and the couple gasped in astonishment:
"It is a blue crystal child!"
"Ah, Hral Vaagard, congratulations, it takes after you!" one of the women, most likely the eldest midwife, smiled at the blackened man.
"I wonder if it is a girl! Hadosh, imagine if our future princess inherits your prideful blue powers! It will be a total blast, right?"
Ethna was jumping around and shaking her always-cold-and-reserved husband, who pouted with annoyance since his wife didn't leave him in peace at least during this important event – the birth of their very first child; more so that this latter seemed to be inheriting his blue crystal powers – a very strong bloodline of his family, the Ruht Clan.
"For glowing crystal's sake, Your Splendour, settle down! I know you are restless but don't be so excited. If somehow your expectations don't come true, you will be utterly disappointed, and you will not treat the child as is due. I know your carefree nature. If it is a boy, you should by no means discard him".
"Nah, it's going to be a girl, I feel it!"
Ellie too watched the event excitedly now – she had never seen not just Daluman, but any sort of childbirth before. Unlike her, Ethna Vaagard's excitement was short-timed – the crystal broke, revealing a tiny boy with blue hair and blue crystal spine, wailing in a loud voice. He stared up at Ethna who took him, and Hadosh who gazed down at him from the side.
The minute the little baby opened eyes, Ellie's vision grew double as if she were in a dream – she began to see everything from the third angle as if a bystander, and from the little boy's perspective.
"That blue-haired baby... is that you, Dohta?"
"Yes".
She grew sorrowful at such a sad tone of her friend, but she did not ask for the reason since she could well understand it – Ethna, the very mother of the child, watched him with clear disappointment, while the father, Hadosh, retained his always-gloomy expression.
Once Ethna's cold tone sounded, all of Ellie's remaining doubts vanished and she began to get the idea of why her caretaker had said he was told about family bonds instead of experiencing them:
"First child... and a boy?"
"Aww, I am sorry, Your Splendour," the elder midwife put a hand on Ethna's shoulder as if trying to comfort her over a tragedy, "but it is fine, many chiefesses before you have had boys as first children, and the girls that followed became wonderful rulers nevertheless. Do not be disappointed. You can always try again. Hral is by your side, after all!"
"Yes, and such a wonderful man! I am sure one of your girls will definitely inherit his blue bloodline!"
"Maybe even purple? Hral Vaagard has purple glow too!"
"Ah, now that would be amazing!"
Dohta contemplated his birth memories together with Ellie, and, hearing these hideous speeches all over again, felt his crystal heart had started to break in multiple pieces, just like back then, as a baby. He did not need to comprehend their language. As a Daluma baby, he could already fully perceive all of the feelings the people around him were undergoing. Hence, he could perfectly sense their disappointment, scorn, and sorrow. That was the exact reason why his wail became louder, clearer, and sadder.
He felt a tender hand touch his burnt palm and squeeze it. He flinched and gazed down at Ellie beside him, whose eyes too had begun to fill with tiny tears:
