As expected, I soon became frozen in pain, unable to do anything but watch as what felt like the entire world burned before me. Everything burned as I hovered above, safe from the fire. The world I fought for died under my watch.

Smoke consumed the sky; neither the light of the moon nor the stars breached the dark plume. Only the flickering red glow of the fires illuminated the scene far below me.

Despite the distance, I saw destruction everywhere around me in perfect detail as if I was standing amongst the chaos. Several Stellans uselessly ran around with buckets, but their efforts to control the flames were ineffective.

I wanted to scream for them to use their magic, but I didn't bother trying. I knew resistance was futile; none of this was real. After years of torture from sleep-induced illusions, I knew I could only passively observe. Resisting only brought me more pain and less dark magic.

I mentally growled at the unnecessary destruction that Master forced me to watch. I didn't see Saki anywhere and guessed she was probably dead somewhere in the nightmare. Often, my dreams forced me to kill her with my paws. Those were my least favorite.

The more he tormented me, the more I knew my choice to resist him was the right one. Despite the difficulties of my new lifestyle, I did not want to go back to the fortress.

As it continued, I noticed the dream was less intense than usual, thankfully, though I still did not know why. Perhaps I had become mostly immune to the sight of ruined villages and the deaths of Stellans.

I will not remember this dream anyway.

I watched as I flew down to a town I didn't recognize and land in the middle of a street. Buildings and the remains of structures burned around me. Other than myself, I did not see any other living being.

An overturned truck blocked my path as I trotted down the street. With a huff, I blasted it into tiny bits of flaming shrapnel that rained down onto the bodies that laid strewn about the path.

A cough caught dream me's attention. I unresistingly observed as I approached the body as it slowly groaned and moved in pain.

Saki laid before me, bloodied and barely alive. My chest rumbled with a growl as my eyes contorted into a glare.

Despite how real it felt, I knew it was fake, all a dream.

Just a dream.

"Hoshi?" Saki coughed and reached a trembling hand towards me.

I'm not sure what I would do if this ever became real.

Just as I watched myself pull out my claws and prepare to finish the Stellan girl, the entire dream rippled and tore violently.

Stars shine... ...on you...

What's happening? The pain that encompasses my being faltered and diminished as the gentle feminine voice continued to sing. More rips in my dreamscape appeared and continued to spread in all directions. Though mostly incoherent warbles, I picked out a few words.

...child...

The world swirled as the scene that once encompassed my dreamscape violently tore and. Soon, the last shred of my original dream peeled away.

The voice increased in volume, but the strained-sounding singing cut out randomly. I looked around the psychedelic expanse of blue and white space. Why does that voice sound... familiar?

As the song continued, my dream space transitioned from a realm of chaos to a starry blue expanse. My wings flared open as the ground suddenly vanished from beneath my feet. I flapped my wings a few times uselessly; there was no air for my wingbeats to grab. Strangely, I never fell into the floorless space beneath my feet.

"Who are you?! What are you?!" I called as my head whipped from side to side, but the musical notes continued to echo around the empty expanse. I instinctively flared my wings open, "what do you want?"

The strained song continued.

...wake...

I woke with a jolt and quickly shook off the remnants of soreness in my limbs. My wings brushed against the closed doors and the opposite wall. After I stretched, I glanced up and blinked until my vision cleared. Gentle orange light beamed into the room from the ventilation shafts.

My stomach gurgled, so I reached under my scarf and brought out an apple. When it had disappeared, I glanced back up to the slowly brightening light as it beamed through the mesh-covered vents.

I might as well go back to sleep; who knows when Saki will return? With a yawn, I resettled and closed my eyes.

WHAM!

My eyes snapped open as the door rattled as the latch swung closed.

What?

For a moment, I remained in place. My heart pounded wildly; each shallow exhale filled my ears with sound. I mindlessly tensed, my claws extended, and tore into the burlap beneath me.

Maybe Saki brought me food? I glanced around, but there wasn't any nearby food as far as I could see or smell.

I froze. Then... what...? Huh...? My mind reeled. 

Eventually, I burst to my paws and frantically fumbled the latch. When I finally managed to open the door, the bright light of the day flooded my vision. I heard the door bump into the wall at the opposite side of its arch, but I couldn't see through the tears from the glare. Once my eyes adjusted, I gazed out to the calm fields directly in front of the shed entrance.

The corn waved in the field directly across from me. I glanced in both directions but only saw more empty roads and seas of grains.

My mind swirled. Was that real?

I opened my magical senses, but I could not sense whoever had opened the door.

Did I imagine that? What do I do?

In the distance, the dark greens and browns stood like a fortress.

There. I can hide there.

I glanced at the bustling town and farms, then frantically raced into the nearest field. As I traveled, the leaves of the corn stalks brushed my nose. My eyes watered; my nose itched.

"SHHHHK!" Snot splattered onto the ground in front of me as I stumbled through part of a row of corn. I quickly recovered from the sneeze, frantically continued to race towards the forest. If I can get there...

I further increased my pace as I sensed Stellans approach from above.

Not much farther!

"IEAAHHG!" I roared as pain suddenly sliced through my wing-shoulder. I stumbled through a few more corn stalks. With a heavy exhale, I ignored the pain and continued to run.

However, a Stellan dropped down a few paces in front of me with a sword pointed at my nose. Their outstretched wings tensed as I skid to a stop just in time to avoid a weapon in my chest, but let out a pained roar as something slammed into the side of my neck.

I bit my tongue as something forcibly pinched my muzzle shut. Hey! With a growl, I shook off the second attacher from my back and glared at them as I summoned a minimal version of my magical armor. Thankfully, whatever kept my muzzle closed did not interfere with my protection. Though, I wish it would have formed under instead of over the strap.

The metallic scent of blood filled my mouth as I whipped my head around to glare at my opponents. Thankfully, the two stayed at a safe distance, but I heard a few more Stellans approach as reinforcement. I am running out of time. I don't want to hurt them, but I have to at this point.

I swiped my tail at the sword-wielder, then jumped into the second attacker while the former dodged. I kept my claws withdrawn as my paws connected with his shoulders. He screamed in pain, but I could not afford to focus on that presently.

If I can get to the woods, I can get away. I spread my wings and prepared to take flight. Suddenly, I tripped and crashed through several layers of corn as a net tangled itself in my paws and wings.

"We got it!" A young-sounding voice cheered as a pair of heavy boots suddenly landed in front of my face.

"Now, to kill it," A masculine voice dripping in anger reached my ears. Despite my thoroughly tangled position, I managed to look up to the hard-faced Stellan as he loomed over me. With his cape's gold-feathered wings spread wide, the man raised his silver sword.

Two pairs of gold eyes stared at each other.

"Wait!" Saki's high-pitched voice pierced the air, "don't hurt him!" She slipped a bit as she came to a stop between us. "Don't—huff—hurt—huff—him—please..."

"Arrest her," he ordered the six other men in a snort-like tone.

"Hey!" Saki screamed as one of the uniformed Stellans snatched her by her arms, then forcibly held her with her wrists behind his back. Though she squirmed violently, the army men effortlessly contained her.

With a growl, I squirmed and pawed at my face. Though I scratched myself a few times, I managed to cut the belt around my muzzle. "I'll go willingly; if you don't hurt her!" I screamed.

Silence.

"I'll go willingly into a cage and do whatever you want me as long as you don't hurt her." I waited for an answer.

"No! Hoshi!" Saki uselessly squirmed against her restraint.

"General Helios?" One of the troops spoke to the golden-eyed man as the others stared at him.

"Why shouldn't I kill you now?" The Stellan garbed in a white uniform with silver patterning spoke in a deep voice. While he waited for my answer, his gold eyes glared down at me.

"Don't do it!" Saki screamed and lurched foreword, but she could not escape her captor's grip.

I hesitated. "I will answer any questions to the best of my ability," I promised with a bow of my head, "and I will obey whatever commands you give me."

"You do anything," the man glared at me and held his sword so close to my throat that it touched my armor, "and you are dead."

I nodded and reabsorbed the magic that surrounded me.

The general withdrew his wings into his star-hemmed cape and sheathed his sword in one fluid motion. He kept his eyes locked on me as he took off his belt. I allowed him to slip the leather loop without a complaint. I flinched as he tightened the collar but didn't react otherwise.

General Helios removed the net, not caring where it snagged my paws and wings, "stand." When I obeyed, he threw the net over my back, then used it to restrain me. "Let's go," he grabbed the belt's tail end that dangled from my muzzle, then lead me like a horse.

I glanced at Saki as I silently complied with the order.