Why? WHY?!
She kept running and running. She looked back, only to regret it; They were still coming after her. The one accused of Dark Magic.
All she did was study about Dark Magic, so that she can pinpoint the roots of Dark Magic and prevent it from spreading. All she did was heal a dying person.
That gave Alpha Galaga enough reason to accuse her of practicing the forbidden arts. He did all of this just because she...!
She managed to leap out of the way to avoid a magical blast. She hid behind a tree; The angry mob passed the tree, not bothering to check the Astromancer hidden behind it.
Nessira sighed in relief... until the tree was blasted by...
"Imani!" Nessira fearfully backed away in fear.
"We're not here to hurt you." Imani assured by dropping her staff. The other Mysticons followed by dropping their weapons too.
They believe her. Her friends... they BELIEVE she's...?!
A ray of light blasted her from above. The Mysticons turned around in shock upon seeing the Star Master levitating before them.
"Excellent work, Mysticons." Alpha Galaga scowled at his former student.
Nessira laid on the ground, her face held looks of shock and betrayal. How could they? And after everything they've been through?!
More Astromancers appeared, even a guilty Nova Terron. Just as they were about to magically restrain her, something/someone swooped down and grabbed Nessira in his arms.
"Bane?" Nessira looked at the Royal Guard with a mix of surprise and fear in her eyes.
"I've known you too long to never get involve in such magic!" Bane looked her straight in the eye with such affirmity as his Griffin carried them both on his back.
Nessira didn't know what to say. It's... It's just happening all too fast!
Nessira found comfort in Bane's chest as he led her, far away from her oppressors.
Why did she ask him to bring her here? Why?
Nessira couldn't think clearly anymore. The special place she and, the Mysticons sneak off too in the middle of the night... doesn't look so special anymore.
Everywhere she looked, she is reminded of the happy moments she had with the Mysticons; The Griffin Races, the bonfire moments, the tickle fights, the little secrets they share, etc.
Then they were replaced by the... not-so-happy memories.
She sat by the lake in the middle of the field. Just as she leaned down for a drink, she saw her reflection on the lake, replaced by the angry mob...
Nessira pulled away only to sob in her hands.
Why? WHY?!
All she wanted was to help the Mysticons. To help the realm! To protect people!
She knew Alpha Galaga would scold her for disobeying his orders. But she never knew he would WRONGFULLY ACCUSE HER OF...!
Now everyone thinks she's a user of the DARK ARTS! IT'S NOT FAIR!
Bane just couldn't bear to see her like this. Why that Alpha Galaga...!
He suddenly felt a presence behind him and unsheathed his sword as he turned to face his adversary. Nessira felt it too and turned around. Both gaped in shock at the tall Shadow Demon in front of them.
"Poor thing." The Shadow purred. As he took a step forward, Bane pointed his sword at him, "Fear not, noble warrior. I have come to offer comfort."
"Shadow Demons aren't known for giving 'comfort'." Bane pointed out.
"Very well then." Surprisingly, the Shadow turned to leave, "And to think you were one of the most powerful of the Astromancers. Now, you have been DOWNGRADED. All because of those ungrateful fools. And after EVERYTHING YOU DID FOR THEM."
Nessira solemnly looked down, "If only I could show them... to prove to them all the lies... then I can go back... to my friends."
"And you CAN." The Shadow turned to face them again.
He held his hand up. In a flash of light, a sinister-looking black and white mask appeared.
Bane stood his ground at the sight of the mask. Nessira, on the other hand, felt drawn to the mask.
Bane's concerned cries fell deaf in her ears as she slowly approached the mask. Once she was in a respectable distance, she reached out to take the mask.
At first she hesitated. She could feel a dark force of energy radiating from the mask.
The last thing she wanted was to be corrupted by Dark Magic.
She doesn't want to hurt anyone. Even after they wrongfully accused her.
Yet... that didn't stop her from taking the mask...
Black tendrils suddenly appeared around the mask, causing it to latch itself on Nessira's face. Bane rushed in to get the mask off her, but Nessira has already levitated into the air as the rest of her was covered in more black tendrils, giving her a new form, complete with a dark red, bat-like cape.
When the transformation was complete, the newly-transformed former Astromancer fell unconscious on the ground.
The Shadow smirked in satisfaction before disappearing. Now to wait for the fun to begin...
"Nessira!" Bane rushed to Nessira's side and cradled her head in his arms.
When Nessira opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a worried Bane. She reached out a hand to touch his face, only to stop when she noticed her arm was white. She managed to sit up straight and examine her new form, but she needed a full visual.
Using her magic, she levitated water from the lake towards her. She gathered enough to form a make-shift mirror that reflected her entire self.
Which she soon regretted to see.
Standing before her was not a red-head in brown robes, but a tall, black and white creature with a bat-like cape.
The sight of it caused her to unknowingly zap the water mirror and fall on her back in complete shock. How could she let this happen?! Now everyone will think she's a MONSTER! Even...!
"Nessie?"
Bane approached her, but she defensively held up her hand.
"No, don't!" To her surprise, Bane touched her hand with his, "Aren't you... afraid?"
"Why should I?" Bane replied softly, "You don't look any different."
Nessira was left speechless. He was looking at her with surprised eyes. Yet, they also held a hint of comfort in them. She searched for any signs of fear, but found nothing.
After what happened, he was the ONLY one she could entrust her life too...
Then... Imani blasted her.
"Bane!" Imani rushed to the Royal Guard's side along with the other Mysticons and Nova Terron.
"Where's Nessira?" Nova Terron asked, only to be blasted by a black humanoid creature. An angry black humanoid creature.
"And to think," The creature spoke darkly, "I TRUSTED you. No-No Terry."
Nova Terron shot up in shock. The others were equally shocked as well.
"Nessira?"
Nessira responded by blasting them with her Dark Magic.
"NESSIRA IS DEAD!" She snapped, blasting them in a blind rage, "Abandoned! Betrayed by her so-called 'family'!"
"We didn't mean...!" Yuna tried to reason, but was hit instead.
Imani hesitated to counterattack. She didn't want to hurt her Solon. And her friend. And sister-like figure.
Kafras and Taizer were attacked. She has no choice...
Imani pointed her staff at Nessira. Balls of green fire were heading straight for her. To everyone's shock, Bane deflected them.
"She was YOUR FRIEND." Bane spoke darkly.
Imani was too shocked to even evade the next incoming attack...
"And just like that, Necrafa was born." Nova Terron finished solemnly, "All because I couldn't keep my mouth shut. One-by-one, the Mysticons fell, until Imani was the only one left standing. The rest was, history."
At first, no one said anything. But they were listening to Doug's and Gawayne's crying.
This was a side to, Necrafa they never heard before. The evil queen who terrorized the realm thousand years ago, turned out to be a kind-hearted Astromancer who was wrongfully accused of practicing the dark arts, all because she was helping the Original Mysticons.
"How could you keep such a secret from us?" Queen Goodfey shook her head in disappointment and disbelief.
"So all these times... Everything that has been happening... Was because of you." Arkayna pointed out.
"When, I heard there were new Mysticons, I, panicked." The Star Master went on, "I thought you were an, omen. A warning that the past would return to haunt us. When you told us that Necrafa would return,"
"You asked us to destroy the Codex." Zarya finished, narrowing her eyes, "Because you were too afraid to face your old friend."
"Yes." Nova Terron admitted shamefully.
"That day, you brought destruction to the realm." Dreadbane scowled at the Astromancer, "All because you refused to trust a bunch of teenagers. You risked harming yourown, just for the sake of your title."
This time, the Star Master didn't say anything. He just bowed his head in shame.
The moment of silence was interrupted by Zarya's spellpad. Once she answered the call, Kitty's voice was heard. Followed by sounds of clashing weapons, and inhuman screams.
Zarya ended the call and turned to the others, "They're here."
"Let's split up." Arkayna ordered as the group separated into teams.
"I'm sticking with the skeleton!" Gawayne nervously called, much to Dreadbane's confusion.
"How, unbearable are you again?" The muscular skeleton asked.
"Been nice knowing ya." Zarya remarked before leaving with the others.
Dreadbane just shrugged as he and Choko began to listen to the prince talking about his failed 'romantic' relationship.
Well... He has been trying to find a way out of his undead curse...
When Zarya and the others reached the starship, the Pink Skulls were helping each other get back on their feet. But the ones who attacked them were already gone.
As per Arkayna's orders, the group splitted into smaller groups, and Zarya was stuck with the guy who baby-napped her, and her mother.
"What were they like?" Queen Goodfey asked as they searched for the two dark mages.
"Sneaky, conniving," Zarya replied bitterly, "terrible taste in fashion,"
"I meant your adoptive parents." The queen corrected.
Zarya momentarily froze in surprise. Her birth parent asking about her adoptive parents. This, she did not expect.
"Well... They can be, embarrassing," Zarya reminisced.
"Every parent is like that." Queen Goodfey playfully rolled her eyes with a smile. After all; She is a mother.
"Always telling me to be a good, little girl." Zarya's expression began to soften, "But... they always got my back whenever I needed them. Every day of my life. Until..."
"It would have been a blessing to meet them personally." Goodfey smiled, which her daughter returned.
The moment was broken when they heard sniffing. They turned around, only to find Nova Terron wiping the tears from his eyes.
A scream alerted the three. They ran towards the source, only to find Gawayne crying over a holographic photo of his ex-girlfriend, Lateensia. (Get over her already!)
"Great." Zarya remarked as he walked over to Dreadbane, "You bored him to death."
Suddenly, the skeleton jolted awake, "I'm not dead. But I should be."
Choko jumped on his skull, mimicking his annoyance.
The next thing everyone knew, they found themselves trapped inside a dark purple force field. Zarya and Nova blasted the force field many times, but couldn't even make a hole large enough to escape.
Then she appeared.
"Proxima, is it?" Queen Goodfey recalled what her daughters told her about the fallen Astromancers.
The bespectacled Astromancer just slightly bowed at the queen with a look of indifference before turning around and summoning an all too familiar sinister looking mask.
"Proxima... you can't..." Nova Terron pleaded.
"Do you know why I joined the Astromancers in the first place?" Proxima asked bitterly, "I thought I finally found a place where I belong. A purpose. A reason why I matter. Then I realized; It was all just a BIG, LIE."
Nova Terron could only look away with guilt. Maybe if he had opened his heart, he would have not hurt others. Just like his star master.
"You're quite fortunate, Mysticon Ranger." Proxima continued, not taking her eyes off the mask, "You know, I didn't know how to react to the fact that I had a long-lost sister. And just as I was warming up to her... another LIE."
"You can't blame her, Proxima." Zarya reasoned. She also didn't like the idea of another orphan being used as a decoy for her sake.
"Oh I don't blame her." Proxima lifted down her sleeve, revealing the bracelet Arkayna gave her before lifting it back up, "I just wish, that moment didn't have to end. That it could go on. And she wouldn't even notice. Forever."
Realization struck Nova and Zarya when they saw the way Proxima was looking at Necrafa's mask.
"She won't forgive you if she finds out." Zarya pointed out.
"She won't have to. I'll just have to make sure it doesn't come to that." Proxima shot back darkly.
"Proxima, Necrafa will never agree to that." Nova Terron tried to reason, "The moment you bring her back, she will destroy you!"
"You're just afraid to confront your former fellow Astromancer!" Proxima shot back.
She heard. Memories of a hurt Nessira flashed before Nova Terron's head. Now he lost two more. Because of his selfishness.
"Now listen here, Four Eyes." Gawayne snapped, catching everyone's attention, "My stepsister may be a lot of things, and I mean a lot of things,"
"We get it." Zarya momentarily interrupted.
"But she's not some kind of toy you can just play around with just because the stars turned against you and ruined your life." Gawayne went on, "And you keep saying she's never gonna find out? She WILL! You know why? Because nothing is more important to her than FAMILY! The ones who neverLIE to her! Even when some of them don't like her for a little lot of things!"
Gawayne stopped to catch his breathe. Then looked at Lateensia's picture on his phone, "Sometimes, if you truly love someone, you have to let them go. So that they can be happy. And maybe one day they'd love you back!"
He deleted Lateensia's picture and collapsed on his knees, bawling his eyes out while Zarya patted his shoulder.
"Who are you, and what have you done to our stepbrother?" She whispered.
"Please don't tell Stepsister." Gawayne cried.
For some reason, she has the urge to not tell her sister the, reasonable things their stepbrother just said.
"Well, they're right about one thing;" Dreadbane pointed out, "Necrafa will never return the favor. Not like before. Especially to one who reminds her of the ones who tormented her."
"We'll see about that." Proxima narrowed her eyes in defiance.
"Don't you get it, Mage?" Dreadbane emphasized, "She hates ASTROMANCERS. Which is why I keep my distances away from them."
"Wait. If she hates Astromancers, then why did you team up with Tazma?" Zarya pointed out suspiciously. That's when realization struck her and she shook her head in disbelief, "Oh Reggie..."
"What? She was a homecoming present." Dreadbane defended.
"Well the joke's on you." Tazma materialized out of the shadows, "Once we resurrect Necrafa, she'll make us even more powerful than you'll ever be."
Dreadbane scoffed, "Last time I check, you were only interested in taking the Codex' power for yourself."
"Times are changing." Tazma simply shrugged as she summoned Necrafa's staff and necklace, unaware that the mask's eye-hole was glowing red, "It's time to once more bring back the true dark ruler of this realm!"
Proxima took one last glance at her prisoners before joining Tazma in performing the ritual, the mask, staff and necklace levitating out of their hands and gathering together. The prisoners have no choice but to witness in horror the resurrection of the Queen of the Undead.
The others were searching for Tazma and Proxima when a column of red and black light appeared, alerting them of the dark mages' location.
Hope they're not too late...
"You know I just realize;" Zarya watched as the ritual was being performed, "You weren't really trying to bring back Necrafa. You were trying to bring back Nessira."
"And yet, I failed." Dreadbane replied solemnly.
By the time the others arrived at the scene, the dark light grew brighter until it covered the entire area. Everyone had to shield their eyes from the intensity.
But when the light died down, their eyes widened at the being hovering before them.
"Necrafa." Queen Goodfey gaped in complete shock upon seeing the Queen of the Undead before her.
"Necrafa." Dreadbane sighed with a lovesick look on his face. Fortunately, it didn't last long as Zarya, Nova and Queen Goodfey slapped him out of it.
"You know its not that hard to forget someone who tried to destroy you." Zarya reminded with a scowl.
"It is when that someone was the one you failed to protect after she was wrongfully tormented." Dreadbane pointed out as he massaged his jaw.
Zarya wanted to protest, but after giving it some thought, complete with past experiences... "Good point."
"Welcome back, my queen." Tazma bowed with respect before Necrafa, while the others braced themselves for an incoming attack.
In response, Necrafa blasted her. And then Proxima.