The Hinoki wind sliced through the waves with an elegance that only ships blessed by wood Lúmina could possess. Hito leaned against the railing, feeling the cool forest breeze slowly give way to warm, dense air heavy with salt. In the distance, the silhouette of mountainous islands rose from the sea mist like floating emeralds.

  —Look, Moki! —Hito exclaimed, pointing toward the sky.

  Moki, whose colors seemed brighter under the tropical sun, let out a chirp of astonishment. A group of winged silhouettes descended from the clouds, moving in a perfect formation that seemed to draw trails of light across the water.

  One of the creatures broke away from the group and landed gently on the ship’s main mast. It was a bird with immaculate white plumage, the tips of its wings tinted a cyan blue that resembled the color of the compass.

  Name: Nublo → Cirro → Estraton

  Type: Flying / Maritime Lúmina

  Personality: Helpful, methodical, and extremely punctual.

  Ecological Role: Nublo and its evolutions act as the natural controllers of maritime traffic. They possess a gland in their beak that detects Lúmina currents in the air, allowing them to guide ships and other creatures through storms or dangerous fog banks toward safe harbor.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  The Nublo emitted a melodic sound, similar to a wooden flute, and extended one of its wings toward the east.

  —It’s showing us the entrance to the reef —said Shinso, who was reviewing the navigation charts—. Without its guidance, the ship would run aground on the corals protecting the island.

  As they approached the Cove of Welcome, the scenery became vibrant. The village was not on the shore—it floated. Houses with palm-woven thatched roofs were connected by floating wooden docks. The inhabitants, wearing flower crowns that glowed with an inner light, waved from the distance.

  Hito prepared his camera. He focused on the Nublo at the exact moment it took flight to guide the ship’s final docking maneuver. In the background, the midday sun made the sand on the beach sparkle as if it were made of crushed diamonds.

  Click.

  —Alola-Lúmina… —Hito whispered, feeling the compass in his pocket radiate a comforting warmth—. I feel like here, stories aren’t written on paper, but in the sand.

  When they stepped off the ship, an elderly man with sun-weathered skin handed them a necklace of blue flowers.

  —In Alola-Lúmina, we don’t say “hello” just to pass by —the man said with a smile—. We say “Alola-Lúmina” to recognize that your energy and ours are the same. The bird that guided you didn’t do it out of obedience, but out of respect for travelers who bring new light.

  Hito put away his camera. He knew his mission as a photographer and guardian had just leveled up. The sea was vast, and the secrets it held were even deeper than the roots of Hinoki.