Chapter 9: Trouble and Loss
"It's a tunnel." Flora said, stating the obvious. All the guys and girls were standing high up on the cliff, staring down into the dark tunnel before them.
"The vision went down there." Helia said for the fourth time.
"I really hate small, dark tunnels, have I ever told you girls that?" Stella shivered, emphasizing her fear.
"Yes Stella!" Musa and Layla rolled their eyes and said simultaneously.
Flora glanced at Sky, as did Brandon, she noted. They were all waiting for his decision. Do they continue their search in the tunnels or look elsewhere?
"We're going down." Sky said quietly. He then proceeded down the tunnel, the first of them to walk into the unknown. Flora took a deep breath and then followed him. The others trailed after her, with Riven bringing up the rear. They were now trekking toward what Flora hoped wouldn't be disaster, though her intuition said otherwise.
Musa and Tecna were quietly chatting away, Stella and Roxy argued about fur as a fashion, the guys had gathered discussing escape plans and routes. Flora then noticed Layla trailing the group. She slowed up and walked next to her.
"Hey." Layla said quietly. Flora gave her a smile.
"Why are you back here?" Flora glanced behind her and saw Riven watching the tunnel carefully.
"I…Flora? Do you think this is my fault?" Layla asked suddenly. Flora stared at her.
"No! Of course not." Flora shook her head. "This was Bloom's choice."
"What if my accusation forced her to make her decision? She felt she needed to redeem herself for Nabu's death, and she wasn't even the cause!" Layla looked at the rock floor of the tunnel. Flora didn't say anything. Layla did blame Bloom, but Flora didn't think Layla's accusation was the only contribution to Bloom's decision. The universe, the weight of the universe made Bloom go to the Prima. The taunting, the evil bad guys, the new life.
Flora stopped suddenly. All this forced Bloom to feel the need to be stronger. Because she felt alone.
Layla looked nervously at Flora. "What is it?"
"Bloom needs us and we need to hurry. Come on." Flora pushed forward, hurrying to catch up with the rest of the search party.
She felt the disturbance. She was being observed and watched. Immediately she stabbed out with her mind, grabbing hold of a powerful energy source. She smiled. Soon she would be free to roam and conquer the universe once more. She began siphoning the energy. The source struggled, but couldn't break free.
"Revenge will be soon." She hissed in delight. Then she felt the energy source. "Daphne? Impossible! I had killed you twenty years ago. How?" She thought carefully. Daphne wasn't alive. Daphne was a guardian spirit. A nymph of the dragon fire.
She thought back to the evil days. The days when Baltor and the ancient Ancestresses threatened and lurked throughout the universe. Baltor had been her companion, and together they roamed the realms, leaving a path of destruction wherever they went. She had helped him to infiltrate the castle Sparks. She personally hunted down Daphne, the last heiress and killed her, preventing the Dragon Fire from continuing. But it continued.
"Thought you'd escaped me, princess Daphne, last heiress to the Sparks throne. But no. I've found you again, and you'll be gone for good. After I've finished you off, I'm heading to Sparks to finish off the Sparks royal family. Queen Miriam and King Oritel will perish under my wrath!" She cackled. "Then the magical universe will be lost and confused without Sparks to guide them! Lord Baltor will rule once more. There is no stopping me!"
Daphne struggled, trying to form contact with her birth parents. The evil in the Chthonic realm had somehow sensed her when she stumbled upon the vision. Now it was sucking Daphne's essence dry of the Dragon Fire energy. She had little time before she was gone, possibly forever.
Daphne tried again and again, yet she couldn't form a link. The evil had a hold on her and had blocked her essence from leaving the cave. She was trapped.
Would anyone remember her? Would Mother and Father notice her disappearance? Would Bloom? Daphne dreaded being entirely forgotten, but if it must be it must be. She remembered being offered the guardianship after her death.
"Daphne. Awaken our sister." the voice said.
Daphne had her eyes closed tightly. She was dead, but Bloom had to be safe on Earth. She'd protected the Dragon Fire. Her purpose was finished.
"You are wrong, dear sister. Your purpose is not fulfilled. The power is still not safe." the voice was soothing and calm.
Daphne allowed her eyes to open. Before her sat great beings on thrones. They all gazed kindly upon Daphne.
"Welcome Daphne. We are the Divine Fairies." A fairy dressed in gold robes rose from her throne and strode toward Daphne.
"Am a I dead?" Daphne asked.
"You are. We've brought your spirit here. Your mission is not yet done, your journey unfinished." The fairy in gray robes smiled at Daphne, her eyes wise and kind.
"What is it I must do?" Daphne asked quietly.
"We are honoring you with the duty of guardianship." The fairy in black's dark tone stated.
"Guardianship?" Daphne looked up at the gold fairy.
"Yes. Your sacrifice for your sister caught our attention. You deserve the honor. We wish to name you the guardian of the Dragon Fire." The white fairy said. The fairies all nodded in agreement.
Daphne thought. She could perhaps see her mother and father again. Maybe even Bloom. Daphne didn't hesitate. "I accept." Daphne stated confidently.
"We wish you luck in finishing your journey sister." The fairies said.
They'd offered her the chance at eternal life for rescuing her little sister. But Daphne hadn't thought out their conversation until now. Finishing her journey. This must be what the Divine Fairies meant.
Did guardians die? Daphne asked herself quietly after her fourth failed attempt at contacting her parents. Did they go to heaven or some other form of Elysium or hell for that matter? Or did they just fade away, forgotten forever?
Daphne felt more energy drain from her essence. Time was running out. She was disappearing. Daphne gave a small smile. She'd seen her parents and her beloved sister again. They would care for one another and live. That was all that mattered. Daphne closed her eyes and used one last spell. Hopefully it would help Bloom to defeat the evil. As the magic from using the spell left her ethereal body, Daphne felt…
Then Daphne was gone.
