Hello all, and welcome to the rewrite of Gems of Arcelia!
For those of you completely new to this story, this is a rewrite of an older story of mine which I first published all the way back in 2012. It's still up on the site if you want to have a look, but consider that version obsolete.
I felt that I could have really done better with it, so I decided to give it a major overhaul and this was the result. Old hands will recognise the changes and the OC faces. New ones? I hope you enjoy the ride.
As for the date of publication, today, September 30th, 2015 is the 6th anniversary of my being on the site, so consider this a way to celebrate.
Also, a special shout-out must go out to Tabby Kattene, who used the original version of this story as inspiration for plot elements in her stories The Guardian Stones and Fly or Fall (the rewrite). Go check them out and prod her to update them more often, people!
Anyway, let's get to the story, shall we?
Many Years Ago...
The atmosphere in the dimly lit cave was tense, as five female figures surrounded a campfire, the only source of light present as the star-less night sky prevailed outside.
"What do we do? We can't let the Wizards win!" a petite young woman with straight, waist-length platinum blonde hair, silver eyes and pale skin exclaimed, looking around her wildly as if she expected to be attacked at any moment.
"Farah is right. Our Queen and her warriors fight well, but the Wizards are overpowering them. Day by day, they kill our fellow fairies from all around the world and take their power." A woman with navy blue hair pulled into a ponytail, light green eyes, and brown skin spoke next, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "We have to find a way... we have to do something about it. Anything!"
"You are right as well, Verdani. I might have left Earth a long time ago to live in the Magix realm, but that doesn't mean that I can turn a blind eye to the events happening here." The one who appeared to be the oldest of the five stood up and stretched; a woman with strawberry blonde hair greying at the temple and a freckled face, grasping a wooden staff with various coloured gems embedded in it.
"What would you propose we do then, Arcelia? We, as much as I do not like to admit it… we are not as strong as the Wizards of the Black Circle! If we went up against them head on, we would be completely crushed!" the next woman to speak- and apparently the youngest- twirled her ear-length brown hair around her finger nervously, dark blue eyes filled with worry.
"Even if we die, Saisha, I would love to get a one-over on those bastards. Wouldn't it be wonderful, that even with us dead, they still couldn't win?" the last one to speak, a woman with dark purple hair rolled into a bun and hazel eyes chortled.
"That it would be, Quirina. That it would be…" Arcelia mused.
All of the women in the cave remained silent, watching the flames of their campfire, completely lost in their thoughts.
Arcelia looked down at the fire, her face seemingly looking as if she was struggling with something mentally.
"Arcelia, what are you thinking?" Farah looked up to see the older fairy pacing up and down.
"Verdani!" Arcelia spoke sharply, startling the blue-haired fairy. "Didn't you once say that Carys once saw one of us in the future? That one of our kind would be born many years from now?"
"Yes, but I don't know if she would be anything special. Carys didn't see whether or not the Wizards would manage to kill us all off, but she saw her…" Verdani answered.
"If only Carys were actually still alive to clarify the matter..." Quirina muttered. "She was the best of all us Earth Fairies at anything related to Divination!"
"That's probably why Ogron, Duman, Anagan and Gantlos went after her first. Wouldn't want her potentially 'seeing' ways to defeat them, now would they?" Farah spoke bitterly.
"Then that means that some of us at least, might live until that time. But that girl… She will likely be all alone in her magic, thanks to the Wizards. She will need cohorts in magic. Fellow fairies that can aid her. Aid each other in the return of magic to Earth and perhaps even take down the Wizards one day…" Arcelia mused out loud, confusing the other fairies.
"What are you on about, Arcelia? What do you mean?" Saisha asked.
"What I mean is this. Carys (may the Fates rest her soul) saw that there would be another Earthling fairy born many years from now and that she would be the last of our kind. Whether that is because we are all killed off, abandoned the planet or are sealed away somewhere, she will be alone." Arcelia pointed out.
"So that's it then? We're done for? The Wizards of the Black Circle are going to win?!" Verdani asked angrily.
"And what can we do about the matter?" Quirina raised an eyebrow.
"I already have a legacy in the Realm of Magix. If I die here, my magic will have already been passed down to my descendants there. You four on the other hand... Should anything happen to you..." Arcelia trailed off.
"...our lineage is done." Saisha whispered, horrified.
"There may be a way to ensure that doesn't happen, even if you are killed. Some time ago, all four of you received gifts from me, did you not?" Arcelia asked. "Where are they?"
"Mine is right here." Saisha lifted a silver necklace out of her blouse, which had a glittering emerald ankh pendant attached to it.
Verdani pulled a silver four-pointed star brooch with a round, sparkling sapphire set in the middle out of her pocket, Farah shook out her ponytail and pulled out a silver, heart-shaped hairpin with a heart-shaped ruby set in the centre from it, letting her hair loose in the process and Quirina snapped her fingers and a silver gauntlet with a cloud-shaped amethyst stone set in it appeared on her right wrist.
"What about them?" Verdani queried.
"Those jewellery items... the gemstones embedded in them rather... I have done research. Possible theories and methods of accomplishing such via those very same gemstones that I fashioned..." Arcelia answered.
"Accomplishing what?" Farah pressed.
"Your legacy of course. A failsafe. Even if you are killed, your magic will still live on. It would be a pyrrhic victory for us... for you, but the Wizards would never be able to get their hands on your magic if it came down to that..."
Arcelia paced up and down the cave, the only sounds in which were the crackling of the campfire, her footsteps and the fairies' breathing.
"I could be the Binder, but you would be the ones to pour your magic into the gems... Yes! If you did that, your jewellery... the gemstones embedded within them... They would contain your powers... and a part of your very soul even... With the right runic array, we could spread them across our planet and they could fall into the hands of worthy humans..."
"Wait, Arcelia. Stop right there." Quirina "We are not casting our powers out, only for them to fall into the hands of some pathetic humans! They would never know what to do with such power. They would... the magic would go to their heads and who knows what destruction they could do?!"
"I agree. Why humans? They are not deserving of such magic!" Farah exclaimed. "I have seen no human that would handle this sort of thing well. Even if they were not to use the magic to take advantage of other humans, it could drive them insane!"
"Who else do you propose we do this to then? Who else would be there to receive your magic? Other fairies? If that were the case, then there would be no need to even discuss this measure!" Arcelia exclaimed angrily. "We know charms, runes, different spells. We would make sure that even if it happens centuries from now, that those gems would fall into the hands of those you deem worthy!"
Verdani, Saisha, Farah and Quirina looked at her, eyes widened. None of the four had ever seen the elder fairy worked into such a passion before...
Arcelia rubbed her temples in frustration. "Fine. If you do not want to do this, if you want your lineage to be destroyed, if you want the Earth fairy that Carys saw to truly be the last of our kind, then that is your choice. I will take my leave now. I can only wish you all the best..." she started to head towards the mouth of the cave.
"Wait! Arcelia! Don't go!" Saisha transformed and flew forward to touch Arcelia on the shoulder. "I want to try this. I want to make sure that if anything happens to me, my healing... my... bio-magic... lives on! I'll do it!"
"I have a concern!" Verdani exclaimed. "What if the Wizards of the Black Circle find our jewellery... the gems in them... before the... humans do? Wouldn't they be able to drain the magic from them?"
"What if they find the... artificial fairies..." Quirina sounded disgusted at the very idea. "...before they gain control of their magic? An untrained fairy would be easy pickings for them. Much easier than it would be to defeat us."
"You mentioned bits of our souls being placed into the gems... Surely you don't mean that we make Soul Jars put of them?!" Farah looked disgusted at the very thought.
"I most certainly do not, Farah." Arcelia looked equally disgusted. "As if I would ever suggest such a thing! Pollute my precious creations with such horrid magic indeed. I do not oppose the use of dark magic where necessary, but Soul Jars... never."
Farah looked at Saisha and seeing her worried expression, relented.
"Very well." Farah took a deep breath as she held her hairpin tighter. "What must we do?"
"Farah! No! Surely you don't agree with this... this... fiasco?!" Quirina looked angry.
Farah hesitated. "Not... entirely, but what choice do I really have? As the Fairy of Emotions, I have felt the emotional pain of those of our kind who have already lost those close to them. Those who felt alone as they tried to escape the Black Circle. I don't want this fairy to feel alone. Besides, this is just a failsafe. Only if I die by the Black Circle's hand will the magic you are suggesting activate, correct?" She looked Arcelia in the eye.
Arcelia nodded.
Farah took a deep breath and willed her transformation.
"I... I don't like it either. The spirits of dead fairies call out to me, wanting revenge... If I join their ranks and I don't take this chance..." Verdani closed her eyes, willing her tears away as she stood up and transformed.
Quirina looked around at them.
"So. That's it then. You're all just going to give up? Roll over and let them win?" She stood up, glaring them all down.
"It's not giving up, Quirina." Saisha floated forward, putting a gloved hand gently on the purple-haired fairy's shoulder. "It's making sure that if anything happens to us, if it comes to the worse... they still wouldn't get what they're looking for in us. If it works, our magic will go to deserving humans. Ones who could handle it."
"All my years of learning and study... My weather magic... potentially cut short by the havoc that those four dark wizards are wreaking on our kind... I do like the thought of crossing them... even if they end up killing me..." Quirina clenched her fists, trying to calm herself down.
"Any day now, they will find you. All of you." Arcelia spoke softly. "You are all younger than me by many years, but you are my friends. You four refuse to leave Earth like myself and many other fairies have done. Even those fairies most skilled at warding and defensive spells have been found, captured and in some cases, killed."
Something in Quirina's angry expression changed and Arcelia, noticing it, pressed on.
"I wish you would come to safety with me, but you all want to fight until the very end or help out otherwise in any way you can. I am not much of a fighter myself. But... I want to do this for you. Just in case anything happens... Your magic... you... won't be lost forever."
"All of this..." Quirina ground out. "All of it... I wish it weren't necessary. The Wizards of the Black Circle have found a way to make themselves immune to fairy magic, so we can't just fight them... You are actually suggesting that we entrust the care of our magic to mere humans... But if you... we perform the spell right and our jewellery... the gems... fall into the hands of truly worthy humans... That fairy in the future won't be alone if we fall..."
Arcelia nodded. "That is the intention of all this, Quirina. The sole reason I put myself at risk to return here to see you, Verdani, Farah and Saisha after all..."
"What do we have to do for this, Arcelia?" Saisha asked.
"Hold the jewellery and focus your magic into it. As strongly as possible. Think of everything you can do with that magic. How you feel when you wield it. Think of how much you refuse to let the Wizards of the Black Circle win completely against you." the gemstone fairy instructed.
Quirina transformed and joined the others in following Arcelia's instructions.
"Think of the traits of someone you think would be worthy of experiencing your magic. Of guarding it. Of wielding it as your own."
Soft glows of dark green, red, purple and blue engulfed Saisha, Farah, Quirina and Verdani respectively as they did as they were asked.
Arcelia transformed and clutched the staff as each gem set in it began to glow softly.
A golden glow emanated from the staff and engulfed each individual item of jewellery that the other four held, mingling with the light already emanating from them as the gemstone fairy chanted something in Latin.
When she tapped the staff on the cave floor as she spoke a final incantation, a circle of golden coloured runes surrounded them all before glowing brightly.
When the glow subsided, each of the other four fairies looked at their jewellery in expressions akin to awe.
"It is done." Arcelia breathed heavily. "The failsafe... It is in place..." She leaned against a cave wall.
"That was..." Saisha paused. "I don't know how to describe that, honestly..."
"Neither do I..." Quirina looked at Arcelia. "Where did you learn such a spell?"
"It is inconsequential now. But... I promised that I would return to Magix alive. I must go before they return again. I barely escaped with my life and my wings the last time we crossed paths..." Arcelia looked down at her feet.
Verdani flew forward to hug her friend and so did the others- though Quirina was a bit hesitant in displaying her affection.
"I will try my best to find Queen Morgana and tell her of what I have done before I return. Outside of us, I think she, at least, should know what we have done here today..." Arcelia said.
The other four fairies could only nod.
Arcelia hugged them all tightly. "Take care, my friends. Fly free. Fly safe."
The gemstone fairy swiped her staff and in a flash of golden light, she was gone.
"Lightning Strike! Hail Hurricane!" Quirina was cornered by Gantlos and Anagan, heavily injured, as she did her best to fight them off.
She was bleeding from her left side, some of her hair had been pulled out of its usually immaculate bun, scratches and bruises covered her body, she was limping and even her wings looked rather tattered as she breathed heavily, one of her eyes swollen shut and blood running out the corner of her mouth.
"Why don't you give up, little fairy? You can't win against us!" Gantlos chuckled as he heard the screams of another fairy somewhere nearby.
"Verdani!" Quirina called out, trying to fight down the feeling of terror threatening to engulf her.
"Sounds like Verdani is no longer in the land of the living!" Anagan chuckled.
"I find it ironic that she thought that the spirits of the dead could help her remain in the land of the living..." Gantlos sneered at her.
Duman and Ogron teleported in just then.
"Your other two friends have already been killed and your little ghost whisperer friend has just been... eliminated, as you must have just heard." Ogron said. "There is nowhere for you to run, Fairy of Weather. Nowhere for you to hide."
"You... you will never get my magic! I would die first!" Quirina's gauntlet glinted in the evening sunlight as she felt her strength begin to fade.
"Great. Just what I was planning to do to you anyway." Duman shifted into what looked like a sabre-toothed tiger and charged towards the battered fairy.
Having neither the time nor energy to dodge, he made impact with her and Quirina was tossed into the air, landing with a thud to the ground, her fairy form fading away for a final time as she lay completely still.
Her gauntlet, unnoticed by the wizards, disappeared from her wrist.
"Dead." Gantlos prodded her body casually with the tip of his boot.
Ogron held a hand above Quirina's body, scanning it.
He frowned. "No magical residue. No magical aura around her body whatsoever. Even if dead, there should still be some sort of magic field around her. It's as if she was just a human!"
"Just like her friends..." Duman scowled.
"They must have done something to prevent us from getting their magic- alive or dead." Anagan mused.
" Never mind that. A dead fairy is just as good as a drained one to me." Ogron turned his back on Quirina's body. "Let's go. There are many more fairies that we need to pay visits to..."
Arcelia set the jewellery that she had crafted for her friends down on the table in front of her as she let her tears fall.
"I had hoped that it wouldn't come to this, but it has..." she wiped away the tears. "Quirina. Verdani. Saisha. Farah. All four of you. Gone..."
Arcelia straightened up.
"What is done is done. The failsafe is in place. I cannot... must not fail you now..."
A familiar golden glow engulfed the pieces of jewellery as they floated in the air above her and then disappeared.
"They are gone now... It is finally done..." Arcelia sunk into a chair, exhausted both emotionally and physically.
"I can only hope that it works as well as I envisioned it. Even if it did not, at least it stopped the Wizards of the Black Circle from getting hold of my friends' magic at least."
She conjured a map of Earth and glanced at it.
Four glowing golden dots appeared on four separate locations on the map.
"The gems are hidden, just as I planned it. Someday, those who are worthy will find them. I only hope they will be able to handle it all..."
W aving her staff, the map rolled itself up and disappeared as Arcelia sunk into a nearby armchair and covered her face with her hands.
Just a little heads up: We won't be seeing the actual canon characters until chapter 3. Next chapter, we'll see just what kinds of girls the Gems of Arcelia managed to make their way into the hands of...