Seryndra lifted her hand.
Dozens of glowing lights appeared in the snowstorm, forming a map of moons across the universe.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Some dark.
Some luminous.
Some cracked.
Some glowing red.
"These are the Moons," she said softly.
"And each moon has its Queen."
Destiny shuddered.
"There are hundreds of them…"
Seryndra nodded.
"Hundreds… but divided."
She pointed to a group of white-blue moons.
"These Queens still serve Eylon.
They want to protect you."
Then she pointed to moons burning black and crimson.
"And these serve Morvath.
They want your power—
or your corpse."
Blood Reaper's face hardened.
"So, it's a war."
Seryndra's gaze grew even heavier.
"A war that has already begun."
Suddenly—
The silver spider crawled out from Kenna's hood, skittering quickly down her arm.
He approached Seryndra cautiously—
then bowed.
Fully bowed.
Lowering his body, all legs spread outward, head down.
Everyone stared.
Benjamin: "…the spider bows now? Since when can spiders bow?"
Cyrus: "Since this one evolved into a demon-slaying baby tank."
Keuirseu: "I wanna bow too—"
Destiny smacked him. "Don't."
Seryndra smiled gently at the tiny creature.
"You recognize me, little guardian."
The spider chirped—
a soft, respectful sound.
Blood Reaper's eyebrows lifted.
"He's bowing to my aunt?"
Seryndra nodded.
"This spider is young… but ancient.
He carries a mark of moonlight.
A destiny tied to yours."
The spider crawled up Seryndra's hand, letting her stroke its silver back.
Then he chirped at Blood Reaper, jumping back to her shoulder.
Seryndra's expression tightened.
"He senses danger coming."
Dyren stepped forward.
"What danger? You Moon Queens and your vagueness—just say it."
Seryndra's eyes glowed like frozen suns.
"They are coming.
Hundreds of Moon Queens across galaxies.
And they are not traveling alone."
Everyone froze.
Constant whispered, "The Moons are moving…"
Benjamin muttered, "Moons… don't move."
Keuirseu: "THEY DO NOW—WE'RE SO DEAD—"
Blood Reaper stepped forward.
Her flames flickered along her arms.
"What do they want from me?"
Seryndra looked directly into her eyes.
"My little one…
They want your power—
your soul—
your destiny—
your throne—
or your life.
And every Queen wants something different."
She touched Blood Reaper's cheek tenderly.
"But I am here to protect you.
As I once did…
before you ever opened your eyes."
Blood Reaper let out a slow, shaky exhale.
Her hand trembled.
Seryndra squeezed it gently.
"You must choose your path soon, little one.
Because when the Moon Queens arrive…
your choice will decide the fate of every soul on this planet."
Constant stepped forward, snow crunching beneath his boots.
His chest tightened.
His jaw trembled.
Seryndra turned her head slightly, sensing him before he spoke.
"Aunt Seryndra…" Constant said softly, respectfully.
"…How do I protect her?"
Blood Reaper froze.
Dyren's eyes narrowed.
Seryndra faced Constant fully now — her expression shifting to something old, wise, and unbearably kind.
"You love her," she said gently.
Constant's breath caught.
"I— I do."
Seryndra smiled faintly.
"It is written all over you, child."
He swallowed hard, voice cracking.
"But… she said she has to die to save Earth."
His voice grew desperate.
"Is that true? Does she die? Is that how she saves us?"
Seryndra blinked in surprise.
Then she laughed softly.
A warm, snow-melting sound.
But when she saw Constant's fear, her laughter stopped instantly.
"Oh… you were serious."
Constant nodded slowly.
Seryndra stepped closer and placed a cold, blue-white hand on his cheek.
"No, my child. Not like that."
She looked over at Blood Reaper lovingly.
"There is a prophecy. Yes. But death is… metaphorical."
Constant frowned.
"What does that even mean?"
Seryndra only smiled, mysterious.
"You will see soon."
She turned and began to walk toward Blood Reaper—
but Reaper stopped her.
For once, her voice was quiet.
"Aunt…"
She looked up at the sky.
"What is wrong with Earth's moon?"
Seryndra froze.
The snowstorm paused with her.
Her eyes dimmed with sorrow.
"Oh, little one…"
She approached Blood Reaper, placing both hands on her shoulders.
"The Moon Queen of Earth…
is missing."
The others stiffened.
Destiny gasped.
Cyrus swore under his breath.
Dyren rolled his eyes but even he went still.
Blood Reaper frowned deeply.
"What does that mean?"
Seryndra's wings lowered like wilting petals.
"It means your moon is dying."
Everyone fell silent.
Seryndra continued:
"Without its Queen, the moon cannot stabilize its light.
Its tides.
Its power.
Its protection."
She pointed upward where the white circle glowed faintly through the blizzard.
"One day soon… darkness will cover it."
Kenna's voice shook.
"Like… an eclipse?"
Seryndra shook her head slowly.
"No. Like extinguishing a candle."
Benjamin whispered, horrified:
"No moon means… no night light… no oceans… no stability…"
"Life will collapse," Destiny breathed.
Seryndra nodded with deep sadness.
"And worse…"
She looked at Blood Reaper directly.
"Ashen hungers for the moon.
He can swallow it easily.
If he does, the sky will never know light again."
Keuirseu:
"Ohhhh we are VERY dead."
Cyrus elbowed him.
"Shut up."
Blood Reaper looked from the moon to her aunt.
"So, Earth is doomed."
Seryndra cupped her cheek.
"No, little one."
Her voice softened.
"You are here."
Blood Reaper blinked.
"…What am I supposed to do?"
Seryndra smiled—
proud, gentle, trusting.
"Save the moon…
and you save the Earth."
Then she added softly:
"And saving the moon begins with finding its missing Queen."
Blood Reaper's eyes widened.
Constant's heart skipped a beat.
Dyren whispered under his breath:
"Everything always gets worse."
The snow quieted.
Seryndra lifted her head, her expression shifting—
from warmth
to pure, ancient awareness.
Blood Reaper froze.
"Aunt?"
Seryndra's wings sharpened like blades.
"…Hide."
The word was barely spoken—
Before the sky split open.
A scream of moonlight tore through the clouds.
Wind whipped sideways.
The ground cracked.
The frozen townspeople shook violently in their suspended state.
Then she descended.
She landed like a meteor.
Wings of jagged obsidian feathers.
Skin glittering like broken starlight.
Her eyes—white rings of madness circling black void.
Vaylay.
The Moon Queen who kills her own sisters.
The one who aligns with neither Eylon nor Morvath—
only chaos.
She rose slowly, frost swirling at her feet.
"Well, well…" her voice echoed like a blade dragged across stone.
"The lost princess… and the traitor aunt."
Seryndra stepped in front of Blood Reaper instantly.
Her voice thundered:
"VAYLAY—YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER."
Vaylay smiled, spreading her torn moon-wings.
"I wasn't going to touch her, Seryndra."
Her grin widened, fanged and hungry.
"I intend to claim her."
Blood Reaper's flames flared black.
Constant stepped beside her.
Dyren stepped on the other side.
Cyrus readied his axe.
Benjamin loaded his demon gun.
Destiny prayed under her breath.
Kenna held the spider tighter.
Keuirseu hid behind the truck.
Vaylay didn't flinch.
She raised one crackling hand—
And the blizzard exploded.
Seryndra launched first.
White lunar fire burst from her palms—
BOOOOM—!!
Vaylay dodged, leaving a trail of shattered moonlight behind her.
"You've grown slow, sister's sister," Vaylay hissed.
Seryndra summoned a wall of ice that glowed with celestial runes.
Vaylay smashed through it with her bare hand.
Constant rushed forward—
but Blood Reaper grabbed his arm.
"No. She's too dangerous."
Dyren growled.
"Dangerous? That's my specialty."
He lunged.
Vaylay snapped her fingers.
A burst of moon-shards struck Dyren midair—
SLAM!
He was thrown across the ground, carving a trench into the snow.
"DYREN!" Blood Reaper shouted.
Vaylay laughed.
"You choose such pathetic pets, little demon angel."
Blood Reaper's aura detonated around her.
"Come say that to my face."
Vaylay blurred forward—
faster than mortal eyes could track.
But Seryndra teleported in front of Reaper, taking the hit instead.
CRACK—!!
Vaylay's hand plunged through Seryndra's shoulder.
Blood Reaper screamed,
"AUNT—NO!"
Seryndra pushed Vaylay back with a burst of frost, wincing.
"You… will not harm her."
Vaylay cocked her head, smiling.
"Oh, Auntie. You always were sentimental."
Then she flicked her hand.
A wave of black-moon energy shot toward Seryndra—
Cyrus intercepted it, slamming his lightning axe into the ground.
SHZZZRT—BOOM—!!
The attack split, blasting apart the frozen trees behind them.
Vaylay blinked.
"…Impressive."
Cyrus snarled.
"Come fight me, star witch!"
She grinned.
"Gladly."
Benjamin fired his demon-blaster.
The beam sliced through the air—
but Vaylay vanished and reappeared behind him.
She slashed—
Destiny shoved Benjamin aside and took the hit, crashing into the snow.
"DESTINY!" he cried.
Keuirseu screamed and lobbed a snowball.
It hit Vaylay's cheek.
Everyone froze.
Vaylay turned… slowly… toward him.
Keuirseu whispered,
"…I regret… everything."
She lifted her hand to erase him—
But Seryndra slammed a shield of frost between them.
"NO!"
Vaylay hissed and struck Seryndra with a lunar arc—
SLASH!
Blood sprayed snow-white.
Blood Reaper snapped.
Her aura erupted like a star imploding.
Black flame swirled around her, twisting with gold fire and violent heat.
Her voice deepened, echoing across realms.
"Enough."
She teleported—
And reappeared behind Vaylay.
A hand on her throat.
Vaylay froze.
Blood Reaper leaned in.
Her voice was a blade:
"Touch my aunt again and I will burn your moon from the sky."
Vaylay's grin faltered.
Just a little.
But before Blood Reaper could strike—
The silver spider leapt from Kenna's arms.
It landed on Vaylay's hand—
and bit her.
Vaylay SCREAMED.
A scream that cracked buildings.
Her arm turned silver—
then black—
then crumbled into ash.
She stumbled back, horrified.
"You— you have that creature with you!?"
The spider hissed, glowing fiercely.
Seryndra whispered, awestruck:
"He carries the Moon Venom…
No wonder…"
Vaylay backed up, fear twisting her face.
"This isn't finished, little savior," she spat.
She flung a black moon sigil into the storm.
The sky cracked open.
Her body dissolved into shards of broken starlight.
And she was gone.
Seryndra collapsed to one knee, gripping her injured shoulder.
Blood Reaper rushed to her, catching her gently.
"Aunt—are you hurt?"
Seryndra smiled weakly.
"I am fine… but Vaylay… will return."