Mirabella, Cupcake, and Elizabeth arrived at the garden, the scent of fresh, dew-kissed flowers hitting them like a wave of pure tranquility. After the high-tension atmosphere of the grand hall, the silence here was heavy and sweet.
"AHH!"
Mirabella exhaled, a long breath she felt she'd been holding since she arrived. She looked up at the full moon hanging in the velvet sky, its light silvering the rare flora around them. "I am finally here," she muttered, the weight of her past life and this new chance merging in her mind.
"Miss Mirabella, this Garden is a very important part of the academy," Elizabeth pointed out, her eyes scanning the exotic blooms. "Only Elite students can step in here. It is a sanctuary meant to keep the mind sharp."
Mirabella didn't answer immediately. She bent down, her fingers brushing against a vibrant rose. She plucked it softly. "Elizabeth."
"Yes, Miss?" Elizabeth turned, her posture perfect even in the moonlight.
"What Sir Hayatobi said about the parents of those who came to Galaxy Fall... was he saying the truth?" Mirabella asked, her gaze fixed on the flower in her hand.
"Some of what he said is the truth," Elizabeth said softly, her voice losing some of its professional edge.
"Of course, the parents' life depends on the youngsters," Mirabella said, turning to face her guardian. "But what about the kids? Those too young to be cadets?"
The air in the garden seemed to chill. "The kids are left behind," Elizabeth answered flatly.
"What?" Mirabella was stunned, the rose stem trembling in her grip.
"Yes... Those under the age of 16 are left behind in your world," Elizabeth explained. "They don't have Galaxy Bracelets to take them to Galaxy Fall. They are left in your monster-infested world... Some parents won't activate their bracelets when their kids don't even have one, so most of them stay behind to protect them. Only those who don't have kids—or whose kids are old enough—will enter Galaxy Fall."
She looked up at the moon, her green eyes reflecting a distant sadness. "If a woman or a man above the age of 30 is without a child who is at least 16 years old, he or she won't be allowed to enter Galaxy Fall... That is the iron rule. So a lot of your people are still on Earth, trapped with the monsters."
Mirabella's hand tightened. The rose in her palm shattered, petals falling like drops of blood onto the manicured grass.
'In my past life, I wondered why humans didn't stand a chance. I should have known this was the cause. With 60% of humanity still on Earth and the strong being funneled here, we are a divided race. It's up to us—the young and strong—to fight, get stronger, and restore our world. If we die here, our families' last hope on Earth dies with us.' She thought.
'We humans are in this together, so we should help one another, not kill ourselves.' She remembered Grace's words, then her thought moved to Eve and the two dead bandits' lords.
'Wait.'
She looked at Elizabeth, a new realization flickering in her mind. 'Eve? Eve is here, but she's older than 30... and she shouldn't have a kid that old... how is she in Galaxy Fall? Is there something I am missing?'
"Isn't there a way behind this?" Mirabella asked urgently. "A way to bypass the restriction? Can someone over 30 enter without those conditions?"
Elizabeth grew silent, her brow furrowed in thought. "I don't know... But there is a book in the library; you might find your answer there. But the library doesn't open until tomorrow."
Mirabella nodded, staring at the shattered petals. "Seems there are a lot of things I don't know."
"No worries," Elizabeth said with a sudden, bright smile, flashing a thumb up. "I know Miss Mirabella will know everything in one month!"
"I shouldn't keep you here," Mirabella said, trying to shake off the heavy thoughts. "You also need to enjoy the party. Why don't you go and have fun?"
"I can't leave you alone here," Elizabeth countered, her eyes instinctively scanning the shadows.
"Do you think anyone in this academy can harm me?" Mirabella asked with a small, knowing smirk as she bent back down to a patch of daisies.
Elizabeth stared at her for a moment, perhaps sensing the hidden depths of Mirabella's power. Finally, she nodded. She raised her Galaxy Bracelet and tapped a small red dot on the interface.
BEEP!
Mirabella's own bracelet hummed in response.
"If you need me, just tap on that red dot," Elizabeth explained. She gave a respectful bow and disappeared into the darkness of the hallway.
Mirabella stood up, a single daisy in her hand. "Cupcake... get yourself ready. There will be a test tomorrow. The academy wants to make sure each student has a starting balance of points, and this test is designed for that."
She released the flower, using a subtle thread of spirit energy to keep it aloft. It drifted into the night air, dancing on the breeze. "Tomorrow is a new beginning."
__
High above the garden, on the balcony of a dark obsidian tower, Lord Hayatobi stood with his arms folded. He watched the girl in the garden with the intensity of a hawk.
WHOOSH!
The wind swirled, and Elizabeth appeared behind him, her playful demeanor replaced by the cold efficiency of a peak-level fighter.
"How is she?" Hayatobi asked without turning.
"She is impressive," Elizabeth replied. "Not only that, she seems to know more than the rest. Her questions aren't those of a frightened recruit."
"That is what I expected," Hayatobi murmured. "Stay with her. She is now your responsibility... And, do you have to tell her everything?"
"She needs to know the truth, and I like such students... Don't worry, I will be with her," Elizabeth said. Before the wind could even settle, she vanished.
Hayatobi remained, watching Mirabella sit quietly on a stone bench. "We will see how tomorrow turns out," he muttered, his voice swallowed by the night.