Starry's POV:

Her blood spilled, staining the carpet. Her once warm eyes turned cold and lifeless. Kai pulled back, letting her body slowly fall to the ground. Just then– something deep inside me ignited, a burning anger rising from the pit of my stomach. My legs filled with anxious energy, and my grip tightened around the sword. The cool texture of metal replaced the vines that once dug into my hand, and the remaining ones fell away, revealing a gleaming sword. Its hilt shimmered like midnight, etched with writing I had long forgotten. The burned-away wings reappeared on my back, and my boots shifted to sneakers. Flames seared my pants, revealing the flame imprint, while vines grew over the center of my blazer.

Kai's voice only fueled my fury. Stepping over Mia's lifeless body, he shrugged. "A necessary sacrifice for the revival of our people. Now quit playing the hero and drop dead for me." His words were full of malice, but they no longer phased me.

A mix of emotions swirled in my head as he lunged toward me, his sword poised for another strike. He jabbed at the air, but I dodged, raising my sword and edging closer to Mia. Kai slashed at me again, but I gained the upper hand, deflecting his blade. Standing in front of Mia's body, I looked up at Kai, my heart breaking with uncontainable rage.

He backed away, clenching his jaw, leaving me alone for a moment to hold her lifeless body. Tears fell down my face onto her pale cheek as her heartbeat slowed, growing weaker. I refused to let her go. Not yet. Not like this. I whispered my final words, hoping she could hear. "I'm so sorry, Mia. Please, don't leave me. It's not fair. I could've been stronger. We could've left here together." I held her tighter, remembering all our moments together. "If this is the end, thank you for everything, Mia. I'll always love you." I held her tightly wanting to cry my pain away. To rip myself in two. Anything to have her back.

As Kai retrieved his weapon, I gently placed her on the flower bed where Selene knelt, watching in horror. Tears formed in her eyes as she ran over putting a hand on my chest to comfort me. The flowers around Mia cried out, yearning for her to wake. Blood from my hand dripped onto her dress in the open in her chest, mixing with Mia's. I kissed her forehead closing her eyes before turning to face Kai with a new determination in my eyes.

Now I was fighting for Mia, Selene, and anyone else, Kai would hurt to fulfill his twisted plans. Magnolia, still fighting Sai, ran over to stand back-to-back with me. His voice trembled with sincerity. "Mia barely slipped away from our fight to save you. If they succeed, Selene will belong to Kai forever, and the flowers of this world will wither away. It's about her emo-" Before he could finish, Sai charged at us, forcing Magnolia to defend me. "Just stop Kai!"

"Right!" I wiped away my tears and sprinted toward Kai as he focused back on Selene. The flowers around us grew weaker, their voices dimming as he reached for her again.

"Uselees traitor. Standing with the same person who destroyed our people." Kai readied his sword, turning back to me. "You're always too late, aren't you, Aiden? Like last time—you couldn't save her, and now your precious Mia is gone. Some protector you are." He walked closer, his voice dripping with mockery. "This is your fault, Starry. You let her die because you were too weak, too slow. What kind of prince can't even protect the people he loves?" His eyes gleamed with malicious satisfaction. "And once you fail to stop me, I'll take Selene too. Just like I should have all those centuries ago."

And then, it all just stopped. I couldn't feel anything. The vines tightened around my head around my head or my bleeding hand. The grief of losing Mia and the fear of losing Selene consumed me. I wanted him dead. I swung my sword at Kai, who stood defenseless against my relentless attacks. My blade clashed with his dark sword. Another heavy strike sent his weapon flying. I didn't stop. With every blow to his armor, Kai yelled in pain, his once impenetrable defense crumbling. His face twisted in fear as he fell to the ground, backing away from me.

"Excellent job. Take back everything he took from you. He hurt those you love. Even in the past tried to end your life. Now it's time to pay back that debt to him. Now trust me." A woman's voice whispered, both soothing and terrible. She stood beside me, wearing a crown as black as night. Her dull eyes contrasted with the silver sparkles on her face, and her feathered coat. She rested a hand on my shoulder.

I glanced at her, feeling my anger subside. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. "But that's not who I want to be."

"So you don't wish to get your revenge on Kai for all the terrible things he's done to you in the past and even now? He's at your mercy. Reach out those beautiful hands to me and I can give you all you want." Without hesitation, her lace held mine and a smile crept on her lips.

Around me, Mia laid a bed of flowers, Magnolia struggled against Sai, and Selene clasped her hands at the wedding altar. I refused the woman's offer. "Revenge only brings more violence. It won't heal our scars or change the past. I don't want your power. I don't want anyone else to get hurt." The woman was silent, her eyes meeting mine. "I'll never be like you."

I raised the tip of the sword with my mind made up. The woman's expression relaxed and she looked at me with an expression of nostalgia. Her gaze fell onto the shining stars and the millions of lights above. The battle around us started to subside and parts of her cold facade started to show. "I once saw the beauty of the universe. From the dark, before the moon had come into existence, I sat alone guarding the darkness of this universe long before Selene took that from me. With her beauty and her light everyone followed her." Her hands clenched into fists, trembling with anger. "They took it all from me—the peace of my universe, replaced by so much light. They cast me aside. That's what hurt the most."

"This is all because you felt abandoned and lonely... because you lost something you loved?"

The woman turned away scoffing me with her hand. "You always had Selene or your friends standing by your side. What could a kid like you possibly know about truly being alone or losing things that truly mean everything to you? To watch everything you care about slip out of your hands."

"You're wrong. I do know the pain of losing people. Both in this life and the one mine." In the bed of the flowers where Mia rested her lips fixed with a small smile. "It hurts and sometimes we turn to anger and blame ourselves." Kai sat back holding his destroyed armor driving the sword into the ground. "But turning to revenge only causes more violence." Selene held the wilted flowers in her arms trying to save them. "But it's the love from people around us and the ability to move on. You can't bring the past back by destroying the present."

She turned back to me with a new look in her eyes. There was no longer the same hate or darkness in her eyes, it was replaced with pain. I reached out to her smiling. "You don't have to be alone anymore. If you're willing to let go of the past and see there's more for you here."

Tears welled in her eyes and she gazed at my outstretched hand and softening gaze. "What if I hurt more people? What if I can't change my cause in this world?"

"I'll help you learn."

"What if... I can't move on?"

"I'll help you move on. Let's build a new future together."

She wiped her tears and took my hand, her eyes now sparkling with a hint of light. "You're just like him, you know that? Now. It's my turn to end this madness."

Despite his wounds, Kai limped over to Selene, cradling her in his arms. "After all this, Selene, I'll have you back where you belong—in my arms."

Before I could reach them, the woman placed her hand on my chest and approached Kai. She touched his back, and the darkness enveloping him began to fade. Her voice was soft as she spoke to him. "I'm sorry, my precious rose. I twisted your mind and fed you lies to take back what I lost. I was using you, Kai. Your anger, your hatred—it was all my fault."

Kai's grip on Selene loosened, and he summoned his weapon. "Lies! You've been using me this whole time?" He inched closer to the woman, swinging out of pure desperation. "I'm doing what's right for my people. I've never seen you before and if this means getting rid of you then so be it."

"Yes, I have. Your longing for something you could never have, so much like my own—made you easy to manipulate. This belief is that you can revive the moon kingdom and have Selene as yours. It's my fault. Now let go, before it destroys you too."

Kai slashes his sword weakly cutting off a strand from her jacket. "No... the plan to use Selene to revive the moon, our people—it was all a lie? The organization. And- Starry."

"For my own twisted goals. To have what was once mine. You thought you'd lost something you never truly had. Now, it's time to let go of her and move on. There's more out there for you, Kai."

Kai looked at Selene's pained expression before glancing at me. He sighed, dropping his weapon for good this time. "No more fighting for something that doesn't exist. Time to let go. I want to love you Selene but I hurt you too much." His words were sincere, his anger replaced by calm. Kai stepped aside, leaving a clear path to Selene. "The goddess would've wanted us happy, Starry. She wanted this for you and something more for me. Now go save everyone like you always do."

The battle was over. Now, finally, I could have Selene back. Several lifetimes had led to this moment. With each step, the flowers around us bloomed, revealing children clapping and following me down the aisle. Wearing white clothes and flower crowns on their heads. Selene stood waiting, tears welling in her beautiful, mixed eyes. Her dress returned to its pure white, a veil covering her face. My slow walk turned into a run as I reached her arms. She swung me around, our hearts beating as one.

Back on my feet, she held my hands, nudging me with a smile. "Ask the big question already, Starry!"

Caught off guard I looked away and flushed for a moment before smiling up at her. "Right! Will you Selene make me the happiest little rose prince again and marry me?" Without a second response, she leaned down and caught my lips in a deep kiss.

Around us thousands of flowers started to blossom, the once barren moon fields replaced with an array of flowers ranging from different kinds and colors blooming into their youthful forms. Some were learning to walk for the first time while others hugged and embraced each other. The ruin cites reconstructed itself and the crystal clear water spouts from ponds and springs even the fountains leading to the palace's center.

In the bed of flowers, Mia rose stretching, and the wound completely healed. She looks at us gasping before passing out again in the bed. Around us, Magnolia, Bea, Sai, the women of darkness, and even Kai were surrounded by the flowers leaving their buds. They clap all happily smiling watching the moon kingdom come alive.

Selene walked me down the isle, headed to the courtyard where the earth shimmered clearly with a similar array of colors all around the world. As we lay in the endless rows of flowers she looked at me with a smile. Her wedding dress adds to her marshmallow brown skin and she looks at me directly in my eyes. "You did it, Starry. The kingdom we'd known long ago is back. Don't ever forget. Every day you're alive is my gift to you. Every moment you smile I smile with you. Let's live this life eternal life together forever."

"Now close your eyes..."

.

.

.

The end