Once At Midnight | Book 1

Chapter 13

"Up and at 'em, you sluggish lot! Time to earn your keep!"

In the shadows, the soldiers of darkness stirred, readying themselves for the unfolding events. Today, Dokli brimmed with anticipation as the Starlight Comet approached, casting an eerie glow over the town. Suspicion ran rampant, fueled by whispers of Queen Luna's intentions.

"Listen up, folks! The teleporter's almost primed! Let's hustle, we've got conquest on the horizon!" Queen Luna's voice cut through the air, spurring her followers into action. Each command fueled their determination. "That girl of mine won't know what hit her. And Harry? He'll eat his words. Under my rule, ain't nobody gonna stand in my way!"

With swift strides, she retreated to the royal quarters, her indigo locks trailing behind her like a tempest. The palace loomed large, a beacon of foreboding with its purple-tinged glow. Bursting into the chamber, she fixed her gaze on the approaching comet. "Everything's falling into place."

Her eyes blazed with determination. "Revenge and power are within my grasp!" With a flourish, she raised a golden scepter, and in a blinding flash, her army was transported.

"Give me strength, Tulip," Midnight whispered, seated before her mirror.

"I wish I could help more. But stuck between realms, I'm just a fractured soul—part spirit, part lion, part void. If you lend me your essence, maybe I can break free for a bit," Tulip pleaded. "Your new powers allow for that, right?"

Midnight took a deep breath, her hand resting on Tulip's head as her pendant pulsed with energy. Tulip transformed into a woman with blonde hair, freed from her leonine curse. Suddenly, a thunderous boom shook the ground, and Midnight stumbled. "She's here..."

A portal tore open in the sky, disgorging soldiers who wreaked havoc on the town. With Tulip by her side, Midnight leaped into action. Amidst the chaos, innocent citizens suffered. "We gotta do something!"

Setting her sights on a towering skyscraper where Queen Luna plotted, Midnight resolved to confront her mother. "I'll handle Mom. You find that comet and keep it safe," she said, determination in her voice as she ascended to the building's summit.

"Time to set my plan in motion," Queen Luna murmured with a wicked grin, trailing after Midnight.

As they faced off, tension crackled in the air. "You're just like your father," Queen Luna taunted, producing a hidden object. "So blinded by your goodness."

"Why did you have to kill him? Why be so cruel to everyone? Why lock me away?" Midnight's voice trembled with emotion.

Queen Luna's laughter filled the room. "What choice did I have? I had to stop the prophecy..."

Memories and accusations swirled in Midnight's mind, a storm of revelation and betrayal.

***

"You'll never win!" Harry's voice echoed from the castle's highest veranda, sending shivers down my spine. "Someone will rise against you! The prophecy states it—if not me, then one of our children will! Killing me won't end this!"

It was a nightmare unfolding before my eyes. My own mother gripping my father's collar, her intentions clear. With a cruel gesture, she released him, sending him plummeting from the castle's heights. "Father!" I screamed, the horror unbearable.

"Get over here!" Queen Luna seized my hand and my sister's, dragging us forcefully to the Juvenile prison with a mix of anger and remorse etched on her face. "None of you will thwart me! I'll rewrite this blasted prophecy, come what may!" With a final slam, she locked us in, the cold metal bars sealing our fate.

***

"No..." Midnight's voice trembled with tears, her eyes aflame with rage and despair. "You monster!" With a surge of fury, she hurled an energy blast toward her mother. Queen Luna dodged and retaliated with a sharp blade, drawing blood as it pierced Midnight's hand. With a cruel toss, she flung Midnight aside, leaving her battered and broken on the unforgiving ground.

Struggling to rise, Midnight fought against her weakness. Wounds covered her body, but her spirit remained unbroken. "I won't let you win..." she gasped, summoning a ball of blue flames. Queen Luna intercepted it effortlessly, mocking Midnight's resolve. "Just like your father—weak and pitiful. Perish, little one."

Before Queen Luna could strike, Tulip leaped into the fray, her fury unleashed. "You thought you could curse me, Luna?" With a swift blow, she knocked her adversary to the ground. Seizing the crown, Tulip turned to Midnight, her expression resolute. "It's time. Put it on!"

As Midnight donned the crown, the Starlight Comet approached, heralding a moment of destiny. Power surged through her, overwhelming her senses. "Yes! Embrace it!" Tulip urged, channeling the energy until Midnight's hair turned white and her eyes blazed with celestial light. "Feel the might!"

But as quickly as the power came, it was stripped away. Tulip absorbed it all, leaving Midnight weakened and betrayed. "Aunt Tulip!" Midnight cried out, her trust shattered.

"I had no choice. Don't be so naive," Tulip retorted coldly, taking the crown for herself.

"You used me..." Midnight's voice quivered with disbelief as she smashed the crown to pieces, defiance burning in her eyes.

Enraged, Tulip seized the broken remnants, but Midnight stood firm. "You destroyed it..." Tulip seethed, her anger palpable as she hurled Midnight to the ground.

Summoning her last reserves of strength, Midnight rose, her determination unwavering. "Time to end this!" With a burst of power, she opened a portal, banishing Tulip into its depths.

As Midnight surveyed the aftermath, Candy and Dylan approached, offering comfort and support. "You're not alone," Candy reassured her, embracing Midnight tightly.

Dylan, his heart heavy with sorrow, found the courage to speak. "No matter where you're from, you're still Midnight to me. That's what matters." With a blush, he reached out to her, his words a tender promise of acceptance and love.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Midnight embraced Dylan, her eyes glowing with gratitude. "Yes," she whispered, feeling a sense of belonging she had never known before.

Turning to face the wreckage around them, Midnight knew the journey was far from over. But with her friends by her side, she was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. "We have a lot of work ahead of us, don't we?" she remarked, determination shining in her eyes.

***

In the desolate wasteland once known as Snowbell Springs, where the echoes of battle still lingered, the Starlight Comet lay buried amidst the detritus of a forgotten era. Mist and fog shrouded the landscape, casting an eerie pall over the desolation.

With a crackle of energy, Tulip emerged from the swirling mist, her gaze fixed upon the glowing comet. "The Starlight Comet..." she rasped, her voice tinged with bitterness. Her body bore the marks of countless wounds, scars etched into her flesh like a roadmap of suffering. Each spark of electricity elicited a flinch, a painful reminder of her cursed existence.

Half-lion, half-human, Tulip was a twisted reflection of her former self, a victim of the very magic she once wielded.

"Midnight will pay for this!" she snarled, her anger a palpable force in the desolate landscape. With a determined stride, she advanced toward the comet, her resolve unyielding.