~ Episode Nine ~

Wrapped in Tenderness:

Cloria, the Monster of Radiance

Branches bent for forward-moving feet clad in grass-stained Hello Kitty slippers, revealing a woman singing at the apron of an outdoor theater. Her body was a candle flame against the darkness of the conservation grounds as her melodic voice filled the night sky.

Eri slowed at the edge of a tree line that opened up to the stage and its exposed rows of benches. She placed a hand against the trunk of a cedar to help balance the wooziness that swam between her temples.

The woman’s song had called her attention away from the others. It was a song unlike any Eri had ever heard before, in a language she’d never heard before. But it was warm to the ears, soothing to the heart—a lullaby.

A patch of melting snow plopped to the ground from the branches of a nearby tree. Steam rose from the pile as it broke apart, shrank in place, until the dead grass beneath it absorbed everything within the soil.

Eri watched the display, dumbfounded. It was as if this woman’s song was … warming the weather, itself.

Her fingertips grazed against the warmth of the Fire Pendant around her throat. She looked back over her shoulder towards Mackenzie and the others, in the distance. They were busy canvassing the area around the old windmill, calling Eri’s name. Searching for her.

Couldn’t they hear the song, too?

Couldn’t they …

A flood of vertigo washed over Eri. She shook her head, turned her focus back towards the stage.

The woman glowing there was so radiant—both in grace and in presentation—with long sunflower hair that flowed around an endless gown of summery wonder. She met Eri’s gaze in mid-verse. The lullaby off her lips exuded the warmth of a hillside meadow on an Easter afternoon.

It was almost like this illumination was singing for Eri.

Almost like the song was meant just for her.

Eri could almost smell the bitter sweetness of invisible dandelions on the wind. She took a hesitant step towards the middle aisle that parted the benches like the Red Sea in a path that led towards the stage. Her fingers curled around the Fire Pendant.

Was this a … Monster?

The Monster that Shinji told them all about? The Monster of Radiance?

This was no giant stone ouroboros that burrowed up through the library’s Borrower’s Services. Nor was this was any fifty-foot blob of flying eyeballs that bulldozed through the treetops.

This was …

“Seruma! Where are you?!”

“Yo, ‘Ree! Girl, where you at?”

“Eddi-chan! Please! Answer me!!”

She glanced back towards the main area of the park. Shinji, Evan, and Mackenzie were calling her name, louder now. Frantic.

“…You guys … I’m right … here…” But it was no use. The other Star Warriors couldn’t hear her, and the strength to yell out to them just wasn’t in Eri’s energetic roster.

She took a deep breath as the realization panged anxiety in her heart. Sealing this Monster—if this woman even was a Monster—was up to Eri now. The aftermath of fighting Kyupo still lingered on her nerves. But she nodded, taking on the responsibility.

My birthright.

The song ended. Eri turned around to face the theater. The woman remained where she stood, wavering gracefully in place—a candle in the night.

Nothing could be as bad as fighting Kyupo.

Nothing.

Sleepy warmth enveloped the Warrior of Fire as she started towards the stage, only pausing against a nearby bench to wait out another wave of menstrual cramps. She grimaced through the pain and pushed onward.

At least there was no accompanying migraine, this time. No, instead, the wooziness from earlier had been replaced with a soothing calm. A soothing, drowsy, calm. It flowed through Eri head-to-toe.

She found a set of steps along the flank of the stage that brought her downstage right.

The woman faced her. Waiting for her.

Eri hesitated. She could barely make out the woman’s features, the illumination around her so bright. She squinted, could barely make out the shape of the woman’s tender smile, the softness in her marigold eyes.

This couldn’t be a Monster.

It was impossible.

“Are you a…” Eri let her fingers fall from around the Fire Pendant. She took another step closer. “…Are you an angel?”

The woman’s faint smile widened. She reached an open palm out to Eri, her fingers like wavering flames.

As Eri inched forward, waves of warmth lapped against her skin, as though passing through an invisible barrier. The smell of dandelions hung stronger in her nostrils.

Summery arms scooped around Eri’s body. With it, a sigh of relaxation that coursed through her. She looked up to find the woman’s gaze, a maternal tenderness she didn’t know possible. This woman loved her.

It was a love so overwhelming, so foreign. This woman, a total stranger, whose adoration was so intense that it literally radiated. A motherly tenderness Eri could only dream of. It was all she ever wanted. She melted into the embrace and broke down into heart-whelming tears.

“Why…?” Eri started to ask—but then felt the beat of sunshine against the back of her head. Her cheek found itself nestled into the woman’s bosom. Dreamy comfort found her there. Gentle kisses planted across her crown. She began to drift to sleep.

“Lady Terra…”

Eri slipped back into semi-consciousness alertness. Lady Terra.

Someone else had called her that, too…

…Someone else within these woods…

…Someone—with a porcelain face…

“Get away from her!”

She looked up. But the rake of warm fingers through her hair caused Eri to drift asleep with seamless ease against her protector’s embrace.

Shinji made a mad dash towards the stage, yanking free his necklace from under the folds of his turtleneck. “Element Earth—R E L E A S E ! !”

A gust of air formed around him as the Earth Pendant glowed to life. Its gold chain vanished, leaving only its tree-shaped pendant spinning in Shinji’s grasp. It emitted an invisible force that pushed away his hands, allowing the pendant to remain on the air, weightless.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The dry gusts that consumed Shinji erupted into bristling winds that did not scratch his face or tear his clothes. A clay-colored sword hilt with flowing green tassels stretched into existence out one side of the pendant. Out the opposite end gleamed a broad-edged blade.

Shinji took the Earth Sword into possession and raced towards the stage. He leaped at the woman, but an invisible dome of heat around both her and Eri sent him flying backwards with tails of steam off his flesh and clothes.

Shinji struggled to a stand at the bottom of the stage. He cringed from minor scalds and swung his weapon at the radiant woman.

“Creeping Restraint!!” A torrent of vines let loose from his blade. They struck the barrier and burst into flaming ash in an instant. Shinji swore, galloped up the theater steps to downstage right, and began to hack at the barrier. “Let her go!!”

But the attack was to no avail. He stumbled backwards, gasping for breath on a desperate mental overdrive. A slow fog of realization dawned. He lowered the weapon, wiped sweat from his cheek.

“…You’re the Monster of Radiance, aren’t you. Cloria.”

The confident recognition from such a small boy startled the woman. She studied him, the embrace around Eri tightening. Her gaze fell to the Earth Sword.

“You’re not Princess Arissa,” she said.

“No,” said Shinji, then continued on careful words, “but I am here to protect the Child of Destiny. Just like you.”

Cloria’s gaze softened. “You’re a … a Star Warrior?”

Shinji nodded. “Mmhm. A descendant.”

Relief washed over Cloria’s glowing features. “If that’s the case, then you should know my brother is here, too.”

Shinji stiffened alert. “Zorfus?”

“Yes,” said Cloria, clutching Eri tighter. “I beg of you, Star Warrior. Please, don’t let him take her.”

“But—how did you both escape the Void? How are any of the Kenah’dai escaping?”

But before Cloria could answer the question, Shiara, the Guardian Beast of Water, swooped overhead from high above the treetops and let loose a breath of a thousand jagged glaciers.

“No, Shiara, don’t!!” Shinji screamed. “Seruma’s—”

Cloria crouched, shielding Eri, as the outdoor stage tore to pieces all around them. The invisible barrier of heat that encased them glowed with impact, vaporizing every lance of ice that tried to pierce it. Shinji swore, dove off the stage before the attack could turn him into sliced pastrami.

Shiara landed on all-fours on what remained of upstage right. She snarled at Cloria, shoulders shivering as she crouched to ready a lunge attack.

“Shiara, stop it! I command you!!” Shinji cried, pushing up off the grass. Doesn’t she sense Cloria’s willpower? Can’t she tell that Cloria’s on our side?!

He froze with realization: Shiara wouldn’t stop. Wouldn’t obey Shinji.

Not as long as her true master seemed in danger.

“Shiara, wait!!—”

“It’s understandable,” said Cloria. She carefully laid Eri over the stage apron and rose to a guard over her. She stared Shiara down with hands wavering like candle flames at her sides. “Why should a Guardian Beast trust me? I joined the other Kenah’dai willingly. Selfishly.”

“But you’re not like them—!”

“Protecting Lady Terra is the sole reason Shiara exists.” Cloria turned a weak smile to Shinji over one shoulder. “It is why you exist, Warrior of Earth.”

Shinji stared up at her, stunned.

“Shinji!!”

He threw a look back to find Evan and Mackenzie coming down the center aisle on hot heels, their Elemental Pendants brandished.

“Hang on, brother! We’re coming!” Evan said. “Element Water—R E L E A S E ! !”

A gust of air formed around him as the Water Pendant glowed to life. The gold chain vanished, leaving only the teardrop-shaped pendant spinning in Evan’s grasp. It emitted an invisible force that pushed away his hands, allowing the pendant to remain on the air, weightless.

The humid gusts that consumed Evan erupted into gushing torrents of water that did not dampen his face or clothes. An aquamarine rod made of dried coral bubbled into existence out one side of the pendant. A trio of claw-like tines stretched into existence on the opposite end.

The Water Trident.

“Get away from my best friend, you prehistoric cow!” Mackenzie fumbled with her own elemental pendant. “How do I—Agghh!”

She tripped on an ankle and fell face-first to the ground. The pendant went flying out of her hands, landing a few feet away—revealing itself to Cloria.

The Air Pendant.

“The other Star Warriors,” Cloria said hushed, surprised. “…All children? But why are there are only three of you? You’ll be no match against the Black King…”

“Stay back!” Shinji ordered them.

“Stay back my ass!” Mackenzie pushed up onto her arms—her makeup was smeared from wet grass and dirt. “That thing’s got Eddi-chan!”

“I’m serious!” he snapped. “Cloria’s on our side!”

Evan faltered mid-step. “Our side? Shinji, are you nuts?!”

Cloria regarded the Guardian Beast edging closer on growling steps, and lowered to her knees at Eri’s head. She cupped the girl’s face and placed a single kiss upon her brow.

With the kiss came a river of light from Cloria’s lips that lapped over the unconscious girl’s body head-to-toe. The radiance lifted Eri into the air, carrying her through the heat barrier with a harmless sizzling effect.

Shinji grunted alert from where he knelt before the stage, stretched his arms out to catch Eri as she settled into his embrace. Evan and Mackenzie fell to their knees at his shoulders.

“Shinji!”

“Eddi-chan!”

“She’s okay,” Shinji assured them both, breathless. The radiance that enveloped Eri vanished, leaving her unscathed and fast asleep.

Cloria gazed upon Eri with doting eyes. She then regarded Shinji. “You must understand, child, for it is only Lady Terra who can release this world of its anguish and her Kenah’dai from the Black King’s embrace. To ensure Viktor Sufocus’ defeat, you new Warriors must unite as the Original Five did, so long ago. But heed warning—do not let hate rule the choices you must make.”

Shinji blinked up at the Monster. “Hate…?”

“Hate,” Cloria repeated. “Hate is why the Original Five failed to destroy the Black King. Hate is what burned upon the Star of the Elements that fateful night. Hate is what became a flame snuffed out in an instant of anger. Hate is what disjointed the Star Warriors and sent Lady Terra to your world in the first place.”

“You’re talking about the Black King’s own son. The Warrior of Fire,” Shinji whispered, bringing Eri closer against his body. “But what do you mean, they failed? I don’t understand! Sufocus and the Kenah’dai were all Sealed away in the Void—”

Cloria gazed sadly over the four of them. “And here you are today: Children, fighting a war that should have been already won. Together, you can protect Lady Terra, but without true unity, you have already lost. I beg of you, holy knights! You must rebuild the Star of the Elements and seek out that which burns within your own hearts. Doing so will unite you against the Black King—and grant you the power to destroy him, once and for all.”

“Seek out what burns in our hearts?” echoed Evan. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Baka! Isn’t it obvious?!” snapped Mackenzie. “She’s talking about love, you idiot!”

Shinji’s chest tightened, fearful. “…Love?”

Cloria continued. “So long as the Star of the Elements remains disjointed, you will die in vain protecting She Who Will Restore the World. All of you will. Star Warriors—do not let this happen. Do not let the Black King prevail!”

“You can count on us,” said Shinji. “But—what about you?”

Cloria regarded the fullness of the crimson moon that hung above them that night. “My fate has already been sealed. I leave the rest to you.”

“Sealed? Oh … right.” He struggled to a stand with Eri cradled in his arms.

But Evan marched past with the Water Trident ready. “Cloria! Monster of Radiance! I command you! Surrender your power to me—now!!” A wind kicked up around him that encapsulated Cloria whole.

She closed her eyes and relaxed into the incantation. “Please, Star Warriors—I beg you: find Zorfus. Find my brother—and lay his tarnished will to rest.”

“We will,” Shinji promised her.

“Please … keep our Goddess safe … Star Warriors…”

Cloria’s body dissolved into wavering liquid strands swept up in the winds cast by Evan’s incantation. The outline of a glassy orb took form from nothingness before the Water Trident and filled with her essence until there was nothing left of the Monster of Radiance except for a yellow Mon-Orb that hovered on the air before the weapon’s tines. Etched into its surface was an image of a woman of flowing grace who prayed on fiery knuckles.

The winds died. The theater began to repair itself in an instant. The new Monster Orb dropped to the grass with a thud.

But when Evan leaned over to grab it, the Monster Orb rolled away.

He let out a cry of surprise, “Hey! What gives, man?!” and grabbed for the Mon-Orb a second time. But it rolled further away from his rightful claim—and then lifted into the air on its own accord. The Mon-Orb levitated past Evan’s shoulder. He turned, brow furrowed. “Shinji, the hell is it doing?”

“That’s new,” Shinji said, blinking. “None of the others floated away.”

The Monster Orb bobbled towards where he and Eri rested with Mackenzie. It hovered over them a moment. Then nestled into place between Eri’s limp hands.

“No way!” Mackenzie gawked at the sight. “…It … it chose her.”