The night after Noa's duel with Akari, the camp brimmed with celebration. Fires crackled, music played on strange silver instruments, and warriors sang songs of old battles and future victories. But amid the celebration, Yuto and Noa sat quietly together under the open sky, gazing up at the unfamiliar constellations.
In this world, the stars seemed closer, brighter, almost alive.
Noa leaned her head against Yuto's shoulder.
"Do you think... we'll ever see our old world again?" she asked softly.
Yuto wrapped his arm around her. "Maybe. But even if we don't... as long as I'm with you, any world is home."
Noa smiled faintly. "Me too."
But their moment of peace was short-lived.
Seraphine approached, her face grim.
"You two need to leave at first light," she said. "The Rift will keep growing. You must travel to the City of Stars — only there can you find the magic strong enough to seal it."
"The City of Stars?" Noa repeated.
Seraphine nodded. "A legendary city floating among the clouds. Few have seen it... but if anyone can reach it, it's you."
Yuto squeezed Noa's hand. "Then we'll go."
The Road of Trials
At dawn, they set out — Yuto, Noa, and a small group of warriors led by Seraphine herself. Their path led them across broken plains, deep forests where the trees whispered secrets, and rivers so wide they seemed like oceans.
But the land was dangerous.
On the second day, they were ambushed by a pack of Riftspawn — beasts with bodies of smoke and claws sharper than steel.
Yuto reacted first, summoning a wall of water to block the first charge. Noa spun, unleashing fire and wind in a roaring vortex that incinerated two of the creatures.
But more kept coming.
"Keep moving!" Seraphine shouted, slashing through a creature with her glowing spear.
They fought as they ran, pushing forward until they collapsed, exhausted, by a crystal-clear lake at the forest's edge.
Their wounds were minor, but their spirits were weary.
Noa lay beside Yuto, staring up at the stars again.
"We can't keep fighting like this forever," she whispered.
Yuto brushed her hair from her face. "Then we'll get stronger."
They had no choice.
The Dream
That night, Yuto had a strange dream.
He stood alone in a vast, empty desert. The sky above him was crimson, and in the distance, he saw a figure — cloaked in shadow, but somehow familiar.
"You cannot escape destiny," the figure said. "You must become more."
Yuto reached out, but the figure vanished, and he woke with a start.
Beside him, Noa slept peacefully, her hand clutching his.
He vowed silently: I will protect her, no matter what.
The Bridge of Light
After a week of travel, they reached the edge of the world.
Or so it seemed.
Before them stretched a vast chasm, too wide to see the other side. At the center of the void floated a bridge made of pure light, shimmering and shifting.
"This is the only way," Seraphine said. "But beware. The bridge tests your heart."
One by one, the warriors stepped onto the bridge and disappeared into the light.
When it was Yuto and Noa's turn, they hesitated.
Hand in hand, they stepped forward.
Instantly, the world around them changed.
They were no longer on the bridge — they were back in their old world, in their old school, sitting in the courtyard where they first confessed their love.
Everything was perfect.
It felt so real.
Noa gasped. "Yuto... look."
Students walked by, laughing. Teachers waved. The cherry trees bloomed endlessly.
"Stay," a voice whispered. "You can have this life again. Stay."
For a moment, Yuto was tempted. He saw their future — graduation, college, marriage, a life without danger.
But then he looked at Noa.
Tears filled her eyes, but she shook her head.
"This... isn't real," she said.
Yuto nodded. Together, they turned away.
The vision shattered.
They were back on the bridge, stronger than before.
Arrival at the City
When they reached the other side, a breathtaking sight greeted them.
The City of Stars.
Massive towers floated among clouds, connected by glowing walkways. Airships drifted lazily between the spires, and people wearing robes of shimmering fabric moved through the streets.
Magic filled the air — thick, tangible.
A man with a beard as white as snow approached them.
"Welcome, travelers," he said. "You have passed the Trial of the Heart. Few do."
He introduced himself as High Sage Orion, the guardian of the City.
"You seek the Crystal of Eternity," Orion said. "It alone can seal the Rift. But it is not easily won."
"Whatever it takes," Yuto said.
Orion smiled. "Then your real journey begins now."