As the truth of the Moonlight Fae and the curse unraveled, Broken felt the weight of their suffering deepen.
Elaine, who had once shared a friendship with a human, now bore the burden of that bond gone terribly wrong. Her disappointment in her former friend had led to centuries of suffering for her tribe.
“I wasn’t the only one who turned into an Eternal Flame Faebeast,” Elaine continued. “Since I became the new Tribe Leader, replacing my father, every time the full moon rises, I transform into the Eternal Flame… and one of the faeries from the Moonlight Fae does as well.”
Broken tried to absorb this shocking information. “So… once a month, during the full moon, you and one other faery from your tribe turn into Fae Beasts?”
“Yes,” Elaine confirmed.
Then she added, “The worst part is, while I return to my normal form once the full moon passes, the other faeries who transform do not. They remain trapped in their Eternal Flame form… forever.”
Broken’s eyes widened, realizing the gravity of the curse.
“They lose their consciousness,” Elaine continued, her voice cracking, “and act like beasts, attacking anyone near them. They are no longer themselves.”
She lowered her head slowly, her sorrow palpable.
Broken took a deep breath, still trying to process everything Elaine had shared. The truth was overwhelming and deeply painful.
If every month a faery was transformed into a mindless beast, that meant their numbers would continue to dwindle. The Moonlight Fae were essentially fading away, one by one, until eventually only Elaine would remain.
And then… the Moonlight Fae would be no more.
The curse was slowly consuming them, and Broken couldn’t help but wonder-how much longer could they survive if this curse wasn’t lifted? They were living under a slow but inevitable death sentence.
Elaine continued. “The Moon Goddess… She brought our tribe here, blessing us with the Moonlight Land to protect us. She created this space to contain us, to prevent the Eternal Flames from wandering beyond and harming others.”
She nodded slightly, her expression calm. “Yes, this place is a prison for us, Mr. Broken.” Elaine turned to him, her gaze steady. Though her face remained composed, a single tear glistened in her right eye, betraying the immense burden she carried.
As Broken absorbed Elaine’s story, a sense of connection began to stir within him. His thoughts turned to the Moon Goddess and the mysterious implications surrounding her.
The more he thought about it, the more he began to wonder if the Unseen Universe Necklace blueprint he had got was tied to her as well. After all, the necklace required Moonstones, which were clearly connected to the Moon Goddess, and also the Eternal Flame Eye, which came from the Moonlight Fae.
Was it intentional? he thought. Did the Moon Goddess create this path, sending whoever holds the blueprint to this very place?
What if the person who came here wasn’t the one from the prophecy? What would have happened then?
But here he was—standing before Elaine, gaining access to the necklace’s components, and learning about the Moonlight Fae’s tragic fate. Was this prophecy all part of the Moon Goddess’s plan?
Every step, every quest, every twist of fate had led him here, and it felt almost too perfect to be coincidence. Could it be that the Moon Goddess had orchestrated this all along? And if so, what role did he truly play in this grand design?
The deeper he delved into his thoughts, the more questions arose. Could Goddess Akidia-the one who had guided him in his journey-know of the Moon Goddess’s involvement? Were these two goddesses connected in some way?
The pieces were slowly falling into place, but the picture remained incomplete. Broken felt as if the path he was walking had been carefully laid out long before he arrived, and now it was up to him to uncover the full truth.
“Does that mean… There are already thousands of Eternal Flame Faebeasts coming from this tribe?”
Elaine nodded slowly. “Yes… Thousands of faeries from the Moonlight Fae have been transformed into Eternal Flame Faebeasts and can never return to their original forms. Most were hunted by adventurers, but many perished in battles with each other or in fights with other monsters in the forest.”
Broken inhaled deeply, trying to process the full weight of her words. The tragedy was far worse than he had imagined-centuries of faeries lost, turned into beasts, and wiped out in one way or another.
“Didn’t the Moon Goddess or the Fae Queen do anything else to help lift the curse?”
Elaine slowly turned her gaze to Broken. “I’m afraid there is only one way to lift this curse,” she said softly.
[Congratulations! You have done an amazing job. You have gained an incredible amount of knowledge and understanding about the history of the Moonlight Fae.]
[You have earned the title: Moonlight Fae’s Loremaster.]
[Your affinity with Elaine has increased to 45%.]
[You have earned 30 stat points.]
A flurry of notifications flashed before his eyes, marking his progress and rewards after hearing Elaine’s heartbreaking story. Beyond the 30 stat points, his affinity with Elaine had increased to 45%. It was true-listening to someone’s story had a way of bringing people closer, just like Lily had once told him.
“So…” Broken began carefully, “how can the curse be lifted?”
Elaine smiled weakly. “The Fae Queen once gave me an answer,” she began. “She told me that to lift the curse, I must find someone-a human-with whom I can form a deep connection. Someone I can trust, respect, and appreciate on a profound level.”
Broken frowned slightly. “That doesn’t sound too difficult.”
Elaine shook her head. “That’s not the only requirement. After I form a bond with this person, they must complete a crucial task.”
“What kind of task?”
“They must end my life… in my Eternal Flame form. That is the only way the curse can be lifted from the Moonlight Fae. If this task isn’t completed, the curse will remain, even if I
die.”
Broken fell silent, letting the weight of her explanation settle over him. He pieced it together in his mind: Elaine had to form a bond with a human she trusted, and that same person would have to kill her in her Eternal Flame form to lift the curse from her tribe.
He exhaled deeply. “It’s truly an ironic fate,” he said. “To be saved, your life must end at the hands of someone you trust-someone you choose to bond with.”
Broken nodded slowly. “Your courage and resilience are remarkable, Elaine.”
Elaine looked up, clearly moved by his words, her eyes wide with surprise.
[Elaine was deeply moved by your compassionate words, increasing her trust in you
significantly. Your affinity with her has now grown to 52%.]
“Your words are incredibly kind and have touched my heart, Mr. Broken,” she said softly, her voice trembling with emotion. For a moment, she allowed herself to feel the warmth of his
kindness, something she hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Is there anything I can do to help you?”
Elaine paused, contemplating his offer. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft and uncertain.
“Would you be open to getting to know me better and… allowing me to form a bond with you? I understand it’s a huge responsibility, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to repay you.” [Congratulations! You have earned the title of ‘The Faery Bond Proposal Master’.]