She couldn't wait, this was the moment! She was finally going to discover who she personally is! As she and the crowd walked down the hallway, the lights were dim because of the candlelights, and the walls were adorned with gothic paintings, the figures had dark skin colors, their faces were shadowed, it was like their memories were shadowed and yet they were already lit. They continued to walk down the hallway, they all had neutral faces, but deep down, they were actually excited, excited to know what was next and what they were about to do. Sunny felt her heart thumping, yes, she was excited as well, but she was also pretty nervous, there were so many Leistungs awaiting her, and she wondered what her beating heart desired.
"Don't be afraid." Anala reassured her with a head pat. "There's more potential in you than you're unaware of."
"What do you think you're gonna get, Anala?" Sunny asked with a smile as she turned to face the mysterious girl.
"I have a burning rage within me that I am yet to release, I need a Leistung that understands me. You also must find one that knows you as well."
"So you want something with fire!" Hiro walked into the conversation with a smile on his face, almost like an enthusiastic younger brother. "But you're so calm and collected, who knows what you can do with water!"
"I respectfully decline water." replied Anala, who still faced the hallway with a straight face. "It doesn't match me."
"Oh, really?" Raldir walked behind them, involved in the conversation and spurring insults. "Well, I'm going to have the stars! If anyone could have it, it would be me!"
"I see no potential in you in obtaining it." Anala spoke without even facing the cocky kid. "You're fiery unlike me, and you always express your anger. But you always overdo it so that you can make yourself look superior in front of others, but you are wrong, you are just as equal as them."
Raldir clenched his fists, his teeth gritted.
"Whoever gave a woman the right to come here!" he angrily questioned. "I doubt you girls will get Leistungs as great as mine! I'm going to get the stars, and I'll make sure that everyone knows it too!"
Sunny could only roll her eyes, and she said, "Say that all you want, Raldir. You may have the stars as your Leistung, but you're going to have to figure out how to control your powers if it's the most legendary. With great power comes great responsibility."
Raldir scoffed, "That's funny coming from a girl who has never laid her hands on a sword before!"
"Excuse me?" Imani crossed her arms, she was wearing a sleeveless shirt, and it revealed her darkened scars on her arms, highlighting the worst she endured. "I've been training since I was 9!"
"What?" Sunny glared at her with concern. "That's so young, and you got those scars? How can this be?"
Imani giggled, "Let's just say that they expect so much from people like me."
"So they're forcing you into labor at that age?" Sunny shook her head, and she looked down. "No, that isn't right. No child should go through this, no one."
"I'm afraid that was always the case." a familiar voice said.
Sunny's head suddenly shot up, and she turned around to see Elliot, who was a part of the crowd the whole time.
"Elliot!" Sunny gasped, she ran over and wrapped her arms around Elliot's neck, embracing him into a bear hug. "You're alright! How did you get here?"
"I just went down the rabbit hole, that's all you gotta know." he snarked. "The fact that you were able to escape, I felt..well, envious."
"Sunny, who is he?" Imani butted in the conversation, looking at the two of them and giggling. "Oh! I see! He's your lost sweetheart, isn't he?"
Sunny flushed red, and she quickly shook her head, "No, no, no! It's not like that! He's just an old friend whom I thought was missing the whole time! But thank goodness that he's fine!"
Elliot nodded, "I wandered the forest for days, and all I wanted was to escape like how you did. Finally, I found a scented trail of fruits and berries that lead to a portable hole. When I made it here to this place you call Meimon city, it was the first time I ever experienced warmth and sunlight. The first time I was free…"
Imani looked at him up and down, and to her surprise, his skin was as pale as alabaster. It was true, he had never been out in the sunlight.
"Oh my gosh, that's awful, man!" Hiro wrapped his arm around Elliot's shoulders. "But hey, at least you're adapting to the warm weather!"
Elliot could only nod his head, and he looked back at Sunny with loving eyes, "Thank you for being so positive, but I still believe that the world is too cruel. However, if it weren't for your determination and resilience, then I wouldn't have made it."
Sunny chuckled, rubbing the back of her head like a schoolgirl, "It wasn't that much of a deal. Besides, I didn't expect you to come here either, but I'm glad that you did!"
Hiro chuckled, "Elliot, buddy, she sure is the sugary one! I'm getting diabetes just watching her talk about all the positive things about the world! It's like we're siblings or something!"
Elliot shot Hiro a stern glare, and the trembling boy shut his mouth, while Elliot spoke in a low tone,
"It's best if you just keep your thoughts to yourselves. She might be uncomfortable with them."
However, Sunny spoke with insistence, "Hey, it's fine! I don't mind it at all!"
Suddenly, everyone felt a heavy chill running down their spines as they heard a demonic sounding voice coming from the distance. Their bodies literally shook like there was an earthquake.
Heresy….
The priestess huffed, and she turned around with a stern expression, "Do not fret, children. That is just Heresy. He is an embodiment of rebellion and traitors."
Sunny and Imani couldn't help but wrap each other into a hug, both of them still shaking with fright at the slight mention of this Heresy.
"However, he is sealed within the Seal of Elysia." reassured the priestess, who turned around and continued to walk. "The Prophet is the one who bears the keys. He is the keeper who holds the burden and responsibility of keeping him locked up. But despite this, we don't always speak his name, but we must be aware of him."
For some reason, Sunny was drawn to the name 'Elysia', it was like a soothing hug wrapped around her to snap her out of her shell-shocked state.
The priestess meanwhile took a deep breath, and she told the group, "Stay with me the entire way. You will get closer to the Seal of Elysia, and your adrenaline will rise to immeasurable levels."
Sunny's breathing hitched, and she closed her eyes shut as they continued to walk.
"Hey, girl! Wanna hold my hand?" Imani insisted.
Sunny, who's adrenaline was already rising, nodded her head with the strength she had left, and she grabbed Imani's hand, both of them heading down the hallway together. Elliot and Hiro looked around, even the former couldn't keep his stoic expression. The adrenaline continued to rise, and so did the suspense. They continued to hear the words echo through the hallway as they struggled to keep calm.
Heresy…Rebellion…Traitors…
The priestess just continued to lead away as if nothing was wrong, she was used to it, so what was the point of feeling so scared right now? However, Sunny was hyperventilating, her heart was thumping rapidly, the unbearable fear she and everyone else was enduring infected her entire system like a plague that rapidly spread everywhere.
"Hey, hey, girl!" the faint voice of Imani was heard. "It's over now!"
Sunny suddenly opened her eyes, beads of sweat dripping down her forehead, and she looked around. They were in a starry, dome-like forest that had metallic walls guarding it.
"Where are we?"
"This is the Testing room." The priestess replied, looking up to face small, starry creatures that swarm at the top, which shone brightly like the sun. "I believe all of you had taken it literally that we will have a paper test, but this is more than that."
Sunny looked around in awe, amazed by how grand the room was, how mystical the architecture was, and the fact that those star-like creatures were bustling with joy as they swarmed around like butterflies around everyone.
"They will be choosing which Leistung is best suited for you." replied the priestess, before explaining, "These are the Starlights, they're givers of Leistungs and oracles of your future."
Raldir grumbled, he watched impatiently as the Starlights swarmed around, he was already giving in to his anger.
"Hey! Hurry up!" he yelled, his hands balling into fists. "I don't have all day! Just give me what I want, dagnabbit!"
A Starlight soared through the air, its light a magnetic blue, and it zapped through Raldir's chest, causing him to let out a huge yelp of pain. Everyone gasped in horror, they turned their heads over to see Raldir stand up again, his once amber eyes now magnetic blue, just like the Starlight itself. He raised his hands, and from the grass surrounding them, tiny rain-like droplets suddenly appeared, levitating in the air as if rain was rising back into the clouds.
He snickered, having a huge grin on his face, "What did I get? Is it the stars?"
The priestess shook her head, still maintaining a serene look on her face.
"You now bear the touch of all the waters of the earth." she said. "Your Leistung is Neptunian, for the planet Neptune is the keeper of the aquas."
Raldir's jaw dropped, and his eyes burst with flames, "NO! I didn't wait a month just to be told that I could never obtain something as grand as the Stars! If anyone should have it, it's a man like me!"
"Enough." replied Anala, veins bulge around her face, she was growing tired with the easily impatient Raldir. "The stars are not your birthright, and they never will be."
Suddenly, another Starlight zapped through Anala's chest, and instead of Raldir who shrieked like a little girl, she winced a little, taking in the pain of the transformation. Flames of rage burst around her, and everyone gasped, backing away so that they wouldn't be scalded. She opened her amber eyes, and she watched everyone like a phoenix, under her arms were flames that spread like wings. However, in a split-second, they suddenly vanished, and so did her confidence, Anala looked at the ground, panting heavily as sweat dripped down her cheek. To everyone's eyes, It must've been the exhaustion of the Leistung, but to Anala, there was something more that they have yet to reveal.
***
Sunny looked around in awe, she watched as everyone received their Leistung, but she had yet to find hers. However, she remained patient, she watched with a smile in fascination by the transformations of her fellow peers, they all received wonderful gifts, but now…It was her turn. Her eyes wandered, the Starlights were still swarming around, she was curious about which one will pick her, she was happy to have whatever she's chosen to have. However, the Starlights swarmed around her, they all looked over her body, and Sunny felt the thrill rise, it was time to see what her Leistung was. But all of the sudden, there was nothing, they all soared upwards, vanishing like sparkles.
"What happened?" Sunny asked, looking around in dismay. "Why did they leave?"
The priestess's eyes widened, and she walked over to Sunny, kneeling down to her level and slowly taking off her jacket. She pressed her hand against her chest…and she felt nothing in there.
"This isn't right." she said, pressing her chest harder. "There must be something in there. This has never happened before."
Sunny gulped, paranoid sweat pouring down her temple. "Is something wrong? Was it an error, perhaps?"
Raldir snickered, "Or she doesn't have a Leistung!"
The crowd gasped with surprise, they circled around the two, some of them muttering with each other, some with questions, and some with laughter of mockery.
"Everyone, calm down!" The priestess raised her hand, halting the moderate tone level. "Please exit, the session is over for now. Thank you all for coming, and I hope that you will all return for another one."
A few looked at each other, but some nodded, everyone turned around to the exit, and they left obediently. Sunny sulked, facing the floor to see her legs trembling. Her heart thumped, stretching up and down because of the Non-Law. The priestess sighed, and she placed her hand against her heart, pacing it back to normal.
"Do not be afraid." she reassured her, her hand drifting to her shoulder. "Let's just come together."
However, fear still lingered in Sunny's eyes, she inquired in a shaky tone, "But I don't understand, why don't I have a Leistung? I see others get one, why not me?"
The priestess paused, her expression blank, even though she didn't understand either.
"Look, let's just get Lord Gamaliel, I'm sure he can help us out here."
***
She waited patiently on the chair, her head lowered as her heart continued to thump. Her mind was filled with questions, she could not think of anything else. She wondered how the Starlights could just leave without even choosing her. However, she inhaled deeply despite her hitched breath, it was going to be alright…at least that's what she told herself. But nonetheless, it was definitely going to be fine, because Leistung or not, she was going to succeed as a heroic crusader in shining armor. She glanced around her, there was nobody like her who was sitting in this room, waiting patiently for a reasoning for this "error". It made her feel quite lonely, she looked down on the floor, and she sighed.
"Sunilda Tournesol?" The priestess called, walking out the door and approaching her. "I believe that's your name."
Sunny nodded, "Yes, yes it is. But you can call me Sunny if you like."
The priestess smiled, almost like a mother to her child.
"Sunny…I love that very much."
However, she sighed, shaking her head as she looked down on the floor.
"Sunny, I'm sorry to say this, but it appears that you may be a Impoten. It's rare, but it's when a person is unable to have a Leistung."
Sunny's eyes widened, her heart thumping, she couldn't believe it. She was going to be the only one who was an Impoten, it made her feel so lonely…just like back in the orphanage, just like back in the forest. The feeling of abandonment was unbearable, she was supposed to move on from those terrible yet misty memories, but there was no winning.
"This is awful!" Sunny said, her hands clutching her chest as she looked down. "I don't wanna be different from anybody else!"
The priestess placed her hands on her shoulder, looking at her with maternal love in her eyes, Sunny could see how genuine her expression was, and that it wasn't another lie.
"I know that this is awful to think about, especially since this would mean you have a…um."
"A disability?" Sunny finished her statement, her eyes darkened with dismay.
"Ah, yes." sighed the priestess. "While it's not very common, it doesn't mean you can't become a crusader."
"It's not that, ma'am." confessed the saddened girl, her eyes still locked with the priestess as they began to gloss. "I can't believe it, I'm going to be lonely again. Everyone has a Leistung, but I don't. There's nobody who will get me or the anguish I'm feeling!"
"Please, my darling. Don't be too upset." the priestess reassured, maintaining a serene smile. "You won't be lonely. I am an Impoten just like you. You see, I had a similar situation like how you did. I watched as all of my friends had their Leistungs, but I didn't. I felt lonely, there was nobody like me, and the only thing I could rely on in battle was the Non-Law if the Creator was merciful enough to activate it." she sighed, her eyes narrowing as she recalled those dreadful memories, but all of the sudden, they lit up, as if memories were encouraging her positivity, "However, with these physics that go against the Law of Gravity itself, I see how many times I've survived a battle, how many times I thanked the Creator everyday for how fortunate I was to live to see another day. Sometimes, the humblest of things could make you feel grateful for life, because you never know what gets thrown at you."
Sunny's eyes twinkled, she was already at the edge of her seat, scooting closer so that she could hear more to the priestess' story. She was already feeling belonged and welcomed instead of being sheltered by an awful lie that threw her into a world of loneliness. Right now, she wanted to know more about this woman, almost as if they were mother and daughter—But that wouldn't make any sense at all, for the woman looked nothing like her.
"Tell me more!" she begged, her smile growing wider. "Maybe I could be like you!"
The priestess chuckled, she didn't expect that reply at all, but she nonetheless continued, "Sunny, what I want you to know is that you don't need a Leistung to fit in with the others, you already are a part of the crowd. When you're a crusader, think of this as similar to acting in a movie or a play, whatever you do, it's all a part of the show. That is how the Non-Law works, it doesn't always happen all the time, but when you use it, fighting is more like acting from a well-written script."
Sunny stood up, from her seat, but she immediately sat down, this time on the floor. She folded her fingers together like she was praying, but she raised her head to face the priestess, revealing her determined and enthusiastic expression.
"Please teach me how to do this." she pleaded. "Teach me how to be a crusader without a Leistung, master."
The priestess' eyes widened, she was taken aback by such a knightly gesture, and yet it warmed her heart. Her hands were still placed on Sunny's shoulders, almost like a queen paying attention to her beloved knight in shining armor.
"You'll have to prove that you are earnest about being my apprentice in this academy." she said, before revealing, "I am Professor Adolpha, I help the little ones understand the Non-Law more, but never did I have an apprentice who wanted to use it to their advantage like me."
Sunny nodded, still maintaining her determined expression.
"I will do whatever it takes to win your approval, Master Adolpha."
"Then you are already ready to start your first test. We'll meet together tomorrow, and remember to be there on time."
Sunny stood up, and she saluted like a cadet, "I will do my very best, Master."