(POV Teallach_ Empress of the Great Universal Parallel Kingdom)
This spineless fool is still dazed.
Oh.
He's opening his eyes.
Finally.
I crouch beside him and grab his shoulder, shaking him hard.
"Now isn't the time to sleep. Get up, Richard," I order.
And now...
Let's try an illusion.
(POV Dorcha)
The sound of approaching footsteps reaches me.
Familiar footsteps.
I lift my head.
Aileen is running toward me.
"Dorcha!"
What...
Could it really be her?
"Aileen... How...? Are you sure you're alright?"
She stops a few steps away, breathing hard.
"Yes, dear. It wasn't that serious..."
Dear?
You've never called me that.
No.
That's not her.
Besides, even if she were feeling better, the others would never have let her come all the way here alone after what happened.
And even if they had...
The timing doesn't fit.
Fine.
Let's play along.
Let's see what the Black Fairy comes up with.
"Listen to me. This is important! You mustn't take the Orchid. It's a trap!", the fake Aileen says.
I pretend to hesitate.
As though I believe her.
"A trap? I don't understand..."
She moves closer to the flower.
"If you take it... you'll die."
There it is.
"Really? Well... That's a risk I'm willing to take!"
I launch myself at her and drive my sword straight through her body.
The projection vanishes.
Goodbye, illusion.
"Don't think you've gotten rid of me that easily!"
I turn just in time to see the Blood Knight charging toward me, dagger raised high.
Too fast.
He slams into me before I can react and sends me crashing to the ground.
A second later, the blade is pressed against my throat.
Ridiculous.
I push it aside and rise calmly to my feet.
So.
He wants a sword fight.
I'm ready.
I tighten my grip and wait.
Just as expected, he comes at me again.
His blade flashes past my eye.
Skilled.
Not skilled enough.
I bend backward, sweep my sword across, and force him to retreat.
He doesn't stop.
A thrust.
Another.
Another.
I answer each one.
No mercy.
No hesitation.
Faster.
Fiercer.
With every exchange.
I see something of myself in him.
Bloodlust.
Resentment.
Revenge.
But he fights like a wounded beast.
I move like a shadow dancing through the dark.
Steel crashes against steel.
Sparks burst into the air.
Enough.
Time to finish this.
I leap.
Sword raised above my head.
The strike comes down without mercy.
Certain.
Final.
But he rolls aside at the last instant.
The blade slams into empty ground.
A heartbeat later, he's behind me.
I hear the whistle of steel near my legs.
I spin.
Our weapons collide.
Hard.
My arms tremble from the force.
His do too.
Sweat runs down our foreheads.
Neither of us yields.
We keep circling.
Keep attacking.
Keep evading.
Keep answering blow for blow.
Time stretches.
Endless.
One mistake.
That's all it would take.
One mistake means death.
The battle stalls.
Neither side breaking.
Neither side falling.
And my body is starting to give out.
I'm exhausted.
So why isn't he?
Got you.
...
What?
The wound I just carved into his arm is already closing.
Of course.
Now I understand.
He's saturated with the Curse of Eternal Death.
An ancient forbidden spell.
Urchoicha once told me about it when I was little.
What was it she said...
"Anyone cursed by it appears invincible."
"Appears."
"Because there is one way to defeat it..."
I feint another overhead strike.
Jump.
Sidestep.
Then hurl my blade with all my strength straight toward his throat.
The only place that cannot heal.
His head flies from his shoulders.
It dissolves into smoke and dust before it even hits the ground.
And with that...
It's over.
But the Fairy refuses to leave me in peace.
She materializes right in front of me.
"No!" she gasps.
She reaches for me—
too weak.
Pointless.
I sprint toward the display case instead.
"Stop!!!" she screams.
Yeah. Right.
A protective sphere of energy blooms around me.
In the next instant, my hand closes around the Secret of the Fairies.
"The flower! Use it against her!"
Queen Titania's voice echoes inside my mind.
I nod.
Shielded by Urchoicha's sphere, I walk toward Teallach.
And look her straight in the eyes.
She almost looks pitiful.
Almost.
She keeps hurling curse after curse at the barrier.
One after another.
All useless.
Every spell dissolves into nothing before it can even touch me.
Urchoicha's sphere is absolute.
And one thing is becoming clearer with every second.
Behind the ruin of this kingdom.
Behind the curse that struck Aileen.
Behind the Olc Fairies...
There is only her.
Only her.
Aileen...
Heat surges through my veins.
My pulse pounds.
Power floods every part of my body.
My gaze drops to the flower in my hand.
I have no idea what its power is.
But I pour everything I have into it.
Everything.
I want this accursed creature erased from existence.
I hurl the Orchid at her.
"For Aileen!" I roar.
A flash tears across the hall.
Lightning crashes straight into her chest.
Right through the heart.
She can't block it.
Can't dodge.
The impact is catastrophic.
Her body scatters into nothingness.
Gone without a trace.
Along with the chains that had bound the two Sovereigns only moments ago.
My legs nearly give way beneath me.
Titania and Edouard rush toward me at once, looking as though nothing had ever happened to them.
The King catches me before I fall and helps me back to my feet.
"Knight... thank you."
There's something in his voice.
Something that wasn't there before.
He places a hand on my shoulder.
A surge of fresh energy courses through me, sweeping away my exhaustion in an instant.
The Queen retrieves the Orchid.
Carefully places it back inside its case.
Then, with a gentle smile, offers it to me.
"This flower belongs to you now. We are certain the Princess of Cloudland will know how to make good use of it."
Aileen...
The name alone is enough.
"What is it, Knight?" the Queen asks.
I hesitate.
Just for a moment.
Then I tell them everything.
What happened in the forest.
The wound Aileen suffered.
And how I failed to protect her.
When I'm done, the King is silent for a moment.
"You have done much for us."
"And you saved our kingdom," the Queen adds. "The very least we can do is come with you... and offer our help."
(POV Gaithy)
I step outside, drawn by a familiar energy.
I can't believe my eyes!
I spin around and rush back inside.
"Fayrin! Grogher! Come quickly!" I shout excitedly.
"What is it?" Fayrin asks.
"Dorcha did it! Come on!"
They rush outside with me.
Our beautiful kingdom is coming back to life.
The Inner Sun shines brightly once more, just as it did before.
Everywhere, colorful, fragrant flowers are blooming. The trees have regained their former splendor, covering themselves in shining green leaves and fruit, while birds chirp merrily, chasing one another through clouds of butterflies.
The rivers, the streams, the lakes...
Full again.
Fresh, crystal-clear, bubbling water flows through the land once more.
The foul, putrid blood that covered everything is gone!
Oh, what joy!
I see Grogher staring wide-eyed, a smile spreading across his face.
And over there...
A multitude of fairy children is flying toward us.
They seem to have no memory of ever being Olc Fairies.
More fairies emerge from the infirmary.
Their wings are whole again.
Color has returned to their faces.
And they're as cheerful and joyful as ever.
(POV Fayrin)
It's all so...
"Fayrin..."
A tiny voice calls to me.
Eh...?
No.
That can't be...
I look down.
It's—
...
My tiny, little, precious fairy.
My young fairy.
I thought I would never see her again.
She tugs at my robe with her little hands.
Then lifts both arms toward me.
That smile.
That beautiful smile.
And I...
I can barely believe what I'm seeing.
It's all so...
Impossible.
Wonderful.
The Orchid's magic...
I gather her into my arms.
Her tiny arms wrap around my neck.
Tears spill down my cheeks as the familiar scent of a fairy child reaches me.
"Who's this little one?" Grogher asks, his voice gentle.
"Princess Lanny... my precious Lanny..."
Grogher lets out a joyful laugh, lifting both of us into a warm embrace.
Then movement catches my eye.
At the far end of the avenue, Dorcha is approaching with the two Sovereigns.
"Papa! Mama!!!"
Lanny slips from my arms and flies toward them.
"My darling... then that means..."
The Queen's voice breaks.
She turns toward Edouard.
And the look they share says everything.
(POV Dorcha)
Wait...
Then...
I sprint into the house.
I need to see Aileen.
Maybe she's sitting on the bed waiting for me.
Maybe she's awake.
I can't wait to give her the new Secret.
To tell her everything that happened.
To watch her eyes light up.
To touch her radiant skin.
To kiss her rosy lips.
I throw open the bedroom door.
"Aileen!" I call out.
But—
...
I walk to the bedside.
Nothing has changed for her.
Nothing.
Aileen is still lying there.
Pale.
Motionless.
No...
The pain hits so hard it steals the breath from my lungs.
Why...
Why not her?
I collapse over her and break completely.
"Aileen..."
My voice trembles.
Please, wake up...
I can't.
I don't want to lose you.