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Chapter 2 - The Weight of Aurea

Aurea Chersonesus, a celestial marvel suspended between the third and fourth skies, is the ancestral home of the Aurenian, a noble lineage of the eastern Celestion.

The Aurenians, known for their wisdom and valor, have long been the custodians of this celestial realm, guiding its inhabitants and preserving its rich history. This ethereal expanse comprises colossal, circular plates, each a unique world.

A majestic palace perched atop a crystalline plateau is the seat of royal authority. Its towering spires pierce the celestial veil, and its halls echo with the whispers of ages past. Within the grand halls of the Royal Palace, Ria stared at the floating mirror on the throne, waiting for another command from King Awan. It had been decades since he last spoke, and she knew that his voice, when it came, carried the full weight of a king's will. Yet, Ria never forgot the last command she received from the king, the words still echoing in her mind. Ria touched the mirror, a sense of urgency building within her.

"We must act," she murmured to herself.

The mission was a countdown to cleanse the world of the Puaka's energy, and time was a luxury they didn't have.

Still on the soaring plate of Alexandrite, in the serene gardens of the royal officer's quarters, Purba stood with his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on a shapeshifting ancient creature statue that was bathed by the water fountain. He had just finalized the list of Kshatriyas for the Earth mission, a decision that weighed heavily on him.

"Messengers!" he called out, pointing to a box filled with scrolls on the bench next to him, his voice resonating through the garden. "Deliver these scrolls now!"

The messengers bowed and hurried away, their footsteps echoing through the quiet garden. Purba stood firm, his jaw set. Failure was not an option.

Nearby, inside one of the hundreds of Alexandrite warehouses, the air vibrated with the raw power of Skyrea's engines. The scent of hot oil and sparking machinery filled Honter's nostrils as he watched the engineers and scientists tinkering with the massive power cores. One engineer carefully placed a glowing, blue crystal into an engine housing. Instantly, the engine roared to life, and a powerful burst of steam shot out, enveloping the area in a thick cloud.

"GARGARGARGAR! Be the saints! Just look at those engines purr!" he chuckled, his white beard bouncing with each rumble. "They're practically breathin' fire!" Honter watched in awe as the engine roared, its power almost palpable. "Top of the mornin'! That's amazin'!" he exclaimed, waving his hand through the thick steam.

Just then, a messenger stumbled through the haze, his eyes wide.

"Sir Honter!" he called out, his voice muffled by the steam. "A message from Master Purba!"

"Aye, about time," Honter muttered, grabbing the scroll. "Right, right, best get to it then!" He turned towards the storage area, his calloused hands already reaching for his satchel. "Time to gather what the lads and lasses will be needin'."

Below Alexandrite, on the vast expanse of Morganite, the air was a cacophony of discipline and power. The thud of blunted blades on shields and the crackle of elemental Shakti filled the air. In one corner, a fire elementalist unleashed a torrent of flame, while in another, a warrior's power hammer struck a training dummy with a thunderous boom. The sound of their fierce training echoed across the plate. But a small pocket of giggling stood among the surrounding chaos.

"Come on, little ones," Suria said softly, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She summoned three small, iridescent baby birds made of pure energy, a legendary species known as the Kinanti Bird. "Follow me!" she called, her voice clear and playful. She chased the birds, her movements fluid and graceful, drawing the trainees into a game of tag.

The trainees, all aspiring Srikandi, squealed with delight, giggling as they tried to catch the elusive creatures. This was her method—to make them feel the Shakti without fear, guiding their instincts through joy rather than rigid commands.

Suddenly, a messenger approached, his chest heaving from the run. But before he could call out, one of the Kinanti birds, mid-flight, zipped past, and it collided with the messenger and poofed into a cloud of sparkling dust, startling the trainees into silence. The messenger stumbled, brushing the dust from his robes.

"Kshatriya Suria!" he called out, his chest heaving. "A message from Master Purba!"

Suria's playful smile softened. She took the scroll, her eyes scanning the contents.

"I see," she said quietly. She looked back at her trainees, their smiles fading into looks of concern. "Don't you worry, little ones," she said, her voice warm. "Everything's gonna be alright. You'll have a new big sis who's even better at this than me. Now, keep playing. Your journey has just begun." She gave them a reassuring nod.

A Tycart, adorned with colorful streamers and tinkling bells, weaved through the throngs of people and carts, its six powerful legs pounding the cobblestone streets. The air was thick with the scent of exotic spices and blooming flora, and the sounds of bartering merchants filled the air. Towering structures of pearl and polished metal, shimmering in hues of blue, green, and violet, lined the streets. This was Amethyst, the vibrant heart of Aurea's trade, and for Atty, it was the perfect playground.

"Full speed ahead, Yact!" Atty yelled, her voice barely audible over the din, her accent as thick as sorghum. She expertly navigated around a fruit stand, narrowly avoiding a collision with a cart piled high with Dykin seeds. Her Ty, a majestic creature with a matching blue scarf, let out a playful rumble, its floppy ears twitching with excitement.

Atty's eyes gleamed with mischief as she spotted the messenger waiting for her near the central plaza, a royal scroll clutched in his hand. She yanked the reins, her Tycart skidded to a halt in front of the messenger, her Ty panting and its horns glowing with exertion.

"Well, howdy there! What's the ruckus?" she asked, grabbing the scroll with a grin.

The messenger, his eyes wide with a mix of awe and terror, simply pointed towards Atty's Tycart.

"You're chosen as the handler," he managed to say before hurrying away.

Atty shrugged, unfurled the scroll, and her grin widened.

"What in tarnation, Yact! Looks like I was chosen to transport Kshatriyas to the skyrea platform tomorrow!" she told her Ty, her voice filled with excitement. "Let's get ya prepped up!"

Miles below the bustling city of Amethyst, the world of Ruby was silent and desolate. There were no marketplaces, no gardens, no laughter. Only the constant, low hum of machinery and the rhythmic glow of the power orbs being neutralized. It was a place of work, a fortress designed to power the plates above with the energy siphoned from thousands of metal pipes that connected to the plate below.

"This...this can't be..." Royal Officer Titus stared at the glowing lines on his console, a knot of dread tightening in his stomach.

The energy flow from the neutralized dark orbs was usually stable, but a discordant flicker caught his eye. It was a subtle, insidious pull, like a slow-moving virus. Titus rerouted the flow, trying to stabilize the anomaly, but it held firm. A cold dread seeped into his bones. He grabbed his datapad and rushed to report the matter to Ria.

Nineteen miles below Ruby, on the isolated plate of Zircon, the only one not connected by the colossal pillar, Purnama stood in the interrogation chamber of Gari Prison. Before him sat a captured Puaka, its form flickering with dark energy.

"The dark one… his will is infinite…" the creature rasped, its voice a low, menacing growl.

Purnama raised an eyebrow, a grin spreading across his face.

"Infinite, huh? Well, I bet it's not as infinite as my list of jokes. Wanna hear one about a talking cat?" He leaned forward, waggling his eyebrows. "What do you call a pile of cats in the middle of the ocean?"

Before the Puaka could even react, a harried messenger burst into the room, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"Sir! Urgent message from Master Purba!" the messenger gasped, thrusting a scroll towards Purnama.

"Whoa there, buddy! You scared me half to death! I thought the Puaka was finally making a move." He turned back to the creature, which was now hissing and spitting sparks of dark energy. "Looks like my stand-up routine will have to wait. Duty calls!" He winked, then strode out of the room, leaving the messenger and the furious Puaka in stunned silence.

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