AFIRE: fight for the Earth begins✓

21.1 GOLDSTAR

The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him. Aija agrees to work along with Etrie on Harvest Stopping Missions.

---- Aija and Zuri join Kuna on a Harvest Stopping Mission. They go to the hospital. Aija, at the hospital, stumbles upon Luka's satchel and goes after it, instead. She finds a kitten that has escaped from the hospital. When she is out of the hospital, releasing all the collected souls from Luka's satchel, Thieron comes.

---- Thieron kidnaps Aija. She finds out that Nala works for Thieron. Ze, who was following her to rescue her, gets captured along with her. Thieron binds Aija to himself.

---- Zuri is worried about Aija and Ze, who were taken by Thieron. Etrie kisses Zuri; she slaps him. Ahi and Zuri patch up and agree to remain friends.

---- Zuri is asked to go to the Secure Headquarters for questioning. She goes to Innermost for it.

---- Zuri is questioned by Secure Ivan who presumes that Ze and Aijs ran from home together. She meets the Oshiros and Iyler. Kuna tells her that Iyler is actually from the Gale. 

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****21.1 - Goldstar****

The music from the guitar and the sound of the rain outside filled the room with a harmonious rhythm.

Goldstar put aside his DigiBook, having studied the whole night. He stretched as he stood and sniffled. He wore a light sweater and left his room and found Avery playing the guitar in the main room.

"Is it cold enough to wear a sweater?" Avery asked on seeing him, still playing the guitar.

"It is." Goldstar hugged himself as he sat on the couch opposite Avery.

"Cute." Avery laughed.

Goldstar frowned.

"Done studying?" he asked, switching to a more lively tune.

"Kind of..." Goldstar said, rubbing his eyes.

His Scroll beeped, and he removed it from his pocket. It was a mail from the University. It was regarding the leaves he had taken recently and a review of how many were left. He had ten days of leave remaining for the rest of the year. It wasn't much, considering he might have to visit Pristine One several times more.

It was becoming increasingly exhausting to handle both studies and Gale work. This year he had already traveled several times to Pristine One and the South. He deliberated on if he should just give up his studies and devote himself entirely to the Gale. Like Iyler. Maybe then, even she would feel confident in him. Perhaps she would be willing to be open about their relationship. Sometimes, he also wondered if he could just drag it a bit more like he had done till then, finish his studies, get a job at Pristine One and then devote more and more time to the Gale.

But, it meant leaving behind his parents and siblings. He hated the thought of it. But, he also knew it would eventually happen, since he didn't want to give up on the Gale's work. He had been so reluctant to join the Gale, now leaving it seemed so wrong.