Beyond the Magical Sky

There was someone seeking love, 
Flying across the clouds, 
Dashing through mountains, 
Running through the dark forest, 

Until she found a maze city, 
Which brought her the love 
That held her for eternity.

---

“Mom?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“What’s a mountain?”

“It’s a huge green thing, so tall and mighty. You have to climb it to reach the top,” her mother said with a twinkle in her eye, her voice gentle but tired.

“I want to climb it one day!” the little girl squealed in excitement, her mother’s smile fading just a little, replaced by a flicker of pain she could barely conceal.

“I love you, my child,” her mother whispered, her voice soft like a lullaby.

“I love you too, Mom!” the girl beamed.

“How much do you love me?” her mother asked.

“To the moon and back!” The child extended her arms wide as if she could stretch to the stars.

Her mother pulled her close, holding her tiny hands. “If you love me that much, listen carefully.” She gently tugged the child to sit next to her. “You need to be strong, no matter what happens. There’s always someone who loves you, someone willing to sacrifice everything for you. One day, you’ll have to leave and face the world outside. For that, you need patience and an open heart.”

The little girl’s face grew serious. “I promise I’ll be strong, so we can leave together.”

Her mother’s eyes filled with sorrow. “Baby... I’m so sorry, but I can’t go with you.”

“But why? I can’t leave you alone!” The child sobbed, her tears falling like rain, and the mother could only watch with tear-filled eyes.

“For love, there must be sacrifice...”

“Then I don’t want love!” she shouted, her heart breaking.

“You can’t, baby. You can’t push love away. Love is... pure.”

“But I can’t lose you! I won’t let that happen!”

“You won’t lose me,” her mother whispered, gently touching the child’s chest and head. “I’ll always be here, in your heart and in your mind.” She removed her necklace and placed it in the girl’s palm. “Remember this: love is the most powerful force in the world. As long as you believe in love, you’ll survive. Seek its purity, and you’ll find peace and happiness.”

The girl clung to her mother, tears streaming as they held each other for what felt like the last time. “I love you so much, baby…” her mother whispered, closing her eyes for the final time.

---

The girl held the necklace tightly. It had been so long since her mother passed, and these four walls had been her home ever since. She stayed, trapped by the guilt of leaving, feeling like she’d betray her mother’s memory if she did. In a way, she still felt her presence here—her love lingering in the air.

She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, her once-brown irises glowed purple.

She sensed the attack before it came, dodging gracefully. The Black Swan technique, perfected through years of training, paid off. Her spear whirled in her hands as she landed on her toes, slicing through the air in a fluid, moon-shaped arc.

But the assault didn’t stop. From above, her opponent dove. She bent backward, holding herself with her spear, and avoided the strike, only to be clipped on the chin as she rebounded forward. Growling in frustration, she countered with a swift knee to his midsection, jumping back three steps.

She sighed, a smirk playing on her lips. The attacker, growing anxious, discarded his weapon and prepared for hand-to-hand combat. She had expected this. Tossing her spear aside, she tore a piece of cloth from her wrist with her teeth, tying her long ponytail into a bun.

They traded blows. She attacked with her right hand, defending with her left. He caught her arm, trying to throw her, but she twisted free, climbing his body and locking her legs around his neck. He quickly escaped, pinning her to the ground using a Jiu-Jitsu technique. She groaned in pain but refused to surrender, striking his abdomen to free herself.

“Let’s stop for now,” he said, pulling off his mask. She smiled, nodding in agreement. He handed her a water bottle and patted her head, his eyes soft. To him, she was still just a child.

Lucas had known her since she was five. The Black Knight had assigned him to train her in combat, though Lucas had hesitated at first. She was so young, and they wanted to turn her into a weapon. But he knew there had to be a reason.

Looking at her, Lucas saw not a warrior, but a child—one who needed more than just fighting skills. He asked the Black Knight if his wife, Lisa, could teach her about life, about the world outside these walls.

Lisa, a principal and member of the Education Ministry, was thrilled. She and Lucas had waited so long for a child of their own. Meeting the girl revived a part of Lisa she had thought was lost. Though the girl was distant at first, Lisa’s warmth eventually broke through.

“No practice tomorrow or for the next week,” Lucas said one day.

“Why?” the girl asked, her face neutral.

“Lisa’s due to give birth any day now. I need to be there.”

The girl, now twelve, raised an eyebrow. “I read that giving birth is dangerous, like a life-or-death situation.”

Lucas chuckled. “You’ve been reading that maternity book again?”

“She left it here. Besides, I’m not a child anymore.”

“Still, you’re not supposed to read it.”

“It’s interesting. I’ll come of age soon enough, you know.”

“I’m not having this conversation with you,” he muttered, shaking his head.

“Master?”

“Yes?”

“What do you hope for, a boy or a girl?”

Lucas smiled. “I already have a boy. This time, I’d like a girl. Someone like you—brave and talented.”

“Oh...” she paused. “Sorry to ruin your dream, but you’re having another boy.”

“Hey, how do you know?”

“He told me,” she teased with a smirk before leaving.

---

She never saw Lucas again after that conversation. Days later, she learned they had been in a car accident, leaving their newborn son and elder child behind. She cried for hours, begging to attend the funeral, but the Black Knight refused.

Once again, she was alone.

---

Something didn’t feel right. There was a strange tension in the air, a silent warning of something terrible. She looked out the window, spotting a red light twinkling in the distance, moving toward Cosmos City.

Suddenly, pain shot through her head, a vision flashing before her eyes—fire, explosions, roars, and chaos. Then, a blinding purple light.

She screamed as the vision ended, a deafening blast shaking the building, shattering everything in its path.

She saw a woman, eyes filled with tears, and heard herself cry out:

“MOM!!!”