Faced with the impending confrontation, Judah stood frozen, watching the chaos before him. The girl in the hole screamed with uncharacteristic fury, her words echoing in the air like a challenge.
— I told you to stay away from me! I have nothing to do with you! — Her voice was shaking, but not with fear; there was a fierce, almost palpable determination in it.
Judah could barely take in what was happening when the armored squadron began to point their weapons from the sky. Apparently made up of young men and women, they did not hesitate to start the battle with or without witnesses around. One of them was at least seeming to be the captain of the squadron, she addressed the girl directly.
— You're in no position to give us orders, anomaly. Did you really think you could escape OASIS? — The captain said in a cold, metallic voice through her helmet.
Judah felt a chill as he heard that word, "anomaly." Who was this girl, and why were they chasing her? Judah crouched behind a pile of rubble, barely breathing so as not to attract attention. From his hiding spot, he saw the girl clearly: standing in the center of the crevice, she seemed oblivious to the chaos around her. Her figure stood out among the dust and broken metal, with a peculiar glint in her gaze, almost defiant, as if every fiber of her being was prepared to fight.
Her hair was flowing in the air, and her armor, though light, was marked with blows, probably from other battles. Judah couldn't help but think that there was something ethereal about her, something that didn't quite fit in this world.
— Sending a whole squadron just for me? — She scoffed inwardly; her voice low — I guess they overestimate me.
Judah watched her with fascination and fear. The soldiers took a few steps forward, raising their weapons towards her, and he felt the tension in the air become almost unbearable. The girl barely moved, her gaze fixed on them, without a trace of fear.
Then, without hesitation, the captain ordered the squadron of young men and women to speak the words to end the unrest.
— Everybody, shoot!
With impressive speed, the girl slid her sword in her hand to several sides, deflecting the shots in all directions. Judah covered himself and immediately the girl launched herself at the nearest soldier, hitting him in the helmet and sending him to the ground with a metallic crash.
— Cover her! Neutralize any suspicious movement!
Judah could barely take in what he was seeing. The girl moved with a precision that seemed inhuman; her blows were quick, calculated, each one landing with a force that resonated in the air. Despite being surrounded, she seemed to be in control of the situation.
— Jah! — The girl made a sound as she hit one of the soldiers.
The soldiers, clearly frustrated, exchanged quick, tense glances, readjusting their positions. One of them stepped forward, raising a different weapon, a device that emitted a high-pitched whine.
— Try to resist this. You will not be able to avoid the inevitable.
The girl, in response, crouched down, preparing for the next attack, her expression determined. Judah, his heart pounding, felt like the scene before him was unreal, as if he were daydreaming.
After her deep thought, a soldier managed to approach and throw a kind of electric chain towards the girl, trying to catch her.
— Give up, it's the best thing you can do.
— Give up? —She repeated with a wry smile — I don't know what world you live in, but in mine, giving up is never an option.
With a swift movement, she broke the chain and counterattacked forcefully, knocking down another soldier.
As the battle intensified, the girl remained the same as when she started the battle. Her breathing was light, and her movements were strong and agile like the wind. On the other hand, the soldiers looked very tired and frustrated at not being able to defeat or take down her warrior spirit from the aforementioned "anomaly". Just when everything was already won for her, the captain launched herself with a sword of light with its propellant and with enormous force. The girl blocked the blow with difficulty, retreating several centimeters in the air. Even so, in her eyes shone an indomitable determination.
— It's useless to resist. You're only prolonging the inevitable —The captain growled as she exerted her strength against the girl's sword.
— If you think I'm going to fall that easily... you underestimate how stubborn I can be.
Just as the two young women's swords clashed, the celestial emitted an aura of a medium-golden color and with superhuman strength pushed the captain several meters back to where some soldiers were, catching her with difficulty.
— Geh! …- She was heard from the mouth being caught.
The soldiers fell back into tight formation, surrounding her with military precision. But the girl, her expression one of fierce determination, let out a piercing scream, unleashing a gust of wind so powerful that the entire squad was thrown backward, knocked down one by one until their bodies fell towards the sea in a metallic mess.
When the dust settled, she descended to the hole she had made in the ground, her gaze fixed and deep, as if she were observing something very far away. Judah, who had witnessed everything from a distance, saw how the girl turned her attention to an object in her hand: a pendant that she held delicately, although her expression reflected a weight of hidden sadness.
Intrigued and unable to take his eyes off her, Judah crept to the edge of the hole, captivated by her imposing presence and the strength she radiated after the battle. But at that moment, due to the uneven ground and the chaos around him, his foot slipped. As if fate was playing a joke, Judah fell straight into the hole, causing a noise that broke the silence.
The girl reacted immediately, turning around with her sword raised, her eyes full of distrust. Seeing the stranger staggering on the ground in front of her, she pointed her sword at him, ready for any threat.
— Who are you and what are you doing here? — The girl asked, her voice firm and her eyes still filled with an intensity that paralyzed him.
Judah raised his hands slowly, trying to appear calm as his heart pounded, caught between fear and fascination.
— Relax!... I'm not one of them. Just... let's just say I ended up here by accident —he said, trying hard to remain calm, even though his heart was pounding in his chest.
The girl looked at him, her expression hard and wary. Still not lowering her sword, she inspected Judah from head to toe, as if assessing whether he posed a threat.
— By accident? No one ends up here by accident. Who are you? If you don't answer me, I'll attack you right away.
— I'm... I'm... I'm just a curious guy. I didn't know that my childhood playground would turn into a battlefield today. He tried to smile, but all he managed was a nervous frown.
The girl's eyes narrowed upon hearing his response, though she slowly seemed to lower her guard a little.
— This isn't a park. Well, it isn't anymore — She put the pendant in her pocket and lowered her sword a little, but not completely.
— You are… a celestial, aren't you? —The question left her lips before she could stop herself, but a mix of wonder and curiosity had gained control.
The girl frowned and looked away, as if she had neither the time nor the desire to explain something that seemed much more complex than it seemed at first glance.
— I don't understand why they insist on calling me that. I'm not a celestial being, much less an angel — The celestial murmured with a touch of irritation.
Judah watched her curiously, trying to make sense of her words.
— I'm sorry, it's just that... I think people use that name for anyone who appears from the dimensional rifts.
Then the girl looked up at the sky where the crack was, which had disappeared, made a very nice face of annoyance and then tried to explain to the curious boy.
— Let's just say that I don't belong in this world in the same way that you do. But if you don't want to end up in danger, you'd better leave. —His tone was firm, although his eyes revealed some tiredness and… loneliness?
Judah hesitated, feeling an impulse he couldn't quite understand. There was something in that look, in the way the girl seemed to carry the weight of a story that went beyond him, something that made him want to stay by her side, despite the danger.
— What if I don't want to leave?
The girl looked at him, surprised by his answer. Then, she sighed and lowered her sword completely, her expression softening slightly.
— Then you'll have to endure what's coming, curious boy. Because if those soldiers come again... I won't be able to protect you.
Judah gave a shaky smile, as if he had just accepted a challenge without really knowing what he was getting into.
— We'll see. At least let me know your name.
— I am… I am… I am… I don't remember what my name is — The confused celestial responded with a tone full of doubts.
Judah was puzzled; it baffled him that someone like her, someone with such a commanding presence, seemed to be so unclear about what she was called or even who she really was; he wondered if she might be suffering from temporary amnesia or something. However, not knowing her name, he found himself in a quandary: he had no idea how to address her without sounding strange or too distant.
— So, what do you want me to call you? Miss Celestial? — He said with an ironic tone.
— Mm … I don't know. Don't call me that or else I'll get upset! —Showing an annoyed look but then a calm one— Do you have any idea what to call me?
Judah smiled, trying to lighten the mood.
— Well, if you don't like 'heavenly', I guess I'll have to improvise. —He put a hand to his chin, pretending to be in deep thought. —What do you think…?
The girl looked at him with a frown, although now with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
— Maybe something simple, like… Mm?
Judah used all his brain cells to come up with a name that would fit the girl. Although he was also thinking about what the hell he was doing, naming a dog or an animal could be accepted, and he could even name a future daughter, but... A celestial? This went beyond all logic and worse if this being didn't like it she could end up as food for worms or crushed. Then he remembered the battle from a moment ago and the agility she had and her control over the air and wind, so with that in mind he came up with a name that she might like.
— What do you think…?
Suddenly, a thunderous sound interrupted the young people's conversation, and with astonishing speed, the girl took the boy's hand and began to fly at high speed, away from everything. In a matter of seconds, they realized that the place that had once surrounded them had become a mass of rubble, as an explosion had destroyed everything. Judah's eyes could not believe what he saw: the park, which had been his refuge in childhood, was now just dust, reduced to what little was left.
Judah stared ahead, still in shock from the devastation. The girl, still holding his hand, glanced at him sideways, worried about his reaction. The air was heavy, dust floating around them like a grey blanket covering everything.
— Are you okay? — The celestial asked, her voice shaking slightly as she tried to keep her flight stable.
Judah nodded slowly, speechless. The sight of the park, his park, reduced to ruins, had taken his breath away. He had played there for years, laughed there, cried there, and now it was all gone in the blink of an eye.
— What was that? — Judah finally managed, his voice deep and full of confusion.
The girl stopped in the air, floating gently, and stared at him.
— I don't know. I don't know who or what could have done this... But we need to get away, now.
With those words, the girl and Judah looked into the distance and spotted an imposing warship in the sea, its cannons pointed directly at them from below. Without hesitation, the celestial deployed one of her powers, generating a field of invisibility that instantly enveloped them. Hidden from the enemy's sight, both quickly moved to a safer place, dodging the danger that lurked from the depths of the ocean.
After escaping danger, the two descended gently until they landed in a forest near a port on the island. The place was enveloped in a peaceful silence, ideal for taking a breather.
— Thank you, Karin. Thank you for saving me from that explosion — Judah murmured, still catching his breath.
The celestial looked at him in surprise, her eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and caution.
— I told you I couldn't protect you if something like that happened! … let alone… — Karin paused, blinking in disbelief — Wait, what did you call me?!
Judah, very nervous at the celestial's reaction and apparently an unpleasant look, answered quickly to avoid being dust.
— I thought… I thought that since you are someone very nice, I thought of a nice name that you might like so Karin I think was the right one.
— Karin... — The celestial repeated in a whisper. Her lips formed a faint smile, an expression that seemed mixed with a nostalgia that Judah did not fully understand.
— It's nice and easy to remember — He added, trying to break the silence — It doesn't sound bad at all. So… Karin, is that okay with you?
She nodded slightly, and for the first time looked at him without any trace of that initial tension. For a moment, her eyes seemed calmer, as if the name had calmed something inside her.
Once their little conversation was over, they started walking so that any OASIS tracking wouldn't find them. They knew that the forest might not be a good idea to stay in due to the somewhat rough wildlife in the area.
— Where should we go now? — He whispered, trying to remain calm, although the tension was evident in his voice.
Karin looked around, as if searching for an answer in the trees surrounding them.
— I could seek refuge in the mountains — She finally murmured — It's an area with a lot of vegetation, and I think you should go back home. They haven't seen you yet.
Hearing that, he thought that the best idea would be to do that. However, his gaze on the crack had vanished since the moment he raised his head to the sky he didn't see any trace of any dimensional crack which the celestials commonly came through that, according to OASIS, destroy everything around them. That thought that he always heard in the media, in which OASIS was the salvation could be as true as it was wrong in the face of the specimen in front of him. However, that thought vanished when a doubt of the situation came to his mind as if it were a lightning bolt.
— Karin, why don't you try flying using that camouflage from before? —He suggested.
— I don't think I can for now — She replied seriously, keeping her gaze focused on the sky to avoid any suspicious figures — I feel a bit exhausted and I'd rather rest a bit. Besides, there are some mountains I can go to alone, quickly.
— But the mountains are a two-hour walk away. I don't think it's a good idea to continue on foot.
Karin stopped dead upon hearing this, and with an annoyed expression and a slight blush, she turned to look at him.
—That ... I already knew it! You didn't need to tell me — She replied, although the uncertain tone she emitted gave her away.
— Of course — He replied, a little incredulously.
Judah watched Karin silently as she assessed her surroundings, clearly trying to maintain a confident and determined demeanor. Despite her impressive skills in combat, she always seemed a little disoriented outside of the action. There was something fascinating and a little disconcerting about that combination of power and clumsiness. As if her strength was out of sync with the more mundane world around them.
He couldn't help but crack a smile as he watched her frown, probably calculating something neither of them would get right. It's amazing how someone who can take down an entire squad doesn't know what to do when they get lost in the woods. The thought made him stifle a laugh, but the slight curve to his lips was enough for Karin to notice.
— What? — She asked, arching an eyebrow suspiciously, but also with a slight tension in his jaw that betrayed his irritation.
Judah shrugged, feigning indifference.
— I was just thinking about something funny that came to my mind.
— I already told you, get out of here — She mentioned with a slightly irritated but at the same time-tired voice — I can solve this without problems.
— I wish I could, but my home is…
Suddenly, noises interrupted their conversation in the distance. They were familiar sounds, those same humming thrusters they had heard just moments ago. Upon catching the sound, Karin immediately tensed, raising her guard as she hid behind a tree with quick, calculated movements. Judah, on the other hand, stood perplexed, not reacting in time to take cover; he stood in the middle of the clearing, staring at the sound that was getting closer and closer.
Then a figure slowly descended in front of him. It was a woman, wearing armor that, while powerful, bore obvious battle marks: scratches, cracks, and soot stains. Still hovering a few meters above the ground, she activated her intercom and spoke in an authoritative voice.
— This is Captain Alpha Squadron. We have encountered a civilian in a desert area. I am proceeding to verify his identity.
— Understood, Captain — A voice in her helmet responded.
The captain landed softly in front of Judah, studying him with cold, assessing eyes, as if searching for clues that would reveal more than he was letting on.
— What is a civilian doing here in this area? — She asked, his tone firm and stern— Are you lost?
Judah tried to force a casual smile, though he could feel the weight of the woman's piercing gaze.
— Yeah, sort of… I was just passing through and… well, I ended up getting lost. You know, impromptu exploration.
As she said this, her gaze searched for any trace of suspicion among the nearby trees and bushes, hoping that she was there, at least keeping a close watch. But, to her surprise, there was no sign of her. The captain raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but with a resigned sigh she activated her communicator.
— This is the captain. We have found a civilian who is apparently lost in a high-risk area. I will proceed to evacuate him to a safe location.
— Understood, Captain —The voice in her helmet replied.
Judah tensed at the word "evacuate." He wasn't seeking shelter; in fact, his intention was to remain close to Karin. However, realizing he had no real option to refuse, he nodded and let the captain lead him toward the transport, an armored surface vehicle waiting not far away. Apparently, the army was on patrol.
When they reached the vehicle, the captain indicated that he should get in. Judah looked back once more, hoping to see Karin appear out of nowhere, but the forest remained completely silent. He forced himself to get into the vehicle, even though he felt the weight of the unknown weighing down on her "friend."
The vehicle began to move across the terrain, moving steadily forward. Inside, two more soldiers watched it with curious expressions, one of them could not help but ask a question:
— Were you really lost around here? This place isn't exactly a tourist destination.
Judah let out a nervous laugh.
— Let's just say... I like unconventional adventures — He replied, dodging the question with a smile.
As they drove on, he looked at every detail of the landscape through the small windows of the vehicle, looking for any sign of Karin or something that would indicate that she was nearby. Maybe a bump in the sky, but no, everything was clear. The trip was long, but soon they arrived at a police station where Judah gave them the excuse that he was doing extreme sports, but he lost track of time and the road and couldn't remember where he was.
After a long and tense conversation, the police decided to release Judah, allowing him to leave without further questions. He walked back down the path, but his mind was far away from there. With every step, concern for Karin invaded him; her face, that serious and sad expression she showed when he asked her about the celestials, appeared in his mind again and again, as if she were trying to reveal something beyond words.
Questions began to emerge, confusing and intertwined. Is it true that the celestials destroy everything in their path just to defeat the amorphous? How much truth was there in this image of powerful and ruthless beings who fought them mercilessly? And, if so, why did they come to this world to fight a war that, apparently, no one asked them to fight?
As he moved forward, these questions spun and echoed in his mind, each one planting seeds of doubt. Finally, his thoughts began to fade as he reached his home. He sighed deeply, feeling the weight of uncertainty mixed with tiredness. The day had been long and tiring, but not only because of the situations he had faced, but because of the truths he now felt he must uncover. However, what seemed like a peaceful time to rest, turned into the beginning of something else that he had not expected.
— Hello, young Judah Saito — a voice mentioned — We were waiting for you.
— …!
A figure sitting on his couch, wearing a kind of white uniform welcomed him into his home. Because it was dark and very late at night, he couldn't see who it was. But this figure was wearing all the attire of some kind of organization that wanted something because it wanted to know too much.
— Who are you!? — He replied nervously —Where are my parents?
— Well, they're not here — the voice replied — but we do want you here. I have many questions for you, and you're going to tell me them honestly.
Suddenly a hand with a kind of handkerchief covered his mouth, giving the impression that he was breathing some chemical that he was soon losing consciousness. In the little that he was seeing, he saw the figure approaching and listening to what he had to say.
— Don't worry, young Saíto. We will protect you... We... EDEN.