A Quest for the Stars

Lenoria carefully waded through the corpses of the students who perished in the fires of the explosion, going out of her way to not step on any of them. The orange-hued hallways, the intense heat, and the smoke had created a literal hellscape in the school and all she could think about was Clara.

The girl spotted a corpse with a vial in his hand. She snatched it, stared at it for a moment, then uncorked the vial and imbibed the red liquid it contained. She took a moment to confiscate the mask the corpse was wearing and inspected it before putting it on. She mouthed an apology before standing back up.

“Is it wise to stop?“ Pearl, being a spirit, was naturally unaffected by the effects of a school fire.

“I’m not stupid. I only stopped because I had to see if that was a potion of [Resist Energy]. I don’t feel the heat anymore, at least for now.” Lenoria tossed the vial away. “Clara is my best friend! I’m not leaving her to die. But I can’t save her if I pass out from a heatstroke.”

Potions are brewed using the lowest caster level of the spell in question. Resist Energy, being a 2nd level spell, means it was crafted by a caster who knew 2nd level spells, usually a caster class of 3rd level or higher. Since it was at a lower caster level than 7th, the resistance to fire was 10.

“And the mask?”

“It’s a gas mask. It’s infused with an oxygen tank that will let me breathe for now.”

“I see.” Pearl shrugged. “You’re the brains of this little operation. However, you must learn to accept the harsh truths of the world.” She closed her eyes. “Your friend may be-”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence!” Lenoria didn’t turn to face the spirit. “She has to survive this. Between the two of us, Clara was always the one who was physically and emotionally stronger. She can’t die like this, not when things are finally looking up for us!”

The stone hanging from Lenoria’s neck emitted a green light. Spawning from Pearl’s shoulders were Poe and another raven, and the two immediately circled around the women.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her! It’s time I returned the favor!”

“And it appears Poe has heard your wish.” Pearl nodded at her raven companion, who then flew overhead and led the way down a hallway. “He’s granting you fortune. He’ll find your friend, whether she’s dead or alive.”

“We’ll find her alive! I promise!” Lenoria ran after Poe and the second raven. Driven by the memories of Clara’s kindness towards her, the girl pushed out all negativity from her mind and focused on the task at hand. The potion had a timer on it, and the oxygen tank was less than half. It was only a matter of time before smoke would fill her lungs and mask her face. She had to be quick, or else she’ll die a more permanent death.

***

Clara’s coughs had diminished after she made contact with the vermilion stone. It was hot to the touch, but the elf withstood the pain from the burns. The light it emitted was similar to the raven from the day before.

The spirit of a tiny bird appeared. Its plumage was mostly red, except for the tips of the wings as well as the belly, which were all white. Despite the danger around it, the bird seemed cheerful and sang a joyful song.

“A bird of paradise?”

“Not just any bird of paradise, young lady!” The bird’s voice was elderly and grating. “You can call me a guardian spirit. Looks like you’re in a bit of a pickle, but it’s your lucky day!” He paused for a moment. “Well, maybe not so lucky. If Omar had just listened to me, you wouldn’t be in this mess to begin with.”

“You knew Omar?”

“Yeah! He was a good boy for the most part, but he had vengeance in the heart. It tainted him so much he refused to see reason. I tried to stop him, but he used my power for a bad thing, as you can see!”

Clara couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The fire that was consuming the Guild came from such a tiny bird?

“Now that the pact is severed between him and me, I’m a free agent. I can survive this fire, but if I’m buried in the rubble, it could be ages before I find a new master. How about it?” The bird spread his wings excitedly. “If you become my new master, I can lend you my power to help you out of there. Whaddya say?”

The elf refused. “No. This is all too convenient. And you said something concerning just now; you said the Guild is burning because of you?”

“Because of the power I lent to Omar, young lady,” the bird corrected. “All I did was release his potential. And I can do the same for you!”

Potential?

“Mine is the power of evolution! I can help you achieve great power in short bursts, or my name ain’t Apus!” He took a moment to scan Clara. “A summoner! It’s my lucky day! If you accept me, I can even grant you the form of your eidolon for a short time! You’ll be good as new!”

Apus

Child of Apus.

Do you still believe this thing isn’t the culprit?! It clearly means to kill us!

I’m her boyfriend!

Regardless of reason, risking your health for the sake of a child is very admirable. Never feel bad about that.

Strange things had happened in just twenty-four hours, and Clara felt out of the loop. Lenoria definitely knew something; had the raven not called her “Child of Apus” before flying back to the park, Clara would not have suspected her best friend at all. She blamed herself for not inquiring sooner, justifying Lenoria’s injuries as a reason to give her space.

“Clara!”

The elf heard a familiar voice coming from behind her, on the other side of the wall of rubble and debris from the upper floor. “Lenoria! Is that you?”

***

On the other side, the ravens perched on a foothold of the wall while Lenoria frantically tossed debris from the wall.

“It’s me! Are you okay?”

“I’m trapped on this side,” Clara’s muffled voice replied, “but forget about me! Save yourself!”

“I’m not leaving you behind.” Lenoria’s voice and lips quivered but she resisted the urge to cry again. “We promised each other, remember? ‘Best friends forever!’ We promised we wouldn’t make each other sad! That’s why I'm going to get you out of there!” The girl removed her mask when she heard short beeps coming from it. The oxygen tank had run out completely, which meant the mask could no longer help her avoid breathing in the smoke. “Damn, not here!”

“Lenoria, please-!”

“No!” A feeble punch from Lenoria slammed the pile of rubble. “You saved me from those bullies! Do you have any idea how close I was from just jumping out the rooftop that day you saved me from Anne? You not only saved me from more beatings; you saved my life! I’m going to return the favor if it’s the last thing I do!”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Pearl chastised. “She’s beyond saving! If you stay here any longer, you’ll die with her!”

“Shut up!” Lenoria furiously kicked the wall, but it did not budge. “I should have died yesterday, but I didn’t! I promised Clara I’d be here to support her during her confession, but I should have talked her out of it instead! We’ve grown attached to the Guild, for the fat lot of good it did! Now look at us!” Lenoria continued pounding the wall. She stopped to cough, but she pushed her words through. “When you think about it, I dragged her here! It’s my fault she’s trapped!”

“Lenoria, please don’t blame yourself,” Clara urged.

“No! I have to take you back to your mom and pop! I got Starflower arrested, so I can at least end this life on a good note!” The effects of the smoke blurred Lenoria’s vision. She looked behind her and noticed the smoke had grown dense. She was feeling weak and light-headed, and stopped pounding the wall to conserve her energy. “I just…”

But it proved futile. She got on one knee, then got on all fours and started crawling away from the wall.

“I just…need to…find a gunpowder…barrel…” Lenoria’s arms could not hold her way any longer and she plopped on the hard ground of the school hallway.

All Pearl could do was facepalm in disbelief. “Not again.”

***

“Lenoria? Lenoria!” Clara’s cries of despair did not elicit a response. “No! Not like this!”

“Clara.” Apus reached out to Clara sympathetically with one of his wings. “You can still save your friend.”

“I can’t just accept you!”

“Then don’t,” Apus squawked. “You only need to accept it temporarily. I can’t force a long-term decision from a moment of desperation! I can’t stand by and not help when people are suffering, and neither should you!”

Clara didn't sense any malice from the bird. “Y-you mean it?”

“Yes! If you want to keep me around, we’ll make a proper contract! But it’s fine if you don’t; I just want to help you fix the mess I made!”

Clara had to act fast. She was out of time and now that Lenoria passed out from breathing too much smoke and possibly heatstroke, she only had seconds before Lenoria died (once again).

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I have to save Lenoria!” A blinding light illuminated Clara’s fist after she snatched the stone. “Alright, Apus. Do what you promised! Save me and my friend!”

“You got it!” Before Clara could ask more questions, she felt her body move on its own. Her legs hardened with a green alloy, followed by her arms and torso. A green helmet materialized itself on her head out of nowhere, and her forearms and fists grew twice their size which allowed her to stand and break out of the rubble. Her legs - once twisted and bloody - had been restored and reinforced with metal.

Her appearance had assumed Tsukuyomi’s frame, except Clara was now over a dozen feet in height. She hunched herself to avoid breaking the ceiling any more than it already was. She examined her metal hands with awe. “I’m…Tsukuyomi? What is this?”

“It’s your power!” The red stone Clara held suddenly transformed into a tiny red bird. “Our power. I just granted you the power to unlock your potential! The power of evolution!”

“This is Tsukuyomi’s potential? I’m bursting with power! Is that normal?” Clara nearly made a celebratory hop but she quickly remembered her current state. “We have to get out of here! Hang on, Lenoria!”

Thanks to her new body, Clara could now dig through the rubble with ease. It took a few crucial moments, but she quickly made it to the other side. “Lenoria!” Clara quickly picked up Lenoria’s body. She wasted no time; her priority now was to get out of the building as soon as possible. The smoke, however, made it impossible to see beyond a few yards.

Extreme measures had to be taken.

Thankfully, there was a door nearby. Keeping Lenoria under a metallic arm, Clara used the other to punch the door.

One punch.

Two punches.

Splinters flew inside the abandoned classroom. By this point, everyone had evacuated and anyone who had been left behind was either dead or somewhere inside. Clara ignored the thoughts of helpless students begging for help; no one deserved to die in such a horrible way, but she had no idea where to look and Lenoria was already passed out. If she delayed any further, Lenoria could die.

Spotting a window, she continued running and broke through it with a great leap. Just in time, too; another explosion was set off behind the girls and the shockwave had enough force to shove Clara’s new body in midair. Having little control in the air, Clara flipped sideways so that she would land on her back and not land on top of Lenoria. “Are you okay?”

There was no response from Lenoria.

“Hang on!” The armor around Clara disappeared. She stared at her arms for a moment and pressed her ear against Lenoria’s chest. She held her breath in anticipation, fearing the worst.

A pulse. Weak, but still beating.

***

Lenoria coughed weakly. Her eyes opened to see the blue sky. She expected to see the Messenger once again, but to her surprise she could feel someone cradling her when her sense of touch had settled in. “Clara…”

“You’re alive.” Clara looked like she had bathed a whole hour under the sun. “My legs were broken after the ceiling caved in on me, but they recovered after that transformation. I just need a minute to catch my breath.”

"Transformation?" Frowning, Lenoria lifted herself up and sat down next to Clara. “Sorry I couldn’t be there sooner. You didn’t get your confession in, did you?”

Clara shook her head. “No, but it’s fine. I know I can’t rely on you forever. I need to learn to do things by myself.” She closed her eyes. All she could picture was Omar’s battered body before the explosion set off. “I wish I was stronger.”

“What are you talking about?” Lenoria gave Clara a gentle jab on the shoulder. “You carried me out, didn't you? I may be a bit tiny, but do you know how hard it is to carry a body?”

Clara had taken Lenoria to an empty lot across the street from the Guild. Students huddled nearby, some shaking, others crying. The remaining instructors did their best to keep their students calm, but it was obvious some of them had a hard time keeping it together themselves.

Lenoria’s rage burned just like the school across from her. Once Clara told her everything that had happened, the girl felt it was best to offer a moment of silence for those that died from the folly of a few.

“I wish I was as brave as you,” Clara said. “If I had stepped in, I could have stopped Omar.”

“Don’t blame yourself for something that isn’t your fault.” Lenoria stared at the ground. “If you beat yourself up for something out of your control, eventually something will happen that will bring you so far down the rabbit hole that you won’t be able to come out. I won’t let that happen to you.”

“But I could have done something.”

“That’s not true. Omar needed help, but he didn’t see anyone about it. Even when we offered a hand, he refused us because of the ideas people implanted in his head about us.” Lenoria kicked the ground. “I don’t like it, but people who don’t seek or accept help when they need it are less likely to make it out of their problems alive.”

As harsh as it was, Clara saw the wisdom in Lenoria’s statement. She believed, deep in her heart, that Omar needed help. But there was no point in trying to force people to see things the way one did; they would have to be open to it, first, and Omar was reclusive to the point a couple of girls trying to help him was nothing more than a nuisance to him.

“There’s one thing we can do for Omar, and everyone else who didn’t make it.”

“What’s that?” Clara asked.

“Starflower is responsible for this. He got arrested for falsely calling the authorities, but I’ll tell the Constable to start an investigation on the school before they let him out. If you want to do right by all the victims, giving the Constable a truthful testimony is a start.” Lenoria’s eyes landed on Clara. “What do you say?”

“It’s the least we can do.” Clara nodded. “Count me in.”

“And you,” Lenoria said to a red bird perched on a nearby tree, “thank you. If it wasn’t for you, Clara and I would be goners.”

“No problem, Lenoria. Glad to help!” Apus spread his wings proudly. “How about you girls help me find a master?"

“Actually,” Clara began, “I thought it over and I wouldn’t mind having you around. Wielding Tsukuyomi’s power was exhilarating, I have to admit.”

“Are you sure, Clara? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“I don’t mind. It’s my wish to get stronger, both for myself and others. And,” she said while turning to Lenoria, “I have a feeling Lenoria would want me to accept.”

“Clara…” Lenoria was touched and relieved. She wanted to bring up the topic of the Soulstones to Clara, and now was the perfect time to do it.

“Excellent.” Pearl’s voice and the glow from the Corvus Soulstone preceded her appearance. Clara was caught off-guard by the raven woman’s manifestation and was mesmerized by her appearance. “The road you have chosen is not without its share of suffering. If you accept Apus, then you shall accept my mission to retrieve the other stones just like his and mine. This also means traveling through time if I deem it necessary. Do you accept this power and responsibility?”

Understandably unaware of the stipulations, Clara needed help, guidance, and helpful guidance. Lenoria had some explaining to do, and she had to do it out of earshot of the other students.

What truly helped her find her words was seeing Clara’s determination. Even when she doesn’t see the full picture, the elven girl was willing to step in and help out. But she needed Lenoria’s support, and there was no time like the present. Lenoria explained everything to her best friend, leaving no detail untold.

Little did the girls know that this was just the prelude to the adventure of a lifetime.

Conclusion of the School Days arc!

Lenoria and Clara are on a quest to find magical stones based on the stars of the night sky. Guided by the spirits of Corvus and Apus, the girls make use of their new powers as new threats emerge from the horizon.

“What do you think we’ll face next, Lenoria? The world is full of wonderful sights but also with terrible elf-eating monsters!”

“Relax, Clara! With me and Tsukuyomi around, nothing will stop us! I admit I’ve been helpless against the eagle and the fires, but I learned from my mistakes, and I will definitely impress our wonderful audience!”

“Then why am I here?” Asked a confused Alistair, garbed in a tuxedo.

“You’re here to provide a shield for a couple of adventuring girls!”

“In this monkey suit?”

“What can I say? You look handsome in it!”

A single sweat drop rolled down Clara’s cheek. “Maybe we should get on with the preview of the next arc before we run out of time.”

“Good thinking!” Lenoria cleared her throat. “Join us next time on the next story arc, ‘The Road to Thule’! Giants, bandits, and...plant monsters?! The adventure starts soon!”

“My future looks rather bleak,” Alistair concludes.

A Quest for the Stars is a work with an entry in Paizo's Community Use Registry. No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission.

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