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.

The little Lenfiare is finally alone. In the middle of the garden is a water fountain on top of a gigantic statue of the first Celestial king, Leafen. The Lenfiare washed her face with the water from the fountain before throwing herself on the green grass carpet. "I hate this." She pouted, gazing at the seemingly endless light blue sky above her. "I wonder what's beyond that sky?"

"Freyja, You skipped your lessons again... didn't you?"

The Lenfiare jumped in surprise. A man, with long jet black hair and dark brown eyes appeared from behind, arms crossed. He is wearing a white tunic with pale blue accents, a color associated to holiness and royalty. The crest of the Kingdom, the circular wing insignia, is etched on the medallion hanging around his neck. He is quite the carefree young man. Shorter than an average celestial, his features resemble the little girl's in several ways. That is because this young man is none other than the little girl's father, Kinju Alfiore Leafen.

"Alfiore!" The Lenfiare happily threw herself in his arms.

Freyja Lenfiare Leafen, the five year old troublemaker, is a child gifted in so many ways. Once a prince/princess is born, he or she can only be named Lenfiare or Alfiore if the kingdom's crest appears on his or her chest upon birth. Freyja, was born with that mark. Aside from her lineage, she also exhibited talent in aura manipulation, learning spells much faster compared to most of her predecessors.

And this is also one of the reasons why the royal tutors, and all of Celestia became so weary of her. The other one is that she is born under a prophecy that it will be her who will lead Celestia to its destruction! The council of Celestia ordered her execution right away, but the Alfiore strongly opposed their decision.

"I am the one who brought her into this world. And should she do anything to betray Celestia, it will also be me, who will take her life. This I swear upon the holiest power." Alfiore swore in exchange for his daughter's life. The Alfiore's consort, Reyrah Fiega was dethroned while Alfiore faced countless criticisms. Yet, he loved his daughter above all, leaving with him no single trace of regret.

As the princess grew up, he pampered his daughter so much, granting her every single wish except for leaving the palace. He never failed to spend time with her, teaching her all that she has to know about Celestia, about the people and about life. He made sure that his daughter would grow up a righteous and just ruler who will love her people and be loved in return.

"You know Alfiore, when I grow up, I want to be like you! I want to travel to different worlds too..." Freyja proudly said while playing with her father's long tresses. She loved hearing stories about other worlds, journeys and fights the most. Though it feeds her impatience, it makes her more excited to turn fifty.

"Really?" Her father giggled.

"Hmm..." Freyja cupped her chin, "I want to beat bad guys up!" She mimicked her father's moves in his training. "I want to beat up bad guys and save everyone! Then, I will make friends with the Phrenians!"

"What!? Aren't you afraid of them?"

Freyja shook her head. "Is being friends with them bad?" She tilted her head in wonder. Then, her father laughed. "I don't know. But it would be great, right? If we would no longer have to fight them... but someday you will understand why we do this. "

"But why?"

"There are things which we can never change no matter how hard we try." Looking at the little girl, Kinju hid his troubled expression. "But then, we have absolutely no way of knowing our fates unless it happens. So we must keep on trying. We are born from the light that heaven shed. We are born to light the dark and heat the cold. That's what we, celestials are supposed to do."

"If Phrenians would not listen, then I will fight them and protect everyone! And, that's when I will beat all of them." She grinned proudly. Kinju giggled, patting the little girl's head lovingly.

"Someday, you will rule this land. The celestials will serve you and fight for you. But, you must remember that as their ruler, you have to protect them... I believe, deep in my heart that you, Freyja, will be the greatest Lenfiare of Celestia. A Lenfiare brimming with the light of justice and compassion, with a strong mind and a strong heart, yes, that's you. You will be the Lenfiare that I could never be."

"I promise, I will!"

"That's why you need to go back and study hard. Make sure you apologize to your tutors, okay?"

As he said those words, Kinju's eyes were both sympathetic and wishful towards his daughter. He couldn't help but see in his mind, a bloodstained sword, wielded by her. He closed his eyes, shunning these thoughts.

"Freyja, run!"

Little Freyja saw, with her own eyes, how it rained sharp spears, all aimed at her. Just in time, an aura barrier appeared, deflecting them all in an instant. Kinju rescued her.

"What are you doing!?" Kinju summoned his white aura sword, pulling Freyja behind him. Freya peeked from behind her father, and saw a man in front of them, whose face is still a blur, leading an entire army of celestials. This man is the one who rebelled against Celestia and joined forces with the enemies. They allied themselves with the Phrenians and betrayed the Leafen clan to rob them off their power. Their only problem though, is that the great white aura can only be controlled by those born with the crescent wing mark. To solve this, they 'fabricated' a celestial with the same capabilities. And for this man to be ruler, the other one, Freyja Lenfiare must be killed.

Kinju summoned his guardians, one of them is the crimson-eyed celestial guardian Astrid. "Take her away! Hurry!" He ordered, before singlehandedly charging towards the traitors.

At once, Astrid carried the little girl in his arms and dashed away. She wrapped her arms around Astrid's shoulders tightly, watching her father fend off attacks from all directions. And right before her eyes, she witnessed how the traitor's sword buried deep, and through her Father's heart. She squeezed Astrid, tears gushed out of her eyes.

For the first time in her life, she witnessed what 'death' looked like, and it horrified her. Freyja Lenfiare could turn around to rescue her father. She is, after all, the Lenfiare. Astrid stopped for a moment, sensing her hesitation. After all, she is now his new master, and whatever she orders him to do, he'll obey. He waited for her orders.

Freyja buried her face in Astrid's chest, squeezing his shoulders. "Run away." She ordered. "I don't want to die!"

Astrid ran faster. His feet, his entire body turned to pure white aura, shifting his form to a flying dragon, with the girl on his back. Freyja is screaming her lungs out, and crying, while tightly holding onto Astrid who is flying faster and faster away from the traitor, away from her father's body.

"I left him to die. Because, I'm weak, and scared and useless."

~ o 0 o ~

Having heard of the white aura's power, Ahrin hurriedly stabbed his sword through the unconscious girl's heart! But even before the tip could touch her skin, a barrier appeared. Ahrin felt the sudden surge of aura from within her and jumped back instinctively. Freyja opened her eyes, and stood up rather calmly.

"I see. Now I remember." She murmured.

Sensing that something is glowing in her chest, under her thick winter clothes, Ahrin reinforced his sword with his dark aura and charged at her once again.

"Astrid!" She called, a ray of light escaped from her chest. Like a dragon, the ray of light encircled her right hand, materializing an aura-blade shaped like a broadsword, almost as big as Freyja is. With that white aura-blade, Freyja blocked Ahrin's attack, shattering his dark sword into pieces! Surprisingly, she wielded the sword like it's made of feathers.

"Now, if you don't want me to kill you, leave this place at once!" She glared at him, with the tip of her sword at his neck.

"Don't you have the guts to kill someone? Your hand is shaking." Ahrin taunted her. Freyja then, replied by wounding his neck a little.

"Very well... It'll be wise to take your gracious offer. But, don't forget, that I'll kill you some other time." Ahrin turned his back and dashed out of the room. Like a phantom, his presence disappeared completely in a matter of minutes. Freyja just stood there, her hand still trembling. "He's right." She said to herself, "I don't have the guts to kill someone... and that's what killed him instead." Tears welling up in her eyes.

The white aura sword disintegrated and Astrid's human form re-appeared. Now, he's wearing a plain white sleeveless robe that goes up to his knees. "Astrid," She said, getting groggy. "Heal Kirin and Alaric."

"I can't. Only Aria can do that. But I can give them a portion of your aura to help them recuperate." He explained as they both went to Kirin and Alaric who are both lying on the ground. "Yes, do that."

"Lenfiare, you've already used too much of your aura. Are you sure?" Above all else, the safety of his master is his priority. "As long as my host is unconscious, I can't act on my own. Are you really sure?"

"I'm okay Freyja." Kirin mumbled.

Freyja knelt beside Kirin, and reached her hand out to his chest. With Astrid's help, she channeled some of her white aura to him. It didn't heal his wounds, but it helped Kirin recover a portion of his lost energy.

Next is Alaric. She did the same, and the rune master too, regained his consciousness.

It didn't last a minute and Freyja collapsed again. Astrid too, vanished into thin air.

"Freyja! Hey!" Alaric shook her, but she won't respond. Kirin stood up and carried the girl on his back. "Hurry, let's get out of here."

~ o 0 o ~