Author's note: Merry chirstmas, guys! Though it's a bit late, but still happy holidays, everyone! Here's a sweet melody and some simple animation I made based on the Before Light characters, feel free to have a look and listen! And give a Like and Subscribe if you enjoyed it!

  Video links here: 

[Music+Animation]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rImm1PXR0_Y

[Animation]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI8odW1SJLo&t=28s

[Music]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErH_yUSsrZc

 

Art source: Me, https://www.pixiv.net/artworks/103574884

 

Now, back to the main story we shall!

 

 

 

 

<ⅩⅣ>

  No matter what would rip the skies, what would sweep the earth, or burn the seas, Rio knew he would not avert his eyes away from the one he now beholds with reverence and adoration he himself never realized he could. A sensation so foreign yet welcoming to him that Rio never would let go, yet it was the one, the wonder of dazzling blue hair, that manifested his such yearnings who left before he could react and hold on longer.

  Speechless, Rio could but reach out a sure yet wavering hand as the girl dived away to the end of the bridge into the citadel, her half-transparent long turquoise robes bidding farewell like waves forgone, rippling into the dark corner with a soft tender whisper Rio did hear, crisp and clear under the thundering thrashes of the beams of destruction enveloping the skies.

 

  “ Take care, Rio.”

 

  I will, Rio promised in silence, just to meet her a second time, he would withstand any ordeal in his way.

 

  Rushing forth, craving to catch a glimpse of the flowing luminance just once more, turning the corner the mysterious girl just wounded in, to see it was a sealed solid wall before him that only a ghost could pass through.

 

  “ This way, Rio.” The others called from behind. “ By the way, do you know where the girl went?”

 

  “ No…” Rio whimpered like his light was gone forever, his eyes hollow and voice airy.

 

  His simple world forever changed, upheavaled.

…

……….

  Once the sky cleared, free from stars and flares, not a single spec of dark remained in the City of Light. The Skylord looked out upon his fief in the sky from his royal balcony of marble and saw that it was good, nodding with satisfaction.

 

  “ Father.”

 

  Gentle and sweet, the bright call did urge the Lord of Sky to turn around attainably, to face his dear Princess, dazzling blue of hair, turquoise and silver of swaying robes, elegantly posed before his lordship.

 

  Caesar Skylord smiled, not of a snide sneer, but of genuine joy, one of his last remaining portions of humane essence.

 

  “ …Sora…” 

 

  The Lord loomed before the small glowing child’s sweet presence.

 

  “ You’ve gone to meet your friends…earlier than I instructed.”

 

  “ I…I cannot contain my excitement to see them, lord father.” abashedly and well-spoken the princess replied.

  “ And they need help then. I cannot just stand by and watch, as I did all those days before…”

 

  “ It’s alright.” His dry crooked fingers ran down the radiant soothing blue hair tenderly, without a sign of his previous outbursting cruelty elsewhere.

  “ Promise me next time…to inform father whenever you wish to meet them, my dear Sora. So that I can…arrange for them to come…closer…”

 

  “ Yes, father.” The princess replied gratefully, hugging the hand close that soothed her, the hand that made her, the hand that made all.

  But also the hand that shall taketh all from the world.

  “ I promise…”

  Gladly, Turning to face this world before him, the splendor under his creation and supremacy, Caesar Skylord spake to all in his omnipresent voice. Up and down, high and low, near and far, all was his voice, the unescapable, ubiquitous call to the Emissaries of Light.

 

  “ Believers! Knights, folks, and all! Transcendence is Upon us! It’s time we bid farewell to the dreaded Night!!”

 

  All ears, could but listen without resistance, motivated, ensnared, captured by the all-around voice over the skies.

 

  “ Demons, they know not of Enlightenment. They are destined to fail before our Leap Beyond! Captains, Starbreakers, droids, and confidants, Assemble!!!!

  Assemble to me and I shall Illuminate the next phase, the coming step into Light!! Let there be the Grand Gathering Ceremony Tomorrow Night, and I will show thee, My Vision!”

  Across the battered streets and boulevards, building tops and balconies, all the Starbreakers and folk knelt in united allegiance, promising their Lord with utmost loyalty, praising his grace with resounding cries in unison.

 

  “ ALL HAIL SKYLORD! ALL HAIL LORD OF LIGHT! MAY LIFE HEALTH STRENGTH BE TO THEE!!!”

  Captain Bradson and his stunned crew, Firren and Reina both also, stood their ground among hearty loyalists, sickened by the deep manipulations yet unable to say otherwise. Light hearts, Memories, both grasped in The Lord’s iron grasp, kept in his layer for further grave disposals. Still, Bradson was sure, the only power to topple his despotic reign his imminent, and yet to awaken.

 

  That power…Bradson prayed, the Memories within Yuri’s Light…

 

  It must not fall into the wrong hands…!

…

……..

  Returning with pomp and accolade, accepting them praises all from fellow Starbreakers of awe and admiration with promising triumph, the Champion of Starbreakers, Guardian of the walls of Sky, Riser of the Capital, and Protector of All Light, Exalted Caerlia of the six Star Rifle lances entered the Skylord’s council to report of the happenings and decimation of the foul Archdemon that had attempted to break peaceful order of the proud city among the clouds. Accompanying her into the court of the Lord was the General of her armies of Starbreakers Solo, holding all the gifts and prizes of adoration from fellow Starbreaker fans to her Exaltedness that piled up high into a mount of presents.

 

  As Caerlia looked forth atop the tiered pedestal where the golden-wired throne was situated, she saw that the Lord was not alone. On the monarch’s lap sat the royal Princess of Sky, Sora, reciting her astounding and adventurous encounters outside the castle walls. The Lord seemed pleased and at rest at all that the little said with her tender blessed voice.

 

  Caerlia waited for a couple of minutes before she intruded when the Princess’ tale came to a subsequent end.

 

  “ Your Highness, Princess,” 

 

  Caesar Skylord scooched his frail slumped body up straight a little more, hugging the Princess close while he listened to what his Starbreaker Champion had to say.

 

  “ The Archdemon has been eradicated, my Lord. And the damage is now being repaired as we speak. The Capital will resume its glory sooner than ever before.”

 

  “ Good.” Caesar nodded, remembering something also.

“ Then the preparations of the Grand Gathering tomorrow night, of the Captains and their Starbreaker Knights I leave to you, Caerlia, and Solo too.”

 

  “ Rest assured, my Lord.” both Starbreaker elites bowed in unison, some of the presents from the tall pile in Solo’s arms toppling off to the ground.

 

  Yet, before the Skylord resumed his rest with the Princess, her Exaltedness has something else to report.

 

  “ Your Majesty, about the Emissary of this Herunis Carna—” Caerlia began but was immediately cut off by the Lord’s strict reply.

 

  “ That I will deal alone, Caerlia.” 

 

  The Lord’s voice, like a low bell thrumming the entire throne room.

 

  “ But my Lord, she isn’t found yet—”

 

  “ She is in this Capital. Her Presence is in my grasp.” Caesar’s voice echoed coldly, like a threatening blade unseen.

  “ She is mine, therefore my ordeal to taketh myself. Let her not be of your concern, my Champion, my sword and spear Caerlia. Look over the preparations for the Grand Gathering for me, that is all I ask.”

 

  Reluctantly still, Caerlia bowed low in answer.

 

  “ Yes…my Lord.”

  Picking the presents from the fans of her Exaltedness, general Solo saw what those admirers could never bear witness, of the burning hatred and envy glaring in the Champion’s eyes.

…

………

.

.

.

 “ Alright, class, so how do we know the area of this circle ?”

 

  Drawn on the murky green blackboard, under the graceful tracing of the short white chalk in the old wrinkled fingers, there, a perfect circle was shown under the oblique sunlight dawning down from the side of the shattered window. 

 

   “Anyone?”

 

   Old Castiel asked the class, looking around the children, who were either in deep thought or edge of deep slumber, save for one girl sitting in the front row that was listening attentively.

 

  “Well, it is simple.”

 Old Castiel dotted the center with a poke of his calk and drew a straight line from the center of the circle and out to the brim.

  “ This be a radius. To get the area of the circle, any circle, we must draw this radius here first……

 

   …Yuri, wake Up.”

  Wait…Me…?

  Giggles and laughter erupted around the corner of the dingy classroom, at the far side next to the broken window panes, as the child, yawning and wiping the drool off her cheek as she searched her paper and pen, given to her by the boy sitting next to her.

  

   The old Sensei wasn't pleased.

  Right…that was me…

  Yuri realized as she glanced closer, moving forth in a delayed fashion as if underwater, just to get closer, to have a better look at herself.

 

  Her younger self, sitting next to him.

 

  Vernui.

  “ …This class is boring…. Let's go out and play already !”

  The young Yuri whispered impatiently as the boy could but chuckle in return. Both children chatting quietly and writing small notes at the edge of their sheets to each other, 

 

   Smiling together.

  Reaching far, edging closer as far as she could, Yuri tried to see, she tried to discern, to know what they were saying, what they had written. She wanted to know. She wanted to know—

  — Only to wake up before the writings became readable.

  The dream was gone, and all that her blurry eyes beheld were the dark blue ceiling basked upon dim moonlight.

 

  Sitting up, Yuri wiped the tears away, which were more than she expected.

 

  They were real. 

 

  They were part of her that was once lost, now slowly returning, one after another. She must remember, Yuri told herself as she searched frantically around the room, making sure she was not bound by restraints or under the scrutiny of android eyes or any surveillance of the Skylord.  She must recall them back, the past, the precious memories, before they were taken away again from her, by Demons, by Light, by anyone—

 

  “ Oh, hey. You’re finally awake.”

 

  Yuri leapt up with utmost vigilance, darting to the wall with her sword rifle she summoned immediately along with her nanoparticle liquidus Starbreaker armor upon her flesh, pointing her weapon at a lean shadow standing at the door to her room.

 

  “ Woh! Stop! I mean no harm!!” The voice of a startled teenage girl shouted, crouching low away from the tip of the humming glowing sword rifle held tightly in Yuri’s ruthless grip.

  “ I come in peace! I know who you are! You are safe with us!”

 

  “ Who...are you?!” Yuri asked aloud, her voice straining due to the constant sobbing in her sleep, pointing her rifle still at the figure lying flat on the floor.

  “ What do you Want?! My Memories?! The Memories of my Mother—?!”

 

  “ No! We are here to help you protect it! That’s all I know! I swear!”

The girl on the floor hollered back, standing back up slowly as the figure also summoned her Starbreaker armor, shimmering ultramarine blue under the moonlight, dazzling soothing bright.

  Yuri examined the person’s armor closely, per her commander Firren’s teachings, searching for the opponent’s weapons and potential weaknesses.

  Yet the more she saw, the more the figure’s armor resembled hers, in design and hue, even the golden-lined runes, though differing only in detail, were nearly exactly identical, glowing even in similar places upon the plates of nano steel.

  The weapon of this unknown Starbreaker was undiscernable.

 

  “ Here, I am putting my weapons down on the bed. See?” The figure in the shadows spoke, turning gears upon her wrists that Yuri finally realized were miniature belts loaded with sharp needle-like canisters all over the surface as the pair were dropped on the bed.

  “ Chill, okay?”

  Yuri would never have realized those were weapons upon her wrists and the figure would definitely ambush her if the one before her had the intention to. Or mayhap this is not all her weapons but a guise to lower her guard, like how Demons would pretend to play dead and spring up to bite when no one’s expecting an attack, per Firren’s survival teachings.

  Don’t be fooled, Yuri! Yuri told herself, like how her commander would coach her.

 

  “ Fine, fine, I’ll deactivate my armor.” The one reluctantly let go of her liquidus armor that swirled in particle fashion to a glistening band around the figure’s arm, wearing shorts and clean pallid blue pajamas, a casual outfit as if she had been living here for a long time.

  As soon as the armor dispersed did Yuri finally see the full extent of the appearance of the person before her under the dim glow, a girl of tanned soft skin, blue hair trimmed short and messy leaving just one thin ponytail running down the right side of her shoulder.

  And the figure’s countenance, Yuri saw and gasped spontaneously, was in resemblance of staring at a mirror, looking just like herself, a clone? A droid look-alike?!

 

  Wait, Yuri recalled of the happenings earlier that day, of the one timid girl that had saved her out of the crumbling lab tower of Scrutiny, that also looked just like herself. Could it be…

 

  “ …Yun?” 

 

  Yuri asked, hesitant if this girl, all energetic, loud, and bright, was the same serene maiden that had saved her before.

 

  But the figure shook her head quickly.

 

  “ No, no. Yun is sleeping in her room next door. I am just here on guard duty.”

 

  “ Guarding what? Me?” Yuri snapped, raising her rifle forth as the teenage girl without Starbreaker protection winced back in reverence.

 

  “ Seriously, as an expert, I suggest you not point that rifle at others. The trigger goes off too easily and the energy inside the canister could blast through three walls if you aren’t careful.”

 

  “ I am careful, that’s why I am not letting go of my Sword rifle,” Yuri replied vigilantly.

“ You and the Skylord’s followers take Light away from people, and lie your way while you snatch my memories. This is just another lab where you take away what I have left! Of my friends, my Mother—!!!”

 

  “ Wait!! WAIT!” The figure suddenly hollered, slightly angry with a raised holler and pointing a finger at Yuri to clarify.

  “ First things first, I am Not with the Skylord! We are here to protect you from him! Okay?! We are risking our own Lights to get you here, in our flat! Now drop your weapon so we can talk!”

 

  Spooked by the sudden holler of anger from the person before her, Yuri slightly lowered her weapon, not of fear, but of understanding from the figure’s voice that she meant every word she said.

 

  “ …How can I trust you?” Yuri asked however after a short period of silence, her sword now pointing at the floor yet still she held tightly.

 

  The person thought for a moment.

  “ I am Yuka. I build weapons and all kinds of shi–stuff. I said stuff.” Yuka, the rash hot-headed Starbreaker introduced herself properly.

  “ Me and my sisters have been waiting and searching for you while slaying Demons all the way. We know who you are. And the Herunis Carna too.”

 

  With a sigh, Yuka sat down crosslegged on the stool next to the bed, gazing at Yuri as the moonlight shifted slowly, where the beam dawned upon her face.

 

  “ We look the same,” Yuri whispered in wonder and disbelief.

“ Yun too…why is it so?”

 

  “ Dunno.” Yuka shrugged.

“ Maybe because we are linked by the Herunis Carna, by the powers that lie within somewhere in this world.”

 

  “ My mother…she told me to stay away, from the Land of Light.” Sitting down finally at the bed also, face to face with the tanned girl that looked almost like her in countenance but differ in temperance and tone.

  “ Fear no Darkness…Do not Seek the Land of Light…That’s all I can remember of her.”

 

  “ Yeah. Me too. All of us, actually.” 

 

  Yuri looked up at Yuka in surprise.

 

  “ Your mothers…They all told you the same thing? To not seek the Light, The Herunis Carna?!”

 

  Yuka uneasily nodded.

 

  “ That is where we all Started. The First ever memory we get. But no matter what our mother said, we still try to go back. To learn more, to know more. To understand, Why.”

 

  Yuri couldn’t agree more with Yuka’s words.

 

  She too has decided to seek the whereabouts of her mother and ask her herself what the reason for all this struggle was, and the purpose to stay away from it.

 

  “ But even if we do not seek it, The Skylord will. Heck, even the Demons will.” Yuka explained further of the dilemma.

  “ It is something that even we can’t seek for ourselves, but must protect from those who want to get it.”

 

  Indeed, Yuri quietly nodded.

 

  “ Do you remember anything more about your Mother, Yuka?” Curious to know, yet feeling it was a question too personal to ask, still, Yuri bravely asked.

 

  To which Yuka shook her head.

 

  “ Do you…remember anything else before? Anything before becoming a Starbreaker?” Yuri continued but all Yuka did was shake her head swiftly.

 

  Surprisingly, the more Yuri inquired, the more she realized that Yuka seemed to have little to no idea of her own past. Of a school, friends, Sensei. Not even Vernui.

 

  “ My mother’s message is all I got,” Yuka admitted. 

“ But hey! That just makes things simpler, doesn’t it? At least I am not brooding as much as the other two, definitely not like Yuno, who seemed to be sick and brooding all the time.”

 

  “ …Yuno?” 

 

  “ Yes. Me, Yun, and Yuno. We are a team. A three Starbreaker Squad! Linked all by the Land of Light, The Herunis Carna. They certainly know more than me about the past and Light and whatnot, but can they build weapons of high caliber? No. I can.”

 

  “ I must talk to them.” Yuri decided, standing up from the bed.

 

  “ You are not interested in my weapons of high caliber either.” Yuka sighed crossly.

 

  “ Not now. We must discuss this together. You too, Yuka.” Yuri held the girl’s hand also, heading to the door.

  “ There is something terribly wrong about us, about everyone, about this World. Especially the Skylord…I need to find Grandpapa Bradson, and Lima—”

  No. Not again—

  “ Oy! Yuri?!”

  Before Yuri could reach the doorknob of her door, the pain, the searing piercing aching erupting all of a sudden within her belly once again bursting out inside of her, pinning Yuri to her knees, crumbling down to a helpless kneel as Yuka quickly rushed out to call for her sisters’ help.

 

  Yet, grasping, clinging onto Yuka’s hand, Yuri stopped the girl mid-way from her rush.

 

  “ Oy oy oy…! Yuri, what are you doing?! Let me go and get help—”

 

  “ It’s alright…!!” Yuri panted heavily, wheezing with cold sweat pouring down her face, with one hand holding her lower abdomen and the other gripping tightly onto Yuka’s arm, squeezing her fingers deep into Yuka’s tanned flesh.

  “ …It’s alright…I can…I can…” Yuri breathed, deep and slow as Yuka finally settled down and helped Yuri lay upon the side of her bed.

 

  “ Tell me…More about yourself…Yuka…?” Yuri whispered, hand in hand with the distraught girl before her, wishing to hear more of her, to know more and listen to someone’s voice that could distract her away from this drilling pain deep down.

  “ …Please…?”

 

  “ Sure sure…uh…Where do I start…” Yuka stammered, searching for a topic worthy of alleviating this poor girl’s pain.

  “ Well…I don’t remember much about myself either, I just do things, I don’t think and brood because that’s a waste of time…My mind moves only when I am moving…that’s all…Yuri, are you sure—”

 

  “ That’s why you build things, right…?” Yuri’s question, like an airy breeze, brushed across Yuka’s worried facade.

  “ Your mind flows with the hand that makes, the designs you create…it’s like a natural flow, without beginning, without end…I felt that too.”

 

  “ You do.” Yuka nodded, sitting crosslegged next to Yuri, their fingers clasped tightly.

“ They all came out of nowhere, from the depth of my mind, these weapons, designs, arsenals. I don’t know what they meant to me, but my hands, my body remembers. So I have to build them. I want to know where they come from, why they are with me, and who my Mother was. You know that feeling too, right, Yuri?”

 

  “ Of Course…I do…” Yuri sighed with a weak smile, closing her eyes slightly more relaxed than before for her pain had finally ceased by itself, and with the sudden warmth and soothing, Yuri fell back into slumber, right in Yuka’s arms.

 

  Chuckling to herself, Yuka gently placed Yuri back onto her bed, pulling the bed covers upon Yuri as she sat back down next to the bed.

  “ You are a strange sister, Yuri. But I like you. You are like me…longing for what’s long gone.”

  Sensing the movements slowly subside on the other side of the closed door to the room before her, Yuno surmised that the pain and struggles must have stopped.

 

  “ Coast clear?” Yuno asked Yun, who nodded as the timid Starbreaker drifted out of the room like a transparent ghost without being seen by either Yuri or Yuka.

  

  ( I added some aerial soothing medicines to help ease the pain.)

Yun replied in her tender whisper.

  ( Should would be fine.)

 

  “ But this can’t keep happening.” Yuno harshly whispered back as the eldest sister headed back to her room in her long silky half-transparent nightgown flowing behind her wake.

  “ We have to find the cause of this infrequent resurgence lest it interferes with our task.”

 

  Yun didn’t reply, spacing out in her own thoughts with dimly lit eyes that stare beyond, a sign that Yuno could clearly comprehend that her quiet sister knows a thing or two about what was happening to Yuri.

 

  “ Yun, what is it?”

 

  Instead of a reply, or either shaking her head in wonder, Yun reluctantly turned away, refusing to answer Yuno’s question.

 

  “ Yun, wait…Yun!!” 

 

  Unable to offend her sister’s raised calling, Yun the timid one succumbed and stayed her ground.

 

  “ Yun, a penny for your thoughts, please. I need you. I need your insight, Yun.” the elder sister coaxed the silent teenage girl softly in her arms, using every way possible to get something out of Yun.

  “ What is it? Tell me, so we can help Yuri.”

  ( Yuri…she might be experiencing something similar………to what I had……long ago…)

  Yuno’s thin eyes slightly widened with sharp vigilance.

 

  “ Are you sure?”

 

  Yun shook her head.

 

  “ Then we have to make sure...” Yuno muttered as she walked around the center lounge where the foyers of their separate rooms all conjugated to the circular clearing where a large soft divan sat in the middle.

  “ This…complicates things…greatly…”

  Yuno brooded, putting all situations, possibilities, and consequences into consideration, trying to plan out a way to facilitate the task at hand.

 

  Their task, linked deep into the Herunis Carna’s Core.

 

  Where their fates all entwined. 

  

…

………

  Though high and mighty his presence now was, Caesar Skyman was a man with an ideal, a man with a mission. And to gain his prize to support his ultimate goals, the now Lord upon all Light-Hearted kind still pursues with unparalleled diligence to secure his reign and keep the one that holds all the Power and Secrets he needs safely in his city.

  Though her exact whereabouts are elusive, Caesar was assured that Yuri, the One and Only, is still in his grand abode. With Austriuss his analyst now rebuilding the labs, once he has finished, the initiation would finally continue.

 

  But first…he had to make sure none of his works are to be interfered.

 

  Castiel Bradson, and his two confidants with actual memories of the past…They are the ones that are able to cause upheaval over his reign.

 

  They should be taken care of, Caesar brooded as he sat by the Princess’ bed, watching her soft rhythmic breathing as she slept.

 

  Which reminded the man of something else that would potentially ruin his supremacy. 

 

  The children.

 

  The children that Castiel Bradson had hidden behind his back since the very beginning of the rise of Skyworld. Who knows what wanton knowledge and secrets to stop him Cas had taught them? 

  With his thin crooked fingers, Caesar pressed the temples of the sleeping little girl and immediately the princess’ eyes lit up abright, ejecting a virtual screen before his eyes of all the memories and happenings that had been recorded through her seeing eyes.

  Sora had encountered the children, as he had expected. The girl’s curiosity is blooming and well predictable. Surely she had seen what the children are capable of.

 

  Swiping through files and folders, Caesar navigated through the pages of memories stored within the Princess’ hard drive and rewatched the meeting of her ‘daughter’ with the foreign children.

  They had been trapped in the building under his command, to separate them from Castiel. Then the Archdemon attacked, and Caesar’s vision followed Sora as she led the children out of turmoil to the wide glass bridge. Light dawned upon their faces which Caesar recognized them all.

 

  Rio…

 

  Neo…

 

  Neliya…

 

  Lucky…

 

  Feira…

 

  Finnir…

  …and Lima…

 

  Oh, sad, sweet Lima.

 

  How you have turned against me. 

 

  How you repay my kindness, my benevolent charity with such audacity…

 

  Lima…

  Yet at the end of all the Princess’ memories, Caesar heard an unexpected voice calling in a weak whisper.

  “ The Light…!” Finnir croaked all of a sudden at the corner of Sora’s sight, fully awake now and terrified by the blinding rays dawning down from above.

 

  Caesar’s jaws dropped as he listened to the sick boy cry out in trepidation.

 

  “ Lights…of Caesar…Skyman…!!!! Lights of Treachory…!”

  The Skylord’s grip tightened as the screen ended to black.

 “ Finnir, Finnir…you poor, poor boy.”

 

  Caesar regretfully sighed as he put the Princess back to bed.

  “… Your Light Heart…your Truthful Memory is Mine…!!!!!”

…

………

  “ What Are You Talking About!!!” 

 

  The children all looked up from their breakfast trays as they dined the next morning at the dining hall at their new lodging.

 

  “ Feira, what’s wrong?!” Neo, the Lead boy, rushed forth to the center of the dispute with Neliya close behind, to see two tall four-armed droids standing before them startled children, handling someone in their tight robotic grasp.

 

  “ They are taking Finnir away!!!” Feira shouted desperately as Neo saw that the one handled by the slender menacing droids was none other than the sick brother Finnir!!

  “ Let go of him!!!!”

 

  “ Demon residues detected.” The twin androids remarked without sentiment to the futile punches and kicking of the children to halt their path in taking Finnir away.

  “ Pollution confirmed. Must eradicate.”

 

  “ You can’t do this!!!” Neo shouted, rushing to block the adamant droid’s path.

“ Finnir is not contaminated by any Demon! Let me speak to your Lord and we’ll settle this out!!”

 

  “ Lord unavailable. Step aside.” The tall droid bade patiently, yet bumping Neo out of the way with its metallic skirt that drove across the corridor at accelerating speed.

 

  “ Sis…Sister…!” Finnir croaked helplessly as Feira rushed down the hallway as fast as she could, but the androids were speeding also to the far end of the corridor in but seconds.

 

  “ Sister…! Don’t Follow!!!” Finnir, at last, managed to shout to his frantic sister Feira.

“ He…The Skylord is dangerous…Take Care—”

  A vehement whooshing shot through the air as a long saber of light struck through one of the droids’ sharp-beaked masks. A lightsaber of gold that had suddenly appeared, piercing through the head of the kidnapper robotic.

 

  Lima raced forth with the children all as the droid’s path was hindered.

 

  Elza the wolf cub barked triumphantly running alongside Lima’s fast prancing feet.

  “ I wouldn’t do it if I were you.”

  Lima halted abruptly, searching left and right at whence the voice, the eerie familiar voice of dread came.

 

  “ The children…your friends…They depend on your each and every move…Lima…!”

 

  “ Where are you?!?!” Lima snarled, picking up her lightsaber that had fallen off the face of the wounded android, who slowly crawled back up to its feet, cackling.

 

  “ You know me…Lima. You know where I am…”

 

  The wounded droid answered, and its voice was not of senseless robotism, but a sound so familiar, so cruel and ruthless, fearful and ghastly.

 

  “ Let Finnir come to me…Or I shall spare No One…Your Friends, they are at your mercy…Lima…Lima…Lima…oh, desperate betrayer…don’t cry. You know where to find me…”

 

  The android stood back up, with its partner clasping Finnir by the wrists and dragging the hapless boy away while Lima could but stand idle and watch in horror.

 

  “ …I Am Everywhere…”

  And they were off.

  Elza barked, nudging Lima to go forth with her, but the girl could stand her ground, terrified, heart crushed.

 

  “ Lima!! Did you get them?!” Lucky’s voice echoed from behind as the children all came to the sight where the broken parts of the android’s wounded face were.

 

  But Finnir was gone.

 

  Feira screamed and broke into dreadful tears, sinking to the floor, unable to recover from the loss of her recovering brother. No one knows if Finnir would ever return, and many believed he was gone forever. Unable to save his fellow kin, Neo could but slam the wall with his fist of anger, unable to contain his wrath toward the Skylord any longer.

 

  “ We should get Finnir back!” Rio, brother of Neo and bosom friend of Finnir cried out with utmost courage.

  “ I know the Princess, she can help us!”

 

  “ You don’t know the Princess, stop hallucinating!” Lucky scalded, hugging the sobbing Feira close in her arms.

  “ Lima, you have your Lightsaber. You can defeat the Skylord’s robot armies!” Lucky turned to the silent frozen Lima petrified at the corner.

  “ We will all fight alongside you! Neo and the boys, me and the girls! We should all rise up and get Finnir back!”

 

  “ The Skylord has to pay for this…And for Nia’s Light Heart too!!” Neo snarled, calling his friends and the whole pack of angered children to join the cause.

  “ Lima, what say you?!”

 

  “ I say… Nay.” Lima shook her head, putting her lightsaber away to all the children’s utter disbelief.

 

  Kai too, who was hiding in the corner a distance away from the rest, was surprised by Lima’s sudden surrender to the Skylord.

 

  “ But…but Lima…WHY?!?!” Lucky asked frantically.

“ Lima, why say Nay when you should have said Yay with us?!?!”

 

  “ Because the Skylord is too Powerful and threatens to destroy us all if we fight back!!!” Lima shouted back angrily, tears in her eyes.

  “ He has Starbreakers all over his court, droids and Sky pods hovering all over the skies watching our every move…We will only give our Light Hearts away meaninglessly if we go against him…”

 

  “ But Lima…” The sorrowful sister Feira moaned heart-breakingly.

“ He took my Brother…!! He has Finnir…!!!!”

 

  “...I am sorry…Feria…” Lima, without any choice, whispered at length, a gut-punching answer that pained every cell in her body.

  “ But I can’t…I can’t…I…”

 

  Turning her back on the children, her friends, her comrades, Lima left.

 

  And the firm determination of the Children wavered, and none could brave the wrath of the Skylord anymore, heading back with tremendous sadness, all witnessed in the eyes of silent Tricia, who could but watch the children lose their faith and succumb to their ill fate.

  Except one.

  Rio stayed at the scene long after all the depressed children had left. The younger brother, blood boiling, would not yield so easily.

  Even if the whole world forbade his venture, Rio would still go and save his friend Finnir, and maybe have one more look at the beautiful blissful Princess on hte way.

 

  Observing the tracks and following the androids’ path, Rio realized something else was accompanying him on his lone quest to save his bro.

 

  “ Hark, Dog!!” Rio uttered as Elza the wolf cub barked, sniffing the droid remains scattered on the floor carefully before heading forth towards a secret path.

  “ By the nine! Dog, you know where they’ve gone!” Rio exhilaratingly followed suit as the boy and wolf scurried their way forth along the secret passage leading straight into the Skyworld Palace under everyone’s noses.

…

………

 “ Captain…Captain, are you alright??”

 

  Rushing to the old man’s side, Reina was just in time to stop the old captain’s fall, nearly tumbling off his chair in the back of his current lodging, a Captain’s tower suite near the outskirts of the palace areas. 

  Quickly, Bradson readjusted his sitting and leaned on the desk, panting as if escaping from a wild unnerving nightmare. 

 

  “ The children…” Bradson uttered in utter trepidation.

“ We must find them…they are not safe…!”

 

  “ How do you know that, Captain?!” 

 

  “ I just know!” surprised was Reina, not just by how his captain seemed to have seen things others couldn’t fathom, but also by the distraught attitude seldomly shown in this old man’s demeanor.

  His frantic eyes traced from the clean empty surface of his study, up to the envelope placed on the side, and up to his secretary’s helping hand supporting his shoulders, which also had an envelope in hand.

  An envelope, sealed in gold, wrought of thin metallic parchment, with multiple conjoined ringed sigils of Skyworld on top.

 

  Captain Bradson looked closely at the envelopes in Reina’s hand and the one on his desk.

  “ What is this…?” Bradson grabbed the silky silver parchment with shaking hands, reading the message apprehensively.

 

  “ Everyone’s got one.” Seito spoke as he settled down next to the low table after making sure the captain was alright. 

 

  “ What does it say?! What does it say?!” Momo the young Starbreaker hopped around the grownups, eager to know what the envelope holds.

 

  “ It’s an invitation to the Skylord’s Grand Gathering tonight.” Firren replied, reading the invitation once again many times as if to check if there were hidden codes within the wordings of the sly lord.

 

  “ It’s a meeting where all the Airship captains are supposed to be present,” Reina added.

“ The Skylord must have something to say regarding his plan to end the war against the Demons now that Yuri is in his grasp…”

 

  “ Seems like it.” Seito scratched his chin broodingly.

“ So, can we not attend?”

 

  “ We have to attend to see what the Lord is up to or we’ll miss out on his next step! We must stop his so-called transcendence. Right, Captain?” Reina asked Bradson, who was absorbed in his deep morose thoughts.

 

  “...Captain…?”

 

Old Bradson Captain gave out a sigh after a long contemplating silence.

 

  “ He has taken a child away.” Bradson looked around his hearty crew gravely.

“ The Skylord has gone too far. We must attend, and find a way to stop him! ”

 

  “ Understood.” The Starbreakers nodded in agreement.

 

  “ But Momo got no invitation!!” Momo bounced in dismay at the back.

“ Momo wants to go too!”

 

  “ Momo, be good and guard our flat, okay?” Reina tried to coax the rising Starbreaker but the young girl pouted no matter what the secretary said.

 

  Deciding to bring Momo out for a walk around the capital to restore her spirits, Reina and Seito left the Captain's abode first before Firren headed to the door when suddenly, old Bradson called the young commander back.

 

  “ Yes, Captain?”  Firren asked as the door behind him closed shut.

 

  Bradson paused for a few seconds, waiting for Reina, Seito, and Momo to actually leave the compound.

  “ Firren, listen very carefully to what I say to you now.” Bradson leaned forward to the bewildered young man as he whispered.

 

  “ I need you to stay here, during the Grand ceremony.”

 

  “ …What—?!”

 

  “ Firren, Listen to Me.” The old captain hollered seriously, in a charging cadence.

“ It is of safety measure. I need you to lay low, stay here, and take care of Momo, Understood?!”

 

  Gnashing his teeth reluctantly, Firren obeyed with a sigh.

 

  “ …Understood, captain.”

 

  “  And when I say lay low, I mean it, Firren. You must stop your searching for Yuri immediately.”

 

  At this, the young commander was taken aback.

  “ Captain…Yuri is what matters now! We can’t let the Skylord have her!!!”

 

  “ But what you do now will only bring attention to the Skylord’s scrutiny!” Bradson boomed, trying hard to keep his voice at bay.

  “ We must act wise, not blatant. Observe, and wait for the right moment to strike, or we’ll all perish in these trying times…!”

 

    But Firren adamantly rejected Bradson’s advice.

  “ Captain, what if the moment never comes? What if…we are too late, and Yuri’s gone…forever?!”

 

  Bradson closed his eyes, to discern the possibility that he so feared might be true. 

 

  A dreadful condition to which he had but one strategy to counter said situation.

 

  “ Firren, I shall run some hypotheticals so that you can be fully prepared for what is about to come. First of—”

…

………

  The moving of the shades before the morning bloom shook Yuka up from her slumber. 

 

  Oops, fallen asleep during guard duty, Yuka thought with her tongue poking out between her lips, scratching her head as she stood up, to see Yuri on the balcony outside of the small cozy room, Starbreaker armor activated, 

 

  Ready to escape from the building.

  “ NOOO!!!!” Yuka, wide awake, sprang to action as she summoned quickly her set of ultramarine armor and her dart-shooting bracelets that immediately shot out arrows attached to wires that coiled around Yuri’s upper body, pulling her back into the room with one vehement heave.

 

  “ Yuri!!! What Do You Think You are Doing?!?!” Yuka hollered apprehensively.

“ The Skylord’s after you! He’ll immediately sense your whereabouts the second you step out of this flat!!”

 

  “ But…but my friends…!!” Yuri quickly stood back up, tearing the wires coiled around her chest and shoulders.

  “ I don’t know why…but something’s happened to them—I need to find them, find Lima, Firren…sister Reina…Grandpapa Bradson…! I can’t just stay here and hide!”

  “ That you must.” A voice other than Yuka’s spoke in a stern fashion, reverberating around not just the room, but the whole four-roomed flat. And before the resounding voice faded away. large circular disced sky pods emerged out of the air beyond the balcony, hovering perpendicularly to the surface below, blocking the skies and limiting Yuri’s path.

 

  “ You are more than who you would ever imagine, Yuri.” Spake the calm contained voice of a girl also of blue hair, light blue, polished to two croissants twintails sawing on both sides of her armored shoulders, with those thin eyes that were slightly, very slightly opened to a sharp gaze piercing through Yuri’s soul, seeing all that Yuri had planned and will attempt to break free to the open. Something this brooding person could not accept.

 

  Yuri immediately guessed who this girl of the same age as her, of similar hair color, and of the striking resemblance of countenance to her, might actually be.

 

  “ …Yuno…?”

 

  Yuno nodded swiftly to Yuri’s assessment.

 

  “ Yuri.”

 

  The eldest of the sisters reached out her hand and helped Yuri unbind the wires entwined around her armor.

 

  “ I know you have many questions, many things that you seek answers to, but none of them is more paramount than the meaning of your existence, and the task that fell upon our shoulders. I need you here, Yuri. We need you.”

 

  “ But my friends need me!” Yuri argued.

 

  “ Your friends and loved ones will never be saved if you surrender yourself to the Skylord now.” Yuno reasoned peacefully but sternly. 

  “ Your meeting with them will only bring them harm and endanger the Memory that is the key to the ultimate power, the Herunis Carna.”

 

  Knowing that what Yuno said is true, yet finding it hard to accept, Yuri gazed out at the dire grey morning sky outside her balcony, lost in thought, surrendering to the grave circumstances.

 

  “ Come,” Yuno invited Yuri with a gentle tug on her hand.

“ Yun has prepared breakfast.”

  The breakfast was very different from what the Betelgeuse ship served. Unlike the wet brick red mixtures stored in tin cans, the substances served in Skyworld were delightful in color and rich in fragrance. Though none of the foodings Yuri recognized or was interested, by instinct and the fragrance, Yuri took a small bite. And she was right. in all kinds of shapes and sizes, colors from everything existing in the world and beyond, that taste exceeded anything Yuri had ever had before in her life on Captain Bradson’s ship, resonating with her senses and dancing above her tongue, reminding her of the first day she had chocolate on the Betelgeuse.

 

  “ What is this…Starbreaking food?” Yuri asked Yun with utter shock and tears in her eyes.

“ I have never tasted anything like this…!”

 

  “ Right? It’s always this good no matter how many times we have it!” Yuka cheered, downing the whole meal in seconds.

 

  Yun just smiled awkwardly, eyeing Yuno pleadingly yet the elder sister shook her head slightly.

 

  ( It’s nothing, really…) Yun replied vaguely and refused to elaborate any further.

   After they finished their fast meal, Yuka and Yun doing the dishes, Yuno led Yuri up to the ceiling of their flare located on top of a large skypod hovering around the capital, stop the turrets and skyscrapers, drifting inside a large mist bubble unseen from the outside.

 

  Those were Yun’s Starbreaker powers, Yuri thought, recalling the transparent and all-penetrating powers the silent girl possess.

 

  “ If it could make you feel better,” Yuno spoke in a casual tone, pouring clear water from a delicate porcelain pot into two small ceramic cups of precious decor on the small round table on the side of the roof balcony where they stood.

  “ You can talk to me. Anything you wished to ask of your captain, your friends, I will try my best to reply.”

 

  Fair enough, Yuri sat down at the dark metal round table as Yuno handed her the small cup. bubbles sparkled up from underneath the transparent liquid, popping in the morning breeze.

  “ I want to know who I really am.” Yuri spoke after a long silence.

“ And what the Herunis Carna hidden within my memory really is.”

 

  Yuno nodded slowly.

 

  “ Why do you need to know who you are?” Yuno tossed back another question with a curious smile.

 

  “ Because…I was told, that I am no longer the Yuri that once was, but a copy of the true self…that has deceased.”

 

  Yuri paused, and Yuno didn’t respond.

 

  “ And my sole purpose is to keep this memory that never belonged to me, harboring it so that others can have it and achieve whatever they want…the Demons, they are people that seek revenge and the Skylord…I don’t know, I really don’t know…what am I supposed to do, to be? What is the whole purpose if I am nothing without a purpose?!”

 

  “ Your Purpose is very clear, Yuri.” Yuno stopped Yuri at the edge of self-denial, sipping her sparkling water before she continued.

“ Whatever you are, copy or not, you are the one bearing the memories now. And Memory is what defines us. What past you see, what self you believe you are, it is part of you now. And with that memory inside, you are destined with the purpose it holds.”

  Yuno sipped quietly as she continued while Yuri listened, speechless.

  “ To answer your second question, let me briefly describe the Herunis Carna, The Real Land of Light so you could have a better understanding—

 

  — simply put, it is a Place. 

 

  A place with powers that could achieve wonders. Tons of powers; huge, huge amounts of light, with one purpose in the beginning, that is to save the World.”

 

  Yuri blinked after Yuno’s brief mysterious introduction.

 

  “ That’s it?”

 

  “ That’s it.” Yuno nodded. 

 

  “ But how is my Mother associated with this World-saving power—”

 

  “ She is the one that built it, Yuri.”

 

  Yuri’s jaws forgot to close back up.

  “ But the problem we face now comes in two forms. The Demons, that wish to contaminate the Herunis engine and use it to bring darkness to the World; and the Skylord, who wishes to use it for his selfish goals. Our task is to keep ou—Ahem, Your Mother’s creation safe for its real purpose to save the decaying world, and away from the wrong hands that covet its miracles. That’s why Yuri, you are most important in this whole task.”

 

  “ Why?” 

 

  “ Because you are the only one with the memory of its Whereabouts. Now, here. Only you have the location kept inside of you. None of us do.”

 

  “ Why?!” Yuri asked again, finding it hard to believe she is the only one that possesses the memory.

  “ But…Aren’t you all linked to the Herunis Carna too?! That’s why we look alike, right? We are sisters, somehow, right? Surely you guys know…right…?! Right??”

 

 Yuno’s silent gaze said it all.

  “ Yuri…our relation is a bit more complicated than you expect. But I assure you, your memory is unique, one that your Mother has full faith upon. We will help you, Yuri. We will help you. You just need to focus, remember what you have forgotten, and leave the rest to us.”  

 

  Silently, sorting out all that she had learned in mere minutes, Yuri accepted Yuno’s advice to stay, 

 

  even though she still has several questions in her head that have yet to be resolved.

 

  

 

  

…

……….

  “ Solo, what is it that I hear that brings such sorrow to my ears?” The Champion of the Starbreakers, Queen of the flaring stars, Caerlia of the lance rifles asked as she strolled down the glass palace corridors, overwatching the construction of the arena for the Grand Assembly for all the Starship captains and their Starbreakers the following night. Though overseeing the preparations she seemed to be, Caerlia was in fact tracking with her six flying lance rifles reaching out far and wide over the capital in search of this ‘Chosen One’ the Skylord is so fond of. Obtaining the girl and the secrets she harbors shall surely give her the power and insight that Caerlia requires to be the one and only Champion of the world of Light, to be its worthy Protector, undeniable, indestructible. 

  But before her conquest to become fully unrivaled, the Elite Starbreaker Champion now faces a disturbance not far away from her in the form of desperate sobs.

 

  “ That must be the wailing of children.” Solo mused, sensing the crying coming from the left side of the hallway.

  “ I heard one of the children was detected with Demon residue and taken away this morn. Can it be them from the Betelgeuse of Captain Bradson—”

 

  General Solo turned around, to see that he was alone, talking to the air and himself.

  Hurrying down the path, Solo found Caerlia soon enough at the side of the corner, kneeling before a small group of young girls that were wailing desperately.

 

 

  “ Young one, why is it that you cry?” Solo heard her Exaltedness ask in a tender cadence, nothing he would ever expect to come from the queen of all Starbreakers to utter out of those lips.

  

  “ My brother…” The little girl who Solo believed was indeed from Captain Bradson’s ship replied between sobs.

  “ They took my brother away…They are wrong…He is not a Demon…!!”

 

  Alas…Solo sighed to himself, things like this can’t be helped. Demons had been searching for all sorts of ways to pass the barriers of light, either through morphing with light-hearted kind or through transforming their outlooks. Either way, once they are detected, they must be eradicated. There is nothing much to say here.

 

  Solo cleared his throat, ushering the champion to leave and carry on with the suits at bay, but Caerlia knelt still before the sad children patiently.

 

  “ Touch my hand, young sister,” Caerlia spoke gently, reaching her palm to the girl that had lost her younger brother.

  “ Do not be afraid. I mean no Harm to any sibling born of Light.”

 

  Without any more options left, the young girl placed her little palm onto Her Exaltedness’ hand and Caerlia took a deep breath, closing her eyes as an unseen force swept suddenly past them, her long faint golden hair slightly afloat as if a stream of immense power was present in a form of a paramount pillar of light enveloping the blessed one in its center.

 

  A second after, the sudden pressure dispersed as swiftly as it came, and Caerlia stood up.

 

  “ Young sister, you are wronged.” Caerlia breathed in utter realization.

“ There is nothing of Demon spec upon thee and your siblings. The droids must have made a grave mistake. Solo, I need the records of all the androids that were operating this morning.”

 

  “ What are you talking about, Caerlia?”

  General Solo tried to remain benign in his rapid speech.

 “ The droids serve the Lord, and the Lord is Never wrong!”

 

  “ Are you saying that I am wrong, General?” Caerlia questioned, her voice like a lance rifle pointed to Solo’s throat.

  “ The Lord cares not of his droids and let them sail without heed. All he now thinks is the Chosen One of this Herunis Carna. Are you Assuming that a disregarding Lord’s blind droid would sense Demon residues that a Protector of Light Cannot?!”

 

  “ No. Caerlia. I am saying is…It’s none of our business to stop the Droids. Especially the Lord’s Droids—”

 

  “ Even the Lord cannot wrong those born with Light in their Hearts.” Caerlia snapped coldly, condescendingly per her right and resolve.

  “ This young child has touched nothing of Demon source in her entire life. Her Brother is innocent. As The Protector of Light and all its honest Folk, I shall meet out Justice. Solo, you’ll watch over the construction site of the Grand Gathering while I am away.”

 

  Turning back with beaming confidence and valor, Caerlia smiled to Feira and the dumbfounded children like the unwavering sun that never sets.

 

  “ Fear not, my dear siblings of Light. You can always count on me, your dependable big sister I. Your Brother will be saved before this night passes. I promise in my name as Caerlia Lansara Suprema of the Seven Lances!”

  And lo, there she marched away, down the corridors with each step like the thrumming drums of victory.

 

  The girls all wiped their tears dry, their wide eyes of admiration riveted to the lean powerful back of her Exaltedness edging further away into the palace grounds.

  “ I want to be like her.” A girl behind Feira accidentally blurted out before covering her face abashedly.

  Solo, though his face was calm and stern, his inside was fuming with apprehension.

 

  Not good, not good…the General muttered under his breath.

 

  This girl who thinks she is the Queen of Star and Flare…is proving to be too much of a handful…

 

  I should have warned her, but no. It is not of my concern…

  …confused, adamant Caerlia, 

 

  Justice will be the last thing you find behind these Skyworld walls…

…

………

 

  Rio peered down from the railings at the top of the ceiling of the grand dome where a so-called Grand Gathering was said to be held soon after.

 

  Already, Airships from all sides of the vast sky descended down and parked within the foundations of the grand stadium hall, parallelled in organized arrays as droids and hovering sky pods guide the ships to their designated spot.

 

  Elza whined in hopes to draw Rio’s attention from the glorious airships of all kinds of designs and weaponry.  

 

  “ Alright, alright…” Rio whispered back, making one last glance at the center pedestal towering high up over the succumbing airships below its magnificent wake.

  Where the throne sat. And next to the grand prominent lord sitting, was a smaller elegant carved golden throne, jeweled with diamonds and luxuries that dazzled and confuse.

 

  Yet Rio was sure, that tiny throne belonged to one person alone.

 

  The Sky Princess.

 

  If only he could see her again, even from this far away, he would be the most content of all children in the universe.

 

  “ Woof!” Elza dragged the daydreaming boy’s tunic, pulling Rio back to reality and the gravity to save his bosom friend Finnir.

 

  “ Okay, okay! I am coming!”

  Scurrying off to the shadows of the upper dome layer, fast but obvious, the rushing visage of the boy and the wolf cub had been captured by curious glowing eyes that stared from below in the corner of the grand Gathering stadium.

 

  Eyes that widened in recognition.

 

  Eyes that belong to the Sky Princess herself.

…

………

  Bradson Captain was never a ceremonious chap in heart even before his time of sailing amongst the clouds. He would prefer to drink alone rather than chat and boast among fellow captains, not that he knew any of them. 

  But the circumstances, just mere minutes before the commencing of the Skylord’s Grand Assembly, now forced him to counter the coming reactions and speech that many prestigious Captains of their proud Airships that come from every corner slaying Demons in the name of the Skylord.

 

  “ Captain Bradson!!” a gruff holler from behind halted Bradson and Reina’s steps among the grouped crowd of fellow navigators and Starbreakers as the old man and his secretary turned around to see a bald short stout figure in splendid uniform of high-rank walking up to them, the bushy mustache being the only prominent gathering of hair upon the middle aged man’s jovial visage, accompanied by some other captains of the same tier of prestige and their subordinate Starbreakers of much caliber.

 

  “ You know him?” Reina asked in a quick whisper, to which Bradson squinted hard, trying to recall.

 

  “ Captain…Delprim Jargo?” Bradson uttered unsure, to which the bald robust captain laughed heartily, indicating Bradson’s correct guess.

 

  “ Har har! It is I! I have yet to repay your opportune aid during the First Scourge! My, a valiant battle it was!”

  Laughed this Delprim Jargo, Captain of the Delfalak airship, whose round hairless scalp shone with reverence under the reflection of the skylights hanging above across the elliptical ceiling of the wide stadium. His cohort Starbreaker, a huge slim figure clad in full armor, concealing the face and outlooks under the murky black and golden striped metal facade, nodded silently in menacing greetings.

  “ Then you must remember Darrovid also? My Champion?! Har har!” Delprim Jargo patted the silent Black Starbreaker like a salesman showcasing a fine stallion race car.

  “ Say, where is your Starbreaker boy Firram, huh? I was hoping he could have a match with Darrovid and see who is the better man now after years of strife and conquest? He hasn’t perished, has he??”

  Delprim Jargo eyed the stern Betelgeuse Captain gleefully.

 

  “ Firren, is fine.” Bradson replie,d shortly. “ He had other matters to attend to. And so do we.” And Bradson, with his mind focused on saving Finnir, ushered off towards the stadium up the wide flight of stairs.

 

  “ Then how about your other Starbreaker maiden, Bradson Captain? Why not she and Darrovid have a match and see who is better??” 

  The bearded bald busybody Captain Delprim Jargo guffawed, seeking yet another abrupt contest to prove his Starbreaker better amongst all. For it seems the failures ages ago of the first Scourge and Demon assault had left this man with quite a competitive ego.

 

  “ Is he serious??” Reina hissed under her breath, taken aback by the rude incoming of a meaningless joust.

 

  “ Captain Jargo, there’s the Lord’s Grand Gathering right there…” Bradson pointed at the bombastic entrance to the grandeur stadium, but the bald meddler was insisting.

 

  “ The Gathering will not start exactly at the opportune timing, Captain Bradson. I know, for the timing of the Skylord is exact and undoubtingly accurate, which leaves us with ample thirty minutes for a proper joust. What say you? Starbreaker against Starbreaker! Bradson Captain?…I have been waiting to prove my worth and this is my moment!!”

 

  “ You could prove it by exterminating Demons, captain…” Bradson was about to answer but Delprim Jargo put his palm straight up to halt Bradson’s speaking.

 

  “ Demons are lame.” Delprim Jargo blatantly announced among many on-looking bystander captains nosy and curious for entertainment.

  “ Darrovid and I have not met with any defeat in the past centuries ever since my epic failure at the First Scourge. Demons are not worthy enough to prove my progress, Bradson! I seek redemption, a rematch! A testimony of my growth!! Bradson, and Starbreaker Leina, are you going to turn your backs on an honorable tourney?!”

 

  “ It’s Reina, but whatever.” Reina secretary replied in her Captain’s stead.

“ But apologies, we have to refuse your request, captain. We would not want to bring havoc upon the Lord’s court.”

 

  “ Oh ho, that you are unaware!” Delprim Jargo guffawed still adamantly.

“ Her Exaltedness Lansara Suprima has recently passed an accord to condone competition between Starbreakers upon Skyworld grounds! Jousting is a proper display of valor and knighthood! Even the Exalted one guarantees! Come, Bradson, Leina. I and Darrovid shall bring nothing but honor in this plight!”

 

  “ Not so fast!!!!” Another foreign voice from the side crowd suddenly cried out chivalrously before Reina was about to don her Starbreaker armor and give this Delprim Jargo a good beating.

  “ Lady Reina, may your grace and splendor rest and bask under my glory!”

 

  “ Oh no…” Reina muttered in disgust as a properly built young man in his early thirties of long pink long hair stepped out of the scene between Delprim Jargo and Captain Bradson.

  It was a gentleman in both a captain’s cloaked uniform and glistening light reddish armor of a Starbreaker, with a lavishing look of alluring manhood sheathed under pristine white skin. Edges of the young man’s face and slightly bulged muscles were works of art, like a marble saint carved out by the renowned artisans of divine craftwork.

  And that smile, the curved confidence that shoots out shafts of beams that captivated every female Starbreaker and captain watching, pulling their spontaneous riveted gazes only onto his utmost glamorous facade, unable to be free from the fascinating man, captain, Starbreaker’s charming snare.

 

  Delprim Jargo too was lost for words. Jaws agape, unable to respond immediately.

 

  Darrovid, the wordless black Starbreaker however, just stared in silence.

 

  “ …Captain…Valentine…?” Bradson managed to recall the name of this marvelous gentleman that had intruded on their evening with yet unknown intentions.

 

  “ It’s an honor to be remembered, Father.” The stunning captain replied softly in dreamy cadence, shedding a tear as he addressed Bradson as his close relative, kneeling down and kissing the old bewildered captain on the back of his hand.

  “ I, Valentine Vanodai of the Hydrangea ship accept your joust, Captain Delprim Jargo!”

 

  Turning back with a flourish, swiping his pink long hair like waves of love, Captain Valentine looked forth at the disgusted Reina deeply in the eye and spoke tenderly.

  “ My heart has been yours since the day of the First Scourge, Reina my Rose. Years I have traveled across desert and sea, mountain and valley, in search of you, dreaming of your crimson hair flowing down your marvelous silhouette. And after centuries, at last, here we are. It is Destiny. It is Love!

  Reina my Rose! Let me Fight for thee and claim victory in your name! Would you, my fair blossom of night and morning, claim my hand the moment I return with triumph?”

 

  Towards such words and wooing that no girl Starbreaker would not fall for, Reina simply replied tersely

 

  “ No.”

 

  “ The thorns of the Rose do accentuate its beauty.” Captain Valentine chuckled calmly on the outside yet coughed out blood due to his sadness deep down to which hundreds of girls swarm in to support his frame and hand him their handkerchiefs.

  “ Well then, if it is the joust that you wish to have a part, then I shall accompany thee as your second! Come! Let us destroy the world with Love!!”

 

  The unrelenting Starbreaker fellow flew up from the wooed crowd of women and reached out his hand, his grasping hand that longed, yearned for Reina for centuries, finally so near.

  

  Yet was stopped by the opportune intrusion of old Captain Bradson, grabbing the young Captain’s hand in mid-thrust before the reaching fingers could touch a hair on Reina.

 

  Captain Valentine was surprised, and so was Reina, who could have dealt with the pervert with her own fist. But it was Bradson, whose shadow now shielded before her that stopped the want, the pursues that came towards her, guarding her like Reina was someone important to him.

  No, she is.

 

  Captain Valentine shed another tear of utter disappointment.

  “ Father, why do you shun me away? Am I not worthy of Reina’s hand?”

 

  “ No.” Captain Bradson replied, tersely as well.

 

  But instead of dropping to the ground in utter defeat, Captain Valentine stood tall and confident before the umpteenth time of refusal.

  “ If so, then I shall prove my worth, through this Joust!! Captain Delprim Jargo, Darrovid!! Be my stepping stones!!!!”

  Swiping his fur commanding coat aside, sinking into the hands of crazed female followers, Captain Valentine revealed his armor in full glow, runes of power dazzling upon the light red hue as a long chained blade of fangs snaked out of thin air, slithering around the young man’s sudden menacing presence.

 

  But even so, standing before Captain Valentine’s ominous stance of the whip blade, Captain Delprim Jargo was not satisfied.

  “ Captain Valentine! Being both a Starbreaker and a Captain of a ship may sound cool, but it is nothing compared to the outstanding Bradson Captain! Stand down and interfere not my joust!”

 

  “ No no. Standing here, I realize, we are the same, trying to prove of our Destiny! It is fate.” Captain Valentine mused as his swiping long blade swam like a vicious serpent, slashing the solid marble stairs with clean cuts that reached deep meters down.

  “ Throughout the century in the field, never once have I hunted a Demon in the name of the Skylord. Reina, I hunt demons honoring your name! If you wish to fight Captain Bradson, then it is I that you shall pass!”

 

  Realizing that someone had fittingly stepped in to take their place, Bradson and Reina hurriedly went forth toward the stadium in hopes to escape the farce. But Delprim Jargo is a man of sheer will and commitment, someone who would not let go of the weakness of his past and strives to prove his growth.

  “ Darrovid! Stop them!!” Delprim Jargo made the first move, and his black Starbreaker heeded his call, summoning two void towers behind his dark armored form which shot out a series of projectiles up to the air and pierced back down onto the slanting marble stairs, revealing all sorts of weapons, swords, spears, lances, forming a circle around them like an outer rim of an actual tourney.

 

  Delprim Jargo is serious, Bradson and Reina both turned around as she donned her Starbreaker armor right away, shielding Bradson behind her.

 

  “ Captain, this might take a while…” Reina whispered quickly, preparing for the fight against Jargo’s black Starbreaker that hover in the arena with the two towering voids behind its back.

 

  “ Then we’ll finish them faster.” with determination shining in those stern eyes of resolve,  Bradson captain stood his ground, ready to face this unscrupulous act and bizarre encounter.

 

  “ Indeed, together we shall triumph!” Captain Valentine agreed, appearing in the weapon-forged arena also without anyone noticing.

 

  Reina rolled her eyes, never expecting to meet a nuisance years before to come back to annoy her. But at least he is here to help.

 

  “ Wait ho, who is this? What is going on??”

 

  Reina looked up in surprise as the loud voice came from a big shadow that entered the arena, passing through the weapons of the outer circle without realizing they were there, and joining both Bradson and Reina on the side of the Betelgeuse.

 

  “ Are we having a joust right now?” Seito Heroman asked, looking at all the dumbstruck people around him with exhilarated glee.

 

  “ No way!!” Delprim Jargo guffawed in disbelief.

“ The Vajra of Lightning, once perished in the last day of the First Scourge, now returned?!?!”

 

  Darrovid the Black looked at Seito as his dark crimson visor glowed with deep interest.

 

  “ Seito, I thought you aren’t joining us!” Reina sighed in relief with a smile that Captain Valentine so witnessed that will never belong to him.

 

  “ Well, I got bored. So,” Seito shrugged looking around at the contestant before him.

“ What are these punks trying to achieve though?”

 

  “ To achieve Greatness before you came, Seito, you oversized brute!” Captain Valentine accused out of nowhere, conjuring his long chain blade down to smite Seito.

  “ You leave me no choice—I shall challenge you to a duel!!!!”

 

  Sailing down like a hundred blades did the metallic chains of fangs that descended all upon Seito the lightning one, who looked up at the coming wrath without batting an eye.

  And with his bear fists, Seito coiled all the strings onto his muscular armored right arm, gripping them tightly within his fist, and heaved, pulling the handsome captain Starbreaker off the air by surprise before landing a face-sized punch on the pretty unprotected face of Captain Valentine.

 

  Gasps from the bystanding girls swept the crowd as they all bore witness to the sudden defeat of swell Valentine Vanodai, who now lay on the floor, knocked out cold.

 

  “ Seito wins!” Delprim Jargo uttered, becoming umpire and contestant altogether.

“ Valentine shoo! Seito of the unstoppable storm, you are a warrior that gave your Light to country, therefore you have my respects. But you are in the way of my ascension! Be prepared! Darrovid!!!!”

  Immediately, both Seito and Reina felt a sudden change of atmosphere, as if gravity had increased threefold over the small circular arena. And most shocking of all, was that Darrovid was nowhere to be seen.

 

  Bradson stared startled at the arena, then to the sides, and above. 

 

  But no sign of the Starbreaker in sight!

 

  Where did he go??

  Captain Jargo sneered at the fruition of his long-awaited victory. Finally, he is no longer Delprim the loser, no longer does he need to look up to others.

 

  They will look up to me now!

…

………

  “ Hey, dog…slow down. Slow down, man!” Rio panted, rushing as fast as he could to catch up with the darting speed of the scurrying wolf cub, traversing corridors of glass and zigzagging off behind corners, disappearing in a blink of an eye.

 

  “ Dog…! Wait…” After a long nonstop running and hiding from guard droids’ surveillance, Rio couldn’t help but rest his wet sweaty frame to the side, catching his breath with much effort, while the wolf cub sat a distance away, eager to run more.

  Looking back from whence he came, the winding hallways leave no resemblance whatsoever and Rio knew he was lost too deep in the palace quarters.

  “ How am I gonna go back without you, dog…dog…?”

 

  Isn’t Dog waiting for me, just ahead of the corner?

 

  “ Hey! Dog!” Rio hissed, afraid his call might summon androids instead.

“ Dog! Where are you?”

 

  Usually, Elza would bark back or either whine quietly for Rio to follow.

 

  But no more did Rio hear any sound from the infant canine.

 

  “ Oh no no no no no…” Terrified, Rio pushed further to the corner where he thought Elza was, turning frantically only to be face to face with a tall sharp masked, four-armed royal droid, staring down at him with that red buzzing mono-eye.

 

  “ Argh!!!!” Fear upon him, negating his stance and courage, forcing his legs to give way and the boy tumbled to the ground as the android bent low, examining Rio’s face closely.

 

  “ Intruder detected. Intruder detected.” And the four metal arms sprang out, grabbing each of Rio’s trembling torso.

 

  “ No!! Nooooo!!!!” Rio kicked and struggled, swinging his sword to no avail as the arms raised him higher and higher to the ceiling until suddenly—

  “ Detection denied!” 

  Jolting asudden, the towering droid came to an abrupt halt.

  “ Stand down. And leave us.”

  “ Yes, your highness.” The droid put Rio down gently with a bow, heeding the soft but powerful call obediently before turning away, heading down the opposite direction like nothing had happened before.

 

  Panting still, caught in the shocking fright, it took Rio a couple of seconds to realize a small hand reaching out to him from the side.

 

  A white beautiful hand as clean as snow, lowered down to his level from none other than the Sky Princess herself, smiling kindly as the long curls of dazzling blue hair shimmered under the ceiling lights.

  Elza the cub snuggled on her shoulder satisfyingly.

 

  “ You are safe now.” Sora Sky Princess bade gently to the dumbstruck boy on the floor.

“ Here, take my hand, Rio.”

  Trembling more and more, Rio aimed his hand down to the palm, holding it as softly as possible in fear that he might hurt her with his nervous sweaty grip. It was so soft, silky, and nice to touch. Rio nearly cried but held his manhood firm for his brave guise.

 

  “ Tha…than…THank you…Your highness…” Rio stammered, his eyes darting here and there, not sure where to place his gaze to not seem rude in front of such a divine presence.

 

  Somehow, his awkward appearances were like magic to the princess and the young girl giggled with delight, wanting to know more about this interesting boy.

 

  Yet, the current circumstances forbade them so.

 

  “ Rio, listen to me carefully. You are not safe here. You have to leave.”

Princess Sora explained earnestly, leading the tranced boy down the hallway to the exit.

  “ My father doesn’t allow anyone to come close to his quarters. He will be very disappointed if he sees you here.”

 

  “ Bu…bu bu bu But Finnir…Finnir, my friend! He is been caught…androids! I must save him…save him I shall with my bravery… and my sword! Yes! I have to, your highness!”

 

  “ Rio, calm down. What are you talking about??” Sora was puzzled by what she heard.

“ What happened to Finnir?”

 

  “ Your father’s droids! They took Finnir this morning! I must save him! Save him I shall!”

 

  Sora gasped in disbelief, shocked by the fact that her father had snatched one of the children away to his secret quarters, where Lord father keeps…

 

  But Finnir is innocent! They are all safe and clean! Uncorrupted! 

 

  How could Lord father do such a thing?!

  “ Follow me.” Sora whispered and with Elza on her shoulder and Rio sticking behind, hand in hand, the two children raced down the corridors, winding left and right, up and down, turning circles clockwise and counterclockwise until finally, they reached the sub-basement of the palace grounds, white-walled environments without sound and movement whatsoever, with narrow cells lined on both sides of one lone path leading to the pale void.

 

  Checking at all the cells, passing by weird-looking monsters and demons strapped on metal desks and attached to wires connected to monitors without readings, kept behind glass doors that slammed shut.

 

  But just as they reached the final cell, they heard footsteps, coming out from within.

 

  Instantly, Sora pulled Rio back, opening one of the glass doors of the cell nearby, and sneaked in just in time before the person appeared out of the last room next door.

 

  Hiding under the metal surgery platform, Rio and Sora both watched, holding their breath as the tall shadow of an armored figure, dressed in glamorous yellow and purple, robed majestically with runes of power scattered across the chest plates and shoulders, walked out and traversed pass the glass door to their cell, holding none other than Finnir the sick bro, now asleep in the armored Starbreaker figure’s arms.

 

  “ No…” Rio was about to utter and dahs out the room when Sora quickly stopped him.

 

  “ Shhhh!”

 

  “ But Finnir—”

 

  “ I know her. Let’s follow her first and see where she takes Finnir.” Sora advised and Rio agreed wholeheartedly.

…

………

  Taking a deep breath, the Lord prepared himself for the ceremony to come.

 

  “ Show me.” 

 

  Immediately, a million screens all over the capital lit up all around Caesar Skyman, surrounding him like a pillar of mosaic luminance engulfing the frail lord in its center.

 

  One thing Caesar hoped he has that he still has not yet possessed is eyes that could see everything all at once. His duties as a Lord of Light had diminished his time to create, to build, and design. Perhaps he could construct a pair of glasses that could show him all that he needs to see in one instance after he has dealt with all the opposition and gotten his hands on the Herunis Carna. Soon, Caesar Skylord told himself. Soon…she will show herself to me.

 

  Glancing down on the first screen projected at the very front of the stadium of the Grand Gathering, the happening occurring in real time shocked him so that he focused on that one screen, swiping the others away, staring at a joust between two starship captains and their Starbreakers.

 

  The absurdity was off the charts, and the involvement of Bradson, Castiel Bradson baffled Caesar so much, that the Skylord clearly overlooked one among a million screens, where the princess was racing down the corridors with a boy close by.

…

………

  “ Yuri, it’s getting late. You wanna have dinner?”

 

  Yuka called from under the attic, where Yuri sat at the round tea table, gazing at the beaming shafts of light protruding out of the newly constructed stadium far far away filled with starships and people from all over the capital.

 

  Vague noises echoed from within the stadium, sending but waves of undiscernable noises throughout the lonesome streets and quiet outskirts of Skyworld.

 

  Are they also there? In the ceremony? 

 

  Where are they now…?

  “ Yuri! Dinner!”

 

  Yuka climbed up the ladder and hollered aloud, pulling Yuri back to the attic of the four-conjoined flat.

 

  “ Not hungry!” Yuri called back, but seconds later climbed down after Yuka and sat down at the clover-shaped dinner table.

 

  “ What happened to Not-hungry?” Yuka jeered as they ate quietly.

 

  “ I don’t know.” Yuri shrugged.

“ I don’t feel like eating anything, but somehow… I—”

 

  Before Yuka, Yun, and Yuno could react, Yuri had already dashed to the restroom, bending in front of one of the lavatory booths.

 

  Yuka blinked, mouth wide in astonishment, while Yun floated quickly through the air, accompanying Yuri in no time, holding her blue hair back so as to not be stained.

 

  “...Yuri…?” Yuno came to the entrance of the restroom, pausing quickly as she heard the sounds that seemed like liquidus matter being poured down to a well.

 

  Yun turned around, giving a worried look to her older sister, who just stared sternly with her thin eyes, frowning slightly.

  Soon after, Yuri was put to bed once again, resting under the covers while the others finish their dinner in silence.

  “ Is she sick?” Yuka asked, meeting no answers from her sisters.

…

………

  Vigilantly scanning side to side, Reina and Seito quickly exchanged looks in serious silence.

 

  The enemy Starbreaker is not in the arena, and neither is he outside, Reina surmised as she pointed her gattling gun wrists around her. Perhaps they could get more clues if he—

 

  All of a sudden, like a bursting hot spring out of the canyon, blood spurted out of her knee where a gash so deep and wide, breaking through her armor appeared in just a second.

 

  “ Reina!!” Seito boomed, rushing to the secretary’s side, shielding her with his bulky frame and Lightning Greatsword.

 

  Captain Bradson jolted as if he was about to fly across to the center of the arena himself, but stayed his ground as to not break the rules of Starbreaker joust.

 

  Delprim Jargo, however, was laughing triumphantly on his side.

  

  “ Look, but you cannot see! Yes, that is my design. Darrovid’s training has finally paid off ha ha!!” Captain Jargo announced as if he had won the joust already.

 

  

  “ Do you see where he came from?” Seito asked as Reina quickly sealed the wound under her nano Starbreaker armor quickly behind Seito’s guard.

 

  “ No. But I think I have a way to get him here.” Reina then stood out and faced Captain Jargo, fuming.

 

  “ Captain Jargo, your designs are illusive, and its attacks remarkable. But I am afraid it is still our win in this joust.”

  Reina spoke confidently despite Delprim Jargo’s incredulous scowl.

 

  “ Less talk, more action!” Delprim Jargo barked.

“ In my point of view, I am the one that is winning!”

 

  “ On the contrary, captain, according to the joust accords, participants are supposed to be Present, WITHIN the ordained arena. Darrovid may have struck a hard blow, but it is insignificant if he is not here fighting himself!!”

 

  Stunned by Reina’s correctness to the rules of Starbreaker jousting, Delrpim Jargo opened his mouth to protest, only to remain speechless. The veins upon his round bald head bulged and tensed apparently under the bright skylights.

 

  “ Damn you…damn you……Darrovid!!! Show Them What You’ve Got!!!!”

 

  Delprim Jargo, with one cry of utter resolve, summoned his Starbreaker to the field, and lo!

 

  Seito and Reina both sensed it.

 

  The air flowed backward, the atmosphere drifting drastically to the back, and as they turned around, the void opened, and creeping out with dozens of different weapons circled around him, was Darrovid the black.

 

  In the next blink of the eyes, all the weapons shot out all at once towards Seito and Reina, aiming at their vital organs.

 

  Springing to action, Reina fired all her photon bullets at the coming weapons, parrying them all away to the side of the arena while Seito glowed like a pillar of sheer light.

 

  “ FOOLISH!!!!” Seito boomed and immediately reached the speed of lightning the moment his shout began.

  “ The Moment You Show Yourself is the Moment You FALL!!!!!”

 

  And before Seito even finished his shout, his lightning greatsword had struck Darrovid, aiming at the chest. Feeling his blade stuck in a protrusion stance, Seito looked up.

 

  There, Darrovid stood, his two hands clasped together, palm to palm, 

 

  catching the tip of The Lightning Greatsword between his clap.

  “ …You…!” Seito wasted not even a second, pushing with all his might.

 

  Darrovid too, edged forward with his monstrous unrelenting strength.

 

  Both Starbreakers, black and gold, trapped in a tremulous standstill, either side succumbing to the other.

  Yet before Delprim Jargo and all the other captains present could see who was the eventual victor, 

 

  And low echoing boom resounded across their years, halting all action and gaining each and every one of them’s attention in no time.

  “ CAPTAINS, STARBREAKERS.”

  Bradson captain froze.

  “ THE GATHERING IS ABOUT TO COMMENCE. CEASE ALL DISPUTE, AND ENTER MY ABODE.”

 

  “ Wha…but…” Delprim Jargo checked his watch quickly, seeing that the Ceremony had started fifteen minutes earlier than he expected.

 

  “ Poppycock!!” Captain Jargo guffawed in refute.

“ The Skylord would not start any meeting earlier than the designated time! Bradson! You bribed—”

  “ CAPTAIN DELPRIM JARGO.” 

 

  “ Your…your Highness?!” the bald bearded man jolted in surprise at his name being called by the lord, for the first time in forever.

  “ THOU ART DISMISSED. LEAVE THE CEREMONY, AND REFLECT ON YOUR MISBEHAVIORS IN THOU LODGING.”

  “ But…But…how…?!” Delprim Jargo sputtered indignantly in protest.

“ What have I done wrong?!?!?!”

  “ DON’T MAKE ME WARN YOU TWICE.”

  Unable to speak for himself, and deprived of the chance to prove his own worth, Captain Delprim Jargo left with an unceremonious snarl, eyeing Bradson grimacingly as he left the quarter with much qualms and dismay, with his black silent Starbreaker knight leaving by his side.

  Soon enough, the Grand Gathering Ceremony began.

  There, atop all the assembled captains, standing upon the towering pedestal, was the Skylord himself, both thin arms widely stretch to each end, as if embracing them all in his omnipresent reach.

 

  Caesar Skylord looked to his side, noticing the small throne, the one that belonged to his dear Princess, was yet empty.

 

  Can it be…

 

  But Caesar Skylord decided to leave the Princess be and get things done with.

  “ Loyal Captains, noble Starbreakers,” Caesar Skylord bade them all in his morbid menacing voice.

  “ We are here, to Transcend.”

…

………

  Passing many doors and checkpoints, following behind the tall magnificent Starbreaker carrying Finnir away to nowhere, Sora and Rio sneaked their way forth, not knowing where they were heading to.

 

  “ Where do you think she is going?” Rio whispered as they stopped while the queenly Starbreaker paused before another set of doors as the scanners at the foyer checked the passerby’s initials before opening its gates.

 

  “ I don’t know.” Sora shrugged, Elza the wolf cub whining in winder also.

“ But we are heading out of the palace. This is the last set of gates before reaching the bridge leading to the towers and buildings outside.”

 

  “ Can it be…this Starbreaker is getting Finnir back…?” Rio asked, imagining a mad hypothetical which made no sense whatsoever.

 

  Yet, after a short period of thought, princess Sora nodded slowly in agreement.

 

  “ You might be right…” Sora surmised.

  “ Sister Caerlia is kind and thoughtful…She might bring Finnir back. But…”

 

  “ But…?”

 

  But before Rio could get an answer, the children stopped abruptly.

 

  For the Exalted Starbreaker not far away had also stopped, in the middle of the long glass bridge.

…

………

  “ Yun, could you help me take care of Yuri for a sec? I’ll be right back.”

 

  Yuno spoke gently, leaving her shift as she slowly made her way up to the attic of their hovering sky pod flat.

  “ Yo.”

  Someone was already there, sitting at the round tea table, waiting for Yuno.

  Immediately, Skypods and drones surrounded the sitting figure, buzzing and glaring with power, ready to release streams of searing light on the unwelcomed intruder, who, despite all teh flying arsenals around him, still sat leisurely at ease, resting both muscular hands on the tabletop.

  “ If it is a fight you want, I prefer on that building further away from here.” Yuno spoke calmly, walking slowly closer to the figure at the table, her threatening tone emanating out of each word she spoke.

 

  “ You know me.” The person of huge well-built physique replied with a casual chuckle.

 

  “ I prefer to talk.”

  “ What do you want…” Yuno sighed, as she sat down opposite the man before her, with all her drones and skypods still closely aiming at the person’s face.

 

  “ …Solo?”

  “ We’ve talked about this before, and I will state it again.” Solo cheerfully sat straight like a gentleman speaking to a graceful maiden of equal rank, and extent of power.

  “ I wish to cooperate with you. And your sisters of course.”

 

  “ Is it you, or the Skylord’s wish?” Yuno snapped, both arms crossed before her ample chest with one leg resting on the other thigh.

 

  “ You know me.” Solo chuckled as lightheartedly as ever.

“ I am Always on the side of Humanity.”

 

  “ Then I refuse.” Yuno summoned her tea cattle and poured sparkling water only for herself.

“ This Skylord is not optimal for my usage.”

 

  “ Too bad, too bad.” Solo peered enviously at Yuno’s cup of clear bubbling water.

“ I thought there might be a slim chance that my little dilemma would seek resolve from you, Yuno. I know how resourceful you are.”

 

  “ You don’t know me.” 

 

  “ Do I not?” Solo’s smile turned to a sneer, a snide sneer.

“ Surely, we’ve already met in different worlds, two, or three other ones than this. Four perhaps if you count the first…But still, this might be the first time we have ever sat and talked like mutual equals.”

 

  “ I don’t care.” Yuno sipped her cool water without sentiment.

“ This world is what I am concerned about now.”

 

  “ Then you should be aware of this little dilemma that has been troubling me recently,” Solo advised, grinning.

  “ It might…become your dilemma as well… if not solved soon enough.”

 

  Yuno put down her cup impatiently.

  “ What is this dilemma you speak of?”

  “ Caerlia.”

  Solo replied tersely. The one name.

…

………

    “ To Transcend, one requires power, and determination to execute the deed.” The Skylord continued amiably.

  “ Power, in the form of Light, from all the good souls, innocent souls you’ve gathers for the grand cause. Captains, I thank thee.”

 

  The Captains gathered all bowed in acceptance of their monarch’s gratitude, 

 

  except Castiel Bradson.

 

  He knew Caesar Skylord achieved this only through snatching and deceiving Light-Hearted kind for their light hearts.

 

  “ Come, my loyal subjects. Bring to me the devoted Light Souls you have gathered and bring them to me.”

 

  Lo, one after another, the Captains of their designated airship then carried the giant vessel, a magnified elaborate vase-shaped engine that stored all the light souls that the Starbreakers have assembled during their voyage across the land.

 

  The first captain, with the help of his Starbreaker, brought their Light Heart storage up to the high pedestal and presented it to their grace.

 

  “ Zaiten ship, at your service.” The Captain of the Zaiten bowed low as the Skylord’s androids took the Light storage away back to the inner sanction of the palace.

 

  The next Captain brought up their storage, and the next, and the next. One after another, full of light, ample in source, bringing to their elated Lord’s presence before claiming allegiance to their ruler of Light.

 

  “ Yamitir ship, at your service.”

 

  “ Waimar ship, at your service.”

 

  “ Eoneon ship, at your service.”

 

.

.

.

 

  

 

…

………

  Yuno’s thin eyes didn’t even widen or react in any proportion at the mention of the name.

 

  “ What of her?” Yuno asked placidly.

“ Is she not with you?”

 

  “ Caesar has granted her too much access in the far past and transferred too much of my jurisdiction to her that now she has become… condescending.”

 

  “ You can’t control her anymore,” Yuno smirked mockingly in realization.

“ What? Not used to being a subordinate?”

 

  “ I serve anyone that benefits Humanity. That is deeply encoded in my blood.” Solo replied, his grin slowly diminishing.

  “ But She…how do I put this. Hmm, hmm…”

 

  Yuno’s frown deepened as the Starbreaker General brainstormed for the proper phrase to depict his problem.

 

  But before Yuno could get Solo’s reply, Yun dashed out from beneath the attic, looking frantic and deeply in distraught at her older sister.

  ( Yuno…! It’s—)

  Yun caught a glimpse of the man sitting opposite her sister and her frightful demeanor changed, her eyes dimmed and fear was no longer in those pupils, but sheer hate and murderous intent.

 

  “ Yun, stay.” Yuno calmly swiped her Sky pods to block Yun from prancing onto Solo and ripping him to pieces.

 

  Solo however waved politely to the furious girl before him, not at all feeling threatened,

 

  “ Yun, what is it?” Yuno asked seriously, turning her younger sister’s focus onto her.

 

  Yun stared a hateful stare of sheer dread at the man before turning to her sister, replying tersely.

  (...It’s Yuri. She’s gone.)

  Only then did Yuno’s thin eyes widen in alarm.

  “ Ahh, yes. I got it!” Solo clapped cheerfully, finally finding the words to describe his dilemma.

  “ Caerlia also covets the Herunis Carna…for her own petty desires, if you will...”

  Snarling quietly but menacingly, Yuno sprang to her feet, Starbreaker armor sheathing upon her all at once.

…

……….

Coming and going, the Captains all have pledged their loyalty before Caesar Skylord’s witness. 

 

  All except one.

  “ Betelgeuse ship.” Caesar Skyman sneered from the top of his grand monolith.

 

  “ Are you not bringing forth thy patronage?”

  Castiel Bradson looked up from the center of the wide crowded stadium, and replied tersely.

 

  “ NO.”

  The grin on the Skylord’s lips faded ominously.

…

………

  

  Staggering, in pain as her world swirled, nausea seizing control over all her other senses, 

  

  still, 

 

  Yuri knew she must go.

 

  She must get to the source of light, the bright lit stadium as soon as possible.

 

  For she was very sure, through an unexplainable type of perception and foreboding that is yet out of her ken at the moment, her Captain and friends were there, in deep peril.

  Pausing to rest at the wall of a skyscraper, Yuri checked her trajectory, trying to focus on the flow of awareness tingling deep down, underneath the pain erupting within her belly, and the urge to throw up nothing left in her stomach.

  Northeast.

  Yuri opened her eyes once again, forcing her legs to jog faster down the empty boulevard toward the direction her senses stirred her forth.

  Use your armor.

  “ But…” Yuri tried to argue that the stinging pain was in the way, but nonetheless, with a cry of resolve, Yuri summoned her Starbreaker armor and shot out her grappling hook to the sky, soaring up and up, faster than before, just miles away from where Grandpapa Bradson and sister Reina were.

…

………

  “ …No…?!” 

 

  Caesar Skyman uttered, walking down the long flight of stairs upon his shining pedestal, with his two thin hands he adjusted his crown, his jeweled wired crown sizzling with electric currents and mystic powers.

 

  “ Bradson…are you sure…?”

  “ You took Finnir.” Bradson snarled, knuckles white and bulging.

  “ We have a promise! I stay away from Yuri, You leave the Children alone!!!”

 

  “ Alas, things are usually more complicated than it seems.” Caesar Skyman cackled with a sadistic grin.

  “ You said you taught them nothing. You said they remembered nothing at all. But that isn't true, is it…IS IT, CAS?!?!”

 

  “ I don’t know what you are talking about!” Bradson boomed angrily in the Lord’s face.

“ I did not restore their memory! I am a man of my word!! Now Release Finnir this instance!!!”

 

  “ A man…of your word…” Caesar shook his head dramatically, giggling under his disappointed sigh.

  “ A man of your word…such a word, Cas, so bold of you to say so, Cas…ha ha..ha ha ha…ha Ha HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!”

 

  And with a strong sudden stretch of his frail arms to both sides, Caesar Skyman had his droids project the scene, the ghastly footage wide and open before all the gathered eyes to see.

  “ The Light…!”

  The terrified, sick Finnir upon the large virtual screen uttered aloud before all their witness.

  “ Lights…of Caesar…Skyman…!!!! Lights of Treachory…!”

  Reina covered her lips with both hands, eyes wide in terror and disbelief.

 

  Castiel Bradson, mouth wide, was speechless.

  “ There you have it.” Caesar Skyman breathed long and deep, before giving out one satisfied sigh.

  “ Now, I shall have mine.”

 

  With a glow of the jewels upon his crown, Caesar Skyman pointed his crooked finger at Reina’s face, and then a blinding flash erupted between the Lord and the dumbfounded secretary.

 

  And as soon as the flash dispersed, Reina was on the floor.

  “ REINAAAA!!!!!!” Castiel Bradson crashed his knees to the ground, shaking the young fainted woman in his arms frantically, trying to wake her back up with his all.

 

  “ You!!!! What did you do—!!??” Seito charged forth, only to meet with the same fate as Reina, crashing to the ground senseless.

  “ Save your tears, Cas.” Caesar Skyman whispered, panting exhaustedly as thin streaks of blood flowed down both of his ears.

 

  “ I didn’t kill them…I am not a killer…”

 

  “ Taking their Memories is the same as Murder, CAESAR!!!!!” Castiel Bradson shouted desperately, caressing his unconscious daughter close, sobbing.

  “ I brought her back…She is all I have left…Caesar…how could you…HOW COULD YOU, CAESAAAAAAAAAAARRRR—?!?!?!?!?!”

  

…

………

  Crashing down on top of a flat attic, Yuri quickly rose back to her feet, staggering up only to fall again on all fours.

 

  Tears and sweat dripping down upon her helmet visor shielding her face from the fall.

 

  Stand up…

 

  Yuri begged to herself, pushing the ground with her hands and feet drastically, shaking all over.

 

  Stand up…Yuri…You must stand up…You must stand up for those you love…YURI!

 

  Her knees rising, her Starbreaker armor thrusters humming, Yuri rose back up on both legs, shooting out one more grappling hook out to the night sky, pinning the air as the cord pulled her up,

 

  up, 

 

  up—

 

  Before crashing into what seemed like a dashing plane, striking Yuri on the side, pushing her with utmost vehement force down, 

 

  down, 

 

  down, 

 

  crashing through the cement pavements and boulevards, leaving one long deep track across her fall, passing through dozens of buildings as they crumbled altogether by the sheer force that pushed Yuri down and beyond until she finally stopped at the foot of a skyscraper that toppled down into smithereens above her.

 

  

 

…

………

  “ By jove!!!” Rio uttered, dashing forth and shielding princess Sora bravely from the shattered glass shooting all over the bridge that no longer had a ceiling or any protection at all. Its glass outer walls all but pulverized splinters that descended down below like sharp snowflakes to the dark unknown.

 

  “ Princess, are you hurt…?!” Rio asked as soon as the glass shards have all dispersed.

 

  “ I…I am alright…” Sora looked up at the barely remaining bridge, gasping in astonishment as she pointed yonder.

 

  “ Rio, look!” 

 

  There, lying alone, unscathed, was unconscious Finnir.

 

  The boy was safe.

  “ But where did she go?!” Rio asked, frantically, shocked by the sheer shockwave of the instant disappearance the magnificent Starbreaker caused.

 

  “ Where did the Starbreaker go, Princess?!”

  Sora herself was wondering the same thing.

…

………

  Firren saw it too, like a comet flashing across the city skyline in but a split second. But he was sure what it meant.

 

  “ Momo! Suit up!”

 

  The young Starbreaker girl gapped in shock.

 

  “ But co..common…”

 

  “ Hurry, Momo!! Time is running out!” Firren shouted, donning his flaming red armor immediately, not even wasting time to teach the young girl how to pronounce the word Commander.

 

  “ It’s Yuri!! She is in danger!!!!”

 

  This, Momo understood, and her bright yellow winged armor flashed to her presence, ready and humming with power.

…

………

  Barely holding on to her wavering consciousness, Yuri could feel strong hands gripping tightly around her windpipe, dragging her out of the dark heavy pile of boulders and debris, lifting her up in the air as her feet dangled helplessly in the air.

 

  All Yuri could see from her vague sight, were the two prominent curved antlers protruding out of the one before her’s sharp imposing helm.

  “ Yuri…is it?” 

  Caerlia Lansara Suprima asked menacingly the fainting poor girl in her hands.

  “ You…You have the Herunis Carna with you…Indeed, I can sense it.” 

  Opening her helmet, Caerlia pulled Yuri close to a fierce embrace, searching through her vigilant senses where the secrets lie.

 

  “ I see…It’s inside you, deep down…in your memory, in your Light…in your Light Heart, your Light Blood…Give it to me…Give Me Your Light Soul—!!!!!!”

  “...no…” Yuri refused weakly, but adamant still.

 

  “ No…I can’t give it to you… I WILL NOT GIVE MY MEMORY TO YOU!!!!” 

 

  Yuri shouted at the top of her lungs, pulling at Caerlia’s firm arms away to free herself from that ruthless grip, only to face the indifferent laughs from the elite one.

 

  “ You will not…? But my sweet naive child, Your Very Existence Calls for my Attention!!!”

 

  The Starbreaker queen shouted, slamming Yuri hard from the air back to the ground with immense power.

 

  “ Your sole being calls for the world to come and get you, poor sister…If you really don’t want any of us to have that Memory of yours…You Should Have Perished, FROM THE VERY START!!!!!” 

 

  Crushing down those ten fingers did, ruthlessly squeezing Yuri’s trachea flat into a pulp as she struggled to break free, in vain.

 

  “ Why do you live…if all that inside of you isn’t meant for this world? Why do you struggle, if your demise is what your secret needs most?”

  No…

  “ Yes…” Caerlia hissed, pressing all her weight down upon Yuri’s windpipe.

 

  “ You aren’t needed. Succumb thy Memories to me…dear sister. And rest…in…Peace…”

   I am…not…needed…

 

  …but a shell…carrying the memory that everyone wants…

 

  …anyone could carry it…

  …why…me………?

  

…

 “ Yuri, wait !!”

 

  The small girl scampered quickly and turned into a corner behind the school grounds, and stopped.

 

  “ Yuri, what's wrong ?! You have been acting strangely, since last night !”

 

   The young girl panted, leaning her back on the stone wall at the back.

 

   They were finally alone.

 

  Her eyes on the ground.

 

  “ Yuri….?”

 

  The boy uneasily asked, sensing something through the girl’s teary eyes.

  “ …Vernui…”

 

  The boy nodded and listened carefully.

 

  “ I…… I sneaked out last night. While we were about to go to bed.”

 

  The boy seemed not at all surprised.

 

  “ Where did you go?” The boy asked calmly.

 

  “ The backyard. I walked along the bushy road, and then… There's a door on the ground... Next you the rock….."

 

  “Wait… Next to the rock ?!”

  The boy asked, greatly surprised. 

 

  There was no door there.

 

  But the little girl nodded, her body shaking as she continued.

  “ It was open, so I went in…….”

 

  And the girl fell silent.

 

  “ And then ?”

 

  The girl didn't reply.

 

  Her teary eyes, looking at her dusty shoes.

 “ Yuri, what did you see ?!”

The boy cried, shaking the girl's shoulders frantically

  

  But the little girl gave out a sharp squeak of pain as the boy touched her right shoulder, and both children sprang away from each other, in fear and shock.

 

  “ Yuri !!”

 

  She tripped, yet did not fall.

 

  The boy took her hand tightly and hugged her close.

 

  None of them spoke.

 

  As they stood by the wall at the back of the school grounds, 

 The girl sobbed quietly.

  “ Caesar sensei was there. Standing in front of a lot of screens, looking at many things… Many terrible things….. And.. And….”

   Vernui hugged her tightly, to calm herself from the panic attacks from what she saw.

 

  “ And what?! Did he do anything to you…?!”

  Angrier as each second passes, Vernui’s hate upon Caesar sensei brew to such an extent for making Yuri afraid like this.

 

   “ There are children…. Like us… In glass tanks of water…… With…. Light….. And… And…. And……”

  And Yuri fell silent, shivering all over and sobbing in fear.

 

  Vernui’s fists clenched, his knuckles bearing white.

 

  “ Caesar sensei… He was angry… He… He forced me to a chair… And took the Light from the tank and….. And….. and…!!"

 

  Vernui hated himself for not realizing it sooner and helping Yuri when she needed him the most.

 

  

  And out of fear, out of a need for consolation, 

 

  Yuri slowly rolled up her sleeve with her shaking hands and revealed,

 

  A white bandage placed on the side of her arm.

 

  “ Sensei had a sharp needle…full of shining blood, And…. And…. He pierced it inside me…..”

 

  And Vernui, in his anguish, hugged his crying friend tightly, consoling her with all he could, which wasn’t enough. 

 

  “ Vernui…”

  she sobbed.

 

  “ Am I going to Die……?”

 

  The tears flowing down like streams.

 

  “ I don't want to Die….!”

  I don't want to Die….!

  I don’t want to die—!!!!!

…

  Realizing that instance of a sudden alien glow that illuminated weakly out from underneath, Caerlia looked downward to see Yuri’s whole body, glowing all over with that foreign blue light, blazing brighter and brighter as Yuri’s hands, slowly gripping onto Caerlia’s squeezing arms, pushed the elite Starbreaker back inch by inch with a growing strength that surged up in but seconds, accelerating into a mighty heave that pushed the lancer queen dozens of miles back. 

 

  What is this…What is this force, this Light…Is it—?!

 

  Caerlia dashed forth as fast as she could.

 

  Something is wrong. But she can still get the upper hand back. 

 

  Yuri is still far from conscious, a fist or two would be able to take her down—wait. 

 

  What if…she is able to fight back now because she is unconscious, granting her the direct link to her lost Memories—?!?!?!

  Things have exceeded the exalted lancer Starbreaker’s expectations. The longer the battle drags, the less her favor remains. She must end Yuri, here, 

 

  Now!

  

  

  Lunging full speed ahead, with her two hands shooting out with her iron grips wide open, Caerlia aimed thoroughly at the glowing girl’s throat once again.

  But the unseen force of the faint shimmering glow seemed to be pushing her back, repelling Caerlia further away the more she tried to pursue.

 

  Insolence!!! Caerlia snarled, bursting with sheer strength of her Starbreaking determination through the barricading energy field.

 

  As soon as my fingers touch thee, Caerlia thought, it will be your end—!

 

  Yuri, your Memories, Your codes to the Herunis Carna, 

 

  is Mine for the taking!!!!

  “ YURIIIIIII!!!!!!”

  “ NOT SO FAST!!!!!” 

  Flying in with a straight up kick, Firren the flaming one, with Momo of the soaring trailblazer on his back, together struck the Starbreaker queen through the side of her abdomen, pushing her far across the wide boulevard hitting straight into a teetering building that crumbled the very instant they colliding in.

 

  With a cry, Firren activated his flaming swords, his weapons of ignition, bursting up like a sun reborn, when suddenly—!!!!!

  Caerlia’s dashing fist of extreme force, slamming right through Firren’s helm, penetrating all the armor and hide, hitting straight upon the flaming one’s skull, sending Firren and Momo both flying in lightning speed, crashing a long deep utter trail through the cement constructs that traced all the way to the other side of the city capital.

 

  “ Firren commodor!!!” Momo shrieked in terror as she helped the young man up to a sitting, light blood pouring down all over his face.

 

  “ Mo…mo…” Firren managed to croak under his deformed face and crooked nose.

“ Save…Yuri…!!!”

  “ No.” 

  Both Momo and Firren looked up in surprise, at three figures that stood before him, 

 

  all shining in blue Starbreaker armor of slightly different hue, 

 

  Their shadows glistening under the moonlight.

  “ Stand down, Firren. We’ll handle this.”

  “ But…Yu…Yu...ri…??”

 

  Before Firren could get his confusion cleared, the three unknown Starbreakers were off, dashing across the city to face the one indomitable foe.

 

  

 

  Crawling out of the building wreak, Caerlia scoured the area, making sure no one else would further interfere her pursuit.

 

  Or else she might lose control over herself and bring unholy retribution upon her enemies.

 

  There, Yuri still was, floating slightly above ground, glowing with that unique blue luminance, still in her trance.

 

  Now is the optimal chance, Caerlia! 

 

  Don’t let this fleeting opportunity slip out of your fingers again—

 

  —The Herunis Carna, is MINE!!!!

  Caerlia Lansara Suprima made one defining leap forth.

  her fingers snaking right upon Yuri’s neck, about to crush down—

  when suddenly, Yuri sank.

 

  Her fingers passed through Yuri’s slender nape.

 

  Lo, Yuri’s body plummeted, sinking through the ground, and the tight grip that Caerlia so desperately tried to grasp with her yearning fingers.

  “ Na…Nani—?!?!?!?!” 

  Frenzy groping downward, bearing her fingers to the ravaged cement, Caerlia could but watch Yuri sink deeper and deeper, passing through the dirt and debris beneath her feet.

 

  I see…Caerlia put her twin-antlered helm back on with a swift, furioius nod.

 

  “ Show Yourself!!!” The Exalted one shouted at the night around her, facing but the night breeze itself.

  “ Don’t make me pull my Lance…!!!” Caerlia threatened as the mist, the thick fog started to build up around her proud presence.

 

  Gazing with but a split second was all Caerlia needed to see that the fog was the creation of a fellow Starbreaker lurking nearby.

 

  Sighing with disappointment, Caerlia raised her one hand lazily.

  “ Au - Reriad !!!!!!”

  Caerlia shouted at the top of her lungs as a golden bolt of thick light shot down to her raised palm, giving shape into a thick crooked lance rifle hovering menacingly next to its wielder’s side.

 

  “ Go.” 

 

  Simple as that, the golden crooked lance rifle thrummed with power, ejecting out myriads and myriads of tracing golden beams of searing light, soaring up to the skies before piercing down with tremendous force all over the wide perimeter, devastating any structure and construct in its wake, bringing all that stood down to rubble.

 

  As soon as the first set of golden rays finished, Skypods like silver dots of shooting stars all descended down from the dark heavens, either shooting beams or crashing onto their designated target, who repelled all of them with spins and slashes of her golden land, shooting out beams and streaks of golden demise as the Exalted one danced across the ravaged field, smiting everything, anything that came to its path.

 

  “ Come Out!!!” Caerlia boomed after all the sky pods and drones were all but sizzling scrap metal scattered across the battered boulevards.

  “ I can already see you shivering over there! Come out and face me like a Noble Starbreaker!!!!”

  Mustering all her courage, strapping her weapons all around her wrist, 

 

  Yuka stepped out under the moonlight, 

 

  trembling as she raised her weapons at the undefeatable foe.

  Caerlia frowned, squinting her eyes doubtfully.

 

  “ …Yuri…?” 

 

  The lancer goddess asked in wonder.

 

  “ No…No!! I am Yuka!!! And I have come to stop you!!!!”

  Yuka cried, charging forth against the dominant Starbreaker queen, who laughed with utter excitement.

 

  “ Good…good, good…bring all you’ve got! Show me All You’ve got!!! Quench my thirst, Make My Day, young sister!!!!” 

 

  With a sound-breaking explosion, Caerlia burst forth, slashing her golden lance down upon Yuka’s thin minuscule frame compared to the Exalted one’s, but to Caerlia’s surprise, her lance touched nothing but air as her lance crashed down the earth three meters deep into the capital soil.

 

  The fog…It’s the Fog…!! Caerlia muttered as she sensed multiple needles flying in her direction, to which she deflected them all with elegant agile swipes. But as soon as the needles dispersed, another set came flying in a different direction which Caerlia instantly demolished before they even touched her armor. But then again, and again, darts and arrows and needles came nonstop from each side and angle endlessly, trapping the lance queen at that one spot unable to break free.

 

  “ Hoh…You are not facing me enough, young sister…!!!” Caerlia fumed with rising rage.

“ IS THIS ALL YOU’VE GOT?!?!?!?!”

 

  “ No, but this is!!!”

 

  Caerlia froze, her sharp eyes darting sideways in search of where the voice came.

 

  Only one second too late to realize it came from underneath, popping out from the rubble and debris, was Yuka, pointing a large cannon thruster at her face.

 

  “ PROLIFERATING PHOTON PROJECTOR!!!!!” 

 

  Yuka shouted at the top of her lungs as the large tubular canister filled up with light and heat underneath the Exalted one. 

 

  “ Futile!!!” raising her lance high above her head, Caerlia aimed the tip of her Golden lance Au-Reriad downward at the mouth of the Proliferating cannon and heaved downward with all her might, only to realize that her lance wouldn’t budge. 

 

  “ …Na…NANI?!?!?!?!?!”

 

  Caerlia’s eyes stared hard and wide at the utter creation above her head, of all the scrapped parts and shattered pieces of the perished sky pods and drones all coming together to form one big metallic hand that grabbed tightly upon the golden humming lance rifle that was trapped within the iron grip.

 

  “ You won’t see us coming. See ya!” And the fog pulled Yuka away to safety as the Proliferating Photon Projector shuddered more and more, giving out more and more Light of unprecedented proportions that blinded Caerlia’s vision, humming loud and deafening all around the Queen of stars and flare as the searing pillar of photon energy surged up into a thick pillar of nothing but Light, like a sword of sheer energy piercing up high to the heavens.

  Minutes passed after the light beam finally dissipated, and there, stood, battered but firm, standing tall and fuming with utmost wrath, 

 

  was the Exalted Caerlia Lansara Suprima herself.

 

  Armor tainted, but no real damage dealt whatsoever.

  Only enraging the Grand Starbreaker more in the process.

  “ Is that…All. You’ve. Got?!” 

  Caerlia snarled, pulling her golden lance out of the dirt.

  “ How about…I show you…What I’ve GOT?!?!?!”

 

  “ …oh shoot.” Yuka whispered far away as all the remaining five lances guarding the Capital on all sides flew rapidly to their master, hovering in circles, rotating around their levitating queen of Stars as a Never-before-seen light of unknown glow blossomed ominous in the center at Caerlia’s palms.

 

  No color, was the entity that slowly emerged, in a faint shape of a thin, straight lance.

 

  The seventh Lance.

  All light, lights of the capital, lights of the towers and buildings, lights of the stars above and the moon abright, 

 

  All light, sucked out of their bearers and all merged into that one thin lance before all, 

 

  becoming in an instant, 

  A lance of All Color.

…

………

  “ What is happening…?!?!” Delprim Jargo, half buried under rubble whimpered at the far side of the crumbling city.

  “ Am I blind…?! Where did all the Lights go…?! Is This The End of the World?!?!”

 

  Heeding not of his captain’s cried of frustration, Darrovid yanked the howling bald man up from the wreak and carried him out of range of destruction.

…

………

  Caesar Skyman paused, looking up at the diminishing skylights over his court as a wave of confusion and gasps swept across the Captains and Starbreakers assembled before him.

 

  “ Insolence…!”

  The Skylord uttered, clenching his fists with fury.

  “ Caerlia…What Are You DOING NOW?!?!?!”

  Bradson, however, kneeling on the ground, with Reina in his arms, cared not of anything anymore.

 

  He just wished to stay longer by his daughter’s side.

…

………

  Caerlia breathed slowly, with utmost content at her own deed.

  “ Consider yourselves fortunate…to be stricken down by this blessed shot.” 

  Caerlia smiled benignly to all beneath her, raising her one hand in a tossing pose, the Seventh Lance, glowing with all the colors of the World, about to leave her throwing hand.

  “ Behold—

  Yggdmille—”

  Before Caerlia could finish the first word of her ultimate Starbreaker incantation, a fist, a large enormous fist of immense power burst out of nowhere, sinking straight into The Lancer queen’s stomach, halting the chanting and nullifying the Grand Work of destruction, freeing all the colors out of the seventh lance and bring back light to the world in that splitting instance.

 

  “ You—!!!” Caerlia croaked, sinking to the floor on her knees, before one tall towering figure clad in lo overpowering grotesque humongous armor, twin canisters as shoulders, arms broad and hulking, with a sphere of Starfire twisting and turning at the mammoth armored being’s chest.

  “ That incantation is not meant here, Caerlia.” 

  Solo’s voice echoed out of the robust being’s sharp helm of blades symmetrically aligned on both sides upon his scalp.

 

  “ And that child, she does not belong to you. Or me. 

 

  She belongs to Humanity, which she shall serve...ultimately, under My Watch.”

  “ Solo……Bradinn…You are so fuc—”

 

  And Caerlia teetered to a side and fell flat, unconscious after draining all her strength in that one halted blow.

  Carrying the Exalted one on its broad shoulder canisters, Solo turned around to the far away flat hovering within the mists.

  “ We have a deal, Yuno.”

  Yuno, standing at the edge of the attic of the flat, scowled at the figure afar, 

 

  as Yun and Yuka quickly tend to the wounds of the gravely injured Yuri.

…

………

  Drying his tears after a long heart-breaking sobbing, Castiel Bradson was ready.

 

  “...Do what you must…” the old man breathed calmly, awaiting his fate.

 

  “ …I am ready…”

  Caesar Skyman raised his finger as the jewel glistened with light, red indomitable light.

 

  But the Skylord refused at the last second.

 

  “ No.” Caesar Skyman lay his finger aside.

“ I don’t want you to be ready. I want you to pay, to suffer for your betrayal…

 

  …No. I will not take your memories, and nor will I hurt you in any physical way. 

 

  But Cas…You shall suffer more. 

 

  You will suffer the loss of everyone, each and every child you so loved and deared…if you dare betray me or disobey my orders ever again.

 

  Do you understand, Castiel Bradson?”

  Turning away from the damaged old man, Caesar waved his hands with grand satisfaction, ushering the droids to get all the bewildered captains and their Starbreakers out of his sight as he adjourned to his inner palace, 

  to enjoy the memory of crushing his traitors.

…

………

  “ Damn it…Damn the Skylord, damn Bradson…damn everyone! They all look down on this Delprim Jargo!”

 

  The bald captain snarled, stomping his way back to his fort located at the brink of the flying city in the clouds; His robes tattered and torn by the unexpected hazard and his Uniform and face covered in dirt.

 

  “ Next time we shall defeat them, in another joust! No…a joust isn’t enough. I want a great win! A win worthy to be remembered through eons throughout! Darrovid, we should fight a great fight against all that oppose us—Darrovid, why are you standing idle? Plan with me the intricate scheme to become number one!”

 

  But the black Starbreaker cared not about winning. He simply craves fight. A battle to quench his everlasting hunger.

 

  And before this black Starbreaker, there seemed like a fight worth his time.

 

  “ Demon detected.” Darrovid the Black spoke at long last, pointing at the rim of the flying city, a spec of ash, a smudge of Demon residue, staggering out of the barrier to escape the realm of light.

 

  “ Nah, Demons lame, Darrovid! The others will destroy it, not us. For we are worthy of great purposes, my boy! Come, I have this idea to topple the hierarchy of Skyworld here…”

 

  Giving the Demon residue one last glance, Darrovid turned away without sentiment, following his vain Captain down the street to their humble abode.

  “ …Well…we are in luck…Boy…” 

  

  Archdemon Plague cackled as its ashes were carried off with the night breeze, soaring across the lands to unknown corners of the barren world below, only to converge once again, and sprout out to its full glory in days' time.

  “ The dynasty of light…shall surely fall under our wake…!!!!”

  

 

  

  

[.........to be continued]

 

  

 

Author's note: Merry chirstmas, guys! Though it's a bit late, but still happy holidays, everyone! Here's a sweet melody and some simple animation I made based on the Before Light characters, feel free to have a look and listen! And give a Like and Subscribe if you enjoyed it!

  Video links here: 

[Music+Animation]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rImm1PXR0_Y

[Animation]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI8odW1SJLo&t=28s

[Music]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErH_yUSsrZc

Now, back to the main story we shall!