Star sat on his king size bed, staring endlessly at his feet. The ceremony had already begun, and this was the moment he had been dreading most. Yet, somehow, he was still sitting inside his room.
"AND IT IS TIME TO UNITE A PURE HEART WITH THE BEASTLY POWER, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, EXCEPTIONALLY RARE. LET US CALL IN THE GOLDEN PRINCE."
"STAR CRESTFOLD!"
This was the third time he’d heard those words, yet his cursed legs still refused to move. Not that he’d actually tried very hard to make them.
Knock! Knock!
Star sighed.
"Yeah, right," he muttered under his breath. "I was wondering when this would happen."
He felt like saying, "Go away," but that shitty, cowardly answer was for girls.
"Come in," he answered sluggishly, raising his head slightly.
The door opened, and a man who could easily blend into darkness walked in, wearing a smile that made his teeth stand out in striking contrast to his dark skin.
"Uncle Dante!" Star suddenly yelled gleefully as he threw himself at the man in a tight embrace.
"Whoa, whoa, my young lynx, easy now before you fell a man!" Uncle Dante cried as he staggered slightly.
Star laughed. "You made it."
Dante smiled warmly.
"You’d really think I’d miss my really annoying nephew’s uniting day? Not happening. You’re my favorite nephew, after all."
Star raised a brow. "I’m your only nephew."
Dante stared at him like a confused man.
"Well..." he finally said. "That still counts."
Star laughed, but the joy vanished almost immediately. Remembering what today meant seemed to drain it from him. He went and slumped back onto his bed.
Dante exhaled. With slow steps, he walked over and squatted in front of him.
"Look, I know today is a big day, especially for you, and it can be scary." He squeezed Star’s arm. "But I’ve got your back, like I always have."
Star looked at him and forced a smile. "I’m not scared."
Dante frowned. "You... you’re not?"
"Well, not entirely," Star admitted, breathing out. "It’s just being out there in front of everyone. What if I get something wrong? What if I do something that compromises the process? You know how shameful that would be."
He lowered his head.
"I want this to be perfect for my dad."
Dante’s brows furrowed.
"Since when did your lynxish ass start being so afraid of the public?" He shook his head dramatically. "Who are you, and what have you done with my fucking nephew?"
Star chuckled.
"Language, Uncle."
"Yeah, right," Dante replied dismissively. "But listen, Star."
He stared at him, his gaze reaching deep into his soul.
"I’m not doing a pep talk."
Star exhaled in relief.
"Oh, thank the universe. I sure would’ve felt worse."
"Ow!" Dante yelped dramatically, making Star laugh.
"Well, I might not be good at pep talks," Dante said, "but trust me, nothing will go wrong."
Star watched him with a puzzled expression.
Dante leaned forward.
"That’s because I’ll be the one carrying out your uniting ritual. Any mistake you make, I’ll cover for you. And it’ll be more perfect than perfect."
Without warning, Star threw himself at him again.
This time, however, Dante fell, with Star landing on top of him.
"Ow!" Dante groaned. "Yeah, gratitude accepted."
Star chuckled.
"Seems like a man has finally fallen."
"Ha ha, very funny," Dante replied with a deep frown.
Star got up and helped Dante to his feet.
"Are you ready?" he asked, stretching out his hand.
Star nodded and took it. Together, they stepped out of the room.
As they walked toward the main hall, Star glanced at his uncle’s dark skin.
"Uncle, I’ve been meaning to ask..."
Dante glanced at him.
"You know, not that your skin is bad... I mean, I like it, but..."
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Why are you the only one in the family with such a..."
"Finish that question," his uncle cut in, "and we’ll be uniting your Vial to your corpse."
Star swallowed.
"Okay. Mouth zipped."
...
Moments later, Star walked through the grand hall beside Prince Dante.
His heavy breathing sounded deafening in his ears, his heart hammering against his ribs. Every eye that turned toward him felt like an arrow. With each step, his feet trembled, and soon, his entire body followed.
Dante squeezed his arm reassuringly.
Star looked up at him.
Dante simply nodded.
That small gesture gave him enough courage to keep moving.
Ahead stood a raised podium, and upon it lay a massive cross covered in countless needles. Above the place where Star’s head would rest was a small slot, perfectly shaped to hold the Vial.
Behind the cross sat King Ikaris and the rulers of the six other kingdoms, with Queen Aurelia seated beside him.
As Dante and Star approached, Dante gave the gathered kings a slight bow. They immediately rose and returned the gesture before taking their seats.
Dante turned toward the hall.
"Let the uniting ritual begin."
From a side entrance, Elder Mousack emerged, his white beard resting against his chest. Flanking him were two women dressed in elegant golden garments adorned with phoenix-like wings.
In his hands was a magnificent golden bowl, above which a brilliant diamond-shaped vial floated, radiating a warm golden light.
Astonishment swept across the hall.
Even King Ikaris straightened upon his throne, while Queen Aurelia stared speechlessly at the sacred treasure before realizing her mouth had fallen slightly open.
Together, the high mage and the two attendants approached the podium.
Prince Dante turned toward Star once again and offered him a reassuring nod.
"It is time," he said gently.
Two royal maids stepped forward and carefully removed Star’s white ceremonial cloak before retreating.
Star drew in a slow breath.
His eyes found his father’s.
King Ikaris simply raised a clenched fist, a silent gesture they had shared since Star was little.
"You’ve got this."
A smile found Star’s lips as he returned the gesture.
Gathering his courage, he stepped backward until his body rested against the gigantic cross.
His jaw trembled as he clenched his teeth against the agony. Within moments, blood soaked through his blue garments.
Two royal guards stepped forward and bound his wrists and ankles with thick ropes.
Prince Dante carefully lifted the glowing vial from the golden bowl before approaching Star.
The entire Citadel watched with bated breath.
No one moved.
No one dared breathe too loudly.
Every soul feared missing even the smallest detail of the sacred ceremony.
"I am so, so proud of you," Dante said warmly.
He adjusted Star’s collar before brushing an imaginary speck of dust from his shoulder.
"There," he chuckled. "Now you truly look like the future king of Nethros."
Star laughed awkwardly.
Dante’s expression softened, a trace of guilt passing across his face.
"You know, after this ritual, I’ll be returning to Trovarin."
A quiet sadness settled over Star’s face. Even King Ikaris’s expression softened, while Queen Aurelia lowered her gaze, her smile fading as well.
Dante looked at Star again.
"I’m sorry I won’t be there to watch you become the man you’re destined to be. I won’t be there to celebrate your victories or remind you that even kings make mistakes."
As he spoke, he slowly moved the Golden Phoenix Vial behind his back.
Star’s brows furrowed.
"...Uncle?"
Dante raised his eyes. There was no warmth left in them.
"I am also so sorry... for this."
He raised his other hand. Immediately, a crimson vial pulsing with a sinister blood-red glow materialized withing his palm.
The instant King Ikaris saw it, every trace of color vanished from his face.
"DANTE, NO!"
The king hurled himself across the hall like a blazing comet, but he was too late.
Dante slammed the crimson vial into the slot above Star’s head.
A beam of blood-red lightning descended from the heavens and struck the cross.
BOOM!
The impact blew out nearly half the candles in the Citadel, plunging the hall into darkness. The shockwave hurled Ikaris backward into his throne.
Elder Mousack, realizing what had happened, tried to move, only for two women behind him to press daggers against his back.
His jaw tightened.
"So they were part of this treacherous plan?"
He looked around.
"None of the royal guards are around." His breath cut. "Oh no! Dante what are you doing?"
However, panic erupted throughout the Citadel.
People screamed as nobles shoved one another aside to escape. Mothers grabbed their children and rushed toward the exits while others stumbled beneath the stampede.
Several of the visiting kings rose from their seats, shouting over one another.
"WHERE ARE THE FUCKING GUARDS?!"
"WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?!"
"GET THE GUARDS IN HERE GODDAMMIT!"
Within moments, the glorious hall had descended into chaos.
Ikaris forced himself to his feet and rushed toward the cross.
With tremendous force, he drove his fist into the crimson vial, the impact sending a violent shockwave through the fallen cross as the vial shattered instantly.
For a brief moment, hope flickered across his face.
But it vanished.
The cursed power had already been released.
A violent torrent of blood-red energy burst outward, entwined with thick black mist as it swelled around Star.
The vile energy forced its way into his body through his ears, eyes, nose, and mouth.
Star convulsed upon the fallen cross as though invisible hands were strangling him.
His head thrashed from side to side.
Then...
Everything stopped.
Star lay perfectly still.
Queen Aurelia stared at her son through tear-filled eyes.
Ikaris dropped beside him and grabbed his face.
"Star...! Star...!"
There was no response.
"STAR!" He yelled louder
Still nothing.
His hands trembled.
"Come on, son" he whispered. "You’re stronger than this." His voice cracked, as tears rolled down his face. "Please, son... come back."
But Star remained still.
He didn’t even make the slightest movement.
Ikaris stared at his son, his heart sinking as the terrible realization finally settled in.
Star was...
Dead.