Chapter 16 – Part 7: The Elf Pirates and Candy Raiders' Assault

Sometimes, the strongest are not the ones cheered for but the ones who watch from the shadows the ones the world forgot… but love never did.

Hope Kingdom – Rainbow Shores, the sky seemed ready to melt it painted an immense inverted rainbow, descending toward the sea like an upside-down blessing, trembling with sugary light the waves sang lullabies echoes of gentle childhood and eternal naps but then the wind shifted and with it came a strange sound a rhythm of interstellar tambourines cosmic bells, as if a galactic circus were approaching then, on the horizon, silhouettes appeared massive gingerbread ships sails woven of spun sugar elven runes carved in burning cinnamon and most of all an army creatures with pointed ears already howling, voices charged with sugary excitement.

— “Fluffy boarding! we want the hope kingdom’s recipes!”

But Hope was never unguarded for deep within the kingdom sailed a discreet, hidden, loyal crew silent hearts stealthy bolts children of shadow returned to light the new ship the Lost crown, sliced through the sky it wasn’t built for war it was built for memory at its bow, Kaela, the white entity, the soft voice of the cosmos silent, she steered the vessel by cosmic resonance, without a rudder, without wind her sword, forged by Pink, radiated a lunar light meant to purify wounded dreams beside her stood Élya, the living doll turned gentle warrior she held two glaive-parasols, spinning like starflowers she murmured simply as she leapt from the rail.

— “No one touches the plushies... without permission.”

Then came the others Zorya, the knight of blue, clad in transparent armor and deep stares she sang to guide her sugar sword, which vibrated with the rhythm of the waves Izel,  Pink disciple, carried his hammer like a grin he had transformed it into a launcher of explosive marshmallows.

— “For  Pink! and for elegance!”

Léo, the speed leopard, was already leaping from ship to ship his paws brushed enemy sails, leaving shockwaves of sugar behind Mei Lin, Dante’s apprentice, was everywhere at once her laughter sliced the wind, and her brigade of slime soldiers armed with unicorn pincers made even the toughest candy-elves shiver.

The battle began, the elves attacked licorice-burnt arrows, jelly-filled projectiles but Kaela unleashed her blade and opened a portal of light the arrows returned to the dream from which they came Élya spun each arrow became a dancing ribbon Zorya sang, and Saphira’s bolt, still suspended in the skies, descended into her blade she guided it gently into the hull of a ship and melted it like a forgotten ice cream in the sun Léo ran across the sea his paws left trails of raspberry jelly he leapt, neutralizing archers one by one—not with hatred but with grace Izel built a tower of vanilla biscuit then blew on it, it exploded into a rain of sour glitter Mei Lin leapt landed on the back of a sugar dragon controlled by the enemy she planted an enchanted lollipop between its scales and whispered.

— “You’re mine now, scale-snuggle.”

The elves retreated their arrows, melted their candy chests, emptied their flagship… captured by slimes at the top of the tallest meringue tower, Hope soared, waving a cotton candy flag like a pink sun.

— “NOW WERE COMPLETE!”

All the bolts were there, all the friends even Morphée, still half-asleep, stretched and murmured.

— “Not bad you’ve earned a sweet dream.”

End of Chapter 16 – Part 7: The Final Pirate Wave.