and end of each arc leaves behind an afterimage of the swordswoman, each one glowing in gold. Once each curve reaches its end, the afterimage moves, dashing towards its target before slashing once. Each afterimage shatters into fragments. Once she turns, each thread wraps around her wrist, forming into a bracelet. The opponent moves to grab at her, but her sword clinks for a second time, and each slash glows before cutting the opponent into smithereens. Its face morphs to open, but no sound comes out. The opponent in smithereens disintegrated before Talin and the swordwoman’s eyes. The crowd moves around the two. The woman glances at Talin, who now looks at her in awe. She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose before whistling. From the crowd of umbrellas, two people drift towards the two. One walks briskly towards the swordswoman, holding an umbrella over her head, covering the woman dressed in black and gold. She wears a black hijab, with gold around the ends. The swordswoman wraps her blade in cloth, knotting it at the top before slinging it over her shoulder. She grins at the woman in the hijab who sighs and shakes her head scoldingly. The other was a boy in his teen years, messy black hair covering his eyes with a pair of goggles on the top of his head. Each one wore black and gold, but the most striking part was the gold edelweiss flower with the sun pin on their form.
“Solaris, always showing off. Will there ever be a day where you take caution instead of running in headfirst like a fool?” The boy with the goggles said with brutal honesty, his words cutting through the smoke. The girl with the umbrella rolls her eyes and flicks the boy's forehead. He yelps, rubbing his forehead where a bruise was beginning to form.
“Shut it Monsune; It was our job to keep watch and make sure there were no casualties, Solaris’ job was to destroy the demon, and she did that. Let her show off.”
“Duhe! Stop sticking up for her all the time!” Monsune whines, shuffling under the umbrella. Solaris and Duhe make room for him under it. Solaris wraps her arm around Monsune and pulls him into her side. Amongst all the banter Talin stares at the three, with their weirdness. Demons? Swords with threads that slice and create afterimages with a single command? What is that pin about?
“Have I gone crazy?” Talin said. He stares at the three, who stop their banter and all look at him and then to Solaris.
Aurelia: Daffodil