Stella's POV

Things have been going wrong in the End.

More citizens are dying, and it looks like they were strangled, burned or punched to death.

The worse thing about it?

The traitor is crafty. Whoever it is, has made sure that they strike fear in everyone, but not the fear of the traitor... but the fear of me.

So far, all the deaths have been said to be from a Netherkin, and it doesn't take a fucking genius to realize that there's only one Netherkin here. 

Most of the End Citizens have lost trust in me, and in fact, only three have stayed loyal. 

Devon, Enzo and a young teenager named Niki.

Speaking of Niki... she's Kirtanta's 14 year old sister, and I had met her at Kirtanta's funeral.

"Hey, Stella?" Devon asked. "How are you holding up?"

"Oh great! This job is so easy!" I said with sarcasm. "I mean, who knew that it would be a cakewalk?"

Devon sighed. "I know this is hard for you," he said. "But I wondered if we could talk for a few minutes?"

He sounded desperate but understanding.

He lost Kirtanta too. I could at least spend some time with him.

"Sure," I replied.

Devon smiled. "Good, can you follow me? I want to show you something."

Intrigued by this, I willingly followed him.

"So where are we going?" I asked.

"You'll see," Dev answered.

When we got far enough, Devon somehow opened a portal and we stepped out into the Overworld.

I took a deep breath and relaxed, it had been so long since I've been in the Overworld, not ever since the portals closed down and we couldn't reopen them... wait...

I turned to look at Devon with surprise. "Devon?" I asked. "You... you opened up the portal!"

"Yeah, I did," he said, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal.

"This is great news, Devon!" I said. "Now we can tell everyone this!"

To my surprise, Devon burst out laughing, before becoming serious. "Why would I do that?" He asked.

"Devon!" I said. "Our friends, the Frostbourne, they need us! Who knows what has happened to them while I was gone?!"

"Maybe I don't want to help them," Dev replied with a stubborn look.

I was so surprised by this attitude. "Devon!" I snapped. "Are you serious?! What would your girlfriend say? What would Kirtanta think about you if she heard you say this?!"

That was my last card, my last line of defense. To make Devon rethink what he was planning. I thought reminding him of Kirtanta would make him change his mind.

"I don't give a fuck about Kirtanta," Devon told me, his voice now scaring me. "I don't give a fuck about you or anybody in the End! I don't even give a fuck about Ceris anymore! I lost all love for everything! All I care about is ruling the End and power. Everybody in the End will stay there, forever! The Frostbourne can fuck off for all I care! We were never attacked! Kirtanta gave me these scars and I wouldn't give a shit if you executed her, even though you can't! I was the one to take down Ceris, and I was the one who framed you! How fucking stupid are you, Stella?! Because you really fucked up this time! So, congratulations, because now you're free from the End, permanently! From now on, you'll be an exile to the End. I will make sure that everyone pledges loyalty  to me, and if you ever show your face in the End ever again, I will fucking let everyone tear you to shreds like a Netherkin! Just like a savage Netherkin, of which you are! No matter what, you're still a savage at heart, and I'm doing them a favor! You're just so fucking gullible, Stella! I could kill you, and I really do! However, because I want you to live with this guilt and horror for much longer, I'll let you live. And once I make everyone swear their loyalty to me, I will make sure nobody fucking leaves, or I will force everybody else to slaughter them! The people of the End can be independent... but they will never be free."

Devon reopened the portal and went back in, and before I could follow him, it closed forever.

I was so stunned by what had just happened that it took three hours for the realization to hit me like a brick.

Oh my god! It was Devon! He was the one who killed Ceris, Kirtanta and all those innocent citizens! He's the one who framed me! He wasn't attacked by an enemy! He was the enemy! He got those scars while fighting Kirtanta! How did I not see it?! It was him all along and I trusted him! I had even promoted him to second in command! He was the traitor and I basically handed him the leadership role, and now I can't do anything about it! Oh my god... what have I done?!