On the other side of the ship in a separate training room, the walls were scorched. Small patches of fires burned in random locations. Cracked, burned, and broken training dummies and equipment were seemingly tossed any and everywhere.
In the middle of all that, Nara's wings sagged low, sweat pouring down her face as she struggled to catch her breath. Her knees trembled uncontrollably before finally giving out and falling on all fours. Her arms wobbled to keep her from kissing the floor.
Elara stood calmly on the opposite side of her, completely unscathed. She didn't even have a single drop of sweat visible on her face or body.
"Let's take a break." She suggested as she sheathed her sword.
Nara grumbled something unintelligible before finally collapsing completely onto the scorched floor, wings, arms, and legs sprawled out.
Elara stared down at her with a blank face for a LONG moment before finally speaking up.
"...You alright?"
There was absolute silence.
Minutes later, they sat side by side, leaning back against the charred wall. On the floor in front of them were metallic bottles of water, different types of cooked alien meats, and various other alien fruits. They didn't speak at all, the only sound was their chewing.
But that silence didn't last long at all.
"Captain, that was insane! I've never fought anyone even remotely close to your strength. I threw everything I had at you, but it felt like you were always ten steps ahead! You're seriously incredible!"
Elara chuckled softly, shaking her head as she calmly sipped her water.
"Thank you, Nara. But you shouldn't discount yourself either. Your fire affinity is genuinely impressive. It's rare to encounter someone with such instinctive mastery over their affinity."
Nara scoffed playfully before inhaling a slab of seasoned meat like a damn vacuum.
"Captain, I'm a draconian… I literally breathe fire. Fire is basically our blood, so it shouldn't be surprising."
She inhaled another piece of meat before she paused.
"Actually captain, what's surprising is just how much stronger your flames are compared to mine. Back on my world, I was considered the strongest warrior on our continent. But when you all showed up, I…"
Her voice lowered slightly and her eyes became distant as memories of the recent battles on her world played in her mind. Primarily, Sera being effortlessly sealed by Talon and Kaeline's overwhelming scale of power. Her clenched fist trembled subtly. Elara's red eyes caught sight of her hands, then finished her sentence for her.
"You've realized just how vast the gap really is."
Nara didn't even lift her head, instead gave a silent nod.
"And how does that realization make you feel… Nara?"
There was nothing but silence for a long moment. Elara was about to speak again when Nara suddenly jolted upright, her wings flaring wide open as excitement flooded her entire body.
"It's amazing! There's so many powerful beings out there, captain! I can't believe it! I've always read so many stories about all the worlds and warriors out there, but to know that they weren't some fairytales that elders told kids before bed, that they actually exist and I get to visit countless of them!?? I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait!"
Elara's eyes widened slightly in surprise as she leapt to her feet, tossing her unfinished snack to the ground and getting up close to her face with wild excitement.
"Come on, captain! Let's get back to training right now! I can't wait to—"
But she froze mid-sentence and her face instantly palled. Overwhelming pain from their earlier sparring rushed back all at once, spreading throughout her entire body.
"Gaahhh—!"
She dropped to the floor, twitching and groaning in agony. Elara didn't even bother to help, instead she burst into gentle laughter and shook her head.
"Hehehehehee, I told you rest was important, didn't I? Training recklessly without recovery won't help you grow."
Nara managed to stand herself back up somehow, wobbling horribly as she laughed weakly.
"Heh… rest is overrated if you ask me, captain."
Elara raised an amused eyebrow holding back a chuckle, silently glancing downward to her legs that were SCREAMING for help.
"What's…so funny, cap—?"
That was it, her legs gave up and she plummeted straight back to the floor like a rock.
Elara couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out into full laughter now. A rare… carefree one, unlike her usual serious and dry self.
"Seems your legs don't quite share the same enthusiasm as the fire in your heart." She teased, wiping tears from her eyes, watching as Nara comically begged and pleaded with her lifeless limbs to move.
As her laughter gradually subsided, her expression softened quite a bit. For a brief moment, she didn't see Nara and her fiery stubborn determination… Instead she saw someone else… a younger version of herself.
Suddenly, the charred and smoky training room around her faded into the background, replaced by vivid memories of her childhood on her homeworld. The sky was impossibly blue and the forest around was filled with tons of greenery from the alien trees and plants. A younger Elara, barely seven stellar cycles old, grinned widely up at her older brother, roughly fourteen stellar cycles old, who looked nearly identical to her as he looked down with a face full of rage and shock.
"Seriusly Elara? Again with the fighting? Why do you keep looking for trouble everywhere you go?" He scolded, veins bulging out of his forehead.
Elara didn't care though. She bounced on her toes, her big red eyes shimmering with innocent enthusiasm.
"Because fighting is fun, big brother!"
He blinked at her response in utter shock before mumbling softly under his breath.
"What kind of kid says stuff like that? This brat really is a different kind of weird…"
He cleared his throat to recompose himself before he knelt down, bringing himself eye-level with her.
"Listen, Elara, I get it. I really do. But you need to learn how to control all that fire inside of you. Fighting can't always be your answer to everything."
"B–but… why not?"
Her brother snapped instantly, giving her a gentle but firm tap on her head with his knuckles.
Pow!
"Because it ain't, you weird long eared brat!"
"Owwww!" Elara whimpered, holding her head as tears quickly welled up.
"Big brother, that really hurt! And your ears are longer than mine… meanie."
Instant regret washed over her brother's face, immediately softening his furious demeanor as he gently brushed his fingers through her long silver hair where he had hit her.
"Hey, I'm sorry, okay? Look, it's just… You're growing up now, and you'll be leaving home soon. You'll be going to that prestigious star traveler academy, remember? You'll be on your own, so I won't be around to protect you anymore—or, more importantly, to protect others from you."
He placed his hand on her small shoulder as both of their red eyes locked onto each other.
"That's why you need to learn control. If you don't, you'll burn everyone and everything around you without even realizing it. Do you understand?"
She sniffled softly, wiping tears from her eyes as she nodded.
"I understand, big brother."
"Good." He smiled gently, beginning to rise.
"Now, let's—"
"Big brother." She suddenly interrupted, grabbing his sleeve. Her voice lowered a bit, as if she was hesitant to speak for a moment.
"C-Can I ask you something?"
"Of course brat. What is it?"
Her eyes dropped slightly before she spoke.
"Why… Why are you sending me to an academy so far away from home? Aren't there academies closer to Sylveris? Won't it mean… I won't see you again for many stellar cycles?"
For a split second, a strange look crossed her brother's face. It was the face of someone hiding something… a truth he wished he could share but dared not. He quickly masked it with a warm, reassuring smile, placing his hand gently atop her head.
"I know it'll be a long time until we meet again, but it's for a good reason. That particular Star Traveler Academy isn't like any other in this universe. They only accept and train individuals who are truly special—people like you Elara and our baby brother. Most of the strongest and legendary star travelers in history have graduated from that academy, and I know for certain you two will be next."
Her eyes lit up with excitement at his words, her sadness forgotten in a flash.
"Really?"
"Yep. And I heard… you'll get to fight plenty of strong kids and adults there, too."
Elara's long, elven ears perked upward instantly, flapping excitedly as her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"Really!? What are we waiting for, big brother?! Let's go right now!"
Her brother laughed before scooping her up into his arms.
"Alright, alright! Calm down! You have to rest at some point you know? Besides, you have to practice your sword techniques."
"Boooooooooooo! Rest is overrated and I don't wanna fight with a sword like the rest of our clan! All I need is my hands and feet!"
"WELL YOU GOT NO CHOICE YOU WEIRD LONG EARED BRAT!" Her brother yelled out as he hit her upside her head in the same spot as before.
"Owwwwwwwwwwww big brother, that hurt!"
The memory faded away and Elara's consciousness returned slowly to the present, where Nara had finally stopped pleading with her legs and laid sprawled out on the charred floor like a starfish out of water. She smiled softly looking at her for a moment before speaking up.
"You remind me a lot of myself, Nara."
Nara managed to sit upright somehow and responded back to her.
"Huh? You? Me? No way captain, I'm nowhere near as cool as you."
Elara chuckled softly, shaking her head as she glanced upward thoughtfully.
"I don't know about that… But seeing your relentless fiery spirit reminds me of why I chose this path in the first place. Never lose that fire, Nara… but learn to master it. Because the stronger the flame, the greater the danger of burning everything around you."
Nara stared at her blankly as the gravity of her words sunk deep into her swing-now talk-later brain. The fiery energy she'd had mere moments ago evaporated, replaced by a quiet contemplation that seemed almost unnatural to her usual self.
Elara broke that contemplation with her voice by dropping a bombshell.
"That's why I want you to change your fighting style."
"Huh?" Nara blinked rapidly, utterly dumbfounded.
"C-Change my fighting style? To what exactly, captain?"
"I want you to become a swordsman."
"A… swordsman? But… but why, captain? I've fought hand-to-hand my entire life. I've never used a sword or weapon my entire life. My dad tried to get me to fight with one when I was younger, but I didn't like it. Why change now?"
Elara looked down at the sword resting on her hip.
"On my homeworld Sylveris, my clan has preserved a sacred sword style dating back countless generations—far beyond the formation of the current races, to an era when only the four original elven races existed. This ancient style embodies elegance, precision, and harmony. Its practitioners are graceful warriors who move as if dancing with the stars, becoming legends across the cosmos."
Nara leaned closer with anticipation.
"So… you're going to teach me this legendary style, captain?"
Elara shook her head softly.
"No. That style… it isn't something I'll teach you."
"H–Huh? Why not? Is it because you think… I'm not strong enough?" Nara said, her confusion morphing into worry.
Elara smiled then reached down, unclipping the sheathed sword from her belt. Holding it horizontally in front of them, she stared at the intricate engravings lining its elegant sheath.
"No, strength has nothing to do with it. The truth is… I'm the only warrior in my clan's long history who never learned that legendary style."
Nara's eyes widened even more in shock.
"You never learned it? But… why?"
Elara took a moment before she spoke, but when she did, the warmth in her voice faded and was replaced by something colder.
"The swordsmanship of my clan represents elegance, honor, grace—attributes expected of Eldarii warriors. From childhood, I was taught that a blade must symbolize those ideals. But the more they tried to teach me…
…the more I hated it."
Her voice hardened, each word deliberate, as if peeling away layers of hidden resentment.
"I hate it so much. It's all crap. A sword isn't just some ornamental relic meant for ceremony or posturing. No… a sword is much more than that. To me, it's an extension of myself, of my will… and it exists for one sole purpose."
Entranced, Nara asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.
"What purpose… captain?"
Elara raised her eyes slowly, meeting hers with an intensity that made the scales on her body vibrate all over. Just then, she spoke.
"....To destroy."
"To… destroy?" Nara repeated softly as she stared into Elara's eyes, almost as if she was being hypnotized.
The silence after was abruptly shattered by the crackle of the intercom speaker followed by Talon's voice.
"Hey, Elara. Meet me in the star lounge when you're finished down there."
Elara let out a sigh and her intense demeanor shifted back to its usual calm.
"It seems we'll have to cut this short for today. This is a good stopping point anyway—we'll start training properly with swords tomorrow."
Nara nodded eagerly, though her legs screamed in protest as she pushed herself up, trembling all the way.
"Yes, captain…"
As she struggled to remain upright, something… intriguing popped in her head.
"Umm… captain? Can I ask you something?"
Elara tilted her head, curious.
"Of course. What is it?"
She nervously scratched her cheek trying her best to appear casual.
"I noticed… Talon never calls you 'captain' like everyone else does. Why is that? Is it because she's the co-captain or something? Or…"
Elara's expression softened instantly, and a gentle genuine smile appeared on her face.
"Hehehe, well that's because Talon and I have known each other since we were children. We met at our star traveler academy, created the Starlight crew together, and have shared the same dream ever since. She's my best friend."
Nara's face flushed red slightly.
"B-b-best friend? Oh, well, I guess that makes sense. You two… you know… have history and stuff. I was just checking, you know, to make sure she wasn't… well… you know…"
She trailed off, the silence rapidly turning awkward as Elara stared blankly at her.
"No I don't know… actually." She replied dryly, her voice perfectly deadpan.
Panic flooded Nara's body and she changed gears without clutching in.
"O-ohhh wow, would you look at the time? I almost forgot—I promised Jinx and Rorik I'd help them move… uh… something! Yeah, something! Catch you tomorrow, captain!"
Without missing a beat, Nara turned around and hastily waddled away on her shaky legs that took away every ounce of dignity she had left. Elara watched her clumsily retreat down the corridor and let out a genuine chuckle as she shook her head lightly, whispering softly under her breath.
"That girl is soo… interesting."
She watched her go for a little longer before she finally turned once Nara left her sight and headed to meet Talon.
Minutes later, she stepped into the star lounge. The soft hiss of the door alerted Talon to her arrival, as she slightly turned her head just enough to see her. The room was huge, filled with numerous chairs and tables, being illuminated by the glow of distant stars beaming through the vast, moonroof-style viewport. Talon sat quietly in one of the plush chairs, staring up at the endless expanse of the cosmos outside.
"Took you long enough." She remarked casually, without turning her attention from the star-filled view. Her voice carried a teasing undertone that only Elara could detect beneath the surface.
"Sorry about that. Nara doesn't seem to know when to quit. You should've seen her today—determined isn't a strong enough word."
Talon finally glanced sideways at her, raising an eyebrow as a faint smirk crossed her face.
"Mhpm… Yeah, well, she's a wild one. Completely uncontrollable, always looking for a fight, no matter how impossible it seems… Remind you of anyone, perhaps?"
Elara chuckled softly, crossing the room to sit beside her.
"I suppose you could say we're cut from the same cloth. She reminds me a lot of me."
"Exactly my point. Honestly, you two are practically made for each other." Talon replied dryly, shaking her head lightly.
They shared a brief chuckle followed by a comforting silence.
"So…" Elara began gently, breaking the peaceful quiet.
"What was it that you wanted to talk about? Is everything alright?"
Talon shifted slightly in her seat, a tiny bit of discomfort flashing across her face. She hesitated for a moment, momentarily looking downward before returning to the stars above.
"I'm fine, it's not that. Just... a few things have been bothering me lately." Talon began carefully.
"Is it about Aqua?"
"Partly… but that's not exactly it. Honestly, I still don't trust Aqua—especially after everything she and her Iron Fang's done. We still don't know who they were working with or for. And I can't fully understand why Kaito is so hell-bent on protecting her, considering she nearly killed him… and the others."
She paused, her tone becoming more contemplative, cautious even.
"But it's something else… Elysia and Kaeline. They joined Kaito's crew so quickly. Think about it; we already barely know much about them. Their pasts, their races, their homeworlds... their true intentions. Doesn't it seem strange to you?"
Elara remained silent for a moment. She gazed out at the vast expanse of stars as she considered the implications of what was being said, but Talon continued on.
"I don't have proof… just a gut feeling. Something's off. Especially with Elysia. Have you noticed how much she wants to help Aqua? How attached is she to Kaito? She seems just as driven as him, but we barely know her. The only thing we know is that Kaeline is tasked to watch her, almost like a guardian of some sort. How important can Elysia possibly be for someone of Kaeline's level to be a personal guard? I can't pinpoint exactly why yet, but... something doesn't add up. Just... keep an eye on them, Elara. You might eventually see what I'm sensing."
Elara nodded slowly. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she processed her warning, finally speaking up after a thoughtful pause.
"Now that you mention it, they did agree to join Kaito's future crew remarkably quickly. Almost too quickly. Still..."
She hesitated, carefully weighing her next words as if she didn't want to believe her for a moment.
"Despite the haste, I don't sense genuine malice from them. Elysia and Kaeline both have shown true care for the crew through their actions, even if their motives remain a bit unclear. But... I trust your instincts, Talon. If something feels off to you, then we'll be cautious. I'm here for you. And as for Aqua... you won't have to worry about her much longer. Once we arrive at Starfall City, the rangers will meet us at the agreed-upon coordinates. We'll hand her over discreetly and I'll be the one to handle that personally."
Talon exhaled slowly, visibly more relieved and gave her a small nod of relief.
"Thank you, Elara."
The atmosphere relaxed slightly, though an underlying tension lingered. Elara studied her quietly for a moment before her voice softened.
"But they aren't your real worry at the moment, are they…? Our present paths and pasts are finally about to meet. Are you ready for whatever is to come?"
Talon's expression hardened, her purple eyes clouded with a deep, simmering pain that was normally hidden away from everyone else. Slowly, she turned her attention back toward the stars, her voice quiet yet laced with a cold resolve.
"More than ready. I've waited long enough… Since we were kids at the academy, my goal has always been clear…"
Her cold eyes locked on to the twinkle of a distant galaxy and her eyes.
"… I'm going to kill my father."