Celestial Saga: Exiled to Earth

Chapters 14 - 26

STAGE Fourteen: Lenfiare and Alfiore

"Alaric, take care of her." Kirin gently laid Freyja on the ground before standing up. She is sleeping and Alaric is drained. Though he isn't in such a good shape either, Kirin is aware that only he has the chance to stop his brother Ahrin.

Knowing that Kirin can't be taken lightly either, Ahrin wasted no time. He charged at Kirin right away, who, in turn, summoned his black aura sword to deflect Ahrin's attacks. Both of their aura-blades clashed, they grazed each other's flesh, Kirin is being pushed back. Alaric's eyes could barely follow the brothers' attacks, but could tell that things are not going well for Kirin. More of Ahrin's attacks are hitting him, and his aura is starting to weaken too. "Last chance to withdraw Kirin. Give me the girl and I will spare you."

"I don't need it." Kirin went on the offensive, but not a single attack hit.

Frustrated Alaric couldn't bear watch. With the very little aura he has left, he summoned bolts of lighting, aiming directly at Ahrin. Though weak, the distraction was helpful. Kirin used the chance to lunge at him, trying to split his body in half. The attack hit, but Ahrin dodged just in time to avoid fatal damage. A tiny pool of blood started forming underneath Ahrin.

He looked at Alaric the same way he would look at a bug. He shifted his aim to Alaric, charged at him head on with speed rivaling Kirin's. Alaric managed to put up a barrier on time, but only to avoid death. The force of Ahrin's attack was too strong, his aura barrier shattered mid-way and the young runemaster was sent flying to the other side of the dome. With a few of his bones dislocated, and a broken rib, Alaric passed out.

Without wasting another second, Ahrin shifted back to Kirin and started attacking him again, knowing he'll lose his strength soon. He was right. Not for long, Kirin fell onto his knees, his aura blade disappeared. Ahrin smirked, before delivering his final blow, sending Kirin flying across the dome.

Now that Ahrin took Alaric and Kirin out of the picture, he walked towards the still unconscious girl, a long black aura-blade in his hand.

~ o 0 o ~

Platoons of light-armor clad soldiers running all over the palace, one would think they're hunting for an escaped fugitive with the urgency. However, who they're looking for is far from a fugitive—it's the 'Lenfiare,' the absolute ruler of all of Celestia.

There was never a day when the hyperactive little Lenfiare behaved herself in class, or in any other event. Oftentimes she would disappear in the middle of class, set her tutors' robes on fire and there were even times when she would jump out of the tower windows and fly away on a flying dragon's back.

Today was no exception. The five-year-old Lenfiare is flying with her own pair of wings, over the crystal palace that is already floating high up in the sky. She's always been wondering what kind of lives the celestials living down, on the ground were having. She has never left the floating palace before, and the curiosity was killing her. It has always been a rule that a Lenfiare (or an Alfiore, a male Lenfiare) cannot leave the palace until she turns fifty years old. After all, the survival of the entire Celestial race depends on the Lenfiare's unique ability to control the white aura. The white aura enables their plants to grow, the waters to flow and is the very reason why their race is kept alive.

Like usual, the little Lenfiare still attempted to go down, but is stopped by a strong, impenetrable barrier guarding the entire floating island. 50 years for a celestial should be a reasonably short wait. But the little girl was just exceptionally impatient.

Her attempt alerted the guards. The moment she saw a number of them flying towards her, she had no choice but to run to her favorite hideout: The palace gardens. Because she can't go down to the ground, she settled for the quietest spot in the palace. The gardens has a circular labyrinth with tall vine-covered walls, protected by an aura barrier making it exclusive for the members of the ruling family.