Celestaris: Chronicles of Manga, Moon & Kizuna.

Part 2

The morning brought with it a crisp breeze, broken only by the rhythmic sound of something slicing through the air. Haruto woke to the elegant echo of a sword cutting through the wind.

Outside the tent, he found Yuna practicing with her new sword, each strike flowing smoothly like a dance that radiated tranquility. He watched her silently, captivated by the precision and harmony of her movements.

Noticing his presence, she made one final thrust and lowered the sword, offering him a calm smile.

—Good morning, Haruto. I hope I didn't wake you —she said, bowing her head slightly.

—Not at all. —He scratched the back of his neck, trying to mask his amazement—. Actually… it's impressive watching you practice. Your movements are so natural… almost like a dance.

She smiled, pleased by the comment.

—Thank you. The sword flows with me, and this forest seems to amplify that connection. It feels like I can focus better here.

—By the way, did you rest well?

—Yes, better than I expected. —Haruto smiled, still processing what he had seen—. Though after watching you, I think I need to catch up on my own training.

—I didn't know you had sword skills. I thought your strength was in archery —Haruto remarked, still surprised.

Yuna let out a small laugh, light but genuine.

—You copied "Tempest Waltz" and still think I'm just an archer? —she replied with a playful smile—. The truth is, I'm better with a sword, but the bow is just as essential. It gives us the balance we need in battle.

Haruto nodded, for the first time noticing the versatility of her style.

—That makes sense. Having a dual focus seems to give you a unique advantage.

Yuna nodded with a smile and made her sword vanish.

—Exactly. You never know when you'll need to adapt to the unexpected.

Just as Haruto was about to ask more about Yuna's training, a sudden noise shattered the tranquility of the forest. Branches cracked, and the leaves whispered as if the wind had brought something unexpected with it.

Both of them quickly turned, their senses on high alert, as something descended from the treetops, landing softly among the grass.

—What was that? —Haruto asked, narrowing his eyes.

Amid the fallen leaves, a gleaming white figure stood out—a crow with immaculate feathers, strange and striking.

—A… white crow —Yuna murmured, her tone heavy with curiosity and caution as she summoned her bow.

The bird, injured and disoriented, moved with difficulty. Haruto stepped forward, studying it carefully but keeping a safe distance.

—Is it normal to see one of these around here? —he asked, trying to break the silence.

Yuna slowly shook her head, her expression hardening with every word.

—No, this is far from normal… These birds are native to Netheria. And I've never heard of them being white. They are symbols of shadow and their empire.

Yuna's brow furrowed as she assessed the crow, distrust evident in her eyes.

—In Mythara, birds like this shouldn't exist, let alone appear injured. If it's here, it either escaped… or someone sent it. Maybe it's a companion of the assassin.

Haruto knelt down slowly, his eyes carefully scanning the strange crow. In the morning light, a wound on its right wing caught his attention—a burn, resembling a gunshot wound.

With a faint sigh, he made an immediate decision. He tore a strip from his shirt, letting the fibers fray into an improvised bandage.

The crow flinched and pecked at his fingers a few times, but Haruto remained steady.

—Lower your bow, Yuna. It's just a bird —he said calmly as he secured the bandage.

Gradually, the crow relaxed, its movements becoming less erratic. But its gaze, intense and focused, carried something more. It wasn't just a wounded bird; it seemed aware, almost as if it understood.

—How can you be so sure? —Yuna asked, not lowering her bow, her tone wavering between disbelief and concern.

Haruto gave a small smile, easing the tension as he replied.

—First, Kizuna hasn't said anything strange; and you know how she is—if there were something odd, she'd already be making a scene. —Kizuna, floating calmly beside him, puffed up with pride as if confirming his words—. Second, Olivia hasn't given any alerts either… though she's probably asleep —he added with a touch of irony.

Haruto paused before continuing, his tone adopting a warm, nostalgic quality.

—And third… I used to care for crows with my grandmother back in my world. They're misunderstood, and people tend to mistreat them. This one might be different, but it's still a wounded creature.

Yuna watched him closely as he finished tying the bandage on the crow's wing. The bird, as if understanding Haruto's intentions, stopped struggling and, for the first time, seemed calmer.

Haruto stroked the crow's white feathers, explaining gently.

—In my world, albino crows are rare and solitary. I know what it's like to be alone, little one.

A fleeting memory crossed his mind…

The image of an albino little girl he had met in the past. Is she doing alright? The thought weighed on him for a moment, but the crow's slight movement pulled him back to the present.

The bird lifted its head, looking directly at him, and nodded as if it understood his words. Its black eyes held a level of awareness that seemed beyond natural.

Yuna and Kizuna exchanged surprised glances.

—Did it… understand what you said? —Yuna asked, incredulous, while Kizuna stared at it with her mouth open.

—Maybe it's more special than we thought —Haruto murmured, smiling at the crow with genuine curiosity.

He let out a light laugh and added,

—Crows are incredibly smart, you know? —Then, leaning toward the bird with a gentle tone, he asked—: Do you have a name, little one?

The crow nodded and, with a slight movement of its healthy wing, indicated it wanted to get down. Haruto carefully placed it on the ground, where, to everyone's amazement, the bird began scratching letters into the dry earth with its small claws.

When it finished, the word was clear in the dirt: "SIMO."

—So your name is Simo —Haruto said, a smile of amazement and joy spreading across his face.

Meanwhile, Yuna, utterly baffled, grabbed Kizuna in her hands and began shaking her as if seeking confirmation.

—Are you seeing this? Is this real?! —she whispered, not taking her eyes off the crow, while Kizuna, her eyes spiraling, weakly muttered a faint "K.O… Kizu!" clearly dizzy from the motion.

The crow gave Yuna a disapproving look, as if offended by her exaggerated reaction.

Haruto, remaining calm, leaned toward it, intrigued.

—Tell me, are you from around here? —Haruto asked.

The crow crossed its wings into an "X," firmly shaking its head. Its precise communication left Yuna even more astonished, while Kizuna wobbled slightly, trying to regain her balance.

—This is… absolutely bizarre —Yuna murmured, looking at the bird with a mix of disbelief and resignation.

Haruto, unfazed, nodded as he observed the crow.

—I see. Well, would you like to come with us until you recover? —he offered with a smile.

The crow seemed to consider the proposal for a moment before skillfully hopping onto Haruto's right shoulder and nodding, letting out a soft caw of approval.

—Looks like I've made a new friend —Haruto said, satisfied, while Yuna sighed and crossed her arms, watching the scene.

—I can't believe it… It really seems to like you —she commented, still processing the situation.

Haruto gave her a calm smile.

—I guess that seals our alliance, doesn't it? —he joked, giving the crow a gentle tap on the head, to which it responded with a pleased caw.

—Now, let's have breakfast. I'm starving. —With a light laugh, Haruto set about preparing breakfast.

He lit a small fire and heated water for tea while pulling out some sweet biscuits from his magic bag. He carefully arranged everything on a small round table, placing everything with almost ceremonial precision.

Just as he filled his teacup, the crow agilely hopped onto the table and began drinking from the tea as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Haruto let out a hearty laugh and poured another cup, immediately accepting the peculiarities of his new companion.

—This… is going to be interesting —the elf remarked with a slight smile, watching the crow integrate into the group with an almost surreal ease.

—Haruto, where did you get all this? The tray, the tea set, and the cookies? —she asked, equal parts surprised and curious.

Haruto pointed to the magic bag they had found in the labyrinth.

—The labyrinth's bag was full of personal belongings from the elf who lived there. Apparently, besides treasures, they also kept the essentials for survival. I guess they had good taste —he replied with a calm smile, while Simo pecked at the cookies without a shred of shame.

Yuna raised an eyebrow, amused, as she took a sip of tea.

Kizuna, holding a tiny cup with the exaggerated elegance of someone pretending to be a British lady, frowned skeptically.

—And how are these cookies still fresh, Kizu? —she asked, sipping her tea with a theatrical air that made Haruto smile.

Yuna, enjoying her own cup, adopted an almost solemn tone, as if delivering an important lecture.

—It's simple, Kizuna. In the dimensional bag, time doesn't pass, so the items stored inside remain intact, without deteriorating for even a second.

As she explained, she picked up a cookie and glanced sideways at the crow, who continued to enjoy its portion with evident satisfaction.

—Amazing, Kizu! It's like having a magic refrigerator! —Kizuna exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

The breakfast passed with looks of surprise, laughter, and the crunching of cookies—a moment of peace that eased the tensions of the previous day.

Yuna, finishing her tea, looked at the lake with a pensive expression before turning to Haruto.

—Thank you for breakfast. This place is so calm it almost makes me forget we're still in the forest.

—I'm glad it helped us relax a little —Haruto replied with a smile, while Simo let out a soft caw from his shoulder, as if he were already part of the group.

—If we keep walking, we could reach the village by tomorrow —Yuna added, her tone reflecting a renewed sense of purpose.

The tension that had accompanied them until then seemed to slowly fade, making room for a welcome tranquility.

As they gathered their belongings, Haruto paused for a moment, his eyes drifting toward the lake. He took a deep breath before looking at Yuna, a question forming in his mind.

—Yuna, do you think I could swim in the lake for a bit before we move on? —he asked, a little uncertain—. I don't want to break any forest rules or disrespect any customs.

She regarded him with a mix of surprise and understanding as the forest breeze gently played with her hair.

—It's not a problem. The lakes here are open to travelers and guardians of the forest. As long as we leave no trace of our presence, the forest will remain at peace —she replied calmly, her tone reflecting a natural respect for the environment.

Haruto approached the lake, carefully removing his clothes. His jacket, a gift from his grandmother during a visit to the Ainu tribe in Hokkaido, bore embroidered patterns representing a connection to nature.

He recalled the lessons he had learned there about balance and harmony with the surroundings—lessons that now resonated deeply in Mythara.

With a nostalgic smile, he folded the jacket neatly to the side, leaving only a pair of shorts under his jeans. He looked at his clothes for a moment and murmured,

—I definitely need something new.

Finally, he stepped forward, letting the coolness of the water welcome him. Each movement filled him with a calm that seemed to dissipate the weight of recent events.

Slowly, he submerged himself completely, allowing the water to embrace him—cold but invigorating.

He surfaced after a moment and floated on his back, letting the clear sky fill his vision.

The treetops surrounding the lake seemed to guard this space, isolating it from the rest of the world.

With a deep sigh, he allowed his mind to unwind. The coolness of the water and the stillness of the surroundings offered a rare moment of peace and clarity—a brief respite before continuing the adventure that lay ahead.