CESAGA

3 years had passed since the Celestial Twins departed from Aurea.

In a tranquil mountainous region, the landscape sprawled across low, scattered hills adorned with trees bearing a medley of orange, white, and red leaves.

The soft rustling of leaves intertwined with the distant melody of chirping birds. The air was filled with the sweet, subtle scent of blooming flowers, casting a serene spell over the surroundings.

A slow-moving river meandered below, its clear waters reflecting the sun's golden light, while tiny fish darted beneath the surface, sending delicate ripples across the water.

At the top of one of the hills, a flat, grassy clearing stretched out like an untouched haven, distant from the world's chaos.

But the peace was short-lived.

The air suddenly hummed with an otherworldly vibration. Startled birds scattered from their perches in a flurry of feathers, their cheerful chirping silenced.

In the midst of this abrupt disturbance, the ground beneath the trees stirred, and a small vortex began to swirl on the grassy hilltop, shattering the calm in an instant.

Two shimmering portals materialized, hovering just inches above the ground, their ethereal light casting fleeting shadows across the landscape.

From the first, a leg emerged, followed by a figure cloaked in long, brown wool. Only a glimpse of hair and piercing blue eyes was visible beneath the scarf.

The second figure, similarly veiled in flowing fabric, soon followed.

As the woman from the second portal stepped out, her foot unexpectedly landed on a tortoise that had taken refuge beneath the swirling energy.

Great, just my luck! The tortoise thought, feeling the sudden weight on its shell.

The smooth surface caused her to slip, tumbling to the ground with an unceremonious thud.

"Hey! What made me fall? I just wanted to make an entrance!" The woman exclaimed, as she pushed herself up from the ground.

Partially hidden beneath the cloth, her frustration was unmistakable. She pulled the fabric aside, her gaze narrowing as she scanned her surroundings. Her eyes finally fell on the culprit—the tortoise, now awkwardly trying to retreat to the riverbank.

"Of all the things to ruin my entrance, a tortoise? Really?!" Her voice filled with disbelief.

Just when I thought I was safe! The tortoise thought, remaining still, its shell gleaming innocently in the sunlight. Maybe if I just pretend to be a rock.

"How dare you disturb my superior Kshatriya grand entrance!" She planted her foot atop the creature's shell, her voice tinged with mock authority.

"Suria... come on, leave the poor thing alone," came a calm, steady voice behind her.

Purnama approached his sister, amusement dancing in his eyes.

He knelt beside the tortoise, gently removing Suria's foot and lifting the poor animal to move it to the soft grass near the riverbank.

The creature blinked slowly, oblivious to the drama it had caused, as Purnama set it down in a safer spot.

"The tortoise may have a strong shell, but that doesn't mean you can bully it," Purnama said with a light chuckle, his tone soft yet firm.

"Not to mention it's slow, weak, and vegan...wait, maybe my next joke will involve tortoises."

The tortoise sighed in annoyance.

Vegan? Really? What's wrong with a little grass?

"Hmph!" Suria huffed, crossing her arms in defiance, though her earlier anger softened into a playful pout.

Purnama walked back to Suria, flipping his cloak and untying a small sack from his waist. He pulled out a handful of seeds.

"Suria, we only have six Dykin seeds left. We can't use them recklessly," he said, counting the seeds in his palm.

"W-What? Why does that perverted wolf give us so few? Does she think we have robotic feet like the Atman from the planet Narmeia?"

"Actually, we've used a lot throughout our mission these past years," Purnama replied, suppressing a grin at her theatrics. "I need to save a little to track Rona for you."

Suria's eyes narrowed, her thoughts flickering to Rona.

"It's been years, Purnama! Not a sight of Rona, and I'm starting to lose hope. Let me take half the seeds!"

With determination, she lunged toward Purnama's hand, eager to snatch the seeds. But just as her fingers reached out, Purnama instinctively closed his palm tightly.

One seed slipped free, rolling across the ground and stopping near the riverbank. Purnama breathed a sigh of relief, glad that the seed hadn't fallen into the flowing river.

The tortoise, sensing the seed nearby, waddling over at a leisurely pace.

Oh, a snack! Eyeing the seed like a gourmet treat.

Without hesitation, the tortoise gobbled up the Dykin seed, and in an instant, a portal swirled into existence, sucking the poor creature inside.

Purnama and Suria stared in stunned silence as the tortoise vanished.

"Hey, Purnama! Why did you suddenly cover your palm like that?!" Suria exclaimed, her voice a mix of indignation and disbelief.

"…I thought I'd keep it for myself. You're a bit careless, Suria. Remember when your kris was stolen while you were distracted buying food?" Purnama pointed out, glancing at her waist, where the absence of her weapon was still noticeable.

"Hey! That was only because the vendor was offering a two-for-one deal! I couldn't resist!" Suria shot back, hands on her hips, her indignation barely masking her amusement.

"Tortoise! Get out now, wherever you are! With so little shakti, you can't go far!"

Wait, I just wanted a snack! I didn't sign up for this!

The tortoise, now swirling through a chaotic portal, mentally panicked.

It felt a mix of bewilderment and mild indignation, as if it were being punished for simply enjoying a meal.

Why does every meal come with a side of adventure? It's like the time I accidentally munched on those magic mushrooms! One moment I was nibbling away, and the next, I was talking to the flowers about their life choices.

The tortoise shook its head in disbelief.

The Celestial Twins turned their heads, scanning the area, waiting for the Dykin portal to reappear. Moments later, a swirling vortex materialized above Suria, and to her disbelief, the same tortoise—now larger—plummeted from the portal.

It landed squarely on her head with a dull thud before rolling off and splashing into the river. With an air of nonchalance, the tortoise swam away as if it had not a care in the world.

Suria winced from the impact, her pride stinging more than her head. She rubbed her scalp, glaring at the tortoise as it floated lazily downstream.

To her horror, it turned, its slow, smug expression unmistakable, as if mocking her for its carefree escape.

"Damn you, tortoise!!" Suria roared, shaking her fist, her voice echoing through the valley.

Purnama stifled a laugh, but it slipped out despite his effort to contain it.

"Let it go, Suria! Look at it—you can't blame the poor creature. It's probably confused after all that time in the Dykin portal.

It's not used to being hurled through time and space like we are." He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, his amusement softening into something more comforting.

"No need to lose your cool, Suria. We'll ask Ria for more seeds when we see her."

Suria scowled, but the heat of her frustration began to cool under Purnama's calming influence.

"That tortoise has some nerve. Next time I see it, I'm turning it into soup," she grumbled, though a flicker of reluctant humor crept into her tone. She rubbed her head again, still fuming but with less intensity.

Purnama crouched beside the riverbank, pulling the mission map from his bag. The blank parchment shimmered as he unfolded it, revealing ancient script and a glowing map of their next destination.

"This is where we're headed—Renok."

Suria leaned in, narrowing her eyes at the map.

"Renok, huh? Fine. But if we see another tortoise on the way, I'm going to need more than seeds to keep me sane."

She adjusted her cloak and scarf, as though shielding herself from more misadventures.

Purnama grinned, tucking the map back into his bag.

"We've faced worse than a cheeky tortoise, Suria. Trust me, this will be a walk in the park compared to what's coming." His voice was warm, teasing, yet protective.

With a final glance at the river, where the tortoise had long disappeared, Suria gave a small huff and squared her shoulders.

"Alright. Let's go. Before I lose my patience again."

The path ahead promised more challenges, more chaos, and maybe—just maybe—a bit of luck.

As the wind rustled through the trees, the twins ventured toward Renok.