... "This star is mine," the boy muttered, gesturing towards the fallen tent.
Without the slightest hesitation, the sword came down in a sharp arc.
"AAAAH!" Zuru screamed, squeezing his eyes shut, and—
Clank!
Sparks burst into the air.
Zuru’s eyes snapped open at once.
Apparently, he was still alive.
A dark red, translucent rod stood less than an inch from his face, having intercepted the sword at the last possible moment.
Zuru’s mouth hung open as he slowly turned toward Star.
"Fallen star?" he whispered in disbelief. For one ridiculous moment, he wondered if dying had always looked this beautiful.
"...You actually saved me," he gasped.
Star barely spared him a glance. With a forceful flick of his wrist, he knocked the blade aside, sending the boy’s sword spinning out of his grasp and into the darkness.
With the very last of his strength, Star raised the rod and swung it mercilessly at the boy.
The boy gasped in terror, throwing his arm over his face as his last hope of defence.
But just before the rod could connect, it glitched and dissolved into nothingness.
Star immediately lost his balance, staggered badly, and collapsed onto the ground.
The boy’s fear quickly turned into a smug grin.
"Heh, heh. Seems like our divine star isn’t so mighty after—"
THUD!
The smile never even had the chance to leave his face before a bat introduced itself to the back of his skull.
Sarah made sure she struck the exact spot that would make him see stars and possibly spend the next three days unconscious.
Throwing aside the fat boy’s bat that she had used, she hurried over to her brother.
"Are you okay?" she asked anxiously.
Zuru slowly raised a trembling thumbs-up before letting his arm drop again.
"Never better," he muttered weakly.
"We need to get out of here," Sarah said hurriedly. "I think those boys have been following us, and if they know where we are, then I doubt we’re safe out here."
She didn’t even wait for his response, she was already preparing to leave.
Zuru sprang to his feet at once. "Hey, slow down, sis," he called out, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Come on, let’s help him at least."
Sarah narrowed her eyes. "Oh? Now you want to help the mysterious star that fell from the sky?"
Zuru closed his eyes. "Of course, anyone who saves this extremely-perfectly handsome face has my undying loyalty."
"Handsome?" Sarah snorted. "That face? Pff."
Zuru frowned. "You’re just jealous."
"You wish." Sarah replied flatly, looking away.
Star was still lying on the ground, weak and vulnerable.
Sarah walked over to him. "Well, Zu," she said flatly, "let’s be quick about it."
Together, Sarah and Zuru helped Star up, and the three of them quickly hurried toward the narrow forest.
"You see what happens to ungrateful people?" Sarah remarked, casting one final glance at their burning tent and the ruined one beside it.
"Oh, spare me the blame," Zuru grumbled, looking away. "This would’ve happened anyway."
...
A few hours later, about thirty Nethros soldiers searched the seashore, their silver armor and crimson capes glowing beneath the torchlight. The tents had been reduced to ashes, but the crater remained.
General Iboku stood beside it with the two women who had earlier held daggers to Elder Mousack’s back. They had now however, abandoned their disguises.
Cirella wore crimson leather that hugged her athletic frame, with twin sais resting at her sides. Beside her stood Cindela in a fitted crimson battle-gown, her dark hair making her resemblance to Cirella even more striking.
Meanwhile, the five boys had been rounded up and forced to kneel nearby, their wrists bound to wooden stakes driven into the ground before them.
Long whips lashed mercilessly across their backs, tearing skin and drawing blood while their cries echoed through the night.
"Please! W-we’re t-telling the truth!" they begged.
"That’s what happened!"
"We never saw an old man or... or a mage. Pleeeeease!"
But it wasn’t the answer their captors wanted, so the whip came down again.
One of the boys screamed until his voice cracked.
Another tried to crawl away despite being tied to the stake. But none of it mattered. The soldiers continued flogging them.
Amid the chaos, a piercing phoenix cry suddenly tore across the heavens. A streak of golden fire emerged from beyond the sea.
Within moments, an enormous golden phoenix descended upon them. Its blazing wings illuminated the night like a second sun.
With an explosion of golden flames, it landed.
When the fire dispersed, aman stood at its center.
He was dressed in a long black military coat embroidered with intricate golden patterns that shimmered like living flames. A dark mantle rested upon his shoulders, and every movement carried the dignity of royalty and the menace of a predator.
King Dante.
The Golden Phoenix.
His golden eyes burned brightly, yet his expression remained completely devoid of emotion. His mere presence was enough to tear fearful gasps from the unfortunate boys.
At once, every soldier snapped into formation, Spears lowered to their sides.
The General and the two women emerged from the crater.
"Your Highness," Cirella called respectfully, lowering herself into a genuine genuflection.
Prince Dante slowly turned his head toward her.
"We found nothing." She said.
General Iboku took over. His deep voice reverberated across the shore.
"All we found were a bunch of injured boys," he said, gesturing toward the captives. "They claim they were attacked by... by some Night Raiders. Thieves."
He paused, as though the next words physically pained him.
However, Dante had already noticed there was more.
"And?" he asked.
The General exhaled. "And a fallen star."
He felt ridiculous saying it, but those were the boys’ exact words.
The soldiers flogging them raised a hand to lash them again, but Dante raised his hand, stopping them.
Then slowly he walked up to the boys. Only his gaze was enough to make the fat one instantly pee his pants.
"Tell me about this star that fell from the sky," Dante commanded coldly.
The fat boy was too terrified to speak, so the one with teleportation abilities answered instead, his lips trembling.
"We... we were hiding in the bushes, waiting to attack the Night Raiders."
"Night Raiders?" Dante asked.
"Y-yes. They’re infamous thieves who terrorize our village." He swallowed heavily. "We wanted to catch them and claim the bounty on their heads."
As he continued speaking, some of his confidence returned, fueled by his hatred for the Night Raiders.
"But?" Dante prompted.
"But along the way, something happened. Something unnatural. I don’t know what it was, but the Night Raiders said it was a star... And- and... that the star gave birth to humanity."
Even he sounded confused and not too convinced by what he was saying.
He exhaled heavily. "That’s the truth. All of it. We never saw an old man, a mage, or even any magic."
Surprisingly, Dante remained calm. "Tell me what this star looked like before it fell."
The boy narrowed his eyes, searching for the right words.
"It... it looked like some sort of giant sphere. It was very bright. Then it turned into a human... no... it spat a human out. At least, that’s what the Night Raiders said."
"Your Highness, they’re obviously lying," the General interrupted. "A star falling from the heavens? What nonsense."
The boy shook his head frantically. "Please, that’s the truth! I would never lie while being tortured like this!"
Dante’s lips slowly curled into a sinister smile, unsettling everyone around him.
"Perhaps you are the one who lacks insight, General," he said coldly, turning toward the General.
The boys’ eyes widened in surprise.
The General himself nearly choked. "Y-Your Highness?"
"These boys would never lie to protect their enemies," Dante replied sharply. "Besides, the High Mage helped the boy escape. Therefore, it is hardly a coincidence that the Sphere of Fate crashed into a tent."
The General’s eyes widened even further. So did Cirella’s and Cindela’s. A mystery they had spent hours trying to unravel had been solved by Dante after only a few moments of observation.
"Sphere of Fate?" Cindela gasped in surprise.
"Yes," Prince Dante replied. "This means our honorable old mage could not remain alive long enough to keep the boy safe." An evil smile appeared on his face. "So he handed the boy over to fate itself and allowed destiny to decide who would shelter him."
He snorted. "How cruel fate must be to place him in the hands of thieves." He turned toward the General, his dark cloak flowing behind him.
"Make sure your best men get enough rest. Give them food, drink, women—whatever they need. I want them fully prepared for what comes next."
The General nodded. At his command, the soldiers began marching toward their ships.
Then Dante turned to Cirella and Cindela. "See that these boys are properly compensated for their pain. I mean properly compensated." He turned his back to them. "And after, the two of you sh
ould prepare yourselves. Tomorrow night, we’re going after the Night Raiders with full force."
He turned. "I want the boy dead, before my coronation ceremony."
With a roar of flames, he was gone.