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***
A grand castle succumbs to a monster invasion, and Marvella, a young princess, sprints through the corridors, her loyal knight beside her.
Her heart pounds relentlessly in her chest. She clutches the suitcase tightly in her arms; its importance is crucial. Beside her, Jaune stands as a stalwart guardian, deflecting claws and snapping jaws with practiced efficiency.
The Dream Eaters are everywhere. Grotesque nightmares given form, their eyes gleam with a hunger that chills Marvella to the bone. A snarling dog-like creature lunges, only to be met with Jaune's shield, the impact echoing through the ancient halls. A scaly, lizard Dream Eater hisses, its forked tongue flicking, as Jaune's sword flashes, forcing it back into the shadows.
Marvella dodges, weaves, and sprints through the corridors. She's heading to the throne room, the only place where she has a chance.
The Dream Eaters' presence is stifling, a suffocating blanket of dread. She can almost taste the despair they exude, the emptiness they leave in their wake.
I have to protect this, her grip tightening on the suitcase. I have to go to the throne room.
Suddenly, they're surrounded. A wave of Dream Eaters surges forward, cutting off their path. But then, a roar erupts. Castle guards, clad in shining armor, charge into the fray, swords raised high. They fight with desperate courage, creating a small pocket of safety around Marvella and Jaune.
"Your Highness, go!" one of the guards shouts, "We'll hold them off!"
Jaune's face is grim. "Princess, hurry! There is no time to waste."
Marvella hesitates, her gaze darting between the guards and her friend. Guilt gnaws at her. She's asking them to risk everything. But the fate of Aetheris—perhaps even more—rests on her shoulders.
"I..." she begins, her voice trembling.
"Go!" Jaune repeats, her tone brooking no argument. "You still have your duty to fulfill."
With a heavy heart, Marvella turns and runs, the suitcase bumping against her side. She glances back one last time, seeing Jaune and the guards locked in a desperate battle. Forgive me, I won't let your sacrifice be in vain.
Each step feels like wading through a nightmare. The once-gleaming corridors of the castle are now littered with bodies. Servants she'd known since childhood, guards who had playfully teased her during training—all fallen. Marvella presses a hand to her mouth, stifling a sob. The faces of the fallen flash through her mind, their smiles now replaced with vacant stares.
I have to keep moving. I have to do this for them.
The weight of the suitcase seems to double with each step. She focuses on reaching the throne room. Her parents are waiting for her.
Finally, the massive doors of the throne room loom before her. She pushes them open to see her parents waiting for her.
King Orion, tall and regal, his silver hair gleaming even in the dim light. Queen Seraphina, ethereal and graceful, her violet eyes shining with love and worry. Relief washes over Marvella, a momentary reprieve from the horror outside.
"Marvella!" her father exclaims, his voice booming with relief.
"My darling girl, you're safe," her mother says softly, rushing forward to embrace her.
Marvella clings to them, burying her face in her mother's shoulder. But they are running out of time. She pulls back, her gaze hardening with determination.
"Father, Mother, I'm here. I'm ready."
Orion steps forward, his blue eyes searching hers. "The Braces … are they safe?"
Marvella nods, placing the suitcase on the floor. She flips it open, revealing the three wrist braces inside. "Yes, Father. They're all here."
"Good. You have done well, Marvella." He sighs, his shoulders slumping slightly. "It pains me to leave the future of our kingdom in your hands, but there is no other choice."
He reaches into his robes and reveals three coins, each one shimmering with celestial energy. He presses them into Marvella's palm.
"These Coins will guide you," he says, his voice grave. "They will help you find allies, unlock your potential, and protect you from the darkness."
Seraphina steps forward, her hand resting on Marvella's cheek. "You must flee Aetheris, my dear. Take the Stellar Brace and Astra Coins and seek help. Find those who can fight alongside you against the Dream Eaters."
"But... I can't leave you," Marvella protests, tears welling in her eyes. "I can't leave Aetheris."
"You must," Orion says firmly. "We will hold them off for as long as we can, but it will not be enough. Aetheris needs you, Marvella. You are our only hope."
Fear claws at her, the thought of leaving her parents, her home, terrifying beyond words. But she sees the determination in their eyes, the unwavering belief in her. She knows what she must do.
Marvella straightens her shoulders, her gaze hardening with resolve. "I understand," she says, her voice trembling but firm. "I will not fail you. I promise, I will save Aetheris."
Orion nods, a sad smile gracing his lips. "We know you will, my daughter. Now, we must prepare the ritual. The Dream Eaters are drawing closer."
He gestures towards the center of the room, where a circle of glowing runes is etched into the floor. Seraphina takes Marvella's hands, her touch warm and reassuring.
"Remember, my dear," she says, her voice filled with love. "You are not alone. The stars will guide you. Trust your heart, and never lose hope."
The sound of snarling and scraping claws echoes through the castle, growing louder with each passing moment. Time is running out. Orion begins chanting, his voice resonating with ancient power. The runes on the floor glow brighter, bathing the room in an ethereal light.
Marvella looks at her parents, their faces etched with love and worry. She takes a deep breath, steels her resolve, and steps into the circle, the brace and coins clutched tightly in her hands. I won't let you down, I will save Aetheris.
A portal suddenly materializes beneath Marvella, and before she can react, she plummets through the swirling vortex.
* * *
The portal shimmers, then vanishes, leaving Orion and Seraphina alone in the throne room.
"We've burdened her with so much," Seraphina whispers, her voice laced with regret.
Orion pulls her close. "She is strong, Seraphina. She is stronger than you and I."
"But is it fair?" she asks. "To send our daughter away, possibly to her doom?"
"We did what we had to do. To protect Aetheris, to protect her. There was no other choice."
Seraphina leans into his embrace. "I know," she murmurs. "But knowing doesn't make it easier."
Their moment of solace shatters. The doors to the throne room splinter inward with a resounding [CRASH!]. Dream Eaters flood the chamber with their grotesque forms. Snarling, snapping, and dripping with dark energy, they encircle the King and Queen.
Leading the charge is Nocturne.
He strides into the room, his tall, slender frame a stark contrast to the monstrous horde he commands. His pale, glowing skin seems to absorb the light, and his sharp features are set in an unsettling smile. He wears a dark, tailored suit with cosmic patterns and a flowing coat that gives him a regal look. A silver ring gleams on his finger, and a pendant shaped like an eclipse hangs from his neck.
"Greetings, King Orion, Queen Seraphina," Nocturne says, his voice a silky purr. "I trust you're...comfortable?"
His gaze sweeps around the room, lingering on the spot where the portal had been. "Ah, I see the little princess has flown the nest. Pity."
Orion steps forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "She is beyond your reach, Nocturne. You will not find her."
Nocturne throws back his head and laughs, a cold, unsettling sound that echoes through the throne room. "Oh, I'm not worried. The universe is vast, but my reach is longer. I will find her eventually. And when I do," he pauses, his eyes gleaming with malice, "the Astra Coins will be mine."
He gestures to the Dream Eaters. "Enough talk. Seize them!"
With a guttural roar, the Dream Eaters surge forward. Orion draws his sword, the celestial metal singing as it leaves its scabbard. Seraphina raises her hands, and a shimmering shield of dream energy forms around them.
"For Aetheris!" Orion roars, charging into the fray.
He moves with blinding speed, his sword a blur of silver. He cleaves through Dream Eaters, each strike sending them dissolving into black smoke. Seraphina supports him; she casts magical whips, knocking the creatures back.
A Dream Eater resembling a monstrous dog lunges at Orion, teeth bared. Orion sidesteps the attack and slams the pommel of his sword into the creature's snout. It howls in pain and stumbles backward.
Another Dream Eater, shaped like a nightmarish lizard, spits a stream of corrosive venom at Seraphina. She casts a shield, deflecting the acid. The shield flickers and weakens under the assault, but it holds.
Orion and Seraphina fight back-to-back, a whirlwind of steel and magic against the relentless tide of Dream Eaters. They are powerful, but the Dream Eaters are numerous, their dark energy slowly draining the King and Queen.
Nocturne watches from the sidelines, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Such valiant effort," he drawls. "But futile. You cannot hope to defeat me, not in your weakened state."
He raises his hand, and the Dream Eaters redouble their efforts, pressing the attack with renewed ferocity.
Orion feels his strength waning. His breath comes in ragged gasps, and his sword arm aches. Seraphina's shield flickers more frequently now, threatening to collapse at any moment.
We can't hold out much longer, he thinks grimly.
Suddenly, Seraphina cries out, a Dream Eater manages to claw at her arm. Dark energy courses through her veins, and she stumbles.
"Seraphina!" Orion shouts, his voice filled with alarm.
He knows what he must do. He glances at Seraphina, their eyes meeting in a silent understanding.
"For Aetheris," he whispers.
"For our daughter," she replies.
They gather the last of their remaining power, focusing their combined will. A surge of celestial energy erupts from them, a blinding wave of pure light. The throne room is enveloped in brightness.
* * *
Marvella was still falling, the swirling portal a dizzying vortex around her. She clutched the Stellar Brace tightly. It feels like traveling through a cosmic birth canal. Tubes of light encased her like a bridge, a relentless and powerful force. The transfer squeezed her, an invisible weight pressing down without mercy.
Then, a sudden, jarring force caught her off guard, and the Astra Coins slipped from her grasp.
No!
She reached, desperate to snatch them back. Her fingers grazed one Coin, but it slipped away. The Astra Coins spun away, out of reach.
Panic seized her. Those coins… a link to her father, to Aetheris. I can't lose them.
A blue planet materialized through the swirling light. Earth. It was breathtaking, beautiful. A gasp escaped her lips. Such vibrant beauty. This is where I'm going,
Mesmerized, she watched as the Coins fell, drawn toward the surface.
Then, they vanished—swallowed by the atmosphere, plummeting toward Earth. Helpless, Marvella could only watch, dread twisting in her stomach.