Marceline woke up at the feel of a soft hand brushing her face. She forced her eyes open only to be greeted by a beautiful woman with silver hair. She looked like a fairy with her white dress and sparkling aura.
Marceline sat up straight, amused by the person in front of her. The beautiful woman smiled at her tenderly. If she could estimate her age, she just looked like in her early twenties. She was so young in appearance.
"Who are you?" She asked the mysterious woman. She could tell that she was not an ordinary human, not a werewolf nor a vampire. Her scent was very different from other creatures but it soothed her heart. Her scent has a calming effect on Marceline.
"I'm your mother, Stella…" the woman mumbled, making Marceline confused. She was too young to become a mother? Eh, how about Serena Silvano? She's her mother, right? She was also surprised that this woman called her Stella.
"If you are my mother… then who is Serena Silvano in my life? What is my connection to Dominique and Dylan?" Marceline questioned her.
The beautiful maiden let out a soft giggle before she sat on the edge of her bed.
"I mean, I am the mother of all creatures… the Moon Goddess."
Marceline's eyes widened in disbelief and her jaw dropped in astonishment. She heard the story about the Moon Goddess. She thought the Moon Goddess had disappeared. What was she doing there… in Aunt Brianna's house?
"Are you telling the truth? Are you… the real Moon Goddess?" Marceline asked her again to confirm.
The fairly maiden just bobbed her head as a response, the smile not leaving her face. Then she grabbed Marceline, pulling her into a warm hug.
Marceline just froze in her spot, not knowing what to do. But for some unknown reason, the Moon Goddess' warm embrace gave her a sense of comfort as if she was telling her everything is going to be fine!
"W-What are you doing here? They thought you disappeared," Marceline asked the Moon Goddess when she broke the hug.
The Moon Goddess giggled once more. "I already hid from them, but my sons and daughters continued to fight with each other. I could no longer watch them shed more blood. So here I am… I returned to put an end to this war."
Marceline's eyes brightened up when she heard that.
"Now, I can see you smile now… I heard you cry… and I thought you were going to create a flood with your unending tears." The Moon Goddess said jokingly, teasing Marceline to lighten the mood.
Marceline smiled when she heard that. She thanked her for cheering her up. Before, whenever she was sad, Aunt Brianna would always appear to comfort her. But now, she's gone. But the Moon Goddess appeared to console her.
"The truth is… I never disappeared… I just continued watching them… secretly," Moon Goddess mumbled. There was sadness in her eyes but she concealed it right away. "Even you… I've been watching you," she added.
"Moon Goddess… if you have been watching me… maybe you have answers to my questions?" Marceline looked at her expectantly.
The Moon Goddess stroked her hair and responded, "Yes… I know you want answers. That's why I came here. I can let you cry a million tears. Your Aunt Brianna will not like it."
"You know her?" Marceline asked the Moon Goddess, surprised.
"Yes… I know her well. I sent her to guide you and watch over you until you become ready… ready for the important mission I will give you. But of course, before giving you that mission, I have the responsibility to answer your questions. Where do I begin?"
"How did I end up… to Zhou Family? Who took me away from Kingdom Phantasia? What happened to my parents' real child?" Marceline bombarded the Moon Goddess with questions.
The Moon Goddess smiled at her and recollected what happened in the past.
"Your Aunt Brianna… She's the one who took you away from the Silvano Family. It's my idea to take you from them… as it meant to happen."
Marceline couldn't believe it. "But why? Why did you do that?"
"I made a promise to someone… and this is part of Dominique's and Serena's punishment." The Moon Goddess said to her meaningfully.
"Mr. and Mrs. Zhou lost their daughter that night. The real Marceline died because of complications during her birth." She paused for a moment and stood up, glancing at the window.
"They were devastated at that time… To lessen their sorrow, I asked them to take care of you and treat you like their own daughter. Your presence helped them move on."
Marceline's tears began to fall again. Her heart ached for her foster parents. She felt sorry for them but at the same time, feeling thankful.
"Among the gatekeepers, the Zhou Family was the only gatekeeper who remained neutral. They didn't side with vampires nor werewolves. So it's the best choice to have them raise you."
"But I underestimated the werewolf's greed. They died protecting you and the vampires. I'm sorry… I failed to protect them. So don't blame yourself, Stella. It's not your fault that they died. It was my fault." Moon Goddess went back to her, holding her hands to comfort her.
Marceline could only nod her head as she continued to shed tears.
"All this time… I always blamed myself… for their death. I hate myself. And I hate the fact that I'm a werewolf… my kind killed the innocent ones. How would I accept my true nature?"
The Moon Goddess shook her head. "Don't say that Stella… Don't hate them. Don't hate yourself. Not all werewolves are bad. Have you met your twin brother, Dylan? What do you think about him?"
Marceline fell silent. The Moon Goddess was right. Not all werewolves are bad, including her brother.
"Then how about my parents? Dominique and Serena? Are they bad or good?" Marceline asked her.
At this moment, the Moon Goddess was not able to answer her right away.
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