Author's note:
Leon97, thank you for the review. I do plan on giving info on Stella in this chapter, and no, she was not in the game. Don't worry though, I don't intend for it to be a Mary-Sue or anything.
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Shadows of Arcadia
Chapter 2
Location: Esperanza
Stella woke up suddenly, screaming and in a cold sweat. Hands trembling, she ordered herself under control, so she could calm down and think. She hated that dream, hated how it could break her so easily, not because it was so frightining, but because it had actually happened...
"Ma'm?" The innkeeper poked his head in her room. "Ma'm, are you alright?"
Stella looked down at her hands and said sarcastically, "Yeah, I'm just fine."
"Well, um, I'll check you out at the front desk, then."
"Whatever."
Once the innkeeper left, Stella got out of bed and changed out of her nightgown into her outfit. Afterwards, she took a quick glance at the mirror.
A stranger looked back at her; she had changed from that young girl with looks, hopes, dreams. She slipped on her headband, brushing her long, red hair aside to reveal smooth, silver metal on the left side of her face, and normal skin on the right. It was the opposite for the rest of her body, her entire right side made of the same silver metal. Carefully styling her bangs so that they covered the metal, she made a small braid with her bangs on the other side and pulled the rest of her hair into a ponytail.
Stella looked down at the dress she was wearing, a violet outfit that held on by a strap on her left shoulder. The dress also had long slits at the side, perfect for running and easy access to her throwing knives, which she strapped onto her leg. She refused to cover up her robotic limbs, as penance and a reminder of what she had to do.
She walked out of her room to the front desk, the same thought running through her head; I will avenge them. I will get revenge against the black moon...
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Stella had no idea how she had survived that attack 4 years ago. After she passed out, she woke up to find herself in the desert close to Nasrad...like this... broken. Changed. There were also strange memories playing through her head; bright silver lights, strange figures and a single voice repeating: It was the black moon. They did this to her...
Stella had left Esperanza a few hours ago, and was now flying over the desert towards Sailor's Island. She dropped by the Sailor's guild there every so often, looking for information on the dark rift, and her ship was running low on supplies.
The Wanderer was a small, one-person ship, perfect for Stella. She never wanted to get close to anyone after that attack, It would be too painful. There was too much risk that they'd leave her again...
She was so lost in thought that she flew straight into an airship battle without noticing.
Hearing cannon fire on both sides, Stella quickly flew towards safer airspace, noting that the battle was between a Nasr battleship and an old-model Valuan cruiser. Crud... Stella thought. Renegade Valuans... Even though King Enrique had done a good job reforming the yellow continent, there had been some soilders who couldn't seem to go a hour without fighting. They were fierce, even in outdated battleships, and they never left witnesses.
"I'm probably going to regret this." The girl mumbled, turning back towards the battle. She wouldn't be able to steer and fire cannons at the same time, but she could still back the Nasr ship up with purple magic.
That was another thing that had changed about Stella. As a young girl, she had been well rounded in all colors of magic, but now, she found that purple magic came easiest to her. Quickly positioning herself behind the Valuans, she cast a quick Crystales spell on their engines.
The ship stalled, giving the Nasrans time to strike. A powerful cannon ball fired, ploughing through the enemy like a red moonstone through butter. As it fell, the Valuan ship turned slightly towards the Wanderer, enough to fire a cannon at Stella before she could react, and her ship fell right alongside the cruiser...
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Sabie: More cliffhangers YAY!!!
Aika: ...That's it. I'm getting you professional help.
End of chapter 2. Stay tuned for chapter 3: A unwanted ally