"That wasn't the whole plan… was it?" the sisters asked, their curious gazes fixed on Alita.
"Technically, yes," she replied, her expression serious yet resolute. "But now comes the hardest part—getting inside the tower. Quickly, they won't take long to come looking if this guard doesn't return soon."
The sisters began stripping the unconscious guard of his armor, only to be startled by what lay beneath. His body was covered in sharp spines running from his neck down to his legs, forming a gleaming green carapace. His yellow skin bore an uncanny resemblance to that of a duck, and five distinct seeds were marked on his abdomen.
"What kind of creature is this?" Maxin asked, staring at the strange being in awe.
"I think it's a Durian," Ragil answered after a moment of reflection.
"A Durian?" Alita echoed, puzzled.
"Yes. Mom told us she saw beings like us during her travels in distant lands," Ragil explained.
"Oh, right, I remember now," Maxin confirmed, crossing her arms.
"Wow… Knowing there are others like us, but on the side of the shadows, is… terrifying," Alita murmured, unease creeping into her voice.
"So, what do we do with the armor now?" Maxin asked, holding up the heavy suit.
"One of you needs to try it on," Alita suggested.
Maxin went first, but the armor simply wouldn't fit. Ragil tried next, only to find it uncomfortably tight, which earned a few amused chuckles from both sisters.
"That leaves you, Alita," they said in unison, fixing their eyes on her. "This guy is about your size—the suit might fit."
"No, I don't think… although, maybe," Alita muttered, eyeing the armor skeptically.
"Hey! Are you there? Come on, get back to your post. Are you alright?" Another soldier called out, noticing his comrade had been gone too long.
"Quick, put it on!" the sisters urged, helping Alita into the armor. Once she was suited up, they handed her the weapon and the torch with its eerie green flame.
"Alita, you look good," they affirmed before shoving her forward, cutting off any chance of protest.
"Ah! There you are. Nearly gave me a scare," said the guard who had been searching for her. Alita raised a finger in response, attempting to mimic the soldier's brusque gestures.
"Alright, let's head back to the tower," the guard ordered, though he frowned as he studied her closely. "You look different. What's wrong?"
"It's my voice… I think something didn't sit well with me," Alita improvised from within the suit, feigning illness and lowering her tone to sound rougher.
"What did you eat? Your voice sounds weird—too soft. You must be sick. I'd better take you inside the tower so you can rest," the guard decided.
Together, they made their way toward the tower's entrance, while Alita stole a quick glance at the sisters watching from afar.
From a high house, Pax observed the entire scene with a mix of surprise and skepticism.
"Well, that girl's got guts. I'll get closer to watching her fail," he murmured mockingly, though a faint spark of interest flickered in his eyes.
Esta versión mantiene la cantidad de palabras original, mejora la fluidez y el ritmo, y adapta expresiones para que sean naturales en inglés. También optimiza la lectura en voz alta con pausas y transiciones suaves. ¿Te gustaría ajustar algún matiz o tono?
Alita staggered slightly, unaccustomed to the weight of the armor.
"Buddy, you're really out of it," the guard remarked, concerned. "Go take a five-minute break."
"Alright," Alita replied from inside the suit, seizing the opportunity to buy time and plan her next move.
As she stepped into the tower, she realized it was some kind of prison. She spotted several women from Fuertelia bound to a massive wheel, their movements forced by a whip connected to a machine that drove them forward, turning the wheel. The motion powered a strange device that flickered between shifting colors.
She continued deeper inside and saw more prisoners locked in cells. Yet, oddly, there were no guards in sight.
"Why don't they run?" she wondered.
Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when a woman dashed toward her. But before she could reach Alita, an invisible rope yanked her back, slamming her violently against the wall.
"That was close," Alita murmured, pressing a hand to her chest. She watched in sorrow as the woman collapsed to the ground, a thin trickle of blood running down her forehead.
"Damn it… I almost made it," the prisoner muttered weakly, dazed and disoriented.
"Now I see why there are no guards in here," Alita thought, realizing that the enchanted ropes kept the prisoners restrained.
She decided to head upstairs, searching for Maxin and Ragil's mother, guided by the description they had given her.
Floor by floor, she climbed, only to find more women from Fuertelia—either locked away or forced to turn similar wheels.
Finally, she reached the fourth floor.
"I wonder if she's here… None of the others matched the description," Alita thought, recalling the hurried yet precise details the sisters had provided.
A brief smile crossed her lips as she imagined Paltio trying to make sense of something like that.
"If Paltio had to do this, he wouldn't even know where to start," she chuckled to herself, shaking her head. "I need to hurry and get them out."
"No one here fits the description," she murmured as she scanned the room.
Then, she noticed a cell shrouded in darkness.
Carefully, she raised her torch, casting its eerie green light inside.
A woman hung from the wall, her arms and legs bound. She was strong—her defined muscles visible even in her weakened state. Her brown hair was disheveled, and her gaze was distant, as if she had long resigned herself to remain there forever.
"This is the woman the girls described," Alita thought, stepping closer.
She looked different than expected, but something about her posture—her latent strength—matched the description.
"Ma'am… Lady Galatea," Alita whispered, trying to get her attention.
The woman slowly lifted her head, her voice bitter and raw.
"What do you want, foolish soldier of the Yellow Shadow? Have you come to humiliate me further? To strip me of what little I have left? You've already taken my family, my dignity. I have nothing more to give."
Her voice carried the weight of pain and frustration as she locked eyes with Alita, who was still wearing the armor.
"Easy now, ma'am. I'm here to free you. I'm a friend of Maxin and Ragil," Alita said, stepping closer.
"How dare you speak of my daughters, you wretch?" Galatea shouted, furious, struggling against her restraints.
"Wait! I'm not here to hurt you. Listen to me—I'm like you," Alita insisted, removing her helmet to reveal her young, determined face.
Galatea stared at her in disbelief.
"You're a Hassdalian… Great. Now they're sending people from other realms to torment me."
"No, ma'am, please—calm down. I'm with your daughters. I infiltrated this place to rescue you and save the realm of Fuertelia," Alita assured her, urgency thick in her voice.
"You're too young and too small to be a guard," Galatea observed, narrowing her eyes.
"I'm a teenager… and I'm a girl. I came here to get you out," Alita replied, firm yet understanding.
"And how exactly do you plan to do that, girl?" Galatea asked, her weary eyes still filled with distrust.
"I don't know… but I'll find a way," Alita answered, trying to sound convincing despite her own uncertainty.
"Good luck with that, kid. You should turn back while you still can—don't risk your life. And if you do leave, tell my daughters I love them," Galatea said, her voice trembling as silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
"There has to be a way to get you out of here," Alita murmured, ignoring the woman's warnings.
"Don't get too close to the cell, girl. It's electrified," Galatea warned urgently.
"Oh! Thanks," Alita exclaimed, jumping back and swallowing nervously.
"I'll find a way to free you. There has to be one," she repeated to herself, deep in thought.
Then, something clicked in her mind.
"Maybe if I use the ring, I can short-circuit the cell… But how do I get her off the wall? I'll need the keys."
Galatea studied her carefully.
"If you can do that, girl, I can free myself from these restraints."
"Really? Then I'll do it," Alita declared with determination.
She removed one of the armored gloves and revealed a ring with a brilliant blue stone.
Galatea's eyes narrowed.
"That ring looks familiar… Where did you get it?"
"A butler lent it to me. Why?" Alita asked, confused.
"Because it belongs to our priestess, Meliradal," Galatea revealed.
"So she lives in this realm?" Alita asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
"Yes, girl, but far from here. She's practically a hermit," Galatea explained.
"That means that once this is all over, can you take me to her? I need her to teach me magic," Alita said eagerly.
"Girl, I don't know if she'll agree to that, but if we defeat Troba, I'll take you to her myself," Galatea promised.
"Excellent!" Alita exclaimed, grinning widely.
Galatea eyed the ring skeptically.
"Do you even know how to use that?"
"Well… yeah, kind of," Alita admitted, scratching the back of her neck sheepishly.
"Let me guess—you're not a mage yet," Galatea said with a faint, teasing smile.
Alita lowered her head, embarrassed.
"Oh, Avocios… We're doomed," Galatea sighed, shaking her head slowly.
"Have a little faith in me," Alita insisted, lifting her head with conviction.
She pointed the ring toward the bars, silently pleading for it to work.
"Please work… Please work," she repeated over and over in her mind.
Finally, she spoke aloud:
"Come forth, water!"
A tiny trickle of water dribbled from the ring—far too weak to do any real damage.
Galatea watched, her hope fading.
"Come on, you useless thing, work!" Alita muttered, shaking the ring more forcefully.
Suddenly, a powerful torrent of water burst forth, slamming into the cell bars and sending sparks flying as it made contact. The sheer pressure fried the door's electrical switches, leaving the cell wide open.
"Well, would you look at that? You actually did it, kid," Galatea said, impressed as she eyed the ring, which was still gushing water.
With superhuman strength—or, as she called it internally, "avocado strength"—she shattered the shackles binding her, one by one.
She stood up and looked at Alita.
"You might want to stop now, or you'll flood the place," she joked.
"I can't… I think it's broken. It won't respond, and the water won't stop," Alita said, worried.
"Have you tried taking it off?" Galatea suggested.
"Oh! No, but I will," Alita replied quickly.
She pulled the ring off her finger, and the water ceased instantly.
"Wow, you really know a lot, ma'am," Alita remarked, impressed.
"Don't call me 'ma'am.' Just Galatea, like everyone else," the woman corrected with a smile.
"It's time to free the others and make that wretched badger pay."
"Yes, ma'am—uh, I mean, Galatea," Alita replied, shaking her hand firmly.
"Let's do this."