The Astral Express was headed to a small planet known as [Jarilo-VI].
"According to the records, the last time we visited this place was thousands of years ago. It was a lush, vibrant world," Himeko explained slowly, glancing at the few people around her. "But with time, it's likely that much has changed."
Felicity, her vines steadying March 7th and Stelle from falling during the jump, looked out the window, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
The world outside was a massive ice planet, its vast whiteness a stark contrast to the "lush and beautiful" world Himeko had described.
"Thousands of years, and this is what Jarilo-VI has become? This Trailblazing mission might not be as simple as we thought," Felicity murmured under her breath.
Himeko gazed out at the white expanse, her hand resting on her chin. "Hmm... There's something on this planet that draws my attention."
Felicity nodded, acknowledging the pull she felt. The Path of Abundance stirred within her, hinting at something important hidden on the planet.
"Even the Emanator of the Path of Abundance feels uneasy?" Himeko mused, misunderstanding Felicity's concern. She nodded, saying, "The source of the disturbance is likely the Stellaron."
"The Stellaron?" March 7th sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Don't even need to hear more. We know what's coming next. We need to handle the planet's issues before we can safely restart the train."
True to March 7th's prediction, Pom-Pom soon emerged from the conductor's room, delivering grim news.
"Space readings are unstable. The star track's stability has dropped to 12%. The docking plan has been altered. Our stop here has been extended indefinitely."
"See? Told you so," March 7th said, hands on her hips, beaming with self-satisfaction.
Welt, who had been silently gathering information, finally spoke up with a frown. "Preliminary tests confirm. The source of the anomaly is the Stellaron."
"Stellaron..." Stelle instinctively touched her chest, recalling the time the same object had nearly exploded inside her before Felicity managed to seal it back.
"So, we need to find and purify the Stellaron causing all this before we can continue our journey?" Felicity asked, already feeling the stir of anticipation. She rubbed her hands together, ready for the adventure.
"Exactly," Himeko nodded. Her eyes swept over the group in the car, pausing as if weighing her next words. "Stelle, Felicity, I'm entrusting this mission to you, March 7th, and Dan Heng. The goal is clear: locate the Stellaron, return it to the train, and—stay safe."
Himeko had briefly considered taking charge of the mission herself, but given the planet's instability and the unsettling feeling from Nanook's gaze, it was better for her and Welt to stay on the train for safety. They'd be better off avoiding any more attention from the Antimatter Legion.
"Awesome! Let's do this again!" March 7th struck a dramatic pose.
"Not our turn this time," Welt replied, a hint of regret in his voice.
"Let the young ones go ahead. Let's see how they work together," Himeko suggested with a gentle smile. "No objections? Then, let's go talk to Dan Heng."
"Jarilo-VI expedition team, let's move out!" Felicity said, her smile reflecting a thrill of excitement.
"Finally!" she added with a smirk as she stepped onto the snowy ground.
March 7th blinked, confused. "What? What does that even mean?"
"Nothing, really. Anyway, where do we go now?" Felicity shrugged and looked at the endless snow, pondering.
"Where to?" Stelle asked, hands on her hips.
"The target's close by," Dan Heng responded calmly, his arms crossed.
"Then let's go!" March 7th cheered, unable to contain her excitement.
"Let's get moving!" Stelle echoed, still standing proudly with hands on her hips.
"Repeater," March 7th rolled her eyes at her.
As they walked and talked, they noticed that Felicity had fallen behind. When they looked back, she was standing by a larger snow mound, inspecting it curiously.
"Sister Fili, what are you doing? Hurry up!" March 7th waved, calling out.
Felicity raised an eyebrow, shaking her head. "Nothing," she replied with a slight grin. Her senses told her the source of the disturbance was buried beneath the snow.
"Found it that quickly?" she thought, intrigued.
She lifted a hand, and the vines beneath the snow quickly sprang to life, wrapping around the mound.
A sudden flash of blue leapt from the snow, and a voice cried out.
"Ouch! Please, don't! I didn't do anything! There's no need for the vines, right?"
The figure that emerged from the snow looked panicked. As his eyes landed on Felicity, controlling the vines, they widened in shock.
"Uh, ma'am, please don't be angry! I didn't mean to startle you. Your defensive reflexes are impressive, though... beautifully done!" he said nervously, eyeing the vines warily.
Felicity frowned slightly, dismissing his words. She extended her senses again, but the aura she had sensed earlier had vanished without a trace.
"Did I mistake the source?" she murmured to herself.
"Who are you?" Dan Heng demanded coldly, spear drawn in front of him, standing between March 7th, Stelle, and the newcomer. "Explain yourself."
"Ah~ You're not with the Silvermane Guards?" the man said with relief, then grinned sheepishly. "I'm Sampo Koski. Nice to meet you!"