<Ⅵ>
The Tunnel reached down beneath, long and dark, into the obscure the four StarBreakers ventured.
Yuri thought of the what Vitas had tried to say to her back when they are listening to this so called Piano.
What first memory is he speaking of ? surely there were other memories out there, but with him...?
" Hueh ! A fog gate !"
Seito approached a fog gate at the end of the dank tunnel.
Passing through they did, to An entrance of a high walled village, Hidden in obscure lands. The gates opened slowly by themselves and Yuri and the others were amazed that Its inhabitants were already gathered at the gate before them
" Pray save us ! bring us to the Land of Light, Noble StarBreakers !"
Begged the villagers that welcomed them with tears and longing.
Firren nodded and turned to his microphone chip in his right ear in his helmet
" Request for more equipment to start the ritual, captain."
Firren requested to Bradson Captain and after some time a cargo ship was sent.
But secretly without the grownups knowing, not just the equipments arrived !
Neo, Kai and some Audacious children all sneaked in the cargo, in search of clues to the Core of Light !
Neo plannned to seek the Light without the Starbreakers help, for he doesn't trust the Light sucking armored beings, or the glorified Land of Light everyone believed in. And also, he seeks not only the Core.
Neo seeks another Light, a long lost Light soul of a deared one .
The ritual was about to begin as Firren prepared a larger Light key gateway to gather as much Light souls as possible from the residents in the village square, while Vitas and Seito were sent to the village outskirts to look out for incoming Demons, while Yuri reluctantly, stayed to watch the proceedings.
The expression of the villiagers, Yuri saw, some were of relief, once terrorized by the thought of Demons taking their Light day and night, but now sitting here at the town square waiting for their souls to be taken to a place they did not know, no one knows. The relief in their expressions hides fear as well.
" So, for gathering Light souls more than 100 in amount, we need light container sets and combined equipments here, and connect them just like this...."
Firren tried putting all the sophisticated cables and machinery while explaining each step to Yuri, who declined sincerly.
" Firren.... I am willing to fight back Demons and train for that, but this.... I request to look out around the village for safety measures, it's a large villages after all..... !"
which to Yuri's surprise, Firren replied after a short pause
" Be back as soon as the process is finished then....and see if there are residents that weren't here for the ritual."
Firren said coldly as he continued his machinery set up. With a quick bow, Yuri left the clearing.
" .....You have softened, Firren." The voice of Captain Bradson spoke through Firren's right ear.
" Isn't this what you wanted ? To show her ? She knows...."
" Indeed, because, that is who she is." Bradson chuckled silently on the other side, proudly.
...
........
" Looka, Kai and eldest Neo !"
Finnir found evidence amongst the empty village whose villagers now gathered at hte clearing
" This village also has this strange secret passage with Unexplainable runes all over like other villages we've seen throughout our travels ! Mayhap it's the same pathway to The Light Core !"
" Excellent finding, my young brother " Feira hugged her brother with pride and love.
" Good job, Finnir !" Kai praised Finnir's kin observation.
Neo nodded but said nothing, for he's not just finding the Core, he's looking for something else.
Before they venture further, Lucky turned around to some strange footsteps
" Momo ! You aren't supposed to be here ! Go back to cargo ship !"
Lucky admonished the youngest loli Momo, a close to 4 year old blond loli, too young for this shit.
" Momo.... Hates being alone !"
Momo little loli cried angrily, trying to argue with her seniors
" Take me too !"
" Lucky, make her sleep longer."
Neo snapped impatiently
" Her crying will get us all busted !"
" Haha ! So your Hate is on being alone and useless, youngling ?"
Lo, Seito StarBreaker to all their shock appeared behind Momo heroically
" Come ! Mighty Seito will accompany you !"
And he put Momo the little loli on his shoulder
" This kid Neo is corrupted and treats lolies poorly ! at the same time leading his fellowship down to abyss of doom !"
Seito laughed at Neo and the children came back from tunnel to be scalded for running off on their own
" But fear not ! I Seito the Mighty will lead you folks on this conquest for whatever Core that is ! Follow me !!"
Instead of scalding them, Seito became the children's leader, eager for company for another adventure.
Neo scowled behind the yellow Starbreaker for foiling his other search.
And Kai, Neo's closest friend like a brother, knew also Neo's search was foiled, but secretly, Kai saw that this is right, for what Neo seeks is far out of their reach. Yet Neo won't give up in his search, thus putting the other children following him into the perilous trail.
...
.......
After escaping from the Light soul sucking ritual, Yuri wondered around the empty village.
This could have been a lively place, Yuri thought, she had never seen a lively village before, but vaguely in her memories there seemed like a village she had seen before, or a place where she and many children once lived and played together, the laughter ringing deep in her blurry mind, yet the more she think about it, the memory was gone.
Is this part of the lost memories Vitas was asking her about ? But, what is there before ? Before she got on the ship ?
Before, the Light ?
Yuri turned around a corner, brooding and not aware of someone also coming her away, and Bump !!!
" Heyー！"
Both Yuri and the person fell in their moe buttocks.
" Ahh, I am sorry！" Yuri sat up quickly and helped the other other person up, and they both looked at each other in surprise.
Yuri gazed at this Moe who seemed the same age as herself, with long dull golden hair tied with a simple ribbon, letting the gold hair flow down one side of her shoulder in a dangerous waifu fashion.
She was wearing an apron with a brown cloth covering her right side. Yuri thought it was for fashion, a strange one surely. And Yuri saw from the fallen girl's basket, rolled out brown pebble like stuff which Reina secretary taught her before , and called them 'potatoes' !
Yuri quickly help fetch the potatoes.
" Are you...A StarBreaker...?"
The young girl asked in a trembling voice.
Yuri, thinking she mighty have scared her, nodded quietly, Which to her surprise the girl squealed in a fan girl like manner
" Can I.... Can I invite you to a meal ?! Noble StarBreaker？！"
Before Yuri knew it, she was sitting before the dining table in the Moe's house, waiting for the meal.
The young girl cooked a pot of what seemed like brownish goo with chopped potatoes and red long potatoes. It looked like a pot of chocolate, Yuri squealed deep inside, but smelled very uncanny for a chocolate pot.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
But then, as she looked closer, Yuri saw that this cooking girl was cooking with one hand ! And The left side where her brown cloak was, revealed a severed arm.
" Let me help you !"
Yuri Stood up to help.
" It's fine, Noble StarBreaker！Please be my guest !"
The girl politely pleaded, after all, this place was once her restaurant for the villagers.
"... My name is Yuri, by the way."
Yuri stammered shyly, being treated like a customer for the first time
" What's yours ?"
The cokking girl blushed in embarrassment for her rudeness of not yet introducing herself
" Sorry for not introducing myself, my bad...！My Name Is Varium. I... I am a StarBreaker fan......"
Yuri smiled, for Varium seemed liek a nice person who was just shy towards what she admires.
The meal was extraordinary, and Yuri was mind blown by the food.
This food belonged to the memories that's not yet recognized and Yuri was sure she had it before, and it was as sublime as her imaginations.
" This is Curry, Noble StarBreaker." Varium explained
" I have been cooking it since I started to have memories."
" Please, just call me, Yuri." Yuri bade
" And it is wonderful, Varium, it's like a taste from my memories...which they are lost to me, but I felt comfort, and ease through each bite. I really like it, Thank you, Varium."
Varium was close to tears and scooped more and more into Yuri's bowl. Thus the two girls had a decent meal and chat, Yuri totally forgeting about the Light soul ritual and why this Varium wasn't there.
...
.........
Vitas flew around the village parameter, and eventually found a hole in the wall.
And inside that hole, were Demon remains !
...
..........
The two girls joyfully ate their meal until there's no more Curry left in the pot. Of course, Yuri insisted helping wash the dishes.
" ね, Yuriさん." Varium whispered timidly, standing behind Yuri who's cleaning the dishes
" Am I... Going there soon ?"
Yuri's wet hands stopped in the sink at Varium's question.
" Mm... About an hour later, perhaps..."
Yuri went on washing.
After she finished, Yuri thought Varium was about to leave, instead the Varium was holding a small piece of paper with both hands close to herself.
".... Varium ?"
" Yuri , could you please... Do me a favor... before my soul leaves this land ?"
Varium's face peach red, unease like a wonderful rush in her mind. There's something she must do, with someone
" Can you... Help me finish this list ?"
...
........
Vitas looked inside the hole in the wall.
Alas ! Demon wolf packs infiltrating in !!
...
........
" A list...?"
Yuri took a look.
There were a couple of things, 'eat breakfast together', 'eat lunch...'
They were normal things, things one would do with a close friend, or a family member.
Things Yuri were familiar of, but never had the memory of doing it.
" Let's just do what we can, Yuri."
Varium suggested in a timid whisper
" we've only got one hour...."
" Alright. Let's do it！" Yuri smiled confidently, agreeing to help at all cost.
And so did the Two girls set off !
Window shopping the empty shops, looking over the whole village in high tower, doing simple activities and stuff, together.
" Yuriさん！It's a toy shop !"
Varium squealed excitedly pointing at toys sitting behind windows.
" Hmm, 'Buy a doll together'.. Check !"
Yuri checked out the note on the list as they chose a cat doll together, and thanking the shop owner, who wasn't there anymore.
"There's only a few left now." Yuri examined
" 'Play Hide and Seek'.....? Varium, what's Play Hide and Seek ??"
Yuri asked.
Varium smiled at the sunset.
" It's a simple game." Varium answered gently
" You count from one to one hundred with your eyes closed, then you come and find me."
Varium's smile looking back at Yuri,
Her dark silhouette before the orange red lights.
Yuri nodded, putting the list away and took a deep breath,
And closed her eyes.
One.
Two.
Three...
Four........
Five............Where will Varium hide ?
Sixteen.... If I were Varium.... Where will I hide ?
Twenty five...... Where. Will. I. Hide ?
Sixty four....... Somewhere near you.
Eighty one...... Somewhere I can see you.
Ninety nine.... Somewhere you can find me.
One hundred.
Yuri opened her eyes.
She stood there alone.
She watched her alone.
Varium looked up from her pile of boxes on a small alley nearby where they parted, and saw Yuri walk off.
Varium was alone.
No...
She might never find me...
She'll never find me here !
" Gatcha！"
Varium froze, at the brink of tears,
The shadow of Yuri behind her, blocking the waning sun light.
" How... How do you...."
And Varium burst into tears, as Yuri hugged her comfortingly.
" There's just one left on the list."
Yuri whispered soothingly
" Let's 'Watch the sunset together'."
...
.........
While Seito led the children on a safe adventure around the village in search of Light Core, Neo led Kai and Rio and Finnir and sneaked away on their own expedition.
Neo led them back to the uncouth tunnel of runes.
" Neo l Seito said this tunnel is too dank, don't go in there !"
Finnir reasoned.
" Quiet, Finnir. This is not dank to me, we don't even know what dank means !" Neo snapped coldly
" If you fear, you may join the girls which might suit you."
To stay a bro, Finnir followed.
Rio followed reluctantly because he's Neo's younger brother.
Kai, being Neo's one loyal friend, followed with concern.
" Watch Nero carefully," Kai remember Sensei say to him before sensei vanished
" Neo may be strong, but blind in front of his goals. Pull him back, Kai, as a Bro."
They went too deep into the tunnel, deep that only darkness loomed.
" Turn back !" Rio cried in fear
" I have the spooks !"
" Stay where you are !!" Neo barked
" We are not leaving without Nia !!"
" Nia isn't here, Neo."
Kai loyal friend begged
" Nia is with Kiro, on their way to the Core of Light, not this Dank Dump Doom !"
" Shut up and Help Me !!"
Neo Shouted desperately and gave a Sith shout.
Then suddenly, the Four boys all heard
" ......Neo......？"
Nia.
Nia !
Her name echoed throughout the dank darkness as Neo ran inner and inner, following the one silky voice which they all heard.
" She's here....!!"
Neo shed tears of joy.
Nia was considerate.
Nia was compassionate.
Nia was lovely.
" Nia.....!"
Neo panted, and walked forth,
Into a Trap Of Demon wolves ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
" Arghhhhh ! ! ! ! ! !"
The children screamed.
Seito crushed down from above and smashed them defile Demons to carbon ashes.
" This is not good !"
Seito sensed a disturbance in the force of light
" This village is infiltrated !!! To me Children ! Back to Cargo Ship !!!!!"
...
.........
" It's beautiful..." Yuri watched the sunset, with Varium who was silent.
" Thankyou, Yuri." Varium whispered
" Thank you... For helping me finish my list. Now....."
Yuri looked at her new friend sadly, for Varium is now ready to head to the Land of Light.
Never will they meet in this world, ever again.
" You know, I am afraid at first, of StarBreakers, of the Land of Light."
Varium said, facing the down sun
" I was afraid of you, Yuri. You StarBreakers, who took my sister away."
" Wha.... Your sister ?"
Yuri Stood up
" Did StarBreakers... send your sister to the Land of Light before you——"
Varium didn't answer and just wept, her whispering voice turned vice and desperate
" They separated us.... And left me here to rot... I have been waiting for Sister to return, to have breakfast together, to have lunch together, dinner together, do groceries together, To Live Together....!!
But StarBreakers, I admired them...how could they... ! ! ! .........Go, Yuri....just go....I don't want to hurt you....!!!"
And to Yuri's shock, Varium bent down to the ground, with the screams of villagers and Demons echoing all around them,
Varium's severed arm started dripping out dark, black gooy substance, and slowly the dark matter slowly condensed, and snaked back up to Vaiurm's once severed arm, and becoming,
A Hand.
A Huge, Dark Hand.
" I have set the Demons on the villagers, Yuri, and they are many, and none of you can stop them from devouring the people, for that is better for them. I will not let them reach that false Light you Starbreakers use to trick the people !!
" Yuri,
join me, stop fighting for the Wrong Side !!"
And with a painful shout, Varium raised her huge Dark Demonic Hand and smashed it to the ground, letting all the dark matter scatter all over her body, as to Yuri's horror and disbelief, a Demon armor slowly covered Varium's skin and Lo, there was no Varium.
But a Dark Unerva ! ! ! ! !
And her Dark Hand !!! Smashing down onto the street and pulling it up like a naughty child pulling weed, and thrashing the whole street down on Yuri with all her might.
Yuri, still in shock, suited up her StarBreaker and withstood the blow through instinct, and clashed with the dark force in immense pain !
...
........
Demon wolf packs rushed in to the village square to devour the last light remaining gathered in the villagers, Yet Firren is still a seasoned StarBreaker, doing his job and smiting Demons one after another.
" I'll start an emergence Ritual !!"
Firren shouted to the other three StarBreakers
" Fend them off while I start !"
" Wait ! "
Seito cried in answer through the microphone in their helmets
" Let this me escort the children back to main ship first !"
" Damn it !! There's no time !"
Firren cursed, but Demon wolves rushed out from every corner, Seito had to fight his way to bring the children back to the cargo ship to escape.
And Lo to Seito's surprise, the children took out their own gadgets, relics and gifts from their so called sensei and performed magic powers and fighting back the Demon pack along side Seito !
Neo with his Magic shielding bracelet, Rio with his unbreakable stone sword, and so on.
" No wonder you kids could stay in the wiild all on your own." Seito marveled and fought on vigourously.
" Use your Flute, Kai !"
Neo beseeched with inhaste
" Use the flute of Sensei !"
" Everyone, cover your ears !!!"
Kai shouted, and Quickly, Kai pulled out his flute with tentacle decorations and appendages, and sucked air instead of blew air into the tentacle flute, and Demons blackened in distress !! Demons fear the silent sound coming out of that mysterious flute !
The children all feared that sound, and covered their ears in distress, while waiting for the Demomn wolves to scatter.
" By jove ! What power is this ?!?!" this flute sound wave blurred Seito's Starbreaker visor's vision, and Seito felt weak as well.
The sound of Kai's flute spread far, even Varium the Dark Unerva and her Dark Demonic Hand staggered in distress.
Yuri saw this as jer chance and fought back !
Varium snaked one of her cursed fingers long enough to pierce through Yuri, From behind !!
" No ! ! ! ! !"
Vitas swooped in to action and got himself pierced at the chest at the last second !! Saving Yuri !!!
" You.....!!" Varium gasped, her eyes widened at the sight of Vutas' Starbreaking armor
" Impossible....Aren't you on our......"
Yuri gasped ! Vitas crash landed down,but still managed to throw his emerald shield ! Yuri took it ! And slammed forth the shield ! Shooting with her rifle too towards the shocked Varium !
Varium was struck back to defeat !
And with a snarl and curses Yuri didn't hear clear enough, Varium Escape through a dark tunnel opened up by the Dark huge hand and vanished !
Seito pushed the Children in to the cargo ship to escape Light sucking ritual from Firren, but Lo !! Momo little loli fell and did not escape into the cargo ship !
Seito wrapped himself heroically around Momo !
And Lo Firren activated the Ritual !!
Villagers' Light sucked into the containers !
But The Machines and containers still could suck the children's light in the cargo Ship !
The children watched helplessly at each other as their Light were slowly pulled out of them
" The Land of Light....."
Lucky whispered weakly
" It is a nice place... Right?"
Lucky asked the weeping Neliya, all the other children were weeping
" We will still see each other, Right？Right？！"
No one knows. No one wants to know.
" Isn't this what you wished for, Neo !"
Rio mocked his brother
" Now we can all see Nia now !"
Neo shook his head in anguish. He so believed Nia is not in the World of Light, but how could he find her when he's been suck to the Land of Light ?? Who will bring Nia home ??
Lo, one child did not weep,
Lima, being quiet all this episode, took out the Golden marble in her necklace, and Summoning her powers !!
Sun Power !
And like the trident that distracted the Arch Demon Death the days before, A Golden aura enveloped the children and Seito and young loli Momo and blocked Light Sucking macinations away from the children !!!
The Children Saved ! ! ! !
But not Vitas.
[........To be continued]
Who are you, Varium ?
What are you now ?
I am Varium.
But not hey alone.
I am older than the light
Which stands between us.
I am the Dark Unerva
Who are you, Yuri ?
What are you now ?
I am a StarBreaker
I feel young in this World.
Let me take you to the Light we belong.
Let me show you Hope.
Nay.
I must destroy Light
And shatter it's hope
Before it destroys us
And shatters you as well.
Take out the key, Yuri,
Put out the Light.