Deep Bonds [3]

"I heard about your conquest and I am happy to join forces with you. After what they did to Lunia and your mother, we have to take revenge no matter what it will cost us." Yomi said.

I nodded and looked at Yomi. "I am glad you will be joining us. We are on the march to the next kingdom after Semilia. What was that kingdom called again?"

"The Kingdom of Cordelia, My Queen." Victoria said.

"Right. Cordelia." I said and crossed my arms.

"Cordelia holds a powerful unit named the Ultra Knight. She wields a powerful blade known as Regalia." Jin said and adjusted his scarf. "To have her on our side would mean we have more power than ever on our side."

Zain and Laina listened. Zain was very familiar with Cordelia as it is one of the neutral kingdoms that was taken over by a Holy Order Commander. Laina was also familiar with Cordelia, but only because she had to pass through it to get here.

"What's her name?" I asked.

"Something starting with a V." Yomi answered.

"Her name is Valkyrie." Zain answered.

I looked back at Zain. "Valkyrie huh. Our main goal is to get her on our side then venture forward to the next few kingdoms. Arthvia is not too far off from our sights before we make it to Uphelia."

Jin, Ren, Yomi, Victoria, Zain, Laina. They were my main units at this point in time. With them, I knew we couldn't lose going forward.

"Well before we head straight to Cordelia with no plans in mind, we have to make sure we're ready. From here, there's only hardships. These kingdoms aren't pushovers. If we want to win without struggle, we need to be as prepared as possible." Zain suggested.

"How much stronger must we become before we struggle? We haven't struggled yet and we won't start now. We can't lose remember." I said.

"Arrogance. That will get you killed." Zain said and crossed his arms.

I chuckled and closed my eyes then turned away from him. "Arrogance is what kept me alive. My pride is what keeps me going. Besides...I don't intend on losing any battles from here on out. I will kill everyone and everything that dares to step in my way."

Zain grumbled softly and sighed. "Stella."

I looked back at Zain. "Zain."

"There's no reasoning with you is there?" Zain asked.

"No and there will never be any form of this reasoning happening. Don't you get it? I'll destroy anything that comes between me and my revenge. What you say to me will not matter. I've made it clear to turn Arcania into my ruinous land." I said then walked toward Zain. "Unless you wish to try and stop me again, but we both know you don't hold significant enough strength to pull that one off."

Zain glared at me and lowered his arms. "What is your issue? We are all in the same boat here."

I scoffed and laughed a bit. "Same boat? None of you other than Victoria will ever be in the same boat as me. Just because we're allied doesn't mean we hold the same weight on our shoulders. You will never be able to understand me or what I've gone through." I said, pointing at Zain.

Zain grabbed my hand. "Then allow me to understand you."

My cheeks began to heat up and become a bit red by his action. "Unhand me right this instant."

"Stella, we can never work as a team if we never bond and grow closer." Zain said.

I glared at Zain. "You want to bond? Fine. Let's bond." I said and grabbed Zain's hand and dragged him with me.

Victoria and the others watched then she sighed softly.

"This isn't gonna end well is it?" Yomi asked.

"I don't know. Stella seemed flustered." Jin said.

----

Zain and I got on our horses and began to venture to Lunia. Zain wondered where I was taking him. I looked ahead amd questioned why I even did this in the first place. I still hated Zain, but part of me wanted to start anew with him. I couldn't keep my grudge against him. He sacrificed everything for me after all.

I stopped my horse by a lake I felt like I knew. I got off my horse and pointed at a shrine. "That shrine right there in the middle of the lake. We shall explore it together."

"The Skoshaka Shrine? Why are we doing this? There are other ways to bond." Zain said.

"What would you suggest?" I asked.

"A nice cup of tea and a conversation." Zain answered.

"Right, like either of us can have a civil fucking conversation without it turning it into an argument. The best way for us to bond is through our blades. Now come on. This shrine isn't going to conquer itself." I said and walked forward then watched a bridge form in front of me.

Zain shook his head with a sigh then followed me. We walked into the shrine together and looked around. I walked forward then Zain followed behind.

"A Goddess Statue ahead. We can receive the Goddesses' Blessing from here. We will be able to have enough Divine Energy within us to ascend to actual Deities!" I said.

"How do you know about that?" Zain asked.

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled at the statue, consumed in my own thoughts. "I don't know...Something within just knows.."

Zain looked at me and noticed I was acting strangely. "Stella?"

I stopped in front of the statue and just smiled at the statue. "She looks like my mom..."

Zain walked next to me and stood in front of the statue. He placed his hands in his pockets. "Do you really see your mother in this statue?"

"Yes.." I said then reached my hand out and touched the statue.

The statue began to glow and I flinched my hand back. The ground began rumbling and the shrine began to shake. The ground began to shake more violently, causing me to fall. Zain caught me and looked around. The platform we stood on began to rise.

"Queen of Lunia...You wish to receive Divine Power?" A voice echoed.

I held onto Zain as I tried to straighten myself up. "Who are you?"

"I am Valiance, Goddess of Bravery and Strength. If you wish to receive my blessings, you must pass my trials." Valiance said then her voice faded away.

The platform stopped and ahead was a circular battlefield that was emitting golden energy. Zain let me go and watched me walk ahead to the battlefield. He followed then noticed a wall of energy stopped him.

"Stella!" Zain called out.

I looked back and noticed Zain couldn't enter. I turned around and noticed a golden entity in front of me. The entity took form of a woman wearing golden armor and wielding a golden sword and shield.

"I am a fraction of the true being known as Valiance." Valiance said.

"Why can't Zain enter?" I asked.

"You touched the statue therefore you receive the blessing. In order to receive my blessing, you have to defeat me in battle." Valiance said then readied her sword.

I looked back at Zain.

"Don't worry. Just do your best!" Zain said.

I turned back toward Valiance then summoned my Vesper Argentum. I readied my blade and stared at Valiance. I dashed toward her then slashed down at her. She parried my slash then countered with a kick. I grunted as I was hit and slid backwards. Valiance appeared in front of me at invisible speeds, catching me off guard. She struck my stomach and caused a burst of aura to come from my back. I coughed a bit then groaned as she struck me with a powerful slash that sent me flying backwards.

I grunted as my back it the walls of the battlefield. I fell to my knees and panted.

Valiance stared at me and waited.

"Stella...!" Zain yelled.

I couldn't hear his voice too clearly. His voice was muffled to me.

"Stella..." Zain called out, but his voice was being drowned out by my own clouded thoughts.

I began to breathe a bit harder and used the wall as support to help me stand up.

"Ste...lla..." Zain called out, but this time his voice was becoming less clear.

"Risa!" A voice called out to me.

I opened my eyes and noticed myself wake up in a hospital. I looked around and noticed everyone surrounding my bed. "Dad...Mom...Tomoka...Aaron...Yaya..."

"She's awake! She's alive!" Tomoka cried out with joy and began to cry.

Aaron couldn't hold back his tears as he looked at me. "She's really alive..."

My mom hugged my dad, sobbing with unexplainable joy. Aaron's mom began to cry as well.

"You're...all here..." I said and began to cry as well.

I felt everyone begin to hug me. I accepted their affection and smiled while shedding tears.

"Queen Stella.." My mom said.

I opened my eyes quickly and looked at my mother. "M-Mom..?"

"I'm so happy to know you're still alive somewhere else...your life belongs there now." My mom said and let me go, wiping her eyes.

"That's right kiddo.." My dad and sniffled. He let go of me and ruffled my hair. "You're alive...to fulfill a purpose there now. Maybe someday you'll be able to visit our home again.."

Tomoka let go of me and smiled at me. "Even in another life...I will still love you, Stella."

Aaron let go as well and smiled. "I won't forget about you...I love you, Risa."

Aaron's mom let me go as well and wiped her eyes. "Go get em, Pumpkin!"

I watched them slowly fade away one by one. "Wait- Don't go! Aaron! Yaya! Dad! Mom!"

Tomoka looked at me then gave me one last hug. I clinged onto her and cried loudly.

"Don't leave me! Tomoka!" I sobbed then felt her fade away then my arms dropped. "What is this hell I'm in..?! Why?! Why couldn't it have been real?!"

"Kill..." The voice whispered to me.

I opened my eyes widely and looked around. I noticed I was floating in nothingness. I noticed the Seven Suns Blade appear in front of me and it shined red.

"Kill...Kill..." The voice said. "Kill to forget. Kill to awaken. Kill to accept. Kill to renew!"

"Who are you..?" I asked.

"I am...Bushido!" The voice yelled.

I awakened from my trance and heard Zain yelling my name. I looked at my sword and tightened my grip on it. I closed my eyes tightly then grunted. Dark, ruinous energy began to surround the blade. It crawled up my arm then surrounded my entire being.

"The life you once had no longer exists...You are now Stella and not Risa..." Bushido whispered to me. "Your purpose...is to KILL!"

The ruinous energy entered my body then my heart thumped hard against my chest. I bellowed then my ruinous aura surged around my body. My aura was red and black and had red lightning crackling around my body and aura.

Zain looked surprised and stared at me. "Stella..?"

I stopped charging up and lowered my posture. I smirked and propelled myself toward Valiance at invisible speeds then appeared behind her. Valiance was surprised as she felt the high winds that was produced from my speed.

"I am...Stella Bushi. Dark Queen of Lunia. I am the Leading Darkness! I am the Abyss that destroys everything. I am the Shadows that never lets light escape. I am the Ruinous Demon." I said and my dark aura surged powerfully around my body.

Zain looked at me and felt my power increase to its original state. "She's back.."

Valiance turned around and looked at me. "How you managed to obtain this much power is beyond me...but this just proves how powerful of a person you truly are, Stella."

I can no longer think like Risa or be Risa. Risa is dead. Stella is alive. I am Stella. I am Queen Stella. I am the Demon this world needs.

ℑ ℜ𝔢𝔦𝔫𝔠𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔦𝔫𝔱𝔬 𝔞 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨 𝔔𝔲𝔢𝔢𝔫