River of Heaven
I am Maya De Astraia, known as 'Starblade' for the wielder of the Gemini twin swords.
As the leader of the Zodiac Warriors, I've spent the past 15 years dedicated to our mission: eradicating all forms of evil and wrongdoing to create a more just and positive society in this accursed world.
Currently, our focus is on uncovering the truth behind Caelumoria. It's a daunting task, but one we are committed to accomplishing.
However, amidst our investigation, I've come across an intriguing individual who has caught my attention.
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Shadowweave 1st, Caelumoria, Northern Border, 5:50 PM.
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The crowd murmured after hearing a rumor that they had a significant lead on Caelumoria's secret.
The vice-captain walked towards the stage and announced, "Silence, Captain Astraia will be making an important announcement."
"I think this is it," said one of the protestors.
"The journey has finally come to an end, huh?" said another.
"It's been a long journey, everyone," said a third.
Maya then shouted, "Alright, listen up everybody."
"We have new information about the leader," she declared boldly, "and together, we can finally put an end to this abominable practice of slavery once and for all."
The cheering sound of the crowd was broken by the voice of a mysterious individual.
"I heard you have information on the leader of the organization, Maya," Someone who never showed up said in a low, steady voice. "Is that correct?"
"Yes, we do. His code name is X, and we've been gathering intel on his operations for years. With your help, we can finally put an end to his reign of terror," Maya eagerly replied.
"We'll need a plan," He said. "Do you have a strategy?"
"We do. We've studied their movements and weaknesses, and we have a few ideas on how to take them down," Maya responded.
"What about the protesters?" He asked, gesturing to the surrounding crowd. "Are they prepared to fight for their freedom?"
Maya paused for a moment, regarding him with a hint of suspicion. "You're quite bold here for someone who suddenly showed up," she remarked.
"We'll need to train them. They're not ready to face X's forces," He said, meeting Maya's gaze.
"You're right," Maya agreed. "We'll start training them immediately."
The protesters murmured among themselves, fear evident in their eyes.
"Don't worry," Another one who never showed up interjected. "We'll ensure you're all trained and prepared for anything that comes your way."
"Isn't she the demon who heals sick people?" One of the protestors asked.
"Isn't she the one with pink and cyan hair? The Rosewater?" Another added.
"You mean the one who can heal any sickness with just a slice of bread?" Another chimed in.
The protestors murmured again as soon as she spoke.
"Did I say something wrong?" Rosewater asked, puzzled.
"Don't worry. Let's get to work, for Caelumoria!" Maya shouted, her right arm raised in determination.
The crowd cheered for her, and the training began.
"That brat and that demon, how dare they call Captain Astraia by her first name. I will teach them their place after this," the Vice-captain whispered to herself.
As the crowd began to disperse and train, she noticed two unfamiliar individuals approaching.
"Hey! State your name and business," the Vice-captain said, stopping the two fellows who never showed up before.
"Mika's the name, and this is my friend, Airi," he said.
"Hello, and you are?" Airi asked with a smile.
"I am Amalia-Elisabetha Katharina Margarethe von und zu Liechtenstein-Sternberg, the Vice-captain of the Zodiac Warriors. You can call me Vice-captain Lizbeth."
"That's...a unique name, I suppose," Mika said.
"State your business here. I've never seen both of you before," Vice-captain Lizbeth said.
"We're just adventurers trying to finish the quest. Might as well join up with others," Mika explained.
"The statue's quest, huh? I see, but I still need to test your strength. Not anybody can join the Zodiac Warriors," the Vice-captain replied, crossing her arms.
Maya appeared, grabbing the Vice-captain's shoulder. "Hey, Amy, why did you stop them?" she inquired cheerfully.
"C-Captain Astraia?" the Vice-captain stuttered, blushing. "I told you not to call me that."
"I told you to call me Maya, but you keep calling me Captain, Captain, Captain. Why so formal?" Maya queried, raising an eyebrow.
"Ah, you two were the ones who suddenly showed up. Nice to meet you! Who are you guys?" Maya asked, smiling warmly.
"We're just adventurers who want to finish the statue's quest. My name is Mika," he introduced himself.
"And I'm Airi!" she added, beaming.
"I see. So, why were both of you stopped?" Maya inquired, tilting her head.
"The vice-captain said she wants to test our strength," Mika answered.
Maya stared at the vice-captain, who explained, "I don't want them to die needlessly in battle."
"I see, you care about them. Well then, you can fight me. If you win, you can join the Zodiac Warriors. Even if you lose, I'll still consider it, depending on your performance," Maya offered.
"Deal. Where will we do this?" Mika asked.
"Right here," Maya said with a smile.
"But wouldn't the space be insufficient?" Mika questioned.
Maya invoked, "Oculi De Astraia, Gemini!" As she did, two swords appeared out of thin air.
The swords looked as though they were crafted from the very fabric of space itself, with a hazy outline that shimmered in colors of blue, purple, and silver, reminiscent of a vast and twinkling galaxy.
"Domain form, River of Heaven!" Maya shouted as she plunged her sword into the ground. Suddenly, the location changed.
Mika observed his surroundings and commented, "Looks like we're in space. I can see stars and the universe beside us. It seems like I don't require any oxygen in here. We're standing in space but it feels like normal ground."
"The gravity is also normal, just like before. Is this just like changing the landscape?" Mika asked as he jumped around.
"Captain Astraia, you can't just waste your power to test them," the vice-captain protested.
"Well, isn't this how we first met? You also showed up out of nowhere and asked for my help," Maya retorted.
The vice-captain was left speechless.
Maya turned to Mika and asked, "Do you need any weapons?"
"All the weapons I need are my own two hands," Mika replied confidently.
"And how about you, Airi?" Maya inquired.
"Azure blade!" Airi exclaimed, conjuring a small sword in her right hand.
"Very well," Maya nodded and held her sword in an unusual position, the blade held in a reverse grip and her hands forming an X shape.
"Here I c--"
Before Maya could finish her sentence, the sword sliced through Mika and Airi's torsos with lightning speed.
The blade passed through their bodies without causing any injury, but the two adventurers froze in their tracks.
"--ome," Maya said, appearing behind them and turning her head to survey the scene.
"Come on, we just got started," protested Maya, her disappointment palpable.
"Captain, I don't think it's a good idea to make contact with your blade. Even a slight touch could cause them severe PTSD," cautioned the vice-captain.
"In this area, the blade is unable to kill anyone. But I don't know what will happen to them," explained Maya.
The vice-captain pointed out, "Remember the bandit who used a child as a hostage? He's still frozen in time there."
"Eh!? He's still there? Well, I can unfreeze them, but let's see how they react first," said Maya, uncertainty in her voice.
"There's a reason it's called the blade that can tear through time, space, and reality," the vice-captain said.
"You're just sugarcoating it," Maya replied.
"Even there's a poster that says 'Maya Starblade: A legendary warrior who wields a blade made from a fallen star, capable of slicing through anything in her path and unleashing powerful stellar energy.' Where did those rumors come from?" the vice-captain asked.
"Erm... I might have gotten a bit too excited when saving them," Maya admitted.
"So you were the one who sugar-coated yourself?" the vice-captain asked.
"Shh... Just ignore those rumors," Maya said.
"Also, there's someone who admires you because they say you once defeated an entire army single-handedly while blindfolded. Or was it just a battalion?" the vice-captain added.
"Shh... Shh..." Maya hushed.
As Maya and the vice-captain bantered back and forth, they suddenly heard a faint sound.
They turned to see the frozen bandit, still immobile, but with a finger that had twitched ever so slightly.
Maya raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued.
"Did you see that?" she asked the vice-captain.
The vice-captain nodded. "I did. Maybe he's not completely frozen after all."