Exiastgardsun Chronicles – Twelve Fruits of Creation

Morning light spilled across the tiled rooftops of Astoria, the sun shimmering off dew-covered signs and freshly washed cobblestone. In the eastern district, birds chirped over the hum of a waking city. Within the second floor of a cozy, well-worn inn, the girls' room was peaceful, almost.

"Mmmmgh… five more puddings…" Sakura muttered in her sleep, hugging a pillow like it owed her dinner. A crumpled wrapper from last night's snack clung to her cheek. She'd devoured an absurd amount of food before collapsing into bed like a spent mana crystal.

Orchid, bright-eyed and oblivious to her own culinary crimes, leaned over her friend with concern. "Here, Sakura! I made you chocolate again! I refined the ratio of cocoa powder to pepper this time!"

Sakura groaned in reply, eyes half-lidded but determined to live. She opened her mouth weakly.

"Say 'aaah'!" Orchid chirped.

From the side, Gabyola watched in stunned awe. "She survived again... That's the third experimental batch this week."

"I dub her... 'The Iron Stomach'," murmured Yuuna flatly, adjusting the strap of her wand pouch. "It defies medical theory."

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Downstairs, the boys were preparing to leave.

Fuhiken stood at the door with a clipboard he'd made from an old receipt and firm resolve. "Alright, listen up. Before we visit the Adventurer's Guild, we will walk in a straight line, not throw rocks at fountains, and, Kyle, I'm looking at you, no making bets with pigeons."

Kyle raised both hands innocently, hiding the slingshot behind his back.

"...Also, Sinryo, no trying to sell fake potions this time."

"They were limited-edition mana infusions," Sinryo protested.

"They were expired poisons in reused potion bottles," Fuhiken deadpanned. "That's worse."

Yetsan dusted off his immaculate tunic and shuddered. "Can we not walk through the muddy alley this time?"

"Agreed," said Adiw, hefting his two-handed training sword onto his back. "I almost tripped on a fish last time."

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The Adventurer's Guild was a lively, colorful hall filled with wood-beamed ceilings and brass wall fixtures. Painted crests lined the walls, and a large magical screen displayed quest updates. Adventurers bustled about in clinking armor and well-worn cloaks, discussing monsters and bounties over roasted corn and enchanted coffee.

As the party arrived at the guild, a woman stood near the quest board, gently strumming a harp. Her presence drew eyes, not just because of the soft chords floating through the air, but because of her shimmering golden hair and graceful, almost theatrical demeanor. She looked like she belonged more on a royal stage than among adventurers.

Noticing the children approaching, the bard paused her playing and smiled warmly. "Greetings, travelers. I am Seraphina, a wandering bard and seeker of tales yet unwritten." She gave a small bow, one hand over her heart, the other still holding the harp. "Might I ask the names of such a colorful party?"

Before anyone else could answer, Yuuna quietly stepped forward. She reached into her magic bag and carefully retrieved a polished wooden board. The chessboard, handcrafted, unfamiliar in design, reflected the morning light. Unusual pieces sat upon it: pawns shaped like tiny jellyfish, knights sculpted as dragons, rooks that resembled phoenixes mid-flight, and bishops bearing the form of horned foxes.

"This," Yuuna said with calm clarity, setting the board on a nearby table, "is a game. Chess."

Seraphina's eyes sparkled. "A game of strategy? With such mystical pieces? How fascinating…"

"I never invited, " Yuuna started, but Seraphina was already pulling over a chair.

Orchid was faster. "Let me, fair minstrel! For I, Orchid of the Holy Sword, shall purify your sinful strategies in the sacred flame of justice!"

Jessica snorted from the sideline, already sensing incoming cringe.

Gigih raised his hands. "LIGHT ILLUSION: Starburst Curtain!" The air above the board sparkled with glowing sigils as if the fates themselves watched.

The match began.

"Behold!" Orchid declared, moving her phoenix-shaped rook with a flourish. "My Flamebound Formation is indomitable!"

Seraphina countered with a sly smile. "Then taste my Melody Spiral Trap!" She moved her horned-fox bishop as if plucking harp strings mid-battle.

Spectators gathered.

"Checkmate," Orchid grinned triumphantly.

Seraphina gasped and clutched her chest. "So... the goddess's rhythm eludes me this round..."

But she didn't stop. No, something had awakened.

Her eyes glowed with theatrical fire. "Again! I shan't rest until I master the tempo of victory!"

Fahleena stepped forward, keyblade slung across her back. "Now it's my turn! For I am Fahleena Everlight, Blade of the Mirrored Star! My luck transcends fate itself!"

"Wait, that's new," muttered Kyle.

Jessica was already covering her mouth, shoulders shaking.

The match raged on. Gigih summoned illusory meteors above the board. The crowd gasped. The chess pieces were still, but the tension was thunderous.

Seraphina moved her dragon-knight with exaggerated grace. "Strike, Soul Note Symphony!"

Fahleena countered. "Starfall Blitz! I shatter the rhythm of destiny!"

Checkmate.

Fahleena leapt onto the table and pointed her keyblade skyward. "The stars have aligned with me once more! This is the Lunar Ascendancy of Critical Luck!"

Jessica burst out laughing, rolled to the floor, and pounded her fist on the wooden boards. "I can't, I just, Lunar Ascendancy?!"

The crowd applauded, some clapping with genuine enthusiasm, others out of sheer confusion at what they'd just witnessed. A few wide-eyed adventurers began scribbling notes on napkins and quest papers, jotting down names like Flamebound Formation, Soul Note Symphony, and Starfated Duet with whispered awe.

"I'm using 'Blazing Bishop Gambit' in my next duel," someone muttered.

"Was that real strategy, or just... divine nonsense?" another asked.

"Doesn't matter," a third replied. "It looked cool."

Another round: Seraphina vs. Orchid.

This time Seraphina was ready. "Goddess of Harmony, lend me your scale and blade! I shall duel in your name, as a Warden of Verse and Vengeance!"

"I see the corruption of chuunibyou is complete," Yuuna murmured.

Orchid twirled her sword like a baton. "Only one of us shall walk the twilight bridge of fate!"

Checkmate again.

"Justice prevails!" Orchid declared. "Even in strategy!"

Final round: Seraphina vs. Fahleena.

The air was electric, charged with anticipation as if the room itself held its breath. Gigih, eyes gleaming with mischief and mana, raised both hands and declared, "Mana Bloom Mirage!"

With a pulse of unstable magic, the room bloomed with ethereal butterflies, each one a flickering illusion of shimmering blues, purples, and golds. They fluttered through the air in lazy spirals, leaving trails of soft light behind them. One landed on Fahleena's shoulder, another on Seraphina's harp. A few even settled on the heads of stunned adventurers, who dared not move lest they disrupt the spell's fragile beauty.

"It's like fighting inside a dream," someone whispered.

"It's like fighting inside Gigih's brain," Kyle muttered. "Unstable, glowing, and slightly dangerous."

Gigih beamed. "Special effects budget: unlimited!"

"My luck shall never yield!" Fahleena roared. "This is the climax of the Starfated Duet!"

Seraphina slammed her pawn forward. "Then let destiny resound with thunder!"

They played furiously. Sweat beaded on Seraphina's brow. Fahleena's eyes were lit like twin moons.

Jessica had given up and lay flat on the floor, laughing too hard to sit up.

Final move. Fahleena slid her bishop forward, tipping Seraphina's queen.

"Checkmate."

Final move.

The entire room leaned in as Fahleena narrowed her eyes, twin pink tails swaying like battle standards in the wind. She gripped her jellyfish-shaped bishop with exaggerated drama, her fingers trembling, not from uncertainty, but from the sheer gravity she imagined this moment held.

Seraphina's breath caught. "What… what trick is this?"

Fahleena grinned. "Checkmate... by Celestial Cascade!"

With a flourish, she slid the bishop across the board, the piece gliding into position with theatrical precision. It tapped Seraphina's phoenix-shaped queen with a soft clink, toppling it sideways like a defeated monarch.

Silence held for one breath, two, Then the crowd erupted.

Fuhleken sighed. "This is not what I planned... but I suppose... it's fine."

Sinryo had set up a betting pool mid-match. "Five-to-one odds on chuunibyou spreading to half the guild by next week!"

Kyle whispered, "I already taught two rookies how to name their sword."

Fahleena twirled, arms wide. "All who witness my light... shall remember this day as the birth of the Crimson Starlight Chess Crusade!"

Jessica wheezed on the floor, barely able to breathe. "Please... stop... my ribs..."

And so, the party didn't quite follow the plan. But they left laughter in their wake... and at least three new guild members now called themselves "Moonblade Strategists."

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