p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I can't feel my legs. Can you check if they're still there?" Stella smiled as much as her exhaustion allowed and nodded. "They're there, Ash. Hang in there a bit longer." Although she wasn't in a much better state than her friend, complaining after just two hours of sleep seemed unfair. She chose to stay silent, glaring angrily at the man leading them. He liked to control everything, span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"the narcissist./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Brandon." For a moment, Stella thought she saw his back tense and his muscles twitch noticeably. But it must have been a mistake; span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"why would he react like that?/span He slowly turned to look at her, his expression more complex than the one he wore when Aisha and Nabu called him. "What?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Taking a deep breath, she thought carefully about what to say. "We're not sure the Queen of the Underworld will allow us to pass. Don't we need to find a way to convince her? Isn't it foolish to just walk in and expect her to open the gates for us?" Nabu nodded and stepped closer to Brandon, clearly agreeing with Stella./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Let's use our teachers as bait; after all they sent us on this mission unprepared," Aisha said, sitting down and massaging her aching feet and legs. "Because this is really starting to get on my nerves." She was unaware that she had dropped a bomb along with her words./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What do you mean?" Nabu frowned at the water fairy sitting on the ground. He wasn't surprised to hear her complain since that's all she had done since the mission began. But this time, there was something different in her tone. Aisha wasn't just complaining; she was being snide, and for the first time, her comment wasn't directed at him or the Specialists. "They sent us on this mission right after everything happened to Stella. She didn't even get a chance to rest! And they included Bloom in this mission when she still doesn't know how to use her powers! I don't know what you're thinking, and I don't care about your stupid comments right now, but something's up!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stella sat next to Aisha, staring at her in shock. "Do you really think that?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Realizing she had spoken way to open and loud, Aisha bit her lip and looked at Stella. Brandon leaned back against the rock, observing the blonde fairy. He knew their teachers loved them too much to send them into danger knowingly. But if there was a chance that Stella had been sent on this mission without the necessary rest, he knew exactly where his anger would be directed when they get back from the mission./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I didn't know you were paranoid. Adding that to the list," Aisha shot Nabu a sharp look, but Stella responded with a warning glance. She couldn't help but think about what Aisha had said, and now her mind was already spinning and making the situation seem even worse. The worry about Bloom added to her growing anxiety, causing her to swallow hard. Brandon noticed this and shot Aisha a glare before finally deciding to speak./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Stop overthinking. The universe is in danger from dark forces; your old teacher isn't going to wait around for you to rest. Don't flatter yourselves."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""She didn't have to!" Aisha snapped, standing up and pointing her finger at Brandon. 'If the universe is in danger, she could have come to fight herself instead of sending a bunch of students!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Brandon glanced at her finger and then straightened up, walking towards the dark-skinned fairy until there were only two steps between them. "You're right." Aisha lowered her hand in surprise as Brandon continued to approach until he was very close. "Faragonda made a mistake. She saw potential in you and included you in this mission. You clearly are not enough."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Nabu rolled his eyes, expecting the insult, while Stella stood up quickly, stepping between Brandon and Aisha and pushing Brandon's chest. Normally, she wouldn't have been able to move him an inch, but every touch from Stella seemed to send a shockwave through Brandon's body. He felt as if he had been struck and stepped back./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Enough. Realize that we're in something more important than this bickering. Beyond this point, we might as well be imprisoned; we don't know what the Queen is like."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Nabu sighed, seeing Brandon's empty gaze and decided to speak up. "We know her. Actually, she's quite friendly."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stella and Aisha raised their eyebrows at him, and Nabu grinned, nervously scratching his neck. "A bit too... friendly..." As the girls waited for an explanation, Brandon rolled his eyes at his friend. "What are you, a child? Does saying "horny" embarrass you?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What?!" The girls exclaimed in unison, staring at Brandon, who shrugged and turned back to face the mouth of the cave they were nearing. From there, the rocks were more luminous and enticing, resembling the lobby of a luxury hotel. Although Brandon was worried about what lay ahead, he wasn't going to share his concerns. As he said, all the beings in the underworld were overly lustful, seeing anyone they encountered as a potential mate. While it hadn't led to outright assault before, Brandon couldn't stop worrying about Stella. In fact, he considered her in direct danger because she was too beautiful and perfect for both the underworld and the rest of the universe. Gritting his teeth, he pushed the internal dialogue out of his mind and focused on the plan he had been considering since the beginning of the journey./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""We're going to pretend as we're engaged."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What?!"/p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.234px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; font-size: 15.12px; background-color: #ffffff;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"And the silence had never been so loud. After Brandon proposed the idea, no one spoke. He continued to lead them quietly, assuming they had all accepted his suggestion. The girls gradually warmed to the idea, especially after hearing more about the underworld's lasciviousness from Nabu. Aisha initially seemed ready to protest, but Stella reminded her not to use their powers unnecessarily, managing to calm her down. If someone approached them, Stella and Aisha could easily transform and handle any threats. However, they needed to conserve their energy for when they faced Darkar./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Now they were walking awkwardly behind Brandon and Nabu. Aisha made it clear she wouldn't pretend to be Nabu's fiancée, which left her biting her tongue and staying silent about who would be Brandon's fiancée. Stella knew exactly who she didn't want as her pretend fiancé. Biting her lip, she stole a glance at Brandon. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Why was he so tense?/span Normally, he hid his emotions well, keeping his face stoic, but his body betrayed him with every twitch of his muscles. Nabu placed a hand on Brandon's shoulder, seemingly trying to calm or warn him. Brandon shrugged off his friend's hand, causing Stella to roll her eyes again. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Narcissist/span. Both men stopped suddenly, forcing the girls to halt and avoid bumping into their broad backs. The girls tried to peak and see what was the reason for the sudden delay but both man stood as stoic as ever, blocking their view for dear life./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What now? Even in the cinema, a tall person never blocked my view of the screen like this. Why are they just standing there?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stella couldn't help but giggle, even though she knew she shouldn't. Brandon turned to look at her, and Stella restrained herself from sticking out her tongue. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"What are you looking at?/span As Brandon's eyes quickly scanned her face, Nabu broke the silence, drawing everyone's attention. "We've arrived."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stella didn't realize her laughter had died until she felt cold cramps in her stomach, as chilling as Icy's attacks. She glanced at Aisha, who seemed just as nervous, her rapidly beating heart giving her away. "So, what do we do?" She tried to keep her voice steady, but it betrayed her. Nabu swallowed and looked at her, extending his hand. "Will you be my fiancée?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The girls stared at Nabu in shock, and he widened his eyes, shaking his head. "Bluff!" Aisha rolled her eyes, taking Nabu's hand. "Fine, let's get this over with."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Realizing that Nabu was not an option anymore, Stella involuntarily glanced at Brandon, but he had already turned his back to her and started walking again. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Never mind, it's probably for the best/span. With her inner voice agreeing, she nodded to herself and followed him. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Whatever happens, happens./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Brandon stopped abruptly, causing the others to halt and grumble. "Did your brakes fail, man?" Brandon ignored Aisha's remark, speaking in a firm voice. "We've come to see your Queen Amentia to request permission to use the cave passages." Stella tried to peek over his shoulder by standing on her tiptoes while maintaining her balance. Aisha pressed closer to Nabu, forcing Stella further back. Frustrated by her inability to see, Stella was about to jump when Brandon took her hand, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Although her body tensed up, she couldn't move or speak. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"What are you doing, Brandon?/span Swallowing didn't help her break free from the situation as her gaze focused on the two giant creatures before them, momentarily forgetting Brandon's arm around her. The creatures drooled as they stared at Stella, and Brandon tightened his grip, pulling her body closer to his. "If you keep looking at my fiancée like that, you'll force me to test my sword's sharpness on your necks." The creatures growled and approached Brandon, causing Stella to shrink back and cling to the man she despised. In response, Brandon pushed her behind him, drawing his sword and taking a step forward./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Anyone who harms those seeking an audience with the Queen will be executed. Your duty is to bring us to the Queen," Nabu declared, making his position clear. The creatures shifted their focus to the dark-skinned young man. "I am Nabu, a royal blood of Andros. My fiancée is Princess Aisha of Andros. Any harm to us will result in your banishment to Omega."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The creatures glanced at each other, then slowly moved aside, clearing the path. Stella couldn't believe it had worked and allowed herself to be pulled by Brandon. As their gazes returned to Stella, she felt a wave of nausea. And perhaps, in that moment, driven by the intensity of the situation, she made a move. Her fingers grasped Brandon's arm, clutching it tightly as she hid herself behind him, out of the creatures' sight./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"This time, Stella knew she wasn't imagining it; she saw a clear twitch. Brandon's muscles tensed, and the arm she held seemed to turn to stone. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Do you hate me that much?/span span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Does my touch disgust you this much? /spanShe didn't need to ask the questions aloud; she knew the answers. Her fingers began to loosen, ready to let go, when Brandon turned his head to look at her and shook it slightly. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"What does that mean? Don't let go? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?/span "Don't look at them," Brandon whispered, causing Stella to look down at her feet instead. She couldn't help but feel pity for the beings condemned to this place, just as she pitied herself for having to rely on Brandon for protection. Aisha took Nabu's arm, following Stella's lead, and the four of them quickly made their way down the dark path./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Ignoring Brandon's signal, Stella continued to hold onto his arm, convincing herself it was solely for her safety, thus calming the voices in her head. If it wasn't so childish, she would have raised her fist in triumph./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Follow."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"As the creatures addressed them in a guttural voice, Nabu and Brandon glanced at the girls and then started to follow. Since Stella was holding Brandon's arm and Aisha was holding Nabu's, they had already begun to follow. "You're blonde. The people here usually have dark skin, and blondes especially attract their attention. Be careful, Stella." Nabu's words sent a shiver through Stella, and she managed to nod despite her frozen state. Why was she so scared? She knew why—this place was essentially the underworld. Here, they could easily overpower her because their strength came from darkness. And although Stella was strong against darkness, with her energy depleted, she could barely hold on. Without her magic, she felt helpless, which was why she was afraid and clutching to Brandon./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Nothing will happen."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Though part of her wanted to believe he said this to reassure her, Stella knew Brandon wasn't one to bother with comforting others. This was his way of saying "don't exaggerate." Still, it did provide her with a bit of relief. The path they walked seemed endless, and as if all this wasn't enough, they had to avoid the stares of the beings around them. The girls, in particular, were under scrutiny and had encountered creatures that tried to make contact with them a few times. Brandon had knocked one out with a punch, instantly rendering it unconscious, and then pulled Stella back under his arm. Although Stella wasn't entirely sure about this touch, she had to admit it greatly calmed her, making her feel as if she had a protective shield around her. After climbing as many stairs as they had walked the path, they finally stopped at a balcony-like area to wait for the Queen. The girls struggled not to collapse to the ground, while Nabu, knowing the Queen's temper, nervously stared at the door./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Don't make it so obvious."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Nabu, without taking his eyes off the door, frowned at Brandon. "You're the one making it obvious. If you shield her like a fawn, many will want to hunt." Brandon spun around in a fury, speaking through gritted teeth, knowing the girls couldn't hear. "What nonsense are you talking about?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Brandon, Stella is exactly the kind of blood and body they're looking for here. Whether she has a fiancé or not, that alone won't protect her, and you know it."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I'm not trying to protect anyone. We need her for the mission to progress, so I'm eliminating potential threats."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Nabu shook his head, indicating he wasn't taking him seriously, which only infuriated Brandon more. He turned away and leaned against the balcony railings, closing his eyes./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Unable to calm himself, Brandon's agitation only compounded his tension. Since the start of the mission, the constant focus on their current precarious position had made him forget his exhaustion. Now, here they were, in the heart of danger for a particular person. The idea of Faragonda willingly sending the girls to their deaths, even if untrue, bothered him immensely. He could easily say the girls didn't matter to him at all. The only one who did was the girl he could destroy without a second thought, the girl he could kill without hesitation if given the chance. This was where his nervous system collapsed. How could he care so much about someone he could kill without hesitation, feeling responsible for her exhaustion, pain, and safety?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Brandon tried to discreetly glance at Stella, cursing the relief he felt knowing she was finally able to rest a bit. Why should he care if she was tired or in pain? Why should it matter to him? But ignoring it was becoming increasingly difficult. Remembering the warmth spreading across his back as he carried her was driving him mad. He hadn't felt tired; he could have carried her until the end of the mission, and this thought, these feelings, were obliterating the last remnants of control he had left. Stella sighed, curling up and resting her cheek on her knee to see Aisha, nodding occasionally in agreement with her friend. Brandon swallowed hard and turned back, suppressing his hatred for Nabu being right, and walked back to his friend, putting on a neutral expression and waiting for the door to open as if nothing had happened./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Nabu, still staring tensely at the door, knew his friend was in a chaotic emotional state but refrained from addressing it right now. Confirming this, the doors opened from both sides, and a group of girls emerged, dancing as if to announce the Queen's entrance. Stella and Aisha exchanged frowns. Supporting each other, they stood up, and Stella remembered Nabu's words. All the dancers had dark skin and dark hair. Some had red hair like Bloom, but Stella, Musa, and Tecna would definitely be seen as outsiders here. While Stella was preoccupied with her own safety, Aisha leaned closer to her friend and spoke hesitantly, "I have a feeling we won't be able to get out of here as easily as we thought."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stella squeezed her hand, warning her to be quiet with a look, then turned her attention back to the ridiculous dance, watching as the girls slowly knelt down and a man, whom she assumed to be the announcer, appeared. As she was about to roll her eyes, she forced herself to focus, slowly pushing Aisha towards Nabu's side. She took her place beside Brandon, thinking, span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"They said to stay close/span. Brandon, as if reading her thoughts, wrapped his arm around her again, pulling her body against his. Stella struggled not to sigh; she knew she shouldn't get used to this, but she was already starting to enjoy it too much./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Our Queen, Amentia!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Startled by the announcement, Stella stared at the tall woman emerging from the door. Even if she wasn't ugly, she certainly had an off-putting presence, and Stella disliked her immediately. They all curtseyed to show respect to the Queen, who looked at them disdainfully. "Yes? What is the reason for your interruption?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"You already know/span, Stella thought irritably, glaring at the repulsive smile on the Queen's lips. Nabu stepped forward, introduced himself, and began to summarize their mission and the paths they needed to take. Stella couldn't focus on anything he said, noticing the frequent twitch in Brandon's arm, indicating his anger. Feeling lost and desperate, Stella glanced at Brandon's free hand and saw him gripping his sword, feeling the blood drain from her face. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"What was he planning to do?/span span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Was he going to draw blood if they weren't allowed to pass?/span Feeling helpless, she pressed her hand against the hand he had resting on her waist, and Brandon jolted as if shocked, staring at her./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Staring back, she silently urged him to stay calm. She had no idea that she had rendered him incapable of understanding any suggestion or anything happening around him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Of course. I am a generous and approachable queen. I would not turn away friends who have come so far."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The girls breathed a sigh of relief, but the men didn't seem as relaxed. They exchanged glances, anticipating the next blow. "In return," Brandon closed his eyes, bracing for the expected blow. Every time they had to pass through here, they brought a ton of gifts from the surface to the underground queen. This time, coming with human strength, they were empty-handed. This meant the queen would demand her own recompense. "The blonde stays here."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Brandon." For a moment, Stella thought she saw his back tense and his muscles twitch noticeably. But it must have been a mistake; span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"why would he react like that?/span He slowly turned to look at her, his expression more complex than the one he wore when Aisha and Nabu called him. "What?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Taking a deep breath, she thought carefully about what to say. "We're not sure the Queen of the Underworld will allow us to pass. Don't we need to find a way to convince her? Isn't it foolish to just walk in and expect her to open the gates for us?" Nabu nodded and stepped closer to Brandon, clearly agreeing with Stella./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Let's use our teachers as bait; after all they sent us on this mission unprepared," Aisha said, sitting down and massaging her aching feet and legs. "Because this is really starting to get on my nerves." She was unaware that she had dropped a bomb along with her words./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What do you mean?" Nabu frowned at the water fairy sitting on the ground. He wasn't surprised to hear her complain since that's all she had done since the mission began. But this time, there was something different in her tone. Aisha wasn't just complaining; she was being snide, and for the first time, her comment wasn't directed at him or the Specialists. "They sent us on this mission right after everything happened to Stella. She didn't even get a chance to rest! And they included Bloom in this mission when she still doesn't know how to use her powers! I don't know what you're thinking, and I don't care about your stupid comments right now, but something's up!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stella sat next to Aisha, staring at her in shock. "Do you really think that?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Realizing she had spoken way to open and loud, Aisha bit her lip and looked at Stella. Brandon leaned back against the rock, observing the blonde fairy. He knew their teachers loved them too much to send them into danger knowingly. But if there was a chance that Stella had been sent on this mission without the necessary rest, he knew exactly where his anger would be directed when they get back from the mission./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I didn't know you were paranoid. Adding that to the list," Aisha shot Nabu a sharp look, but Stella responded with a warning glance. She couldn't help but think about what Aisha had said, and now her mind was already spinning and making the situation seem even worse. The worry about Bloom added to her growing anxiety, causing her to swallow hard. Brandon noticed this and shot Aisha a glare before finally deciding to speak./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Stop overthinking. The universe is in danger from dark forces; your old teacher isn't going to wait around for you to rest. Don't flatter yourselves."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""She didn't have to!" Aisha snapped, standing up and pointing her finger at Brandon. 'If the universe is in danger, she could have come to fight herself instead of sending a bunch of students!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Brandon glanced at her finger and then straightened up, walking towards the dark-skinned fairy until there were only two steps between them. "You're right." Aisha lowered her hand in surprise as Brandon continued to approach until he was very close. "Faragonda made a mistake. She saw potential in you and included you in this mission. You clearly are not enough."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Nabu rolled his eyes, expecting the insult, while Stella stood up quickly, stepping between Brandon and Aisha and pushing Brandon's chest. Normally, she wouldn't have been able to move him an inch, but every touch from Stella seemed to send a shockwave through Brandon's body. He felt as if he had been struck and stepped back./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Enough. Realize that we're in something more important than this bickering. Beyond this point, we might as well be imprisoned; we don't know what the Queen is like."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Nabu sighed, seeing Brandon's empty gaze and decided to speak up. "We know her. Actually, she's quite friendly."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stella and Aisha raised their eyebrows at him, and Nabu grinned, nervously scratching his neck. "A bit too... friendly..." As the girls waited for an explanation, Brandon rolled his eyes at his friend. "What are you, a child? Does saying "horny" embarrass you?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What?!" The girls exclaimed in unison, staring at Brandon, who shrugged and turned back to face the mouth of the cave they were nearing. From there, the rocks were more luminous and enticing, resembling the lobby of a luxury hotel. Although Brandon was worried about what lay ahead, he wasn't going to share his concerns. As he said, all the beings in the underworld were overly lustful, seeing anyone they encountered as a potential mate. While it hadn't led to outright assault before, Brandon couldn't stop worrying about Stella. In fact, he considered her in direct danger because she was too beautiful and perfect for both the underworld and the rest of the universe. Gritting his teeth, he pushed the internal dialogue out of his mind and focused on the plan he had been considering since the beginning of the journey./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""We're going to pretend as we're engaged."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What?!"/p
hr style="margin: 0.875em auto 1.2525em; border-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; width: 359.234px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; font-size: 15.12px; background-color: #ffffff;" /
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"And the silence had never been so loud. After Brandon proposed the idea, no one spoke. He continued to lead them quietly, assuming they had all accepted his suggestion. The girls gradually warmed to the idea, especially after hearing more about the underworld's lasciviousness from Nabu. Aisha initially seemed ready to protest, but Stella reminded her not to use their powers unnecessarily, managing to calm her down. If someone approached them, Stella and Aisha could easily transform and handle any threats. However, they needed to conserve their energy for when they faced Darkar./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Now they were walking awkwardly behind Brandon and Nabu. Aisha made it clear she wouldn't pretend to be Nabu's fiancée, which left her biting her tongue and staying silent about who would be Brandon's fiancée. Stella knew exactly who she didn't want as her pretend fiancé. Biting her lip, she stole a glance at Brandon. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Why was he so tense?/span Normally, he hid his emotions well, keeping his face stoic, but his body betrayed him with every twitch of his muscles. Nabu placed a hand on Brandon's shoulder, seemingly trying to calm or warn him. Brandon shrugged off his friend's hand, causing Stella to roll her eyes again. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Narcissist/span. Both men stopped suddenly, forcing the girls to halt and avoid bumping into their broad backs. The girls tried to peak and see what was the reason for the sudden delay but both man stood as stoic as ever, blocking their view for dear life./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What now? Even in the cinema, a tall person never blocked my view of the screen like this. Why are they just standing there?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stella couldn't help but giggle, even though she knew she shouldn't. Brandon turned to look at her, and Stella restrained herself from sticking out her tongue. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"What are you looking at?/span As Brandon's eyes quickly scanned her face, Nabu broke the silence, drawing everyone's attention. "We've arrived."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stella didn't realize her laughter had died until she felt cold cramps in her stomach, as chilling as Icy's attacks. She glanced at Aisha, who seemed just as nervous, her rapidly beating heart giving her away. "So, what do we do?" She tried to keep her voice steady, but it betrayed her. Nabu swallowed and looked at her, extending his hand. "Will you be my fiancée?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The girls stared at Nabu in shock, and he widened his eyes, shaking his head. "Bluff!" Aisha rolled her eyes, taking Nabu's hand. "Fine, let's get this over with."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Realizing that Nabu was not an option anymore, Stella involuntarily glanced at Brandon, but he had already turned his back to her and started walking again. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Never mind, it's probably for the best/span. With her inner voice agreeing, she nodded to herself and followed him. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Whatever happens, happens./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Brandon stopped abruptly, causing the others to halt and grumble. "Did your brakes fail, man?" Brandon ignored Aisha's remark, speaking in a firm voice. "We've come to see your Queen Amentia to request permission to use the cave passages." Stella tried to peek over his shoulder by standing on her tiptoes while maintaining her balance. Aisha pressed closer to Nabu, forcing Stella further back. Frustrated by her inability to see, Stella was about to jump when Brandon took her hand, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Although her body tensed up, she couldn't move or speak. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"What are you doing, Brandon?/span Swallowing didn't help her break free from the situation as her gaze focused on the two giant creatures before them, momentarily forgetting Brandon's arm around her. The creatures drooled as they stared at Stella, and Brandon tightened his grip, pulling her body closer to his. "If you keep looking at my fiancée like that, you'll force me to test my sword's sharpness on your necks." The creatures growled and approached Brandon, causing Stella to shrink back and cling to the man she despised. In response, Brandon pushed her behind him, drawing his sword and taking a step forward./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Anyone who harms those seeking an audience with the Queen will be executed. Your duty is to bring us to the Queen," Nabu declared, making his position clear. The creatures shifted their focus to the dark-skinned young man. "I am Nabu, a royal blood of Andros. My fiancée is Princess Aisha of Andros. Any harm to us will result in your banishment to Omega."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The creatures glanced at each other, then slowly moved aside, clearing the path. Stella couldn't believe it had worked and allowed herself to be pulled by Brandon. As their gazes returned to Stella, she felt a wave of nausea. And perhaps, in that moment, driven by the intensity of the situation, she made a move. Her fingers grasped Brandon's arm, clutching it tightly as she hid herself behind him, out of the creatures' sight./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"This time, Stella knew she wasn't imagining it; she saw a clear twitch. Brandon's muscles tensed, and the arm she held seemed to turn to stone. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Do you hate me that much?/span span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Does my touch disgust you this much? /spanShe didn't need to ask the questions aloud; she knew the answers. Her fingers began to loosen, ready to let go, when Brandon turned his head to look at her and shook it slightly. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"What does that mean? Don't let go? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?/span "Don't look at them," Brandon whispered, causing Stella to look down at her feet instead. She couldn't help but feel pity for the beings condemned to this place, just as she pitied herself for having to rely on Brandon for protection. Aisha took Nabu's arm, following Stella's lead, and the four of them quickly made their way down the dark path./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Ignoring Brandon's signal, Stella continued to hold onto his arm, convincing herself it was solely for her safety, thus calming the voices in her head. If it wasn't so childish, she would have raised her fist in triumph./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Follow."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"As the creatures addressed them in a guttural voice, Nabu and Brandon glanced at the girls and then started to follow. Since Stella was holding Brandon's arm and Aisha was holding Nabu's, they had already begun to follow. "You're blonde. The people here usually have dark skin, and blondes especially attract their attention. Be careful, Stella." Nabu's words sent a shiver through Stella, and she managed to nod despite her frozen state. Why was she so scared? She knew why—this place was essentially the underworld. Here, they could easily overpower her because their strength came from darkness. And although Stella was strong against darkness, with her energy depleted, she could barely hold on. Without her magic, she felt helpless, which was why she was afraid and clutching to Brandon./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Nothing will happen."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Though part of her wanted to believe he said this to reassure her, Stella knew Brandon wasn't one to bother with comforting others. This was his way of saying "don't exaggerate." Still, it did provide her with a bit of relief. The path they walked seemed endless, and as if all this wasn't enough, they had to avoid the stares of the beings around them. The girls, in particular, were under scrutiny and had encountered creatures that tried to make contact with them a few times. Brandon had knocked one out with a punch, instantly rendering it unconscious, and then pulled Stella back under his arm. Although Stella wasn't entirely sure about this touch, she had to admit it greatly calmed her, making her feel as if she had a protective shield around her. After climbing as many stairs as they had walked the path, they finally stopped at a balcony-like area to wait for the Queen. The girls struggled not to collapse to the ground, while Nabu, knowing the Queen's temper, nervously stared at the door./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Don't make it so obvious."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Nabu, without taking his eyes off the door, frowned at Brandon. "You're the one making it obvious. If you shield her like a fawn, many will want to hunt." Brandon spun around in a fury, speaking through gritted teeth, knowing the girls couldn't hear. "What nonsense are you talking about?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Brandon, Stella is exactly the kind of blood and body they're looking for here. Whether she has a fiancé or not, that alone won't protect her, and you know it."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I'm not trying to protect anyone. We need her for the mission to progress, so I'm eliminating potential threats."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Nabu shook his head, indicating he wasn't taking him seriously, which only infuriated Brandon more. He turned away and leaned against the balcony railings, closing his eyes./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Unable to calm himself, Brandon's agitation only compounded his tension. Since the start of the mission, the constant focus on their current precarious position had made him forget his exhaustion. Now, here they were, in the heart of danger for a particular person. The idea of Faragonda willingly sending the girls to their deaths, even if untrue, bothered him immensely. He could easily say the girls didn't matter to him at all. The only one who did was the girl he could destroy without a second thought, the girl he could kill without hesitation if given the chance. This was where his nervous system collapsed. How could he care so much about someone he could kill without hesitation, feeling responsible for her exhaustion, pain, and safety?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Brandon tried to discreetly glance at Stella, cursing the relief he felt knowing she was finally able to rest a bit. Why should he care if she was tired or in pain? Why should it matter to him? But ignoring it was becoming increasingly difficult. Remembering the warmth spreading across his back as he carried her was driving him mad. He hadn't felt tired; he could have carried her until the end of the mission, and this thought, these feelings, were obliterating the last remnants of control he had left. Stella sighed, curling up and resting her cheek on her knee to see Aisha, nodding occasionally in agreement with her friend. Brandon swallowed hard and turned back, suppressing his hatred for Nabu being right, and walked back to his friend, putting on a neutral expression and waiting for the door to open as if nothing had happened./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Nabu, still staring tensely at the door, knew his friend was in a chaotic emotional state but refrained from addressing it right now. Confirming this, the doors opened from both sides, and a group of girls emerged, dancing as if to announce the Queen's entrance. Stella and Aisha exchanged frowns. Supporting each other, they stood up, and Stella remembered Nabu's words. All the dancers had dark skin and dark hair. Some had red hair like Bloom, but Stella, Musa, and Tecna would definitely be seen as outsiders here. While Stella was preoccupied with her own safety, Aisha leaned closer to her friend and spoke hesitantly, "I have a feeling we won't be able to get out of here as easily as we thought."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stella squeezed her hand, warning her to be quiet with a look, then turned her attention back to the ridiculous dance, watching as the girls slowly knelt down and a man, whom she assumed to be the announcer, appeared. As she was about to roll her eyes, she forced herself to focus, slowly pushing Aisha towards Nabu's side. She took her place beside Brandon, thinking, span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"They said to stay close/span. Brandon, as if reading her thoughts, wrapped his arm around her again, pulling her body against his. Stella struggled not to sigh; she knew she shouldn't get used to this, but she was already starting to enjoy it too much./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Our Queen, Amentia!"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Startled by the announcement, Stella stared at the tall woman emerging from the door. Even if she wasn't ugly, she certainly had an off-putting presence, and Stella disliked her immediately. They all curtseyed to show respect to the Queen, who looked at them disdainfully. "Yes? What is the reason for your interruption?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"You already know/span, Stella thought irritably, glaring at the repulsive smile on the Queen's lips. Nabu stepped forward, introduced himself, and began to summarize their mission and the paths they needed to take. Stella couldn't focus on anything he said, noticing the frequent twitch in Brandon's arm, indicating his anger. Feeling lost and desperate, Stella glanced at Brandon's free hand and saw him gripping his sword, feeling the blood drain from her face. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"What was he planning to do?/span span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Was he going to draw blood if they weren't allowed to pass?/span Feeling helpless, she pressed her hand against the hand he had resting on her waist, and Brandon jolted as if shocked, staring at her./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Staring back, she silently urged him to stay calm. She had no idea that she had rendered him incapable of understanding any suggestion or anything happening around him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Of course. I am a generous and approachable queen. I would not turn away friends who have come so far."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'GNU Unifont'; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The girls breathed a sigh of relief, but the men didn't seem as relaxed. They exchanged glances, anticipating the next blow. "In return," Brandon closed his eyes, bracing for the expected blow. Every time they had to pass through here, they brought a ton of gifts from the surface to the underground queen. This time, coming with human strength, they were empty-handed. This meant the queen would demand her own recompense. "The blonde stays here."/p