Several continuous blinks take in a scene with neatly trimmed hedges and soft, mowed grass under little bare feet. Stone-tiled pathways weave through the greenery. At first, everything is fuzzy, but it slowly becomes clearer. The view moves around, watching as several maids clean the area. They seem very tall from this perspective. Rapid blinks follow, turning towards a woman with long yellow hair. She wears a white dress and a white scrunchie headband, sitting on a white chair at a round tea table. She sips from a white teacup and smiles warmly. The short perspective looks down, almost tripping over a small doll lying on the ground.
"Claire, watch your step. You wouldn't want to fall down, would you?" the yellow-haired woman said, a small smile on her face.
"Mom, you don't have to baby me all the time, capisce?" Claire responded, her voice high-pitched like a child's.
"Honey, I wouldn't need to baby you if you weren't a baby yourself," the woman replied with a sweet, smooth tone.
Rapid blinks continue as the view tilts sideways to the left, glancing at the woman in front. Her smile brings a warm feeling, revealing a younger Claire behind the perspective. Her height is much shorter, her face filled with childlike youth, far from the mind of her future self. Her eyes are filled with innocent grumpiness as she repeatedly tilts her head side to side before taking a brief, grumpy stomp. She watches the adult woman, whom she referred to as her mom, with a pouting face due to her response.
Claire's vision fuzzes before clearing once more, yet something feels ominous, something off despite the cheery atmosphere. She rushes towards her mother with her little feet through the mowed green grass, spraying bits of cut grass around and behind her. Her small white dress waves in the wind, mirroring her mom's clothes, though with a minor difference of a straw hat over her head. She holds it with her left hand, preventing it from flying off, while holding the end of her dress with her right. She stops and looks up at her mom with a pouting face, her cheeks slightly inflated, arms stretched below, slightly tip-toed. Her mom responds with a bright smile, her eyes tightly closed as she pinches both of Claire's cheeks with her two hands, then lifts her right hand and rubs her palm onto Claire's yellow hair.
"Ow, Mom, stop, ihhhh..." Claire squealed, her eyes slightly shut.
"Oh Claire, you don't have to act all tough. After all, you're still a child..." her mom told her in a sweet, teasing tone.
Claire then pushed her mom's hands away before taking a few steps back, her face redder and her cheeks more inflated, pouting at her mother. As she gazed upon her mom, her memory felt fuzzy, with the only clear part being her mother's sweet smile. It became abundantly clear that the events unfolding were Claire's memories from her childhood. Yet, something seemed off. There were cracks in the clear glass of her memories, fractures distorting the scene. Claire watched as the young Rose shyly peeked from behind a hedge, her little hands clutching the leaves, her clothes matching those of Claire and her mom.
"One day, Mom, I'll be just like you, kicking bad guy butt with a sword, capisce?!" Claire proudly proclaimed.
With her declaration, she picked up a wooden sword from a toy box filled with an abundance of her toys and two small wooden swords. She swung the one she picked up forward, her attacks having no pattern whatsoever, then slashed in the air before abruptly stopping to catch her breath. As she stood straight, she noticed Rose's shy glance from behind a hedge. Claire smiled and waved at her, signaling her to come over despite Rose's shyness. Her mom smiled beside her.
Rose hesitantly stepped out, her posture unstraightened and quaking as she walked towards Claire. She moved across the stone-tiled pathways, passing the maids who were picking up and cleaning various toys scattered around the play area. Claire's yellow hair and white dress waved in the sudden gust of wind. She covered her face with her wrist while holding onto her beige straw hat, and Rose almost fell over due to the strong wind but quickly regained her footing. Claire's mom stood up from her seat and approached Claire, stroking her yellow hair. Claire turned towards her in surprise, and her mom responded with a smile.
"Claire, remember, it doesn't matter how fast you are or how strong you swing your sword. You also need to remember to have a strategy between your swings," her mom reminded her, patting the straw hat on her head. "Sometimes, you need to take your time before attacking."
"What do you mean?" Claire asked, recalling her earlier claim.
"You'll soon find out," her mom responded vaguely.
Claire gazed at her innocently, unable to comprehend her words. Rose reached her, and Claire smiled brightly. Her mom returned to her seat and picked up her cup, sipping tea once more. Claire chatted enthusiastically while Rose barely spoke, glancing shyly at her friend and even slightly sweating. Despite their contrasting personalities in childhood, they remained the best of friends, evident by the shy smile Rose gave in response to Claire's invitation. Their bond was special, understood only by the two of them. Claire's mom watched them, her yellow eyes twinkling with positivity as she sipped her tea.
Back in the present, Claire sprinted through the dense forest, her bow held tightly in her hand. Tall trees and thick bushes surrounded her as she tried to outrun the large black eagle-like Akumo soaring above. There were no signs of Liene and Takumi, and despite the looming danger casting a shadow over her, one thought filled her mind.
"Mom, I think I understand what you meant now... At least a little bit, I think..." Claire whispered to herself, her tone sincere.
Meanwhile, back where they had started, Isaac sat on his seat atop the elevated hill, watching Claire's frantic escape through the forest on his transparent tablet. The screen displayed various students, some struggling to defeat Akumos scattered around the starfield while others took them down effortlessly with flashy or straightforward attacks, some working solo, and others teaming up. Isaac watched silently, sipping his cup of tea, as Ann stood behind him.
The creature swooped towards Claire, zooming through the leaves and leaving a trail of torn foliage in its wake. Claire immediately flipped sideways towards a tree on her left to dodge the creature, landing on the tree trunk before launching herself towards another tree in front of her. The Akumo hovered slightly upwards, readying itself for another attack. Claire grabbed onto a tree branch, launching herself into the air as the creature zoomed straight at her, narrowly missing her once more.
"Close..." Claire mumbled to herself.
While mid-air, Claire pulled an arrow from her quiver, quickly drawing and releasing it towards a trunk of another tree. The arrow allowed her to step on it before flipping again, this time towards the zooming Akumo. She drew another arrow and quickly released it at the black flying creature, but the arrow's tip snapped and broke upon hitting the creature's head. The arrow's remains fell to the grassy ground as the Akumo zoomed towards Claire once more. She grabbed another branch, launching herself high into the air and catching a glimpse of Liene. Liene was similarly leaping from tree to tree, using the branches to her advantage as she held onto her kyoketsu-shoge. Its long string dangled above and below the branches and around the trunks. Liene glanced back at Claire briefly with a smirk before looking forward again.
"Right on..." Claire mumbled with a smirk.
Her eyes darted towards the shadowy creature once more, desperation flickering in them as she fell from the blue sky, launching herself towards the green forest below. She pulled out a device that appeared to be a short mechanical stick, a few inches longer than her hand. The tip sparked with golden flashes, immediately catching the creature's attention. The Akumo began to scan its surroundings, its focus locked onto Claire. She landed on the grassy ground, her left hand and knee in front, her right leg extended behind, and the sparkler device held in her outstretched right hand. The creature's red eyes glowed with malevolence, fixated on the high golden sparks. Claire briefly recalled Takumi handing her the device.
The large shadow hawk screeched, its wings spreading wide and slicing through nearby trees with ease. The falling trunks crashed to the ground with a loud thud, shaking Claire's confidence. She stood, nearly tripping, and forced a nervous smile as the creature's glowing red eyes bore into her.
"Oh no..." Claire mumbled in realization.
She immediately turned and ran, still clutching the sparkler device. The creature flapped its wings, sending gusts of wind that made the tree leaves sway wildly. Claire sped up as the Akumo swooped upward before diving towards her. Her eyes widened; it seemed like the end. There was no way to dodge; the creature would catch up to her in moments.
Just then, she smirked and rolled forward, leaving the sparkler on the ground. The device's high golden sparks drew the Akumo's focus, and it zoomed towards the sparkling device instead of Claire. As it reached the device, the creature destroyed it with its sharp beak.
"Gotcha!" Claire yelled confidently.
She sat at a distance, rolling away with a confident smirk as the area where she had left the sparkler was revealed to be ensnared with the long string that Liene had dangled around the trees. The shadowy aerial Akumo hovered in confusion, its feathers, wings, and beak caught in the web of strings.
"Do it!" Claire called out loudly.
With all her might, Liene pulled hard on her blade from her hiding place on a nearby tree branch. The string tightened around the creature, ensnaring it in a prison of threads. The Akumo struggled, flapping its wings in vain, glancing at Claire with glowing red eyes. Claire met its gaze with a confident, teasing smirk as Takumi stepped forward from behind the creature, both of them drawing their blades—Takumi's scythe transforming with a mechanical whir while Claire unsheathed her sword.
"Go!" Takumi yelled.
The two thrust their blades forward beneath the creature, causing it immense pain. Claire unleashed her Stellar Skill—Storm—launching a series of rapid slashes around the trapped Akumo. Memories of training with her mother flooded back, and she mirrored her mother's movements with precision. Whirlwinds of energy swirled around the large shadow creature as it screeched in agony, desperately trying to escape. Claire leaped above the creature, delivering a clean slash before gracefully retreating, mimicking how her mother had demonstrated the attack in their garden, where she and Rose had watched in awe as children. She concluded her assault with a swift strike and skidded backward, sliding her blade back into its scabbard at her waist.
Meanwhile, Takumi executed his Stellar Skill, "Heaven's Descent." He leaped into the air, spinning his scythe to build momentum before plunging it forcefully through the creature's back. The Akumo screeched loudly, attempting to flap its wings in protest. Takumi then produced another device from his belt, affixing it to the creature's back before flipping away and pressing a button mid-air. The device erupted in a fiery explosion, engulfing the creature in flames, leaving it seemingly defeated. Takumi landed on the ground with a triumphant smirk.
"Show off..." Liene teased from her perch on a nearby branch.
Takumi and Claire turned to see Liene effortlessly juggling her blade in one hand, her left palm resting on the tree trunk, a smirk playing on her lips as she observed Takumi's flashy display. She leaped down gracefully, landing lightly on the forest floor.
"Well, that's just me," Takumi shrugged, still wearing his smug grin.
Suddenly, the creature in black emerged from the flames, a shadow piercing through the bright burning inferno. Its impenetrable feathers shielded it as it flew straight upwards. The trio watched in shock as it spread its black wings wide, spraying sharp feathers from the air. Its bright red eyes locked onto them below. The creature screeched louder than before, its cry echoing across the starfield, momentarily halting battles between students and Akumos as they glanced towards the direction of the screech. Even Isaac heard the faint screams, further fueling his smile as he watched from his device, while Ann hesitated, ready to intervene.
"Darn it..." Claire exclaimed.
The creature built up its strength from above before swooping down towards them once more. Her plan had failed, and she stood frozen in fear. The creature hovered above, enraged, a shadowy aura coursing around it, preparing a powerful attack. Its eyes locked onto them as it zoomed, cutting and breaking trees in its path with sharp feathers and a strong beak.
Takumi glanced around, seeing both Liene and Claire beside him, sweat running down his forehead, his hand quaking as he held his scythe. Frustration surged within him. If he had to act, it had to be now—no time for hesitation, no time for jokes.
"Damn it, I can't be hesitating right now..." Takumi thought, gripping his scythe tighter.
Without another choice, Takumi built up his strength, channeling energy as he lowered his scythe. Claire and Liene looked towards him in astonishment. Takumi leaped up, lifting his scythe, which mechanically transformed into a large broadsword. The creature from above closed in, and he yelled:
"Hahhh!!!" Takumi screamed loudly.
He countered the powerful attack of the large shadow Akumo with his broadsword, striking it directly on its head from below. Liene and Claire stood back, shocked. Takumi struggled to counter, yet he mustered his strength as the creature pushed forward, ramming into the large blade. With a smirk, Takumi sent the Akumo zooming upward with great speed. He fell to the ground from the recoil of his counterattack, spitting blood in the process. Liene and Claire immediately rushed towards him. He lay wounded and unable to move, a confident smile on his face as he glanced above.
"Takumi! Dummy!" Claire exclaimed worriedly.
"Geez boy, do us a favor next time and don't do that again..." Liene said softly, her tone filled with concern.
"But it worked, didn't it?" Takumi replied with a smirk, coughing up blood.
His smirk suddenly disappeared as he glanced at the sky in terror. Liene noticed immediately, her eyes reflecting the same fear. The Akumo, despite all their efforts and Takumi's attack, hovered in the air once more. Its left eye was bloodied and scarred from Takumi's blade, but it was more enraged than before, glaring down at them with its remaining glowing red eye. Claire noticed their fearful expressions and looked up, her hand trembling, teeth gritting, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Run..." Claire mumbled in fear.
Liene and Takumi immediately glanced at her, seeing her terror. They followed her gaze skyward, their bodies quaking. Claire's realization hit hard; she turned to them in panic.
"We need to run!" Claire yelled in terror.
Liene understood instantly. She lifted Takumi by his left arm, supporting him as he struggled to stand after the recoil from his attack. He transformed his weapon back into its rectangular shape and secured it to his belt. Claire grabbed Takumi by his right arm, urging him forward. The enraged eagle circled above them menacingly.
"Move, we need to move!" Claire shouted in desperation.
The trio propelled themselves forward, despite Takumi's wounds slowing them down. Claire and Liene refused to leave him behind, despite his pleas. They ran through the dense forest, desperate to escape the creature's wrath. The Akumo's screeches echoed through the trees, growing louder and more threatening. The shadowy menace was relentless, closing in on them with each passing second.
"Leave me..." Takumi said weakly.
"No," Liene replied, her tone straightforward and sincere.
From one of the drones surveying their movements around the starfield, Isaac observed without any intention of intervening. Ann, finally frustrated with his indifference to the dangerous situation, decided to take action. Ignoring Isaac's calm smile, she stomped her way down the hill towards the trio of students in need of aid.
The shadow above continued to circle the struggling trio. Claire's desperation fueled their escape, while Liene's refusal to abandon Takumi kept them moving. However, as they neared a flat plateau, Claire panicked. They couldn't go left or right because of Takumi's condition, and fighting back seemed impossible given their exhaustion. All they could do was drop to the ground and glance up at the large creature circling above, anticipating its next swoop.
"Leave me, please. Run away," Takumi begged sincerely, grabbing onto Liene's arm.
"No... I won't..." Liene said, kneeling beside him, unable to comply with his plea.
Claire glanced at the two beside her as they lay on the ground, begging each other. Finally, she realized the gravity of the situation. This wasn't a game anymore; it was real. A large Akumo, seemingly invincible, was circling them, having repelled all their attempts to take it down. She knew she had to act, to do something significant, and it had to be now. She remembered Takumi's brave, albeit futile, attempt to subdue the creature and felt a surge of determination. Reaching for an arrow from her quiver, she drew it and pointed it towards the Akumo, standing her ground despite her exhaustion.
"What are you doing?" Liene asked frantically.
"I don't know. I just feel like I need to do this..." Claire replied sincerely.
The creature zoomed towards her. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, she stood firm, her arrow aimed at the Akumo. Takumi and Liene tried to stop her, but she was resolute, preparing to perform another Stellar Art she had learned as a child in their garden. Suddenly, before she could release her arrow, Kazuki descended from above, landing in front of the trio. They looked on in shock as he unsheathed his sword from the scabbard behind him. Claire lowered her weapon, stunned by his sudden arrival.
With lightning speed, Kazuki seemed to phase around the creature, performing a Stellar Skill. His blade moved in a blur, slashing and piercing the hard-feathered Akumo multiple times. The trio watched in awe, unable to follow his immense speed. His attacks, resembling a constellation, overwhelmed the creature effortlessly. He concluded with a clean slash, leaping from behind the Akumo and sheathing his sword back into its scabbard as he landed precisely and effortlessly on the ground.
Claire watched in shock and awe, not only at his sudden appearance but also at his incredible power and skill. The creature that had recently repelled all their attempts to take it down was now defeated, lying in ruins. Takumi and Liene were as shocked as Claire, unable to comprehend how this person had accomplished such a feat. Kazuki walked forward, leaving the once-ravaging Akumo to fade.
Claire dropped to the ground in shock. It was unbelievable, even after witnessing him defeat so many people back when he had saved her. His feat of taking down this creature on his own awed her, although she knew this was only the beginning of the challenges she would soon face. The implications of reality that awaited her was now clear.
At that same time, in a different section of the Starfield, a flash of pink pierced through the dark green leaves as a hand pushed through the dense foliage.
"Trees, trees... Ow!" Rose exclaimed, pushing away the branch that had smacked her directly in the face.
Despite the tall trees, a smaller evergreen tree had managed to hit her. She sighed in disappointment, whether from getting hit by the branch or from having to press forward without a teammate to back her up.
"Geez, now I regret wishing for a handsome roommate... I want to room with Claire!" her thoughts echoed loudly in her head.
With no other choice, she pressed forward. As her footsteps rustled the leaves beneath her, she suddenly stopped, her movements frozen. She heard a distant explosion followed by maniacal laughter.
"What was that?" Rose muttered to herself.
Slowly, she walked toward the sound, feeling a bad premonition about the situation. With each step, she pushed through dense taiga bushes that obstructed her view and path. A blend of concern and curiosity propelled her forward. She briefly thought of Claire but immediately shook her head, focusing on the task at hand. As she closed in on the disturbance, the maniacal laughter intensified, sending shivers down her spine and making her heart pound.
Soon, she crouched, sensing she was near the source of the maniacal laughter. Slowly, she caught a glimpse of a figure in front of her. Although she couldn't see clearly who it was or any distinguishable characteristics, she saw a shadowy outline. She carefully hid behind some bushes, trying not to make a sound. She got a closer look: it was a student, his head covered by a hood customized for the academy uniform, facing away from her. He callously unleashed beams of magic upon unconscious and wounded classmates piled around him. Rose could identify the figure as male due to his maniacal laugh.
"What the heck..." Rose muttered to herself, clearly confused and shocked by the situation.
She glanced above her and saw no drones. Then she noticed several crashed and broken drones in the trees, seemingly destroyed by this male student. She recalled Miss Ann prohibiting fatal magic due to its devastating effects. Rose contemplated intervening, but the pile of bodies surrounding the deranged student left her paralyzed, realizing that confronting him directly might prove futile.
"I have to stop him..." Rose muttered to herself, conflicted.
Hidden behind the bush, Rose cautiously took a few steps back. An inadvertent snap of a twig beneath her foot caught the attention of the deranged student mage, making him momentarily stop his maniacal laugh and his continuous firing of spells.
"Well, no point in contemplating now..." Rose mumbled to herself.
Sensing her vulnerability, Rose leaped from her concealment. In an attempt to stop the deranged student, she unleashed a relentless barrage of water magic. To her dismay, the spells had no effect on him, leaving him unaffected and his head not even turning toward her.
Undeterred, the deranged student retaliated by pointing his arms toward her. Without a second thought, he unleashed a large beam of blinding light, sending her flying toward a tree. She reeled in excruciating pain, helpless and writhing in agony, struggling to stand up.
"Hah!" Rose screamed, pain coursing through her.
In a final, devastating blow, the male assailant unleashed a massive ball of light toward the defenseless Rose. The impact was brutal, and she crumpled to the ground, unconscious, as the maniacal laughter gradually faded. The ominous figure walked away, leaving behind a pile of bodies. As Rose lay there, she could only watch helplessly as the mysterious assailant's hand twisted with a dark aura surrounding it, casting another spell. Her vision blurred and darkened, she slowly fainted.
As Ann navigated forward, worried for the safety of her students—both Claire, Takumi, and Liene, as well as, unknowingly to her, Rose, lying unconscious on the ground—she had no idea of the immediate peril.