Fort Corona

In the Realm of the Sun, there's a Zenith Castle of the Sun. And near the Castle, there's a building where the twelve Ecliptic Zodiac Generals meet. This is Fort Corona, a bastion fort that houses the warriors who defend the Realm of the Sun.

## History

It is a structure in the old Aether World that was where the armies of the Realm of the Sun live in. During the war against the Devourer of Worlds, this fortress was one of the buildings destroyed.

It is one of the buildings rebuilt by Ranald and his classmates as a part of their final-year project. It is now the meeting place of the twelve generals, Ranald himself and their students when they want to discuss matters.

## Description

As a bastion fort or star fort, Fort Corona has defenses such as the moat surrounding it, its outworks, such as hornworks and crownworks, bastions and half-bastions, curtain walls and more. It has specifically twelve bastions, one for each of the constellations of the zodiac, on which there are twelve energy cannons. In the centre of the fort are some buildings for the Ecliptic Zodiac Generals and their friends. They do not live there, but it's where they conduct their daily activities.

### Main Building Interior

The main building, a chateau, serves as the headquarters for the Ecliptic Zodiac Generals. It was called the Twilight Shelter. It is connected to the other buildings around it by black marble paths.

The Radiant Lobby: When you enter the building, this is where you can explore the other rooms from. This room has a crystal ceiling that turns transparent at night, giving you a view of the stars of the night sky and depictions of the Sun travelling the sky on its walls. There is a golden door at the front leading to the Council Room and the other doors in the lobby lead to the fort's other areas.

The Council Room: In this room is a circular glass table with twelve seats. At the centre of the table is a holographic projector that makes images of what the person is speaking about. The Ecliptic Zodiac Generals meet with Ranald and the 108 Stars of Destiny there to discuss battle strategies and missions. In the room, there are tapestries depicting the constellations of the zodiac, and teleporters that the twelve Crusaders use to enter and exit the rooms that glow with their respective colour when in use.

The Galaxy Ballroom: This ballroom, just like the one in Zenith Castle, is where large events are held, but while Zenith Castle's balls are informal, the balls held at Fort Corona are for celebrating mission victories. It has retractable walls to divide the room into smaller parts and can be entered from an antechamber which leads to the foyers on the left and right. If you go to the foyers, you can enter the ballroom from there. It has midnight blue curtains and glowing crystal spheres hanging from the ceiling.

Grand Kitchen: Where meals are prepared. Aside from Aether World's meal synthesizers found in the other palaces and castles, there is a pool where fish can be found. Fridges, ovens, and dessert makers are found there. The entrance to the kitchen has a golden star above it that lights up when the meal is finished being prepared there.

Courtroom: Where Andromeda brings dimensional criminals to be charged. There is a bench framed by two marble columns trimmed gold where the judge (usually Virgo or Libra) sits. Behind the bench is a tapestry depicting a griffin. There is a witness stand, the jury boxes, and the desks where scribes may sit. A bar divides the area, with the part behind it, the gallery being for the general public. If the criminal gets violent, Celestial Glass pops up from the bar to protect the public from harm.

Eclipse Prison: If the person is found guilty, he or she is sent to this prison, which is in the basement. There are stairs leading in and out of the basement, and the bars of every jail are made of Black Pearl Steel. Inside the jail, the prison walls have Golden White Chains attached to them to hold down prisoners. They were forged from the metal of the chains adorning the Chained Maiden's gauntlets mixed with orichalcum from the Realm of the Sun. These Golden-White Chains can coat themselves into flames in the shape of snake's heads that look like Hydara's and whip, pull back or tie up prisoners who attempt to escape. There are alarm bells that ring when someone escapes from prison, and the Sinner-Chasing Hounds found in Aether World Cosmic University's Detention Dungeons are also in the prison patrolling the hallways to ensure no one escapes. There is a door in the prison that exits to the star fort's moat.

Relaxation Room and Garden: It is so-called since this room is linked to a garden by a path. In the room, there are beanbags, mats, and a radio that plays pleasant music. Its walls are decorated with paintings of the Realm of the Sun's landscapes. The path from the relaxation room leading to the garden is built on water, with Star Lotus flowers growing in it.

The garden has fragrant herbs and exotic plants such as Star Lilies, Sunray Bushes, and such. There are frangipani trees and Angsana trees in this garden. Chrysomallos, Aries's pet golden winged ram lives there.

Tunnel Room: This minor room has an entrance to the air tunnel connecting it and the Zenith Castle of the Sun. It's in the main building's lone tower.

#### Other Areas

Community Center: Where the Ecliptic Generals and other Crusaders can meet for the events and activities held there. It's in a building connected to the main central one by a covered walkway.

Sunfire Forge: Sagittarius runs this place. Connected to the main building by a covered walkway, it's where the best weapons are forged, from Earth metals to more exotic and otherworldly materials such as Stygian Metal and Pearl Steel. It has the usual anvil and smithing tools. Every metal made there is forged with both function and form in mind. King Athos made its brick walls flameproof with an enchantment.

The storeroom in the forge contains metal ores and crystals while the small storefront buildings at the Sunfire Forge house weapons such as knives, swords, spears, and even guns. The Armour Room is where different types of armor are displayed, with a magic mirror on one of the walls that tell you if you are a fit for the armor you want to be made for you. There is a testing area behind the building with training dummies similar to AWCU's and a short throwing/archery range.

Bazaar: A black marble path from the Twilight Shelter leads to an open space where the Bazaar is found. Supplies, silks and jewels, as well as stuff from other dimensions are bought and sold here. Some Crusaders have volunteered to patrol the Bazaar to keep the peace. Nearby the Bazaar are twelve teleporters that bring the Ecliptic Star Generals to the Twilight Shelter's Council Room.

### Exterior

Moat: Usually a dry ditch, it's filled with water from the Claritas River on summer occasions. The water shines and can be of good help for travelers at night.

Ecliptic Bastions: Twelve Bastions representing a zodiac constellation with their cannons are the fort's main defence. The energy cannons were recently built in Design and Technology class, and shoot out starlight energy at intruders in times of war. The bastions have banners portraying a symbol of a zodiac constellation.

Floating Platforms: Built with antigravity technology, these steel floating platforms are found floating in the waters of the moat of Fort Corona. When a visitor steps on a platform, he can tell it where he wants to go, and it will take him there since they are voice-activated like the floating disks in AWCU's Aether Health and Medical Hospital. In times of trouble, the floating platforms fly to a part of the star fort where they are usually stored.