Far above the village, something ancient stirred.

Unseen by human eyes, the sky’s fabric had begun to unravel—like a wound reopening after centuries of slumber. The first crack didn’t make a sound… but the world was already holding its breath.

As Star and her grandparents continued talking in the dining room, a sudden tremor shook the ground. The sky darkened ominously. Outside, terrified screams echoed through the air. A gust of strong wind blasted through the house.

Alarmed, Star rushed outside and froze.

The once-starry night sky had fractured. Cracks split the heavens, glowing with a blinding red light that bled through the seams.

From the nearby inn, Ludwig emerged. He, too, stared in disbelief at the sky. Catching sight of Star, he quickly approached her.

“Star, we need to head to the capital. Now,” Ludwig said urgently.

“N-Now? But—” Star began.

“We’ll gather your friends along the way. Hurry—we don’t have much time before Valhalla falls,” he insisted.

Star rushed back inside to say a quick farewell to her grandparents. Though she had just arrived, they gave her their blessing to leave once more and prayed for her safety.

Moments later, she climbed into Ludwig’s carriage. The horses took off at full speed as she guided him toward Siegfried and Friedrich’s homes in Odinshold, and then to Klara’s home in Grimsvik.

They galloped through the Blessing Forest and across vast grasslands.

But fierce winds battered their carriage. A powerful gust struck them, throwing Star and Ludwig out.

Luckily, the carriage wasn’t damaged, but the horses had broken free, now running wild in panic.

Left with no other choice, Star and Ludwig began the long trek on foot toward Odinshold. The journey was grueling. The wind howled relentlessly, and with no lights to guide them, they trudged through the darkness of the forest.

After what felt like hours, they reached the tall gates of Odinshold. The guards, recognizing them, opened the doors without question.

Ludwig split off toward the market to purchase a new carriage and horses, while Star ran straight to Siegfried’s home.

She found him inside, praying alongside his parents. Peeking through the window, she caught his attention.

Siegfried stood immediately, rushing outside to meet her.

“Star, what are you doing here?!” Siegfried asked in surprise. “And who did you come with? Did you come here alone?”

“Let’s go to the capital together. I think... I know how to solve this. After all, the nameless hero entrusted it to me,” Star replied.

“What do you mean by that, Star? I don’t understand,” Siegfried said, confused.

Star then explained what her grandmother had told her. She also showed him her family emblem and explained its origins. Siegfried fell silent, placing his hand under his chin. He was still thinking about whether or not he should accept Star’s offer. Finally, Siegfried said...

“Are you sure, Star?” he asked, needing confirmation.

“I’m absolutely sure. That’s why I need you to come with me,” Star said firmly.

“If you’re that sure, then I’ll go with you. Wherever you go, I’ll follow.”

Star’s eyes sparkled after hearing Siegfried’s words. She ran toward him and hugged him tightly. Siegfried was taken aback, his face turning bright red like a tomato. But suddenly, Ludwig called out to them from afar, breaking the moment between Star and Siegfried. Immediately, Star pulled away from the hug and quickly urged Siegfried to get on Ludwig’s new horse-drawn carriage.

“Ludwig, I want to stop by Friedrich’s place first. After that, we’ll head to Grimsvik to get Klara,” Star said to Ludwig.

“Alright, just show me the way, Star,” Ludwig agreed.

The three of them hurried toward Friedrich’s house, which wasn’t far from Siegfried’s. The carriage wheels rolled slowly, as villagers still crowded the streets to witness the strange phenomenon in the sky. They had to push through the crowd, unable to move quickly. Even though it was late at night, the villagers remained outside.

After passing through the crowd, Star, Siegfried, and Ludwig arrived in front of Friedrich’s house. He was on the balcony, marveling at the strange phenomenon above. Star called out his name loudly. Friedrich looked down and saw Star, her friend, and a merchant helping them. Without hesitation, Friedrich jumped down from his balcony.

“Star, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? And isn’t this the merchant who helped you earlier today?” Friedrich asked, confused.

“Yes, you must recognize Ludwig, right? Come with us to the capital, Friedrich. We’re going to fix this before Valhalla falls completely,” Star explained.

“Hm... the capital, huh?” Friedrich muttered as he thought. “Alright, I’ll go with you. We are a team, after all, right? But first, I need to grab my greatsword.”

“We don’t have time for that. You can get a new one on the way,” Ludwig interjected.

“I can’t fight without my greatsword. I won’t take long, I promise,” Friedrich said as he ran into the house.

With excitement, Friedrich dashed into his home. He grabbed his beloved greatsword to bring along on the journey with his two friends, Star and Siegfried. Not long after, Friedrich returned with his massive sword strapped to his back, now dressed like a soldier, complete with armor and long pants.

He climbed into the carriage, and Ludwig urged the horses forward toward the gate of Odinshold village. Upon arrival at the gate, Siegfried got down and approached the two guards to ask them to open it.

At first, the guards refused, saying that wolf activity had increased that night. But eventually, they relented and opened the gate, allowing Star and the others to leave the village.

Friedrich got down from the carriage and walked beside Siegfried to help ensure their safety from any wolf attacks. Just as the guards warned, the wolves near Odinshold were indeed more active. Star noticed the wolves watching their every move from within the darkness.

Siegfried and Friedrich were on alert, gripping their weapons tightly and preparing to strike if the wolves attacked. However, strangely, the wolves didn’t attack. Instead, they bowed their heads as Star and her friends passed by—almost as if they were paying her respect.

They eventually exited the forest unharmed. Friedrich and Siegfried climbed back into the carriage and sat in front of Star. Ludwig drove the carriage steadily, cutting across the Blessing Forest, a vast grassy plain, and finally arriving at the Yggdrasil Forest. From there, they saw a village in the distance—Grimsvik, the village of mages and sorcerers.

Ludwig slowed the horses as they entered the village. Siegfried looked around, scanning for Klara’s home. As they moved deeper in, they finally found it. A one-story house with a garden out front and an architectural style identical to the surrounding homes, familiar to Star.

Siegfried and Friedrich got down first, followed by Star. The three of them walked to Klara’s front door and knocked. After a short moment, the door opened, revealing a young man about their age standing in the doorway.

The young man looked unfamiliar to the three of them. But then Star noticed his features—cat-like ears covered in sleek black fur that matched his hair, sharp claws, and a long tail trailing behind him. He wasn’t an ordinary human. He was a Felinari, a race of half-human, half-beast beings.

“A Felinari?” Star muttered.

The young man didn’t recognize Star, Siegfried, or Friedrich. He growled at them, eyes sharp and fangs bared. But suddenly, a young woman’s voice called his name.

“Erik... what are you doing out there? Do we have guests?” said the young woman, Klara.