"What do you mean she's not here!? Nobody heard her leave? Nobody went with her?" Brandon raved in the living room, the girls just watched him. Sky tried to calm him down, but it was to no avail.

Bloom looked at the clock. It was almost 9 PM. Stella had officially been missing for a full day. Techna tried reaching out to her through her telecommunicator, cell phone, and even tracking her magic trail, Roxy and Flora had taken the animals to the park to see if they could pick up a scent. They found one, but it quickly went cold. Others had flown around gardenia for hours and nothing. The sun fairy was just gone.

"Why did you wait to tell me?!"

"Brandon, buddy, you need to calm down. Let someone else talk," Sky put a hand on Brandon's shoulder.

"We thought she was just blowing off steam about her situation —"Bloom started, "but around noon we still hadn't heard from her…"

"I tried linking to her electronics, but she didn't have any of them. So I thought to follow her magic trail, but given its current instability, I couldn't get a proper reading…" Tecna sighed.

"Roxy and I checked the park up and down. None of the animals could pick up a scent, and the plants in gardenia Park hadn't seen her…" Flora's breath was shaken as she snuggled into Helia.

" I can't even hear her heart," Musa added

"We promise, Brandon…we search the city all day. We waited because we thought we could find her, but about an hour ago we still came up and handed…"

Brandon fumed but he knew it wasn't anybody's fault in particular . He was simply angry that he couldn't have protected her. He was angry that he was the one who felt responsible. He sat and put his head in his hands, what would he tell her Father if anything happened to her, but would he tell her mother?

"When I became Stella's boyfriend, I made a promise I'd always be there for her, to protect her. She doesn't have her magic right now, she's out there somewhere unprotected… and with those wizards around…" tears began to well in his eyes, " I should've stayed the night. This is all my fault…."

" Brandon, nobody blames you Stella went out on her own. She made a conscious decision. I propose we divide and conquer a few of us each day go out and look for Stella, or at least a sign of her while the rest focused on the task at hand, anybody has anything we meet back here and converse about it," Nabus suggestion made everyone nod in agreement.

" I'll work up a schedule so that each team is well rounded and available that way should the smaller group be attacked by the wizards they can still take a stand" Tecna was already working out a spreadsheet, " Bloom and Flora, since you two have the strongest healing magic, you'll both have to be placed in each group interchangeably. That way you both groups always have a healer."

Bloom place to hand on Brandon's shoulder , "We'll find her, I promise,"

" I just want her to be OK…my princess…"

——————-

Stella groaned. Her eyes half lidded, she rolled in an out of consciousness. She heard voices, all male. She knew them, and she knew she knew them, but she couldn't make out who they were. one sounded frustrated. One irritated, one stoic, the other cocky, and the one that right next to her was the one that was touching her wounds. A familiar sensation of healing magic, but it was weaker, untrained. Like it hadn't been used in years. Her vision blurred as she made out dreadlocks. But she couldn't stay conscious long. Soon she was lulled back to sleep by pure exhaustion.

"This is a ridiculous plan, Gantlos. We don't need more complications," Ogron's voice was barely below a yell, he found it incredulous that Gantlos didn't even consult with him, but to make the decision to bring the fairy here on his own was just disrespectful, "this is the worst possible thing you could've done."

"The risks are high, yeah, but just hear Gantlos out," Duman pled

"Something is wrong with her magic, if we can figure out what it is, it might be worth exploiting —" Ogron cut the blonde off.

"And say we don't, what then?"

"Well, plan B is hostage exchange —"

"We have tried that before, Gantlos. None of this is convincing me,"

Gantlos stared, "food."

"What?"

"You made a big deal about me feeding myself, and now I have a food here. I don't need to eat all the time, so she'd be able to restore herself enough for me to eat again, plus just getting her out of the way makes things easier for me."

Ogron stared unamused. He scoffed out, "Fine, you want to keep livestock, perfect. But you keep it in line. If this harms the rest of us in anyway, it on your hands,". His voice dripping with venom. His main objective was taking care of his team, but they were all adults — he needed to be sure he was absolved of any responsibility for Stella. Gantlos curtly nodded before Ogron huffed out of the room.

"Try not to rile him anymore, that's my job" Duman said as they walked over to where Anagan was working on Stella.

"I hope you know what you're doing, G," Anagan didn't look at the man he spoke to, just continued to work on the burns.

"How much longer?"

"Why? Hungry again," Anagan chuckled at his own joke, "it's gonna be a few more hours, I haven't used healing magic since I dropped learning it as a teenager, and burns this bad? I'm not sure I can even heal them fully…"

The men stared at the sun scorched princess.

"OH!" Duman handed Gantlos the book, " she had this, some parts are highlighted, I thought if you do choose to exploit her magic, something in here might help."

"Duman had a good idea? Gantlos is saving fairies? Something must be in the water,"

————-

Stella rose groggily, the clock read 3:20 am—this wasn't her clock.

She shot up and surveyed her surroundings, there was a desk, a window, the bed she was in, the bed she was shackled to, Gantlos's hat hanging on the wall—

Gantlos. The fight. Memories rushed to her. She tried to get loose of the restraints, she could still get up, they were just short enough that the exits were out of reach. She was sore, though not on fire. As she pulled the door opened, hazel eyes met her honey ones.

"… you should stay quiet — Ogron'll flip his top if ya wake him up,"

"What the hell is this!? Why am I here— what have you animals done to me —" he grabbed her face.

"Don't jump to conclusions," the growl was defensive, "we're not monsters."

"That's up for debate," she spat.

They stared off, before Gantlos went to the desk, grabbing her book and sitting down.

"What exactly are you trying to do with this? These are the lowest level spells I've ever seen, little juvenile, don't you think?"

Stella simply huffed.

"What do ya need this kind of magic for?" When she didn't respond he became agitated, "I'm being hospitable here, Goldie locks. Answer me." His tone threatened her, she felt helpless without her magic.

"I–I am the fairy of the sun and moon…I just– never really practiced the moon part…"

"And now your sunshine is burning you alive?" She looked at the floor saying nothing, "this magic isn't just opposing your sun powers, it's opposite you're light magic — it comes from a darker source, not inherently negative, but dark enough to be considered dark magic. You'll need some help,"

"…what's in it for you?" She could have smacked herself for sounding so shaken.

"Not too sure yet, but possibly some food," he gave a toothy smile, fangs an all.

"A-absolutely not!" Stella tried to back away, but fell. Gantlos scooped her up and plopped her on the bed.

"Seems fair to me, or—I could just kill you now."

"No!" His hand extended, radiating a magical energy that would solidify the deal should she choose to shake it. Hesitant and helpless, she shook, what choice did she have. A dark energy surged through her. What had she done.

"The agreement is sealed, extra precautions- I'll start working on ya tomorrow," he tilted her face, fangs grazing her ear just as an extra means of scaring her, "sweet dreams, princess."

When he left, she began to cry. Only Brandon called her princess.