Garden of Spirits & other beings

"Heyo readers," Saturn’s voice resonated through the cabin, addressing her audience. "So in the previous chapter, Histoike and Wumi came to the conclusion that this man called Aren is definitely alive. Then during the cut between the previous chapter and this point, they sat down and decided to actually confirm this man's death. So right now, I am behind the wheel of my beauty ship, and we're close to the border of the spooky nation of Polanoire. It's on this border that the Garden of Spirits awaits."

"Ship into auto drive in 15 seconds!" shouted out one of the crew members across the room, giving the notice to ready up. A planet sitting just on the border of Polanoire where the galaxy's stars die and eternal darkness falls forever.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1, aaand activated," announced one of the crew members, initiating the auto-drive. The ship jolted as it accelerated,shooting Saturn over the wheel and flying like a rocket to the front window sticking to it like a fly to paper. Passengers gripped their chairs, placing all their trust in the machinery.

The planet they approached was unlike any other, a realm separated from others and no nation claiming its surface, a place whispered of in hushed tones.

As the ship descended, it became evident that the Garden of Spirits was not accustomed to the arrival of outsiders. Its docking system remained outdated by three centuries, forcing the Jellyfish into a rough, unsteady descent. This forced the ship to land purely by guessing the docking site, thrusting back and forth and stalling non stop. Saturn was tossed around the cabin, an unintended amusement park ride for one.

"Look!" exclaimed one of the pilots, pointing to the window. The crew and passengers swiveled in their seats to see another ship gracefully dock on the opposite end of the planet. It was a stark contrast to their own turbulent descent.

Just as hope began to fill the cabin, a final thump rocked the ship, leaving everyone in apprehension. Saturn had been thrown from sight, her panicked cries fading in the distance. However, the ship soon settled into a smoother landing, leaving a collective sigh of relief. "We've landed!" Plutonia cheered with uncontainable excitement. The ship's passengers, now relieved from the turbulence of the landing, erupted into jubilant cheers. Caps flew into the air as a mini celebration took place.

"Where's Saturn" asked Lumi. Plutonia responded with a puzzled look, turning to her side expecting Saturn to be standing there. To her surprise she was nowhere to be seen. Her curiosity started to peak and began hurriedly searching all around before turning to Lumi and giving her puppy eyes.

"Pluuu." A muffled sound emanated from a nearby pipe. Both Lumi and Plutonia followed the source, tracing the pipe's winding path until they reached the restroom. Another, louder moan resonated from within.

Plutonia braced herself, gripping the side of her skirt as she slowly pushed the restroom door open. It creaked, gradually revealing the interior. "Saturn?" Plutonia called out, her voice laced with concern.

"Saturn!" she exclaimed when she spotted her sister. Saturn was in an unexpectedly awkward predicament, headfirst into the toilet, her breathing causing bubbles in the water.

"If you needed a drink so bad, you could have asked," Plutonia teased with a playful grin. "I always have some water left in my bag, you know."

Saturn, her head still submerged, used her leg to push herself off the restroom wall, gradually righting herself. She finally emerged from the toilet, sputtering and slightly embarrassed. "Since we're all ready, I guess we should go and find the Lord of the Undead to confirm if Aren is actually dead," Lumi suggested.

"Wumi, is this undead lord guy really just going to give you information because you asked?" Saturn questioned, a hint of skepticism in her tone.

"That's the first time I've heard you speak with some kind of thought, Saturn. Also, it's not Wumi, dammit. But apart from that, don't worry. I have something to offer in case he asks," Lumi replied, reassuring Saturn. They proceeded to the ship's ramp and lowered it to set foot on the planet's surface.

The world they found themselves on was utterly desolate. Vast plains stretched out, meticulously maintained with neatly trimmed grass as far as they could see. Although that vision wasn’t far because of the darkness all around.

"So, where to now?" Saturn inquired.

"Starlessimia told me that from this dock, we head in a perfectly straight line for exactly twenty steps. Then, we turn nineteen degrees to the right and take another twenty steps, at which point we'll enter the purgatory," Lumi explained.

"Who's this Starllismimi person?" Saturn asked.

"Starlessimia. She's the motherboard of my nation," Lumi clarified.

With their questions answered, they lined up behind Lumi, who took the lead. Each step was counted aloud. As they reached the turn, they grabbed each other's shoulders and twisted their hips in unison, like a choreographed dance. Just before the final step, Lumi and Saturn took a deep breath and held it. A surge of energy lifted them a couple of inches off the ground. However, Plutonia, unaware of the breath technique, fell straight onto the ground amidst a cluster of flowers.

The two exhaled and looked around. Before them lay an eerie garden, filled with fountains and hedges, seemingly arranged without a clear path to follow.

"Oh, we forgot to tell my sister about the breath thing," Saturn realized.

"Wasn't you supposed to tell her?" Lumi responded.

"Really? I thought you said we not me."

Concerned, Lumi tried to communicate with Plutonia, but she didn't respond.

"I guess we'll get her on the way back. For now lets just get going." Lumi decided. They followed the meandering stone path ahead, struggling to discern where it led and not allowing themselves to come to the conclusion that now they were completely lost. They wandered aimlessly for what felt like hours, lost in the labyrinthine garden. Then, as if emerging from a dream, they spotted a girl dressed in white. Two angelic wings protruded from her hips as she knelt, tenderly watering two blue flowers. Saturn, taking a step forward, accidentally snapped a small twig, the sound interrupting the peace.

"This story is way too cliche. How is there a twig when there isn't a single tree in sight?" Saturn exclaimed in disbelief.

The girl, her attention drawn by the noise, stood up, her expression a mix of surprise and indecision. She slowly bowed, then clutched her skirt awkwardly, unsure of what to do next.

"Hello," Lumi greeted, breaking the uneasy silence.

"Hello," the girl replied softly, her halo above her head catching everyone's attention.

"Are you an Angel?" Saturn asked bluntly. The girl blushed slightly and glanced from side to side, uncertain.

"Are you part of the Lumière race?" Lumi inquired. This time, the girl nodded.

"Whoa, since when did you know about such insignificant things?" Saturn commented, causing the girl to look down and grip her skirt even tighter.

Lumi didn't hesitate to respond, immediately balling her fist and giving Saturn a hard smack on the head. The girl, regaining her composure, picked up her watering can and spoke with her calm, soft voice.

"My name is Liorit. I'm the twentieth being of the Lumière."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Liorit. I came to see the Lord of the Undead," Lumi greeted.

"You too?" Liorit replied, prompting both Lumi and Saturn to realize that the other ship from earlier must also be here for the same reason. They eagerly pressed for more details, hoping to uncover the identity of the other visitors. However, Liorit simply shrugged, leaving the two of them frustrated.

"If you're here to see the Lord, I can guide you," Liorit offered. Yet, Lumi and Saturn declined her offer, instead asking her to look after Plutonia, explaining that she wasn't familiar with the breath technique and wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.

She quickly understood and instead had them accept a map of the area she herself used a long time ago.Lumi and Saturn accepted the map from Liorit, grateful for her help. With the map in hand, they set off, making steady progress toward their destination. They walked past the same fountains and bushes, eventually arriving at a circular area with a motte around the rim. In the center stood a massive tree surrounded by more fountains.

"Hey, Wumi—"

"It's Lumi."

"Right, sorry, Wumi. Anyway, what's this Lord zombie dude like? I bet he has a deep voice and looks like a hentai protagonist in one of those fantasy mix-ups," Saturn quipped.

"The Lord of the Undead was described as a warrior in his previous life then the King of the dead in his current. The man is older than even the Motherboards." answered Lumi.

The two walked towards the huge tree and ended up standing right in front. With them both uncertain of what to do next they simply stood and waited patiently hoping for something to occur on its own. As they stood before the massive tree, uncertain of what to do next, their patience was rewarded. Another angel-like girl, different from the previous one in appearance, floated in from the entrance behind them. She appeared exhausted, her appearance more vibrant and detailed. Her wings were bright and feathery, her halo gleamed, and her long hair displayed a stunning gradient from turquoise to sea green, then yellow and pink at the tips. She moved toward them without noticing their presence until Saturn sneezed, giving away their position.

The mysterious angelic girl lifted her head and flew over to Saturn's face in the blink of an eye, getting incredibly close and staring into her eyes, almost touching noses. Her gaze was intense, with gem-like green eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. After a moment, she switched her attention to Lumi, also getting up close and personal without uttering a single word.

"Are you the children of that hairy guy?" she finally inquired.

"Children? Hairy guy?" Lumi replied, utterly confused.

"Well, you don't look like adults nor like someone with power," the girl continued, glancing at Lumi's flat chest with a suggestive tone. Lumi, catching on to the insinuation, became furious.

"H-H-Hey, you, something-damn Lumière being. My chest is perfectly normal, and a lot of people like it when it's flat, you know. Not everyone is into giant tits!" Lumi stuttered more and more forcing Saturn to intervene and use all her power to try shutting her up with her own hand.

"Hey Lumi calm down before this becomes a M rated story and not a T." Saturn urged desperately. Eventually managing to get her under control but not for long as the girl ended up provoking Lumi once more.

"Your smaller friend here has more plot it seems-"

"Shut up dammit what is it with you and tits huh? didn't they tell you the bigger ya tits the smaller the brains."

"So is that what they told you to not make you worry about your situation?" The girl answered right back without a second of hesitation. At this point Lumi's anger has boiled over to the point where Saturn had no choice but to use force and gently knocked out Lumi for the time being. She dragged her and laid her to rest under the tree where she slept like a child. Saturn then returned to the girl and decided to be serious and continue the quest on her own.

"So what are your measurements?" Asked Saturn.

"The three sizes are from above, 88, 55, 85."

"Nice." replied Saturn. A second later Lumi woke up and walked over to the two of them apologising for her aggressiveness. The girl casually accepted the apology and the three finally began a formal conversation about what they were actually all there for.

"Just so you know, we are both Processors. I'm from the nation of Lklandkeeling, and she's from the nation of Plansanturia. Our names are Lumi and Saturn," introduced Lumi.

The girl, Lazuli, bowed in respect and introduced herself next.

"I'm Lazuli, the sixth being of the Jünger, so your statement earlier about me being a Lumière was kind of the reason I continued insulting you."

"I'm sorry about that," Lumi apologized once more.

"Anyhow, now that Wumi got all the formalities out of the way, we are here to meet the Lord Zombie guy," said Saturn. Lazuli looked at her as if she were an idiot, wondering what she meant by "Lord Zombie." Lumi corrected her, giving the real name, "Lord of the Undead," and Lazuli immediately caught on.

"Did all of you Processors have some miscommunication or something and are now all going to pour in one by one? I just sent away two of you a few minutes ago."

"What do you mean by that?" spoke Lumi, almost cutting in.

"Some Rudolf from the nation next door came in with some blonde girl and a spirit in a hood. With him was another Processor, also a man, but he didn't tell me where he was from or who he was. I could simply tell since he was in his DED form."

Saturn and Lumi exchanged glances, recognizing that they had come a step closer to figuring out the hooded man's association.

"Did the hooded spirit have a sign like a tombstone on him?" added Lumi.

Lazuli nodded in response and questioned whether or not they knew each other. They both confirmed they did.

"And also," Lazuli cut in, "the Lord of the Undead is in his rest period right now for another five years or so."

"Bwaaah!" Saturn choked on her own spit, coughing severely.

"Is there no way to wake him up?" asked Lumi.

"I've tried many times. Do you really think I want to be locked up in this purgatory forever? I know it's a place to protect the remnants of the so-called elder beings like them Lumière and us Jünger, but I still haven't lost my passion and desire to be the world's greatest Scholar and discover all that this Universe has to offer."

"Quite the goal," replied Lumi. Saturn, still choking on her spit, was beginning to irritate Lumi with her constant coughing.

"Oi, you brat, stop dying for a moment, dammit." Lumi took a step back and football kicked her over the motte, where she landed on the grass and raised her hand in the air with a thumbs-up, notifying everyone she's okay.

"You seem to be great friends, quite uncommon among Processors."

"Don't get me wrong, we are only working together to sort out a few mysteries."

"How long have you been like this?"

"About a hundred years."

"So, only together to sort out a mystery, huh?" replied Lazuli with a soft laugh. With what they had learned, they knew that the only way to advance onward and sort out their mysteries was by going to Polanoire themselves. Knowing that Rudolf Heartblaze comes to the Garden of Spirits and that the cloaked man is indeed a spirit, which could mean he is Aren brought back to life, made coming to Polanoire the only choice left to find out anything more.