NEW TERRITORY

"Isabelle," Isauro called his sister from outside. They had just moved into this house with their single mother. Having traveled for a long time, they had sore feet from walking such a long distance. The town was very dusty as the dry season had come. They were given this house to stay in by their father's brother, whom they had to travel so far to meet. It was a huge town, and they lived on the outskirts.

Isabelle went out and helped her mother carry the tied-up sack inside their new house. After unpacking, their mother lit up the lamp as it was already nighttime. This was the Bandaaa kingdom they had come into—very busy, unlike the isolated village they grew up in.

This was an era when magic and sorcery were forbidden, and kingdoms were at peace. Isauro and Isabelle were from a humble background, with only enough to eat. Their mother was a smart businesswoman who came here to grow her clothing and fabric business.

During this time in Bandaaa, women were to stay with their mothers, while men, at their young age, were free to roam, play in the streets, and help their fathers. Isabelle and Isauro, however, grew up in a village where children of different genders did both—helping mother and father, as well as being free to play.

Naturally, Isabelle was more lively than her older brother, although they were only one year apart. Coming here, she couldn't conform to the rules and would play among the boys, something her mother didn't see as wrong. Realizing these people were different, the people of the city easily noticed that the abandoned house on the outskirts had finally been inhabited.

There were many people who found Isabelle's behavior revolting, but since there wasn't a written rule forbidding her from doing that, they couldn't justify themselves. Isabelle was straightforward and challenged the elders whenever they tried to talk her out of mingling with the boys.

Her mother was even confronted about this and wanted Isabelle to adapt to the new environment, but Isabelle didn't want to be away from her brother and went against her mother's orders. She was not one to be tamed, especially by society. If she could not play as a girl, she would play as a boy. She bound her hair, dirtied her face, and disguised herself among them.

Some years later, when they were now teenagers, they went out to play. As usual, it was mostly boys, including Isabelle. They went to the riverbank to play around, away from the complaining people in the busy town because they kept causing trouble.

Suddenly, a heavy storm blew across the town. The marketplace fell into destruction as tables flew around, and roofs collapsed. The storm blew away the merchandise of the traders. Sellers and buyers ran in search of shelter.

All around was chaos and confusion. Mothers called out for their children in vain.

"Mio!!"

"George!"

"Kel!"

They screamed into the rain. The brave men ran out to save some valuable goods amidst the chaos. The market was filled with screams and the sound of doors shutting.

Kakra, the mother of Isabelle and Isauro, left her clothes and fabric to go in search of her children in the stormy marketplace.

The teens, out at the riverside, were peacefully playing when they heard a voice from afar.

"Run!! Take shelter!"

They were confused and asked what was going on. Suddenly, the dark clouds and strong winds headed toward them. They didn't know where to run.

Before them was a storm, and behind them was a river. Luckily, there was a small rowboat at the shore, so all the children ran toward it.

The rowboat, however, was too small to accommodate all ten of them. The children panicked as the trees started to fall and all hopped onto the rowboat. It tilted, then capsized, and all of them fell into the river, which became aggressive as the storm reached it.

The children were swept away by the river, crying out for help. Isauro held onto his sister's hand, not letting go even as the water pushed them apart. The strong current and turbulent waves of the raging river forced them beneath the surface.

They began to fight to push each other to the surface when a log came floating in their direction. Isauro swam toward the log, took off his shirt, and tied himself to it.

He then reached out to Isabelle, who had been pulled away by the current.

Isabelle felt the river swallow her whole. Cold rushed in, filling her ears, her mouth, dragging her downward. The current was strong—pulling, pushing, tossing her like she was nothing.

"Isabelle! Swim to me!!"

He shouted, and Isabelle, who was sinking beneath the surface, began swimming with the little strength she had underwater until she found her brother's foot and pulled it.

He reached for her, who was gasping for air, and threw her onto the log. He pulled off his inner shirt and used it to tie her to the log. But while he was tying her, the log turned them upside down and back up again.

Still, he didn't give up and tied his sister securely to the log.

They both eventually lost consciousness in the storm.

The town was left destroyed by the storm. Parents cried out for their missing children. Lives were lost, houses had fallen apart. Properties were destroyed, and families were plunged into poverty.

Isabelle woke up in a dark cave. She looked around and found Isauro lying on the other side, still unconscious. She called his name, but he didn't respond.

She shook him several times, and he finally woke up, spitting out water. She hugged him and started crying.

He hugged her and consoled her, then stood up to figure out how they would go back.

When he got up, he realized that his leg was bleeding. Isabelle helped him up, and they walked to the opening of the cave, which was surrounded by water.

The river turned out to be much wider than they thought, leading up to the sea. There was no way out but deeper into the cave. It was getting darker and colder.

As they went deeper into the cave, it got slightly warmer.

When they reached the end of the cave, it was already nighttime, but there was a glowing bed there with a girl sleeping on it.

The sides of the bed were adorned with intricate patterns, glowing softly with a golden light. A smooth, glass-like covering rested over it—perfectly clear, as if trapping time itself inside—through which they could see the girl sleeping peacefully, bathed in a warm glow, as if guarding her in an endless, enchanted slumber.

The girl on the bed had straight, long burgundy hair, which emphasized her harmonious facial features. She looked like she was from a foreign land due to her unique features, which blended harmoniously. But while she slept, she looked sad.

"Let's leave here, Isauro," Isabelle said to her brother.

"But it's warmer at that side," he said.

"She's scary," Isabelle said.

"She's not," he said.

"Why would a person be in a cave, on a glowing bed? Isauro, let's leave," she insisted and assisted him to turn around.

They turned back toward the cave's entrance, but soon the cold came back with a bite, and the siblings began to freeze. Their hands trembled as they clung to each other in the frigid air.

In the end, they found themselves returning to the warm glow of the bed, hoping its warmth could help them fight the cold.

Leaning against it and holding hands tightly, they tried to feel safe together. Despite their fear, the warmth lulled them into sleep—a deep, peaceful sleep.