A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.
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"I wonder if it will work on me, too," Moon murmur to herself as she smile and clap her hands for the blessed Princesses. Princess Aeverie just got her blessing. The area of her ability's effectivity expanded. Still, it didn't posed any threat and in fact, her magic stayed weak despite the expansion of its AOE.
Moon played with her fingernails. She's not expecting to be blessed. She's aware that the Pope doesn't like her, probably because of her obvious Veil roots. But she's hoping to at least get a blessing and receive luck and happiness. She's not going to ask for much but those.
She opened her hands accessorized with multi-chain tassel bracelets. Her gloves may hide them, but she's already seen how ugly her hands are. Especially her fingernails. They're like claws of a fearsome monster and very deadly. She once had a pet hamster. King Liorei gave it to her as a friend. But then, during their play, she held into its body tightly, wounding the poor hamster with her sharp fingernails and died. She cried for a month and there's never a year where she doesn't mourn for the death of her first best friend.
Everyone thinks she's a monster that is yet to unleash her monstrosity, and she's slowly coming to the point of believing their mouths.
"Moon, do you not seek for the Deities's blessings?"
That's why hearing those words from the stingy Pope herself almost made her heart burst.
"I-I would love to!"
Who knows, the Deities might take pity on her.
But as she walk to the Pope, she heard Prince Fiery mocked, "Blessing? Purify her instead. She's a monster. This party would be better without her."
It put Moon's pace to a halt. She agreed with her lowered head, "I-I'm sorry..."
"Fiery, that's not very funny. I don't like it." King Liorei said with the expression they're so familiar of.
Prince Fiery rolled his eyes on him.
"But he's saying the truth? Stop taking her side, Uncle. We all know you're only playing nice to her because you pity her. Just imagine the goodness it will bring to us if she were to vanish. World peace!" Prince Zephyrus cackled and locked arms with his fire brother.
Skadi Eira threw the wine glass to their direction, and it didn't matter when it shattered on Prince Fiery's head.
"Ah, these little kids are getting on my nerves. Makes me want to belittle their bastard sister," she grunted while cracking her neck.
"Y-You---!"
"Fiery!" Prince Izaac called and locked him to his seat with chains when he tried to launch an attack.
Skadi Eira stand up and levitated. She landed on the stage, facing the Pope but she's looking at the trembling Moon.
"Go, get your blessing. I'll give you mine after."
Gasps filled the Hall. Skadi Eira shake it off and raised her brow at Moon.
"A-Alright..."
It's a miracle that she made it in front of the Pope despite her trembling knees. She tried looking into his eyes, but she couldn't dare meet his empty gaze. It scared her. So, she tightly closed her eyes the same time she intertwined her hands together.
The Pope raised his hand. Everyody is waiting while holding their breaths, waiting if Moon will be awakened in some way or stay the same. If it's the first case, then there will be some changes in their plans. King Liorei knows that it's what they're thinking, that's why if it were to be true, he will leave the rest to the masked Young Lord. Moon only suffered in her years with the people she calls her family. King Liorei can't stomach seeing them abuse and take advantage of her shallowness once she awakened her power.
When they see the tiniest change in the Pope's facial expression, it brought a different kind of anxiety in their chests. It was as if he's fascinated about something. They can't really point it out for he's very hard to read.
The Pope doesn't want to believe it, but when he see through the Princess's Core Essence...
It's as pitch black as the nigh sky without the moons and stars, a total darkness without any brilliance of even the weakest light, and caged inside countless layers of seal rings that are revolving in every possible direction. The core essence may seem as tiny as a seed, but what if the seal rings were to be broken? The thought of the size of her Core Essence sends chills down to his spine.
"I may need my bangles for this one," he told his priests while smiling down on Moon.
"What for?" King Liorei can't help but join them on the platform.
A priest brought a golden chest to the Pope and opened it. A pair of gold bangles were inside. The Pope wore them and placed his both hands on Moon's head.
King Liorei's worry heightened when the Pope used a different chant. He couldn't understand the language, but he know it's not a chant for giving blessings. Which is true, because the Pope is trying to remove at least one of the seal rings around her Core Essence.
Each layer of rings have different ancient runes and symbols engraved in them. Such is unbeknownst to him despite being one of the longest living Ancients.
His bangles lit up as the magic circle expand below them.
"Artifacts," the Earthlings muttered as soon as they found out what the bangles are after feeling the increase in the Pope's aura. The bangles are doubling his power.
Prince Izaac felt dizzy for no reason.
"Darling? What's the matter?" Princess Aurora's sweet voice reached the Prince, but he received it in a weird way.
"F-Flyme, my medicine. I'm feeling drowsy," the Empress huffed.
"Mom? Are you alright? Please, back to your throne,"
Sun helped her Mother get to her throne. King LIFE left to get a glass of water to help his wife push her medicine down her throat. Prince Davorin approached them when he saw what's happening.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
Prince Izaac held his head.
"Oh no, are you having it again, Darling? Come, I'll bring you peace." Prince Aurora gently hugged her strained husband's head, putting it close to her chest where he could hear her heartbeat.
Chancellor Titania tapped Princess Aurora's shoulder who's just sitting next to them.
"Is he alright? What's happening?"
The Princess shook her head. "I don't know too, Auntie. Maybe he's just tired. He'll be fine," she smiled in assurance, but the Chancellor is not assured much, seeing how the Prince pull deep breaths with his red face.
The Pope pushed himself beyond the lowest bar of his limit in the hopes to bury his magic through the barrier that's protecting Moon's Core Essence. However, despite giving the purest holy magic, the barrier remained strong. So, he stopped, but it is not the end.
Moon opened her eyes. The first thing she did is open her hands to see the magic she manifested, only to be disappointed when nothing happened.
Skadi Eira shortened the distance between them and stood behind her. She hold Moon's head. Moon remained still. She winced when she felt a burning cold sensation on the sides of her head where Skadi Eira's hands are placed. A moment later, Skadi Eira kissed her head. The Pope witnessed how a lance of light damaged the barrier that's protecting Moon's core essence. The damaged it dealt only resulted to a crack, but it's not repairing.
"H-Hahhh..."
Moon held her chest, slumping on the floor. Skadi Eira let her go.
"Ah, it didn't worked. You're useless for real," she lied with her eyes rolling. She turned her back on Moon, taking the steps back to her seat with sighs.
King Liorei helped Moon to get up. Prince Fiery covered his mouth but a laugh still leaked through its gaps.
"Pfft. Even the Deity's blessing didn't work on her? She's effortlessly pathetic and pitiful!"
"FIERY!" King Liorei roared, but the Prince only guffawed louder.
Moon wiped her tears away.
"Aww, you made her cry! She look so ugly when she cries," Prince Zephyrus added and exchanged high-fives with his brother.
Prince Terra slammed his hand against the table of them four, scaring the two.
"You're a disgrace. Really? Bullying?"
Prince Ocean remained silent, but he's looking at his brothers in a different way. Without affection, only contempt.
The masked Young Lord joined King Liorei and assisted Moon. They brought her to her throne where she cried silently. She couldn't stop her tears from falling, knowing that it's confirmed that she's powerless.
"Everything will be alright. We'll find a way. Stop crying, Moon. Shh," King Liorei comforted.
Princess Lorreign stand up with a glass on her hand. She approached the twin air and fire signs and splashed it on them.
"You're the lowest. Making her feel bad in the day she was born? I can't look at you both the same way now. You crossed the line."
She furiously kicked their table before going to Moon.
"I don't... I don't have magic... I'm useless. I don't want to live anymore. I don't want to live anymore!"
"That's not true! Moon, what are you saying?" King Liorei knelt in front of her.
"B-But Daddy Liorei... What's my purpose here? I don't have magic! I'm a Princess but I don't have magic! The b-blessings didn't work on me! What's my purpose in this world? Why am I... Why am I even born!"
King Liorei was speechless.
"Enough with your drama, Moon. We don't care. Stop stealing everyone's attention. We should be celebrating about my Princess and the other's growth tonight. Play a music!" King LIFE calmly said. He raised his hand, giving the orchestra a signal to play a marvelous piece.
"Are you fucking real!?" King Liorei abruptly pushed himself to stand.
The Holy Knights surrounded the Pope, "We must leave, Your Holiness. Let the animals destroy themselves," the Commander decided and gave the priests a nod.
The priests chanted the teleportation spell. The Pope looked back on Moon. The expression he found on her face was interesting. He's seen the same expression before on countless faces. And based on his experiences, they all went mad.
As the light from the teleportation magic circle swallow them, he chose to get a good look of Skadi Eira's appearance and found her squinting her eyes on him. Then, the people from the Church are gone.
"Return to your seats. It's time for the dance. We can't delay any further. And Moon, kindly gather yourself and save it for later. Your circumstances ruins the rhythm of our celebration," Empress Siofra relied, now that she's feeling fine again after the sudden sickness she felt earlier. Prince Izaac too, who is now talking to his fire and air brothers.
Moon turned her head to Empress Siofra with spirals in her eyes. Her shoulders dropped when her lips stretched into a lifeless smile.
"You're right, Mother. Please be seated, King Liorei. We must not defy my birth mother."
Empress Siofra's eyebrows furrowed and darted her glances to Moon, but the gaze she received from her made her frozen.
The contact lenses Celia put on Moon's eyes melted, flowing with her tears until her the endless void returned in her eyes.
"Y-You creepy thing! And don't call my wife your birth mother. We don't have a daughter as hideous as you are. LOOK AWAY." King LIFE gasped and blocked Empress Siofra's sight of Moon with his body.
Moon's empty smile grew wider.
"You're right, father. I must look away."
King Liorei clenched his fists.
Moon let her cold tears stream down her face, retaining the empty smile in her lips.
"Please, leave. I do not wish to upset mother and father."
"Dad, I think Moon is broken. Damn creepy. I'm getting goosebumps," Prince Maxigaufeas whispered while hugging himself.
Emperor Maxism hugged him, "I'm feeling cold. Did we do something wrong? We didn't get into her bad side, right? I have a bad feeling about this,"
"What are you three doing? Go back to your seats," King LIFE hissed. Princess Lorreign hugged Moon one last time before tracing the steps she made back to their table.
The masked Young Lord kissed Moon's hand, "Please, wait a little longer. I will get you out of here. After this night, we will run away from here. Please, Moon. Endure."
Moon did not respond nor even drop her stares to him. He stand up and brought King Liorei with him who's keeping his fury to himself.
"Fuck you, Van. Congratulations on replacing me as the worst person ever. I will make you and your sons regret what you did to my daughter. Keep that in your fucking head, Van! I will fuck you up again!"
"Your Majesty, please," the masked Young Lord begged and dropped the hand that's pointing King LIFE.
But before leaving, King Liorei forcefully detached each pins on him and threw it all against the couple in front of him. Everyone's eyes widened.
"You know me damn well. I will make you sorry for the wrongs you've done on my daughter. You broke my daughter, I'll break yours. Anyone who will take your side will be my enemy. Remember what I did to you. Remember our history. I. WILL. DO. IT. AGAIN."
"Gerson Fucking Liorei---!"
King Liorei pushed the masked Young Lord aside, turning his back on his brother. Princess Lorreign hugged him.
"We should leave. My wife, I'm scared," Emperor Maxism whispered while holding on his wife's arm.
"Fuck off, Lee. They will talk this through later. We just need to get through the night and we'll leave."
"Ihh~" Emperor Maxism pouted and hugged her arm tighter. Princess Lorreign brought her father outside, but the darkness of aura is still reaching them and it's suffocating.
Skadi Eira smirked and ordered an usher something to eat. Grand Duchess Xerene caught her sly smirk and nudged her husband about it.
"She did something," she said.
But Skadi Eira's hearing is sharp, so she answered the Grand Duchess with: "Of course, I did. I don't like seeing people happy."
King LIFE calmed himself and clicked his tongue. He looked down on the pins King Liorei threw at them. He gulped. He can't see what's coming. He hate it, but they must mend the cracks and misunderstandings before it grew into something bigger...and bloodier.
"I will fix this. Don't let it bother you. I'll talk to that bastard later," he assured the Empress before asking his daughter to a dance.
Though they tried, but the atmosphere is much ominous than before. Moon clapped her hands for him and Sun when they hit the dance floor. Her eyes were fixated on them. Since the father and daughter took the lead, Prince Maxigaufeas gathered his courage to ask Princess Eowyne for a dance but the Princess is already going with her father. So, he went back to his family while scratching his head. Princess Aeverie couldn't stand the air around Moon, so she pulled her eldest brother to dance with her. Moon was left all alone, clapping slowly for the Princesses with her empty smile and crying eyes.
"Moon, may you honor me to be your first dance?" the masked Young Lord asked sincerely while wiping her tears. They are impossibly cold.
"No. I want father to be my first dance. I will wait for my father."
Moon stand up to stand in line, waiting patiently for King LIFE. She's clapping her hands for them. Sun was frightened to the extent she's burying her face on her father's chest. The King relieved her fear with his presence, telling her that he will protect her even with his life.
"Moon," the Young Lord followed.
But even after their turn, the King only returned to his post beside his wife, smiling down on his daughter who is being approached by the Youngest Lord of House Xirquit.
"My father must be tired. I wish Lord Watts will dance with me. I haven't seen him for a long time. I wish Lord Watts will dance with me. I haven't seen him for a long time. I wish Lord Watts..."
The masked Young Lord was pained by Moon's instability.
"Princess, but I am here. Please---"
Moon passed him by to meet Lord Watts halfway. When he's coming near, she prepared her hand to receive a kiss from him. The people couldn't understand what she's doing. The Young Lord smiled at her once sighted. Her empty smile was then filled with happiness, until it was shattered when he passed her by and bent his knee before Sun.
"Please honor me with a dance, Your Imperial Highness," he asked.
The Princes who just came back witnessed every moment of it. Though they got an earful from their eldest, they prepared themselves to be damned for later and just let out the good guffaw in their throats.
"H-How delusional! She thought he will ask her for a dance---Pfft! HAHAHAHAHA!"
Their mocking, taunting distorted voices replayed inside Moon's head. She slowly tilted her head and found Sun accepting the man's waiting hand happily. The moment their hands intertwined with each other, she heard something in her shatter.
"You used me," she muttered the moment she realized it.
The pair looked to her.
Moon slapped herself strongly, shocking everyone.
"I've been fooled."
She slapped herself again.
"I'm an idiot."
She cupped her red cheeks and let out the scream she's been holding back.
"YOU LIAR! LIAR! AAAAHHHH! YOU FOOLED ME, WATTS XIRQUIT! WATTS XIRQUIT!"
Her clear tears turned crimson to symbolize her greatest heartbreak.
"LIAR! LIAR! YOU FOOLED ME! YOU FOOLED ME! EVERYONE FOOLED ME!"
She tweaked her hair and screamed her heart out. She threw the headpiece she's wearing away, revealing her horns its magic hid in an illusion.
Moon shook her head and laugh, "No. This can't be true. No... He will never do that... He loves me. Lord Watts, you love me! YOU LOVE ME!" she dug her fingernails on her face and scratched it as her love-drunk eyes admire the Young Lord.
"Oh my god!" the audience cried in horror from what Moon did to herself.
"You...stole everything from me. EVEN LORD WATTS, SUN!" She jumped on Sun to attack, but King LIFE teleported between them and pushed her with brute strength.
"MOON!" The masked Young Lord ran to her but she sent him away.
Moon screamed and screamed until her throat went sore.
"WHY! WHY, FATHER! I AM YOUR CHILD!"
"Protect your sister! Moon has gone mad!" King LIFE ordered and drew Excalibur out of its space.
"Please, believe me just once! I am AZARESE! I AM AZARESE! DAD, MOM! BROTHERS! PLEASE, ENOUGH. DON'T HURT ME ANYMORE! I BEG YOU, I DON'T LIKE GETTING HURT! PLEASE!"
Moon get up.
"I am... I am Holy Azarese. She is just an imposter! I don't even look like that! I---I don't know how I end up looking like this---but I am Azarese! Dad, I am Azarese. Dad... Please, she stole you from me. MY FAMILY! I AM YOUR DAUGHTER!"
"SHUT YOUR TRAP!" King LIFE shouted back, "What are you saying!? Are you out of your fucking mind!?"
"But I am telling the truth! I am the third lady of Heart!"
The King scoffed roughly, "Take her away! She finally lost it! My daughter is not a monster!"
Moon flinched. Fury overwrite the pain in her eyes.
"Monster? MONSTER!? YOU ARE THE MONSTER, DRAGUNOVV! It's because of you why I look like this! It's because of you why I've been cursed! It's because of you I went down that road before! IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU WHY I AM ME, SO WHY AM I THE MONSTER HERE!?"
Moon gritted her teeth.
"I've been obedient, did I not? I stayed out of your sight. I did not made a sound. I obeyed everything you said. I let everyone step on me, I let them call me names! I endured, I suffered ALL IN SILENCE! I never talked back! I let them hit me, kick me, spit on me---because there's nothing I can do! Do you even know what your sons did to me? What they're doing to me!?"
The grins on Prince Fiery and Prince Zephyrus's lips vanished.
Everyone turned on them.
She turned to Lord Watts.
"You're her accomplice in this scheme, aren't you? I knew from the first time that it's strange when you magically entered my life. You never cared about me before. You used to be like them. Then, you suddenly took my side. Is that what it is? You made me feel loved. You made me feel wanted. You made me feel as if I will be worth it. You fixed me with your lies and I fell for each of it. You've been waiting for this moment. And it damn hurts. It fucking hurt, Watts Xirquit. You got me dancing on the palm of your hand. And I'm a damn fool...for falling in love with you."
Moon covered her face. Her muffled cries broke their hearts.
"That's not..." The masked Young Lord felt his knees weak.
"None of you reached out to me. I wished I was never here, too, okay? I wished I was never born again. It's the same. I can't take it anymore. I'm scared. Everyone is so cold. I'm not even what you call me. I'm not a monster. I lived an honest life. I've been generous even though I don't have much. I loved others even when I can't even love myself. I've been a good girl. I've been good. So, why? Why do you always call me...a monster? Is it my fault for looking like this? It's exhausting. I'm scared. Dad, I'm scared. Mom, I'm scared. Please, hug me. Please..."
She made a step forward. King LIFE pointed Excalibur on her neck.
"Dad, just this once. Please? Pull me back. There are scary voices inside my head. They know you. They said you're friends with them. Please, help me. Dad... Dad, protect me." Moon begged with her broken smile.
She took another step.
"Don't." King LIFE warned, but Moon did not listen and run to him.
King LIFE's hand move on its own and slashed Excalibur to draw a line between them in the air.
The masked Young Lord saw how Moon's blood squirt from her sliced neck.
"M... M---Mo..." Horror filled his eyes. His feet leap to catch Moon's falling body in his arms.
"NO! PRINCESS! PRINCESS! NO!"
He finally removed his mask the same time his tears fell. They couldn't believe it.
"Moon, it's me! I'm here, I'm here! I'm Watts Xirquit! I'M WATTS XIRQUIT, PRINCESS! I'm sorry! I planned on surprising you! MOON!"
Her blurry half-moon eyes recognized him.
The Young Lord lift her up and brought her to his parents.
"Mom, Dad! Moon is---MOON! PLEASE, HELP MOON! MOM! MOM, MOON IS WOUNDED! DAD, DO SOMETHING! DO SOMETHING TO ELYZENA, PLEASE! ELYZENA!"
"Son... I---I..." The shock it brought to the Grand Duchess made her incapable to absorb what's currently happening.
Moon smiled and rested her head on his chest.
"My Lord," she called weakly. The Young Lord forced a smile and kissed her head. He put her on the table and took his tools out from his space storage.
"Elyzena, I'll do it. I'm a doctor too, remember? I'm a doctor. I'm a doctor! I won't let you---I won't lose you! I'm a doctor, Elyzena! I'm a doctor!" Yet his shaking hands won't let him do things properly.
"It's alright."
His hands dropped the thread and needle.
Moon's eyes fluttered. Slowly, they closed as the smile on her lips fade.
"On its birthday... The monster...has been---defeated."
His wide-open eyes watched how her body return to the heavens. Her particles are sparkling and warm like the first sunrise. All that he could hear are his shaky breaths. Though he could feel his heart beating, it could hardly make a noise. Every beat is long and slow, numbing his senses.
His shoulders shudder as a wave of his tears gushed out from his eyes. He could only close his fists until his nails are dug in his palm that they are bleeding. He looked at the arms that held her body one last time, then he hugged himself.
He swallowed his pain so his hatred can take over his remaining sanity. He stood tall with hellfires in eyes, blazing in red fury as they glare at her murderers. He's gritting his teeth so hard that his mouth already bleed.
"This world shall know how lonely it is without her. I will paint this Palace red with your blood. I will make it so that you will sleep with an eye open. I will bring the darkness so black that it will remind you of her, that even the innocent will feel guilt."
He turned his back them, about to leave, when he found the headpiece he crafted himself for her. Only for her.
He fell to his knees and carefully picked the headpiece up.
"You can't leave me like this. It's my fault. I should've been the one to pull you back instead. Prince Astaroth, please, just a rewind. Even a minute before that tragedy. I want to pull her back."
His genuine tears fell on the headpiece he kissed.
And as if he was heard, his wish was granted.