A large metal door looked at the top of a moderate stairwell. Despite its simplicity, a powerful presence loomed from the other side of the door.

"Let's go," Courage stormed up the stairs, oblivious to the overwhelming energy leaking through the hinged barrier.

I glanced at Saki's concerned countenance before I followed the head general. This is it. My fur stood on end as I climbed the stairs to enter a room I had not seen in years. Admittedly, I'm not sure if I'm ready for this battle.

Helios and Saki closely followed the head general, though they both seemed partially intimidated by the raw power on the other side of the door.

Courage forced the heavy door open, revealing a void of darkness behind it. She thoughtlessly entered, Helios's golden magic blade the only light in the dimly lit space.

When I entered, my armor illuminated little around me, but I could feel Master's presence in the room. The large black and white tiles checkering the floors offered little to help locate the looming presence that threatened to overwhelm my senses.

"This is the force sent to defeat me?" A deep voice released an echoing laugh. "A child, a traitor, and only two trained fighters? One of which cannot use magic!" He laughed again as I searched the room with my senses, but Master's magic wholly filled the room. His voice echoed through the room, each word seeming to come from a different direction. "The traitor I expected, but a child and a starless?" His dark laugh reverberated through the space.

Saki formed a ball of light magic in her hands and held it up, but the illumination minimally helped in the potentially magic darkness. Shadows danced in the light, despite the steady source in Saki's hand. However, our opponent refused to show himself.

Courage and Helios remained at the ready, shoulder to shoulder with magic blades poised to strike.  

I growled, trying to see the evil magician in the void-like room.

A dark tendril suddenly pierced Saki's light, shattering the sphere into sparkles over her head.

"Now I see what happened." Master's voice came from ever-moving directions as if probing our very being. "The girl has a mind control gift, doesn't she?"

"No, it's not that!" Saki's voice cracked as she screamed into the void.

I froze as I felt a dense bolt of magic pierce my armor as if it were nothing. For a few moments, I remained statue still.

"You didn't fail, Hoshiryu." Master's voice slipped into my ears like a siren song. "You just lost your true nature." I felt a bolt of dark magic pierce my armor as if it were paper, much like Nageneral's strong attacks. "There, that should be better." He approached and stood by my side, looming over us. His black horns famed his head like a crown, his cloak pitch black, like the darkness spell that hid him from sight.

Master's link filled my being with its familiar tingle and his energy actively filled my being. After many years, I was connected to him again. "Welcome back, Hoshiryu."

It felt strangely good.

My paws moved on their own as I faced Saki and the generals. My golden armor changed to black as if an ooze has been poured over it.

Wait! No!

I mentally strained against Master's control as my body growled like a starving predator. My claws scraped the floor as my body lowered towards the ground into a pounce.

My legs refused to move. Though his voice came from everywhere, our reinstated connection told me where he was. Magical obscured him from sight, but he stood next to me. He's so close! Face him and pounce! My body refused to listen to my internal struggle.

"H-hoshi?" Saki whimpered as Courage forced the younger Stellan behind her. "Fight it Hoshi!"

"Your pleas fall on deaf ears." Master's ominous chuckle resonated throughout my mind and ears.

I locked eyes with Helios, our typically golden eyes identical shades of furious amber. Internally, I was filled with fear. 

"Helios, was it?" Master laughed darkly. "You and my prize monster have very similar eyes, don't you?" He laughed as Helios cautiously glanced around. "Do you know why Hoshiryu is so different?" When the southern general refused to answer, Master continued. "He was an experiment, a monster made from a Stellan infant."

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Courage blindly slashed the darkness but hit nothing.

"Keep ahold of yourself," Helios muttered between gritted teeth.

The controlled me thought their anger was delicious, but internally, my mind swirled. Was that a lie to rile the Stellans up? Or was it the truth? I knew master's magic could corrupt living beings. I had seen him turn small bugs and mice into large beasts. But a Stellan? Their inner magic should resist his, it felt impossible.

It potentially explains so much! My mind swirled. My magic, why I'm different... this... this is overwhelming to think about.

"Perhaps he was yours once, general." Master laughed at Helios's anger as if it fueled him.

All the times I had seen the general angry were nothing compared to the pure fury flowing through through him. His previously golden eyes turned from amber to a shade of red. His magic bloomed outward, surrounding his body in an anger-filled magical glow. His hands turned white and his sword lengthened.

"Hoshiryu," Master lifted his arm and pointed at the sword-wielding generals. "Kill."

"NO!" Saki screamed, her desperate voice filling the room with its echoes.

My muscles twitched to move. I REFUSE! My mental screams rang endlessly through my head. I will not kill them! My claws extended

I lunged, but not toward Saki and the generals, but at Master.

I lost perception of time for several moments. What happened in a few seconds felt like hours.

Master's black eyes widened in shock as my long claws dug into his chest. The total force behind my lunge caused him to topple, my full weight pinning him to the checkered floor.

He screamed as I clamped my teeth into his shoulder, dangerously close to his neck. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I drained his magic.

"STOP!" Master screamed and struggled against me, his claws digging into any part of my armor that he could grasp. However, nothing he could do could stop me. The humanoid appeared to shrink as I drained the last of his magic. He squirmed, yelling in a mix of anger and pain. His horns dissolved to dust as his strength further waned.

After draining all of his magic, I found his spark. It was different from mine or Saki's corrupted with years of dark deeds and consumed by dark magic.

I had a choice. I could leave him with his spark and allow him to one day regain his power. However, I knew that was the worst option. I couldn't let this man magically harm anyone ever again.

I could take his spark for myself and have a source of dark magic forever, but I didn't know what would happen. I'dnever seen anyone with two sparks. Would his magic corrupt me?

I decided to take the third option. With a small blast of my magic, I completely extinguished Master's spark. His magic would be permanently gone, and I thought the world would be better for it.

Once my opponent fell limp, I released. I furiously glared down at the feeble remains of the man who had once controlled me. I was convinced he was dead, his unmoving form in a growing pool of dark blood. Underneath the tattered dark cloak was a skinny Stellan struggling to live, a pitiful shadow of what once was. He looked much older, his skin wrinkled and greyed as it clung to his bony form.

"Hoshi?" Saki's whimper immediately caught my attention. She jumped as my gaze snapped to her. "Hoshi?" she heavily trembled with wide eyes as she gazed upon my dark-armored form.

I sat and took a deep breath, separating my two magics as I reabsorbed my armor. I resisted the urge to lick my blood-covered paws clean. Staying in control was harder than usual, my newfound sea of dark magic threatening to overwhelm me. It encouraged my darker desires, urging me to kill the two generals who annoyed me so much.

However, I controlled myself. I'm not him. I'm not going to be like him. Saki still needs me, this is for her. I had never held this much power before, but I refused to let it manipulate me again. "I'm ok," I promised as I looked at her. I hoped with my newfound stores of magic, I could continue to say that to her for at least a few years more. However, I knew my time was limited. The dark mage was no longer able to produce more energy for me to steal.

Saki practically melted in relief as her eyes sparkled with tears. She moved to run over, then froze as a wheezing laugh filled the room.

I growled and slowly faced the source of the sound, hackles raised and hair standing on end.

"I... won!" The strained laugh continued. The dark mage's body heaved as he struggled for breath. "Magic has returned!" He laughed between weak gasps for air. "After so many years... I won!" The wheezing noise faintly echoed through the room, even the walls seemed to join in.

Helios suddenly slammed her sword through the laughing skeleton, and what little remained of Master collapsed and dissolved to dust. He gritted his teeth and left the glowing blade impaled in the checkered floorboard. "Let's move out." The southern general stormed towards the exit, his eyes slowly returning to their normal golden amber color from the furious red a few minutes prior.

The wheezing laugh continued to swarm through the room, endlessly echoing like a haunting specter.

Saki clung to my neck as I led her towards the glowing doorway, seemingly the only source of light in the dim room.

I gently hugged her with a wing as we returned to the hall.

"Sirs!" Quartz stood at attention when we approached. He looked a little worse for wear, with gashes in his armor and cape and a bloody scratch on his cheek. Umbra and Ilus stood at attention as well

"At ease," Courage firmly stated, "officer, report."

"Many of the monsters disappeared suddenly moments ago,"  Quartz spoke. "A few remained, but they were swiftly dispatched."

Courage nodded with approval. "Good," she looked at Shinestar. "Soldier, can you walk?"

" I can try," Sergeant Shinestar slowly spoke, wincing as he moved.

"I'll carry him," I volunteered.

"Get him on the monster's back," Helios ordered, then froze as a small door in the wall opened. He summoned his sword as a small round creature stepped out.

"Wait!" I called, but I failed to stop the southern general from swinging his magic blade down on the orange creature.

The dee jumped as the blade cleaved him, then stepped out of the blade like a ghost. The small creature trembled, fearful.

I felt visibly relieved that they were immune to both dark and light magic.  "They're dees, immune to magic," I huffed as I glanced at Helios's shocked face. "They were enslaved to care for the monsters," I slowly lowered my head as I approached. "I'm sorry about him, but do you remember me?"

The dee stared at me with their deep brown eyes, then cheered up and gently patted my head.

I smiled a bit. "The dark necromancer is dead, all of you are free. But could you show us the fastest way to the outside?" I motioned to Shinestar, "We need to get our comrade out."

The dee's eyes sparkled as they closed the door, the opening perfectly disappearing.

Once Shinestar was loaded onto my back, the dee motioned for us to follow them down the hall. He turned left, opposite from where we came, then down a dimly lit metal hall. After a few moments, the dee opened a standard-sized door that swung on hinges, unlike the large automatic double doors we initially entered through.

"Thank you," I nodded to the dee as my squadron stepped into the warm daylight.

Hints of smoke and magic filled the ocean breeze. The jubilant cries of Stellans filled the air, and I couldn't sense any monsters in the area.

Courage took the lead, storming towards the landing site.

I reluctantly followed as the nurse teams set up on the beach. As I gently passed Shinestar to Nurse Moonflower and her team, I overheard Courage and Cometa talking.

"Report," Courage ordered.

"Most of the monsters vanished in a static plume moments ago, but some persisted especially the larger beasts. The barrier disappeared when the majority of the monsters exploded. We dealt with many of the stragglers, but some escaped, especially if they could fly or swim." Cometa noted. "We have injuries and a few dead, but the operation appears to be successful."

"The dark mage is dead," Courage nodded. "If the monster is right, the remaining monsters will disappear on their own. But we should still hunt them down and eradicate them."

"Agreed, sir." Cometa nodded.

As I suspected, a few monsters remained alive, but their time was limited, like mine. Many of them would probably kill each other to survive.

I smiled a bit, despite myself. New Stellonia is at peace for the first time in a long time. Saki has a safe world to live in. And I'm glad to be here with her, no matter what happens next or how long I have.