Thunderous claps of lighting threatened to burst her eardrum as she was startled out of her sleep. Her soft gasp jerked her body as she sat up, her migraine weighing down on her as her eyes threatened to shut. Her arms seemed to drag behind her as her attempts of trying to come to a standstill in her mind and body failed with every ounce of energy left. With the help of the salty wetness pouring down her skin, her rigid strands of purple hair now stuck to her face as she tried to steady her erratic breaths for fresh, unpolluted air.
Now, as her pants were drenched from the blood that came from her vagina, Zarya Moonwolf, the girl who had disappeared from her village and was taken as prisoner, along with many others, by the meanest, filthiest sky to sail the seven skies, was ceased from all movement as chains were wrapped around her arms and legs. Hearing the moans and groans of agony from other tormented prisoners, Zarya couldn't help but allow more tears to shed from her eyelids in hopes of escaping from her capturer's clutches.
Or, at least from the chains that bound her arms at the moment.
Now being snapped out of her thoughts by the gentle tap on the shoulder, Zarya turned to stare into the darkness on instinct as she gasped softly. Not being able to see the face of the voice clearly due to the blanket of pitch darkness that covered the cabin, Zarya tried her best to bring her throbbing head to a calm state of mind as she tried to think of who could be talking to her at this very moment.
"Zarya? You okay, girl? Your pants feel soaked." Now feeling a bit more at ease, Zarya could now match the voice to that of Raine Woodsprite, a pirate whom she had befriended when she was first captured by Captain Kaos. Zarya couldn't begin to express the number of times this girl had saved her from nearly being murdered by Captain Kaos whenever the pirate seemed to be in a fit of rate. Raine's scars had always seemed to multiply every time she defended Zarya, and the purple-haired girl couldn't express her gratitude in any other form than that of a gentle, friendly squeeze.
Now feeling a bit more at ease, Zarya's mind could now cease its running thoughts as her lips parted to speak. "Yeah," she hiccupped, the ringing in her ears making her head throb as she whimpered. "No. I'm on my period, and I feel like he might hurt me when he sees me drenched, and I don't know what to do!" As her whimpers turned into quiet sobs of desperation, Zarya opened her eyes to feel Raine caressing her cheek, her strained and blurred vision leaving her to feel discombobulated as she tried her best to focus on the girl's soothing tone.
"Hey. It's alright. Don't do this whole crying thing with me, you're Zarya Moonwolf," Raine whispered.
Zarya forced a laugh, "I don't feel like Zarya Moonwolf. I'm starting to think I left her to die at the village."
"That can't be true," Raine said, a sly smirk on her face as she continued. "Kitty Boon would be pretty pissed off if she couldn't find Zarya Moonwolf."
Zarya's softened face turned into an expression of confusion as she furrowed her eyebrows, "Where is she, by the way?" she questioned, clutching her stomach as she groaned softly from the pain.
"Outside. She might be..." Raine halted in her speech as a booming cry sounded from outside the cabin door. A look of fear washed over her face as she turned to the purple-haired twelve-year-old. Zarya herself seemed panicked as she looked between Raine and the door, possibilities of what could be taking place on the ship's main floorboard sending chills down her spine.
"Shit," Raine muttered softly as she sighed, seeming to mentally prepare herself for whatever traumatic event that could be taking place just outside the door. "If I don't come back, tell Kitty that I always thought she was a piece of shit." She looked at her fellow prisoners. "Don't make a sound. And try not to display your fear to Captain Kaos. Especially you, Zarya." With that, Raine turned to open the door, the floorboard creaking underneath her feet due to the weight of her body. As Zarya's sharp breaths escaped her parted lips, her teeth shattered softly as the feeling of utter terror began to rush over her once more.
"Raine, wait...!" she called out as another wave of thunder and lightning clapped from above her. As she pulled her knees close to her chest, Zarya closed her eyes in an attempt to calm down her nerves. As the ship jostled violently due to the crashing waves outside, the screeches continued to pierce Zarya's eardrum as her throat burned from the scream that threatened to escape. Now feeling her heart almost leap out of her chest from the shock of it all, Zarya began to rub her hands together as she trembled in fear. Hearing a familiar screech different from the one she heard before, Zarya could match that particular scream to that of Raine as Captain Kaos' yells overpowered hers.
"Shit" she whispered. What felt like hours to Zarya was only five minutes passing in reality before the cabin door creaked with a menacing and creepy vibe to reveal Captain Kaos hovering over the seemingly lifeless bodies of Kitty Boon and Raine Woodsprite. A soft gasp escaped Zarya as the other crew members gasped in horror at the scene before them.
Captain Kaos turned to his prisoners, "Let this be a lesson to all of you to NEVER question the captain and to never disobey orders." As he walked away from Raine and Kitty to assert his dominance, Zarya's insides began to churn in utter fear and defiance as she stared at the bloody bodies of her friends. Moans and groans escaped Kitty as Zarya was pushed out of the way by her little brother Kasey Boon. Zarya felt her knees cripple in fear as she cupped her mouth in her hand, her other arm clutching her stomach as she stared at the boy hugging his sister, his cries of agony taunting her eardrums.
And to think that she had made a promise to Kitty that she would always protect her...
As she nibbled on her lip to bite back the sheer shrills that her body threatened to let out, Zarya collapsed to the ground before burying her head in her knees, the binds on her wrists tightening as she rocked herself back and forth. Memories of her village being burnt to ashes and dust came back to her as the voice of her mother echoed in her mind.
"Run, Zarya... Go!... I will always love you, but you need to leave before he gets you!"
"Zarya. It's going to be okay," a voice whispered into her ear as the tears allowed her body to break into violent trembles. As Captain Kaos laughed maniacally for his prisoners to hear, Zarya couldn't help but feel a deep pit of foul rage from the inner depths of her soul. As the burning in her throat worsened, her stomach churned with mixed feelings of lust, envy, and utter pain.
Zarya's coarse throat burned from the next few words that her mind forced her tongue to say. "No," she muttered, the pain in her chest worsening as she tried to stand, "He hurt her." As Zarya's eyes glowed white in the darkness, she could feel every emotion burst into flames as she absentmindedly scratched her forearm; blood sprouting from her epidermis as she gritted her teeth. "You psychopath!" she screeched. "YOU HURT HER!" Before Zarya could begin to comprehend her actions, Raine's nails scuffed her arms as she dragged them out of Raine's hold. Feeling utter power run through her veins, Zarya let out another screech as Captain Kaos directed his attention to her, his mocking smirk intimidating her as her throat burned from the next round of screams her body was compelling her to let out.
"YOU REALLY THINK I FIND THIS THREATENING, ZARYA MOONWOLF!" Kaos squawked over her screams as his mechanical wings let out sharp daggers; their aim being the screeching twelve-year-old.
Before Zarya could comprehend what was happening to her, the turquoise-eyed girl felt a tightening grip on her throat as her bones ached from the storm that erupted in her body. Zarya's throat burned as her arms and legs grew more feeble, the voices that surrounded her seemed to die down as she heard a deafening ringing that threatened to shatter her eardrums. Zarya's nails grew longer as black veins began to crawl up her pale skin. The strap that once held her signature ponytail now fell out of her hair as the short strands rested on her shoulders. Blood streamed down her face as she held her hand up in the sky, producing a vile screech as lightning and thunder clapped behind her. Her eyes rolled back as her hair now rested on her shoulders, her muscles aching as blood ran from her nostrils.
Feeling her body lift off the ground so swiftly as thunder rolled behind her, the taste of iron landed on her tongue as she began to bleed from the crack in her bottom lip. Salty tears ran down Zarya's face as she tightened her fist, her knuckles turning white as another screech escaped her bloody lips. Hearing the fear that she was instilling in Captain Kaos' crew, a bottle of mixed feelings wrapped around Zarya's head as if they were loads and loads of fabric being thrown onto a mannequin for fashion as she tried to make sense of it all.
As flashes of an array of colors nearly blinded Zarya, the image of her mother smiling with a lively sense of fulfillment and wavy hair etched before her. Captain Kaos killed her parents and destroyed the one place that she had called home for so many years. The rage that boiled inside her made her blood run cold in her veins as she felt her muscles tighten with every ounce of strength she produced into her vile screeches.
Zarya's eyes allowed her to take a glimpse into reality once more to see Captain Kaos levitating before her, her deafening screams seeming to be on a continuous spiral of agony. Kaos gasped as his wings shielded him from the rampage that Zarya was on; the air seemed to leave his lungs as his throat burned immensely. He looked at Zarya as her ear-piercing scream filled his ears, the veins that seemed to be painted onto her skin petrifying Kaos as he gasped for air.
Zarya's fist tightened as Kaos grew weaker, his wings dangling behind him as he muttered words of forgiveness. "You fucking asshole!" she yelled as she held Kaos in the air, his eyes seeming to poke out of his body. Her eyes glowed white as the dark veins covered her reddened cheeks. As Zarya focused her energy solely on Captain Kaos, her deafening screeches burned her throat as the bird seemed to lose consciousness.
The crewmembers aboard the ship looked on horrifyingly at the scene before them. Kitty gasped as she held onto her brother, the fear evident in her eyes.
Feeling the storm in her body begins to dwindle into the peaceful swaying of gentle palm trees in the breeze, the Ranger's concentrated face seemed to soften as she panted. She held her hand down as her body became aware of the force of gravity once more.
Nearly collapsing onto the cold floorboard, Zarya knelt beside the bird as her friends cautiously walked up to them. Hearing soft moans coming from the bird's beak, Zarya's eyebrows furrowed instinctively as she worried for Captain Kaos' wellbeing. Her thumb caressed the feathers on the bird's face as he looked up at her.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to, I..."
She watched as the bird hastily sat up, drawing away from her as his chest heaved with fear.
"Stay away from me, child! If you can't learn to fucking control yourself, then you don't need to be a part of me crew," he yelled as he stood up. "Get off me ship! Now!"
"But, I... I didn't mean to," Zarya stuttered. "I'm sorry."
"Captain, I believe she needs to walk the plank," a boy behind her said as Kaos stared at her. She looked at the boy as her chest heaved with fear. "If all you plan to do is kill us off, then we don't need you on the ship."
Small mutters of agreement came from the crewmates as Zarya looked at her friend. With a look of utter fear and disappointment, Kitty could only stare at her fellow crewmate as her hand stayed cupped over her mouth. Kasey Boon, the pirate's younger brother grasped her other hand as he attempted to pull her aside, Kitty only giving in when she felt the muscles in her legs give out due to the astonishment of the scene that she had no choice but to witness take place before her. As Kitty turned away from the girl in utter silence, Zarya felt like a dagger had been stabbed through her chest as a fresh round of hot tears began to dampen her cheek. As she tried to comprehend the scene that unfolded in front of her eyes, time seemed to halt around her as she listened to the beat of her heat. As blood trickled from her nose, Zarya felt her legs weaken as she clutched her stomach, her throat coarse as she attempted to mutter a word.
"Kitty," she muttered, her coarse breathing ripping her throat out of her neck. As blood trickled from her nose, Zarya felt her legs weaken from the nerve-wracking twist of events. A startled gasp escaped her as she felt large nails seep into her skin. Flailing in protest on instinct, Zarya let out an exasperated screech as she was hoisted off the floorboard by her capturer.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" she called out through gritted teeth. Now being held over the shoulder by the birdman, Zarya's hair now flung in front of her as her vision was blurred. As her migraine began to worsen from being turned upside down, the blood that poured from Zarya's nose dampened Captain Kaos' jacket as his booming footsteps sounded behind her.
In his fit of rage, Kaos now spoke in a fear-inducing tone that could send chills down anyone's spine, "IF YOU CANT FUCKING CONTROL YOURSELF, THEN WE HAVE NO USE FOR YOU ABOARD MY VESSEL!" As lightning flashed across Zarya's eyesight, hot tears flowed down her face like a waterfall as her vision was blurred. As a wide crack of darkness opened before her, thunder boomed in her ears as the grip that Kaos had on her loosened with every second that passed. A gut-wrenching scream came out of her mouth before being thrown into a bottomless abyss.
***
Zarya opened her eyes as a gasp escaped her lips, sweat pouring down her neck as the tight feeling in her throat was gulped down by the bile that burned her insides. Chest now heaving in startled pants, Zarya's palms pressed down on her mattress in an attempt to keep her body stable. Short purple strands of her hair now stuck to her face as the ringing in her ears taunted her with every second that passed. Looking over to see her pet foz murmuring in his sleep, Zarya's exasperated expression now turned into one of gentle care and ease as she concluded that what she had experienced was only a nightmare. As her chest moved up and down from the soft laugh of relief she had let out, Zarya Moonwolf could now urge her body to rest itself calmly on her flattened pillow.
With her hand over her stomach, Zarya's lips parted to allow oxygen to flow through her body with ease as she willed her eyes shut. Knowing very well that her body wouldn't permit her to fall back into a deep slumber, Zarya pulled the covers off her stomach to allow her fingertips to massage the smooth, moisturized yet sweaty skin that she had been blessed to wake up to this morning. Though distorted images of him were flashing through her mind every millisecond that passed, Zarya's deep breaths permitted her to think freshly as she listened to the rhythm of Choko's breathing.
Feeling every part of her body once more, Zarya absentmindedly began to wiggle her toes in the covers as she hummed to herself, her chest vibrating as the face of the mother that she had grown up with most of her life blurred across her mind. Missing her dearly over the years of her passing, Zarya furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to piece together why she could be thinking about her, presumably right after her nightmare that to her, never seemed to mean anything until this particular moment.
As she rolled over to the side of the bed where her nightstand always rested, Zarya mentally prepared herself for the bright light that her phone would produce in the darkness as she turned it on. As she tapped away at her phone for what felt like mere seconds, a soft sigh escaped her as the answer to her question lay on her calendar.
Today. They passed away... today
Zarya couldn't help but grimace as she proceeded to bury her face in her pillow. Hearing the soft chirping of her pet foz being calmly woken by the light that shone in her room, Zarya turned to see Choko performing his morning stretches, a smile of enlightenment on his face allowing a grin of joy to appear on her own. Willing herself to sit up on her firm mattress, she held her arms out for the foz to leap into.
"Good morning to you too, Chokster" she whispered as Choko rolled around in her arms, giving her mind a chance to be at ease as she listened to the soft chirping of the foz. Feeling a soft tingling in her fingers as she ran them through Choko's fur, Zarya couldn't help but wonder why that specific event had transpired in her dream. Not only had she recalled memories of the lowest point in her life, but she had also done something that she had never undergone in detail before. Though having experiences with expressing her style of rage, Zarya could never recall any such venture identical to that of her dream; despite being the authority figure whose duty required one to risk their lives daily for the people who adored her as Mysticon Ranger and the second crowned Princess of Gemina. Referring back to the dream, whatever Zarya's body was going through during those few minutes of her life, had frightened her in a way that caused her stomach to churn and made her want to empty her insides. The more Zarya tried to wrap her mind around it, the more her head throbbed from the flashes of her dream.
As the morning breeze brushed against the hairs on her arm, Zarya's state of mind could begin to focus on what was taking place outside her train of thought. Hearing a soft melody echo in the hallway as her ears absentmindedly lifted to listen, Zarya could trace it back to the sweet sounds of her more elegant and charming sister, Arkayna Goodfey. Hearing the clanking of her shoes on the pavement get louder on the other side of the door, Zarya rubbed her eyes to remove the dry matter that had been irritating her until this very moment. A gentle pounding echoed in the room before the hinges of the door produced a squeaking sound to reveal the Princess of Gemina in all her great divinity. Smelling sweeter than a dragon lotus during blooming season, Zarya's triumphant elder sister stood powerfully in the door frame as her soft smile allowed a ray of light to illuminate the room. As her heels elevated her to be longer than her normal height, Arkayna walked cautiously yet swiftly toward Zarya as her smile was never wiped off her face. As Zarya felt the mattress sink underneath her, she allowed her body to breathe out all forms of anxiety she was feeling before her sister stepped into the room.
"Good morning" she muttered sheepishly as a soft laugh escaped her throat.
Returning Zarya's energy in a way that she knew best, Princess Arkayna continued to be her bubbly and chirpy self as her skin glowed in the light that illuminated her sister's room. "Good morning... to you... too," she whispered. With her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pierced deeply, Arkayna's mood changed in mere seconds of resting her bottom on Zarya's mattress. As if she was an almighty demigoddess that the cosmoverse had gifted Zarya with this morning, Arkayna didn't miss a heartbeat before voicing what was on her mind, "Are you okay? You seem... not like yourself?"
Feeling her face heat from the question, Zarya attempted to maintain her calm demeanor as she forced her arms to rest under the warmth of the sheet. Letting the immense burning in her throat subside, Zarya barely whispered, "Yeah. I'm fine."
Arkayna frowned, her soft fingertips caressing Zarya's forearm. Zarya could hear the beating of the young princess' heart intensify as she tried not to squirm in her sister's presence. Knowing very well that Arkayna's suspicion had increased within the last few seconds of her lifetime, Zarya could already hear her sister bombarding her with questions she couldn't provide the answers to.
"Are you sure?" Arkayna questioned. "I just don't want anything to happen today if you're not feeling well. You look pale and..." Hearing a soft chirping coming from Zarya's foz, Arkayna's face softened as she just seemed to give her acknowledgment to Choko's presence as he sat in her sister's arms.
"Good morning, Choko," she whispered. As she reached to pat the foz's head, Zarya's body stiffened as she sharply inhaled the air in the room. As Arkayna's eyes flashed between her and her animal companion, Zarya couldn't help but think that Arkayna had already analyzed the tone in the room, and at that point, the Dragon Mage had risen to her feet as an awkward smile now plastered onto her face.
"Umm, we have breakfast in about half an hour with our parents... and Gawayne. I think it would be best if you freshened up, and... meet me upstairs before then" Arkayna whispered before turning on her heel in the direction of the door. As Zarya heard the door peacefully shut, a soft groan of irritation escaped her as she draped the sheet over her head once more.
Feeling as though she was now in a safe space of comfort in the darkness that she had provided for herself at the moment, Zarya began to brush her fingers against what felt like coarse skin; a complete contrast to what she had woken up to. As she fought the urge to suddenly burst into tears for presumably no reason at the moment, Zarya bit her lip as her mind drifted to an otherworldly bliss. Feeling her breathing quicken with every millisecond that passed, Zarya began to scratch the very tip of her index finger with her long, coarse nails. Not knowing where the source of her anxiety was coming from at this moment, Zarya's heart nearly leaped out of her chest as she continued to scratch the skin off her fingertip. Sweat began to pour down her face as she closed her eyes, her fingers still fidgeting as she felt her finger burn from the action of tugging her skin. A lifetime seemed to pass before a long piece of her skin was torn from her finger, resting between the tips of the fingers on her other hand. Finally letting go of the breath she was unaware she was holding, Zarya closed her eyes as she acknowledged the numbness that she felt in her finger.
As Choko's chirping brought her back to reality, Zarya now jerked herself upward as she got rid of the reoccurring thoughts that plagued her mind since she woke up this morning. As she stumbled out of bed with a soft gasp, Zarya allowed her legs to keep her balance as she walked over to her dresser. Having few things in her possession, the surface only held a dark blue cloth that Zarya felt could have blended nicely with the outfit she would don almost every day as Mysticon Ranger. Considering the fact that it had belonged to Arkayna previously, the soft material held a pattern of petite golden griffins that symbolized the power and dignity that the royal family had held for many generations. Even after they had rightfully taken the throne from the tyrant King Lorius the Glorius, the ancestors of her father, King Aslan Goodfey, had always insisted that the realm of Gemina was to be their top priority. Though every monarch was different than the last, Zarya knew well enough from the history lessons that her mother, though having been wed into the family and still carried out her responsibilities as if she had been born to do so, had gifted her with, that every monarch before her parents held a sense of duty and pride towards the throne they had been destined to sit upon.
Zarya frowned at the thought. Knowing now that her mother had lived a teenage life of both psychological and physical abuse due to being a part of the disbanded gang known as The Reformed Bones, Zarya could recall her mother mentioning that she had been a rape victim and that the only way she was able to escape was when she had to serve time in prison due to being caught up in a gang fight that she herself wanted to be no part of.
And I thought my life was shitty
Zarya exhaled as she turned to look at her foz that now exited out of his cage. Smiling softly as she held her arms out to greet Choko who seemed to have grown significantly in size in the past three years, Zarya was able to feel the luxurious fur of the foz as she trotted out of the room.
***
Zarya trotted behind her sister in the hallowed halls of the royal palace, guards, and maids crowding the Princesses of Gemina as they seemed to be tending to their respective responsibilities. With her foz now perched on her shoulder, Zarya felt his tiny ear brush against her face as she chuckled. Keeping the same pace that her sister did whilst walking to their dining room destination, Zarya felt as though the atmosphere seemed to close in on her with every step she took. Thinking that the bells in her ears had stopped ringing from when she had risen out of her bed this morning, Zarya halted in her tracks as her ears popped without much of a warning. As she watched her sister walk with grace and elegance in front of her, Zarya suppressed a groan from deep within the inner trenches of her soul.
Turning to face the young princess once more, Arkayna's eyebrows furrowed with confusion as her ponytail rested on her right shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Zarya sighed, "My ears have been ringing since I woke up. And the tingling feeling won't go away either."
"So, when I asked you what was wrong earlier, and your response was..." Arkayna muttered before being interrupted by her boisterous twin sister.
"No! Stop it! The last thing I need to hear this early in the morning is a lecture. I love you with everything that I am, but you have got to stop murdering the vibe. You're worse than Mom" Zarya ranted as she covered her ears, a frown appearing on her face.
"There is no way that you just compared me to a fucking 48-year-old. Let alone our own mother!" Arkayna yelled in an exaggerated tone as she scoffed.
Zarya allowed a grin to appear on her face as she continued to walk down the hallway with the Dragon Mage, "Don't tell her I said that. She might use one of her fifty knives to annihilate me," she whispered.
"And yet I'm presumably worse than that," Arkayna scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "Besides, our mother might have a couple of screws missing, but I can guarantee that she would never hurt her children. Not even Gawayne."
Zarya scoffed, "A couple of screws? Are we talking about the same Melody Goodfey that lives in this household?"
Arkayna let out a soft chortle before allowing her face to regain the same solemn expression that she had before, "Are you sure you're okay though? Is there really nothing to worry about?" she questioned with gentle care.
"You know I get anxious when you start talking like that," Zarya muttered as she tugged the end of her sleeve. "I promise, it's nothing."
Arkayna sighed, "Okay, I'm.... sorry," she whispered.
Zarya smiled reassuringly, "It's alright. You never have to apologize for being concerned." With her head down as she watched her heels on the old palace floors, Zarya nearly yelped as she staggered over, the zipper on her heel scraping her leg as Arkayna supported her balance. Choko had toppled over onto the ground in a huff as his chirps echoed in the empty hallway.
"Zar," Arkayna sighed out. "This is so unlike you. Did you have anything to drink last night? There's nothing wrong with admitting that you're irresponsible."
Now regaining her balance once more, Zarya dusted off her jacket as a scoff escaped her lips, "The fact that you're accusing me of being irresponsible with alcohol is showing me a whole lot right now, princess." With her furry companion now back on her shoulder once again, Zarya's face formed into a deep scowl, her eyes focused on the ground as she allowed her feet to carry the weight of her body to her destination.
Continuing to walk down the never-ending hallway, Arkayna held up her hands in defense as she began to speak, "I'm sorry I care about your wellbeing. And you don't have to get so defensive."
"I'm not getting defensive, I just..." Zarya muttered as she groaned, facepalming as she continued to walk. "Maybe I'll feel better after I eat something."
"I hope you're right," Arkayna muttered as they both entered the dining room. Preparing herself for the bright light that would shimmer in her eyes as her sister opened the door, Zarya narrowed her eyes as she stepped into the dining room. Now being accustomed to the procedures that came with everyday meals, Zarya seemed the least fazed as she watched the royal chef deliver plates of what smelt like scrambled eggs and burnt bacon. As Choko pranced around on her shoulder in delight, Zarya's face nearly heated in embarrassment as the chef turned to look at her, presenting the princesses with his signature bow of respect as forks clanked onto breakfast plates.
"Good morning, Zarya and Princess Arkayna. Breakfast is served, and you are approximately fifteen seconds late. The food's getting cold," the chef whispered with a smile on his face. "And with that, I exit. Enjoy your meal girls." Hearing his shoe pound onto the pavement as utter silence filled the room, Zarya couldn't resist hiding her smirk as she sat down beside her stepbrother.
"I love how he just indirectly disrespects us every day, and none of us seem to care," she remarked. "It's almost like he's flirting with us."
"I love how you just casually say that out loud as if we can't hear you," the Queen of Gemina muttered as she watched her eldest daughter take her place beside her, Choko taking his place atop her head as she continued to consume her breakfast, "Good morning by the way."
"Morning," Zarya muttered as she closed her eyes, ignoring the dizziness she felt as she sat down. Taking deep breaths to ground her distraught soul, Zarya could feel the scalding feeling in her throat intensify as she swallowed, the dining room that she had just entered seeming to disappear as pitch darkness became the reality of her surroundings. Feeling her head spiral out of control and the knots in her stomach churn, Zarya began to consume her meal as any extensive chatter coming from her sister and mother landed on deaf ears.
As her ears moved in instinctive dread, Zarya's mind subconsciously drifted back to the dream she'd had just hours before. Now breathing sharply as Captain Kaos' petrified face remained etched in her mind, Zarya could barely keep the grip on her fork as her hand trembled from the anxiety she felt. Flashes of her phone marking the day that her life spiraled out of control swarmed around her mind as she tried to ground her self-awareness of all the traumas that unfolded in her life. Feeling as though her heart would leap out of her chest any second now, Zarya swallowed the lump in her throat as her shaky hands picked up the glass of orange juice that stood on the table in front of her. As she continued to take sips from the glass she was holding in her right hand, Zarya could hear a distraught chirp come from Choko before the glass detonated in her hands, shards seeping into her skin as she let out a startled gasp. Gawayne, who had been sitting beside Zarya and seeming to mind his own business up until that moment, abruptly rose from his seat in shock as an awkward silence filled the room. Swallowing the remaining bile that pooled in her mouth, Zarya closed her eyes to not showcase the mortification and confusion she felt as she took calm breaths to substitute the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyelids.
"Zarya," Gawayne called softly. "What happened?" As she faced her stepbrother shamefully, a wave of heat washed over Zarya's flushed cheeks as she stood up; her heels barely providing her with balanced support as she cautiously backed away from the table. Zarya felt shards of glass penetrating her skin, blood erupting from her palm as her family stared at her in shock. As she bit her lip to distract herself from the throbbing in her fingers, Zarya watched her sister stand up, worry clouding her cheeks as she walked up to her. Watching Arkayna take her hand, Zarya winced as she attempted to extract her numb hand from her sister's grasp.
"Shh, shh. I just want to see it," Arkayna whispered with warm care. As she cautiously held her sister's hand in her own, Zarya's blood painted the tips of her fingers as the pieces of glass that rested in the middle of Zarya's palm brushed against her skin as she sighed.
"We might have some cloth to wrap around it in the Stronghold. We can just get the shards out, clean up the blood, and come back," she whispered as her lips formed into a delicate smile. Hearing her sister whimper in stiffening discomfort, Arkayna looked up to see her sister's face break into a cold sweat, her body trembling as she collapsed to the ground. Arkayna knelt beside Zarya, her worry increasing with every anticipating second that passed. Hearing the young Mysticon groan in agony, Arkayna let out a startled gasp as Zarya produced a gut-wrenching screech.
Heart beating faster than the speed of light, Arkayna tried to regulate her breathing pattern as she stared at her sister; her arms now wrapped around her with the feeling of protection and pure petrification. Watching sweat pour down her sister's face, Arkayna couldn't help but hold onto her sister tighter as her nose scrunched up in worry. Out of the corner of her eye, Arkayna glimpsed her stepfather nearly leaping out of his seat, her mother watching Zarya in atrocity as she produced another screech. Feeling King Darius' arms around hers, Arkayna felt her heart explode as her sister's body toughened in her arms.
"Zarya?" she muttered. As she felt her sister's now elongated nails seep into her skin, Arkayna winced in her father's arms as a soft gasp escaped her lips. Leaning into King Darius for support, Arkayna trembled in utter terror as she let out a whimper, her brows now furrowed as she stared at her sister in bewilderment. Not understanding the severity of what was taking place in Zarya's body at the moment, Arkayna could do nothing more than fearfully stare at her sister's sudden transformation. As dark lines of purple disturbingly blended with black appeared on Zarya's pale skin, Arkayna covered her mouth as tears fell from her eyelids. Closing her eyes to escape from reality, Arkayna could hear her father's now quickened heartbeat under the trembling screeches coming from her sister.
Zarya looked up at her sister in pure petrification as she could feel her nostrils burn from her bleeding nose. Purple veins looking similar to the ones that took over her body when Tazma had cursed her years ago seemed to be drawn onto her skin by a skilled tattoo artist. Zarya could feel her bones aching as her cries echoed throughout the dining room, her throat igniting from the intensity of her boisterous screams. Zarya's body stiffened in the king's arms, sweat pouring down her face as she could feel her cries from her head to her toes. Whimpering softly as her vision blurred from the tears that streamed down her face, Zarya's erratic breathing could be heard before it was once again replaced by the screams that seemed utterly familiar to the princess now. Furrowing her eyebrows in intense thought, Zarya's visions at the moment depicted flashes of Captain Kaos in what could ironically be his most bone-chilling form, the baggy eyes that she had always been afraid of seemed to make their way out of his head as the feeling in her dream and her present state were almost identical. Zarya could feel a deep sense of regret pound in her chest knowing that she had completely undermined the vision and the feeling that she couldn't quite verbally express.
Wanting nothing more than to ease the pain in her muscles, Zarya felt the king's hand in her hair as she closed her eyes to distract herself from the storm within. Her ears popped as her anxiety level increased, the sound of panicked shuffling seemed distant to her as she felt the hands of Queen Melody on her cheek. Feeling her heart screech louder than her mouth, Zarya could only feel her eyes rolling to the back of her head as her nose burned from the blood running out of it.
How much longer will this last? What even is this?
King Darius held Zarya tightly as her whole family crowded around her, her screams frightening them all as guards barged into the dining room to watch the horrific sighting of the princess' surge. Arkayna could only watch on with tears streaming down her face and a heavy heart, unable to comprehend the sheer intensity of her sister's suffering. She wanted to do something, anything to alleviate Zarya's pain, but it seemed like an unfathomable nightmare that they were all trapped in.
"What's happening to her?" Arkayna asked, her tears damping her hand as she watched on in sorrow and horror.
"Your sister seems to be going to a sonic screaming surge. I've heard of it in legends and fairytales. But I had never witnessed something like this with my own eyes!" King Darius said quickly.
"How do we stop it?" Queen Melody questioned, her arms wrapped around her twin daughter.
"Maybe I can stabilize it with my own power," Arkayna suggested, determination running etched on her face and running through her veins.
"That's a good idea, but we might hurt her," King Darius said.
"And she looks like she's in so much pain already" Queen Goodfey whispers, her voice cracking in pain for her daughter.
Gawayne had now spoken since the first time Zarya had let out her horrid screams, "Should I go get someone to help us?"
"Yes! Go quickly!" Queen Goodfey yelled.
Gawayne bolted out of the room, leaving a tense atmosphere in his wake. The petrifying screeches continued to resonate throughout the room, each one stabbing into the hearts of those whom Zarya loved dearly. Arkayna clenched her fists, her magical energy swirling and creating an orb around her family. Queen Melody mouthed a small thanks to the young Dragon Mage who nodded in return. Choko could only shield himself and use his ears to roll into a ball. The thought of his owner feeling such immense pain left a gut-wrenching feeling in his tiny chest.
The room seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly energy as Arkayna's magic and Zarya's magic collided with one another. Arkayna could feel herself getting weaker as she tried to match Zarya's energy. She grunted as she could feel the orb disappearing without her control, and had realized that Zarya's power had caused it to dissipate before she heard the windows shatter around her family. Choko let out a piercing scream as he jumped atop Arkayna's head, and King Darius held Zarya closer as fear overtook his body making it shake violently. Queen Goodfey placed a hand on her husband's arm, whispering words of encouragement to him.
"She'll be okay," she whispered, not necessarily believing her own words. "We just have to wait until Gawayne gets help."
King Darius nodded as he looked around at the glass and debris that now rested at his feet, Zarya's scream allowing him to barely focus on anything else. What was wrong with her? As far as he was aware, Zarya seemed to be all chirpy and lively the night before, and he couldn't help but feel incredibly blessed to have Zarya in his life to make him feel like the proudest father to all his children. But now, as Zarya let out her screams of pure torture to her now stiffened spine, King Darius wasn't sure if he could carry out his duty as a king and a father.
Zarya's cries were unbearable, a symphony of pain that echoed through the palace halls. The guards who had rushed in were at a loss, unsure of what to do as they watched the princess cry in agony. Queen Melody held Zarya's hand, her own eyes filled with tears, as she whispered soothing words to her daughter, trying to offer some comfort amidst the chaos.
Queen Melody looked up as her stepson rushed back into the room with more guards, and the guards made way for the young prince to return to his family. He turned to the guards in anger as he spoke ferociously.
"I didn't call you here to stand and watch my stepsister suffer! I called for help!" Gawayne yelled.
One of the guards spoke up, "Your Highness. We have never seen anything like this before. We don't know what's happening. to the princess."
"Maybe we need to take her to the Astromancers. Or maybe the hospital," Queen Melody suggested.
Arkayna nodded, "Maybe Proxima knows what's going on. I'll call her soon. But when will this be over?"
"It hurts!!!!" Zarya yelled in agony, her long nails now piercing through her father's skin, causing it to rip and bleed. Zarya let out another ear-shattering scream. The room seemed to tremble as the intensity of Zarya's screams escalated. Her family sat around her, helpless and horrified, watching as the young princess endured a pain they couldn't even begin to comprehend. The mixture of fear, confusion, and desperation hung heavy in the air, suffocating them as they waited for the surge to end on its own.
Zarya could feel the numbness in her spine as she let out another piercing scream, and held on to King Darius, and buried her head into his chest. King Darius hissed as he could feel the sensation of the scream vibrating throughout his body.
"Are you okay, love?" Queen Melody asked in concern. "Is she hurting you?"
"I'm fine," King Darius grunted, his ears now clogged due to the screaming coming from his daughter's mouth, Zarya's nails seeping through his skin.
Queen Melody turned her attention to her daughter. "It'll be over soon, Zarya! You're strong. You're going to be okay."
Zarya could only whimper between her piercing screams as she felt her legs become numb, her body trembling uncontrollably. The pain was beyond anything she had ever experienced before, a torment that seemed to tear through every fiber of her being. She clenched her teeth and tried to focus on her mother's voice, on the love and reassurance in her words, but the agony was all-consuming.
Queen Melody turned her attention to the door as it was blasted down by Proxima Starfall. The queen smiled in gratitude and Proxima rushed to Zarya's side.
Proxima turned her direction towards Arkayna, "I'm here. What is happening to Zarya?
"I was hoping you would tell me!" Arkayna said.
Proxima nodded, her expression serious as she turned her attention to Zarya. She closed her eyes, her own magic reaching out to connect with the turbulent energy that surrounded the young princess. As she delved into the magic, she could feel the immense pain and chaos that Zarya was experiencing.
"I've seen magic like this in the books at the Astromancer Academy. We should go there and look. But first, Zarya needs to figure out how to control it. If she can hear me..." Proxima stated before an orb of magic appeared in her hands. Mere seconds seemed like hours as Zarya's agonizing screams continued to reverberate through the room. It was as if the very fabric of reality was unraveling around her. The pain seemed to have transcended the physical, reaching into her soul and twisting it in a way she couldn't comprehend.
"Zarya," Proxima's voice somehow cut through her vile screams of anguish and sorrow. "Listen to me! You can control this. It might not be easy. But you have to try." The Starmistress then used her power to try to tame the scream, and it seemed to have worked for a time before Zarya erupted in vile screams once more.
"I... I don't know how to stop it. I haven't studied this much to know how to control Zarya's magic," the young Starmage said in a hurried panic.
"It's okay, Proxima. You did everything you could" Arkayna said quickly before looking down at her sister once more.
The room continued to vibrate as debris fell all around the royal family and Proxima. Guards formed a tight circle around the family as the light in Zarya's eyes illuminated the entire room. The intensity of the situation now reached its peak. Zarya's screams forced her body to produce a vast amount of energy she had never experienced before, and she wasn't sure how much she could contain. Even with the assistance of Proxima, her magic seemed less powerful than the surge of energy that was taking place throughout Zarya's.
Zarya's cries were deafening, and it was clear that she was struggling to even hear Proxima's gentle words of encouragement and grace. However. Zarya could only imagine the soothing words coming from the Starmistress and her mother as their lips quivered in agony and fear.
"Please, Zarya, try to find a point of calm within you," Queen Melody whispered, her tears drying up as she could only hold onto her husband for support.
Proxima sighed, seemingly at a loss for words and actions. Although she was supposed to be the almighty powerful Starmistress, able to protect the realm whenever someone had called upon her to do so, she still found herself frozen as Zarya's screams bounced off the walls and into her ears.
The situation continued to deteriorate, the air thick with desperation for Zarya's state to come to a standstill. The powerful energy emanating from Zarya's uncontrollable surge seemed to ripple through the room. The guards struggled to maintain their positions, their expressions a mix of fear and confusion. No one in the room had encountered a situation like this before, and no one knew how to contain Zarya's boisterous screeches. Chaos swarmed the room as the table and chairs began to levitate in midair, and everyone in the room could only at the sight of such powerful magic being able to do so.
"Is Zarya doing that?" Queen Melody questioned, looking down at her daughter.
"It might be, love," King Darius responded as he held his daughter in place, suddenly feeling her slip away from his grasp.
Gradually, but surely, her screams began to wane, losing their intensity. The torrent of energy that had consumed her seemed to slowly subside, leaving an eerie stillness that contrasted with the turmoil that had just transpired. Heavy pants escaped her mouth as the grip on her stepfather began to gradually loosen. Her lips quivered as bags formed under her eyes. She looked up into Queen Melody's face as she began to speak.
"Zarya? Are you okay, love?" her voice laced with concern as she knelt beside her daughter.
"I... I..." were the only words Zarya could muster before her eyes gradually closed, and her soft breathing took control of her body.
"Zarya. Zarya! Zarya!" Queen Melody yelled before she looked up at her husband for support. "Should we take her to a hospital?"
"Yes. They might be able to tell us what's wrong. I'll go get the car. You stay here and watch her," King Darius said as he handed his stepdaughter over to his wife for her to hold before he stood to his feet, facing the guards. "Guards! Watch over my family. When I call my wife, I want you to help her bring Zarya to the car. Do you understand?"
The guards nodded as King Darius rushed out of the room. Queen Goodfey heard the door slam behind her before another tear slipped her eye.
"What's happening to you, kiddo?" she muttered softly as she caressed Zarya's cheek. Arkayna walked over to put a hand on Queen Melody's shoulder, and Queen Melody smiled softly as she looked at her elder daughter.
Proxima spoke up once more, "I'm so sorry Your Highness. I have no idea what's happening to her. But maybe I could do some research and come up with a solution."
Queen Melody smiled in reassurance, "Don't worry. We'll figure it out together. She can get through this with just a little help, that's all."
"And we'll be there to support her every step of the way," Arkayna chimed in.
The room was still filled with tension, but there was a glimmer of hope. Although Zarya still remained unconscious, an eerie tension still vibrated in the room, yet the terror that had gripped the room was slowly subsiding. Queen Melody continued to cradle Zarya, her touch gentle and protective.
Proxima sighed before a face of determination remained etched on her face, "I promise I won't rest until i can find out what's wrong with her, Your Majesty."
"Take your time, Proxima. Don't stress yourself out too much. We'll figure it out together," Queen Melody reassured her as she smiled.
"Okay, Your Highness," Proxima said. With that, she turned away from Queen Melody, Prince Gawayne and Princess Arkayna, walking out of the dining room.
Gawayne sighed, "I've never been so worried about Zarya in my entire life," he whispered softly, his head in the ear as he sighed softly, feeling fearful for the upcoming future.
"Zarya will be fine. She's strong. She'll... she'll be okay" Queen Melody said in reassurance, a smile crossing her face.
But did she believe that herself?