~~ 5 years later ~~

Saki exhaled a bit as she dropped another stack of dusty books off her desk and onto the floor. "I'm starting to run out of books," she released another hopeless sigh. "You'd think I'd be able to help you as the best mage in the country." She laid her head on the desk, her pink hood with white flower patterning obscuring her face.

I raised my head and looked at her. "Saki, you have looked through more magic books than I thought still existed. I don't think there is an answer."

"There has to be an answer. If we can find how he got dark magic, we can find a way to stop you from disappearing!" She fingered the spines of the few remaining tomes, eyes focused on the dust-covered titles.

With Magastron's funding, the old monster base had undergone extensive renovations into a functioning magic school. Saki and I were both employees of the crown, teaching Stellans magic.

Saki used much of her paycheck buying spell books when she could find them, all to find a way to help me. Most of my salary went to her too, not that I could teach much as my magic faded more every day. I was honored by her willingness and generosity, but I forced her to spend money on things for herself too. Such as a new cloak to replace the military-colored one given to her by Mrs. Hannah, or supplies and trinkets for anything fun she wanted to try. However, she spent almost all of her time searching through all the books she could find, both from the dark mages's collection and new finds and purchases from the outside world.

Some Dees, seemingly summoned by the sound of the books hitting the floor, came around the corner and gave Saki a gentle questioning look. Now that I had spent more time around them, I was starting to see their differences. Their colors ranged from a pinkish to a brownish orange, and they all had a large lighter-colored spot covering their face. The individual dees had different spot shapes, from mask markings to hearts and circles. The school's students gave some dees nicknames based on markings or accessories they liked, like hats or bandanas.

Saki smiled to the inquisitive creatures. "Yes, you can sort these into the library, I've looked through these; thank you for your help. Please put the one with the black bookmark in the locked collection."

Each of the dees gleefully took a few books and carried them off. Though silent, they somehow projected a sense of their thoughts. Saki had tried to tell them they could leave, but they chose to stay, though they now lived on huts on the island's surface.

Somehow, the dees did all the work themselves and continued to work as custodians and assistants. I still failed to understand how they enjoyed cleaning so much. I could barely wrap my head around how I could understand them.

Their magic was also confusing. All the dees had an identical magic signature and could build things in a day. Or, they could seemingly summon food from nowhere. And though silent, you could always tell what they were saying by looking at them.

I slowly stood, every fiber of my being aching. The pain worsened with each passing day as my dark magic stores dwindled. I tested my right paw, relieved it could bear my weight. The past few days it had hurt so much that I limped. Healing spells only hurt more, and my natural healing was painfully slow.

The dark spells from the books didn't generate any of the dark magic I needed. Saki tried it once. After she snuck behind my back to try one, I kept a much closer eye on her.

I wished I could help in her search, but my bulky paws were too clumsy for the delicate aged paper. I could help move books, though Saki mostly wanted me to rest. At least Helios occasionally tried to help, but he was still a military general. He had responsibilities, like hunting down the still-evil monsters or dealing with everyday crime.

Though our relationship was a bit strained, it was better than it used to be. He occasionally brought us more books to look through or to use to teach. Occasionally, he taught guest classes himself. They were mostly self-defense, but Saki thought it was nice that he tried to be involved in my passions.

The young mage raised her head and looked at the few remaining books in her stacks. After a glance at the clock, she picked up a tattered leather-bound book from the smaller stack. "I have time to look through this small one before class."

"Don't strain too much." I frowned.

"I won't." Saki waved my concern off.

Admittedly, I dozed off to the gentle sounds of my Stellan companion flipping the ancient pages with soft rustling noises.

"THIS IS IT!!" Saki's scream caused me to jolt to my feet, adrenaline rushing through me as I instinctively summoned my armor.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scream." She hastily apologized. Her eyes brightly sparkled as she looked at me, a massive grin on her face. "Do you think you have enough strength to fly to the mountain south of Balans?" Her voice sounded concerned, but her face was wild with joyous excitement.

"Balans?" I calmed my heart rate and absorbed my armor as I recognized the place. "Wasn't there that strange stone structure there?"

"Yeah, apparently, that ruin holds some sort of ancient pool of magic! If these notes are correct, then this is where the dark mage got his magic! And you can get more!" Saki's eyes glittered like stars.

"You think that's where he got his?" Despite all the searching, my old master's name remained lost to time. When Saki jubilantly nodded at my question, I released a soft chuckle. "We can make it, though I'm not as fast as I used to be." My soul craved dark magic at the mere mention of it. I hadn't tasted its staticky flavor in so long, and my stores were low. The thought of getting more was the only thing driving me forward now.

Saki cheered loudly as she tucked the book into her cape. She rushed to the wall grabbed my harness from its hook, then eagerly slipped it over my head and under my bandana.

"What about your classes?" I blinked in surprise as the female Stellan secured the rest of my flying harness. "And, shouldn't we tell someone where we're going? Maybe send a report to Helios?"

"Oh, right!" She gasped, then quickly ran to the door. She stuck her head through the doorway. After looking both ways down the hall she called down the carpeted corridor. "Bandy!" I immediately knew which dee she was talking about, a dark orange dee with markings like a bandit mask. "Can you post that I'm canceling all my classes for the rest of the day?" She paused, then smiled brightly, "Thanks, Bandy!" She withdrew her head and rushed to my side. "Let's go!"

I chuckled as I followed the excited Stellan down the hall and outside. The cool ocean breeze greeted us as the doors opened. We replaced the old automatic doors with traditional swinging ones by the dees. Now, anyone could enter and exit as they desired.

The dees had also landscaped much of the island, planting more trees to replace the ones destroyed or damaged by the monsters. Some of the young trees were finally starting to bear fruit. Admittedly, I barely recognized the island from my youth. Though some trees and rocks remained permanently scarred, many of the plants had grown thicker than I ever saw when I served under the dark mage.

Saki eagerly jumped onto my back and hooked herself into my harness. "Let's go!" She eagerly cheered and pointed west.

I chuckled softly and managed a trot towards the beach. I tried to hide my limp as best I could, but I suspected Saki already knew and was concerned about me. Once I cleared the treeline, I spread my sore wings and leaped into the warm ocean breeze. Sand spewed everywhere in a cloud under my downstrokes as I gained altitude.

I glided towards the mainland on the westward winds, enjoying the warm sun on my back.

We flew for several hours, and I refused to take a break, even when my wings screamed in pain. When Saki suggested we land, I stubbornly refused. For much of the journey, she continued to tell me about what she discovered in the old journal. Admittedly, it was hard to hear her over the wind, my breathing, and the pain, but I did my best.

She spoke of a lake of dark magic under the mountain, and the sealed ruins buried in its side that were otherwise completely unknown to Stellans. Part of her ramblings were about what other ruins could be potentially hiding in the land and who built them. New Stellonia was devoid of sentient life before the Stellans arrived, but there had been people on the land at some point.

I suspected the dees. They were good builders, and they seemed to be able to materialize supplies, from building materials to food. They opened closets and cupboards you could have sworn were empty and had cleaning supplies and food when they opened them. Strangely, everything also seemed to be in perfect amounts, as if they only summoned the exact amount they needed.

My hypothesis could also explain why the dees refused to go to the mainland. However, it didn't fully explain how or why the empty landscape came to be.

Saki liked my theory, but she didn't know if it was correct or not. Perhaps we will never know.

Eventually, I landed at the base of the forest-covered mountain. Despite my efforts to keep my heart rate and breathing calm, my heart pounded in my chest and each exhale was a ragged plea for water.

Once Saki unhooked herself and hopped to the ground, I eagerly lapped water from a nearby stream. The cool water stung my mouth, but I continued to drink until I felt refreshed.

Saki gave me a concerned look. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine," I promised. "I can still fly us back too when we're done." Though my voice rang with confidence, I was not super confident my sore wings could duplicate the journey to get home. However, I refused to let Saki worry about me, though the dwindling dark magic inside of me made me worry. "Let's find the entrance to this place. I don't remember seeing one last time."

"The notes mentioned a hole that he fell through above an exposed section of wall." Saki looked up at the wall of trees, sunlight dancing through trees like glimmering stars.

"Let's go to that wall we know of and check there, then see if we can find any more like it." I started towards the trees.

I breathed in the cool, shaded air as we hiked up the mountain. Birds occasionally cried out alarm calls from their high perches, though distant birds filled the air with songs. A breeze whispered in my ears with the sounds of rustling leaves as our footsteps marked the beat of nature's music.

Soon, we reached the partially covered stone cliff jutting out from the side of the wall. Now that I looked closer, I saw the structure was not a solid piece of stone. The surface looked like large, irregular rocks stacked perfectly together, with the roots of an ancient tree perfectly lining the grooves and cracks.

"Does this wall go all the way around the mountain?" I hummed.

"I have no idea," Saki admitted as she clambered up the roots to the top of the wall. While I eyed the wall, she surveyed the space atop the wall.

After a pause, Saki kneeled and started pulling up the bare stones atop the wall around a root. Once she had a few removed, the young Stellan ginned a bit. "I think I found a way in!" She hastily worked a few more stones free from their mortar, then slid down the tree roots through the narrow hole.

"Saki?" I worriedly clamored atop the wall, then stuck my head into the hole. The small opening barely fit Saki'sslender form, but was impassable to my broad shoulders.

"I'll see if I can find another way in!" Saki called up to me as she summoned a sphere of light. "Stay there!" She sprinted into the darkness deeper into the tall hill."

"Wait!" I called after the fading light but to no avail. With a sigh, I summoned a light spell and glanced around the room. A stone slab sat almost directly under the hole, half consumed by massive tree roots that pierced through the ceiling.

The white stone rang with faded echoes of powerful ancient magic. Admittedly, it gave me an uneasy feeling. I withdrew my head and stepped away from the opening until the sensation faded.

I could remain still and paced until my limbs screamed and wobbled with every step. I need to lay down. My heart raced and I looked around with strained senses, hoping Saki would return soon.

However, my rest did not last long. I jumped to my feet as the ground faintly rumbled. "Saki!!!!" I frantically called, whipping my head in all directions as leaves fell from the trees. Thankfully, the vibrations only lasted a few moments.

"Hoshi!" Saki's voice rang through the trees.

I immediately sprinted toward the source of the voice, my ragged breath filling my ears. Though my muscles screamed, I refused to slow or stop until I reached Saki. "Are you ok? Are you hurt?" I barely refrained from tripping as I stopped in front of my Stellan companion.

"I'm fine, come this way, I found it!" she eagerly led me through the magically dug tunnel covering a set of ancient stone doors. Her light spell floated between her ears and filled the space with light. There was also a faint light at the end, but it was hard to distinguish from Saki's light.

Though she didn't have to duck, I had to keep my head low to fit into the tunnel. Whoever built this was not as tall as me, I glanced ahead at Saki, whose ears narrowly missed scraping the ceiling as she passed, or Stellans.

As we continued deeper, the feeling of faded powerful magic returned. To distract myself, I gazed at the carvings on the stone walls of the underground structure. Both walls were nearly identical, except for a few symbols. Both sides of the mirrored reliefs showed short round beings with bowls held above their heads. Those carvings look like dees... In the next images, they dipped the containers into a pool, then then drank the contents. The final image was the spherical creature standing before a draconic creature with lines emerging from its form as if glowing or radiating power.

I wished I could read the markings accompanying the reliefs.

"Here, I think the black liquid is the dark magic you need!" Saki eagerly grinned and pulled my attention to the main room.

The ceiling was thankfully high enough I could stand straight The gentle sound of bubbling water filled my ears as it bounced off the walls and ceiling of the enclosed space.

A perfectly circular pool filled the center of the room. However, the liquid was not clear water, but some kind of black and white liquid. Two springs in the back of the room supplied the reservoir through a narrow groove in the floor. Black magic water filled the left, and white liquid filled the right. They met in a clean line perfectly centered in the pool. Though they touched, the liquids did not mix. Two draconic statues, one of dark basalt, the other of pale marble, stood between the springs, guarding them and watching over the pool. Strangely, the stone carvings showed no signs of weathering.

My senses were filled with magical energy, both lingering in the air and actively radiating from the liquid. My fur stood on end.

Saki pulled the ancient journal from her cloak. "He wrote that he dove into the black liquid and emerged with powers he couldn't imagine, The Stellan paraphrased as she read the faded writing. She looked up at me with a wide grin on her face. "So you need to do the same! And you'll never run out of dark magic!" She stepped aside so I could approach the strange pool.

I slowly approached the pool. Both halves were easily large enough for me to fully submerge myself, as long as it was deep enough.

I gazed into the pond's smooth surface, but neither side offered a reflection. The left liquid was black as the comforting night. The energy was as welcoming as the dark skies that held countless stars that Stellan magic came from. My magic senses tingled at the draw of its power.

The white side glowed white like guiding stars and the warm sun, the same day that brought light but burned away the darkness of night. The dark energy within me cowered in its light.

They both resonated with ancient magic I struggled to understand. My instincts urged me to turn away, like I was somewhere I shouldn't be. It even overwhelmed my desire to consume the dark magic within the left half of the mystical pool.

What if I become like him? My eyes briefly glazed with my thoughts. With a jolt, I snapped back to reality when I noticed the tar-like liquid offered an image of myself. However, instead of my golden fur, the fleeting image showed a dark shape with red eyes where my reflection would be. I'm losing my mind. I looked at the water, but the surface remained blank.

"Hoshi?" Saki gave me a worried glance.

"I'm just thinking, I thought I saw something for a second," I looked back to my Stellan companion with a reassuring smile. When she returned my soft smile, I refocused on my nonexistent reflection.

If the black side turned the master into an evil mage, what would the light side do? My thoughts wavered as I gazed upon the glowing liquid. The dark half of the pool called to me as if I was a moth and it was light. Would I gain power like he did? Or would I die, purged of my dark magic? Was the dark mage evil before or after his dip into the water?

I glanced between the two sides. I... I don't want to be like him. I looked back at Saki. "Whatever happens, I love you, Saki. You're my family."

Saki squeaked and her face reddened. "You're my family too, Hoshi," her voice squeaked through her bright blush.

I nodded to her, then faced the split-colored pool. After a deep breath, I dove into the white half of the pool.

Immediately, everything burned.