The Unseen Guardian

One day on Akarihoshi, Noirelle dangerously approaches Akihiko. Her hands hover in the air, as if she wants to sense the energy around him without even realizing it.

Noirelle: “Prince… may I feel a part of your power? Just a little, so I can understand how your kingdom works, how you protect it.”

Akihiko nods slightly, yet his gaze lingers on her eyes—the blue and sincerity in them remind him of something his mind cannot explain.

Akihiko (softly): “Be careful, Noirelle. Power is not always just a gift… sometimes, it’s a burden.”

Noirelle nods, yet in her heart she feels something warm and safe. Her eyes widen slightly as she senses a subtle vibration of his energy—something both strong and yet tender, like a memory of… something she doesn’t yet understand.

Meanwhile, Akihiko feels his inner world responding—a fragment of memory he cannot fully recall. Somewhere beneath the surface, his heart still holds Aiko.

Noirelle (with a faint smile): “Prince… there’s something in your presence that soothes me. As if I am at home here…”

Akihiko looks away, but the blue of his eyes sparkles. His heart flutters lightly, without understanding why.

Akihiko: “Noirelle… what you feel is something I feel as well… even if I don’t fully understand why.”

Noirelle smiles faintly, sensing a mix of curiosity and longing. The moment is quiet, full of unspoken words—a connection subtle but strong, as if their energies are slowly learning to know each other.

That evening on Earth, Aiko gazes at the stars. Her heart brims with questions: What is happening? Who is that boy who saved me, and what am I missing… stars, tell me.

As Aiko closes her eyes, her star-shaped pendant glows, and her energy surrounds her, faint but perceptible. Aiko doesn’t even notice.

But Noirelle senses this presence and freezes: Aiko is still alive. I must eliminate her… once and for all. No one may ever come between me and Akihiko again.

Next day, on Earth, while walking, Aiko feels a cold wind; her intuition warns her of approaching danger. Suddenly, four men surround her. Her instinct screams—they are no ordinary people. Dark mist coils around them, their eyes full of fury. Her heart races, and she stiffens… Who are you? she asks silently, but no one answers.

The men’s dark energy intensifies. Their eyes burn like fiery sparks that could incinerate everything nearby. Aiko takes a step back, searching for a way to defend herself, but fear paralyzes her.

At that moment, Noirelle, on Akarihoshi, controls the men. Her power commands them to attack.

Noirelle (softly, but decisively): “You think you can stand between me and what is mine… Aiko, I will erase you once and for all.”

Aiko (quietly, to herself): “What… what should I do now…?”

Then, the boy appears again… his eyes strikingly blue. Before the men under Noirelle’s command can attack Aiko, he positions himself in front of her.

Aiko doesn’t understand what is happening, and it makes even less sense that this small boy, so bravely stands in front of her, intending to protect her. The men aim dark energy at the boy without a word, Aiko screams, and a shield erupts from him.

The boy smiles, courage shining from his eyes reminiscent of Akihiko. Aiko narrows her eyes slightly: That gaze… that smile… it reminds me of someone… but I don’t know exactly who.

The men try to increase the pressure, but the boy elegantly swings his sword, deflecting the attacks. Every movement is precise, fearless. His smile is not childish—it is courage, determination, and an ancient power that Aiko senses, though she cannot explain it.

Aiko (softly, almost inaudible to herself): “Who… are you… and why…?”

When one of the men attempts to strike Aiko directly, the boy stands as a shield. Aiko turns and stretches her hands forward. Her heart pounds wildly, yet she feels an unusual warmth and vibration beneath her skin, something she had previously ignored or never known. The shield that suddenly appeared before her is her first direct contact with her own energy—something deeply hidden within her.

Boy: “Do not fear. This is you. This is your energy—the power that has always been part of you. If you use it, we can stop these attackers together.”

Aiko looks at him, confused and frightened, yet she feels an unfamiliar connection, as if there is something familiar, home-like in this power. When she raises her hands, energy envelops her body; the shield expands, repelling the first attack, while the boy elegantly counters.

For the first time, Aiko feels she is no longer just an “ordinary” girl. A power burns within her, one she must learn to understand and control.

Boy (stern yet gentle): “Aiko… you must remember. Never doubt yourself again. You are not just a girl from Earth. This… this is a part of you, what you have always been. The future… hangs by a thread. Without you… without your power… all will be lost.”

Aiko looks at him, heart racing. The shield still glows. Fragments of memories, feelings, and the sense of safety she could never forget awaken.

Boy: “Look within, Aiko. This is you. This is your power… your true nature. If you believe, you will be able… to protect everything dear to you once more.”

The light around her glimmers softly. Energy flows through her body; the shield grows stronger and repels attacks. The crest on her wrist radiates warmth, and her heart beats faster. Aiko hears a familiar yet long-forgotten voice in her mind:

“This is you, Aiko… Princess Soraya. Never forget who you are. Your power is your truth, your destiny.”

Flashes of memories appear: rainbow-colored light, Akihiko’s gaze, gentle touches, the stars, and the sense of security that always came from being near him. Her energy merges with the boy’s, the shield now shining with intertwined white-gold and red-gold light.

Aiko (softly, resolutely): “This is me… I am not just a girl from Earth. I am Soraya. And now… I must remember everything.”

The boy gives her a brave smile: “Quickly, Aiko… use your power. This is the moment that decides the future. Together… we will overcome everything in your path.”

Aiko raises her hands; her energy merges with the boy’s, the shield expanding like an invisible dome. The attackers are repelled; her power is unstoppable.

Aiko: “No… this time, you will not harm anyone!”

Her voice is determined, her energy changing into soft yet penetrating waves of light that push the attackers away. The boy, thrilled by her power, elegantly swings his sword, guiding her shield while she spreads energy like an invisible wind around them. The men, astonished by the girl’s sudden strength, try to retreat, but Aiko and the boy remain unmoving, their powers entwining into a harmonious vortex of light. Their energy reflects off the ground and building walls, creating an enchanted space where the attackers’ dark energy cannot penetrate.

Boy’s internal monologue: Her power… is incredible. So strong, gentle, yet resolute. And I… I am part of this current. My white-gold energy merges with her red-gold… together, we are unstoppable. My life now depends on her. Without her… I could not exist. Yet here I am. And together… we will be invincible.

Their gazes meet—the boy and Aiko, as if they are one, and the attackers frozen in place. The feeling that she can change the flow of events with her will fills her heart with unstoppable power.

Aiko: “Now… we go together.”

A wave of light erupts from her hands like an invisible strike, driving away the dark energy. The men fall unconscious; the shield stabilizes, and the wind and light settle around them like a soft mist.

The boy smiles: “This is just the beginning, Aiko… there’s still so much you will unlock within yourself.”

Aiko looks toward the sky, the crest on her wrist still glowing brightly. Her heart beats fast yet calm—she feels true strength and connection to what has always been a part of her. She closes her eyes. I must remember everything. She clutches her star-shaped pendant. “Follow your heart…”

Suddenly, even stronger energy surrounds her, and memories of Akarihoshi, her friends, and Akihiko play through her mind. The boy watches her and smiles: This is her, just as I know her. Strong, gentle, and unstoppable.

Boy (internal monologue): This is her… Her power… a force both radiant and resolute. Gentle as the dawn, yet commanding as the heavens. And I… I am but a strand woven into its tapestry. My life, my fate… rests entirely upon her strength…