The crew gathered in the Parlor Car, the Astral Express gliding silently through the void. The planet Jarilo-VI hung outside the windows, a bleak, frozen world shrouded in endless snowstorms.
As they discussed the mission ahead, Pom-Pom hurried in, looking flustered.
"Special readout anomaly! Star Rail stability down to twelve percent!" the little conductor barked, tapping urgently at a handheld device. "Schedule alteration: Seven-day stopover extended indefinitely!"
Stelle blinked and turned to Himeko. "Anomaly? What kind of anomaly?"
Himeko folded her arms, her expression serious.
"This planet has been affected by a Stellaron," she explained. "The interference from it has destabilized the Star Rail path. If we keep moving forward, it could send the Express flying off-course straight into the unknown. Imagine a normal train suddenly finding the tracks ahead snapped, with nothing but an endless abyss waiting beyond. What would you do?"
"Brake. Hard," Stelle answered, nodding thoughtfully.
"Exactly," Himeko said, offering a small smile.
Meanwhile, Sepharos stood by the window, his gaze locked onto the snow-covered world below. His voice, deep and calm, cut through the conversation.
"So it's a Stellaron, Huh."
Himeko nodded. "That's right."
Sepharos turned slightly toward them, his presence as solid and steady as his armor.
"Then let's go down there and deal with it," he said simply. "It's been a long time since I've set foot on a snowbound world."
Welt adjusted his glasses, giving a low hum of concern.
"It's not that simple," he said. "Stellarons are cloaked in mysteries ones that not even Herta has fully unraveled. What we do know is how to neutralize them, not truly understand them. Their arrival brings chaos: to civilizations, to ecosystems, to the very fabric of space itself."
Himeko stepped in, her voice calm but firm.
"Stellarons distort reality. They create fragmentums zones where the laws of the universe unravel. We believe they are seeds of destruction, planted throughout the cosmos by a particular Aeon."
She glanced back at the window, where Jarilo-VI drifted under its white shroud.
"The freezing of this world... It's not a natural phenomenon. It's the Stellaron's influence."
Stelle tilted her head, thinking. "So... we're like heroes? Saving planets?"
"Right!" March 7th beamed, throwing her arms up dramatically. "You finally get what we're about! Pretty cool, huh?"
Welt, however, was studying Sepharos.
"You seem... troubled," he said.
Sepharos shook his head, his voice low and steady.
"Not troubled. Just... reminded. My battle-brothers and I once fought for the same reasons. We saved planets. For the Empress. For the Imperium."
A heavy silence fell. Welt understood all too well the ache of remembering comrades and the world he's left behind.
Himeko's voice broke the moment, lighter but still carrying weight.
"I'd like to entrust this trailblazing mission to March, Dan Heng, Stelle, and Sepharos." She smiled warmly at the team. "Your objective is clear: locate the Stellaron causing this disaster and the distortions. Contact us once you find it, and we'll step in to assist. Most importantly come back safe."
March whooped in excitement, practically bouncing in place.
Stelle just gave a relaxed smile, while Sepharos gave a curt, disciplined nod.
"Understood. I shall make preparations," Sepharos said before quietly heading toward his quarters.
After he left, Stelle glanced at Himeko. "Why can't you guys come with us?"
Himeko chuckled, folding her arms loosely.
"Because someone has to stay behind. Otherwise, Pom-Pom will get lonely," she teased lightly before growing more serious. "And... if the Antimatter Legion targets us again, someone needs to defend the Express."
Welt sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"I suppose it's still not our turn to ride into battle."
Himeko smiled knowingly.
"I know you want to go, Welt. But we should let the youngsters have their adventure. It'll be good for them. Help them bond."
Welt gave a reluctant nod, though a small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Can we really call Sepharos a youngster?"
Himeko laughed softly, watching the stars streak past outside.
"No... perhaps not. But out there, he'll be exactly what we need: a guardian."
Himeko clapped her hands together with a soft smile. "If you two are ready, why not go grab Dan Heng? We'll contact Sepharos and have him meet us here once he's done preparing."
Meanwhile, in his quarters, Sepharos was making his own preparations. He brought up his system interface and asked, "System, can I change my armor? Or do you have spare armor that I can customize?"
The system's response came promptly: "Spare armor sets are available. Customization features are operational."
Sepharos gave a low chuckle. "Huh. How convenient."
With careful thought, he modified his armor melding the legacy of "Sepharos" with the soul of "Kyle." The new design carried the strength and nobility of an Ultramarine, but also bore personal touches: colors and insignias that spoke of his own will, his memories, and the sense of justice he refused to let go of.
Satisfied, he holstered his weapons methodically. Gladius Invictus, his flame-forged power sword, now rested on one hip. His standard power sword hung at the other. His boltgun, rugged and reliable, locked firmly into the holster slung across his back.
Just as he tightened the last strap, a soft chime sounded in his HUD. A message from Himeko: "If you're finished, come to the Parlor Car. March, Stelle, and Dan Heng are ready to go."
Sepharos responded simply, "On my way."
Before heading out, he paused, glancing toward the supply robot Shush nearby. "Hey, Shush. Got any cola?" he asked.
Shush beeped affirmatively. "Cola available."
Sepharos grinned. "Mind handing one over?"
The robot promptly extended a can. He removed his helmet, feeling the cool air on his face, and cracked open the drink.
HSSSSS— The satisfying hiss of carbonation brought back memories simple, good ones. Without hesitation, he chugged the cola down, letting out a hearty burp afterward. "Yeah... that hits the spot," he said with a smirk.
He considered for a moment. "Mind if I take a few for the trip?"
Shush, ever helpful, dispensed six more cans, which Sepharos quickly stowed away in his inventory.
Fully geared up and refreshed, he made his way through the corridors of the Express toward the Parlor Car, where the others were already gathered, waiting for him.
As Sepharos stepped into the Parlor Car, March's eyes went wide with awe."Whoa...!" she gasped, practically sparkling. Stelle, ever blunt, said exactly what both she and March were thinking:"Cool. You changed your armor."
March nodded eagerly, adding, "Yeah! And the color pattern looks awesome! Oh what's with the cross inside the shield in your left shoulder?"
Sepharos glanced at the new design, his expression thoughtful."I don't really know where it came from... It just felt right," he said simply, resting a hand briefly against the cross-shaped emblem. Then he straightened up, his voice firm. "Anyway. Shall we get going?"
Dan Heng nodded. "We should head out if everyone's ready."
March gave a thumbs-up. "All set!"Stelle just nodded casually likely because she didn't have much to bring along anyway.
At the doorway, Himeko and Welt waved them off."Be careful out there," Himeko said warmly."And you two," Welt added, looking pointedly at Dan Heng and Sepharos, "make sure you handle any trouble that comes your way."
The two nodded firmly. Without further delay, they stepped into the rail car that would ferry them down to the planet below.
The landing was rougher than expected, and as the train car zipped back up toward the Express, March immediately started complaining."A cute girl like me shouldn't have to be stranded on a frozen wasteland like this!" she grumbled, stomping through the snow.
They pressed onward, making their way toward what looked like signs of civilization. Along the way, they encountered a man scrambling through the snow Sampo Koski.
"Help, friends!" Sampo called, panting heavily. "Some rather unreasonable guards are after me! If you'd be so kind, I could show you the way to the city!"
Despite their better judgment, they decided to follow him. However, before they got far, a group of Silvermane Guards intercepted them, weapons drawn.
"There they are! With the thief!" one of the guards barked.
March tried to reason with them. "Wait, wait, wait! We're not with him! We just-"She turned to point at Sampo… only to find he had vanished.
March's jaw dropped."Ugh! That guy! How dare he use us like that and run off!" she huffed.
Sepharos, arms folded, simply thought, "Huh. Fast and stealthy what a guy."
With no way to talk their way out, a battle broke out. They fought back until a stern voice cut through the chaos: the Captain of the Guards himself.
"What's going on here?" he demanded.
"They're with the thief!" the guards quickly accused.
Sepharos had had enough. He stepped forward, towering over everyone, and shouted, "ENOUGH!"
The battlefield froze. The guards shrank back slightly, intimidated by his sheer presence.Sepharos turned to March and said calmly, "March. Show them the picture. Prove we're not from here."
The guards grumbled, still skeptical, but the Captain silenced them with a hand gesture. March quickly pulled out the photo they had prepared and handed it over.
The Captain studied it carefully, his cold expression softening."...I see. Apologies for the misunderstanding," he said, straightening up. "I am Gepard Landau, Captain of the Silvermane Guards."
They introduced themselves in turn, and after some quick apologies, Gepard offered to escort them into the city.
Belobog rose before them, a shining fortress amidst the endless snow.March stared around in amazement."Whoa! It's... it's not freezing here!" she said, spinning around.
Gepard chuckled."Of course not. This city is the last bastion of humanity in this region. Welcome to Belobog."
He encouraged them to explore the city freely while he went to report to the Supreme Guardian.
As they wandered through the city, Sepharos naturally stood out his massive, armored figure drawing plenty of curious stares. Eventually, they found themselves outside a small workshop. Inside, a woman beckoned them in.
"Come inside! It's improper to stand around talking out there," she said.
They followed her into the warmth of the workshop. She introduced herself as Serval and quickly began chatting with them, even showing Stelle a few tricks about repairing gadgets.
The easy conversation was interrupted when Gepard entered.Serval's eyes lit up instantly."There you are! How dare you not visit me!" she grinned mischievously.
Without warning, she darted over, grabbed him in a headlock, and ruffled his hair fiercely."Sister, please!" Gepard groaned. "Not in front of our guests..."
March gawked. "Wait... you two are siblings?!"
Still struggling to escape Serval's grip, Gepard managed a strained nod."Yes. Unfortunately, this is my elder sister."
Serval just laughed and finally let him go, ruffling his uniform one last time for good measure.
After a while, Gepard returned and approached the group."The Supreme Guardian wishes to meet you," he announced.
They said their goodbyes to Serval, who waved them off warmly, and followed Gepard through the city streets toward a large, imposing building at the heart of Belobog.
On the way, Dan Heng asked calmly, "Who exactly is the Supreme Guardian?"
Gepard answered with pride, "The Supreme Guardian is the protector and ruler of Belobog, chosen by the Architects themselves. It is their duty to safeguard the city and its people."
Soon, they arrived at a pair of grand doors. Gepard gestured for them to enter, standing respectfully aside.
Inside, they met Cocolia Rand, the current Supreme Guardian. She spoke with authority, questioning them about the disruption and the Stellaron. They explained their mission the anomaly affecting the planet, the threat of the Stellaron, and their desire to help.
Cocolia listened intently, her expression unreadable. After a moment of silence, she said,"You must be weary from your journey. Please, rest at the Goethe Hotel for now. We will discuss this further later."
Unbeknownst to them, as they left, Cocolia lingered in the silence. A whisper, dark and insidious, curled in her ear inaudible to anyone else.
"The armored visitor... a threat to the plan... as is the silver-haired girl..."
Her eyes narrowed."I will have the guards deal with them," she murmured coldly.
At the Goethe Hotel, the group settled in to rest. March and Stelle quickly dozed off, exhausted. Sepharos, meanwhile, simply closed his eyes, entering a light, alert rest mode.
A quiet notification popped up on his HUD a message from Dan Heng."Something feels wrong. Stay sharp. Be ready tomorrow."Sepharos simply replied: "Understood."
Morning came faster than expected.
Heavy knocking thundered at the door."This is Commander Bronya Rand of the Silvermane Guards! By order of the Supreme Guardian, you are all under arrest!"
Outside, a squad of guards surrounded the hotel. Sepharos glanced at the others calmly."I have a plan," he said.
Dan Heng quickly caught on and started speaking loudly, drawing attention. "What is the meaning of this? On whose authority? Are you sure you want to arrest us without cause?"
As Dan Heng spoke, he counted under his breath. "Three... two... one-"
On cue, Sepharos stomped the ground hard, shaking the floor with a tremendous boom.The shockwave threw the guards off balance just long enough for the crew to bolt out the side door and into the nearest alley.
They sprinted through narrow, twisting paths, heading toward the fragmentum they had spotted earlier. But soon, they hit a dead end.
Guards closed in from behind, weapons drawn.
Before the situation could explode into a fight, a smoke grenade clattered at their feet, hissing thick clouds of white smoke into the alley. Everyone coughed except for Sepharos, whose helmet filtered the air.
Through the haze, a familiar, slippery voice rang out:"I have one thing to say! Sampo never lets friends who helped him come to harm... I say what I mean, and I mean what I say!"
The others barely had time to react before the world around them spun. The smoke wasn't just for cover it was laced with a mild sedative. Stelle, March, and Dan Heng slumped over, unconscious.
Sepharos, still on his feet, called out, "Sampo! Grab Dan Heng. I'll carry March and Stelle!"
"Got it!" Sampo replied. Without missing a beat, he hauled Dan Heng over his shoulder. Sepharos lifted March and Stelle easily, following Sampo as they weaved deeper into the winding alleys.
Unbeknownst to them, Bronya, barely managing to resist the sedative, staggered after them, tracking their movements from a distance before collapsing into hiding to recover her strength.
Sampo led Sepharos and the others into the depths of the city, where the ruins gave way to tunnels. They finally arrived at a hidden clinic.
Inside, a woman greeted them, her arms crossed."I take it this is your doing, Sampo?" she said, giving him a stern look.
"Doctor Natasha!" Sampo chirped. "Just lending a helping hand, as always!"
Natasha sighed, turning to Sepharos."Don't worry, your friends are fine. They're just asleep they'll wake up soon."
Sepharos exhaled quietly in relief. He thanked her, then stepped outside to explore a little.
The "Underground" was a stark contrast to the surface crumbling walls and homes, patched-up machinery, but also a lively, resilient spirit among the people.
Before long, a group of kids gathered around him, staring up at the giant armored man in awe.
"Whoa! Are you a knight?""Are you a robot?""Can you lift a whole building?"
Sepharos answered each question patiently, a rare, gentle side surfacing.Then a little girl with messy hair and a mischievous grin tugged on his gauntlet.
"I'm Hook! Boss of the Moles! Play with us!" she declared proudly.
Sepharos chuckled lowly. "Very well, Boss Hook. Lead the way."
He spent some time playing simple games with them nothing too intense, but enough to bring laughter echoing through the underground halls.
When the games ended, Sepharos leaned against a wall, arms folded, watching the people bustle about.
He muttered to himself,"...So this is the Underground, huh?"
And he waited silent, steadfast for his comrades to awaken.
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I've finally finished writing this and just wanted you guys to know we gonna go through Jarilo and Xianzhou fast because a surprise is awaiting you at the start of penny cony or somethin anyways HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED I DIDN'T jk lol i did anyways yeh bye