"Before the world forgot... before the cheers faded... there were two."
The Battlefield of Glory
The sound of collapsing steel rang like thunder through the canyon. Downed drones, broken tanks, and scattered debris painted the battlefield in twisted metal and flickering sparks. The landscape was torn between victory and ruin—the scent of scorched circuits and dust choking the wind.
Amid the chaos, Aeris Vionne moved like a blade through fog—silent, precise. Her cloak, torn at the edges, rippled behind her as she danced through smoke and flame. Her sword was weightless in her hands, cleaving through metal as if guided by instinct more than strength. Her eyes scanned for threats before they moved. Her body knew the rhythm of war.
And above her—golden light.
A glowing arc of radiant energy streaked through the sky as Rin Astell loosed a shot from her high perch. Her bow transformed seamlessly as she dropped into the fray, morphing into a pair of elegant twin blades. She landed among enemy reinforcements and spun with the grace of a seasoned dancer, cutting through steel and armor with swift precision. Each strike emitted faint trails of starlight, as if her blades hummed with a melody only she could hear.
"Aeris, west quadrant's thinning out!" Rin called out, dodging a volley of missiles and countering with a flare arrow that exploded mid-air.
"I see it," Aeris replied, already moving, already knowing.
They converged at the heart of the battle, silhouettes in motion. When they fought together, the world bent around their unity—an unspoken language of movement and timing. One slash, one shot. One leap, one cover.
The final enemy unit fell.
Silence followed.
Smoke curled around their feet as the sun dipped below the horizon. The warfront had been won.
Post-Battle Debrief
The medical tents glowed faintly beneath the field lights. Soldiers rested, laughed, or cried softly into their sleeves. Supplies were moved. Names were counted.
Inside the back of a mobile command vehicle, Aeris sat quietly, methodically cleaning her blade. Her gloves lay folded beside her. Her uniform was still stained with black smudges.
Across from her, Rin Astell sat cross-legged on the floor, slurping instant noodles from a paper bowl.
"You're always so calm after we fight," Rin said between bites. Her cheeks were smudged with soot. Her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail, streaked with ash and sweat.
"That's because you talk enough for both of us," Aeris murmured.
"I'm just keeping the mood alive. Someone has to remind people we're not war machines."
A lieutenant passed by, paused at the open door, and snapped a salute.
"Incredible work today, Astell. That final arrow? Picture-perfect."
"Thank you!" Rin beamed, holding up her chopsticks like a victory sign. "Couldn't have done it without my sword-wielding shadow."
The officer gave a polite chuckle and left. He hadn't even looked at Aeris.
"You okay with being invisible all the time?" Rin asked gently, finishing her noodles.
"I prefer it," Aeris replied, not looking up.
"Liar."
A long pause.
"Doesn't matter," Aeris finally said.
"It does. Just because people don't cheer for you doesn't mean you don't deserve to be seen."
The silence that followed was heavier than any explosion. But Rin didn't push. She simply leaned back against the wall and hummed softly, tapping her fingers on her empty bowl.
"Anyway," Rin said with a stretch, "if they don't see you, I'll see you twice as hard."
Flashback: The Day We Met
Ironvale Hero Academy. Year 10.
Aeris Vionne sat alone at the far end of the classroom, her back straight, eyes half-lidded. Her uniform was perfect, not a thread out of place. Her name was already a whisper among students: a prodigy with top-tier results and zero social presence.
"They say she scored a perfect kill-count in her solo exam."
"Don't sit near her. She doesn't talk."
"I heard she broke a trainer's arm during mock combat."
Aeris didn't listen. She focused on the light outside the window. It was quiet here. Quiet was safe.
Until the door slid open.
"Yo! Sorry I'm late—I got lost three times on the way here!"
The girl who entered radiated motion. Her hair bounced in a messy ponytail, and her smile was way too big for someone so new.
"Rin Astell," she announced to the teacher, and then to the whole class.
Most students laughed under their breath. Aeris didn't react.
Rin scanned the room, saw the empty seat beside Aeris, and made a beeline.
"Hey. Mind if I sit here?"
Aeris blinked. Looked up.
"...Suit yourself," she said.
The girl plopped down, dropped her bag, and extended a hand.
"Nice to meet you. I like your vibe."
Aeris stared at her. Then at her hand. Then slowly, with the hesitation of someone who had forgotten how to reach out, she shook it.
Rin smiled brighter. "There. Now we're friends."
Aeris didn't reply. But that night, for the first time in years, she didn't eat dinner alone.
The Stars Are Still There
Back in the present, the stars above the camp blinked faintly through the veil of smoke. The battle was over, but the night was long.
Aeris sat outside their shared tent, cleaning her blade with careful hands. Inside, Rin snored softly, curled up in her bedroll, one hand still twitching from phantom combat.
"...Back then," Aeris murmured to herself, "You were the first one to see me."
She looked up. The stars hadn't changed. But something in her chest stirred. Something that didn't have a name yet.
Tomorrow, the world would shift.
But tonight, they were still two heroes standing together.
End of Chapter 1