Hello from the Other Side

by Lara Praxina Rock

Gramorr has been defeated. Yet there is no room for peace in Praxina's heart. She is devastated by Mephisto's loss. Yet she is somewhat unable to actually take her revenge on Iris. Something is keeping her from truly doing harm...despite of Gramorr's mask bestowing her with new powers, and despite her new Overlord self. When asleep, Praxina can hear Mephisto speak to her...

Hello from the Other Side

Chapter One

Only in her sleep she could hear HIS voice. The dearest voice to her, the only sound which would envelope her with love and healing. And now that she was rotten to the core, Love and Healing were the things she needed the most.

Praxina was lying asleep in the canopy bed she had arranged for herself in the building. The abandoned, big sanctuary in the hills surrounding Sunny Bay. The bed was actually a doll thing she had taken from a toy shop, while a spell was making her invisible. She'd then brought it to the building and turned it into regular size. Only to realize there was no point in trying to make that place - or any other place in the world, in any world, for what mattered – closer to a thing called "home". There was no home for her, not without Mephisto. They had always been Home to each other. All they ever had was each other. And now Mephisto was gone.

Iris' fault. All her fault. Praxina had been fighting the lousy pink-haired Princess all night long to no avail – that is, both side came up with nothing. Was like they didn't really want to harm the other – yet they were sure they were to eliminate the opponent. Iris because she thought it was the done thing, she had no choice. Praxina because she was blinded with rage. And pain. The darkened Overlord figure she was showing out wasn't her true self. Nor it was the "good girl" she once had been, when she had lost memory – there was something sad, even about that sweet and good girl, who had been hanging out with the Princesses for one day. The truth was, she could never be happy , she could never be herself…her true self…without Mephisto. And Mephisto was gone.

Damn Iris, she whispered in her sleep. Tears slipping from her closed eyes to her lips. She was daysleeping, exhausted from nightfighting. Her realm was the night, as she was now bathed in darkness. She used to fight the Princesses at night, and sleep the day away.

She had once kindnapped Nathaniel…it had been a few months before all this…but then, she had found herself unable to kill him. All the strenght and energy seemed to abandon her body, the moment she tried to cast deadly magic towards the terrestrian teen. Sho she just let him go…even dared him to run, run for your life…just because she didn't want him to see her break up crying, as she did.

Praxina had given up her original plan of taking revenge over Iris by harming or killing Nathaniel. She was now aiming at just the Princesses. That is – she was aiming at Iris. She was the only true responsible for her loss. And she was the only one supposed to pay, in first person. Yet – she was unable to eliminate her. Unable to go the whole way. Their continuous fights just left them with minor wounds, which Aunty Ellen would then cure in Iris' case. Praxina's wounds were left to bleed – she did not care; nobody cared. To hell with it, she thought. It was Praxina's heart which was really going to pieces – every night worse.

Rage was drying her very lifeforce. Rage was bringing her apart, drying her energy from the inside.

But – this has to be said – it was NOT just rage alone. It was…it was that damn thing. That MASK.

Gramorr's mask - or what was left of it.

The very moment she had put it on her face, egged by Banes, she had been turned into someone else. Someone who would replace her at night, when she was awake and fighting. Yet that mask would pale and shake and disappear from her face, when she was sound asleep. Banes could not see this strange phenomenon, as he was lurking outside the building, guarding it by his eyes seemingly made of void.

Only when she was asleep, Praxina was set free from the damn mask, and she even regained her normal resemblance. The violet-haired Princess unaware of being a Princess, with the black and orange butterfly through her hair. A butterfly that seemed to be there to remind her she had a chance, she could be happy, it was up to her… But no, not without Mephisto. And only when she was sound asleep…only in those somewhat enchanted hours, she could hear Mephisto's voice speaking. Gently whispering words to her heart.

Chapter Two

"Praxina…Prax…my dearest sister. Can you hear me?" a deep, soft and well-known voice called out. It was barely audible, yet it filled the hole in the sleeping Princess' heart. It even filled the freezing air in the building. Mephisto's voice was coming like a rush of springtime, a ray of sunshine in the hardest winter time.

It was coming like healing – but of that sort which hurts even harder. Because wherever he was, he was out of reach. It all was most likely to be just a dream…

"Praxina, please open your heart and listen… there are things i have to tell you. It is vital that you listen, please. You can't go on like that: it's killing you. It is not you that Evil Queen fighting, night after night. It is just a portrait of your pain. But i never ever wanted you to be in pain… That's not what i had in my heart, when i saved you. In a split second, i had a vision of you falling into the portal…you were being swallowed by it, with no way out…and i could not allow it to happen. I did it for the both of us, Sis. That's it…i could have never go on without you. I knew i would have to either put an end to my own life, or to live like a ghost or a shade, endlessly walking the earth with no aim, without you. I was not to survive that loss. But you – you are stronger. You have always been the one wearing trousers – here his voice became sweetly playful – and you know it's amongts the things i loved about you. I loved everything about you, actually, Praxina. Even when you reproached me. Even when you called me a hopeless fool. Even when you threatened to send me to the mines of Lugh… Even when you didn't laugh at my jokes. I've always loved you for what you are, Praxina. Sweetest of sisters. And you are not barely the broken-hearted Evil Queen who swirls and spirals in the night sky…so restlessly…so painfully. For you to tolerate, and for me to see. For the sake of us both, sister, please give it all up. And i'll tell you…the key is…

I'll reveal you something crucial…the key is…

…the key is the damn MASK. Remove it from your face. Get rid of it, while you're still ontime. Otherwise it will melt with you, and your true self…my dear sister…will be gone forever. And if it happens like that, there will be no place for us to meet…and we're supposed to meet…once again. Believe me."

"Mephisto! – the violet-haired girl cried in her sleep – where are you? Is it really you speaking? Is it not silly me just dreaming? Mephisto…please, tell me how you're doing. How you're feeling… No, wait, wait…tell me…tell me where you are. Are you alive? Is there anywhere i can go find you…hug you…feel you…?" She broke up crying. Mephisto's words then reached to her as a caress, the gentle touch of a hand through her hair. She felt like she could even perceive his fingertips.

"I do not know where i am…nor if i'm alive or not. I'm supposed not to be, but strangely, i can sense things around…and other things inside of me…that feel tangible. Physical. One for all, there's a smell of wet sand and blood and fire here in this strange place. I'm in a sort of a desert, yet i would swear something is burning or has been burning not so long ago. I don't know how long i have been here. I am not eating as there's absolutely nothing available here…yet i can stand up and walk and talk. All these conflicting circumstances are driving me confused…some things seem to be suggesting i'm dead; others seem to reveal i'm alive. The thing is, Praxina, i don't know. As i don't know if i will ever get out of this place...whatever it is. All i know is that we are to meet again. One day. Beyond everything limiting us, everything that's harming us right now. But you…sweet sister, you have to do the done thing. Regardless of my fate, regardless if i'm dead or alive…just go ahead and remove that damn mask. Do not delay it any further. Please do that. Promise me you will do, sweet sister. I'll take your promise with me and carry it in my heart, along with your smile. It will be my lifeforce, even if i'm not living… it will be my lifeforce no matter what. Can you promise me, Praxina…? Can you….?"

Chapter Three

The room was already bathed in darkness when Praxina slipped out from her sleep. Had it been all but a dream? The sweetest and most beautiful of dreams, sent from Mephisto, wherever he was, as a last gift and a lullaby? The young Princess raised her hand to touch her cheek – her right one, which wasn't covered by the mask. Her skin, her very skin, was so soft to touch and surprisingly warm. Like it had been touched by magic, some magic of a precious sort. As far as she remembered, her body temperature had been rather low lately, as if not only her heart and soul, but her body – and her very being, as a whole – had become somewhat colder. Not that she cared it about. But now…now it was like someone had started to care. And to take care. In a way only one person had always been capable of…

Mephisto. She could even smell his perfume all around, in the Sanctuary's freezing air. Little by little, bit by bit, the smell became closer to a presence…though it was just the memory of a presence. Mephisto had been close to her, just a while before: it had been more than just a dream. Now she could tell for sure. Because – beyond the warmth, beyond the sweet smell, even beyond the presence – she had been feeling the way she used to feel when being with him. When her brother was around. It was something so infinitely simple, yet so immensly deep and mysterious…a feeling, a sensation no word could define or describe. The two of them being together. Mephisto being around. That familiar feeling that was part of Praxina, it had been part of her all the while. Yet she could find no words to describe. Words were not enough. They were not even needed.

Praxina stood up and walked towards the mirror. A big oval one, she had found it and brought to the place – as she had done with the bed and with few other items of need. She had then cast some magic to the mirror to make it look…infinitely old. Not just a shabby, vintage thing. Infinitely old.

She store at her own reflection. What she was facing was her Overlord self, in full outfit. The mask was in its place, invincibly white. Invincibly steady. To a point she suddenly had the impression that the mask – the horrid thing – was laughing at her. Here i am, here you are; there we go. There is nothing you can do to change this. There is no way back. No way…

Praxina forced herself not to listen. It wasn't actual words she was hearing; it was just her inner turmoil. Which was in itself a positive thing: proved she had started to outdistance her new self, getting closer to the old one. The one she used to be. The one Mephisto loved, to the point he would lay down his life for her. "I don't know if i'm alive or not…" he had said, as Praxina suddenly remembered. He had told her of his confusion, of the wilderness he was in. Yet, even in such conditions, he would cared for her only, worried for her only. Placed all his hopes and prayers in his sister's hands. "Get rid of that mask. Can you promise me…?"

As his brother's imploring words kept filling her mind and ears, over and over again, Praxina store at her image in the mirror. Her Overlord self. The broken-hearted Evil Queen with the white mask covering the left side of her pale face. The restless Queen whose body was hidden by tight black stuff she now perceived as a fake skin imprisoning her, nearly suffocating her. Also the dark cloak was suffocating her. And the mask – above all, the mask - was suffocating. It was chocking her.

"This is not me!", she uttered, instinctively moving one step back and away from the mirror. Again, she raised her hand to touch her cheek. It was colder than before, but of a cold which still left room for hope. She wouldn't have surrendered this. She was stronger than this. "Remove the mask, Prax – she told to herself – now…!"

In that very moment, she heard heavy steps at her back. Heavy steps, and a heavier, long breath. S he slowly turned her head, only to come to face the void of two inexplicable eyes.

Banes.

"Banes…will you leave me alone? Will you stop trapping me this way…?"

These words she didn't utter. It was just her heart, under layers of dark clothing and darker magic, which was silently praying. Silently crying.

The night had come, black like the opposite and the completion to the whiteness of the mask. Or the void in Banes' eyes.

It was night. Time to fight.

Chapter four

Mephisto was walking on the white sands of a seemingly infinite desert. He hadn't been barely eating since he had memory, yet he didn't feel weakened in anyway. Nonetheless, the shadow he was projecting on the white sand was long and slender in an unusual way; and the hand – his own hand – he was now facing, having lifted it before his eyes, was so thin you could almost see it through. Painfully thin. Yet he felt no pain… "Am i dead? – he asked to himself – Is it that? If i was dead, that would explain why i can no longer feel any pain or weakness, let alone hunger. On the other hand, i should not have become this thin. If i don't possess a body anymore…if i'm just a shade of who i was…i shouldn't have changed in anyway, as a consequence of non eating. And i shouldn't be perceiving things like cold, warm – it can be either damn cold or damn hot down here, it shifts, it drives me mad – nor i could be sensing the smell of blood…something burning…the smell of a battle…war… which is almost unberable from time to time. If i'm dead, i shoudn't be feeling…shouldn' be feeling…"

…this tear rolling down my cheek, he was trying to say. But soon he fell to his knees on the white sand, and an outburst of unleashed desperation arose from that first, single, crystal tear. That had been born in his green eyes and had been rolling down his pale, hollow cheek.

Mephisto was crying as a baby. He went on and on, until he began to feel a little bit better. As if a major weight, like a huge stone which had been stuck inside of him, at the very core of his been, had been suddenly eradicated. "I am not dead – he said to himsef, out of the blue, staring at his skinny hands wet with the tears they had collected, as they had been cradling his head and face – wherever i am."

I am not dead.

It was in that very moment, as he came to this sudden realization, that he heard a voice in his head.

"Mephisto – the voice said – you were correct in your assumption, and you've passed the first test. It is as you say: you are not dead."

The voice was coming from nowhere around, yet it wasn't merely a product of Mephisto's imagination. The young Prince unaware of being a Prince could say for sure that voice was something real. And not just that – he had already heard it before. It was somewhat…familiar. Though it sounded altered now, in such a way he could not discern where this familiar feeling came from. It was a male voice – that was all he could say for sure. A male voice speaking…

"Mephisto, now that you've passed this first test, which you can be proud of, it is time for you to know where you are. I will tell you: this place is called the All White. It's where a special kind of magic is stored, something infinitely hard to handle. It is the magic of this place what's keeping you from feeling ill, despite food deprivation and weight loss. But there's more to this place which has to be told… See, this place is where Banes' eyes, and Gramorr's mask, originally came from. They were made from this sand – this white sand you're kneeling on."

Mephisto suffocated a gasp. He could not believe what he had just heard. His pupils began trembling in the liquid, deep, beautiful green of his eyes.

"Yet this is not what you need to know – the voice continued – It is time for you to make a choice. You're about to face your second test, which is something unescapable, something you can't possibly refuse or avoid. Yet, you can choose between two different kinds of test. Now listen to me carefully", the voice summoned. At which Mephisto felt a shiver through his spine, while that familiar feeling grew stronger…

"First option you have is to embark on a magical journey which – if well performed – will lead you to master this place's incommensurable magic. This won't be easy, mind you. But it could reveal surprisingly easier than second option…and far less painful. Yet i don't want to influence you in any way: it's your choice."

Mephisto didn't feel eager about that place's magic, nor any other magic, for what mattered. He just wanted to better understand. He just wanted answers to many questions, which were now blossoming in his heart like roses, in the need of watering. He just wanted to see Praxina's face and smile again, to feel her arms wrapping him, again.

He just wanted to get out of that damn place.

"Tell me what the second option is", he said.

Somewhere else, a fight was going on.

Two slender silhouettes against the ink black of the night sky. A pink angel and a violet and black butterfly demon, both with a broken heart, both with a bleeding wound somewhere inside of them, were fighting each other in the black ink sky above a sleeping Sunny Bay.

Iris and Praxina no longer needed that sort of "arena" Amaru once used to create, to make a barrier between them and the human world, while they were fighting. Now the nearly total blackness of the night was enough to envelope them and hide them. And to contain their powers as well, while at the same time centuplicate their strenght and effectiveness – which could only harm the two of them, and nobody else.

After summoning all her power in its fullest form, during the last battle against Gramorr, Iris had developed new powers, while her old ones had become much stronger. Just like Praxina, she was now able to fly and teleport. So they could lead their battle at such great heights no-one would have been possibly affected by their furious attacks. That's why they no longer needed an arena.

Yet, the young, pink-haired Princess of Ephedia wasn't happy nor proud of what she had done. She had defeated Gramorr, but at what price? Mephisto had been sacrificed, and Praxina had been left alone to face an uncommensurable pain. That was the bleeding wound in Iris' heart. That was what wouldn't leave her at peace, not a single moment in the day or night; not even when she was walking hand in hand with Nathaniel and striving to donate him her brightest smile.

She paused for a moment, staring at Praxina's way of fighting. She had come to that usual "breaking point"…something Iris had seen before, and had become able to discern. Something which was so painful to witness. Praxina was casting huge spheres of energy in all directions – all but Iris' direction. She was clearly calling on to her full power, in its most destructive form. Yet to no avail: she was casting energy in the black ink cloak of the nightsky, where it would be eventually absorbed and dispersed. The most painful thing to see was her face: it was contracted by the huge effort, and was clearly grimacing with pain. Her once lovely, violet hair was mercilessly ruffled, nearly torn by the freezing wind… And while all this went on and on, she was no longer speaking words of power. No "Ateruina" or similar stuff was to be heard. (Ateruina was Mephisto's word for smiling when you took a pic, instead of saying "cheese"…that was all. She was treasuring it in her heart as just this, and this was precious). Now Praxina was seemingly mumbling hidden formulas whereas she was actually moaning…moaning with pain. While exhausting herself in an outburst of power aimed to no actual target. Now Iris could plainly see it was just that way.

"Praxina – Iris suddenly said in a begging tone – why we're going on and on with this? What are we doing?"

No answer, no reaction came from her painful-looking opponent. She was most likely not to have barely heard Iris speaking. The pink-haired Princess felt something like a stab in her heart: this was too much to stand. Praxina coudn't possibly go on that way, she needed help… Iris gathered all her courage, and – while being aware of the potential danger – she moved closer… weightlessly, gently. Flying. She moved closer to her opponent, Praxina.

She put a hand on her shoulder, suddenly feeling the deadly cold temperature of Praxina's body. It could be perceived even through layers of black robes. "So is it even this you are going through, Praxina? How can you possibly bear it, how can you carry such a burden all alone?", Iris thought, while her sky-blue eyes filled with tears.

It was in that moment…

Praxina could not tolerate compassion. Let alone Iris' compassion. Maybe she hadn't heard Iris' words, a while before; maybe she hadn't even felt the gentle touch of her hand on her shoulder. But she had felt – and she was feeling – the range of her compassion. This was the very thing she could not accept. Her rage grew to unmanageable levels…

Iris was one step from her, if not even closer. Iris was the easiest target to be on. Iris had given herself up to Praxina.

Yet, Praxina didn't direct her magical attack towards her. Not even this time. She wasn't out to kill, to take a life…not Iris' life, nor anyone's else…Praxina herself suddenly got aware of this, and her heart moaned in pain. And self-loathing. And struggle. "Get out of my way, you silly Princess! Leave me alone!", she screamed at Iris, while at the same time casting a huge sphere of energy…possibly her most destructive attack ever…and she directed it to a random point in the black ink night, nowhere near to where Iris was.

Iris shook. Her hand – as she barely, weakly realized – was still resting on Praxina's shoulder. It was like they had been half-consciously…half-hugging each other, while all that horror was taking place. Horror, yes…

…because this time something did go wrong.

This time, Praxina's magic had been really too strong, and out of control.

Her energy sphere didn't get swallowed and absorbed by the night sky: it just crossed it, regardless of the great heights separating the two of them from the human world. The sphere was reaching fast to just that world…

Both Princesses became suddenly aware of what was happening. They did not waste time in speaking or thinking: they instinctively plunged into the black ink night and deep down, down… desperately chasing the letal sphere. They did not even know what the were to do to stop it – but they were to do something.

The horror of what they saw a while later enveloped both of them like a mournful cloak. The sphere had reached close to a human being…a boy in his early twenties, as they could make out the moment before he was swallowed…

Swallowed, yes. Because, though the sphere did not strike him directly – which would have caused his instanct death – it had somewhat crashed beside him, and opened a portal which swallowed him in. An oval, merciless, somewhat…unescapable portal: this was the feeling it gave. The horrific feeling it gave.

Both Princesses stood frozen for a few seconds… But it was Praxina the one who felt the hardest shock. She now knew what it had been really all about… She now knew how it felt, to harm someone when you didn't intend to. She had done the same thing Iris had done...and – now Praxina could see it clearly – it had not been her fault. She never intended to harm Mephisto as she did. Some things happen and you can't help them…or rather, sometimes you get out of control because it is part of human nature. Even Ephedian creatures share part of human nature. The difference between the two of them…

…the difference between Iris and Praxina was that Iris was fighting for her Home, for her people, when she accidentally hit Mephisto. While Praxina had just gone out of control, letting rage overcome her until that last, fatal outburst.

She had finally forgiven Iris…but how could she forgive herself?

No way…

…or rather, ONE way. One only way available…

"Praxina!",

Iris screamed. But it was another voice – it was Mephisto's voice – Praxina heard. The moment before -be it as self-punishment, be it as a desperate attempt to save the terrestrial boy - …the moment before she threw herself in the still open portal.

Chapter Five

Butterflies.

They were floating in circle, seemingly dancing, reminding very much of a fairy ring. Their multicoloured wings were flapping against the clearest sky Praxina had ever seen, as far as she remembered…a sky as clear as peace, and family life, and childhood. That was what she felt it about, the moment she opened her eyes.

She was lying on the grass in what looked like a magnificent garden or a meadow, covered with flowers of all colours and scents. She slowly raised to sit on the grass; she was feeling confused and quite dizzy, and had to rest on her elbows for a while before being able to sit up straight.

She instinctively glanced down at her own body and figure. Surprinsingly, she noticed that she was wearing her formerly usual clothes: the black dress with the orange and white butterfly pattern at the upper edge, the long purple-grey stockings with orange hems, and the violet and black cloak. She touched her head: the butterfly hairclip that had accompanied her all her life was back in place… But so was the mask. As she realized when she dared lower her hand and touch her left cheek. The mask was invincibly there; the damn thing didn't seem to be willing to leave her alone – just like Banes' eyes, made of a closely similar white, had been somewhat haunting her all the while since she had become Overlord.

Now she was no longer Overlord. But she wasn't her truer, old self, either. She was something she could not discern… Yet there were other questions to be answered first. She could not simply sit and wait. She needed to make an effort to remember…remember…

It took a while for her to recollect the memories of what she had just been through. She had been crossing the portal…then, she was suddenly swallowed by a void. But it was nothing like a black hole or a slimy, muddy lake, as she had assumed. Quite the opposite: it was like entering, and being penetrated by, the purest white light.

The All White.

Wait…where did this tip come from?

"Mephisto? Mephisto!",

she started to call out. There wasn't desperation in her voice. For some reason she couldn't get, it was like she knew HE was to come. He wasn't far away. She knew for sure…

"Beautiful sky, noticing water is friendly sometimes…"*

…someone chanted softly, beautifully, behind her back. That was a popular Runic tune. And the voice…

*(Author's note: this is originally a quote from a song from The Knife).

…the voice belonged to…

"Mephisto!"

cried Praxina in an outburst of uttermost joy. She rose up and turned in what looked and felt like a graceful pirhouette, and suddenly…finally…

There he was.

Mephisto was standing in front of her, before her very eyes, giant - even more than usual, that is – as if preparing for all the joy they were to contain, not knowing if it could actually be contained.

This was no dream, nor illusion… Mephisto was there for real. And so was she. They were both alive and fully conscious of their own bodies and feelings. And they were together again.

Together again…

There was so much their hearts needed to speak out, so much to tell to each other.

"Thank you for visiting in my dreams, Mephisto."

"Thank you for letting me in, Praxina."

"You shouldn't have left me alone the way you did..i should slap you now, you know…"

"…or you should send me to the mines of Lugh…"

"…sounds like a plan", she giggled, then threw herself into her brother's arms.

There she found that warmth she had been longing for so long. That infinitely sweet comfort, that healing… She rested her head on his brother's chest. It was by then that she got aware of something weird and quite scary: she could feel every single bone, every single rib of her beloved one. She started to shake a little bit. Gently released him from her hug and moved a couple of steps behind, to stare at him…

"M-Mephisto…" she stammered. The overwhelming joy of a few moments ago had made her unable to truly see… "Mephisto – she repeated – what happened to you? Klatznik*, you're so skinny…are you okay, dearest? Please don't tell me lies…"

*(Klatznik: an Ephedian exclamation, first heard on episode 2, Season one).

Mephisto kept staring at her sister with the most beautiful smile. Tiny sparkles of golden light seemed to be dancing and swirling in the beautiful, watery green of his eyes. His smile didn't seem forced, nor it looked painful. Which comforted Praxina a little bit.

"I am okay, my sweet, over-protective little Prax – he ensured, his voice sounding sweet and playful – There's a special kind of magic about this place…which is keeping me from suffering from food deprivation. I will start needing food when we're out of this place. And you will need a lot of rest and sleep", he added, gently running his fingertip along the deep dark line, nearly a furrow under Praxina's eye. It was clear she had been sleeping too little, compared to how hard she had been fighting.

Mephisto sat on the grass, and gestured for Praxina to do the same. A perfect sunset was offering itself to their eyes in all its glory. It was like the product of a beautifully, extraordinarily crazy painter: all the shades of red and pink and purple in the world, in every world, were to be seen in full majesty.

They enjoyed the spectacle for a while. Mephisto cradled his sister in his arms.

And then… They both knew: time for serious talk had come. Time to begin to give shape to answers.

Chapter Six

They were sitting on the grass in the magnificent meadows, their eyes reflecting the colours of the most incredible sunset. Which was about to take a bow and leave the stage, as the night would have turned its stellate curtains down.

Praxina didn't know for sure, as she had somewhat lost memories of her childhood; but she was instinctively feeling that just this time of the day, twilight – the magical time which precedes the nightfall on earth…or Ephedia, or Runic – had always been the time for revelations. When she and her brother would share secrets. Those intimate, diminutive, yet immensly big and precious secrets only children can have and share.

She was wondering if it was the same for Mephisto: if he had forgotten his childhood, like she seemed to have. Oddly enough, all the time they had spent working for Gramorr, they had never barely approached the subject. As if some inner barrier, either magical or very human – like an unconscious fear of the truth – had been keeping them from talking things over. Because talking is the first step…it's the prelude to facing. And facing is coming to know…

Now it was time for serious talk. Time for questions…and answers…and more questions, perhaps. They both knew this thing was not to be delayed anymore…

"Mephisto, how did i get here? And why?"

"Because i called on you, sister."

Praxina suddenly remembered she had actually heard Mephisto's voice overapping with Iris', and somewhat replacing it, the moment she called out for her - as she had dived into the portal…

"How could you be sure that it would have worked? That i would have truly come?"

"'Cause i know you, first and foremost – he smiled, warmly – and then, because it was part of the second test. It couldn't fail."

"The…second test? – the young Princess repeated her borther's words, not grasping their meaning – what do you mean? Got some major grey area here, i'm afraid…"

"Sir Mephisto is here to fill you up, my Lady – he said and bowed, in the sweetest and funniest way – I told you this place we're in is called the All White… - here his tone and expression became serious again - …and it can take on several forms."

"You mean…several masks?", Praxina asked, instinctively raising her hand to touch the hatesome mask hiding the left side of her face.

"No…not like that – Mephisto said, while at the same time stroking his sister's shoulder to comfort her – None of the forms this place will show is really…for real, if you forgive the pun. But it can't be thought of as fake, either. The thing is…this place changes according to what the visitor needs to see. It wil keep changing over and over again, as their needs change, their capability of understanding evolves… This place is a lesson it itself, Praxina. But it's not always kind and gentle: first experience i've had of it was about desert lands and uncomfortable changes in weather…and the scent of blood, the feeling of something being put on fire… You know, i've told you about…in those dreams which were not dreams. It was only after i realized that…i was not dead…it was only after that very moment, that very realization, that this place started putting me to the test. First test had been exactly that one: becoming aware of my state. Becoming able to make that statement: i am not dead, i'm alive! Second test… - there he paused for a shortest while – second test, i was given a choice. I could pick a challenge – a journey, he said - out of two. And of course – he said, staring intently at his sister, while his green eyes were shimmering with love – of course, i've chosen the journey which included you."

"A…journey? – Praxina replied, not sure she was fully understanding – who was "he"? You said "he" brought the whole journey thing about…"

"Not sure – Mephisto said, suddenly feel strangely uncomfortable – It was a voice… Maybe it was just this place, this very place speaking. That would make some sense, after all… But…but…"

Mephisto's uneasy feeling grew to barely torelable levels. It had nothing to do with his sweet sister; it had to do with the mysterious voice and its owner. It had to do with the familiar, yet somewhat unpleasant feeling about that very voice… And above all, it had to do with Mephisto's unexplicable uncapability to tell Praxina that he had felt like that voice wasn't new to him. He had already heard it… But for some reason, as soon as he tried to reveal it to his sister, both his lips and mind went somewhat stuck. He simply could not tell her. Which was a bit like lying to her…and it hurt, klatznik. It hurt to the very core. He was overcome by a sudden vertigo, and had to cradle his head in his hands.

"Mephisto…you alright?", a scared and worried Praxina said. He caressed his brother's pale face. He waved a hand as to say: everything's fine.

"Enough for today – Praxina said – If you can't get any food, at least you can get some rest…and that's for sure. That's what you need. We will talk things out again later…"

The violet-haired Prince shook his head. "No, sweet sis – he said – we have already wasted too much time. We've got to embark on this journey…and pass this test…within a given amount of time. How much, i don't know for sure: he…the voice…didn't tell. But we can't delay it any further. Just…"

He turned to face his beloved sister. He looked for her eyes, and into them, like trying to find all lost treasures, all long forgotten joys and treats and laughs and even tears they – the two of them - had been sharing…and which then went lost, and forgotten. He store into Praxina's deep blue, giant eyes, for a while, like absorbing the beauty in them, to revive himself a bit. Then he finally spoke and said:

"Praxina, i won't force you to do anything you won't. And i'll tell you in all honesty: this test…this journey is not an easy one, nor is it painless. We are going to see our childhood…to live it through, once again. We are going to gather up the pieces of what we – both of us – had lost. Perhaps we are even going to apprehend the why's and how's…we have lost our memories. But we don't know what's waiting for us…and you know, sometimes ignorance is bliss. So i won't force you to open doors which should stay closed. Only…

…the thing is, Praxina…

…if we are to get away of this place...

…if we are to come back home – whatever "home" can be to us…

…if we are to start again…and whatever it will be, we'll be in it together…

…mostly…if we are to get you rid of that mask…

…then, we have to embark on this journey. It is crucial and it's vital, sweetest sis. But – as i said – i will not force you. Just tell me what your answer is…"

Praxina's giant eyes were now deep lakes of troubled waters…and even so, they were letting Mephisto in, and rocking him as if he was a little boat on those troubled waters. Which became calmer as a consequence to his presence. And they became playful, wiling to rock him…those blue eyes even possessed lullabies…

The Twins. They were doing the thing they did best; the thing they had been doing all their life. They were gently rescuing each other.

"I'm coming, Mephisto – Praxina said – wherever you're going, i'm with you. It will always be this way, you know: my choice won't change. Tell me what to do: i'm trusting you completely…"

Mephisto shivered with joy and gratitude. His green eyes turned a shade paler, as they were filling with tears he held back. It was not time for crying. It was time for going on a major quest…

"Good – he said – So, now… - he held his breath, preparing for what would follow – take my hands, Praxina. And close your eyes - he instructed her – Keep trusting me…as you said you do. Nothing will go wrong, if you just trust me. In no time we will be there…to the place where we belong. Ready, sis? We're coming…we're coming home…"

Chapter Seven

The violet and blue sky of a perfect morning welcomed the two travellers to their destination. Whatever such destination was.

Candy floss hills of a shyless purple topped with the purest white were tracing the horizon line. The closer of those hills seemed to be casting spells, projecting a form of magic whose purpose was no other than causing the heart to rejoice, the shattered mind to rearrange. It was a place which allowed the visitor to slow down, gather up the pieces. Be at ease. And beyond that…it was the perfect place, the very place to rejuvenate…

Mephisto and Praxina lowered their eyes to stare at their own hands. They were standing in front of each other, holding hands as if to start a dance, a waltz…it had taken them nothing more than just this, hold each other's hands, to reach to this perfect place. And they had been transported there in no time. They lowered their eyes…stared at their hands…infant hands, tiny little hands of rosy pink holding each other…in what felt like a ring-a-ring-o'-roses. They had become children again.

Children again…ten-year-old or so…thoughtless happy children in a land of sugar cane, bounty hills, and a giant sky… painted in blue tempered with incredible pink, and purple…fluffly little clouds, two suns; while a prelude to some double sunset was to be found in the early nightbird's song…

They recognized the place as their homeland. Suddenly, they were fully aware of what it was.

Runic.

That said - they were aware of not really, actually being there, as well. This was just a test to pass, a lesson to learn... At which both of them would tacitly agree to apply Mephisto's philosophy for such cases: "When i find myself in a situation i don't really get – he had once told his sister – i just accept it the way it is." And so they were to do this time: accept and face the thing they were going through. Living it through, and to the full. Not avoiding anything; not missing anything.

Yet… there was one thing they missed… They were unaware, or oblivious, of their own physical bodies; their seventeen-year-old bodies now lying on the grass (if it was actual grass at all) in the constantly mutating All White. Their bodies had collapsed down there, the very moment they had held their hands and closed their eyes in that quite too odd ring-a-ring-o'-roses, and Mephisto had uttered the appropriate words of power, as previously instructed by the mysterious Voice…

But how were they to spoil such a perfect moment, caring for their abandoned bodies? How to miss the joy of what was to come? …Hush, there she was…gently approaching, slowly walking in a regal gait on the luxuriant meadow.

"Mephisto, Praxina!", the beautiful, mysterious Lady called out. Her voice was like that of the breeze…a summer breeze carrying all the Love, the comfort and the motherhood…the motherhood…

The two now ten-year-old twins stared in awe as she kept approaching. A tall, slender Lady with long violet hair – a shade of violet just a little bit darker than the twins' – falling down in waves and ringlets on her milky shoulders, which were revealed by her elaborated dress of deep emerald green velvet…

The Tiara of Runic, a tool of great powers, was crowning her regal head…

Her footfall was so light that it felt like she was absolutely weightless. She possessed all the qualities of an angel, or a fairy; or a…

…Mother!,

the ten-year-old twins screamed in unison.

They would want to run to her…throw themselves in her white, loving arms…yet their legs were somewhat stuck; a bit too weak, a bit too stiff as if plastered…

…it was the Lady who reached for them. She kneeled by, gently, and without a word, without a sound but a rush of tears – beautiful tears like sparkling diamonds – she cradled her children in her arms.

Her children.

"I know what you're going through – she whispered, gently – and i know this is only a test…i am not really here, as you're not, either...yet we will do as if it is all for real. Nothing has changed. I can't reveal you what's about to come next. Soon i won't even know, either…because i'm supposed to forget. It is part of the test. Your test, your journey."

After this assertion about the need to forget, she removed the Tiara from her head and gestured for it to disappear. She had most likely teleported it to a safe, proper place. Neither of the children asked it about; they couldn't actually speak, they could barely stand…overwhelmed as they were by love and emotion.

"Hush – the Lady said - let's stop all this talkabout… It's time for us to come back home…"

Mephisto and Praxina were about to live through the happiest phase of their life, once again. No matter if it wasn't "for real"…the feelings, the words, the hugs, even that strange world's double sunsets…and the nightbird's songs…these things were all for real. And nothing else truly mattered.

They were soon introduced to their Father, King Ailidh (whose name meant "Kind"), Sovereign of Runic. His spouse, Queen Sivinka, native of Volta, was the beautiful Lady who had welcomed the two children to their Realm.

Their Realm…yes. No lie. Exactly that way.

Mephisto and Praxina were the Prince and Princess of Runic.

Yet there was a trick about that place. As time rolled by, Mephisto and Praxina were forgetting about where they originally came from. As their fifteen birthday approached (that is, after a couple of days had passed in terms of actual time, but they had perceived it as the passing of five happy years) both of them had totally forgotten about everything: Gramorr, the Princesses, Mephisto's sacrifice to save Praxina…she taking the mask and becoming Overlord…and after all of this, the All White…

…The All White. That was the trick in it. Because while they were living through their happy childhood and early teenage years once again, their physical bodies were still laying down there, in the All White. And not everything has been told yet, about the All White. Nor about its kind of magic, what it actually can do…it can completely overcome you, your mind, your spirit. And they were spending way too much time laying there hand in hand, unconscious, fully exposed, totally vulnerable…

Praxina got up pretty early, the day of their fifteen birthday. She had been longing a lot for that day, and she couldn't wait to give Mephisto the wee surprise she had prepared for him. A portrait…a picture of the two of them sitting on the purple royal boat, on the shimmering lake, accompanied by old Sir Mavis (whose name meant exactly "songbird") who was their teacher of Magical Arts, but they would perceived him more like an Uncle. Praxina had a talent for painting, and this very special portrait was her best work to date. Her masterpiece. And she wanted to pass it on to Mephisto, so that he could have treasured it forever…even if life's events would split them apart one day. She felt a cold shiver running down her spine, at this thought. But immediately after, she smiled at herself: how could she be this sissy, little fool? No…they were never to go separate ways. They were as one; it had always been like that. Yet she felt the very awareness of this was not enough: she needed to do something more…she needed to make a pact in her mind. More than that: she needed to make a larger pact… She walked to the Crystal Room, where the big oval mirror – the one looking like an infinite old, ancient thing – stood. It had been there for ages. It had been there when the Palace had been brought up, centuries before. Legend said the palace itself had been built around the mirror, which now stood at its very core.

The mirror in the Crystal Room: that was the perfect place to take an oath.

"I swear…", young Praxina started muttering to herself, making up the right words to state, as she was solemnly walking into the room and reaching to the mirror at its core. To make it all even more sacred - and also due to a certain reverential awe – she closed her eyes before approaching the huge oval looking glass.

She was ready. Standing there, at the very core of her castle, with both hands on her chest at heart's level, and her big blue eyes closed, Praxina – just she and herself, nobody knowing, nobody witnessing but the sacred mirror – uttered these words:

"I, Praxina, Princess of Runic, swear on my honour that i will always, always stand on my twin brother Mephisto's side. In joy and in pain, in glory and in misery. I will never step away from him, nor will i let anything, anyone tear us apart. Only in the case he wants to fly free – she inserted this clause, with a painfully cracking voice – only in that case…i will let him. Because to love is also to be able to let go…allow some freedom…it's all about holding on…and then letting go* (this was a quote from a popular Runic tune, passed on by the sages of the past). But even in that case…I will never be too far away from him. I will keep cradling him and protecting him from afar, directing my thoughts to him, devoting my powers and magic to the accomplishment of his very happiness. Maybe a bit selfish of me…but he will never know…as i'll make sure he doesn't feel me keeping on him. As for me, i will never willingly step away from him. I will be his sister, his twin, his completion…his shoulder to cry on, his comfort… And beyond all this… i will BE THERE FOR HIM. Always, endlessly…this is the real thing, all that truly matters… So I Praxina, Princess of Runic, i swear… My oath is taken. In my heart it is now carved, and i am to keep it forever."

*(Author's note: "it's all…letting go": this is originally a quote from a Mercury Rev song).

Praxina felt a comforting sense of warmth filling up her chest. As if the range of what she had just sworn was actually filling her heart, as a tangible thing. The sweetest of weights to carry, from now on. Forever.

She opened up her big blue eyes, eager to spy her own reflection in the sacred mirror…to see if something had changed about her, after that major step she had taken. And as she found out…

…as she found out, something had actually changed. But she wasn't sure it had to do with her oath…

"Praxina!",

her brother's voice reached out to her. It was coming from the corridor leading to the Crystal Room. Her brother knew her better than anyone else, and he was always the one to find her when she ran and hid (out of fear, out of shame, or just to kid). And the same thing applied to her, as well. They always knew exactly how and where to find each other.

Nonetheless, Praxina didn't want to be caught in the middle of the Crystal Room. Not even by Mephisto, this time. This had been her own thing, she had to keep it secret and unspoken…

…also considering she was about to surprise him with something else. She stepped out of the Crystal Room, headed to the point in the corridor where the calls for "Praxina!" where still coming, also in the alternate and dearest version of "Prax!"…only her brother would call her that way…and though she never told him, she just loved it.

"Here i am", she said in a high-pitched teenage voice, as he finally saw Mephisto's silhouette in his green and silver royal – yet everyday's – suite. He turned and glanced at her…"Oh, klatznik…i've been looking for you all over the pl…" Here he stopped, suddenly shocked by what he was seeing. Shocked and amused, to say it all. Praxina blushed in the most uncomfortable way. "No comment – she frowned – not a single word…and if you even try to mock, i will…"

"You'll…do what? – Mephisto asked, giggling – Turn me into a frog? I don't think you'll manage…not now that you're having…"

"…Shanila", she completeted the phrase.

She snorted and stood in front of her brother. She was feeling a weird mixture of opposing sensations: a need for crying, a need for laughing; an accelerated heartbeat, a wee discomfort about her once lovely hair having turned so short, and so tomboyish, on the very day of their birthday… And also, a little bit of a physical weakness, due to the temporary lack of magical powers.

Mephisto ran his hand through his sister's now weird, shortened hair. His expression was still amused, but there was also a huge amount of love and tenderness in his eyes. Indeed, he was somewhat proud of what his little sis was going through: Shanila meant a huge step in a female magician's life. Although it implied a temporary loss of hair and power, it was actually the prelude to a significant rise in power, magic, and beauty. Praxina was about to acquire brand-new powers, while also further developing her present ones. It was a bit of an Initiation she was going through…

He rubbed her hair, over and over again, and he stroked it.

"Nice haircut, Prax – he then said, blinking at her – ready to go, now? The celebration is about to begin…"

Chapter Eight

The castle's magnificent salon had been arranged for the long-awaited party. The decorations were fancifully rich yet never bombastic: they were rather a masterpiece in elegance and balance, pampering the watcher's eye rather than assault it. The preminant colours were orange and green, corresponding respectively to Praxina and Mephisto's magic colour (t.i., the colour of the balls of magic and rays of energy they would cast) which also happened to be their personal favourite colours (though Praxina had also a thing about violet). Friendly little snakes with a spark of wisdom in their eyes, as well as elaborate green spirals, were details referring to Mephisto. And then, the butterflies…orange, violet; some of a darker shade, close to that of moths. To show the way they would follow Praxina day and night, flapping their wings with equal strenght in both light and darkness. The butterfly was Praxina's symbol and amulet, as it had implicitely been from Day One. Nonetheless, she was now about to acquire a new and more powerful, yet delicate and hard-to-handle, amulet…

"Oh, children – a dearest Lady's voice called – here you are! Praxina, i need you to join me to the library for a moment… Mephisto, please do precede us to the salon and get settled in your seat. We won't take long to join you, and get the party started."

The two young celebrated obeyed. "Why you giggling?", Praxina asked her brother, right before turning to follow their Mother's voice. "Because i am going to be toast master while you're off with Mum…i know, such women talks never take too short…", he joked. Whereas indeed, Mephisto was giggling out of tenderness: he could guess what that "woman talk" was to be about… Mum must have known about Praxina's Shanila, and was now going to prepare her for that, in a way only Mothers can do.

It was actually that, and more than that… As Praxina stepped into the library – a huge, sober room which stored a collection of books one's imagination couldn't barely grasp, to a point it was a bit intimidating – the young Princess found her Mother sitting in a light violet dress with silver inserts, resembling more of a ceremonial robe than a party dress. Queen Sivinka welcomed her daughter with a heartfelt, yet restrained smile. As if what was to come went beyond emotions themselves. There would have been room for emotions, and time to let emotions burst, later. Now it was a bit of a solemn moment, as the young Princess perceived.

"My beloved daughter – Queen Sivinka began – this is a most special day for you. A day i had been anticipating, and somewhat treasuring in my heart, for a long time… And now, seeing what i'm seeing is only making my heart shake and dance more that i expected it to." She paused, and ran her tapering hand through her daughter's shortened hair. "There's no need to tell you how proud i am of you, Praxina – the Lady stated, with an irrepressible wriggle of emotion in her voice – And do believe, i would have been proud of you even without…this", she stroked her tomboyish hair harder, as to stress the way she was referring to Shanila. "Praxina – Queel Sivinka said – it is something special you are going through…something unique; though behold, it does not imply it will be your one and only Shanila. There may be more to come, in different phases of your life…or not. Only time will tell. Yet today is your first, and it marks a major change…which hasn't fully taken place yet. It's an ongoing process. Shanila is an Initiation, which literally means a beginning…it's is not a destination. It is a new departure. The difference, the very thing, the magic in it…lies in the heart. Your heart now knows where you are going to, and where it is gonna lead you, from now on. Always listen to your heart, my dearest daughter. It will never fail in guiding you where your destiny is…be it a mission to accomplish, a treasure to find…or be it, simply, come back home when due, when needed. Listen to your heart, Praxina…", the Lady said, and finally took her daughter in her arms, cradling her in the sweetest embrace. There was something bright, something sacred, something esquisitely natural…and even something sad…in that embrace. Praxina could perceive it, and while a crystal tear fell from her eye and rolled down her teenage cheek, she whispered:

"I will, Mother. I will listen to my heart, no matter what."

Her second oath, that day.

As the Lady gently released her daughter from her loving arms, so that Praxina could rise her eyes in search for her Mother's… the young Princess was surprised by what she saw. Surprised, yes…and even a bit dazzled. The white and golden light of the Tiara of Runic was something hard for the eye to sustain, especially from such a close distance. And the Tiara of Runic was now crowning her Mother's head.

Queen Sivinka smiled tenderly at her daughter's surprise. She stroked her hair again, this time in a more playful way, as you would do to a child. "I get you, dear – she whispered – You are wondering where this come from…and why now… Well, i am to tell you. The Tiara of Runic has always been here, sheltered and well-guarded. The library is the proper place to store ageless treasures. But first and foremost…the Tiara has always been sheltered here – she brought both her hands to her chest, at heart's level – and that's part of the whole "listen to your heart" thing… Because from now on, Praxina, the Tiara is going to move from my head to yours. From my heart to your heart."

The beautiful Lady gave her daughter a significant stare. Then she slowly, solemnly removed the Tiara from her own head; raised it up, speking out some words of power… at which Praxina would have sworn the ceiling was opening up to reveal the firmament with its full population of stars and planets, no matter it was daytime… And eventually, finally… the ceiling closed again above the two regal women, and the adult one, the wiser one smiled her sweetest smile. There was something in that smile…something out of reach…something gallopping away as it was at the same time offering itself. It was both of harmful and soothing, Praxina felt. She shook, her emotions coming to overwhelm her. Yet she gathered her energy and will, determined to stay strong and steady. Thus preparing herself for what was to come.

…and it came, as expected…as due…two loving, tapering hands, her Mother's hands, placed the glowing Tiara on her now tomboyish head. Slowly, solemnly; carefully. Lovingly.

As Praxina went discovering, the Tiara felt so weightless as if it wasn't truly there; yet at the same time it seemed to be carrying all the weight of the world, with its joys, its stories, its secrets, its burdens… What kind of an item was that? And how was she going to handle it? Would have she truly managed…?

"My beloved daughter – her Mother began, her tone having turn solemn and nearly ceremonial – You are now in charge of the Tiara of Runic. I will not tell you how to use it…as i do not need to say things like, use it wisely. The key is the heart, i've already told you…and it is your heart which is going to guide you all the while, as you…...

… Praxina? Praxina!", the Lady cried out.

Too late. Something was going on with her daughter. Something was definitely wrong.

Moments after having received the Tiara, Praxina had collapsed to the ground. The thing is, she had suddenly started to remember…everything was finally becoming clear. The way she wasn't really there, nor it was Mephisto. The way their physical bodies had been left abandoned in a foreign land called the All White. The way a stranger's voice had instructed them to go through all this… and "this" was but a test, a challenge. A journey. And now…and now…

Praxina suddenly rose her head, wide-awake.

"Mother… Mum – she said, her begging voice being filled with urgency – Mephisto and I aren't to stay here any longer, or there'll be no way back for us... yet before we leave, we're gonna do something here…one last thing, here…

Gramorr.

Gramorr is about to attack…he is gonna take the throne, reduce you and Dad to slaves… He is to have Mephisto and me as his minions, deprived of memories…he's gonna exploit our magic, force us to use it for dark purposes…up to a non-return point, where we'll no longer remember what it mens to be good. To be responsible. To be ourselves… Mum, please let's not waste time; let's join Mephisto and Father and all the rest in the salon…and prepare to do battle… because it is gonna be today."

It was as the young Princess had said.

It had to be that day…that day. Gramorr was about to assault Runic palace.

As she and her Mother went almost flying through the corridor leading to the salon, Praxina made up in her mind all the events of that very day.

The early awakening; the anticipation.

Her oath in the Crystal Room.

Her Shanila.

Their birthday celebration…or rather, its simple plan.

The charge of the Tiara.

The comeback of memory.

And now, in a short, painfully short while… Gramorr's attack.

All in a day's work.

Chapter Nine

As soon as Queen Sivinka and Princess Praxina revealed about the horror of what was to come, King Ailidh summoned the Court's Sage, who was also the Twins' teacher of Magical Arts (and quite tacitly, secretly, their putative Uncle). Sir Mavis stood up very straight in the salon, before the huge audience that had gathered there. He could perceive the amount of trust everyone was placing in his hands, his wisdom and knowledge. Hence the pain, coming from that very knowledge, grew to barely bearable levels. Yet as told, he stood up very straight, and after a brief pause – while the air was filled with expectation – spoke it all out, the sad truth, which had to be revealed…

"There is no way – Sir Mavis said – we can possibly change history. Nor we can act upon what is to come…because it has already happened. Sticking to what Young Lady Praxina has just revealed to us, and also according to some feelings and intuition i've been through, from time to time (here he glanced at his Sovereign, as if apologizing for having kept it to himself) we are not living the present, nor the past… The thing is, we are here, but not really… We ourselves are for real in a way, but just as a spark of consciousness; a trace and a shade of what we used to be. This world has been made up in the All White, and its only purpose is to serve as a lesson and a test for our Prince and Princess. Who are now seventeen, hence close to adulthood, weird as it may sound…and their abandoned, unconscious bodies are in a urge for being retrieved. That's the only thing that truly matters, that they get back to where they've come from and regain possession of their bodies, quickly… Which is also the only thing which can actually be done. Everything else will go on as it's supposed to. We'll do battle against Gramorr, of course; i'm not saying we're just to sit and wait. But we already know our struggles, our resistance will lead us to nothing. Outside this world of illusion and in real life, this isn't to happen, this has already happened… History won't change; Gramorr will conquer and exploit our land, robbing us of everything we hold dear… Our King and Queen will be reduced to slavery…" here he paused for a while: maybe Praxina did not remember about her Parent's subsequent death, due to starving and tortures; the Tiara might have somewhat protected her from this hardest memory, and he was no-one to bring it all back.

"Young Lady – Sir Mavis said, turning to Praxina, his cherished pupil and putative niece – today you've been charged with the Tiara of Runic, our most powerful tool. Yet its power alone is not enough to take you and Prince Mephisto back to where you came from, where your physical bodies lie. There's a need for a manufact of equally great, if not greater power...a tool which has been made in the All White, and as such, is consisting in a sort of uncomparable magic, which can be used for either good or dark purposes. I'm referring to…scary as it sounds…i'm referring to

Gramorr's mask.

The procedure is as follows: taking charge of the mask, putting it on – beware, it may take control over you – and then summon both Tiaras of Runic: the shadow one, which you've been given today…and the actual one, which belongs to actual time outside this illusion. And which you should be able to summon and activate at any time, my Young Lady. But…"

Here the elderly mentor paused again, his eyes suddenly filled with pain and crossed by a rush of terror…

"…but this would imply that you directly take the mask off from Gramorr's face. As there is no other way to put hands on that thing…and considering how dangerous it would be, even step beside Gramorr, i'm now regretting what i have just instructed you all about…"

Praxina instinctively ran tu hug her loving mentor, her putative Uncle. Then she whispered in a reassuring, soothing voice: "Don't worry, Unc…err, Sir Mavis. I am not to step beside Gramorr – not yet, at least… But i am to take charge of that mask. Because there is another way…just trust me."

After speaking these words, at which everyone stood still, the violet-hair Princess turned her back in a sort of a pirhouette – her usual, graceful way to take her leave – and walked out of the salon. Headed to the Crystal Room, where the big oval mirror stood.

The young Princess was now standing in front of the huge mirror, ancient beyond the very idea of "ancient". She gathered all her courage not to let the thing intimidate her. The very view of her reflection was of some help, as it was kinda amusing: her head, now adorned with the magnificent Tiara, and her tomboyish ruffled hair made a funny combination… Yet it was another image she knew she had to summon to appear in that very mirror. Something completely different from the funny Royal child she was now seeing. She closed her eyes, deeply concentrating. She brought her hands to the Tiara, feeling its very power under her fingertips. She silently ordered the Tiara to give her access to some exceptionally powerful yet unbearably painful memories…

…the memories of her Overlord self. Not just the vision of it; rather, the very feeling of BEING it. That strong, furious, desperate evil self. She had to accomplish a perception of how it had been like, being that self…she needed to make the experience as true and complete and accurate as possible. She gathered all her strenght, to a point she went shaky on her tiny legs from the effort.

Moments later, she felt that major change had taken place…accompanied by a pang in her heart.

She opened up her blue, giant eyes. Just to see someone…something…in the oval mirror. And to sadly whisper to that something: Hello again.

She stretched her right hand towards the looking glass, aiming at the mask which was covering the right side of her Overlord self there reflected. Her actual self on the other side hadn't changed; yet she could feel exactly the way the Overlord self was feeling. And she knew she was to put that self to challenge: it – or she, or whatsoever – wouldn't have let her take the mask too easily… Indeed, as Praxina could notice, that other self in the mirror was fierily resisting her efforts to grab the mask from her face. But that mere reflection wasn't to prevail; no matter how much power it was embodying. She was stronger than that. She was the Princess of Runic!

This very thought was what made the difference. The masked evil woman in the mirror began to shake; her previously hysterically giggling face turned into a devastated expression of fear…soon replaced by plain terror. It took her but a moment to burst…which caused also the sacred mirror to crack into pieces…and the very moment the Overlord self was gone, Praxina could feel the utterly painful feeling of something cracking in her chest.

She had felt her dying.

The mask was now in her hand…and she knew what she had to do. No time to waste in weeping for that part of her – as it had been, indeed, a part of her, though possibly the most complex and troublesome. No time to spend in weeping for the broken mirror, whose sacrifice was probably meant to be. For the sake of her and Mephisto.

Her and Mephisto… They were meant to be as one. They were meant to never split. Praxina was to keep her oath…and in that very moment, she realized that – beyond anything happened that day, from Shanila to Tiara up to even Gramorr – her oath, her committment towards Mephisto had been the most important and sacred thing in that whole day. And in her whole life.

Mephisto, she softly whispered to herself, as she grabbed the pallid mask and held it to her chest. She ran back to the salon, where she knew she was being awaited, and she had lots to do.

Chapter Ten

Down in the salon, all the bystanders – the Royal couple, the court, Sir Mavis, and above all, a dazed and confused Mephisto – were excited as they witnessed the coming back of Princess Praxina from the mission she had just accomplished. Yet she was only halfway through the whole task.

Even now that she was apparently having Shanila, that was also part of this world of shadow. And since she had re-awakened to her own self-consciousness and memories, her powers were no longer blocked nor limited. She could go ahead, and complete the mission…

Her appearance with the white mask held to her chest was welcomed with relieve and slight surprise. How did she manage get the mask? And where? Sir Mavis noticed the mask was incomplete, but he didn't say a thing to point it out. He was placing his full trust in Praxina's very ability to activate it all the same. Had he known her pupil and the mask – no matter how incomplete the latter was – had been living as one for a long time, beyond all veils and in real life…had he known about that morbid symbiosis…but he could never know. It had been Praxina's bargain, and no-one was to share… no-one but a special one: Mephisto. He had a sudden shudder, seeing his little sister – now looking even more fragile, nearly diminutive, perhaps due to that shorter hair and the tired look on her face – holding such a manufact…he could perceive evil and danger about that…he was about to beg for her to get rid of it, simply throw it away no matter what…when she called out to him.

"Mephisto – Praxina said, in a soft but steady voice – i need your help, please. Now. I've got the shadowy Tiara from this realm, and – as you can see – i've got the mask. But as Unc…i mean, as Sir Mavis said, both Tiaras are to be used in order to make the spell work. And i am not the one to summon the actual Tiara from the actual world…it is you."

Mephisto shook his head in great discomfort. He could barely believe what he had just heard. "Why…me?", he stammered.

"Because it was you – Praxina said with a smile – who gave the Tiara back to me, when i was going through amnesia. That gave me my memory back…and i chose to come back to you, even if it implied to also come back to Gramorr, and all the horror and the evil he was all about. But to me, it didn't mean a thing. I chose you that time, and i will choose you forever…it is you who are in charge of the Tiara of Runic, from now on. 'Cause this is my will. I'm passing it on to you, while i'll be treasuring this other Tiara, little one…shadowy one. As a memory of these days, which perhaps weren't "for real"…yet they were and will always be amongst my most precious memories. Thank you, Mother…thank you, Father… - the young Princess said, turning to face her Royal parents in turn – i think it is really time for us to go…"

"It is time – Queen Sivinka nodded, her beautiful violet-blue eyes welled with tears – Though you can't save your Realm, my children, save yourselves! And remember you are being loved, and you are not homeless… 'cause you'll always have us all, we will never be too far away…and most importantly, you'll always have each other. Go, now! Hurry!"

Mephisto stood up to join his sister in the middle of the salon. They stood side by side, raised their hands…he rose his left one, whose sleeve was adorned with a green and silver snake with shiny crystal eyes… She rose her right one, beautifully enveloped in a deep purple velvet glove which reached to her elbow. At the same time, she lifted up the mask by her left hand, and placed it to cover the left side of her face. A dull pain – not located in any specific area, rather involving her whole being – followed that gesture…but the very presence of her brother by her side, and of her people all around, didn't let that pain overwhelm the young Princess. It was actually soon forgotten and gone. Praxina was now wearing both the mask and the shadowy Tiara, and Mephisto was ready to summon the actual Tiara from beyond all veils…from worlds away…they instinctively grabbed each other's hand, stretchening their arms to full extent, and Mephisto spoke his words of power…

…what followed was a moment of purest Magic. A breath-taking golden light enveloped the two Royal twins and came dancing and spiraling around them. The Tiara of Runic from beyond all veils appeared on Mephisto's head, as a crown. His emerald green eyes sent beams of silver light in all directions, which was perceived as a sort of healing being equally distributed among the young Prince's people. The two siblings were still holding each other's hand, even stronger than before, stronger than ever…as their images began to fade and turn into faint silhouettes.

The very last thing they saw of this shadowy world was the main door of the salon being brought down by a violent assault. Gramorr had come…they had performed their magic just in time…

The very last thing they heard was their Mother's voice crying out: "Follow your hearts, my children! Follow your hearts!"

…Moments – or hours, or days, they could not tell – later, they woke up in their seventeen-year-old bodies, and opened their eyes to see the vast prairie which they knew as the All White.

The hug they cradled each other in seemed not supposed to loosen.

Though they had been living together althrough the experience in the shadowy world, where they had finally found all answers and filled all gaps, nonetheless they were under the impression of having found each other once again…hence the strong need for contact, mutual warmth; mutual comfort.

Mephisto finally released his sister from his arms, though not completely; he was still gently holding her as he raised his head in search for her face…

"Wow, Praxina!", he exclaimed, merrily.

"Wow…what? – his sister asked – Is it that…my hair has grown long again?"

She touched her hair and felt it was falling down to cover her shoulders again, as it used to.

"Your hair – Mephisto nodded – and not just that… Try to touch your face…there, on the left…"

Praxina lowered a trembling hand and touched her own cheek…then moved her fingertips to the area about her eye…

No illusion. No joke. It was exactly like that…

"The mask…the mask is no longer on my face! – she exclaimed – Mephisto, Mephisto! Look…the mask is gone, i'm free!"

The seventeen-year-old Princess was in a rush of joy. She was shaken by tears and little laughters at the same time. Mephisto was about to say something like, the nightmare is over…

…when he became aware of something in excess, unfitting that whole picture. Something unwanted. Something they would have happily done without.

The mask. The damn mask was lying on the grass on Praxina's left side. It hadn't been destroyed in the journey across the veils. It had simply left his sister's face.

But that was enough, he decided. They could find a way to destroy it…or they could just let it down there in the All White – wasn't that the place it belonged, after all?

…No way. None of these was to be accomplished. Because just a moment – a little, insignificant moment – before the young Prince could even tell his sister about the mask being there…a big, rough hand gloved in dark grey appeared from out of nowhere. And it grabbed the abandoned mask.

"Well, thank you both…your Majesties!", a well-known, hatesome voice said in a mocking tone.

They both recognized that voice. It had been ruling them all the while for so long. It had been the sound of every threaten, every nightmare. Every unexpressed fear. And now that they thought the nightmare was over, and they were about to come back to some better place than this nowhere's land…

…it wasn't them coming back, to anywhere. It was him.

Gramorr.

Gramorr was back. And he had the mask.

Chapter Eleven

"Stranger hides behind the pallid mask…"*

It was a tune developed by the Runic slaves endlessly working in the mines of Lugh, where Gramorr had confined them, what most applied to the horrid thing which was now taking place, and revealing itself, before the young Prince and Princess' eyes.

*(Author's note: this was originally a quote from a song from the Petals).

Lord Gramorr – or rather, Overlord Gramorr – was rising again from his own ashes. His huge, intimidating figure was taking shape out of a dark mist, which slowly parted to reveal the horrid, monstruous reality that was just him. And by his side, another dark, huge shape was forming…a wild beast with eyes made of unexplicable white void… Banes. He was back by his former master's side, waving his tale in a way which wasn't at all merry nor friendly. It felt rather like the anticipation of assault and destruction to come.

And the mask…the mask…

As Mephisto and Praxina were horrified to notice, the damn mask had become complete again, and was now fully hiding the Dark Lord's face as it used to. The peculiar kind of magic of that place, whose nature was the very same of the mask itself, should have somewhat restored it to its original shape – and terrible powers…

Gramorr, the heartless criminal who had caused harm and endless pain to the Twins' people as well as to many others…Gramorr, the one they used to refer to as "Great Master" and such, during their two years of slavery, while also being intoxicated and blinded by oblivium… Gramorr, the very source of the whole drama of their young lives, raised his voice in the middle of the All White.

The All White… No longer a green, luxurial land or a prairie; just a desert land like the one Mephisto had found, by the time of his fall and crossing of the veil. A land which was smelling of fire from past battles never to be forgotten, and blood shed, and wrongs never to be rectified.

In this bleeding, weeping, ailing land, Gramorr raised his very voice to utter these words…

"You… You mightless, insignificant minions, you really thought i could be put aside? You really thought i could so easily be defeated? Face this, you little idiots…i have been there all the while. I am part of your life. I am your destiny. Your destiny. There's nowhere on this land, nor in any other land you can go, without having me ruling over you, commanding you…possessing you. I have been there all the while…even when you thought you were accomplishing your tasks, living through your "journey", fighting yourselves and working hard to pass your "test"… How naive you were, how total amusing to see! Because yes, as you're now probably realizing, that was me… That was me "the Voice" speaking to you, Mephisto. That was me daring you to summon your sister here, and embark on that "journey" with her… And oh, just in case you doubt…that was all for real what you found there, though it was reduced to a mere shadow…none of your stupid relatives, friends and whatsoever that you found in that shadowy real was fake. I didn't even partake in the making of that experience…it has been your thing, as it was supposed to be…and no, do not thank me – he mocked - i didn't show you the way to your past, and to the answers your silly minds were looking for, out of kindness or compassion…you should know me by now – he grinned – i just needed you to get there, and cast that final spell with the summoning of the two Tiaras, which would have eventually caused the mask to fall off this little brat's face – he pointed at Praxina, who was silently crying – I just had to patiently wait for the time to come…i knew for sure you were to perform the spell…and now…

…and now…

Here i come, i'm back again. And you see, i am so generous – again, he grinned – that i haven't come with bare hands. I got something to offer you. A deal. You are given a chance to come back to serve me as my minions, which means, stand on the winner's side. The strongest side."

"No way!", Prince Mephisto exclaimed, and as he gently but firmly put his hands on his weeping sister's shoulders, he stated: "We will never stand by your side again, Gramorr. You can take our lives, if you're really that powerful…but you'll never have us again. We are free."

"Free? – he repeated – Free… - he mocked and broke up into a laugh which sounded like a weather storm – You're deceiving youselves, poor fools! You will never be free! Serving me, being my mere doormats, has always been the only fate available for you… And besides…you, silly little brat – he turned to exhausted, devastated Praxina, almost barking at her - after all, you're still the same selfish budding hag you've always been… As soon as you re-found your brother, after all those months of pathetic moaning, you forgot about someone else… Someone you were supposed to be in charge of, weren't you? Because if it's true that "he who saves one life is responsible for it", what to say about she who takes a life?"

Praxina shook her head, at first not understanding. Then bit by bit she began to get what he was talking about…

…and it was then that Gramorr gestured for a tiny human shape to appear, a few step behind him.

That was the terrestrial boy Praxina had accidentally caused to fall into the portal, and to the All White. He was half-unconscious, though he didn't seem wounded or otherwise hurt. He was tied to a small wooden chair, of the same white of the sand, and Gramorr's mask.

"No! – Praxina cried out – please let him go…he has no fault, no business with this…nor with…with us. Okay, i can see i'm in it with you…i'm in too deep. Because of the mask i've been wearing…because i've nearly killed this innocent… But please, please do your one and only right action and set this boy free…just he and my brother…let them go away from this place. I will follow you, i alone will be your servant…but they are to be spared, please…"

"Praxina – Mephisto said in a faint voice, his eyes wide open, his pupils trembling – will you tell me…what is it all about? Who is that boy? How come you've taken his life…is it for real?"

"Mephisto… - Praxina sobbed – Mephisto… - she was finding comfort in repeating her beloved brother's name – It is true that i am responsible for what happened to this boy…but believe me, it is not as it may seem…it is a long and painful story…and i'm afraid we have no time to even touch bases."

She raised her face to look for her brother's eyes…her dearest eyes in the world…sure she was seeing them for the last time, as she was to follow Gramorr, for the sake of Mephisto's freedom, and that of the poor boy, as well. So Mephisto was to be split from her forever, but at least he would be free. "In the end, i was unable to keep my oath", she silently reproached herself…

It was then.

In that very moment, a big, oval portal opened up in the middle of the All White. In front of the Twins, and on Gramorr's back. A shiny portal seemingly made anew, like a promise. Bright blue like the sky, like Truth. Like healing.

Mephisto and Praxina heard their names being uttered…a sweet voice was calling for them…

A brief moment after, a pink silhouette with long hair, a golden little crown adorning her head, and a heart-shaped magical wand raised to the sky appeared on the portal's threshold, and smiled at them.

Iris.

Chapter Twelve

"Iris!",

Praxina and Mephisto exclaimed in unison.

"I'm happy to see you're well, guys…both of you – the pink-haired Princess said, shifting her sweet glance from one Twin to the other in turn – Mephisto, i'm taking this chance to tell you i'm awfully sorry for what i put you through. It was not my intention, you know. And…Praxina…"

Iris was in a loss for words here. It was her friend, her newly-acquired, trusty friend Praxina to rush in her help. "You don't need to tell me anything, dear Iris – the violet-haired Princess whispered – now i know it was not your fault…i've realized it the very moment i've harmed an innocent in my turn, while it wasn't my purpose – she glanced at the half-unconscious boy - You don't need to apologise: i have forgiven you, and i know you'll forgive me…for all the madness that's been on my side, since that damn accident…because that's what it's been: an accident. The very question is…will i ever come to forgive myself?"

"You have to – Iris nodded, her sky-blue eyes welled with tears – You have come through a lot, and so has Mephisto… You, guys, have suffered enough. It is time to put an end to all this senseless pain…that's why i've been working hard in creating this portal for you… Not that i did it all on my own: Talia and Auriana, and even Auntie Ellen, they've helped me all the way… But i wanted to be on my own, to join you here…to the other side, or whatever this place is. And i can see we have company… - she glanced at Gramorr, while a fiery spark crossed her otherwise clear and serene eyes – I can see this guy is never learning his lesson, no matter he's a big boy now…"

"We meet again, Princess – Gramorr grinned, somewhat imitated in this by Banes – And this time i will be polite enough to give you back all you've given me…and i'll add something more!"

He raised in all his imponence. There was actually something intimidating about his black-robbed figure, and his masked face…

"Something more, yeah – he repeated – More…pain! More pain!", he started crying, hysterically. His voice was thundering again Iris, his opponent of a lifetime.

"I am not afraid of you and your threatens, Gramorr! - she cried at him in response – i have defeated you once, and i am to defeat you again…i'll beat you a million times again, if needed. But you are not to harm my friends!" She turned to the violet-haired Royal Twins. "Mephisto, Praxina! – she cried – I'm keeping the portal open for you. Run for your life, cross the portal! Save yourselves…i'm joining you to the other side, as soon as i'm done with this ugly mug."

But the Royal Twins, Mephisto and Praxina, did not accept this. They would never act cowardly. Never let anyone in Gramorr's hands, let alone a friend.

"No way, Iris – Mephisto stated in response – Neither of us will leave you alone…we have gotten into this together, and together we're gonna see it through. Right, Praxina?", he asked and blinked to his sister.

"Any need to ask? – she replied, having regained her full energy and even her smile – I can't wait to settle scores with "Great Master" – she mocked, glancing at Gramorr with deep contempt – But before that…there is something i need to do. Me alone."

"What is it about?", Mephisto asked. Iris' eyes were silently asking the same question.

To which Praxina replied with the sweetest smile…

"The right thing, that's it. The right thing."

A sudden breeze crossed the land, quietly, but even that was enough to make Mephisto and Iris shiver. The breeze had come swirling so gently that it reminded of Praxina's exquisite way to turn somersaults, a fine pirouette, when taking her leave…

"Don't! – Mephisto suddenly burst, caught by a nasty feeling – whatever it is that you've got in mind, please give it up, sister…please don't go!", he begged.

Praxina gifted him with the sweetest smile, her eyes silently saying "don't fret, you silly bro, you know i love you"… Then she closed eyes to prepare herself…she raised up, flying…and flying she went, swift as a violet spark, running past Gramorr and towards the terrestrial boy.

Which would of course cause Gramorr's rage. Praxina was there, very close...very available. Vulnerable to his attack. Which didn't take long to come… Before Mephisto and Iris's very eyes, filled with horror and welled with tears as they were so mightless – no room, no time for any action on their side – the Dark Overlord roared in a sinister way as he launched a sphere of dark energy at Praxina. It stroke her, it did…but it was just about her shoulder. She groaned but stood steady, determined to accomplish what she was to do. She began untying the twenty-year-old boy from the chair he was stuck to…while at the same time gently shaking him to bring it back to consciousness. As he slowly opened his eyes, which revealed to be chocolate brown, all he could say was

"who…how beautiful you are",

just to close his eyes again a moment after. Terror had taken place in his unaware heart, since Gramorr's rage was now outbursting. He was dealing his second blow at Praxina… But this time, she was able to prevent it. The violet-haired, mighty Princess concentrated as to create a protective barrier by just her mind's power. Which proved strong enough to protect both her and the terrestrial boy from the rage of Gramorr's attacks…yet, it wasn't to last long, Praxina knew. Her energy wasn't unlimited, let alone now that she had got wounded and her left shoulder had started bleeding. Hence she rushed flying towards the open portal, dragging the dazed and confused boy and then actually pushing him through that magical doorway. She knew he would have been safe in no time…back to where he belonged. Back home. "Run for your life – was all she had time to tell him – and…i'm sorry!"

The boy was swallowed by the bright shining portal before even having a chance to say thanx, nor to ask what she was sorry about… That beautiful, mysterious violet-haired girl, just a few years younger than him. Who knows who she was; who knows if he was to meet her again. Sure he would have not forgotten her eyes and face…

As soon as Praxina turned her back to face Gramorr, prepared to sustain his next attack, it was someone else assaulting her. "Go, Banes!", Gramorr's barking voice commanded. And as Praxina realized with fright, the protective barrier had dissolved… And the blank white of two endlessly haunting, threatening, unexplicable eyes was approaching her…getting ever closer.

But…

She was no longer her old, usual self. Nor her Overlord self, ruled by the mask. Not the younger self she had come to embrace once again, while in the shadowy world. Nor she was the "good" yet sad Praxina who had been walking down Sunny Bay's steets with the Princesses, one day which now felt long ago, gallopped away… Like everything else in her life…everything that had come before that moment. That very moment.

She had accomplished her task…she had rescued a life, a human life. And not merely a random one: the life of someone she had previously harmed, though not on purpose. So now, she had forgiven herself…and she was slowly, beautifully discovering one of the strongest powers in the world: the power of forgiveness…

Forgiveness… a rare and beautiful thing, a wonderful thing of so precious, of so powerful, that it was to make the difference. It was the power of forgiveness, and self-forgiveness, what awakened Praxina to what she truly was…

She raised her right arm, took the butterfly hairclip from her hair, and stretched her arm to the sky, while holding that magical tool – 'cause that's what it was. It had been her magical item all along, though only now her heart was getting aware. She held the magic butterfly, tall she stood, and screamed…

"Praxina, Princess of Runic!"

Chapter Thirteen

A glare of purest violet and white.

A cluster of butterflies.

A melody born out of nowhere, possessing the grace of a thousand lullabies…

…At the very core of all this enchantment, a slender silhouette…arms raised to the sky, her right hand holding a wand topped by a crystal butterfly – that was the hairclip's true form – which at first glance seemed bright orange, but it actually embodied all the colors of the rainbow…

Praxina had transformed into her Magical Self. Her Warrior Princess self. Her lovely violet hair had stayed the same color but had grown longer, now grazing her tiny waist. Here and there a few locks of lighter violet, close to pink, gave new light to her beautiful face; and her left eye was no longer covered by the fringe, which was now wavy and gracefully adorning her forehead.

Her short dress was purple and white, with an orange butterfly needlework tracing her breast line, thus reminding closely of the pattern on her everyday's dress. A light purple veil of magic chiffon weightlessly flew down from her shoulders and reached close to her ankles. She was wearing purple ankle-boots with orange edges.

The most awesome thing about her, however, was her face. Her smile was soft, childhood and mature at the same time; a smile which was carrying age-old pain and knowledge and awareness. And a newly-acquired wisdom. Here eyes were giant, deep blue, and seeing them both – nor just one, the other being covered by a naughty fringe – elicited emotions of a sort words couldn't esily convey…. She was truly something to see. Her graceful, Royal head was crowned by the Tiara of Runic.

Mephisto store in awe at his sister's very Beauty. An equally moved Iris had to close his mouth in a playful way, as his lower jaw was seemingly about to drop…

The new-born Warrior Princess didn't hesitate as she directed her attention to her first target. The white-eyed huge beast, standing a few steps from her - his tail impatiently waving, his mouth watering in anticipation – was no longer a threatening view. She pointed her crystal butterfly wand towards Banes, and…

… "Crystal Minutus!",

she uttered.

A shower of golden and orange crystals, some of which were faceted in violet, was cast against Banes and fully covered him. A few long, silent moments passed…and then, what stepped out from the crystal cluster was what was left of Banes: a diminutive, Amaru's size version of him. No need to say he was no longer offensive.

"Nice kitten, Gramorr", joked Iris.

"Indeed, but…he doesn't look very clever, does he?", commented Mephisto, as mini Banes had started to endlessly, aimlessly chasing his own tail in circle.

"Who knows if he's also good tasty – Mephisto grinned – have i told you how homesick i am about Hurleybeast steak?"

Iris gave him a light nudge. "Ouch… - the young Prince moaned – you're almost, and i say almost, as ready with hands as Prax…"

"It was an elbow", corrected Iris. Yet that funny little break, enhanced by mini Banes' appearance, wasn't to last any longer. As both Iris and Mephisto were now witnessing, with a mixture of awe, confusion and slight fear, there was something going on with…

… "Prax!",

Mephisto called out. But this time, his sister seemed not to hear him.

She had closed her eyes, and was seemingly concentrating, gathering her mental and physical energies and powers. The Tiara of Runic, crowning her head, had started shimmering…

What was this all about?

Was she preparing to summon her Shanila?

Was she about to avail herself of her full power, in order to defeat Gramorr once and for all…?

Chapter Fourteen

Praxina was floating several inches from ground. A protective light of purest violet was cradling her, while the Tiara of Runic on her head was shining in a dazzling, incredible way.

As he was witnessing this bit of a prodigy, Mephisto heard…

…it might have been just his imagination, but he would swear he heard…

…his sister's voice, lovingly whispering words to him…saying: "Mephisto, dearest brother…we are in it together, so don't even think you're being spared…i am not putting you aside…this is just something i still gotta do on my own…but don't you relax too much, lazy bones. You are in charge of this Tiara, remember? And it's supposed to come back to you, as soon as i'm done with this…"

"Okay, Praxina – he silently replied – but what's…this? If i could only know what you're just being through…if i could part-take of it, and help as i can…that would make me feel a great deal better. 'Cause though you say i shouldn't feel spared, i feel…whereas i'd want to be on your side, fight on your side, part-take of every bit…"

After a time that had felt endless, Praxina began to slowly descend to ground. Her beautiful face was as white as china, and though it seemed calm, at the same time it seemed to be holding back all the emotions a human soul can bear. Her eyes were still close, and a crystal tears rolled down to her chin…just moments before she finally touched the ground.

Praxina bent her head a little bit. Then she opened her eyes, slowly.

"Gramorr", she uttered.

"Gramorr… - she repeated – i know…know i know everything you've done to me and to my people. The Tiara has shown me everything.

You've killed my Parents…after forcing them to work as slaves, never showing the littlest bit of compassion. You did the same to most of my people.

You brought down the Royal palace, which was my home…you reduced Runic to a desert land, where life can no longer blossom.

You destroyed so many people's lives, and hopes, and dreams.

And there's still more to say…as the Tiara also showed me what came before all this. It showed me where you come from, and who you truly are, Gramorr.

You were born in a village on a forgotten corner of Ephedia. You were nothing but a rejected son, a neglected boy nobody cared for. You soon had to learn to survive by your own means…and it wouldn't take long for you to become a crook. A criminal. From thievery to murder, the road ain't long…but what actually made the difference, what caused you to degenerate…'t was him."

Here Praxina pointed at Banes, or rather, what was left of Banes.

"You met Banes in the middle of the night…he bestowed you with the mask, whose very nature he had been part-taking from Day One… He lured you to follow him, while making you feel as if he was following you… But the truth's that Banes was the master, and you were his mere pet. He's tried the same with me, and he could have succeeded…hadn't it been for my brother Mephisto, visiting me in my dreams. And then, summoning me to this place.

Gramorr – Praxina said, in a solemn and definitive tone – you are responsible for my Parents' death. You are responsible for the end of my Realm, Runic. You are responsible for so many struggles…having taken so many lives… Now i know all this. And now i will…. Now i will…"

Praxina, the beautiful violet-haired Princess of Runic, raised her crystal butterfly wand. Gramorr closed his red, merciless eyes, protecting his masked face with an arm; prepared for that final strike to come…

"Listen to your heart, Praxina!"

The young Princess heard her Mother's voice. It wasn't a dream, it was something else…something she could not tell. It simply was.

"Praxina, my beloved daughter…listen to your heart! Your heart!"

Praxina shook. Her voice cracked, as she said once again…

"…and now i will…"

She lowered her hand and wand. And…

"Now i will forgive you, Gramorr",

she finally said.

Chapter Fifteen

Sunny Bay was offering its best performance in terms of joyfulness, harmony, luxurious nature and lovely weather.

The lake was shimmering and it was like its very light was centuplicating and somewhat magnifying itself, as to welcome that new day which was just stretching and idly awaking.

Most of the people of Sunny Bay were still curled up in bed, sound asleep. Yet somewhere, from a small window of an attic of a little house pretty close to the harbour, someone was spying the wake of the day with big blue eyes.

Praxina would never get enough of such a spectacle. Crouched by the window, her head resting on one elbow, she was seemingly absorbing the very Beauty of that place, and of that very hour when the night takes a bow and a new dawn walks onstage. It was a sort of a healing thing, just being there: this she could tell for sure, and as she could hear her brother's soft breathing from the other room, she was doubly grateful for simply being there.

In a while she would have come and wake him up, as they both needed to get to work: they were replacing Nathaniel at the Milkshake Bar, after he had left to Ephedia with Iris. But it was still too early; she still had time to just stare at the new dawn…and to travel back in time with her mind…

Indeed, Praxina was making up in her mind all the things they had been through, just a little time before that perfect moment, that magnificent dawn. She, Mephisto and Iris had been winners in the hardest battle, and they had been capable of choosing wisely; and eventually, they had left the All White – with all its challenges, its weirdness, its lessons – and had come back home.

Little by little, bit by bit, she remembered everything…

…How Mephisto and Iris reacted to her decision to forgive Gramorr. At first they could not believe it; then they just ran and hugged her tight.

How the three of them held hands to perform a convergence spell, aimed to create a temporary energy cage, to keep Gramorr from performing any offensive action… while they would deliberate on what to do with him.

How they decided to magically build him a little house down there in the All White: an abode he would have shared with just Banes – little Banes, that is – and the mask…and the weight of his own conscience, forever. If he had anything close to a conscience…then sooner or later he would have started regretting his own faults. He would have learnt to meditate, to take charge of his actions and mistakes. To feel and sustain the very weight of those actions, those mistakes; a load made even harder to bear by the mask itself…this would have been his burden, his very own test. His lesson of a lifetime.

How they finally opened the portal, for the last time. How they hugged each other while letting themselves go…and go…straight to the other side, straight home, where they belonged.

And to Praxina and her brother, "home" was now that very place on Earth, called Sunny Bay. Since their Realm had been brought down, she and Mephisto would have nowhere to go in the world of Ephedia; and though Iris sweetly offered them to join her to her Palace, they equally sweetly declined her offer. This was a lesson in Humility, Iris thought.

Indeed, it was this, and more than this… Praxina and Mephisto would feel that they needed to learn about what it meant being terrestrial; being… human. They wished so much to live on Earth, as normal teenagers; rent a little place to stay, as they did, and then start making up for lost time – all the time they had spent by calling this a "horrid planet", blinded as they were by Gramorr's influence and the oblivium he had magically inflicted on them.

Above all, they wanted to save up for lost time for what concerned the two of them…just the two of them, and no-one else. They wanted to hang around, chase each other in the park; ride a tandem, go to a movie, laugh at each other's jokes…

That was just the beginning. What was to come…no-one could have told for sure, but deep in her heart Praxina felt was to be precious. Every bit of what was to come was to be precious, and unescapable.

And then…who knows…one of those days, her big blue eyes could meet a pair of chocolate ones, belonging to a boy in his early twenties who had once awaken to see her face and whispered to her:

"Who…how beautiful you are…"

The End