Chapter 5 Lady Destiny Has Arrived

As the golden light surrounded me I saw a small piece of crystal floating in front of me. I stepped closer to examine it, as I squinted my eyes, trying to see more clearly, I realised that it was not a crystal but rather a teardrop floating in mid-air. I tilted my head to get a better look at it and all I could see was a faint outline of Lady Faith in it, her expressions rapidly changing. And her face too, it seemed as if she was aging, turning into an old lady and then suddenly into a young one. I extended my arm and suddenly it felt as if the teardrop was calling out to me.

As my fingers stroked it, my head started to spin and the ground below my feet seemed to have melted away. I shut my eyes hoping for the feeling to pass away but nothing happened. I could see a blinding flash of white light even through my tightly closed eyelids. I squinted to take a look of what was happening and then as I adjusted my eyes in the light I saw Lady Faith pacing the space in front of me. I extended my hand to reach out to her but somehow.. I passed right through her.

She looked different. She looked as if she was made of translucent mist. Her appearance resembled to that of the apparition that I had seen in the boat while travelling through the river of time.

"Lady Faith!" I called out to her with panic in my voice. She seemed unperturbed by my presence. She spoke to a Flaun standing near her. Her voice echoed throughout the room.

"My Lady!" the Flaun said. "The Silver Lady has become dangerous to anyone who has the misfortune of crossing her path. The poor humans are blissfully ignorant of what dangers lie before them!"

"I know", said Lady Faith, letting out a sharp sigh. "I must go to the human realm to find her and put an end to this menace for good. I shall put an end to her reign even before it begins," she said.

Before I could make sense of the situation around me, the landscape before my eyes disappeared and dwindled into nothingness like a smudge of ink on a blank piece of paper. A few seconds later I found myself standing in front of an old cottage which I recognized from my meeting with the Silver Lady. It was the very same cottage that harboured the Veil of Faith and Destiny. Lady Faith emerged from the cottage with a cloak wrapped around her shoulders. She was carrying a long slender golden cane in her right arm. She strode towards the village and kept hitting the ground with her large cane as she walked on. I ran after her to catch up with her. I noticed that her appearance kept changing as she tapped the cane with a loud thud. Then she came to an abrupt halt. She cast away her cloak and emerged looking like an old lady.

I gasped.

"Grandmother!" I muttered as I ran behind her, but she didn't respond. She simply continued forward.

And then it suddenly hit me, I was inside Lady Faith's memories! I thought to myself with a sudden realisation dawning upon me.

The old lady then stepped inside a dilapidated cottage and I instantly knew what to expect inside. It was my house! The windows of the cottage were rusted and the roof was in mere tatters. A faint light emerged from inside the cottage and the sound of lullaby filled the air. I peeked my head inside and stumbled on my feet with shock.

It was my parents! I saw my young mother cradling a baby in her arms while my father sat beside her singing the lullaby.

"Here, here, Azura! Don't cry now" my mother said as she continued to rock me gently in her arms. "Mama and Papa are right here, next to you. You are safe my love" she said as she bent down and placed a tender kiss on my forehead.

I fell down on my knees and looked at my mother and father longingly. In all these years, I had never known love. I ached to hear a few kind words from my parents but they never extended me the courtesy. Every time I looked into my mother's eyes I saw sheer hatred. I sat there looking at the two of them pouring their hearts out to the baby in front of them and I somehow felt...jealous! A lump formed in my throat and hot teardrops smothered across my face.

What went wrong? I thought to myself. How did you two become such bitter people? And above all, why did you stop loving me!

I could not contain my sorrow and I broke down.

"Oh mother!" I wept.

"Get up Azura!" I heard Lady Faith's voice calling out to me. I looked at the old lady standing in front of me. Her lips had not moved an inch. I looked around to locate the source of the voice. Tears still rolling down my face.

"I am always by your side, child!" said Lady Faith. "You need to learn about some things right now. Be brave, my dear Azura! For you are no ordinary human" the distant voice of Lady Faith called out.

I felt a sudden warmth spread through my body. I took a deep breath and wiped off my face with the back of my sleeves. I stood up and walked inside the cottage.

As I drew closer, I realised that the old lady was muttering something under her breath. Both my parents seemed to be in a state of trance. They were both put under a spell, I realised.

Then again the scene in front of me dissolved and seconds later I found myself in a different setting. I seemed to have landed in a void as everything around me looked to have been covered in pitch black darkness. I tried to let my eyes settle in the dark as I frantically looked around, trying to understand where I was. I started walking around terrified of losing my way in this seeming nothingness. Then I saw a faint glow of red emerging through a crack a few steps ahead of me. I lept towards the source of light and realised that it was a bound book which was emitting the light. The book looked very old and its pages were yellowed and twisted at the corners. I tried opening the book but no matter how hard I tried pulling off the cover, the book would not open.

Then suddenly, I heard faint footsteps approaching in my direction. I spun around hoping to see Lady Faith but I was mortified with shock when I realised who it was. It was the Silver Lady!

She walked right towards me with her eyes glaring directly at me. I had an uncanny feeling as if she sensed my presence. The mark against my wrist burnt against my skin. I dropped to my knees because of the unbearable pain, I wanted to scream but I held my breath. Then as suddenly as the pain had emerged, it disappeared too. The Silver Lady walked right through me and picked up the book I was inspecting mere seconds ago.

I stood up and took a deep breath.

"It is only a memory!" I reminded myself.

I turned around to see the Silver Lady more closely. She was gleaming with pride as she stroked her hands against the cover of the bound book. An evil grin crossed her face and her eyes burnt with vengeance and rage.

"At last!" said the Silver Lady. "The Book of Vishanta is mine!" she let out a cacophonous laughter which seemed to envelope the room. "This book right here is what will lead to the fall of Lady Faith," the Silver Lady continued. "The war is coming Lady Faith and oh what a glorious end it shall be!" The Silver Lady clutched, the book in her arm and then the scene disappeared.

I found myself back in the castle sitting between King Lamious and Lady Faith once again. The two of them opened their eyes and smiled.

"I still do not understand" I started as I gasped for air.

"We know," replied King Lamious kindly.

"We are here to tell you everything, child. Ask what you want to", said Lady Faith.

"What is the Book of Vishanta? And why was the Silver Lady after it?" I asked in a rather stern voice.

King Lamious and Lady Faith finally let go of my hand and looked at each other knowingly.

"My child" Lady Faith started. "The realms as we know them to be today were created by the Great King Ajax. He wanted to forge a world where all the realms can coexist in harmony and peace. He worked endlessly to make this vision of his come to fruition. He believed in equality of all beings and wanted each and every creature to lead their lives with autonomy and dignity. However, his brother Prince Vishanta held a completely different view. He believed in the supremacy of some creatures over the others. He believed that the magical beings were more powerful than the humans and hence the humans should be relegated to live a life of subjugation and oppression. Prince Vishanta was disgusted with his brother's overtures to bring about equality among the creatures living in the different realms. So he decided to declare a war against him. The Great King Ajax was heartbroken. He loved his younger brother dearly but he decided to fight him nonetheless for the good of the realms."

I saw Lady Faith's eyes turning sorrowful when she said this.

She stood up and looked away trying to regain her composure. I reached out for her hand and squeezed it gently. She looked at me and smiled melancholically.

"The Great King Ajax won the war and banished Prince Vishanta to spend the rest of eternity in the Eternal Fall" continued Lady Faith. "No one knows how it happened but Prince Vishanta managed to escape from the Eternal Fall. Years later, he was hunted down and killed by the Great King Ajax. However, legends say that during his time in hiding he wrote the Book of Vishanta. Through his book he hoped to pass on all his knowledge about the most sinister and foulest of the dark magic, to whoever possessed the courage and will to challenge the throne again. This was his legacy, he would say."

"Not a soul knew about the whereabouts of the Book until the Silver Lady managed to track it down" said King Lamious.

"The Book directed the Silver Lady to call upon the Dearg-Due", he continued. "Mairea is one of the fiercest Dearg-Due to inhabit this land in centuries. In her human form, she used to be a gentle and kind hearted lady who was scorned by the greed and desire of corrupted men. Her father gave up Maire to an older vastly crueler man in exchange for a promise of money. Mairea's new husband was brutal and he tortured and abused her for years. He kept her locked in a tower where he would enter each night to feed her and bleed her. She always hoped that someone would come to free her from the clutches of her evil husband. So she waited and waited and waited, but no one came. As the years passed by, the brutality broke and weakened her kind spirit and she finally gave up on life and committed suicide. But before she took her last breath, she renounced God and vowed a terrible vengeance on everybody who had made her suffer. "

I gasped with horror. I lamented for Mairea for all the sufferings she had been made to endure throughout her life. But then with a sudden jolt of understanding I remembered that I had seen her grave. It had at least twenty stones kept on top of it to prevent her from rising once again. What could have made the people of the village do so? I thought.

"Vengeance is a powerful thing Azura" said Lady Faith with a misty voice. "It changes a person. Brings out the very worst in them. That is what happened with Mairea and that is what happened with the Silver Lady."

"Did Mairea return?" I asked fearfully, already apprehending the answer to my question.

"Yes. More fearful than ever" replied Lady Faith. Her undead corpse rose from the earth the very night she was buried, driven by the half-remembered human visions of her own blood welling on her skin, thirsting for revenge, thirsting for blood in return. She rose that night as the Dearg-Due."

"Mairea feeds off her vengeance. That is what makes her so strong" explained King Lamious. "With Mairea by her side, the Silver Lady plans on defeating Lady Faith and turning this paradise into a wretched place!"

I stood up unable to process this new information all at once. I looked towards Ivy and Griffin who were standing transfixed, dumbstruck in their spots.

"Why did the Silver Lady make me remove the stone from Mairea's grave?" I asked.

King Lamious smiled at me and replied "The stones can be removed only by someone who has known suffering but not vengeance."

I was baffled by this reply. I thought back to all those times when I was dejected by the indifference and barbarity of my parents but I knew in the hearts of my hearts that I still loved them! They were moulded into such hateful beings because of the circumstances that they were made to face, I remember always telling myself that. I would always reason out against my better judgement that they were not bad people and that I loved them despite all their vices!

A lump formed in my throat and I swallowed convulsively to fight back the tears which were now starting to form in my eyes.

"Why did you mark me to be your second-in command, Lady Faith?" I asked with a hoarse voice.

She smiled at this and replied "I knew that only someone who has known suffering but not vengeance, can be apposite to take the position of my second-in command."

"You see, Azura", she continued. "Vengeance has always posed the greatest of the threats to the peace of the realms. And more than once has it been nearly enough to destroy it too. You, Azura, are a kind soul who believes in forgiveness and compassion. That makes you very special, child."

"Lady Faith", said Ivy. "We stand with you in your fight against the Silver Lady!" she announced.

"So do I" bellowed Griffin.

"And I" I said as my eyes teamed with tears.

"Welcome home, Lady Destiny!" said King Lamious with an overzealous enthusiasm spreading all across his face.

"But the question remains..", said Griffin. "How do we fight the Silver Lady now that she has the Dearg-Due by her side?"

"Can we reason with the Silver Lady?" said Ivy half-jokingly.

Griffin and I chuckled.

Lady Faith turned towards Ivy with a sly smile spreading across her lips and said, "You know what Ivy? I think that is exactly what we are going to do!"

All of us looked at her with our mouths hanging open.

"Why would she want to bargain if she already has the Dearg-Due by her side?" exclaimed Griffin.

"We do not know that for sure", explained King Lamious. "She has not made any advances to seek Lady Faith out in a war yet. If she did manage to raise the Dearg-Due we are unsure as to why she has not come forward by now."

This was curious. I thought. The Silver Lady had only one motive in her life, which was to see the fall of Lady Faith and to conquer all the realms along with it. Then why was she waiting to make her move? Then suddenly a faint realisation dawned upon me. Could it be that she had actually failed to gather support?

"I..I did not move all the stones from Mairea's grave that night!" I announced. "I was careful to only remove the largest one of them while leaving the other stones intact in their place. Could that mean that Mairea has not actually risen from her grave yet?"

"You are a wise girl, Azura." said Lady Faith with her eyes twinkling with pride. "The Silver Lady might not have Mairea by her side by now but it is only a matter of time before she does. We have to go to the human realm and find out for ourselves."

We all nodded in affirmation.

"When do we leave?" asked Griffin.

"Soon" said King Lamious. "I will alert my armies and forces to stand guard and prepare themselves. Meanwhile, I would suggest that the three of you get some rest. There is a long battle ahead of us."

"I will ask someone to show you all into your bedchambers" said Lady Faith. "Azura, I need you to come with me."

Ivy and Griffin nodded and left along with a Flaun, looking thankful for the consideration.

"Azura or shall I call you Lady Destiny, now?" said Lady Faith with an approving smile.

I chuckled.

"I am no Lady!" I replied. "I am Azura. Just Azura!"

"Only that you are not" said Lady Faith. "You are meant for bigger and better things, child. You are meant to shape your fate and that of so many others! You are truly the Lady of Destiny."

I let out a weak smile.

"You and I will go back to the human realm together through the Veil" explained Lady Faith. "King Lamious will escort the others when and if we need their help."

I nodded.

"I am not willing to spill the blood of any noble creature in this wretched fight. For it is my duty to protect them and that I shall strive to do until my very last breath!" she declared.

In that moment she looked magnificent and tall. Her pride and bravery covered every inch of her face. It was almost contagious. I felt the same courage resonating within me as I looked at her.

"I promise to be by your side, every step of the way, Lady Faith!" I said.

"Thank you, Lady Destiny. I wish we had more time with us at our leisure but I am afraid that we need to depart this very instant!" she said.

I nodded.

A weird sense of excitement and nervousness washed through me. My insides flipped and I felt a little light headed thinking about the prospect of having to face the Silver Lady again. I took a deep breath attempting to clear my head and to prepare myself for what was to come ahead.

"Shall we leave?" asked Lady Faith.

"I am ready", I replied.

Lady Faith clutched onto my hand and led me through the ornate hallways of the castle. The entire skyline of the castle sprinkled gold dust as we walked by and the statues wearing suits of armor bowed before us. I kept glancing at all the magnificent paintings bedecked across the walls on the hallway but it was getting hard for me to match Lady Faith's pace while being so distracted.

We eventually reached another room at the end of the hallway. The doors of the room were as high as the ceiling. The door was intricately carved with the figurine of a tree which depicted all the existing realms along with their placement. Lady Faith stood in front of the door and closed her eyes. The slender golden cane appeared in her hands only moments later.

"To exist without Faith and Hope can never be once Destiny" she bellowed. The moment the words left her lips all the creatures embossed in the door seemed to have come to life. They fluttered across the hallway and I could see faint images of centaurs galloping and pixies swirling high in the sky. A pair of humans leaped around as if enjoying a picnic on a summers' afternoon. Two feis loomed above us with their majestic wings darkening the hallway beneath them. The Flauns rose with their bows held high in their arms. I saw the seemingly fearsome looking Chimeras dancing around in glee emitting fire as they casually gruffed and gnawed.

Lady Faith touched the door with her golden cane and all the images disappeared in a mist. She pointed her cane at the picture on the tree symbolising the Flaun realm and then traced a line up to the human realm. A burst of lightning engulfed us. The wind seemed to be carrying us higher and higher. All the images on the tree started herding around us once again. I clutched Lady Faith's arms in a desperate attempt to not get lost in the whirlwind.

"You have nothing to worry about, Lady Destiny. I am right here" she said with a kind smile.

The small piece of crystal reappeared in front of me and this time it emitted a silvery hue. Lady Faith caught my eyes and I nodded. I enclosed the crystal within my palms and forced my eyes shut.

After a few seconds, I landed on solid ground with a loud thud. I had landed rather abruptly on my back and had only managed to break my fall in time. I looked around to see Lady Faith standing next to me looking sombre as ever. I quickly rose to my feet and brushed the dust off my hands.

"Are you all right?" she enquired.

I nodded.

I looked around and realised that I was yet again standing in front of the Veil of Faith and Destiny. Lady Faith picked up the large stone that I had placed before it that night and inspected it for a second.

"Show me where is Mairea's cave", she demanded as she continued to study the rock.

"Yes!" I replied.

I dashed out of the cottage trying hard to remember my way back to the grave. It was a dark night the last time that I had been here and I was in such haste that I barely noticed anything around. I closed my eyes shut trying to concentrate on the events of the night.

"I remember crossing a fence..." I thought to myself.I broke out in a run and within minutes located the fence.

"It has to be somewhere here", I said.

I scanned the landscape frantically as I entered the graveyard. Most of the tombstones were covered with moss with the names barely legible. I squinted to read out the names written on them remembering that Mairea's name was clearly visible on her tombstone that night. It was as if her tombstone was relatively new than those erected over all the other graves. But how could that be possible? I thought to myself. The moss covered graves according to the dates written on them were only twenty or fifty years old whereas, Mairea has been dead for almost a century now! The thought sent a slight shiver across my spine.

I increased my pace and started searching the names on the graves frantically hoping to not see the worst. And then I saw it. I froze in my spot as realization dawned upon me.

Mairea's grave was open. It seemed as if someone from inside had managed to break it open. I peeped inside it, and to my horror found it empty!

The rocks lay strewn across the earth in a haphazard manner and her grave lay cracked open. The mud around the grave was imprinted with footprints. Except that they were not really footprints. They looked more like claws!

Had we already lost? I thought. A sense of foreboding seemed to have engulfed me.

I looked around desperately to find Lady Faith standing behind me.

"It is done! Mairea has risen" I said. My voice barely higher than a whisper. I turned around and reached out to pick up the rocks that were once kept above her grave when suddenly I heard Lady Faith bellowing from behind me.

"Don't touch the rocks Azura!" she said urgently.

I looked at her with a confused look.

"They are cursed" she replied.

My eyes widened with shock. I looked at the rock that she was holding in her hands. Her fingertips touching the bottom of the rock looked singed and blackened. I ran towards her and held her hand in mine but she turned away. She banged her cane on the ground with a loud thud and all the rocks gathered into Mairea's empty grave and then with another thud the grave was sealed once again.

I looked at her with my eyes still widened with surprise.

"We won't be able to contain Mairea in her old grave anymore. Once a Dearg-Due breaks open her earlier grave, no magic can keep her contained in that again" Lady Faith explained.

"Are you in pain?" I asked, looking frantically at her singed fingers.

"I am fine" she replied with a kind smile forming on her lips.

I looked back uncertainly at her.

"I shall have to summon King Lamious with his army and forces at once!" she said.

I nodded.

Lady Faith held her cane between her hands and spun it around three times. She closed her eyes and muttered, "For courage and bravery shall be rewarded above all! Oh virtuous and noble stand by our side in this war that is about to rage!"

A faint light of red emerged from her cane and shot back into the sky. She opened her eyes and looked towards the sky following the gleaming trail of light that had emerged from her cane seconds ago. She let out a sharp sigh of breath. Then turned towards me and said "We must be on our way".

She pounced back in front of me and led the way out of the graveyard. We walked to the edge of the Dark Forest. Night had begun to fall by then. The moon shone brightly above us. The wind had an eerie chill to it. I slightly shuddered as it swept across my face. The trees rustled ominously with the cold wind and an owl hooted somewhere in the dim light. A loud screeching wail of a fox made me jump. Lady Faith seemed unperturbed by this commotion around her. She seemed to be in deep thought and I searched her face seeking to find a window to her mind.

"Why did we stop, Lady Faith?" I asked.

"I do not know what will happen once you step foot in the forest again" she replied.

I looked at her and saw a look of concern teeming in her eyes.

"I will be okay", I said reassuringly.

"She marked your soul, Azura. That kind of dark magic leaves traces" she said.

I looked at her with curious eyes waiting for her to elaborate more upon her ambiguous words.

But she didn't say anything to put my thoughts at peace.

"I need you to be brave, Azura! I need you to remember who you are!" she continued.

I had no idea who I really was! I thought. Only hours ago I had discovered myself to be something more than what I ever imagined me to be. I could not be sure of anything anymore! Least of all about my own reality. I felt lost.

"I will be okay" was all I managed to say.

Lady Faith nodded.

She started to walk inside the Dark Forest following the moon as she entered. I followed her steps closely behind her but as soon as I laid my feet inside the threshold of the forest my wrists burnt with pain. I let out a low moan but soon the pain became unbearable. It felt as if my veins were going to explode from under my skin. My wrist felt warm and alien to my own fingers. I knelt down clutching my hand in pain.

Lady Faith turned back around and knelt beside me immediately.

"Azura! What is it? Does the mark hurt?" she asked.

I nodded, unable to speak from the pain.

She ran her fingers around my wrists then placed her other hand over my forehead.

"Breath Azura" she said in a calming voice.

I took a deep breath and then another. I felt the pain subsiding with every breath.

"I cannot heal it completely", she said. "But I can try and reduce your pain."

I nodded. She continued rubbing my wrists with her fingers and the pain kept subsiding. My wrist still burnt but now the pain was at least not paralysing.

"I feel okay" I lied. I looked at her reassuringly and got back up on my feet. "I am fine, really" I pressed on when she did not look convinced.

She nodded with sorrowful eyes. I reached out to her arm and squeezed it gently.

"Let us go then" she said.

We walked to the north edge of the Dark Forest. I looked up to see the full moon beaming through the canopies in the sky. The blackness of the night was pierced only through the moonlight. I heard a distinct screech and realised that the Twiki had started emerging out in the sky, engulfing the moonlight.

We reached the edge of the small cave where I knew the Silver Lady lived. I had been here before but the sense of familiarity did nothing to calm my nerves.

"You know what to do, child" said Lady Faith without even catching my gaze.

I swallowed convulsively. My legs seemed to have turned into jelly. My hands were trembling from pain and fright. My breath was unsteady and rapid. I stepped forward towards the cave and knocked on the door seven times. I felt a sense of deja vu creeping over me. With every knock it felt as if the night was growing darker and the wind was growing meaner. With the last knock the door swung open. This time it was not the Silver Lady who opened the door. A rather diminutive looking elf piqued from behind the door and asked in a gruff voice, "You come bearing the mark of the Silver Lady but your betrayal reeks from your eyes."

I took a few steps backwards. I gathered all my courage, attempted to stand tall and fearless and said, "I am Lady Destiny and you will not speak with me in that tone! I call upon the Silver Lady to answer for her sins." The elf stumbled upon hearing these words. He looked across my shoulder and saw Lady Faith gazing back at him. His face turned as pale as snow.

He swung open the door and fell to his knees.

"Lady Faith! Lady Destiny! Be merciful for I am merely a slave! I have no control over my own actions!" the elf howled. "The Silver Lady enslaved me and imprisoned my entire family" he screeched. "Please help me!"

"Summon that witch to me!" Lady Faith bellowed with rage filling her eyes. The kind lady that I had met in the castle was long gone and in her stead stood this fierce warrior, the protector of the realms, the rightful heir to the throne!

I looked at her awestruck as she drew back her cape and floated across the room. I followed her and the elf inside the cave.

The cave was dimly lit and the wind inside was chilly. Lady Faith illuminated several fire lanterns with a swish of her cane and walked on. We entered a hollowed space in the caves where we saw the Silver Lady sitting with her back turned towards us.

She rose from her seat as she heard our footsteps approach.

"Err, excuse me, Your Grace" the elf started addressing the Silver Lady. "There is someone here to see you" he said with his voice barely audible. But the Silver Lady seemed to have heard him because she cackled and replied, "I know, Artemis. We have guests!" She continued to face the fire cackling in front of her.

"Lady Faith, we meet again!" she drawled.

"I am afraid so, yes" replied Lady Faith. "It has been no pleasure of mine, I assure you" she retorted mockingly.

"Oh but it is a pleasure for me or it will be" said the Silver Lady as she turned to face us.

Her appearance looked different. Her hair was more ragged and she looked thinner than the last time. I gasped as my eyes landed on her face and she let out a cacophonous laughter.

"Are you not pleased to see me, my dear Azura?" she retorted.

I stood their horror struck trying to register what my eyes had just seen. Her face was split in half. Half of her face resembled her old face and the other half was that of Mairea! She had not only made the Dearg-Due rise but she had also let her latch on to her body!

I looked towards Lady Faith who looked taken aback by this new development but somehow she had succeeded in retaining her composure.

"You removed the stones yourself, then?" asked Lady Faith.

"I could not wait for another human to do the work for me! I was getting restless. Besides, humans are not very trustworthy" she said as she turned to face me, her tone exasperated.

"At this cost?" said Lady Faith. "You knew that if a witch such as yourself would remove the stones the Dearg-Due would latch on to your body for all eternity."

"I did not care", the Silver Lady spat. "And after all, she only makes me stronger", she smirked.

I saw rage grow in Lady Faith's eyes as the smirk on the Silver Lady's face grew deeper and deeper. Lady Faith swung her cane and a flash of yellow light charged towards the Silver Lady, knocking her down.

"Oh you have always been a fool", the Silver Lady said as she got up, unharmed.

"You thought you could win with your old tricks?" the Silver Lady grinned as she stretched her arms and raised them over her head. A bright white light emitted from the sky followed by a loud thud and bellow. I nervously looked at Lady Faith who did not so much as flinch.

"I have an army standing by my side!" the Silver Lady wickedly laughed. I tilted my head to look over her shoulder. My eyes widened as I saw hundreds of creatures gathered around her. I looked at Lady Faith and she nodded.

"I did not wish to spill any blood but it seems you want otherwise, '' Lady Faith said, her voice as cold as ice. The Silver Lady raised her arm and gestured towards us and the creatures charged. Lady Faith stepped in front of me and rotated her cane, a bright red and green light illuminated from it piercing through the creatures' turning them into ash the moment it touched them. The Silver Lady snarled; she hovered over the fire and leaped at Lady Faith and soon both of them rose up above the sky. I suddenly saw a creature charging towards me, I frantically looked around for something that can be used as a weapon. I could hear the footsteps growing louder and then they stopped. I looked up and realised the creature lay on the ground in front of me, dead. I turned back and saw a Flaun with his arm pulled back and his bow stretched in front of me, he nodded and then charged at another creature. I looked up and saw Griffin flying towards me with Ivy in his arms. Soon a large number of Flaun came marching towards us. A dark shadow loomed above me, I raised my head and saw Lady Syfyn. She looked at me and then charged towards the creatures. I looked over at Ivy and Griffin by my side, Giffin nodded and handed me a sword, they nodded and then ran towards the other creatures in front of them. I wrapped my fingers around the sword and took in a deep breath, it had begun and now there was no turning back. I heard a howl coming from my left, I turned my head and saw a creature running towards me. I raised the sword over my head and plunged it deep into the creature's chest. In collapsed in front of me and green blood oozed out of his chest, I pulled my sword and pushed my shoulders back looking straight into the Silver Lady's eyes, her face darkened. I looked up and saw the sky fill with different colours of light charging towards each other. Griffin flew over my head as he carried a creature by its neck. Ivy fought alongside Lady Syfyn, her back hunched and her nails drawn out. She jumped on a creature and ripped his heart out of his chest. She then jumped on another, in one swift motion she twisted his head, it made a loud sound and the creature fell on the ground, motionless. I saw King Lamious fighting alongside his men, and suddenly I spotted a creature approaching him from behind. I ran towards King Lamious, slicing the creature's chest, he collapsed on the ground moaning in pain. King Lamious turned and looked at me, his eyes shimmered under the moonlight. I turned my head and saw another creature charging at Ivy. I hurried towards her with my sword pointed in front of me, I plunged the blade into the creature's back and it pierced through its body, with all my strength I yanked back the blade as the creature fell near my feet. Ivy smiled at me as she ripped out another creature's throat. In the midst of all this my eyes searched for the Silver Lady and Lady Faith but I couldn't see either of them. All I could see was different shades of light colliding together in the dark sky. I saw an undead creeping its way towards Lady Syfyn, before I could react a light of purple came from above charging at Lady Syfyn, but it didn't hit her.

It happened so quickly that my eyes couldn't process what it saw and then as the dust cleared I saw Ivy's lifeless body lying on the ground.

I looked above my head and saw the Silver Lady with her arms extended and a shimmer of purple on the tips of her finger. I looked up at Lady Syfyn, her eyes widened as the realization hit us both. Ivy casted herself in between to save Lady Syfyn!

My eyes teared as I struggled to breath, it felt as if everything around me was swirling into a blur. I couldn't believe what my eyes were witnessing. Suddenly something came shooting from the sky. It made a loud sound as it hit the ground. The Silver Lady hovered over as her wicked laugh filled the air. I ran over and saw Lady Faith lying there motionless. I wrapped my arms around her as tears started streaming down my face.

"It's all over!" she bellowed.

"Lady Faith has fallen" she added as she laughed. I looked down as Lady Faith's body lay in my arms, I could feel my rage filling every inch of my vein. I stood up.

"No! It's not over!" I announced.

"It is. She has fallen and now who is going to stop me?" she said, her voice mocking. I felt something warm crackling in my palms. I looked down and saw golden lights emitting from my palms. I looked up, a sense of power filling my soul.

"I will!" I yelled as I stretched both my arms forward. A stinging golden light emitted from both my palms, howling and charging at the Silver Lady. She retracted her arms from behind her back and rotated a cane, Lady Faith's cane! A bright red light charged from it, pushing me a few meters back. I groaned as I looked straight into her eyes. With all my might I walked forward and the light grew stronger, piercing through the Silver Lady's fingers. Her eyes widened as she strained both her arms, but it was no use. In no time the light pierced through the red light and hit the Silver Lady in the chest. She fell to the ground, moaning in pain. I picked up the cane and walked towards her.

"This doesn't belong to you!" I yelled as I rotated it in my hand, it glowed emitting a red streak of light and I pushed it deep into the Silver Lady's chest. The moment the cane hit her chest two distinct screams emerged out of her body. The Dearg-Due convulsed out of the Silver Lady's body. She looked at me with her husky eyes and the very next second melted in front of me. She could not find vengeance to feed on. I thought.

Soon the Silver Lady's body turned into nothing but an empty husk. I looked up, my anger melting away.

I stood there feeling numb. Still unable to believe the events that had transpired within the past hour. The limp lifeless body of the Silver Lady and Mairea lay at my feet. Griffin leaped from the air and landed beside me, he reached for my hand and helped me get back on my feet.

Lady Faith lay motionless in King Lamious's arms. I rushed to her side and saw that her eyes were closed shut. Her breathing sounded uneven. A sense of dread seemed to have enveloped me. I wasn't ready to lose her just yet! I thought. I wasn't ready to lose the lady I called my grandmother once again!

Hot tears rolled down across my cheeks as I placed my palms on her face.

"Is she going to be alright?" I asked King Lamious in a hoarse voice.

"We have to take her back to the Flaun realm" he started. "But yes, she is going to be alright."

I let out a faint smile.

"We will have to get her back to the Veil of Faith and Destiny", said King Lamious. "Lady Destiny can carry her back from there. Just remember your destination while walking through the Veil" he added.

I nodded.

King Lamious swept Lady Faith in his arms and floated out of the Dark Forest. Griffin shrugged his shoulders and his wings reappeared. He gently carried me into his arms and soared behind him. I turned back to catch one last glimpse of what we were leaving behind. A group of Flauns were carrying Ivy's lifeless body and the others were hurrying to bury Mairea's body in the realm of the outcasts.

A fresh surge of tears filled my eyes as I saw Ivy's lifeless face dangling on to one side. I looked up at Griffin who too was struggling to fight back his own tears.

I closed my eyes and let the cold wind freeze away my tears. I still had a long night ahead of me. I thought. I had to ensure Lady Faith's safe return back home.

We reached the cottage and Griffin let me down on my feet. King Lamious helped me carry Lady Faith in front of the mirror inside the cottage while the rest of the Flauns and Griffin waited outside.

"Now remember, Lady Destiny" he started. "Think very clearly about your destination."

I nodded weakly.

I put Lady Faith's arms across my shoulder balancing her weight on myself. I took a deep breath and tried to empty my thoughts. I closed my eyes and thought about the golden door with the picture of the tree embossed in it. I opened my eyes and reached out my other hand to touch the surface of the mirror.

My palm started to sink in, then my forearm and

before I knew everything went black. I clutched onto Lady Faith's arm as tightly as I could.

The wind gushed around us and a blinding golden light engulfed us. I felt as if I was being pulled in by an invisible force. Then as suddenly as it had started, everything came to a still. I found myself lying just outside the golden door.

"It worked!" I thought.

Then as realisation dawned upon me, I rushed back to see if Lady Faith was unharmed. Her eyes were still closed but her chest rose in slow high and lows. I breathed a sigh of relief. Almost immediately a group of Flauns rushed to our assistance and carried Lady Faith towards her bedchamber.

"She is hurt...King Laimous is on his way and..." I attempted to explain but the Flaun at the head of the crowd merely nodded in understanding and took Lady Faith away.

I sat on the floor watching them retreat into the dwindling hallway and then.... I let myself cry. I cried for the loss of Ivy and then I cried for Lady Faith. I cried from exhaustion and then when all the tears seemed to have dried up I cried some more.

I don't know for how long I remained sitting on the floor. I was brought back to reality only when I heard Griffin's voice sitting beside me. He looked at me with bloodshot eyes, which were now filled with concern.

"Oh Griffin!" I wrapped my arms around him and nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck and broke down again.

"Ivy...", I muttered in an incoherent voice.

"I know", replied Griffin with a hoarse voice. I could sense his tears rolling on to the back of my head. He made no attempt to wipe them off. He just wrapped his arms around me and we sat there and cried silently. Lamenting the loss of a friend who was now long gone.

A few minutes later King Lamious emerged from one of the rooms and motioned us to follow him.

"Lady Faith wishes to meet with you two", he said.

Griffin and I rose to our feet and followed him inside.

Lady Faith lay across the bed with her head resting on a giant bed of flowers. She looked weak but as she looked up to see us, her eyes still twinkled.

I smiled back at her.

"How are you feeling, Lady Faith?" I asked.

She merely smiled in her reply.

"I am sorry for Ivy", she started. I sensed a fresh surge of tears emerging in my eyes. Griffin held my hands and squeezed it gently.

"She was a brave soul!" Lady Faith continued.

I nodded. Unable to find any words that would seem appropriate at that moment.

"We shall always remember her in our hearts, Azura", she said.

I nodded again.

"I think it is best if Azura gets some rest now too", said Griffin.

"Will I have to go back to my home now?", I asked, ignoring Griffin's request.

Lady Faith smiled back at me. "Why Lady Destiny! I thought you were already home", she replied.

I smiled back at her and nodded as Griffin and I left for our bedchambers to finally get some rest.

It had been a long day.