The air grew thick with tension, almost heavy enough to cut with a knife. Sonia's skin prickled with a strange shiver, a cold sensation running down her spine. She could feel it , Seraphina's desire to reveal her true form, to show her raw, celestial power. It was an unspoken warning, a sign that something extraordinary was about to happen.
Suddenly, a blinding light erupted. It was so intense that Sonia and Kai instinctively raised their hands to shield their eyes, squinting painfully. The glow was almost unbearable, forcing them to turn away, their faces contorting with discomfort.
"Wait, what is she doing? My eyes, ouch!" Sonia shrieked, her voice trembling as she clenched her eyes shut. The brightness was so overwhelming that her mouth fell open in a silent scream, her throat almost on the verge of being exposed.
Kai, meanwhile, kept his eyes closed but moved deliberately, opening a tiny slit to peek at Seraphina's transformation. His face was a mixture of curiosity and annoyance, knowing full well that whatever was happening was beyond normal comprehension.
"Oh yeah, back to the old me," Seraphina announced with a triumphant tone. As the blinding light faded, her form shimmered and shifted, she was no longer a fairy, no longer the delicate, innocent creature Sonia had known. Instead, she had transformed into a celestial being, radiant, towering, her entire figure glowing with divine energy, her wings spread wide and shimmering like stars.
"You better not go back to that little form," Kai warned sharply, his voice edged with irritation and a hint of menace. His eyes blazed with fury, and his sneer was sharp enough to cut glass. "Because if you do, I will crush you into dust."
Seraphina's grin stretched ear to ear, a stupid, almost mocking smile. Her eyes danced with innocence, but her voice dripped with mockery. "Oh, I'm so scared. Is that what you expected? That I'd shrink back, hide in a corner? Sorry, but I'm not that easy to scare."
Kai's face twisted with disgust. "Damn, I wish you could see your face right now. You look like a hyena, ugly and greedy. Honestly, I'd rather face a real beast than deal with you."
The princess, frozen in place, was utterly taken aback. Her gaze flickered between the glowing, majestic Seraphina and the angry, sneering Kai. Her mouth was agape, her expression a mixture of awe and confusion. She stood there like a statue, her eyes wide, her mind struggling to process what she was witnessing. Seraphina, with her divine radiance, looked like a goddess, yet Kai's fierce glare and sharp words made her seem more like a beast defending its territory.
In her mind, she was lost in thought, but her face betrayed nothing. She simply stared, as if her brain had temporarily shut down, caught somewhere between fascination and uncertainty. She was observing a scene that felt like it belonged to a story, something surreal and almost dreamlike.
The two continued their arguing, voices rising and falling like puppies squabbling over a bone. Until suddenly, Sonia's own voice cut through the chaos.
"This time, I'm telling you," she said, her voice sharp and firm, "you won't come in, over my dead body."
Kai's eyes flashed with anger. "Oh, really? Remember that I'm a celestial being," he shot back. "I can make you dance to my tunes. And last time I got in, you didn't even see me coming. Yet, here you are, protesting like a fool, 'I can't let you in,'" he mimicked, his tone mocking.
Seraphina's grin grew wider. "I can stop you," she said confidently, tilting her head. "You know that, right?"
"Oh, really? Why didn't you stop me last time, then?" Kai challenged, eyes narrowing.
Her expression darkened slightly, a mischievous glint flashing in her eyes. "Because I wasn't that experienced then. That's all. But now...." she paused dramatically, ".....it's different. I've had more practice. I could have gone in, worn your body like a suit, and done whatever I pleased. It's a piece of cake now."
Kai's jaw clenched. "Even if it's a cake or a pie, I don't care. Those things have crusts, and that crust will be hard to break. No means no. End of story."
The princess, watching the exchange, couldn't help but try to diffuse the rising tension. "Guys," she said, raising her voice slightly, "if you were husband and wife, I swear you'd be throwing things at each other by now. You've been arguing forever. If you lived in a house, you'd have already destroyed the furniture or thrown a vase or two."
She hesitated, then added with a teasing tone, "Even the last time, Seraphina, when you were hiding in him, you were busy fighting. Honestly, it's like you're more interested in arguing than anything else."
The two didn't seem to hear her. Their fight was escalating, becoming more heated and personal.
"Princess," Kai said with a falsely innocent look, "you wouldn't understand. But I guess you saw how I was?" He looked at her with wide, innocent eyes, as if pleading for sympathy.
"Yes, I saw," Sonia answered, her voice calm but firm. "And I saw how she wanted to get in again."
"Exactly!" Seraphina chirped, her voice smug. "She wants me to do it again. But this time, I'll be prepared."
The princess turned her gaze to Seraphina, her expression turning serious. "Really, Seraphina? You're going to do it again?"
"No, Princess Sonia," the celestial being replied smoothly. "This time, it won't be like last time. I need to explain it better so you understand."
She paused, a mischievous smile creeping across her face. "Think of a virgin..." she began.
Kai's eyes widened in shock, and he gasped audibly. His expression was a mixture of surprise and disbelief.
The princess's eyes widened as well, her mind racing to process the word. "A virgin?" she echoed, her voice trembling slightly.
Seraphina, noticing their reactions, smirked even more. "Yeah. That's why I'm searching for another way to explain it. To help you understand."
Kai, still stunned, mocked, "How did you even come up with such an idea, Seraphina?"
"Oh, come on," she said, shrugging. "Who told you I was a virgin? Maybe I have two hundred kids, and you'd just never know. How would you react then?"
Her grin stretched even wider, mischievous and knowing. Kai's expression flickered, while lost in thoughts, trying to decide whether to believe her or not.
"Good," Sonia finally said, breaking the silence. "He's quiet now. That means I have a moment to understand what you're trying to say."
"Exactly," Seraphina nodded. "I want to go back into him. I'm here as his guide, but he doesn't believe me. I need to get inside again, to help him, to guide him properly."
The princess looked serious now. "All right. Just explain quickly, I don't want to take forever. I need to introduce him to the staff and show him around."
Seraphina took a breath, then began. "Okay, imagine you dig a hole in the ground, only for yourself. At first, it's tight, very tight. You can't move much, and it's uncomfortable. That's like the first step. Now, if you keep working at it, you can make it wider, more comfortable, more suited to your needs."
Her tone was calm, almost instructive, but her words carried a weight of meaning. Sonia listened carefully, her gaze fixed on the celestial being, trying to understand her strange analogy.
The scene lingered in tense silence, the characters caught in a strange, complex web of emotions, words, and intentions, each trying to find their place in this surreal moment.