The Goddess and her Little Prince

Final Conflict

There, in that dream, before I awoke, I made a promise to her—to always protect you this time. And now, I'm keeping this promise to you. So, for now, sleep well, my love.

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Starry's POV:

Halfway through the night, I woke up to a draft blowing through the open balcony doors, with moonlight streaming through the window. I bundled myself in a plush blanket, closed the doors, and drew the curtains, blocking the moonlight. In the now-darkened room, I felt around my bed for Selene, but she wasn't there. All that remained was the fleeting warmth of her body on the mattress and her familiar scent lingering in the air. She must've gone to the bathroom or for a late-night snack.

Slipping out of the blanket, I moved freely around the complex, checking where Selene had gone. My footsteps were light as I passed by Mia's bedroom, past the sound of running water softly trickling from the bathroom tap. I continued downstairs, where the kitchen backlights were dimmed, and Magnolia slept on the floor, wrapped in blankets and pillows, but still no sign of Selene. Back upstairs, Selene's belongings were still in my room—her backpack full of clothes sat in my closet, and her phone was on the nightstand, charging. It wasn't like she could've just disappeared.

I began pacing around my room, biting my thumb and thinking of where she could have gone. Soon, my pacing carried me into the hallway, where the subtle creaking of the floorboards woke Mia.

She came out of her room, wearing a long t-shirt that reached down to her thighs. Her eyes were puffy and half-closed as she looked at me, sighing. "What's wrong, Starry? It's the middle of the night, and Ijustwanttosleep," Mia said, slurring the last part of her words and resting her head on the doorframe.

Not wanting to sound paranoid, I took a breath and held her shoulders. "Selene went somewhere, and I don't know where. She wouldn't just leave without telling us."

Mia rubbed her and yawned again. "She probably went for a walk or something. She'll be back." She was no help when she was this sleepy. I turned away from her and went back downstairs to where Magnolia was still sleeping on the floor.

I knelt and shook his waist gently. "Hmm?" came the soft sound from his lips as he groggily looked up at me.

"Selene's gone. Did you see her?" I whispered.

Magnolia shook his head, stretching and rubbing his eyes. "No, I didn't hear anything. Are you sure she's not in the bathroom or gone for a midnight snack?" He glanced at the door, noticing her sneakers still there. It was clear she hadn't left the building. Magnolia stood up and pulled the blinds aside, gazing at the moon. He opened the entrance to the main balcony to get a closer look. I joined him, looking out at the pinkish glow in the sky as the flowers outside swayed gently in the wind.

Flowers outside on the balcony's edge began whispering to each other, their voices growing louder. A small bud whispered to a taller rose, and soon, the message came to me. "It's Kai! Selene's on the moon with him. He's going to hurt her—you have to stop him!" The budding flower's voice quivered with worry. "We heard it from the moon, and the message spread from the flowers up there to here."

Adrenaline surged through my legs, and a pit formed in my stomach. "I have to go." I sat on the ledge, preparing to jump.

Before I could, Mia rushed into the room, grabbing my wrist. "Don't hurt yourself, Starry! Come back inside!"

Magnolia grabbed my other wrist, pulling me back up. "You can't run off so easily. It's too dangerous to face Kai and Sai head-on. You'll die."

Below me, the cars on the street sped by, and late-night pedestrians strolled down the sidewalks. Mia's peach-colored eyes and Magnolia's mixed eyes looked at me warmly, and I nodded. "We have to save Selene." With their support, my mind was set. "Fine. But we have to reach the moon immediately, stop them both, and keep the promise I made centuries ago." They gave me doubtful looks, but they were ready to face the challenge.