Luna, Queen of the Blue Phoenix Clan

Morning…

Zelenia rolls over, realizing the kids had left the bed already. She opens her eyes, and the morning light blinds her eyes. What time is it? She asked herself. She bent her body, hugging her knees.

She hears Janus and Aisha giggling outside; they must be playing with Lionel and Sora. She thought.

Zelenia lay on her back and placed her arm on her forehead. It is lovely to wake up without the noise of vehicles and car horns and only hear bird tweets and sounds from the animals living in the forest. It was just like back at her Sanctuary. Sometimes, she missed her life being a Priestess. Most of the time, she meditates and prays for the entire day. Her soul becomes one with tranquility. The calmness of the atmosphere made her free.

"I got one!"

Zelenia quickly gets up. That was Mikael's voice. She forgot they weren't alone here! She jumped off of the bed and peered outside the window. Last night, Mikael and her bosses arrived and were now taking shelter in the lodge she rented after the intense quake yesterday. It turned out to be the lodge owned by Mikael's family.

"Mommy! Look, Uncle Mikael caught a big one!"Janus shouted excitedly. Zelenia smiled, nodded at her son, and glanced at Shane before she fixed her gaze on Aisha and Xanther, preparing the fire to grill the fish they had caught. It made her happy that her children were comfortable around these men. She always wondered if her children were seeking the love of a father. They never asked where he was, but she could sense that they were envious of other children who had a complete family.

Zelenia turned around before the tear she held dropped from her eyes. Even if they were with their father… Even if they stayed in the Celestial Universe, the Grand Elders would take the children away from her.

Luna, who settled in the middle of the lake, stands as the Priestess' heart; she also let the tears flood her eyes. Her sadness and her happiness were conveyed to her. When it comes to a situation like this, the best thing she can do to comfort the Priestess is to let her cry.

'I'm sorry, Luna.'

'There is nothing you should have to apologize for, Priestess. I should be the one to apologize for not being able to make you feel better.' '

'There's no need, Luna. You have done too much for me already. You have been patiently following and spoiling me from all my foolishness and craziness I have done in the past.'

How can she leave the Priestess alone? It will make her a meaningless familiar if she gives up on being her Spirit Animal. She will always follow the Priestess, no matter how many times she breaks her Sacred Decree.

'Thank you, Luna! I will join the kids and help them prepare the food.'

'Hmm… indeed, there is only one person who doesn't act like a kid among them.'

Zelenia giggled. She'd understand what Luna was talking about. Luna was referring to Xanther, who was acting his age as a mature adult.

"All right! I caught one bigger than yours!" Shane boastfully shouted after a giant fish ate his bait.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear big about it anymore!" Mikael exclaimed. He was grumbling about having an unpleasant experience last night.

Zelenia laughs, listening to another childish fight outside.

That was her priestess. She chose to be happy rather than dwelling on her pain and sadness. She knows perfectly why the priestess loved the Earthen mortals. She could relate to them in that most of the mortals did not follow any rules or Sacred Decrees to find happiness. They explored life until they found what made them happy.

The priestess once said, "Less expectation, less disappointment."

"I learned that from Earthen mortals, Luna! Aren't they amazing?"

Because everyone so highly expects her to be a flawless Priestess. She is a candidate to become a High Goddess. It was a higher role than a Priestess. But she chose her heart instead of what everyone expected her to do.

"You are a shame for the Moon Kingdom!"

The king cast out his daughter instead of protecting and fighting for her. The Earthen were correct in gossiping that her family abandoned her after she got pregnant. She has a role in being a Priestess; her family turned their back on her after she violated the Priestess System.

Luna tilted her head. If only she could take revenge, but that was the last thing the priestess wanted to do. She sought to live in peace rather than keeping the baggage inside her heart. To keep her children by her side is the only thing she prayed for herself. 

Luna dove to reach the bottom of the Priestess' heart. Below, she could feel all the emotions the priestess has, and one thing she always got rid of right away. She is the one who conceals the sadness formed deep down in the priestess's heart. They are not needed. Luna freezes these feelings within the priestess and crushes them.

'Just be happy…' she mumbles. Another sadness bubble appeared, and she quickly dissolved it before it reached the surface of the Priestess's heart... before she could feel these emotions deep down in her soul.

"Luna…"

"Leave…"

"How heartless…"

"Why don't you just disappear?"

"How could I? When you and I are one? But you denied my existence, Luna. So I will keep reminding you I am here!"

Slowly, Luna's reflection appeared in front of her. The same silver hair as her, but the skin was darker, which made them the opposite of hers…

"I told you to go away."

"What do you mean… don't forget that everyone betrayed us, so you don't need her, but only me! Now could you leave her? Why don't you free yourself? We can live by ourselves! We don't need anyone!"

"Shut up. I don't need you."

"I hate you!"

"I hate you as well. I will keep denying your existence because we are totally different. You will  never understand why I cannot leave her."

"And why!? I would never understand!"

Luna stares at her reflection. How annoying. Expressionless, she faces her reflection. "You always told me how you hated every soul who betrayed us… but you are telling me to betray someone? Leave. I don't need you."

Her reflection shattered into pieces and slowly disappeared in front of her...

"You are foolish. How could I make someone suffer the same way we suffered before? You are me, but you don't understand this… how come?"

Betraying the Priestess is the last thing she would do...

But how long could she suppress her own emotion? This reflection keeps appearing because she has this fear at the bottom of her heart.

* * *

EXTRA SCENE:

"Who are you?"

"My name is Zelenia, a princess from the Moon Kingdom."

"Oh? Then? Are you lost, dear?"

"I am not! I am here to make you mine!"

Luna laughs. But she could see the fire within her and her eyes burning with determination.

"Let's see… if you want me, then keep up with me!" Luna sat up from her throne.

When was the last time someone dared to challenge the Queen of Blue Phoenix Clan? That was like five thousand years ago. Being the queen, she maintains their status as untamable among the Phoenixes. Being the Blue Fire, they live up to their name.

Luna vanishes. Zelenia widens her senses and follows the blue light. It surprised the Queen when she appeared before her.

"You!" She was able to follow her in an instant. It seems she has found a great master to train her well.

Luna flew away, and Zelenia tried to keep up. She leaped, moving from tree to tree. She waited patiently before she commenced an attack on the Blue Phoenix Queen. Zelenia smirks when the Queen flies above a lake.

"I summoned thee!" Zelenia opens a magic circle above the water. The queen was caught in the middle.

"You dare to catch me this way!?" Luna yells and transforms into a giant Phoenix. She flaps her wings, and it creates big waves on the lake. However…

"Blue icicles!" The lake water becomes giant sword ice, pointing at the queen.

"You can forge your energy into frost? But you are born fire!"

"I do. The reason you are mine." Zelenia's black hair turns into silverish-purple, the same as the queen's.

'This girl!' it shocks her when Zelenia only retracts her power. She is consuming her energy! Gradually, she goes back to her human body form. Standing inside the magic circle, her fire keeps flowing toward the girl.

Later, a symbol appeared on Zelena's forehead. A crescent moon with a wing-like fire on each side.

'That symbol!' The symbol of her master she dreamed of ten thousand years ago. The one she had waited for so long already.

"Luna! I will become the most awesome priestess in the entire Celestial Universe! Now, can you be my Familiar?"

"Why did you choose me when you could choose the red Phoenix instead?" she asked Zelenia. She wants to hear something from her she will agree with…

"You are right! But, with you and I together, it will be more awesome to conquer the Priestess System!"

"What? Did you really want to apply to be a Priestess? You know you cannot marry or fall in love with someone."

"Then I will fall in love with everyone!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I am going to love everyone! Bless everyone! Look after everyone! I will become the kind of priestess no one has ever been!"

Luna chuckles. Was she talking to herself from a long time ago? "I will become the strongest Phoenix in the entire Universe! I will become the queen one day, and I will be great, and I will watch over everyone!"

* * *

'Luna?'

She was woken up from deep thought, recalling the past.

'What is it, Priestess?'

'I can feel negative energy roaming the forest….'

'I'm on it, Priestess.' Luna came out from behind her body. Quickly, she releases her crescent moon blade, and she follows behind, flying toward the forest. Now that they have taken down the magic barrier, they possibly attracted the Dark Elves who are now lingering around them.

* * *

Proofer/Editor: DJM

Shout out to the man! (kisses!)