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Chapter 32: The Frog Prince World Erased

After two days...
Mike and Heidi sat quietly inside the spaceship.

Unlike before, there was no teasing, no playful banter.

Their experiences in the previous 4 stories had left something lingering between them—a feeling they couldn’t quite identify.

Jim and Naomi, noticing their silence, exchanged knowing glances.

Jim: “You two are awfully quiet. Didn’t think you’d run out of things to bicker about.”

Naomi (grinning): “Maybe they finally realized something about each other.”

Mike and Heidi quickly turned away, neither willing to acknowledge the thought.

Then, Jim pulled up the coordinates of the next fairy tale planet.

Jim: “Next stop—The Frog Prince.”

Naomi (looking at her tablet): “And this time, Draven’s waiting for you.”

Mike and Heidi's expressions hardened.

Draven was a ruthless warlord of the Vampire Family, known for his brutal trials and disdain for weakness according to the information that Naomi gathered in her tablet.

Unlike Alucard, who fought with hatred, and Carmilla, who fought with manipulation, Draven was a cold strategist—someone who believed in absolute dominance over his enemies.

Mike: “This one’s gonna be different.”

Heidi: “We better be ready.”

They had no idea how true those words would be.

_ _ _

The Frog Prince’s world was unlike the others.

A vibrant swamp kingdom stretched across the horizon, with glistening lakes, towering trees, and vines draped like curtains of emerald. Magic mist danced in the air, making it feel as though the world itself was breathing.

Mike and Heidi stood at the edge of the marshland, their reflection shimmering on the glassy water. The atmosphere felt strangely peaceful — a deceptive calm.

Heidi: "Well, this is a change. At least it's not a creepy, cursed castle this time."

Mike: "Don't let your guard down. If Draven's waiting here, this world could turn dark at any moment."

As they walked along the moss-covered path, a quaint village appeared in the distance. Small cottages stood proudly, their thatched roofs and vibrant flowers bringing the fairy tale to life.

The townspeople whispered about the cursed prince — a once-handsome royal who had been transformed into a frog, destined to remain that way until a princess's true love kiss broke the spell.

At the edge of a misty lake, they found the princess — a young, delicate woman with golden hair and a flowing gown. She stood by the water’s edge, gazing down at the Frog Prince sitting upon a lilypad.

Princess: "Ok. I will keep my promise."

The frog croaked miserably, his large eyes reflecting sorrow.

Mike and Heidi exchanged uncertain glances.

Heidi: "That's the princess? She seems... a little too calm about kissing a frog."

Mike: "To be fair, it’s not the weirdest thing we’ve seen.”

Despite their remarks, there was a warmth in the princess's eyes — a genuine desire to save her beloved.

The villagers gathered in anticipation. They believed that the princess’s kiss would break the curse and restore peace to their land.

The princess knelt before the frog, her expression full of determination.

Princess: "Let this curse be undone."

Slowly, she leaned in.

The frog prince's heart seemed to race as the moment of salvation approached.

But just before their lips could meet—

A crack echoed through the air.

A deep, unsettling presence swept over the swamp. The ground trembled, the vibrant greens withering into ash.

A swirling portal of black mist opened in the sky, and from it descended a towering figure.

Draven.

Clad in black, jagged armor that seemed to devour light itself, his crimson eyes burned with cold disdain. His hair gleamed, flowing like shadows in the wind. Each step he took spread a dark, corrupting energy that twisted the world around him.

The villagers fled in terror, their hopes shattered.

Draven: "How foolish."

His voice was deep, laced with contempt. The sheer weight of his presence sent ripples through the lake.

The frog prince croaked in fear, trembling beneath the monstrous aura.

Princess: "Wh-What is this? Who are you?!"

Draven: "A being far beyond your understanding."

Without a second thought, he raised his hand.

A wave of black energy pulsed through the air.

Before anyone could react, both the princess and the frog prince vanished.

Not even a trace remained.

Heidi gasped, her fists clenching.

Heidi: "You monster!"

Mike: "There was no need to kill them!"

But Draven only laughed.

Draven: "Kill? No, I simply erased them. They were nothing but empty vessels in a meaningless play."

Mike and Heidi’s anger burned.

They had witnessed this countless times — Alucard and Carmilla both twisted the stories, but this was different. Draven didn’t care about manipulating the tale. He simply erased it.

Heidi: "Then we’ll take their place."

Mike: "We’ll finish the story, just like we did before."

Draven shook his head, amusement flickering in his eyes.

Draven: "And what makes you think I’ll allow that? You think I care about your little performance?"

He spread his arms, and the world around them shattered.

The swamp dissolved into a void of darkness, tendrils of energy pulling at the edges of reality.

Heidi: "What's happening?!"

Mike: "He’s… bending the world itself."

Draven: "Your devotion will be tested. And when it breaks, you will see the truth."

With a single motion, the darkness engulfed them.

The world was swallowed whole.

Mike and Heidi tumbled through a dark void, endless and suffocating. No stars. No light. Only whispers of doubt that echoed endlessly.

Draven’s voice resonated through the emptiness.

Draven: "Devotion? What a fragile concept. You two cling to each other out of necessity, not faith. Let’s see how much your so-called devotion truly matters."

The shadows twisted, pulling them apart. Mike and Heidi reached for each other, but their hands failed to meet.

Heidi: "Mike!"

Mike: "Heidi!"

A violent force separated them. The dark void split into two isolated realms — each trapping them in a twisted reflection of their past mistakes.

Heidi found herself standing in a ghostly version of her old home on Planet Yumeria. The kitchen was cold, the vibrant laughter that once filled it now absent. Scattered plates and ruined dishes lay on the ground — reminders of every reckless, impulsive decision she had ever made.

Heidi: "What is this...?"

Her own reflection materialized in front of her. But this reflection wore an ominous grin.

Dark Heidi: "This is who you are. Carefree, foolish, dragging everyone else into your messes. How long will Mike keep saving you?"

Memories flashed around her — moments of failure. She saw the times she ignored Mike’s caution, rushing headlong into danger.

The time she insisted on fighting Alucard recklessly, almost getting them both killed. The smug reflection laughed.

Dark Heidi: "If it weren’t for him, you would’ve been gone a long time ago. What makes you think he truly needs you?"

Heidi clenched her fists, tears forming in her eyes.

Heidi: "I... I thought I was helping. I wanted to protect him too."

But the reflection sneered.

Dark Heidi: "No. You’re just a burden."

Mike, meanwhile, found himself in a twisted version of Planet Mystra’s academy. The once pristine library was in ruins, books burned to ash.

At the center stood Heidi’s lifeless body, surrounded by flickering flames.

Mike: "Heidi!"

He ran toward her, but every step seemed to push her further away. No matter how much he strained, he could never reach her.

Then, a figure emerged — a reflection of himself, cloaked in shadows.

Dark Mike: "You failed her. You always will."

Mike’s hands trembled.

Mike: "No… I won’t fail her again. I promised I’d protect her."

Dark Mike: "But what if you can’t? Every time she defies your plans, every reckless act she takes — she invites death. Wouldn’t it be easier to let go before she drags you down with her?"

Mike: "No! She’s not dragging me down. She’s lifting me up!"

But the reflection only grinned.

Dark Mike: "Then why are you so afraid?"

The trials wore on, showing both Mike and Heidi their greatest fears and regrets. But as they fought through the despair, fragments of memories surfaced.

Heidi remembered how Mike never gave up on her, even when her impulsiveness put them in danger. He stood by her, not out of obligation, but because he believed in her.

Mike recalled how Heidi's optimism brought light to his world of logic and caution. She fought for him in her own style but it somehow balanced the lag of his logic.

Their devotion wasn’t perfect — but it was real.

Heidi: "I might not always make the right choices, but I’ll never stop fighting for him."

Mike: "And even if I’m afraid, I’d rather face that fear than live without her."

Their hearts aligned, and the void shattered.

A brilliant light illuminated the darkness, pulling them back together. As their hands finally clasped, a surge of power flowed through them.

Their surroundings transformed into a celestial landscape, glowing with silver and gold energy. The emblem of a heart entwined with a ring appeared beneath their feet — the symbol of Devotion.

Draven's voice echoed once more, though with a trace of frustration.

Draven: "Hmph. So, you’ve passed my little test. But devotion means nothing if you cannot wield it."

From the shadows, Draven emerged, prepared for battle. But this time, Mike and Heidi were ready.

Their bodies glowed as their new form emerged.

Mike’s Devotion Form: His cloak became a brilliant royal blue, with intricate emerald patterns resembling protective runes. His Magic Wand pulsed with radiant energy now channeled the strength of his unwavering heart.

Heidi’s Devotion Form: Her armor shimmered like sunlight, but it was softened with pink accents symbolizing warmth and loyalty. Her Forks extended, gleaming with an aura that could pierce through any illusion or deceit.

Hand in hand, they stood side by side.

Mike: "We’re not afraid of you, Draven."

Heidi: "Because our devotion can’t be broken."

Draven smirked.

Draven: "Then show me."

The battlefield erupted.

_ _ _

The once twisted void shattered, revealing a colossal battlefield beneath a stormy sky. 

Mike and Heidi, now in their gleaming Devotion Form, stood unwavering as Draven loomed before them.

Draven: "Fools. You think devotion alone will save you?"

With a flick of his hand, shadows erupted from beneath him, twisting into monstrous forms — serpentine tendrils of darkness slithering toward the couple.

Mike (calculated): "We’re not afraid of your tricks, Draven."

Heidi (resolved): "Together, we’ll break through anything!"

They charged.