Chapter 20:

When we reappeared, we were in a bedroom, causing me to raise an eyebrow. I looked to Estol, and he apologized, explaining he could only really teleport back to his room when he's going from the Overworld to The End. I didn't say anything, not caring. He led me from the room, the hallways stone brick and obsidian, the floor dark oak. I glanced out a window, seeing endstone, the sky a pitch black that you can't peer through at all. Estol lead me past many doors, until we walked through an archway. It was a big room with plenty of people, and I didn't know any of them, but there was a scent lingering around that was familiar. Where are you?

~Nova~

I was mumbling under my breath, scrubbing the window obnoxiously hard, pissed. No Seto, no magic; no charm, no magic; no dragon form, no magic-! I wanted to scream with frustration, but I didn't, ignoring the fact that all noise was slowly dying away. Ignoring the footsteps approaching me, ignoring the tension in my body, ignoring-. Suddenly, someone touched my shoulder, causing me to push down too hard and shatter the window. Oh fuck… I looked over my shoulder to see-

"YOU JACKASS!" I roared, punching Estol in the face. "I'M GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE FOR THIS AND IT'S YOUR FAULT!"

"Calm down." He ordered calmly. My eye twitched.

"Did you just tell me what to do?!" I shouted, shoving him away as he tried approaching me again.

"Calm. Down." He ordered, reaching into his pocket. Before I could reply, he held up a string. I snatched it from him, the string having my charm. I quickly untied the string and reattached the charm to my choker, my wings appearing on my back, as well as my tail.

"… Thanks." I muttered, still pissed with him.

"Now about that window." Immediately, I had my arms over my head, my tail around my stomach, my wings pinned to my back, and I had my legs folded underneath my weight. Everything was dead silent. Not a sound. I waited to get hit, or maybe killed this time. Nothing every happened. Slowly, I eventually built up the courage to look up at Estol, but my vision shifted to the scrawny boy without neither wings or a tail, or anything that made him a dragon. He didn't fit in, and yet Estol hadn't punched me because the boy held up his hand, as if telling him to stop, but Estol hadn't moved a muscle. Well, despite him saving me, it pissed me the hell off.

"I CAN DEFEND MYSELF IN MY OWN FIGHTS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO-!" I stopped talking when he looked to me, looked me directly in the eye. The air in my lungs seemed to stop moving, and my body got even tenser than before, and I was just looking into his eyes. But those eyes, they don't just mean he's dragon… I fell to my hands and knees, shaking, waiting to get hit for what everyone knew I was going to say.

"I recognize your scent." I took in a sharp breath. That was all he said, and it caused me to look up to him. He was staring down at me, no emotion present. He looks so much like Ender… "I don't know who you are, but you don't smell of sweat or hard work. You don't fit in with these people, and I think you very well know why." He determined, narrowing his eyes. He can tell I'm part of the royal family just by my scent alone? I just stared, this was unreal; it had to be a dream. The dark in his eyes glowed like the stationary portals, they swirled of magic and energy, and yet no emotion was present to support how he felt. "Who are you?"

"… Nova, sir." I whispered. He continued waiting. "Nova Caelum." I corrected. Everyone just stared, many of them shocked. He exhaled, turning as he closed his eyes and started walking away, but paused, looking over his shoulder, back to me.

"Get off the floor and get help with your cuts." And with that, he left, Estol leading him somewhere. Why wouldn't he just hit me?

~Enderlox~

Caelum… Caelum… I sighed. Why can't I remember that name? We passed by a wall with a long row of pictures, making me pause to look them over. Caelum.

"That girl is Henry Caelum's daughter; he was my mother's brother. I understand you must not have known considering my sense of smell is much more delicate than yours Estol." I exclaimed, continuing forward. He didn't say anything; just lead me upstairs until we eventually came to a room, the highest point in the castle.

"Here you are." Estol determined, opening to doors for me. "Let's get you into something more appropriate, shall we?" He started towards a door while I explored the room. So big, so fancy. I went out onto the balcony and could just barely see the throne from here, my room overlooking the open throne room. I went back inside, going through another door and finding a bathroom. I take it Estol's in the closet or something. I stopped, staring at myself in the mirror. I had headphones around my neck, a necklace of some sort as well. Is this a locket? I opened it up, staring at the two pictures. The first picture was of 5 people, and I didn't know 4 of them, one of them looking a lot like me and the others people I've never met before. One of them was the peasant I'd run into. The other picture was of the guy who looked almost like me with that peasant, just the two of them. I examined the charms. There was enough for everyone but one person.

An ingot of gold, a cake, a diamond axe, and an arrow.

The one with the checkered jacket had a bow, so I take it the arrow belongs to him, and the creature had a diamond axe, so that was pretty obvious. The peasant had a golden amulet with amethyst in its center, so I take it the ingot goes to him. As for the cake, it's completely random and I don't see how it goes to either the dude or my copy cat. But considering I'm wearing the locket… Is that supposed to be me? I huffed, tossing the locket onto the counter pointlessly, taking the headphones from my neck and leaving them there as well. I looked carefully over the rest of the contents, picking up a cologne bottle.

Twilight Woods

I sprayed a small amount onto my wrist, the scent relaxing, bringing peace to my mind as I sprayed some onto my other wrist, as well as my neck and chest. Divine indeed. I left the bathroom, finding Estol leaving the closet, presenting me with a black suit, a white undershirt, and a purple tie that matched my eyes. He blinked.

"You smell nice."

"I try." I smugly answered. I got dressed in the bathroom, looking myself over with a smirk. Damn, did I look good.

~Adam~

Everything was silent. I rolled over, yawning, my body colder than usual. I cracked open one of my eyes, seeing that Ty wasn't in bed with me. I got up, not worried, stretching. I went to grab my sunglasses, but they were cracked, broken. My amulet was in two halves. I stared at the stuff for a long time, until something in my head clicked. I rushed from my room and downstairs, frantically looking around the house when Ian caught me, pulling me into a tight hug. I burst into tears, my memory flooding back from last night as I pointlessly screamed and cried out into his chest.

"We're going to get through this." Ian assured me.

"I WANT TY BACK!" I sobbed, my body crumbling to the floor.

"I-it's ok… We'll get through t-this." Jerome stated, his voice high pitched, tears of his own flowing from his eyes as he bit his lip, trying not to break down as well. Ian fell to the floor to hold me, trying to calm me down again, assuring me we'd get Ty back somehow… or someday… Hearing the someday addition made me sob harder. I want Ty back today! I took in a sharp breath, pulling away suddenly, startling all 3 of them. I got to my feet and rushed passed Mitch and Jerome, going into the living room. I grabbed my book hastily and started flipping through it. There has to be something in here on activating a portal, there has to be…

~Enderlox~

I continued eyeing each and every one of my mother's dresses, knowing she wouldn't care. Where is she anyway...? I ran my fingers over the silky fabrics, all of the dresses soft like cotton and smooth like silk. So many colors, how do I choose just one dress? I let my hand slip under the hanger of one of the dresses, pulling it out in front of me. I walked over to a mirror, comparing it to my suit and tie, smirking.

"Perfect, its helps you're my size." I muttered, my eyes gazing over the dress. My mother has such exquisite taste. The dress was colored to look like the magical rifts in the stationary portals, like the darkness in my eyes and the color of my tie. I spotted an area jewelry would be kept, accessories as well, going over and looking through everything. I took a pair of black gloves, setting them gently on the dress, then went through the necklaces. I lifted up a black crystal, v-shape necklace, softly smiling. I then found black crystal chandelier earrings, placing both accessories with the dress and gloves. Searching a bit longer, I picked up a black crystal ring and gathered everything up, making sure to pick up the black ribbon before I left.

I walked down the hallway my room was in, the hallway not very long at all and containing 5 rooms. 2 on the left side, 2 on the right side, and my room at the end of the hall. Stopping at the door closest to my room on the right side of the hallway, facing my door at least, I knocked gently. The door slowly cracked open, Nova standing there, staring at me, hidden behind the door.

"Y-yes?" She quietly asked.

"May I come in?" I questioned, my voice flowing like silk, soft and low, tilting my head to the left a bit, smiling softly down at her. If people didn't know better, they'd think I was trying to seduce her, but she wasn't one of those people. I don't think.

"S-… sure…" She determined, opening the door up and letting me in. I walked in, looking around slowly as she shut the door, staring at the back of my head.

"I'm glad you've made yourself at home." I insisted, my tone of voice the same as before, looking back at her. Her cheeks went a light shade of pink. "May I ask that you change into this?" I held up the dress, and her cheeks went to a faint red, but she took the dress, going to her bathroom. I waited patiently, and when she slowly stepped out, I tilted my head to the left as I eyed her slim, fragile looking body. "Turn for me." I requested. That did it, she went bright red, but turned none the less. At this rate, she won't trust me. I hummed deeply, softly, the sound vibrating through my body as I approached her, handing her the gloves. She reached out and took them from me, slipping them on and covering her small hands.

I walked over to her vanity, pulling out a chair and looking back to her. She slowly walked over, seeming somewhat hesitant, but sat down none the less. I went back and picked up the necklace, undoing her choker, causing her wings and tail to disappear, and setting it down as she watched with a sad glint in her eyes. I gently placed the necklace around her neck, then removed the star charm from her choker and attached it to the end of the necklace.

"Better, darling?" I mumbled into her ear. Her face was still red, and she bit her lip lightly, nodding. I hummed again and picked up her hairbrush, brushing the soft, gorgeous hair upon her head.

"I-… You don't h-have to d-do my hair, I-I'll do it." She assured me, reaching up and softly taking my wrist.

"No, I insist." I informed her, setting the brush down. I began to braid her hair in different places, then braided down the length in a spiral motion, ending her long tips with the braid and looking over my work happily. She just stared in the mirror shocked as she looked it over.

"How the hell did you do that?" She demanded; most of the red having left her face by now, standing and facing me.

"I told you I'd do it, now didn't I?" I responded, stepping closer to her. Our bodies were an inch apart, and I took my hand, brushing loose strands of hair behind her left ear, my hand lingering on her cheek as the red nearly instantly returned. I picked up the black crystal chandelier earrings that matched the necklace and tiara, carefully inserting them into her ears, then turning her back towards her mirror to look at the gorgeous beauty in front of me. I softly reached for the black ribbon, using it as a hair tie, tying it into a bow around the area her hair tightened to keep the braids from coming out.

"Why do I have to wear this?" She softly asked, turning to me.

"You dress fancy to a coronation, and since it's my coronation I picked out your outfit. All of this was my mothers, did you know that?"

"No!" She gasped. I hummed, placing my left hand on the right side of her waist, my right hand taking her left one and holding it in the air, our fingers lightly intertwined. We just stood there like that, softly swaying back and forth.

"You know how to dance, right?"

"N-not really." She muttered.

"That's alright, it's nothing serious." I responded, taking a step to the side and beginning to show her how. Her gaze stayed on the floor as she tried to mimic what I was doing, tripping herself up more than enough. I let go of her hand, lightly running my fingers under her chin and causing her to look at me. "Nova, don't you trust I won't let you fall?" I asked. "All you need to worry about is staring into my eyes and letting me lead." I added. As I slipped my hand out from under her chin, once more taking her hand, she dipped her head down the slightest bit, her gaze staying locked with mine. She allowed me to lead and never looked down, and never tripped after that moment in time. Time. Oh fuck, what time is it? I stopped, looking to a clock above her door. I chuckled humorlessly.

"Looks like the guest of honor is showing up 10 minutes late." I announced. Her face went bright red.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't-!" I cut her off with a laugh, meeting her gaze again with humor dancing across my face.

"I'm kidding Nova, we've got 10 minutes!" I laughed. She just stared at me dumbstruck, but that look turn from dumbstruck, to stunned, to angry, and she slapped me hard.

"YOU JACKASS!" She bellowed. I just looked back at her with a small, soft smile.

"I'll be right back, stay here." I requested, leaving the room. She didn't answer, standing there, trying to act stubborn by not looking at anything but the wall to her left, her arms crossed over her chest and her face a dark crimson. I returned to my room, going into the closet and grabbing the black heels that went with the dress, as well as the tiara that matched her accessories. When I returned to her, I slipped one end of the tiara into my back pocket, leaving it there. "Sit." I asked, motioning to the chair. She huffed, sitting down. I turned her around to face me, getting down on one knee and beginning to undo the straps of the heels. I got both of them on, a small smile on my face. I then pulled out the ring, and her eyes went wide, not understanding. I simply slipped it onto her left middle finger.

"U-um, aren't w-we cousins?" She began; her body tensing. I leaned up and kissed her left cheek, my left hand on her right one.

"Marry me?" I teased, whispering it in her ear. She didn't reply, but I soon heard a low growl escape her lips as she realized it was just an accessory. I pulled away with a small smirk and she slapped it off my face. "I'm sorry, you make it too easy." I informed her, holding my cheek with a smile. She slapped me again, but I didn't mind. I turned her back to the vanity, then reached behind me and slipped the tiara from my back pocket, gently placing it on her head as her eyes went wide and her mouth opened to say something. But she never said anything. I took her hand, pulling her up gently. I leaned down to her ear, tension filling her body again. "If you're going to do anything like makeup, I'd suggest hurrying. I'll be waiting in my room when you want to go to the coronation." I informed her. Turning, I left.

~Nova~

Why do I have to look nice? I mean, sure, it's the most important day of his life, but seriously! I huffed, crossing my arms as I just stared at myself. I look awful… And what was with him?! God, he's such a perverted jackass! I sighed, walking up to the vanity. I hadn't designed the room, and I hadn't brought anything in here but my clothing and what little I really had, so I don't know where all the makeup came from Or the perfume. Hmn… I looked over all the different scent samples, eventually coming to the conclusion I didn't care. I picked up a dark purple bottle.

Twilight Woods

"I guess this works…" I muttered to myself, applying it to my neck and wrists, as well as spraying a small amount over my head to let it cover me in random places. I turned out the lights, leaving the room and walking to the end of the hallway, my heels clicking beneath me as the silence said nothing. I stopped at the closed door, knocking.

"Come in." I opened the door, shutting it again and looking around the darkened room. What the hell? My vision shifted to the open doors leading to a balcony, moonlight pouring in from it. I'm surprised moonlight even reaches us in the End, considering the heavy void fog always rolling through the sky, but I guess you could consider it the only natural light we ever get. I stopped, standing between the door and the bed, nothing really close to me at all, seeing as how the room is rather large. Enderlox's dark hair looked black from the way the light didn't hit the back of his head, and when he realized I was staring, he turned around, leaning on the railing partially. His face now consumed by a black darkness, his eyes glowed, swirling like an actually portal, his slit shaped pupils seeming dim and dull.

I caught the smile on his face despite how hard it was to see his features, his hands resting on the smooth railing behind him. I straightened myself out, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Natural, I see. Such a lovely choice, seeing how your beauty could never compare to something so drastic as to cover it up." He determined; his voice still low and honest to god seductive sounding. What the hell is his game?!

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say." I mumbled, not taking anything he said to heart. He took a deep breath, happily sighing.

"You smell so divine… Twilight Woods, am I right?" He questioned, standing up straight and approaching.

"Y-yeah, how did you know that?" I demanded.

"I have my ways."

~Adam~

I came back downstairs, having managed to meld my two amulet pieces back together and fix my sunglasses, seeing as I could easily replace the missing pieces with magic like it never broke at all. I went into the armory, quickly getting into my gear.

"Are you sure this is smart? We don't know what we'll run into!" Ian argued as I pulled my armor on.

"Are you coming or not?!" I snapped, grabbing my sword and leaving the room.

"Hang on, wait for us!" Mitch pleaded; him and Jerome still getting their gear together. I focused my magic, staring intently at the picture in the book. Buttery particles swirled at my finger tips, until eventually they disappeared to have formed what the book called an Eye of Ender. I now had 12 in my hand. I looked over my shoulder, the guys behind me. Even Ian was already dressed. I grabbed the book and we took off into the mines. Getting to the portal, I froze, staring at the black mass, the others staring as well. It was different this time though, this time the black mass looked… lucid, transparent. It was also sitting in a corner.

"Hello?" I called. No reply. I slowly started towards the mass, unsure as to whether or not I should even approach it. "Can you hear me?" I tried again. Still no answer. I lowered my guard thinking the thing was dead, approaching it at a normal speed as if nothing were wrong. I stepped on a loose stone partially, skipping the stone across the stone floor. The mass, looking somewhat human, seemed to sit up from the sound of it. "Hello?" I called sterner, raising my voice. What would have been a head looked back at me, staring, features not very clear at all. "Can you hear me?"

"Go away and leave me to my sorrow, human…" A faint, soft voice asked, the head looking back to the wall. It sounded female.

"I came to activate the portal, is that alright?" I questioned, not wanting to upset the… thing.

"The portal… No, you shouldn't. It isn't safe in the End anymore."

"All the more reason I need to save my boyfriend." I argued, climbing up the stairs. The mass disappeared, reappearing in front of me, in my way.

"Boyfriend?" The voice asked.

"Yes, his name is Deadlox-"

"He's in the End?" The girl demanded, gripping my shoulders tightly, despite being some kind of ghost.

"Yeah, so what?" I demanded, my hand slipping through her as I tried pushing her off of me.

"Oh, my dear Deadlox is home, finally home!" The girl cheerfully confirmed, laughing joyfully, as if she hadn't had a reason to laugh in years, jumping onto one of the floating blocks as she spun around.

"Wait a minute, 'your dear Deadlox'?" I questioned.

"Yes, my dear little Deadlox is finally home!" She repeated, wrapping her arms around her slim form and swaying back and forth, as if hugging herself.

"… Ender?" I breathed. The girl looked at me, as if waiting for a question. "You're Ender?" I asked. She gave me a sad smile, tilting her head to the left just a little bit.

"I was…" She sadly determined. I just stared. The body very much disorientated; I couldn't make out anything about the girl.

"Is this what you looked like when you were… alive?" She chuckled.

"No." Her form cleared up completely, revealing a 15 year old girl that looked like she could be Ty's sister. "I looked like this." She assured, her form blurring up again and returning to look disorientated.

"You look so much like Ty…" I muttered, frowning.

"Is that what he goes by? Hmn, that's a lovely name, Ty… Tyler, right?" I nodded. "That's what I thought." She sat down on the box, her feet dangling over the lava.

"May I activate the portal?"

"Hmn… Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything." I determined quickly.

"… Tell Ty I love him." She faintly asked, disappearing. Before she could come back and tell me she changed her mind, I inserted an eye into each slot, jumping back onto the stairs before inserting the last one. The ring of blocks sparked for a split second, before a ring of electricity connected each one, inside the ring a portal opening up the color of Ty's eyes.

"Ready?" I asked, looking to my friends.

"Hell yeah! Let's do this!" Jerome cheered. I jumped in, everything going black.

When I woke up, I was laying on the ground, my friends all nearby. I sat up, all of them beginning to stir as well, looking around. There was no portal. Damn, so we'll have to find another way out of this place… The ground here was made of a weird, pale yellow stone. I opened my book. Endstone. I looked around, the sky filled with a thick, black fog, no stars, no sun, just fog, and yet this place was lit up perfectly fine. Maybe endstone gives off its own natural light or something… I stood, my friends standing as well, all of us now awake.

"Ok, I guess we walk." I announced, starting off. We walked for a little, but soon a large wall came into view, massive, nearly 5 stories high I think. I searched for a bit, seeing a hole in the wall large enough for us to slip through unnoticed. I mean, the wall is made of obsidian, so it's not like we could break through it. Once we were all in, it quickly became apparent that this was a city, and a large one at that. And the center of said city, a huge as hell castle made of stone brick and obsidian.

"I think we're going there." Ian declared, motioning to the castle.

"No, I thought we were going to a market place!" Mitch sarcastically replied.

"Guys, let's not fight, we need to find Ty." Jerome argued, taking off at a sprint towards the castle. We all followed. By the time we got there, we were trying to figure out how to get in without a guard seeing us. They were pretty much everywhere! I looked around, but eventually Mitch gestured to the nearest window.

"That's the only way inside." He declared. "Give me a boost; I'll pull you all up." He determined. Jerome got down on a knee, cupping his hands together and lifting Mitch up. Once he finally managed to get the window open, he slipped inside. "Ok, come on, it's clear!" He silently called. I went over and boosted Jerome up, then boosted Ian up, teleporting myself into the room and silently landing.

"I don't see anyone." Ian informed us, looking out the door.

"Good, that makes it easier to find Ty." I left the room, every hallway and every room dead silent. We were wandering around pointlessly, but eventually started hearing noises.

"It sounds like a party of some sort, from the music-"

"It's probably a fancy one." Mitch finished for Jerome, both of them standing together.

"JACKASS!" From the sudden scream, we ducked into the nearest archway, hiding and listening to the voice as it got closer, continuing to argue and mostly yell at whoever she was talking too. The other person was too quiet to hear until they were closer.

"Nova, darling, I'm only complimenting your beauty, what's wrong with that?" I took in a sharp breath, looking to the others. They had the same looks on their faces. I peeked out the archway to see they'd passed by already, the girl in this gorgeous dress and a tiara on her head. Ty was walking along side her, in this luxurious suit all dressed up fancy like she was, holding her hand as she held her dress up off the floor partially. The others looked as well.

"I think that girl might be royalty here, just look at how fancy she looks." Ian stated.

"Why is Ty complimenting her?" I questioned, pale. Moving from the arch, I rushed after them and ducked into another room, my friends followed not far behind. Ty stopped, looking over his shoulder.

"What is it?" This Nova girl softly asked.

"Nothing." Ty assured, continuing to lead her forward. I found a staircase in the room, going upstairs and following the empty pathway that went in the direction they were going in, eventually coming to an open room, the pathway looping around it, another hallway on the other side of the big room.

"Enderlox!" Someone declared, everything getting silent as we watched the party from up here.

"Estol, I see you got everything set up." Ty responded. They had a long conversation, everyone listening, Estol mainly the one talking. They went on with the coronation.