I woke with a start. Horrible nightmares plagued my sleep. I looked around my room, searching in the dark for what woke me. My pictures are on the wall; my dress is slung over the foot of the bed where I left it. Mementos of my short stay at Alfea are still scattered across my desk. All is quiet and normal as far as I can see. But as a fairy, I know better. I can feel negative energy surrounding me from all sides. I rise slowly from my bed, heart throbbing, and start across the floor to the door. I hear a loud bang, and the castle rocks as if in an earthquake, tossing me to the floor. Something's going on outside. I hear more thuds and shouts. Foremost among the shouts are the voices of my parents.

Instantly I knew what must be going on. I threw on my clothes and raced out the door. Passing the polished columns lining the windows, I saw my reflection and slightly grimaced. Dressing in my rush, I had thrown on the gown from last night's state dinner. Sometimes I hate myself. It's hard to look imposing going into battle you're when dressed for a gala.

Another rumble shook the palace. I stopped before continuing down the stairs. I could now hear my father's voice clearly. It was coming from the war-room. As I was rounding the corner I heard him say, "... ... need thirty more troops on the walls if we're to hold them back." I hear several "yes sires!" and running footfalls recede.

"Daphne!" my mother, Queen Marion called out when she saw me approach.

"Mom, what is it? What's going on?"

"My dear," Mom puts her hands on my shoulders, "I'm afraid that they've started the attack."

"The Ancestrals?" I squeak. I soooo don't feel ready for this. But I can't show it. "What are we going to do?"

Father stares at the battle diagram on the table with piercing eyes. "Perhaps if we position more fairies on the western wall, and more wizards at the gates, we could hold them till Saladin and the others get here."

I ask. "So where do you want me; on the battlements? Or maybe..."

"No." Father says simply. "I need you to stay and watch Bloom. If anything happens to us... ...I want you to take your sister and get to safety."

The room starts to spin, and my breathing gets shallow. "But Father... I finished my quest! I got Sirenix! I need to be up there, to help you."

He cups my chin with his hand and sighed "I know. And that may come in handy better then you think. But it's different now. We've learned through our spies that they know something is amiss. They've heard tell of your quest, but we're not sure if they know what it was about. It's too dangerous for you now, so let me and your Mother handle it."

"Dear," my Mother says gently, removing her mask. "Take this. If we fall, someone must protect this planet. As princess of Sparx, and my daughter, I give this to you."

She removes her mask, the glowing iridescent shape flickering like firelight in her hands, and places it in my own.

"But Mom, this is your symbol of guardianship and harmony with the Dragon Fire. You wouldn't give this to me unless you were sure you two were going to..." My eyes fill with tears.

Mom pats me on the cheek. "We need to get going, love." Dad says.

They both give me one quick squeeze and run toward the gates. Oh dear God, please don't let this be the last time I see them both. My prayer hopefully on its way, I should be too.

Luckily, Bloom's room is on the side of the palace facing the gates. I should be able to see the battle from there. Now, I just have to protect my baby sister and watch helplessly from the sidelines, my power useless, as my parents sacrifice their lives for our planet and the rest of the magical dimension. Piece of flipping' cake.

Bloom is sleeping soundly in her crib, her little fists curled up around her blanket, her pudgy arms strangling the life out of her stuffed bunny. The sweet sight doesn't last for long. Another blast, which can only be magic, rocks the castle. Waking Bloom up in the process, apparently. She wails and cries for mommy, which only makes me feel worse as I pick her up and she slaps my hands away. What am I going to do if they die? How will I take care of Bloom? She's not even a year old yet, and I have no idea how to raise a child. Oh my God, how will I explain all of this to her!?" As I turn this over in my mind, I watch the battle breathlessly.

Mom just took a hit from the oldest witch, and collides with the north portico. I wince as I see her fall. Dad runs to her aid, just to be stopped by the other two witches, who hit him at once with a combined attack. Luckily, just as it careens toward him, he does a backwards summersault and lands in time to deflect the blow with his sword. Unluckily, the blast disintegrates the sword.

Just then, a Red Fountain ship appears out of nowhere! The doors open and four people jump out of the ship. I recognize two of them. There's a woman about moms age, in what looks like an Enchantix transformation. That's Miss Faragonda, the convergence teacher from Alfea School for fairies. I know because before the threat to the magic dimension started a year and a half ago, I had had exactly six months of school there. Then I was recalled home and told that my parents had received news of three witches who were planning to take over the magic dimension. But that's a whole another story I'll tell later.

There's also a man dressed in battle armor and carrying two wicked looking swords, one strapped to his back, the other being wielded in deadly battle. I remember seeing Dad talking to him earlier this week. I must have overheard his name. Haggen, Haggen I think.

The other two people are a complete mystery, but as they join the battle I notice that both seem to be magic users. The woman conjures a large griffin and directs him toward the witches. So she's a witch then. The man is standing in the middle of the courtyard, next to the fountain, chanting with his arms above his head. A red bubble seems to envelope him, than expand to include the Ancestrals, blasting them back. Sooooo, Wizard then?

I hear a rally cry, and my eyes flash wildly back to Mum and Dad. They seem to be regrouping the soldiers, while some of the healing wizards are carrying the wounded into the outbuildings to treat them. The battle seems to be going well, but then, all of a sudden I feel a wave of dark energy wash over me. It hurts! My head feels like its bursting!

I fall to the ground, just missing landing on Bloom. I turn on my side, rolling over so that she's lying on my stomach. She seems to have been affected as well, because she's weeping into my dress, her curly red hair standing in all directions. I stand up and place her in her crib, better not to drop her if the energy overtakes me again. I lean, breathing hard, with my hands gripping the edges of the cradle.

This is just as well, because another wave rocks me to my core. I stumble over to the window again, in time to see a man, a dark hearted man ringed in the negative energy enter the palace gates. It's him, and I know what's wrong now. My mother's gift, her mask lets me see it. He also carries the Dragon Fire. And it's been tainted.