CRASH!

BOOM!

"ROOOOOOOAR!"

The monstrous shadow roared to the heavens, its gigantic height towering over the ruined village in the dark of night. No one knew where it came from or how it suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Its feline claws slashed through the mountains like paper, its avian eyes saw everything left to right and its ten fox-like tails absorbed the life force of every fallen victim it trampled on.

"Keep holding the line and wait for the Sky Guardians!" shouted a soldier, defending the village alongside the military. They fired their interceptor weapons big and small to slow down the ginormous demon, buying time for the survivors of the attack to flee to safety.

"It's getting closer!" shouted a second soldier. "Don't let it near the evacuation ships!"

KA-BOOM!

An explosion from a plasma blast fired by a launcher impacted the shadow by the face. However, it had no effect when the cloud settled. Then the monster opened its insect-like mouth and began building up an orb of destructive energy.

"Oh no!" screamed another soldier. "It's gonna fire! Get back!"

But it was too late. As soon as the orb was big enough, the shadow breathed out a terrible beam, wiping out the army's defences left to right. The impact of the beam caused massive explosions that shook the land and destroyed everything else in the shockwave.

At the evacuation point, there were evacuees of orphans, injured people, single parents and families who had lost their homes and their treasures in the attack and were trying to get away from the terrible demon sent from hell. They heard the deafening sound of the attack and turned to see a hellish smoke in the distance, fearing for the shadow and praying that it wouldn't come near.

Then through the smoke of destruction, the creature of darkness emerged. It looked down at the people it saw as insects that must be exterminated, as it slowly approached the defenceless evacuation point. The evacuees panicked as they rushed to the ships, crowding up as they struggled to get inside while begging them to take off immediately.

"The shadow is still standing!!" screamed a mother carrying her two children.

"Hurry and take off!!" cried the father of his only child, shielding his eyes from the sight of the creature.

"It's going to kill us!!" wailed a youth in fear. "Get us out of here!! I'm begging you!!"

While the crowded people pushed their way into the ships, an orphan boy who was struggling to get through spotted a little girl kneeling on the ground and sobbing in front of her torn-up teddy bear.

"Ura!" called the orphan to the girl repeatedly, pushing past the evacuees to reach her. She was his little sister; the last thing he wanted was to leave behind the only family he wanted to protect.

As soon as he broke through the crowd, he rushed to his sister, Ura, and tried to pick her up to carry her to the ship. "Come on, Ura! We have to go!"

"Waaaaaaaaah! Ursa-chaaaaaaaan!" sobbed Ura, moving uncontrollably as she mourned the loss of her bear. 

"Ura, please!" cried the orphan, tears welling up in his eyes too. "We can't stay here!"

THUMP!

The two children stopped struggling and froze. They slowly looked up to see the shadow stopped in its tracks, peering down as if it was staring into the fear of their hearts. They were so frightened, they couldn't think or say anything.

The shadow paused for a moment. Then it began to slowly open its mouth and build up its orb of destructive energy again.

"It's going to attack!" shrieked an evacuee, pointing at the shadow. Everyone panicked more as they tried to protect themselves and the little ones. The orphan and his sister, Ura, amid chaos, couldn't do anything but watch in despair as the demon's orb became bigger, and bigger, and bigger, until-

Suddenly, Ura spotted something that came flying out of nowhere. At first, it was flashing in the distance, then began to take some sort of circular shape as it got closer fast. It appeared to be some sort of flying shield, spinning circularly as it flew at the speed of a fighter jet. Then the shield somehow dispersed some drone-like guards and expanded into a cross, just as soon as the shadow had built up its power.

And then...

Zap! Boom!

The shield unleashed a hard light energy field, just as the monster fired its destructive beam. The field protected those children and the evacuees, as they stopped panicking and witnessed what was going on.

The shadow kept on firing its beam to destroy the shield protecting the innocent, but it stayed strong no matter how hard it tried. And then...

"Are you alright, dear citizens?" a voice asked the evacuees. Everyone turned in the direction of the voice and saw someone floating gently towards them. He had the glowing wings of an angel as he wore a gold and silver-coloured suit of cybernetic armour with a blue core at the centre of his chest.

"Ah...! It's him!" Ura spoke with relief and delight.

"It's him!" shouted an evacuee. "It's the legendary sky guardian!"

"It's Sora Karusano!" another cheered. Everyone felt at ease with hope when their saviour finally arrived to their rescue.

Sora Karusano landed gently in front of the two orphan siblings, facing the beast who continued to breathe out its destructive ray. He calmly said to the children, "Don't worry. Everything is alright." He turned to them and smiled softly. "Because I am here to protect you."

The children smiled in awe, tears of joy welling up in their eyes. Then Sora turned back to the giant shadow and raised his hand towards it as he observed the beast before him.

So this is a Chimaera class shadow that's a high level, he thought. Quite impressive that it can fire beams that can wipe out a city. But still...

Sora clenched his fist firmly and said, "Responder, activate." In response to his command, the shield that was protecting everyone started to slowly absorb the beam that was firing at it. It built up the energy from the impact bit by bit, glowing from a dim to bright blue as it turned negativity into positivity. When it was charged up, it flashed a shining light before unleashing a beam twice as powerful against the Chimaera class shadow, sending it flying back through the smoke and away from the evacuation ships.

"Hooray!" Everyone cheered for their hero driving the shadow away. "Praise the legendary sky guardian, Sora!"

The shield reverted to its original form and flew back to its user, who caught and snapped it onto the gauntlet glove in his left hand. Then with his power glove on the right, he summoned a holy sword out of thin air, its special metal white as snow.

"You can all leave safely now," Sora said to the evacuees, smiling proudly. "I'll take care of the Chimera." Then he turned to the smoke and began glowing a small blue aura all over his body as he started to float, before flying up in the air and straight through it.

As soon as he was through the smoke, he could see the shadow getting up again, growling menacingly at its opponent. All he had to do was to defeat the Chimera with all his might, buying time for the evacuees to escape.

Sora raised his sword and pointed at the beast as he said, "Hear me, malevolent creature! I am Sora Karusano of the legendary Sky Guardians! And with this sword in my hand, I will vanquish your corrupted spirit with all the purity in my heart!"

"ROOOOOOOAR!"

The chimaera class shadow roared at Sora, its voice causing a terrible gust of wind that could blow a city away. But that didn't blow him away, nor did it make him flinch. Then it started lashing its tails, but he quickly dodged them as fast as futuristic teleportation.

While dodging its attacks, Sora carefully observed the shadow. It has to have some sort of weak spot of some kind, he thought. Then he spotted what appeared to be a purple orb surging with negative energy through what looked like veins. Found it! The weak spot was on its chest.

Sora ceased dodging mid-air as the tails of the Chimaera class shadow darted toward him with full force, about to pierce him from all sides like spears. Then...

Slash!

With one quick strike, he spun around with his sword of light in his hand and sliced them all in half.

The shadow roared in pain as it stumbled for a moment, feeling the aftershock of losing the life-draining tails to gather its power. Then it started to gather dark energy once more, preparing to fire at its enemy. But Sora quickly called, "Responder!" and his shield automatically detached from the gauntlet glove, quickly forming a hard light area in front of him as the beast fired its destructive beam and hit the shield.

"Ack!" The sky guardian was pushed back about two inches from the impact; the blast was more powerful than the last. His shield wouldn't last long if it kept up for longer, and he would be incinerated. But even so... "That's not enough... to push me back!"

Sora's hand glowed as he formed a fist, and then punched his hard light shield, sending it soaring towards the beast and reversing the beam it fired.

BOOM!

The impact caused an explosion, damaging the Chimaera's mouth, yet it roared louder in pain. Sora readied his sword of light and channelled his energy into it as he chanted the name of his finishing move. "Omni-Finisher: Heavens Lightning Strike!" Then, like a flash of lightning, he quickly flew towards the shadow's weak spot and pierced through its body, raising his sword in the air as a sign of victory.

The Chimaera class shadow was silent and still for a moment as dawn broke. Then slowly, but beautifully, it evaporated from existence. From the core to the rest of its body, its pieces of dissolved shadow skin became pretty butterflies flying free from their dark cocoon. Sora lowered his weapon and watched the beautiful scene unfold, satisfied with the outcome of the battle and relieved that he got the evacuees to safety.

"Shadow purified," Sora sighed peacefully. He released his light sword from his hand and it faded back into nothingness where it came. He then turned to the evacuation ships, watching them carry the citizens as they flew to a safer destination. He even spotted the two siblings he saved earlier, waving at him and shouting their thank yous.

Yes, everything was successful. It was time for Sora to leave the rest to the rescue committee and go on another adventure. It was time for him to explore more of the Sky World's floating islands and their secrets. It was time for him to—

Suddenly, Sora spotted a tiny black thing floating in the air. It floated randomly from side to side at first, then it floated towards him. He became confused as he wondered why the thing was there. Surely it couldn't be a fragment of a Shadow's body that can regenerate. Could it?

As the thing floated closer, it started to grow bigger in a rhythm similar to a heartbeat. Sora was taken aback, but he instantly pulled himself together and pulled his battle-ready stance, waiting for the shadow to make a move. However, the thing stopped near him and finished growing to the size of a play ball.

"Huh?" said Sora as he eased his position. "That's very weird." He observed the unusual ball-shaped Shadow. For a moment, he wondered where it came from and why it was here. Then he soon found out.

"Sora!"

There was a voice calling to him that took him aback again. It came from the thing he was facing. Maybe there was someone inside of it?

"Sora!"

The voice called out to him again. But somehow, it didn't sound like someone calling for help. It was like it was calling for him to...

"What?" was the only word that came out of Sora's mouth.

"Sora, time to wake up!"

CRACK! SHATTER!

Suddenly, everything around Sora cracked and shattered like glass as his reality instantly transformed into a dark void. His powers as the Sky Guardian disappeared, and he began descending into the infinite darkness.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!" he screamed as he fell.

And then...

Thud!

"Ack!" Sora Karusano, the great sky guardian... instantly woke up. 

He found himself lying on the floor of his bedroom. He looked around to see his bookshelf full of novels, a display cabinet full of plastic mecha models he made for his hobby, his wardrobe desk hybrid with stacked study books and hung clothes, and finally, the edge of his wooden bed with his bed sheet halfway on top of him. He must've fallen out with a bang while he was hearing someone calling to him.

"O-ow..."  Sora sat up and rubbed the back of his head, treating the little pain until it went away. "It was just a dream, wasn't it?" He told himself.

"Sora!" called a voice from downstairs. "Are you up yet? You're gonna be late for school if you stay in bed longer."

Late for... school? Sora paused for a moment. Then his eyes widened. "Huh?!" He jumped up to his desk to check his clock. '8:30am' it says.

8:30am.

8:30am?!

"OH NO!" cried Sora. He grabbed his school bag on the windowsill and gathered his study supplies. He couldn't believe he overslept and woke up late. And on a very important school day too. THE very important school day. He was about to run out of his room when he instantly noticed that he was still in his pyjamas and quickly changed into his school uniform. He rushed downstairs to the dining kitchen, where his guardian, Mrs Nakaguchi, was cooking breakfast at the stove. His bento lunchbox was already made and placed on the table next to a big slice of toast with butter and strawberry jam. He put the boxed lunch in his bag and closed the flap.

"Morning Mrs Nakaguchi!" said Sora, snatching and taking a bite out of the slice of toast while rushing towards the front door.

"Sora!" called out Mrs Nakaguchi. "No running in the house, please! It's bad manners!"

"Sorry!" Sora called back, rushing to get his shoes on near the front door porch. "I'm running late!"

"I told you to get an early night before the exams."

"I know!" As soon as Sora had put his shoes on, he finished eating his toast, put his bag on and opened the front door. "I'm heading out!" he called as he exited and closed it behind him.

Outside the front house, Sora ran to the garage where Mrs Nakaguchi's husband, Mr Nakaguchi, had finished putting the touches on a repaired pedal-powered motorcycle. "Morning Mr Nakaguchi," he said.

"Ah, morning Sora," said Mr Nakaguchi. "I repaired the bike for you just in time." Mr Nakaguchi was a repairman and an extraordinary one too. He was known as the best repair worker in the village who turned old, damaged, faded items and turning them into improved, working colourful items. If you're wondering where he gets his inspiration, he watched the Repair Shop series in his youth as his favourite program. 

"Thanks so much!' said Sora as Mr Nakaguchi handed him his bike. He got on and ignited the engine.

"I wish you luck on your entrance exam," said Mr Nakaguchi. "You're gonna do great."

"Thanks Mr Nakaguchi." Sora started pedalling as he lightly pulled the throttle and slowly left the garage. "See you later!'

"Have a good day!" And Mr Nakaguchi watched Sora speeding down the village block before he exited the west entrance.