Chapter 14

"Guys where are you?" Flora called out, but there was no response. She shivered with cold and fright.

She was in a maze, and had somehow taken a wrong turn and lost the others. She didn't know what to expect inside the Maze, all she knew was that it was created just for her.

"This maze was built to test you, Flora." The Sage of Linphea had whispered to her. "It will either complete your quest, or it will destroy you. Be cautious of your decisions in there."

Flora still didn't know what the Sage had meant by that. But she took each step with great care, listening for any sign of danger, or even better, her friends.

She stopped when she reach a fork in the path. She honed her senses and listened for the voice of nature's whispers.

Go left.

Flora peered down the left path, it was dark and tangled with ivy and thorny branches. She swallowed down her fear and trusted that the Voice of Nature was leading her to where she needed to be.

She gently pushed the vines back with her magic, but the thorny branches resisted and closed in further on the path. They scratched against her arms and legs. She quickened her pace, her stomach tightened. This place felt very eerie, and the plant's auras were dark and unfriendly. She turned to go back.

Stay on the path. Keep going.

The Voice of Nature sounded as if it were calling her from a distance, and it was urgent for her to obey. She took a deep breath before diving back in the ivy and branches, she couldn't let a few plants stop her from getting her Enchantix.

The ivy pressed closer, Flora broke into a run. She outran the crawling branches that tried to trip her and ducked and leaped over the ivy. She could see in the thickening mist a turn in the path. The Voice of Nature sounded closer. She was on the right path. She looked back and saw that the path she had just taken was completely overgrown with the dark plants. There was no going back. She pushed herself to go faster.

She veered to the right and broke out of the mist and into a circular clearing in the maze. In the center of the clearing was a small willow tree. But what made it different from all of the other willow trees Flora had ever seen were its golden leaves.

Save me.

Flora's eyes widened. What could the Voice of Nature mean? She had never encountered the Voice pleading for safety, it was a guide.

Her eyes strayed to the small, golden tree.

What she thought was the Voice of Nature was actually the small willow tree. It had been calling to her. This tree was so much more intelligent than even some full grown trees. Flora kneeled down and stroked it's small golden leaves.

"What are you?"

Do you know the story of the Black Willow?

She nodded, "Of course. There were two willow trees that lived in the once beautiful land of Lulia and one was destroyed in a fire. Its sister was so saddened that it left its own home and planted itself in a cave and now weeps for the death of its sister." She clutched her hand to her chest, touched by the tale. Even as a small child, Flora had felt sad for the surviving Willow.

I am the other sister.

Flora gasped. "But how can that be? The story says that you were completely destroyed."

All but a tiny seed. I am the last of the Lulian willows besides my sister.

"You said you needed me to save you, what do you require of me?"

The dark plants that now are overtaking the maze want me destroyed. You must stop them from destroying me.

Flora nodded with great conviction. "I'll do everything in my power to protect you from them."

Thank you. Once they have been destroyed, I shall return to Lulia and restore what I can.

"But what about the Black Willow?"

The golden willow almost seemed to droop when Flora asked that. I fear my sister is too lost in her own grief that she will never return. She has chosen her path.

A loud crack broke the conversation. Flora turned and paled.

The black ivy from the maze had already begun to completely circle around them. It was creeping closer and closer, surrounding Flora and the willow from all sides.

"How can I stop this?" Flora asked. The ivy and branches were everywhere. There was black everywhere. She felt her hope and courage slowly melt inside of her. "There is so much of it."

Leave me then, save yourself.

Flora looked at the willow. "I can't leave you! You're the only one that can save Lulia!"

The ivy wrapped it's black leaves around the small thin trunk of the willow.

Leave me, Flora. My path had already been set for me also.

"No!" Flora felt the ivy begin to crawl up her own legs, pulling her down to the ground, choking her. "I won't let you die alone!"

When the last word had left her mouth, her body began to glow. She suddenly felt strength flow through her restrained body. She easily broke free from the black ivy. She felt a warm wind swirl around her, pulling her hair out of her face and weaving itself through it until her hair reached below her calves. She felt her wings suddenly feel heavy, but strong. She looked down and saw that she was wearing a flowing pink dress. It fluttered loosely around her and she wriggled her toes now free from her old boots. She had earned her Enchantix.

She looked around her. The ivy had shrunk away from her radiant light, but it was beginning to crawl back towards the willow cautiously. She removed her fairy dust powder and dusted it on the ivy. It instantly shrunk away, crawling back and out of the entrance.

You chose to sacrifice your life for me.

Flora knelt down once again next to the willow and stroked its leaves. "I couldn't let you die. Some people may just see you as a plant. But I know that you are so much more. That's why I was willing to sacrifice everything for you. I know that you'll restore Lilia to its former glory."

"Flora!" Stella flew in from above with Tecna and Musa close behind. "We thought we had lost you forever but then we saw that incredible light. What happened?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Musa landed next to Flora and hugged her, "She got her Enchantix. Way to go Flo!"

"Guys, I want you to meet someone." Flora pointed at the willow. "This is the last surviving willow of Lulia."

Stella grunted, "What am I supposed to do, shake its hand – I mean branch?"

Flora shrugged, "A simple a hello would work."

Stella hesitated. "Seriously? You want me to talk to a tree? What did your Enchantix do to you?"

Musa knelt down and stroked the tree's trunk. "It's an honor to meet you." She grinned up at Stella. "See, it isn't so hard."

"I didn't say I couldn't do it." Stella crossed her arms and lowered her lip, "I just think it's odd." She knelt down and grabbed a leaf. "Hello…umm…tree."

Your friends are very kind…and entertaining.

Flora giggled. "They sure are."

"Girls, we have to go." Tecna showed her phone to them. "I just got a message from Bloom. Valtor is going after Daphne and she says her and Layla are going to fight him."

"Did she get her Enchantix?" Stella asked.

"It doesn't say." Tecna shook her head. "But I'm worried that she still won't be strong enough, we should leave right away. Is the ship ready?"

Stella nodded. "Brandon's waiting for us where the Sage of Linphea is. It shouldn't be too far."

Flora waved to the willow tree, "Goodbye, I wish I could help you restore Lulia, but I have to go."

The willow seemed to brighten. Farewell, Flora. I hope we meet again. Travel in safety.

"You too!" Flora was the last to fly away from the maze. She kept looking down at the maze long after the tree was out of sight.

"Brandon, we need to get back to Magix, pronto." Stella pecked him on the cheek. "So full speed ahead."

"You heard the lady, Timmy." Brandon called up to the front of the ship. "Full speed ahead."

"Let's just hope there's no complications this time." Musa slumped in her seat. "I'd like to avoid getting motion sick."

"I concur." Brandon said.