Celestial Sonata

My perception slowed to a crawl as the explosion went off, my mind and body moving a hundred times faster than usual to keep up. The air rippled around me, and the floor was rent open beneath us in an explosion of heat, shrapnel, and pure force.

"Sanctus Overture: Golden Bastion!"

I raised my hands, forming a shimmering hex-cube of energy around the scientists, myself, and the corpses. It was strong, stronger than steel by several magnitudes, but even then, it wasn't enough. My aura strained, buckling under the pressure as I forced it to stay together, trying to keep everyone safe.

But, I saw something as the floor disintegrated neath us, and the world slowed to a crawl as I focused.

The blast was more than just fire. More than just heat or kinetic force. There was a kind of magic in it. Something that looked like a miniature black singularity, sucking everything around it inwards. It was somehow still projecting an explosion chain of energy, even though it was drawing in matter and heat. It defied the laws of physics outright.

The blast hit the shield like a hammer striking a gong.

I gritted my teeth and braced myself, pouring all of my will and mana into the shield.

It wavered.

It buckled.

It held, but I didn't know for how long. I could sense the power within it fading fast, and the pressure increased exponentially every second as it approached.

I snapped my fingers, tuning in on the magical frequencies that the singularity radiated. I needed to find its resonance frequency and dispel it. I would use Symphonie Estelle to dispel whatever enchantment this was. The golden wave washed outwards, negating most of the heat and kinetic force.

It washed over the singularity and then —

Nothing.

Not a damn thing.

What?

I blinked in disbelief.

That should've worked!

The black sphere of light began to grow in intensity, and I knew I didn't have much longer.

I snapped them again, trying a different tune.

Nothing.

I snapped again, trying a completely different melody, but all that came was a flash of gold light. I could feel my magic working. The spell was going off, it just wasn't having any effect.

My heart pounded in my chest.

There had been no counter-spells. No resistance.

I didn't understand. I didn't have much time to think about it either. I needed to do something. Fast. The singularity was only about fifteen meters away now.

Even an Emperor's authority was something that could be dispelled. Symphonie Estelle worked on all wave frequencies that underpinned reality, even on other dimensions, if I used it right. If it was an effect that deviated from physical reality, it would be overwritten by the power of Symphonie Estelle. So what was this? Why wouldn't it go away? Why wouldn't my magic affect it?

I shook my head. Now wasn't the time.

And then, another explosion went off. I barely managed to raise a barrier in time. It didn't come from the same direction as the first, but it didn't matter.

Then a third.

Each one grew closer than the last, and they all converged on our position in unison. The barriers were beginning to strain and crack, even as they were battered repeatedly. I could only stare in horror as another singularity emerged from the smoke, followed by another.

I wasn't sure if my barriers were strong enough anymore.

"Come on, come on! Think!" I hissed under my breath.

Cut and run...

A small, intrusive thought wormed its way into the back of my mind.

I could always cut and run. Even the gravity of these swirling, black, and orange things wouldn't be able to outpace my speed. The shield would hold long enough for me to make it out alive, even at the last moment. There were too many scientists. Even if I tried to move the entire group, they'd be too heavy for me to carry them all out.

If I wanted, I could just...

My vision flickered and went black for a split second.

No.

No. Fuck no.

That wasn't me.

That was the other Celestial Sonata.

The memory of what she'd done was clear as day. Of the overwhelming entity in Zhou Ling city. Of fleeing from it, of running as the entire place burned down, of the people begging her for help.

Running. Leaving it all behind.

A memory of a young girl with golden hair in phoenix armor, her arms wrapped around a boy, her face twisted into an ugly mask of pain as the blast wave engulfed them.

I was not her.

She hadn't managed to do what needed to be done. She'd been all talk, and it had gotten people she loved killed.

Leaving everyone behind. The people I was supposed to save. To keep alive. That was what a magical girl was supposed to do.

Not abandon them to their deaths.

I couldn't let it happen again.

No. Never again.

I'd save these people, no matter what.

Even if I didn't know exactly what the bomb was or how to stop it, I would find a way.

My mind raced, trying to think of any possible solution that I could use.

I remembered the lesson from that morning, all those years ago. A training session I'd practically skipped. Something I'd almost forgotten. Something about how I was using magic, something I was doing wrong. If there was any way to make the shield hold, I had to remember.

The fundamental shield projection was the most basic of my spells, the first thing that came to my mind in moments of danger. It was an old habit from back in my earliest days, and I'd always been good at it. It was as natural as breathing. A spell that didn't take much concentration to maintain.

It was also one that had gotten better and more efficient as my skills had grown and developed.

But it wouldn't be enough...

I needed to come up with something, fast.

I yawned, my eyelids drooping as I watched the magical girls practice in the training field.

The sun was barely visible over the horizon. It was way too early to be up. We were in a wide open space on the private grounds of Zhou Ling International School.

A woman in a hooded red cloak, the Academy representative in charge of our lessons, was standing in the center of the group, and we were all lined up in front of her.

It was cold outside, and there was a gentle breeze in the air, carrying with it the smell of freshly-cut grass.

"Shields!" she barked.

Around me, a group of magical girls were all casting their shields. Their magic glowed in different hues, shimmering and rippling like water.

I watched with fascination as each girl's aura flared to life around her, their shields coming into view. They were all unique to their owner; some were transparent, others were solid, and still others were opaque, but they were all distinct.

"Sonata!" the red cloaked woman said, her tone sharp. "You need to be practicing. Focus on your technique."

"Ughhh..." I complained. "I've been casting shields for ages. It's practically second nature to me."

"That's no excuse. Practice doesn't make perfect, it makes it automatic," the woman chided. "Now, throw one up and I'll test it."

I rolled my eyes, but didn't protest. She was right, after all.

I shrugged and nodded reluctantly. I'd heard this lecture over and over.

Besides, my basic shield was already automatic. And I could already throw up very strong ones. I'd practiced that one so many times I could do it without even thinking. Even when I'd first become a magical girl, I had a natural affinity for that defensive spells.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to concentrate. The familiar sensation of my mana welling up inside me filled my body. It was a warm, tingly feeling that spread throughout my entire body.

It made me feel like I was invincible. Like nothing could hurt me.

I exhaled and let the energy flow through me. As the magic poured into me, it felt as though a dam had burst open. I could feel the magic coursing through every inch of my body. I could see the world around me with perfect clarity.

It was a bit too much, but I pushed the thought aside. I didn't want to be distracted right now.

When I opened my eyes, a large dome of shimmering light appeared around me.

I'd made this one extra strong. The magical energy was so dense it was visible, rippling and shimmering in the air around us. It was strong enough to block most attacks from Marquis-class chaos beasts, if not everything. Not as strong as my strongest shield, but it was still a lot more powerful than what most other girls could do here.

The instructor pulled her hood back, revealing fiery, strawberry blonde hair that cascaded down her back like a river of fire. Her skin was pale, her eyes were piercing like molten lava, and she had sharp features that gave off the impression of someone who had lived through hell itself.

She stepped forward and raised her hand, placing her palm against the barrier.

"Hmmm..." she murmured. "You really do have a strong talent for this... I've rarely seen someone with so much natural ability, and so little technique."

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Her voice trailed off as she looked at me with a curious expression on her face. She was studying me intently, examining my shield with an intensity that made me feel uncomfortable.

"Your shield is strong, but inefficient," she continued. "You could make a lot more progress with more study."

"Efficient?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. I'd never heard anyone say that before. I'd always been complimented on how good I was at barrier magic. Not once did I ever hear anything negative from my teachers or instructors about it.

She nodded.

"You're wasting too much lumina, even though the raw barrier is good," the woman explained. "With a little refinement you could cut your expenditure down by a third, or maybe even a half."

I frowned.

"That doesn't sound very helpful," I muttered, looking down. I was already very strong, and this sounded like an unnecessary complication.

The instructor shook her head, a smile appearing on her lips.

"You need to learn how to properly control and manipulate the flow of energy within yourself, if you ever hope to get stronger. If you just brute force everything, you'll end up running dry when you need your magic the most. And that's not a situation you want to be in, not in the field. It could be fatal."

My eyes widened slightly.

"That's never been an issue for me before," I said defensively. "I've taken down Marquis-class chaos beasts without ever needing to worry about running out of magic."

The woman chuckled lightly, shaking her head once again.

"Then you're incredibly lucky and probably incredibly reckless as well, because most people can't afford to do things the way you do."

My frown deepened.

"Look, I know you think I've been hard on you," the woman continued, her expression softening slightly as she looked at me kindly. "But trust me when I tell you that you're going to need every bit of advantage that you can get in the future. Life is rarely fair, and neither is battle. Your enemy won't care if you have a bad day. If you can't perform, if you can't adapt, you'll die. Or the people you love will."

Then, she stepped back, summoning her famous picnic basket.

"Besides, there are times where finesse will win out, where technique and control will trump brute force," the woman said, grabbing the handle of the basket. I could hear the hum of her own magical energy as it coursed through the wicker material. She took a stance, preparing herself.

"Like this."

In the next instant, she swung her arm, the basket becoming a blur of red energy behind her. An array of candy canes, apples, and other projectiles arced out from it in rapid succession. I saw swords made of sugar crystals, knives made of peppermints, and spears of hardened caramel.

Each one was launched like a missile. Some of the attacks bounced off my shield harmlessly, but others found weak points and punctured the shield, leaving cracks behind them. I took a step back, channeling more mana with my hands. I'd seen this kind of attack from her before.

The woman swung her arm in an arc, and I could feel the impact as another volley of projectiles reverberated against the barrier.

My shield flickered and wavered, the cracks spreading outward.

The instructor didn't give up, launching even more projectiles at the shield as it started to give way. Soon enough, the cracks widened, and then finally, the whole thing shattered with a loud crack. I let out a yelp of surprise as a flurry of candy canes rained down on me, trapping me underneath a massive pile of sugary weapons. The pile of confections shifted, the weight crushing me. My face was pressed against the ground as rope-like taffy and strings of red licorice bound me tight.

The instructor let out a soft laugh.

I could see her smiling down at me from beneath the mountain of sweets.

I let out an embarrassed huff, trying to ignore how silly this situation was. I'd been defeated in seconds by candy of all things!

"You might be the most powerful of the batch," the instructor commented. "And you've got great potential, but if you keep neglecting your fundamentals, you'll end up being defeated by someone with half your raw power and twice your skill one day."

She reached down to give me a hand, and I accepted gratefully, getting back onto my feet with her help.

"Your natural ability is incredible, Celestial Sonata. But you can always be better."

I nodded, still feeling embarrassed. She was right. There were no shortcuts. If I wanted to improve, then I had to put in the effort and the work, just like anyone else.

"Now, try again," she commanded. "Try a hexagon. Think of the shield as a beehive. Less surface area. More support points to spread the weight. Don't project a bubble of light, but a series of planes with the least surface area to maximize your structural support and minimize the expenditure of magic."

I did as I was told. I concentrated on forming a mental image of a beehive. The hexagons, the way the shapes locked together. The strength they provided to each other. I focused my mind on that image, and I tried to push it outwards, into reality.

"Think about how you could use less magic, but make the shield just as strong," she continued. "If you keep doing that, eventually it'll become second nature. You won't even have to think about it anymore."

I concentrated, and the image in my mind became clearer. The beehive. It was simple and elegant. Strong. Efficient.

Soon, I'd managed to conjure a shimmering golden hexagonal shield. I could feel the power behind it, how much stronger it felt compared to my usual shields. It was much more compact and efficient. I could feel it in my bones.

"But... even if I compress it to a hexagon, isn't it still just a plane? A plane that can still be punched through, if you can focus enough force in one area?"

"That's true, in a sense," the woman explained. "That's why the best defense isn't one that can stand against anything, but to defend yourself in such a way that it makes it difficult to punch through in the first place."

She stepped forward, tapping the edge of her red cloak.

"Do you know what the most effective defense is, in the end?"

I paused.

"No."

"Being so far away, or moving so quickly, that you cannot possibly be hit. In short: a shield is a last line of defense, but avoidance is the real defense. The real goal is to move so far that you cannot possibly be hit, or to become so fast that you're a streak in the sky, too fast for anyone to keep up with, or even predict."

Her red cloak fluttered behind her, the gold lining twinkling like the stars.

I let the thought roll around in my mind.

"Avoiding the hit entirely is the truest defense... I think I understand," I said slowly, letting the words sink in. It was a lesson worth keeping in mind.

The instructor nodded.

"That's right," she said with a smile. "That's the key. Your magic is only as good as its foundation. Your fundamentals must be solid. Without a proper grasp of the basics, you'll never reach your full potential. Even if avoidance is ultimately the goal, if you're forced into a situation where you can't dodge or run away, a proper foundation can make all the difference."

She gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"Now, go practice your shield some more. Everyone else? Line up! I'll be stress testing your shields."

I nodded, and I did as instructed.

I'd never forget the lessons she taught me.

Lessons that would save my life again and again.

In a flash, everything came back. The memories flooded back into my head.

There was one way out. I wouldn't be able to keep channeling the barrier, but I didn't have to.

I knew exactly what to do. How to do it.

I closed my eyes, reaching for my deepest well of magical power. It was a place of pure, raw potential. It was a reservoir that I tapped into only in the most extreme of emergencies. It was the source of my strongest attacks. The most powerful magics I had.

Every Magical Girl utilized lumina - the manifested hopes of those she'd saved. Those that believed in her. But, at the core of all of that was a singular spark, the core of a magical girl's soul, her own heart. It was the essence of her very being. Her hopes, her dreams, failures and everything she was.

It was the purest form of her personal magic. It was the source of her most potent, and also most exhausting abilities. Every Magical Girl's spark — her Signature Motif was unique. My Symphonie Estelle and its derivatives all originated from that well. The unique manipulation of waves, frequencies, and sound that my powers were built around. It was my foundation.

I'd honed it and developed it for years. I'd spent countless days learning how to wield it. But it wasn't my spark itself.

My spark was something far more personal. A song. A melody. I didn't even remember its name.

But I remembered how it made me feel.

And I remembered how to sing it. How it sounded in my voice.

The world around me disappeared as I reached out for it, letting the notes flow through me, filling me with power and strength. It was a soothing melody, a gentle song of hope and courage that lifted me up and made me feel like I could do anything. The notes echoed in my head like a symphony of angels singing in chorus, each chord ringing clear and pure.

It resonated through my soul like a bell. It was so beautiful. So perfect. So right.

As the melody grew louder and clearer in my head, my body began to glow. Golden light poured from me like a beacon. The light was blindingly bright, and I could feel the energy surging within me. My pink hair billowed behind me as my dress glowed, and the light shone through my body like a beacon.

My body began to hum and sing. I felt alive. Alive and invincible.

My spark burned, and I let it consume me. I let the power course through my veins, and I embraced it fully. It was time. There were too many lives on the line here to hold back.

Efficiency, huh?

As my magic poured out of me like a river, the dome around me solidified.

The edges of the shield began to crystallize into hexagonal shapes, the surfaces of the shield turning into shimmering, golden planes. It was a massive barrier that covered a significant area, and I could see the three black holes drawing ever closer.

I needed time. And now I had some, just barely. If there were even just one more bomb, or even half of one more, the civilians would have been toast.

I focused, concentrating on my spark and the music it sang to me.

I took a deep breath and concentrated, my voice rising in volume as the notes flowed out of me. I sang with everything I had. My body shook. I poured my soul into the song, the power flowing out of me with every word.

It was my purest expression, the very essence of what made me Celestial Sonata, the very heart of what made me a Magical Girl.

And right now, it was my best shot at getting us out of this alive.

It was my strongest card, and my trump card.

I took a deep breath and pushed all my energy into it.

Golden light flared out of me, enveloping everything within its reach.

I was about to try something new.

Something I had never attempted.

"Magnum Opus: Absolute Hope Field!" I screamed, pouring my entire being into the magic.

My soul burned with light. I could feel the heat pouring off of me as I phased out of physical reality and the space around us began to shift. Everything around me was distorted, bent out of shape.

Avoidance is the truest defense. That was a lesson I'd taken to heart after the Jo Loon Incident. My ultimate defense was the truest form of avoidance there was: the complete and total avoidance of being hit by partially phasing out of the physical plane. I'd only ever applied it to myself, however, and it had still left me drained. Even now, my magical reserves were dwindling, my soul burning up like a candle. This was dangerous.

I could feel the energy spewing out of me, and it was taking all I had to control it.

I didn't have time to worry about the details, though.

I had to focus. I had to do it.

The barriers cracked and buckled under the force of the black singularity that had formed inside, the gravity crushing the air itself as it drew everything into its center. The other two had already detonated, adding to the destruction.

I couldn't hear a sound, and the light in the room was blotted out.

But it wasn't a void. I could feel the crushing weight of the black hole, the gravity crushing my barrier and soul as I strained to contain the force. The barrier flickered and warped as it was pushed to the limit, and then, it broke.

"Absolute Hope Territory — Sanctuarium VItae!" I screamed out the words as loud as I could, pushing them with my lungs and my voice.

I was using everything I had to try to hold the spell together.

It was the hardest thing I'd ever done.

And it worked.

The bubble I encased myself in expanded, covering everything and everyone around me in a massive golden sphere that phased out of physical reality.

The researchers around me marveled and shouted in confusion as the world distorted and twisted around them. It was almost impossible for them to understand what was going on. The only way to even describe the sensation was that everything felt... distant, almost intangible.

It was a disorienting experience, and I could feel the toll on my soul, the exhaustion from the massive amount of energy it required to sustain the spell. The original Absolute Hope Field was one of my most taxing techniques. Expanding it to cover such a massive area was almost impossible. Every inch added exponentially more difficult.

I screamed in exertion.

My soul felt like it was going to burn up. But I couldn't give up.

I could feel the barrier straining and the world around us shifting. I gritted my teeth as I fought against the crushing force of the gravity well that had formed.

I wasn't going to fail.

I wouldn't fail.

"Please! Just a little longer!" I cried out, pushing everything I had into the spell. "Just a little longer!"

The world was shaking. I felt the crushing pressure of the gravity well, and I heard the cries of the researchers around me.

I was on the verge of passing out.

I had to push harder. To reach deeper.

To dig deeper.

To go beyond.

If it had just been for a moment, maybe I could've managed it, but holding the spell for even just a few seconds was enough to drain most of my magical reserves.

But, it had been enough.

The massive black hole that was forming in front of me dissipated and then vanished. It was a surreal experience, to watch the light that was being bent around us fade away.

My barrier shattered into fragments, the magic spent. I let out a gasp as my body gave out, and I collapsed, falling through the night sky.

I was barely conscious. I was completely drained. I was on the verge of losing consciousness.

"One.... more..." I whispered.

I had to break their fall.

But I was so tired, I couldn't even think.

As we plummeted from the top floor, I reached for my magic, my soul, and my heart.

But it wasn't enough. The well of magic within me had run dry.

I couldn't summon the energy to save us. I had given it my all. My everything. But it was no longer in me to do more.

The ground rushed up towards us, and I braced for the impact. I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable. My aura wasn't completely depleted. I would probably survive with a few aches but...

I failed. Again.

"Come on!" I screamed at my magic, my soul. Myself.

Nothing happened.

And then, a bright flash of pink light engulfed us. The air around us crackled with electricity, and then I landed in something soft.

It was like a warm hug.

I could barely open my eyes, but I opened them just enough to spot a familiar red hood. I could see her red cloak fluttering behind her and her familiar red eyes as soared through the air.

The smell of cotton candy and marshmallows filled the air as I tried to stand up, my body trembling.

But, I was too drained.

I fell to the ground again, and this time I didn't bother getting up. I felt myself roll off the mound of cotton candy that was now spread all around me. It was like a massive pink cushion. The scientists were looking at the hooded woman, their expressions confused and relieved at the same time.

I heard a soft thump as I landed on something else.

Something softer than air, something that felt warm, like a warm blanket.

Something like a bed of clouds.

"Thank... goodness," a distant, comforting voice said.

I blinked a few times, my vision blurry. I couldn't focus on anything.

I felt a warm hand touch my forehead.

And then, darkness consumed me.

I was too tired.

I'd given too much.

This time, I wasn't sure if I'd wake up.

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