STAGE ONE: THE DAUGHTER OF CELESTIA

There was an age-old legend about a girl from the realm of the gods, who was gifted with great powers. When she was a small child, she was banished from the realm to the human world, for setting the gods realm on fire. But before she left, she took the five strongest guardians of the king with her, along with the entire life source of the land. The realm of the gods slowly withered, while the girl and the guardians are nowhere to be found. Legend says that if you find the guardians, or the girl, you can obtain the immeasurable power of the gods, that can break dimensions.

"Ha- Hachoo!" Freyja sneezed. She, Kirin and Alaric had been travelling non-stop for three whole days and she's surprisingly getting more tired than usual.

Kirin ruffled her short, jet-black bob before twisting her ear. "See, you caught a cold. I told you we should rest." He scolded.

"There's just something in my nose! I'm fine!" She pulled his long, silver ponytail.

"No, you're not, you're just too proud that to admit that you're SICK."

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are!"

"Come on now guys, stop that!" Alaric interrupted, breaking the rousing fight in an instant. "You see, we're near a big city and we can rest there…. So, no problems, right?" He sighed.

Indeed, they reached the city gates in no time. The gates were made of steel, with gems embedded on it. By the look of the gates itself, one can easily tell that it is a wealthy city. But as soon as they stepped in, the people, every single one, stared at them as if they had seen ghosts. "What on earth is wrong with these people?" Irritated, Kirin just tried to shrug it off.

"LENFIARE! I KNEW IT! IT'S THE LENFIARE!"

Suddenly, an old woman, shouted. Freyja panicked. She knows that she's been going public lately, but she never thought it was that big of a deal. "Uh, okay, no need to be exited guys." She tried to explain, but the crowd rushed to them relentlessly.

"Lenfiare! So, it is true that your divine beauty radiates despite the manly clothes you wear." Freyja and Kirin were pushed aside, while the people gathered around Alaric, their eyes sparkling in awe. Alaric fits their ideal image of 'The Lenfiare' perfectly. He has long, braided golden hair, sapphire blue eyes, rosy cheeks and cherry lips. "Lenfiare, please bless our city!"

"Bless my home, Lenfiare!"

"Excuse me!?" Freyja pouted. "Well SORRY for not looking like the Lenfiare you imagine." She mumbled to herself, making Kirin chuckle.

"Oh, you must be Kirin!" The people recognized his silver hair. "And you must be Keon!"

"Great, and now I have to be Keon!?" Freyja had enough. She almost summoned Astrid, but Kirin grabbed her arm and covered her mouth. "Hey KEON, calm down, will you?" He said, loud enough for people to hear. "Let Alaric do it, it's a lot safer this way." He whispered. With a sigh, Freyja surrendered. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. Lay low."

"The Lenfiare wants to rest, do you have an Inn nearby?" Kirin shouted, much to Alaric and Freyja's ire.

"Of course!" An innkeeper squeezed himself to the front. "I own the best in the city, it would be an honor to have the Lenfiare as our guest!" He offered, making Alaric and Freyja sigh, and Kirin, smirk.

~ o 0 o ~

"Hey, you sure about this Freyja?" Alaric asked, hesitant to keep up the act. He can feel all eyes at him, as they dined in a high-end restaurant in the city. It's starting to make him uncomfortable.

"It convenient that you look so much like their ideal Lenfiare, all good." Kirin laughed, while Alaric desperately kept himself from punching Kirin's smug face. Freyja on the other hand was sulking in her boy's clothes to go with her short hair. "Now I'm regretting cutting my hair so short." She sighed.

"Nah, its cute." Alaric said, ruffling her bob.

"Don't worry Alaric, we'll just breeze through this city and tomorrow, you'll be out of this torture. Sorry for this." Freyja apologized.

"Well, as you said, it's more convenient this way. At least we'll be safe from random creatures trying to go after our necks." Alaric resigned.

"Either way, people will know where we are. So, if spies would report our appearances to their leaders, they would think we're just a bunch of money-hogging fakes." Kirin added.

"And besides," Freyja smiled, glancing at the little kids that gaze at Alaric with sparkling eyes. "It would be sad to disillusion these kids right?" Freyja stood up as soon as she finished her meal. She ruffled the hair of an adorable little girl's hair who's been staring at Alaric for quite some time now. "You have to study and practice well. So that you'll be strong like big brother Keon!" She cheerfully encouraged the clueless children before stretching her arms and heading back to the inn.

"See you later! I'll rest first!"

~ o 0 o ~

Freyja laid flat bored on the inn's bed. Her room was quite big, and she bought quite a lot of snacks too. She munched on a couple of potato chips and squid jerky while waiting for Kirin and Alaric. All of a sudden, she sensed a presence in the room. It didn't seem strong nor malicious, but she still stood on guard. "I'd come out if I were you!" She called, a cheeky smile on her face.

The door slowly opened. Then, a little boy suddenly barged into her room, his face all red and he was shaking. "K-Keon." The boy stuttered. "Let's have a deal!"

Freyja didn't expect the cute visitor. It's a nice change from the usual assassins and swindlers. She smirked, scaring the little boy even more. "Alright, let's hear it!" She dragged him inside, had him sit down the sofa, and threw a bag of chips and a can of juice for him. "Go on, I'm listening."

~ o 0 o ~

"YOU WHAT!?" Freyja almost burst in laughter after hearing the boy's request. The boy mustered up courage to ask for her help. Despite obvious anxiety, he still forced himself to look straight at Freyja in the eye. Freyja covered her face with her hands, desperately holding back the laughter and the grin on her face, from the boy's cuteness. "You're so adorable!" She blurted out, making the boy frown. "I'm serious!"

"Fine, I get it." She sighed and crossed her arms, facing the boy seriously. "So, you want me to help you convince the Lenfiare to take you with us? Why would you want to go with us? I don't know where to begin telling you how crazy dangerous it is."

"Please, I'll give you this." The boy handed over a necklace, with a semi-precious stone as pendant. It looks nice, but its worth two plates in the restaurant downstairs, at most. But Freyja admired the courage and resolve of the boy, she can't bring herself to reject him right away. Defeated, she finally agreed. "Okay, I'll think about it. Meet me at the park tomorrow night, and I'll let you talk to her personally, okay? For the meantime, keep this with you."

"But…"

"No buts. I gave my word, right? Now go home. I want to rest more." She returned the necklace to the excited boy, who jumped off the sofa and dashed out of the room. "By the way…" The boy stopped for a second, "I'm Hio. Thank you, Keon!"

It didn't take long, when Freyja lost to boredom, and decided to walk around town while waiting for Kirin and Alaric. Just in case, she tore a piece of paper from the wall calendar and wrote down: "I'll be back soon. Just walking around!" She doodled a picture of her face, tongue sticking out, before slipping it in Kirin's bag. Then, she headed out.

"Where are you going, Lenfiare?" Astrid's asked, giving her a suspicious look. "Don't tell me you'll go after that boy?"

Freyja laughed, "Of course. I'm a bored, and I'm pretty curious. Besides, we did have the same look when I was about his age. Kindda reminds me of myself back then."

"Alright, but please, do be careful Lenfiare. We don't know what'll happen."

"I'll be. Don't worry, don't worry." Freyja assured the worrywart, before dashing to the stores to buy snacks. Time flew by so fast, before she knew it, she's spent hours in one sweets shop. Worried that Kirin and Alaric will nag her to no end, she unwillingly left the shop and headed back to the inn. On her way, she happened to see the boy who sneaked into her room a while ago. Curious, she hid herself and followed him. The boy was chirping with a wide smile, as he carried two full buckets of water. He seems to be doing fine, until a group of kids blocked his path and surrounded him. One of the kids kicked his bucket, spilling water on the ground. "Hey!" Hio tried to fight, but he was helplessly pushed around. Freyja watched carefully as they began beating the boy. Though tempted to help, she figured that it's best if she stays out. When it's finally over, the boy was finally left alone. Hio clenched his fists and wiped his tears off, before picking up his empty buckets, and dragging his feet back to fetch water from the well.

Freyja secretly followed Hio home, and ended up in the residential area of the city. The pungent smell of the slums almost made her stop, but her curiosity was stronger. Hio finally went inside a small house with a makeshift cardboard door and planks of wood for a roof.

'K-Keon?' Hio saw her, and jumped away in panic. 'what are you doing here?'

'Nothing…' Freyja said, purposely making her voice sound deeper, 'just happened to see a wimpy kid who was beaten up by bullies. And I was thinking if I really should let him meet with Freyja.' She said, crossing her arms, imitating how the real Keon would have said it.

'Hio…' A meek, rough voice interrupted. 'Hio, son, are you alright?' Freyja peeked inside, and it was an old man, dressed in rags. 'So, won't you let your guest in?' she winked at the boy, who had no choice but to let her in.

Hio nothing to offer Freyja, not even a cup of tea. But she understood it, of course, and assured the old man that it's alright. After looking at the boy's bruises, Freyja sighed and forcefully pulled him towards her. Then, she took out a white handkerchief and a first aid kit in her pocket. "Hold still." She cleaned his wounds and tended to his injuries. Hio winced, the antiseptic stung. But Freyja continued to scold him. "Listen, it's not that I'm teaching you to be violent, but you have to stand for yourself. One way or another, let them see who's boss!" Although Freyja can easily cure his wounds with her white aura, she opted not to reveal her identity.

"Keon…" Hio called.

"Yes?"

"Now that you saw my house, and what I can do… why are you still here?"

"Huh?"

"The Lenfiare will never meet someone like me now that you know!" He almost burst in tears, but Freyja hit his head to make him stop. "Stop being a sissy! Why do you want to meet her so badly anyway?"

Hio looked hesitant at first, but since 'Keon' asked, he was obliged to answer.

"She… has wings right?"

"Well, yeah."

"I… want to fly. I want to see her wings!" The boy had an innocent smile on his face, as she spoke about Freyja and the rumors he heard about her. "And then, I'll go on adventures tpp! I'll become a swordsman and I'll see the world and…"

Hio cheerfully explained, non-stop, about his dreams of adventures, and how he imagined Freyja and her companions fighting against villains. He was so enthusiastic, even Freyja was captivated by the boy's dreams. For a second, she swore it was her own, younger self she saw in him. It was exactly the same as her dreams, back when she was exiled in that faraway world. Before she knew it, the boy yawned, and fell asleep on the table. He did work hard, fetching heavy pails of water, after all. Freyja sighed and gently carried the boy to his wooden, makeshift bed.

"Keon, thank you so much for helping my grandson. You see, he doesn't have friends here, and he's always bullied by other children." The grandfather bowed before her.

"His parents?"

"Actually, we're not blood related. We both lost our families in an airship accident. Since then, I've been taking care of him. Since then, he had a tough life, so I hope you can forgive him."

"There is nothing to forgive. Its great that he can still dream of flying, even though he had that sad experience. He's a brave boy." Freyja smiled, looking at the boy's sleeping face. She could understand very well how 'flying' meant to someone like Hio— to someone like her. It felt free, hopeful, and a new path full of possibilities. He's still a kid, but Freyja started thinking of how she can help him.

"Sometimes I even wonder if he's still sane. He's been talking about flying and adventures every single day. Especially when he first heard about the Lenfiare, it's as if she has become his imaginary friend." The grandfather shook his head. Freyja chuckled. "We're very much the same then!" She said.

Freyja saw that it's getting dark and Kirin and Alaric might get worried if she stayed out any longer. Before leaving, she left a message to the grandfather. "Please tell Hio that his friend will see him tomorrow night at the park." She smiled before rushing out of the house, and back to the inn.

~ o 0 o ~

While Freyja was walking around, Alaric was out giving 'blessings' to hopeful residents. After hearing stories about how the Lenfiare and her friends are going around, saving people, their reputation skyrocketed. From wanted criminals, they are now hailed as heroes, and neither are making it easy for their journey.

While Alaric endured the act, what they didn't know is a spy for the Aethelmaer clan has already reported their whereabouts to his superior.

The moment Kirin and Alaric returned to the inn, Freyja was nowhere to be found.

"Now where did she run off to this time?" Kirin sighed before crumpling the note on the table, throwing it into the bin.

"Hey there!" Just in time, she arrived. "How's the PR?"

"No fair Freyja." Alaric complained, "People kept asking me for advices as if I was some kind of counselor. I can't do this anymore!" The young man complained, throwing himself on the soft bed. "God, this is exhausting."

"By the way, is it okay if we stay here until tonight? There's … uh… someone I want to meet tomorrow." Her request surprised the two. Kirin twisted her ear. "Care to explain!? What are you up to this time?"

"HEY! Well you see…." Freyja did her very best to explain about Hio, about what she saw earlier, and how she wanted to help the boy. Kirin and Alaric could only sigh. "Pretty please, Alaric?" She asked, as sweet as she could. The blonde young man sighed. "Fine. But this is the last, okay?"

"And hell no we are NOT taking some kid with us." Kirin made his point loud and clear. Freyja laughed.

~ o 0 o ~

As requested by Freyja, Alaric and Kirin came with her to the park just before sunset the next day, to fulfil Freyja's promise to Hio. However, just as soon as they arrived, around twenty men encircled them. "So, you are the famed Lenfiare. These guys look weak, to be honest." They heard one of them say. "Yeah, maybe they're all show and bluff. There's no way these kids could be stronger than us."

Kirin and Alaric sighed, and Freyja let out a soft laugh. "So, what are we gonna do?" Alaric asked.

���Maybe you guys should take a seat. Leave this to me, I need some exercise." Freyja suggested. "You sure you can do it?" Kirin asked, arms crossed.

"Of course."

"We'll they're all yours." Kirin yawned, while Alaric chuckled. "Go easy on them, okay?" He said, stretching his sore arms.

"This punk!" Her nonchalance angered the assassins. All at once, they drew their weapons and attacked her. Freyja smirked. The medallion under her shirt glowed, a bubble-like barrier surrounded her, keeping deflecting all attacks without her moving an inch. "Not bad, Afra." She mumbled, before covering her fists with aura. Freyja charged at the assailants, so fast, they could barely keep track of where she is. Then, she punched them one by one. The mere contact of her aura-covered fist sent each and every one flying across the plaza, out cold. Seeing how the 'little boy' was unbelievably strong, the rest of the assassins fled for their lives.

But Freyja's victorious grin was instantly wiped out, as soon as she saw one of the assassins standing on top of the plaza's bell tower, holding the boy Hio as hostage. "Give me the Lenfiare, or I'll kill this boy!"

Freyja was relaxed before, but she's now annoyed. "I was planning to spare you, but you've annoyed me now." She spat, glaring daggers at the assassin.

The assassin strangled the boy mercilessly, taunting her. "Fine. You want Lenfiare, you'll get her!" Freyja summoned the flying guardian Avice. From inside her medallion, a stream of white aura escaped, and formed into a pair of wings on her back. She then flew straight at the man, without wasting a second. The man panicked. The closer she got, the more he felt the difference in their power. He felt his entire body tremble in fear.

One wrong step, and the assassin, along with his hostage, fell down from up the tower. The boy winced, crying for help. But just in time, Freyja caught the boy in mid-air. Alaric and Kirin caught the other one.

"So, who ordered you to do this?" Alaric asked cracking his knuckle joints with a malicious smirk on his face. The terrified man immediately answered. "Aethelmaer! I heard he's looking for the Lenfiare, but that's it! I don't know anything more!" He pleaded for his life.

"What would Ahrin want this time?" Kirin sighed, rolling his eyes. Then, he broke the man's arms and legs as punishment, before leaving him on the streets, alone.

"Open your eyes Hio… it's alright now."

The boy opened his eyes slowly, and found himself in Freyja's arms. "K…Keon? No! You are…." Seeing the wings on her back, he finally realized who she really is. He could not get his eyes off the white aura wings on her back, fluttering as she carried him hundreds of feet above the ground . "You are the Lenfiare!"

"Hold on tight!" Holding the boy in her arms, they flew around, and around and around! She took him over the nearby woods, the city's residential area, even close to his home. "We're flying! We really are flying!" Hio even flapped his arms, to feel the air. "I am flying!" Then, when she saw that the boy had enough, they went back down, to where Alaric and Kirin are waiting.

Freyja looked straight at the boy, firmly holding his shoulders. "Unfortunately, I can't take you with me. Right now, as you've seen, we have a lot of enemies after our lives. You'll be in grave danger."

"…" The boy looked down, disappointed.

"But you know, I was just like you before." Freyja said, "I badly dreamed of an adventure too. It wasn't easy, I tell you. It was very painful and hard. I gained friends, I lost one too. But all you have to do is keep going… don't give up. It might not lead you exactly to where you wanted to be, but it'll take you to beautiful places soon!" Freyja was relieved to see the smile back on the boy's face. "The world out there is so big! There are other dimensions, other creatures, even I don't know all of it. It's so big, so much to explore! So, whenever you feel sad and alone, just remember that the world is so big, that there will always be a place waiting for you. There are people waiting for you to meet them. Just like how we met tonight, I am sure that you'll meet several other friends, and see other magnificent sights. So, don't give up okay?"

Hio nodded.

"Even if people won't believe you, remember that the Lenfiare, no… that I, Freyja, will. So, go and make your own adventure. Not mine, not anyone's… yours!"

Hio handed over the necklace to Freyja. She took it infused some of her white aura in it, leaving a visible scratch in the shape of a circle, on the pendant. Satisfied, Freyja handed it back to Hio.

"Keep it. It's a proof of our friendship." She chuckled, and he too did. Kirin and Alaric too, smiled at him. "And show it to me if we meet again one day, so that I'd recognize you, no matter how long it has been."

Hio felt warm tears roll down his cheeks, as he waved them goodbye, but with a wide smile on his face and his heart full of warmth and hope.

~ o 0 o ~