Dragonfire II: The Twilight Invasion

Chapter 43: Last Judgement

Albedo had defeated Moona. She was kneeling, blood dripping from the wound behind the now-broken gem. It was silent for a few moments as Moona looked down at this wound. Until finally, she looked up at Albedo. "...W...Well...is that...it...? Are you just going to...leave it there...? Aren't you going to seal me away...? Throw whatever my prison may be into the bottom of the ocean...? Or maybe just kill me...again...and again...?" She asked. Albedo did not respond, uncertain of what to say. "Well...what are you waiting for...? My permission...? Do I need to sign a waiver...?" Moona asked. She coughed, blood trickling down the corners of her mouth. "Just do it...and move on already..." She said, "...No..." Albedo responded. She dismissed her sword, turning it into red lightning that quickly faded into nothing. "This can't keep happening...first the Snake Kingdom...and now the Twilight Covenant. I've spent almost my entire life at war over that artifact. And every time a new war has begun...it's been for the same reason. To bring the world under one banner. And every time...it ends the same. With countless deaths. This time...I'm not ending this with violence. I've told everyone...repeatedly...'I won't let it come to war. I won't end this with violence.' And I won't. It came to war, in the end...but I'm not going to seal you away." She said, "...Why...? I've lived my entire life...searching for the artifact...bringing peace, one way...or another. What makes you think I'll stop...? What makes you think I'm going to give up everything I've worked for...?!" Moona asked. To their surprise, another voice answered. "Because this is wrong." It said. Reina and the other Stars approached, with Kei, Gabriella, and Lucille in tow. 

Reina approached Moona, standing beside Albedo. "Moona...Sammy was right. And I'm not afraid to admit it anymore. This dream...it isn't worth it. It isn't worth the lives lost. Even if there is peace, what will the cost be? We don't even know what the artifact does. We've been chasing it under the belief that it will bring peace. We've been fighting for all these years...ravaging Kingdoms...just for an artifact that might not even do what we think it does." She said, "Y...You too...huh? Now...of all times...now you choose to question me...?" Moona asked. Albedo shook her head. "She's right, Moona. This dream isn't worth it. You told me a while back that you've lived your life following your father's dream, following the path he paved. But it isn't worth it. You can follow your own dream. You aren't locked into this path because he died for it." She said, "I have no dream...I have no other path! This...this is all I am...and it's all I'll ever be..." Moona responded. Reina knelt down, grabbing Moona by the shoulders. "No, it isn't! This isn't even you! I know that! You've been following this path because you believe you have to, but you don't! You aren't trapped on this road! You can make your own path. You can live for yourself..." She said. Moona met her eyes, temporarily stunned. "I...I don't know how...this is all I have..." She said, "Then let us find out, together. You aren't alone, Moona. You have us. You have me. I love you, Moona! So please...stop all of this. Follow your own path!" Reina exclaimed. Albedo stepped forward. "You can make your own way in this world, Moona. You don't have to follow someone else's dream. You've followed it for all this time...and you've made mistakes. But we've all made mistakes. You don't have to let them define you. So...what will you let define you, Moona?" She asked. Moona was stunned. 

She was silent for a few moments, before slowly rising to her feet. "Maybe...there are other ways...to make peace. Maybe...there are other ways to live..." She said. Reina swiftly stood up, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We'll follow our own path, built on love." She said. Moona nodded, removing her mask. She looked down at it with a blank expression, before dropping it on the ground. Without saying a word, she grabbed something off her belt. It was her flute. She put it to her mouth, playing a melodic tune that echoed across the entire city, and a way beyond. It was a sweet tune, one that signaled the end of battle, and the end of war. All across the city, the fighting stopped. At last...there was peace, not built by slaying everyone in the way, but built by acceptance, friendship, and love. As the tune died down, she placed the flute back on her belt. "Albedo...I-" Before Moona could finish, a portal opened a short distance away. Raime rushed through it, approaching them quickly. "Moona, why are we stopping? Why is the Mask of Twilight on the floor?" He asked, "Raime...where have you been...?" Moona asked in response, "Where I've been is none of your concern. Why are you ending the fight when she's still alive?" Raime asked, pointing at Albedo, "Not everything has to be resolved with violence...I see that now." Moona answered. Raime scoffed. "I'm sorry, what? What is this? The power of friendship?! Just because your father was a coward, too afraid to fight for peace, doesn't mean you have to be as well!" He exclaimed, "What...? You told me my father was a warlord, obtaining peace by any means necessary. You coerced me to be like him when you put me on the throne..." Moona responded, "And? I told you what you needed to hear to be better. Is that so bad? I made you into the best person you could be! So why are you stopping?! We're this close to the artifact!" Raime exclaimed.