Happily Ever After

Atem brought down his wall wall of thorns and took off his crown. Maleficent's wings disintegrated as soon as they left Stefan's castle. Atem sprinkled the ashes of the wings on Maleficent's grave and he invited Persona to see how the Moors had been once, long ago, when he and Maleficent were just children and his heart was bright. For now, it was again. Atem passes his crown to Persona, making her Queen of both the human and fairy kingdoms. 

After Persona's coronation, she went to the abandoned castle to meet with Atem alone. It was filled with white roses and it was laminated by the warm sunlight.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't save your father." Atem says, lowering his head with a solemn expression. 

Persona hugs him from behind. 

"I know that you had no intention of taking his life. I know that you chose not to harm him any further." Persona sighed. "I just wish that I could talk to him and ask why he chose the crown over the lives of his friends."

"As do I," Atem said as he turns around. "But it's quite obvious that his reasons are selfish."

Persona was upset about the death of her father, but she knew that his death wasn't Atem's fault. She raised her head to look into the eyes of her lover. They both wished that time would stop for them for just an hour or so. The wind blew before Persona could kiss Atem. The wind made her hair cover her face and the white petals of the roses scattered. She was using her free hand to move her hair away while she still held Atem's hand her other hand. 

When her vision was clear of her hair, she looked down and saw Atem on one knee.

"However, Persona, my reasons for loving you is as clear as day. Your smile, your laugh, how you're so curious about the world around you, how gentle you are, your playfulness, everything about you has captured my heart and cleansed me of the darkness that plagued my heart for so long." Atem raised his hand and used his magic to make a ring out of one of the white roses. "Will you be my light and marry me?"

Persona's eyes welled up with tears of joy. She said yes and kissed Atem passionately after he puts the ring on her finger. Mana watches her master and new mistress's romantic moment with a smile. 

And so, the story ends with the new happiness for the character that was neither a hero nor a villain, but an extraordinary person known as Atem.

The End