Between Subaru Natsuki and Emilia and Rem as siblings.
The morning sun rose gently over the kingdom of Lugunica, its light piercing through the curtains of a modest, yet elegantly appointed room. Subaru Natsuki, the eldest of the trio, was the first to stir. His eyes, once carrying the weight of countless sorrows, now glimmered with the innocence of youth renewed. He gazed at his sisters, Emilia and Rem, still nestled in the tranquillity of sleep, unaware that the tranquillity of their new lives was predicated on the sacrifices of their old ones.
Emilia, with her silver hair spread across the pillow like a frosted waterfall, sighed softly as dreams of a distant time played behind closed eyelids. Dreams of magic, pain, and battles won; and, at their centre, stood a version of the brother she now knew – the one who had once vowed to stay by her side.
Rem, the youngest, blue hair framing her peaceful face, clutched at her pillow. Dim memories seeped into her slumber, memories that should have been impossible: Subaru’s brave smile, spirited away by the same impossible bond she now held as a sisterly affection. And yet, in her half-consciousness, she knew something was amiss – echoes of a love lost, a love that transcended the familial.
As the three siblings began their day, Subaru felt a twinge deep within him. It was not physical, but rather a pang of the soul, a sensation not unlike deja vu. He shrugged it off, attributing it to the odd sense of duty that had been growing within him over the past months since they'd been reborn into this life together. Today, he reminded himself, was about embracing the blissful normalcy they had been granted.
They gathered for breakfast, a quiet affair filled with the clinking of cutlery and the soft exchanges of conversation. The dialogue was trivial, skirting around the unspoken realization that each morning seemed to unveil a little more of their enigmatic past. It was Subaru who would often catch a look between Emilia and Rem—a look that suggested shared secrets and truths that stretched far beyond the reaches of a simple shared childhood.
Throughout the day, their interactions were warm and steeped in the comfort of family love. They explored the vibrant market streets, laughed amidst the scent of blooming flowers, and played in the rolling meadows beneath ancient, towering trees that seemed to whisper secrets in the wind. Despite their laughter, though, the whispers grew more insistent, and in quiet moments, Subaru caught his sisters in ruminating gazes, eyes distant with unspoken knowledge.
It was as the day waned, under the twilight sky awash with a cascade of colors, that the cryptic figure appeared. They stood at the edge of the meadow, their presence an undeniable beacon to the trio. Clad in robes that seemed to ripple with the memories of past lives, the figure called out to them with a voice that resonated with Subaru, Emilia, and Rem in inexplicable ways.
"Children of time, born anew from the ashes of your battles, hear me... Your journey has yet to reach its end," the figure intoned, their words slicing through the ambient sounds of the world.
Subaru found himself taking a step forward, driven by an instinctive courage he didn't know he possessed. "Who are you?" he demanded, both protective of his sisters and inexplicably drawn to the truth behind the figure's cryptic message.
The figure lifted a hand, palm facing the sky. Light emanated from their fingertips, threading into images of the trio's past lives: battles fought, sacrifices made, and an ancient evil that they had vanquished together. "I am a keeper of memories, those forgotten and those yearned for. You must remember who you were, for the tide of darkness you quelled is on the rise once more, and this world depends on your unity and strength," the figure explained, then vanished as suddenly as they had appeared, leaving behind a trail of shimmering motes that dissipated into the evening air.
The siblings stood in silence, the weight of the keeper's words settling heavily upon their hearts. As the night encroached upon the last light of day, they knew that the normalcy they had cherished was slipping away. The memories were calling, and they would have to answer.