Amidst the chaos, Stella flew quickly before she could get too accustomed to the comfort of finding her friends. She was pushing people aside, throwing off those who tried to forcibly grab the fairies with a burst of bright light. Even though she knew which side she was on, the situation was so chaotic that Stella's mind was in turmoil. What she saw made her conflicted because, although the rebellion was said to have been initiated by the specialists, from a distance, the specialists seemed to be struggling just as much as the fairies. It was as if... it was as if the rebellion had started from both sides.
"Stella! Watch out!" Aisha's scream saved her just in time as she quickly ascended higher into the sky, narrowly escaping the barrage of bullets below her. It seemed the universe was trying various ways to take her down because Stella couldn't recall ever being this close to death before. As she caught a glimpse of Brandon's muscular form out of the corner of her eye, she had to dodge another attack without being able to react or do anything. Just witnessing this might have been enough to make Brandon's last nerve snap. His eyes saw red as he gripped his sword tighter and drove it into the ground with a force that sent a heavy, resounding tremor through the area. While those on the ground struggled to regain their balance, Brandon lifted his sword again, his fiery gaze fixed on the specialists, and roared for them to stop. Thinking that this wouldn't work, Stella moved to create a shield, but all the specialists—except Riven—one by one dropped their weapons and knelt down. As a wave of shock enveloped her body, Stella stared at the specialists who didn't resist or cause any trouble for even a moment. In awe, she looked around and marveled once again at the authority Brandon possessed. Had Brandon just shaken the ground?
"Who ordered this?!"
As a tremor and shudder passed through her, Stella hesitantly placed her foot on the ground that had just been shaken but now stood still. Even though she knew as well as her own name that Brandon wouldn't harm her, seeing him in this furious, roaring state made her a bit uneasy. As she walked toward her friends, her gaze remained fixed on Brandon, who was consumed by rage.
"I did." Riven couldn't muster the courage to step forward and face Brandon, and remained frozen in place. But as soon as he heard another growl, Stella froze in her tracks. "You? You couldn't even burn in your own fire, you useless fool. It was me." As Stella looked at Musa with a horrified expression, her gaze met hers, but Musa refused to look back, stubbornly glaring at Riven. Aisha, who was just as shocked as Stella, quickly snapped out of it, grabbed her friend's arm firmly, and hissed through clenched teeth. "What do you mean it's you, Musa? How could you do something like this, especially after everything we've been through?"
Though her cheeks flushed with shame, her pride didn't allow her to back down in front of all the people watching. Pushing Aisha's hand away without looking at her, she muttered, "I'm tired of hearing about their so-called superiority over us. They think brute force is power, but I believe their greatest weakness is using it against those who don't have it." Stella shook her head in disappointment, her shoulders slumping with the weight of her friend's betrayal, while Bloom approached Musa with the same shock and a clear sadness. "When I told you to feed on your hatred, this isn't what I meant!" Without looking at her, Musa kept her eyes straight ahead, struggling to keep her shoulders from slumping as she realized that all her friends were clearly disappointed.
"Specialists wait for me in the amphitheater. Those who think I won't find out who's involved in this; take your chances." He was about to turn and leave when Riven's voice stopped him, and he slowly turned around. There was a dark energy emanating from Brandon. This was a well-known fact to those who knew him, as well as to those who had seen him very little. From his tense gaze to his muscles twitching with anger, there was an intense dark energy present. Looking at him was so difficult, so torturous, that gouging out your own eyes might seem like the most logical escape. As Riven looked at him, he began to seriously consider that escape; despite the situation, which would normally have made him angry again, the fact that his first alone time with Stella in weeks had been ruined in such a terrible way was the last straw. He didn't feel like he was drowning; he wanted to drown someone.
"We don't want them here, Commander!" Brandon tilted his head and cracked his neck once. In the meantime, the specialists he had commanded began to disperse, quickly seizing the opportunity to distance themselves from Brandon while they could. The fairies looked at Stella expectantly, while Stella turned her gaze to Musa.
"Whoever is involved in this with you, gather them and wait for me in the common area." When Musa seemed like she was about to say something, Stella raised her hand and glared at her angrily. She was already exhausted. Of everyone, Stella was the most worn out without any rest, and you'd have to be blind not to see it. Just hearing about the things Stella dealt with and went through would tire anyone out. Musa didn't want to push her friend any further, to kick her when she was already down, or more accurately, she didn't want to kick her twice when she'd already done it once. Because she had already made a move that would tire her friend out. Meanwhile, as Brandon slowly approached Riven, Riven took a step back, seizing the opportunity as the fairies dispersed. But this might have been one of the weakest battles he could give to distance himself from Brandon. Determined to let whatever was going to happen, happen, he was about to turn and run when Brandon grabbed his cape, yanked him back harshly, and forced him to turn around, pushing him firmly against his back.
As Riven, shaken, turned to face him, he had to muster all his willpower not to look Brandon in the face, but when Brandon shook him again and pushed him, he had no choice but to lift his eyes to his friend's face and gulp. "Commander..." One look from Brandon was enough to stop him from continuing. Knowing that lowering his head again would only anger him more, Riven struggled to keep his gaze on Brandon's face. "Have you grown so tired of life that you'd dare to speak after me?" Riven shook his head as Musa smirked, watching him, though she knew her situation wasn't much different. The worst part was that Brandon was angry; he was about to consider doing the worst thing he could, which instantly sent a chill down her spine. Brandon may not have easily scared her, but he was certainly intimidating enough. She tried to avoid passing by him even if she saw him on the road, as he filled her with a strange sense of dread. But Stella, Stella wouldn't be angry, she would be hurt; maybe she'd say that she had already lost her trust and end their friendship. Musa couldn't stop her shoulders from slumping this time; losing Stella's friendship would hurt so much that it would be hard for her to recover without Stella's help. As her friend, Stella would help, of course, but the old close friendship wouldn't return.
"Commander, I... I mean, why..." When he closed his eyes for a moment to calm his rage, which was beginning to boil over, Riven bit down on his teeth to avoid groaning in fear. Brandon's dark side had emerged again, spreading fear and dread like a dark cloud. Shivering with a chill, Riven was shaken once more as Brandon grabbed his cape and pulled his face close to his, speaking in a voice that, though seemingly quiet, felt no different from a roar. "Do you think you'd still be here if it were up to you to question why?" As Riven wobbled, Brandon tightened his grip on the cape, keeping him in place without allowing him to escape. "You won't question me, Riven. After all the times I've saved your ass, it would take me a second to burn you. Don't push my patience." Riven nodded, waiting to be released, but it didn't seem like Brandon had any intention of letting him go.
"Commander. Could we talk for a moment?" Of course, until he heard her voice, perhaps even he wasn't aware of such an intention. As his gaze quickly turned to Stella, his expression immediately softened, and his face, which had become more rigid along with his tensed muscles and nerves, stood in stark contrast. His fingers loosened, Riven quickly took a step back, and took advantage of the brief moment it was given. It had been short, but when Nabu grabbed him by the neck and began dragging him towards the crowd where the other specialists had disappeared, he chose to walk without a word. It was better than being seen walking away alone by Brandon; even if he got angry now, he could say that Nabu was dragging him and get off the hook. When Aisha and Flora, both visibly angry, began directing the fairies to their common area, Musa quickly started walking on her own before anyone could say anything to her. The rebellion had started and ended. The problem wasn't that a rebellion had broken out; it was that this cycle never ended. It was the pointless clashes between the fairies and specialists for no apparent reason.
Stella began to move towards the wooded area and Brandon briefly shifted his gaze away from her, directed it at the professors of Red Fountain and Alfea, who had just arrived on the scene. His eyes rolled, and he didn't feel the need to stay and listen to the argument that was starting between them. The fact that these damned professors were already doing nothing useful, and now he had to waste his time with this childish nonsense while he could be somewhere far better, was frustrating enough. But their presence, as if they were doing something significant, was draining the last of his patience. Noticing Stella's silhouette slowly disappearing, he quickly began moving towards her. How hard it is for you to stay in front of me, he thought, shaking his head as he approached the woman who glowed even in the dark. Stella had stopped and was leaning against a tree, waiting for him inside the forest that Brandon not even once had let her to step a foot in. She had left her fairy form and was once again standing before him in her dazzling nightgown.
Without slowing down his steps, Brandon approached Stella as she pressed her back more firmly against the tree, waiting impatiently for him to reach her. When her lips parted to apologize on Musa's behalf, she couldn't even get two words out before Brandon silenced her with his lips. Her moan echoed through the forest, disturbing the sleeping birds as Brandon quickly lifted her by her hips, helping her wrap her legs around his waist. Her bare legs locked around Brandon's hips, Stella wasn't sure whether he did this to protect her bare feet or to feel her closer, but either way, she loved this position immensely. While the moment grew more pleasurable, Stella slipped her fingers inside the partially open zipper of his jacket, pressing against his tattooed skin and pulling herself closer to him. As their tongues rubbed against each other, the only thing Brandon needed right now was to take this moment in, deep into his lungs. When he grabbed Stella's tongue and began to suck on it, she let out another muffled moan, pushing her hips hard against the firmness she could now feel more clearly. This drew a groan from Brandon, and his fingers slipped under her nightgown, caressing her underwear-covered hips with an intensity that suggested he wanted to imprint them in his memory.
Stella kept grinding against him, while Brandon wavered between speeding up her movements or slowing them down, pushing his hips towards her and worshipping her hips with movements that screamed she was his. As Stella's upper lip remained captured between Brandon's lips, she threw her head back to free it. While her lips parted to catch her breath, this time Brandon pressed his lips hungrily against Stella's neck, causing her eyes to roll back as they closed. Her whole body trembled, and there was nowhere else she wanted to be right now. Even if there was a need, Stella just wanted to lose herself in this moment. Brandon's fingers gripped Stella's hips more tightly, he lifted her body higher and began showing the same attention to the breasts her nightgown struggled to conceal. As his tongue moved over the thin fabric of the nightgown, Stella bit down hard on her lip, but the moans climbing her throat still declared their freedom. She was breathless and soaked. When Brandon took her hardened nipple, which was clearly visible through the fabric, into his mouth, Stella wrapped her arms tightly around him and, with an involuntary muffled scream, pressed her nails into the back of his neck. "Brandon..."
The sound of rustling branches and crunching leaves signaled approaching footsteps, while Brandon's patience, already on the verge of breaking, was running out. It was as if the entire universe had conspired to keep them apart. When he reluctantly loosened his grip on Stella's hips, the sadness in his eyes was enough to show how much it hurt him. He placed Stella's bare feet on his boots, trying to warm her cold skin by stroking her arms. His forehead leaned against hers, while Stella struggled to hold back tears, fighting not to cry like a child. The desire growing inside her, the throbbing hunger of her vagina, the aching of her lips, and the soreness in her breasts—all of this, along with the constant interruption of their moments together, was driving her crazy.
"You need to transform."
When she briefly looked at Brandon with a gaze that clearly showed she didn't understand, Brandon let out a breath through his nose, firmly taking Stella's lips between his own, inhaling deeply, and then immediately letting go. The sound their lips made as they parted indicated just how intense the kiss had been, showing how difficult it was for them to pull away from each other. Brandon wrapped his arms tightly around Stella's waist, pressing her hard against him. Keeping himself in check was no longer easy. He was practically a wild animal in front of Stella, and how he managed to control himself was a mystery. "Transform, sunshine, because I'm the only one who has the right to see you like this."
As she licked her reddened lips, watching Brandon's moving lips, Stella, without knowing how she managed it, instantly transformed into her fairy form, continuing to take deep breaths. The apology she wanted to offer was stuck in her throat, but compared to the moans caught there, that was nothing. "Brandon..." Whether it was the way Stella said it or simply hearing his name come from her lips with a moaning sound, Brandon didn't know, but he felt his eyes darken with desire. Damn it. As he clenched his fists and exhaled sharply through his nose, Brandon used whatever remained of his self-control not to pull Stella tightly against him again. When the sound of approaching footsteps, now accompanied by someone calling out his name, reached his ears, Brandon recognized that it was Sky. Reluctantly, he released Stella and gently moved her behind him. She was once again in her fairy form, and just imagine how breathtaking it is to have a woman who's stunning in every form, and also possesses a fairy transformation. When Brandon turned back to look at Stella, who now had an innocent expression in her eyes as though she hadn't just been moaning into his mouth with as much desire as he had, he struggled once again to suppress a groan. He gently pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, not forgetting to sigh as he did so. His lips rested on Stella's forehead when Sky called out to Brandon once more. By the time Brandon planted a quick kiss on her nose and lips, Sky had already appeared in view.
There was nothing to hide, but normally in situations of rebellion like this, people expected a certain level of sternness and seriousness from Brandon. However, maintaining that right now was proving to be quite challenging. He had no intention of openly lowering his guard in front of a specialist who he'd warned about professionalism countless times. His interest and obsession with Stella were no longer a secret, but with so many people still in disbelief, they hadn't grasped how delicate the situation was yet. Brandon's team, on the other hand, had started to prefer silence when it came to Stella. If they wanted to keep their heads on their shoulders, this was the best strategy they got.
"Commander."
"What?" When Sky turned swiftly towards the voice and approached them, Stella had just managed to regain control of her breathing. As Brandon was forced to let go of her hand once again, he silently cursed to himself. No one could hold him or Stella accountable, but still, they had to be careful.
"Commander, the specialists are waiting for you in the amphitheater. Codatorta is on his way and should arrive shortly. What should we do with Riven?" Sky asked this last question with anticipation. He and Riven had never gotten along, and from the very beginning, Riven had been a thorn in Brandon's side. Knowing that Brandon would want to punish him, Sky had eagerly taken it upon himself to summon Brandon.
"Where's Riven?"
Stella tried to appear indifferent, but her flushed cheeks and swollen lips weren't helping to mask it well. Even though she bowed her head as if looking at her feet, it was useless. This new transformation made her shine like a spotlight on a runway, and right now, Brandon and Sky were the models walking on that runway. Even though Sky hadn't glanced at her for a moment, her discomfort wasn't going away. The main reason for his refusal to look was that he had nearly found out just how sharp Brandon's sword could be. At least he was smart enough not to make the same mistake twice. Stella was taboo, and he had learned that the hard way, nearly face to face with death.
"He's in the amphitheater, Commander."
"Good, I'm coming. You go on ahead." Although Sky looked at Brandon with disappointment for a while, he eventually nodded, shot one last glance at Stella, and turned, quickening his steps to the amphitheater in the hope that he might get a chance to handle Riven before Brandon arrived.
"Brandon?" Brandon closed his eyes and felt Stella's soft fingers on his back, while she slowly pressed her forehead against his back, taking a deep breath. Not being face to face was a good idea for both their self-control.
"I need to go."
Brandon nodded in agreement as Stella slid her hand from under his jacket and out from his back. As Brandon took a deep breath, her fingers withdrew, and she pressed her lips to his back through the jacket.
"I love you."
His smile was too bright for his white teeth to stay hidden as he took another deep breath. Not being able to touch Stella at that moment was hurting him so much that he could feel how tense he was by the soreness in his neck. He definitely needed to take a cold shower before heading to the amphitheater, or else Red Fountain would lose all its specialists in one night, just because Brandon couldn't control his temper.
"I adore you, sunshine."
As Stella pressed her hand against her chest, pleading for her rapidly beating heart to calm down, she couldn't hold back her smile this time either. Knowing that the longer she stayed, the harder it would be for her to leave, she shifted her weight onto her wings and planted one last kiss on Brandon's cheek before flying swiftly towards the school. What she left behind was a commander whose smile wouldn't fade anytime soon, staring after her with admiration, ready to bring an end to every specialist who had ruined the night.
