Unable to endure the dizziness any longer, she shed her fairy form and collapsed onto the bed. Their journey was nearly over, and soon they would be descending to Nyxoria Palace. While Brandon and Radius conversed with the king and queen first, Stella would have to wait. Although the king of Nyxoria wouldn't intentionally harm the king of Solaria, Radius believed it was best to keep Stella away from any potential conflict or tension, especially at this moment. Brandon fully supported this idea as well.
Despite Luna's insistence on being part of the meeting, Stella had hoped at least her mother would stay by her side. But it seemed the king of Nyxoria would need some serious convincing. The dress she wore was making her hot after being in her fairy form, and Stella closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath. It had been ten minutes, just ten minutes that she could use her moon powers and stay in her fairy form. And now she was paying the price, gasping for breath and struggling for oxygen. Luna had given her tactics, Radius had warned her a thousand times, and Brandon had done everything he could to make sure she just breathed and didn't strain herself further, but Stella had insisted on exploring her powers anyway.
She was quite pleased with herself. While she had been a beautiful girl, she had transformed into an even more beautiful being, and she couldn't see any problem with that. What was wrong with being beautiful? The only issue was the insatiable hunger she felt for Brandon, a feeling she couldn't suppress. Luna had explained it well, talking about the paths she and Radius had taken, filling Stella with the urge to almost cut off her ears. Brandon had left a dark mana within her, and thanks to that mana, Stella had discovered her moon powers and was reborn, starting her life anew from far behind. Her entire body now only drew strength from the moon and stars, and Stella felt the bond she had with Brandon growing stronger, as if she were carrying his child in her womb.
For a moment, she was so scared that she had to test if she was pregnant. This must be why Faragonda and the others had also warned against any sexual involvement between Brandon and her. Stella, despite not knowing what could happen, inadvertently heeded their warning. Luna, however, found that warning ridiculous and, thinking they were trying to limit her daughter's life, had called Faragonda and, after a long conversation, turned to Stella and said unabashedly, "If you want to have sex, you have sex! They're just afraid of you becoming stronger, which is beyond stupidity! Your years of being a sun fairy don't mean you can't use moon powers now, Stella. You're a strong girl; you can control both."
And Stella was trying to do exactly that. Live by controlling both her powers. While the sun was a strength she could never give up, Stella, having found her warming moon powers, didn't want to abandon them either.
"Princess Stella?" As Stella lifted her head and looked at the door, she couldn't help but sigh. They must have arrived. And her head was still spinning. "Yes?"
"King Radius and Queen Luna, along with Sir Brandon, are going to meet with the king of Nyxoria. They said they would send someone to accompany you. They will be waiting at the door when you are ready."
Stella frowned, unable to help but feel angry that her family and boyfriend had left without informing her directly. It was her right to be there with them! And they had made their decisions without even consulting her and had already left. Stella stood up and glanced at herself in the full-length mirror.
Her gown seemed to blend seamlessly with the shadows, an ethereal wisp of muted grayish-blue. The off-the-shoulder sleeves gracefully draped around her arms, the soft tulle whispering against her skin with every movement. The bodice, structured with delicate boning, hugged her form, its sweetheart neckline offering a hint of timeless romance. The gown's voluminous skirt cascaded in tiered layers of ruffled tulle, each layer catching the fading light, creating a halo around her as she moved.
She tossed her hair back, letting the waves fall freely over her bare shoulders. Looking in the mirror had become a more pleasurable experience for her; once a girl with constant anxieties about her appearance, she now moved with ease, drawing attention with every step. Though it wasn't entirely new, it was immensely gratifying.
Turning away from the mirror and heading towards the door, she continued to curse her boyfriend internally. Especially after the night they had spent together, he hadn't even come to tell her he was leaving! Yet Stella couldn't stay mad at Brandon for long, both because of her desires and hunger and because today was the most challenging day of Brandon's life. Today, he might find his real family. He might even start his life anew as the prince of Nyxoria. Growing up with insecurities, Stella wondered if Brandon would still want to be with her if he became a prince. Although she had no doubts about his love, she knew how kingdoms treated and pressured their male heirs.
She was lucky that Radius had never pressured her about her love life, but this wasn't true for every kingdom. The guards at the door turned and stared stunned at Stella before finally remembering to salute and bow respectfully. Stella, with a gesture showing it wasn't necessary, spoke kindly to put them at ease, though inside, her anxieties still caused turmoil.
"What would you like to do, Princess?"
Stella shook her head and sighed, "I don't know. Is there a place where I can wait comfortably and maybe have a drink?" The guards quickly nodded and began to guide her. Meanwhile, Stella chose to spend her time observing her surroundings. Though known as the planet of darkness, this wasn't the darkness one might expect. Even darkness had its own light. Stella knew this, of course, as it wasn't her first visit to Nyxoria. The sky was pitch black but filled with stars, which made Stella feel more energetic. But when she turned her head to the right, she realized the real reason for her heightened energy was the glowing moon.
Of course, she thought. The moon was close to Nyxoria. That's why Lunaria got along best with Nyxoria. While Nyxoria shared its stars with Lunaria, Lunaria generously shared the moon, making it hang between the two planets. Although it was closer to Lunaria, Nyxoria was just as close to the moon. As she felt herself filling with energy, a smile spread across her lips. In a sudden decision, she stopped and told the guards to leave.
The guards immediately protested, explaining the trouble they would be in if they left her alone. Stella smiled and used her magic to calm them. She mentioned a small, feminine matter, asking them to leave her alone for a short while. Inside, it felt as if a volcano was ready to erupt. Reluctantly, the guards finally agreed and left her alone.
Without wasting any time, Stella transformed into her fairy form. She felt even her wings filled with a new vitality as she soared into the air, laughing with joy. Her powers weren't exhausting her; on the contrary, they seemed to fill her with excitement, urging her to use them more. As her fingertips glowed with a shimmering white light, Stella began to scatter small magical stars around her, spreading happiness. It felt as though the endless power building up inside her was introducing her to a brand-new self.
Every beautiful moment is cursed by the darkest of powers. Stella felt a blow to her back and barely managed to steady herself in the air before she fell, swiftly turning around. Icy. Her usual mocking demeanor was replaced with red, swollen eyes and a complexion even paler than usual. It was obvious, of course—Stella had killed their sister. This moment was inevitable, though she hadn't expected it to come today. As Icy radiated a deadly coldness, Stella pressed her once-bright, now tight-lipped mouth together.
"I'll curse you so deeply," Even her voice was unfamiliar, Stella couldn't help but think. Was this really Icy? Or was Darcy inside her too? The sisters had a habit of merging into one body, something the girls had gotten used to. "A curse so dreadful you'll wish you were dead every day, Stella of Solaria."
"Icy." The witch flinched as if Stella's voice had violently shaken her and hurled a massive block of ice at her. Stella erected a barrier, deflecting the attack at the last second, but the massive block didn't shatter and instead began to fall towards a small house. Yearning for solar energy, she tried not to think about the disadvantage of not being able to use heat, and instead, she used the moon's gravity to alter the block's trajectory, sending it soaring into space.
"Shut up, you bitch! You killed my sister!"
"What did you think? That you were immortal? As you took aim at us one by one, making us your targets, what difference was there between us?!" Stella attacked with a moonbeam, causing Icy to stumble back. The witch looked at Stella in shock, finally beginning to understand Stormy's warnings. Stella had indeed discovered and was now wielding her moon powers! "Did you know the state Flora and Tecna were in? Instead of seeking revenge, we tried to save them. We didn't want blood, Icy, but you wanted more suffering so I had to take it. "
Icy clutched her injured arm, examining the completely transformed fairy in front of her. A fairy she knew nothing about! Yes, it was Stella, but at the same time it wasn't. Her powers, her attacks, and even her defenses were beyond anything Icy or Darcy could handle. Even if they fought together, it wouldn't be enough!
"Better one of you falls than one of us. I can live with that."
"Ah!" Icy watched in astonishment as shards of glass following the massive ice blocks she had hurled at Stella merely grazed her. What was this?
"Moonlight." Said Stella almost like she heard the question in Icy's head. "It's used to create illusions and confuse opponents, making it hard for them to distinguish reality from the illusion." As Stella explained, Icy, her mind whirling with confusion, tried to understand why she was receiving an explanation. Suddenly, Stella vanished from in front of her.
"Are you sure I'm real, Icy? What about you? Are you real?"
Icy flew around frantically, searching for her opponent, but her eyes fell to her skin as she felt the cold and rigidity spreading through her arms. A shell-like structure was encasing her body. No matter how hard she tried to push it away, she couldn't, and the more she struggled, the more exhausted she became. Eventually, she gave in, slowly descending to the ground. "Did you think I would wait to kill you, so you could harm my friends?"
Icy fell to her knees, allowing tears to stream from her eyes, as Stella stood before her and began to walk slowly toward her. Neither of them was aware of the crowd watching them, including the worried king of Nyxoria and the anxious parents and children. They had all witnessed the fight, and it was clear to everyone that while Princess Stella might have lost her sun powers, she was far from powerless. She had returned as a powerful, courageous, and beautiful fairy.
As Luna watched her daughter with pride, the guilt inside her evaporated. She had always hoped that Stella would follow this path, and now that day had finally come. The two men standing beside her watched with fear. One, fearing for his precious daughter and the possibility that she might never regain her solar powers, and the other, afraid for the woman he loved and the attention and danger her courage attracted. Bloom had also been a target, and though he didn't like him, he had felt deep sympathy for Sky, who lived every day in fear of losing the woman he loved. Now, Stella stood strong and magnificent, defeating yet another of their arch-enemies.
"I won't wait any longer, Icy. I won't let my friends live in fear anymore." Raising her hands, Stella began to emit a sparkling light over Icy's head. Icy, too exhausted to lift her head, looked up at Stella lifting just her eyes. Stella met her gaze directly, determined to show no fear.
"Stormy left me no choice but I'm not a killer; I won't kill you." But everyone knew that being left alive could be worse than death. Icy had caused immense harm. She had started new wars before ending the old ones, inflicted great pain, and taken many lives. Even if Stella sent her to Omega now, she knew things would never be the same. Omega was already furious about the witches' previous escape. She had no doubt they would do their utmost to ensure it never happened again.
Two massive creatures appeared on either side of Icy. Both stared at Stella with empty eyes before bowing their heads and looking at the prisoner they were to escort. One of them made a hissing sound, while the other cleared its throat as if to warn the other, then turned back to Stella and greeted her with a nod, known as Omega's gesture of respect. Stella returned the gesture, her eyes locked on Icy, unwavering.
"I want to use my right to last words." Icy's voice created a calm-before-the-storm effect as she lifted her head and spoke through gritted teeth, staring directly at Stella.
"You're powerful. More powerful than I could have imagined, Stella. You defeated me faster than usual because of my pain and your new powers, but don't let that fool you." As she tried to stand, the Omegas immediately grabbed her arms. Brandon, as if anticipating this, began to walk towards Stella. The King of Nyxoria raised his hand towards Brandon but realized he had to swallow his unspoken worries for now and stayed silent. As Brandon took his place beside Stella, she was too focused on Icy to notice her boyfriend's presence.
"You won't be able to clean up the mess we've made. I would have preferred your death by my own hands," Icy smiled at Brandon's warning growl. "You will die, princess. You and your friends, none of you will make it out alive."
Stella didn't know whether to be surprised by her own calmness or pleased by Icy's threats. Remaining silent could have terrified Stella more, she knew. Icy had followed her usual routine, throwing threats as she was taken away for the last time. "Shut up already." The Omega agents placed a neon ring around Icy's head, ensuring it covered her mouth to silence her.
"Princess Stella will receive a token of gratitude from the Omega kingdom soon. Stay in peace." Stella watched as the three turned into shooting stars and vanished. Brandon wrapped his arms around her, trying to calm her trembling body, but it was in vain. She should be supporting Brandon right now, yet he was the one taking care of her again. She felt the weight of her heartache, regretting that she had ruined Brandon's big day.
"I'm sorry, I ruined your big day."
Brandon rolled his eyes and pulled her closer, inhaling her scent deeply. "Baby, every day you're in is my big day, please don't be silly."
Stella blinked, waiting for her trembling to subside, while the royal family began approaching them. She quickly shifted from her fairy form and, in her dress, greeted the King and Queen of Nyxoria, both of whom smiled warmly. "Hello, Stella."
"Sweetie," Luna hugged Stella as much as Brandon allowed, and Brandon didn't make any move to let go of his girlfriend. They were a touch-dependent couple, and the moon's power had exacerbated this. "Are you okay? You scared us so much!" Stella briefly summarized the events to calm her mother, while Radius stood beside Luna, his hand on her waist, listening supportively to their daughter.
Everything seemed oddly surreal to Stella, and the thing she couldn't understand was who Brandon really was. "Uh, so, did you talk?" She finally managed to ask after they stood in the garden, doing little more than looking at each other. "Yes, dear, we're waiting for the results. They should be ready in a few hours." The King of Nyxoria smiled warmly, but Stella could sense his suppressed emotions clearly; he wasn't hiding them well. The Queen, meanwhile, chatted with Luna as if oblivious to everything happening. What was going on?
"Brandon?"
Brandon leaned in, planting a kiss on her cheek, and started playing with her hair. Stella thought, Wow. He never shows affection in front of others, fearing they'd say something to upset me! "They are my family, princess." He said it so casually that Stella nearly choked. He was a prince! Why was he so calm? Why was everyone so calm?
"What is happening?" Brandon tried to calm her with a smile and leaned in, lowering his voice. "The king, I mean my dad, already knew. He hid it to protect me. Only my mother needs to find out." For a moment Stella thought like these all were a dream of hers, at this was why everyone was so casual and terrible at acting.
"Why are you so calm? Brandon..." Brandon shook his head and pointed behind Stella with his eyes. Stella turned slowly, acting as if hugging Brandon, and while she was still hugging him, looked in the direction Brandon indicated. In that moment, it felt like she had seen the future. Like a giant wave of wind had hit her chest with full force. One of the advantages of the moon's powers was illusions; Stella had used this against Icy, entering her mind and confusing her. Now, standing before them was a man Stella recognized. He had achieved everything he wanted, gotten away with everything, and returned without facing a single charge. And now, this man had decided to come to Nyxoria, to stay with his uncle. Stella felt a chill run through her body, and she knew she was glaring at the man now grinning at her with cold, stern eyes. She would never admit, not even to herself, that she hated and feared him equally, because he thrived on fear. Because he was Valtor.