<Ⅱ>

Out there in a vast barren land. After giving a lame roar of agony, a four legged Demon croaked, it's body lay numb on the worthless land. A mighty engine saber crashed it's chest as the weapon's master started deriding the deceased Demon " Nothing ever escape from Me Sword !! Ho ho ho ! Awesome !!!" The speaker, a rough energetic young man then turned to his ally standing not far behind, with a small wolf on Lo shoulder

" What say you ? Are my skills not Awesome ?!"

" You know this is not what we planned to hunt, Seito." Spake the latter young man swooping down with energy wings spreading wide and closed into the armor elegantly. " Pei !! Doesn't change the fact that i am cool ." This Seito man sniffed pompously " By the way, keep that Dog away from me holy body ! It reeks with the scent of treachery." " Seito, Elsa is just a wolf cub." His friend explained. " Whatever." Was Seito's answer. He swung lo lightning great blade to his shoulder " Come Yo !! Our Hunt ends not here !!!!"

..........

Among the light, there was that voice, calling on to her. As of low hum. " Yuri, it's time to go." Someone was waiting for her, yet still she lay in the familiar world of Light, where she could rest in peace. " Yuri, The Light awaits your arrival ! Yuri !" Yuri wished she could heed not the voice but rest forever in this world of Light and nothing else. Then the voice spake " Yuri, your Chocolates await your arrival....."...........

That was when Yuri opened hey eyes and sat up. She was on her bed again, but this time the room was more crowded than before. Everyone of the control center were there and cheered as she woke up once more. Secretary Reina had tears in her eyes. Bradson Captain gave a long sigh of reliefool and sat down beside Yuri, who looked a bit disappointed. " How are you feeling Yuri ?" Yuri was silent for a couple of seconds. " Papa." " Yes, Yuri ? What's wrong ?" " Are there no Chocolates here ?" Yuri asked.

As Yuri has her chocolate breakfast, Bradson Captain came to the glass corridor outside the room where clouds drifted by in unison. The young commander, Firren was there at the middle of the corridor, awaiting his Captain. " You have seen it, Captain ?" Firren asked serously " Defeating a middle graded Demon all by herself. How is that possible....." " It is possible because who she is, who she really is, Firren." Captain Bradson spake calm and with little feelings shown " She still needs a Leader, And a friend to show her the the way, the way it should be." Firren nodded silently. " But Firren. do it as I told you, show her, not tell her."Captain Bradson reminded. " As you say...." Firren replied as the captain patted his shoulder reassuringly as he left. And Firren went back to the training center to train, Training with his twin swords, but before his took those swords, he rested for a few seconds, watching something in his cabinet. Remembering things. ............

A Few days later. " And so, as your squad commander , I give orders to you and you follow them to bring victory and an end to those demons !!" Firren declared the other day at the top of a red desert rock Cliff, StarBreaking Armor and weapons armed, drawing arrays and battle schemes on the red sand, explaining the strategies of battle in his own arbitrary way. He then drew a circle indicating a pack of demons in a closed area " In this situation, we can choose to attack on both sides, or from another direction.... What ?!" Firren addressed Yuri's raising hand, annoyed. " It's hot out here, commander！Can't we take off our armor and just talk on ship ?" Yuri moaned, hot and sweating under her visor. " Talking ?! We are planning !!" Firren growled like thunder and furiously drew out his sword but without calling his flames " Fine, if you won't care listen, perhaps a fight will awake you from sloth ! Come ! Fight me as if I am Demon !!!" " But, you said you are commander !" Yuri refused to engage, so Firren struck forth a first blow which to his surprise, Yuri blocked with her arm and shoulder in a quick instant dodge to a side, a move Firren deem not possible a lazy girl like her could perform in such speed. Firren struck again, this time pretending to attack Yuri from the left but was actually coming at her right thigh. And Yuri was able to see through his moves, stepping away from his secretive kick and grabbed his thigh with her hand tight.

To a standstill they fixed each other in menacing grips.

Yuri panted exaggeratedly, for she too was as surprised as Firren to see herself move in such a foreign manner. It was as if something was moving her body without her knowing, with invisible strings attached to her muscles. Firren slowly understood and moved back in tactic retreat " It is not you who I am training with." Firren exclaimed " It is but your armor, it moves according to your senses." " Is it not a effective way of fighting ?" Yuri asked curiously, impressed by the StarBreaker armor that chose her to be its wielder. " No, blockhead !" Firren scalded however" It is not the StarBreakers that control us, but We that harnesses the Star power ! If you continue to let your StarBreaker fight your wars, you will be misguided, and the Demons will take advantage. Then, your defeat will be unforgivable." Yuri sadly accepted her leader's words. " Come," Firren spoke, calling for ship " We'll train on board, without our armor." But when they returned, Bradson Captain was there before them, grave looking. " Be prepared, Firren, Yuri." Bradson Captain spake sternly " Demons are not far ahead."

............

" There, the Demons are under this shroud above the village." Firren explained with a hologram map inside the drop ship which sailed down towards thick black fog " Five Haiju types ...and counting." Firren frowned like a reluctant hero.

Haiju types, four legged skinny monkey like demons with blade as arms, Yuri saw in the annals of demons through the mini screen on the visor of her starbreaking helmet. " Are they strong, commander ？" Yuri asked Firren, curious of what made this reluctant frown from a strong well experienced StarBreaker such as Firren. " One Haiju is weak. But a pack with a Haiju Queen... That is what makes things complicated." Firren muttered angrily. But then, he had an insight. " I have a plan.... Also for your training."

And Lo Yuri set off without Firren to guide her, only accompanied by two Androids with laser guns, while they moved down the dilapidated streets of the forgotten village. Yuri's helm radar detected one living being at the end of the street in the round village square ! " Help !" A voice cried from the village square. Yuri, without letting the Androids go and scout the place first, ran full speed towards the village square to the villager in distress, in haste to save lives ! And Yuri saw, a man ! Lying on the cracked road. Yuri cried out for answer but as she went close enough, she saw the man is half eaten, without the other half of his lower torso, save pure blood and flesh. Yuri stepped back in shock and nausea. Suddenly, one of the Androids was attacked ! Four Haiju beasts burst out in ambush ! Androids destroyed ! Yuri in peril ! The Haiju demons attacked Yuri from all sides, while her StarBreaking Armor deflected and evaded at first, the attacks are too many ! The fight was too chaotic to respond. Yuri hurt in many places !

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

If you continue to let your StarBreaker fight your wars, you will be misguided, and the Demons will take advantage ! Yuri remembered Firren, her Leader admonish her. She's outnumbered and taken advantage. Then, your defeat will be unforgivable.

She must not stand behind her weapon anymore, and make her own decision ! And Yuri through quick decision, decided to Run, to escape ! Nigerundayo. She shot out a energy grappling hook and swung herself out of the Haiju fray and crashed onto a nearby roof of a crappy building. Yet the roof couldn't wistand the fall, and Yuri crashed down onto the first floor.

There, to her utter amazement, there was a young kid, hiding amongst broken furniture. A villager, Yuri thought. With those pleading eyes upon her, Yuri mustered her strength once more to fight back, to protecc. A Haiju charged in at that moment and with accurate precision, Yuri stabbed the Demon with her rifle, pushing it back and slamming the other demon monkeys back out to the opening. She pressed her trigger and killed one Haiju, for the first time in her many missions. Haiju demons charged again, but this time Yuri controlled the battle, deciding each move each blow to help herself fight off more demons. Her confidence gave her strength, and Yuri has upper hand of the battle. Yet more and more Haiju demons ganged up on her. Too many ! And from the sky a ball of flames crashed down to the village square and it was the head of the Haiju Queen ! Firren had finished his part, while Yuri too wistood the waves of attack. Haiju demons fled eventually. And villagers came out to rejoice. " We did it...commander！" Yuri cheered as Firren grabbed her up with a hand but Yuri just fell into Firren's bosom, tired and exhausted. Firren had the wrong idea, and shook it away quickly. Yuri smiled as the villagers praised " Mighty Gods of light !" The Village Leader begged with tears before Yuri and Firren" Save our souls, bring our Light to the thee warmest embrace..." " Okay ! Follow me ! To the ship !" Yuri led them to the drop ship. " Nay, stop." Firren stopped her from taking everyone off, his expression stern and dark as he pulled out a small glass key shaped gadget from his belt. Yuri had never seen this gadget before. The villagers knelt out together as soon as the dagger showed up. Mothers telling their children to kneel and pray alongside them. But the children didn't wanna, and their mothers have to grab their children tightly. The mothers, the children, the villagers, shivering in fear. Yuri saw this " Wait, Firren commander——" But Firren, drawing out Lo key of Light and started chanting mighty runes before finally a mighty bloom of light with many colors, blinding Yuri for a split second and swallowing the villagers whole in one great shine. " Let's go, To the land of Light and Love." The light. So Bright. " what have you done...?!" Yuri gasped, her body feeling cold by what she saw next. Some lost memories, had returned to her, playing again and again in her head.

There was that figure, The gathering of people, To The Land of Light.......... Why.....? Why...........?

Firren unperturbed by what just transpired, put the glass key of light, now filled with light and new liquid, back to his belt

" Our mission, aside from fighting Demons, is to also save their lives by sending their Soul Light back to the Land of Light." Firren explained sternly " I will teach you, and next time, it's your turn." " .....NO !!" Yuri blurted out , saddened and in disgust, and rushed to lo lifeless bodies on the ground. Man, women, and even the children, all but immobile corpses without their Soul Light ! " Where have you taken them ?!?!!" Yuri cried out angrily. " Their lights are safe ! In this light key, and when the light keys are full, we send them to the Land of Light." Firren explained sternly " We saved them, Yuri ! We saved them...." " How do you know ?" Yuri asked doubting him. She looked at the people lying before them, and turned to the body of the half eaten man at the end of the village square. Yuri was afraid.

Their expressions, their fear, It's the same.

" Something's wrong.... Our mission is wrong !!"Yuri cried, sensing a distrubance in all this machinations, she couldnt say what it was, but inside her she felt it was very wrong " Where is this land of Light exactly?!" Yuri held up her sword rifle, gripping firmly. " .... To Sky World, where all lights are gathered to enter the Land of Light." Firren replied earnestly, his eyes on Yuri's weapon " Do not doubt the ways of the Starbreaker, Yuri. Do not lose your Faith on the mission !" Yuri shook her head angrily " You saw them too ! They are afraid ! They are afraid of the Light in that Key ! Just as afraid of the Demons ! We are just like Demo——" " DON'T !!!!" Firren roared like a beast, stopping Yuri in mid sentence before she blurted out the word " ..... Don't try to think too much. Believe in it. Give your Faith to the Light, Yuri !" " No !!" Yuri refused, and Lo, her StarBreaking armor cracked as the more she began doubtful " This is Wrong, there's No Land of Light ! Because if there really is..........." Why didn't Mother take me with her ?! And Lo, Yuri's StarBreaking armor scattered and dissembled all of a sudden with a loud explosion, and she blew up, the force striking her many miles away. " YURI ! ! !" Firren cried out and leapt to save her, but what appeared on his screen was a red alert, An alert of enemy !! Nani ??? Thought Firren, and his StarBreaker visor pointed out the enemy for him. Yuri, is the enemy. " Damn it !!!!" Firren's StarBreaker armor turned on its fuming twin flame swords by itself ,but Firren quickly jumped back, bursting up in flames and flew far away, before hurting his injured teammate. Yuri lay, scorched and unconscious in rubbles, wounded without her armor. A Shadow of one small kid popped up from the cracks and came to her.

...........

Yuri opened her eyes from constant shaking and saw The Kid in the shack carrying her away from the shattered village to the barren rocky plains. Yuri bounced back in surprise and the kid too was shook. " Who are you ?" Yuri asked " How did you drag me all the way here, and why ?!" Seeing the kid seemed a little younger and smaller than she was, Yuri was surprised how she got here. " I am Kiro." Kiro the kid replied with good intentions " You saved me from Demons, so I think it's fair that I save you from being attacked." " Attacked ? Was I...." Yuri remember being angry at her 隊長 and then a BOOM. A boom that threw her far away. Was it an attack...? A Stand Attack ? Yuri wasn't sure. " Thank you, Kiro, I am Yuri, and I must go back to my ship now." Yuri Stood up to take her leave " But... Why are you out here alone ?! Are you not with...anyone?" Kiro shook his head and was silent. Through Kiro's expression, Yuri knew Kiro must have saw what Firren did to the Villagers. " Yuri, do you believe in the Land of Light ?"Kiro suddenly asked out of no where. " ....... I want to believe." Yuri answered, after a long silence of thought " I want to believe everyone's happy in the Land of Light, a place where there's Love and Joy to share. A land without Demons. A land... where we can all be there, together......" Yuri looked at the vast grey skies, no Airship in sight. " We want a proof, Yuri." Kiro spake, showing his ideas " I, as one, wish to study this Land of Light's true loction, its true form. To see what it really is, where it really is. We want to know, more than they say to us, so that we can make a choice, our own choice." " .... I want that too, Kiroん. You are right." Yuri said with a smile, and Kiro, seeing a slightly older and quite good looking girl giving him compliments made him turn away with blushing cheeks. Yuri noticed something " But Kiroくん, you said 'We'....." " Ah, we are a group. Our hideout is not far away. Do you want to come ? But... your ship...." " It's okay." Yuri Stood up " It's getting dark. Lead the way, Kiro !" So they ventured towards the rocky plains to a canyon, a Beeg Beeg canyon. But Suddenly, Haiju demons reappeared and assaulted Yuri and Kiro !! Yuri mustered her strength but couldn't summon her StarBreaking armor back !! And Kiro was slapped down the cliff. " Kiro ! ! ! !" Yuri, even without her armor, decided to jump and save this young kiddie. Down, they plunged to the dark ravine.

...........

" Ho ho ha, me Mighty !" A Yellow StarBreaker laughed, and was scared by a wolf dog which barked with. And a Green StarBreaker saved said dog from the yellow StarBreaker. " I am not afraid of anything, let along a doge." Realized the yellow StarBreaker and the two young men headed forward the great canyon to hunt a specific Great Demon living below.

[.......... To be continued]