The Challenge of the Masters

⊱⊰ 17: Sagittarius [Revised] ⊱⊰

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" called a male voice.

Arisa turned around and saw a few agents approaching her and Kazuya.

"We were going home," said Kazuya. "Since the field is no longer active and the monster has been defeated, we thought it was okay to go."

"As citizens, you should already know that you're not allowed to return until we report that the area is safe."

Kazuya's brows raised, his mouth agape. "Ah, sorry. I forgot about that."

"It's alright," said the agent. "You should find a safe place to wait in the meantime, seems that there were other creatures besides this one."

Kazuya nodded and held Arisa's hand. "Will do. Please excuse us and good luck with your mission."

The agent smiled as he watched them leave the area. As they walked away, Arisa glanced over her shoulder and met a messy environment with a fallen monster. Examining her surroundings, she could see several agents trying to calm down the crying citizens.

"I thought it was our turn to be heroes." Arisa's heart tightened as she saw despair in the citizens' faces.

"It is," said Kazuya. "But we'll have to use another method to not catch the agents' eyes. We have to find a perfect place to transform."

Arisa's brows raised. "I see."

She remembered that besides working as a form of protection, their armor hid their identity from society. An essential feature that would avoid troubles for the Guardians themselves and their loved ones.

The duo walked for a few minutes in an almost deserted street filled with simple buildings and different types of robots. Kazuya stopped and examined their surroundings before he strolled towards a small alley.

"Alright," said Kazuya, peering by the wall. "I think it's safe to transform here."

He then glanced at his hand, focusing on it. A light breeze blew past them and it intensified as it gathered on Kazuya's right palm, glowing with thin white streams. It didn't take long for Libra's sign to appear on his hand, brightening with white light. Another second passed before a heavy gust surrounded him and hid his figure.

One blink and Arisa saw a well built white armored figure. Looking closely, she could see the silver details spread on the armor.

"Quick," said Kazuya, "our duty is calling."

Arisa nodded and focused her element on her left hand. The heat around it intensified as Aries' sign glowed with a crimson light. As she concentrated, crimson flames surrounded her and joined her figure. A few seconds later, the flames disappeared, revealing her crimson armor.

A clanking sound could be heard as she walked a step forward.

"Wait." Kazuya stopped her before she could take another step.

Arisa turned around. "What is it?"

Kazuya's armored boots clanked against the ground as he approached her. "We can't just walk to ground zero; I'm sure the agents will try to stop us since Guardians are not welcome."

"True," said Arisa, glancing at the dark ground.

Despite understanding the citizens' dislike towards the Guardians, she couldn't help but feel hurt as she was now a Guardian.

She sighed. It was incredible how a single generation changed the vision of the inhabitants towards the Guardians. To think that they were once loved and admired, it was sad seeing that the title of a Guardian ended up stained like this.