Dragonfire II: The Twilight Invasion

Chapter 35: Stargazing

A young Moona was walking down a hallway within her castle. It had been a month since she met Zable, and they were closer than Moona could have possibly imagined. After the devastating loss of her father, Zable was there for her. They both grew attached to each other, so much so that they were almost inseparable. As she walked down the dark corridor, she couldn't help but stop as she heard Zable's name mentioned in a nearby room. The door was closed, but she could hear voices coming from inside. She nudged closer to the door, leaning up against it to listen in. To her surprise, one of the voices belonged to Raime. The other belonged to someone she hadn't met before. It was a male, with a deep and powerful voice. "What do you intend for Ferris, exactly?" He asked. Although it was often mistaken for her first name, Ferris was Zable's middle name. They were certainly talking about her, but why? "The girl is Ryu Adrobisque's firstborn, making her the heir to his throne. When the time comes, she will be chosen as the new Queen. That's all there is to it, I'm afraid." Raime answered, "With all due respect, Ferris is...unwell. She isn't fit to become the Queen right now." The Mysterious Man said, "Unwell? How so?" Raime asked. 

"She's been around for a very long time...and...her past experiences are taking a toll on her. She says she keeps dreaming about them, re-experiencing the worst times of her life. It's hurting her." The Mysterious Man answered, "Hurt or not, surely she is the best fit for the throne. Her skill and experience are otherworldly." Raime said, "You misunderstand. She is the perfect fit. But she is unwell. Her mental health is deteriorating rapidly." The Mysterious Man responded, "Deteriorating? How bad is it?" Raime asked, "At this rate? She's starting to talk about...well...suicide. I'm doing the best I can for her...but I'm afraid it may not be enough. She cannot lead anything right now. She's falling apart." The Mysterious Man answered. Moona's eyes widened as she covered her mouth in shock. Her sister...was considering suicide? The happy and sweet girl she had spent so much time with already? She never even saw any signs. "Hmm...if she cannot lead, then there is only one option. It must be Moona." Raime said. Moona was dumbfounded. She was to take the throne? She had no idea how to lead anyone. She had no idea what to do. "I wish you the best in that endeavor, Raime. I will take care of Ferris as much as I can." The Mysterious Man said, "Good luck with that, Ryuko." Raime responded. Moona stepped away from the door and rushed back to her room. Her head was spinning. Everything was falling apart, and she would have had no idea if she didn't overhear them... 

In the present time, Moona, Reina, and Iana returned to the throne room, where Roxanne was sitting on her throne. She looked bored, as nothing was happening. There were no visitors at this hour, it seemed. "Hey, Roxanne. You wanted to show us the city at night, right?" Moona asked. Roxanne's eyes lit up at her words. "Ah, yes! I was hoping to see you tonight, actually." She answered, "How come?" Moona asked, "It's a new moon, tonight. Where the stars shine brightest and the fauna is gleaming." Roxanne answered, "Ah, it sounds beautiful. I'd love to see it." Moona said, "Perfect! Do you want to grab your other friends?" Roxanne asked. Reina cleared her throat immediately. "Ahh! No! I...think they're fine!" She exclaimed, "Huh, okay..." Roxanne responded. She floated up off her throne and toward the door. "I know a good spot, I'll show you." She said. She led them out of the palace, and surprisingly enough, outside of the immediate courtyard. The courtyard was well known for its non-magical beauty. As a pose to the rest of the city, there was no magical fauna in the courtyard. The wall surrounding it was made of stone bricks, with an archway leading out into the rest of the city. If it weren't for the giant golden palace, then it would look like a classic medieval courtyard, far away from the magical world of Ravania. Roxanne led them past the courtyard through the archway, however, before taking an immediate left. They were on an unmarked path, leading around the courtyard's wall. It led around to another unmarked path, which led them down into a small clearing surrounded by magical trees and fauna. Bushes surrounding them had glowing blue and purple flowers emerging from them, while the trees had glowing fruits illuminating the area. The light was just dim enough for them to see the stars already shining bright overhead.