The dream was soft, yet vivid.
Kaguya stood in a grand celestial atelier, surrounded by floating canvases and shimmering paints made of moonlight and stardust. In her hands was a delicate brush, its bristles glowing silver.
And before her stood Dark.
His Kokuyoku—his black wings—were spread wide, their midnight feathers absorbing the light of the dreamscape. But as she painted, her brush gliding effortlessly over his form, she hesitated.
Because one of his wings was not black.
It was white.
Kaguya's hand trembled as she gazed at the contrast—the duality, the opposing forces trapped in one being.
"Dark…?" she whispered, stepping closer.
But before he could answer, a voice, distant yet commanding, whispered into her ear.
"Use the Seal."
A gust of unseen wind swept through the space, sending her brush flying, shattering the dream like glass.
Xxx
Kaguya awoke with a soft gasp, her heart pounding.
"Use the Seal."
The words still lingered in her mind like an echo. But what did they mean?
A familiar mischievous chuckle made her breath catch.
She turned her head, eyes wide.
Dark grinned at her from her window.
He was crouched on the ledge, his violet eyes gleaming in the moonlight, his posture lazy yet intensely focused on her.
"What is he doing here?"
Kaguya pulled the blankets up instinctively. "You—!"
Dark chuckled. "Miss me already, Princess?"
Kaguya scowled, pushing herself up. "You're unbelievable! You can't just sneak into my room in the middle of the night!"
Dark smirked, resting his chin on his hand. "What can I say? I had to see you again."
For a brief moment, her heart betrayed her, fluttering against her will.
"Stop that," she scolded herself.
She exhaled and steadied her voice. "Dark, I need to ask you something."
His playful expression didn't falter, but she could tell he was listening.
"What is the Kokuyoku?"
At that, his grin faded slightly.
Dark studied her, his usual teasing arrogance replaced with something more solemn.
After a moment, he hopped down from the windowsill, landing lightly beside her bed.
"It's a curse," he said simply. "A curse that was placed on me and Krad when we were born."
Kaguya's brows knitted together. "A curse?"
Dark's fingers ghosted over the fabric of his sleeve, as if remembering something long buried.
"One from Mars, one from Venus," he began, his voice quieter, reciting something ancient.
"Bound together, none can separate.
One to destroy, one to save us all.
Only by coming together…
Can the Seal stop the burning of worlds."
Kaguya's breath hitched.
"The Seal?"
Dark looked at her sharply. "Why? That means something to you, doesn't it?"
Kaguya swallowed hard. "I… I had a dream. I was painting your wings, and one of them was white. And then, I heard a voice." She took a breath. "It said, 'Use the Seal.'"
For the first time since she'd met him, Dark's playful mask shattered.
His jaw tightened. His hands clenched into fists.
And when he spoke, it wasn't with sarcasm or mischief.
It was deadly serious.
"I always knew it," he murmured, his violet eyes burning.
Kaguya blinked. "Knew what?"
Dark took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. "That you're the only one who can save us."
Kaguya's heart pounded. "Dark…"
He lifted his hand, and for a moment, she thought he would touch her cheek again. But instead, he reached past her, taking a single silver paintbrush from her nightstand.
His fingers curled around it, his expression unreadable.
"You must paint with the power of the Silver Crystal," he said at last. "You have to finish what was started long ago. The only way to stop Krad forever… is with the Seal."
Kaguya felt the weight of destiny settle upon her shoulders.
She had no idea what it truly meant.
But she knew one thing for certain.
Dark was not lying.