This is it, everyone. The moment we've all been waiting for has arrived.

This will also be the only chapter in the first part which has both Flora and Tecna's POVs featured. There will be many more POVs in the coming part, but we will get to that later. For now, just enjoy the ride.

Previously on AUP…

"Tecna, listen to me!" Timmy said desperately. "You need to stop doing so much work. It's taking over your life!"

"No!" Tecna shouted. "That would be the end of me, and you know it! Vasiliev's too dangerous!"

There was a silence. Then Timmy whispered, "Tecna, is there something you're not telling me?"

Tecna didn't answer. I can't tell him… She drew in a shallow, gasping breath at the memory.

"I have to go," she said, and then she hung up.

-o-o-o-

A girl flew out of their ship. Flora recognized the glittering purple suit and neon green wings instantly, and gasped in horror. "Tecna!"

"What's going on?" Musa demanded.

"I snuck out," Tecna said. Her old spirit was back, but it was replaced with something much more dangerous, Flora noted with horror – and illogical. "I hid in the cargo and flew with you the entire time. Maybe you should've thought of that before you left me behind." She crossed her arms.

"Well, you can't be here," Musa declared. "It's too dangerous."

"It is not," Tecna snarled, and Flora stared at her fierce eyes. She looks like a caged animal! I've never seen her like this before!

-o-o-o-

"You don't have to explain anything," Flora answered. "Just promise me one thing, okay, Tec?"

"What is it?" Tecna asked.

"Promise me you won't hurt yourself," Flora whispered. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Tecna. Please, promise me that."

CHAPTER 22: THE VISION IN THE WINDS

"Sir Teboc!" Bloom shouted, banging the door open. "We need your help!"

Tecna stared forward. A man was kneeling over the floor, his hands in a prayer position. He jumped suddenly, staring up at Bloom.

"W-why are you here?" he stammered. "I thought I was the only person left in this forsaken realm!"

So much for Teboc the Wise, Tecna thought. This old man looked decrepit, and, quite frankly, pathetic. But he's the only one who can help us out…

"Please!" Bloom shouted desperately. "We have to close the portal!"

"You silly girl!" Teboc shot back. "The best sages of the world have tried to close this portal. I have tried for so many months, to no avail. And how, our worst fears, fears we never thought were possible, are here to fruition."

"But we've fought the Army of Decay before!" Bloom cried. "We fought the Shadow Phoenix, and we've battled Valtor, too! Please, you can't give up!"

"Such bravado," he answered. "But no. This is a force unlike one you've ever met before."

"We're not leaving until this portal is shut!" Tecna snarled back. The man jumped up, startled at her tone. "You are going to get out there and do your job! I don't care how sorry you feel for yourself, but just get up and close it!"

Silence, except for the howling wind outside, permeated through the building. Bloom stared at Tecna, clearly stunned by her tenacity. Why is everyone looking at me like that? Irritation built up in her as she stared defiantly at Teboc.

"We do have hope," Bloom said at last. "I am the last survivor of Domino's destruction. The princess of Domino. As I hold the power of the Dragon's Flame, I have to try and reverse the destruction Valtor wrought."

Teboc stared at her. "A fairy of the Dragon Fire?" he gasped. "I don't believe it"… He sighed. "I suppose it is worth one last shot. I will bring the ancient scrolls with me, so we can do one final incantation. But do not get your hopes up. I see you both are determined to die here, too, and nothing I say will change your minds. All the same, our activities must stop before the Point of No Return, which is in approximately an hour."

"Then we'd better hurry," Bloom declared.

"Let's go," Tecna said. The two girls and Teboc flew out towards the portal, the deadly funnel that enveloped all the sky.

Flora, Musa, Stella, and Layla flew towards the portal. The winds were getting stronger and stronger, and even with the might of their Enchantix wings, they weren't going to be able to reach it. How are we going to do this?

"Hey, guys!" a voice shouted behind them. "We got Teboc!"

Flora turned around. Tecna and Bloom were flying towards them, with an old wizard trailing behind. The wizard's eyes were grim as he stared forward.

"This is worse than I saw before," he said hoarsely. "We will never be able to save this realm."

"Shut up and tell us how to get there," Tecna responded irritably.

"What my friend means" – Bloom said, shooting Tecna a glare, "is: how do we get to the top of the steps?"

"Those of you with your Enchantix must create a shield," Teboc answered. "I will help you." He closed his eyes, and a sphere appeared in his hands.

Flora focused on her own energy, calling what was left of the nature around her. "Floral shield," she whispered. Her energy was weaker than it would've been, but was still strong. Out of all of theirs, Layla's was the strongest, due to the heightened waves; Musa's was the weakest, due to the destructive sonar energy around. Stella looked around, staring in distress. "I can't put my powers to use! Those dark clouds have blocked all celestial bodies!"

"It's okay, Stell," Layla assured her. "The three of us have got this." She linked hands with both Flora and Musa. "Convergence!"

Flora focused, forcing herself to push aside her differences with Layla and Musa. We have to make this convergence work as well as possible… Floral, molecular, and sonar magic shot out past them; a green, purple, and pink shield surrounded the group. Teboc's eyes went wide.

"Fascinating," he whispered. "Even though your powers are far weaker, due to the circumstances, the amount of raw energy you possess is incredible. You girls truly are powerful."

"That's why we need to help close the portal," Bloom answered. "That's the only way."

"Very well," Teboc nodded. He turned towards Musa and Bloom. "You two are needed to close the portal. In case they fail, I need one of you for backup. Which one of you will" –

"I will," Tecna said, standing up straight.

"Tecna, you're not even supposed to be here!" Musa shouted. "You can't" –

"Let her come," Teboc interrupted. "We need someone of a strong spirit to come with us. The rest of you, use your powers to stabilize the portal."

"Then we haven't a second to lose," Bloom declared.

Flora stared at Tecna. Please be okay… She looked at her friend anxiously, who was seemingly avoiding everyone's gaze. Then Tecna turned away, following Musa, Bloom, and Teboc.

I hope she makes it out okay…

Tecna, Bloom, and Musa landed on the steps of the portal, scrambling hurriedly up as they raced to meet the chute. Tecna ran up, her heart thumping as she stared at what was in front.

The funnel was far more terrifying than when she'd seen it before. Electricity swarmed in its depths, and darkness abounded deep inside. Hail was hissing out of the funnel, shooting up into the air and to the night. She stared into its depths, wondering how they were ever going to close it.

Teboc sighed, a sigh heavier than any mountains. "I knew it was a big mistake to create this portal."

"Then why?" asked Musa. "Why did you do it?"

"It was four hundred years ago," Teboc said. "The Omega Prison was created by the UR in order to keep the most dangerous criminals imprisoned for life. Melody was chosen as a gateway, because it is, relatively speaking, the closest to Omega.

"I was one of four wizards chosen to erect this portal. I was young then, a mere sixty-year-old man, as I helped men centuries older than I to build this. It was meant to be a quick shortcut to Omega, located on the far edges of the dimension, and to provide us security in ridding ourselves of the worst criminals of the world. And now, the very thing that was supposed to save us will destroy us after all." He let out a sigh as he stared at the funnel.

"I'm not standing by and letting this realm get destroyed," Bloom declared. "What do you need me to do?"

"Give me the strongest Dragon you have," Teboc answered. "Fairy of music, converge your powers with hers. You" – he pointed to Tecna – "give me as much energy as you have."

I'll give you energy, all right, Tecna thought, staring defiantly at the portal. You are going to close, even if I have to give up everything. She created a ball of orange metallic energy, staring forward.

Bloom had transformed into her Charmix, calling forth the Dragon's Flame. A red fire-dragon swarmed out of her heart, surrounding them all with its benevolent energy. Musa spread her fairy-dust in a circle, calling forth her sonic energy.

"Hrah!" she shouted. Pink sound-waves flew out of her chest, surrounding Bloom's dragon. Holding the scrolls, Teboc stared up into the face of the portal.

The dragon swarmed around the portal, coiling it in a grasp. Despite the winds' harsh brace, it did not falter. Bloom narrowed her eyes, focusing her Dragon Fire.

"I will read from the ancient scrolls," Teboc said. "Now is the time. Focus your fire on the portal. Focus it!"

Bloom closed her eyes, sending all the energy she had within into the portal. Tecna and Musa focused their energy on Teboc. The wizard lifted the scrolls, incanting in ancient Harmonian:

Magna portal, quod est adaperire!

Proqinquus tu magni infundibuliformis vacant

Quapropter suscipe benedictionem hanc societatem civium solus in –

A harsh wind blew from the funnel, knocking them out of balance. Tecna, Bloom, and Musa fell to the ground as the scrolls slipped out of Teboc's hands, flying into the funnel. He gasped out loud.

"Noooo!" he shouted in horror, falling to his knees. "Not the ancient scrolls!"

Tecna stared at him in terror. No... Without the scrolls, they had no chance of closing the portal and stopping it from immolating the realm. They truly were at the Point of No Return.

A deafening crash sounded above them as the funnel tore into the sky. The very sky was splitting apart, and the realm was crumbling before their very eyes. Teboc lowered his eyes.

"What are we going to do?" gasped Musa in shock.

"Now that the scrolls have been lost, it is impossible to close the portal," Teboc answered. "Your Dragon Fire is irrelevant. There is one way, but it is would require a tremendous amount of sacrifice and courage – courage I no longer possess, I am afraid."

"What is it?" Bloom demanded.

"In order for the portal to be closed, it must be closed from the inside," Teboc answered. "The person who goes to close it, first of all, must be able to withstand the winds, which are going at an impossibly high speed. And even if she was able to get inside, she would be trapped there forever."

Flora focused her floral energy, calling on the aquatic plants to lend her their strength. They flew upwards, holding the portal in their strength. Next to her, Layla was harnessing the energy of waves, and Stella was using her limited light-energy to add to their power. She focused hard on the portal, slowing its funnel.

"Hold on," Layla shouted. "Contain the portal!"

Come on… She gritted her teeth, trying to hold on to the portal as much as possible. We need to contain that funnel as much as possible… It looked as if their efforts were working, that their powers were containing it.

Then the funnel roared and Tecna, Bloom, and Musa were blasted back.

"Oh no!" Layla cried, staring up at the portal. The funnel was now as furious as ever, demonically spreading into the sky.

"We have to leave!" Stella shouted. "The Point of No Return is in five minutes! We need to round everyone up and get out of here, before it's too late to leave" –

A wave drenched Flora. She let out a shout as she was pulled underwater, away from the portal. "Argh!" she cried, trying to swim up to the surface.

But she was no match for the sea, especially one that was spurred by the portal. Please, no… Her arms flailed desperately as she coughed up mouthfuls of seawater, fighting her way back up.

"I'm going into the portal," Bloom said. "I'm not letting this realm get destroyed."

"Bloom, stop," Musa protested; surprised, Bloom halted. "This is my realm; it's my responsibility. You can't take the burden of this great sacrifice."

"Then we'll do it together," Bloom declared.

The two girls linked hands and walked forward, followed by Tecna and Teboc. Tecna stared at the funnel, the growing power as the earth shook. The water was up to their feet now. Shaking, Tecna followed the girls towards the funnel as they walked down.

She could feel the electrical energy of the portal, zipping through her body. WARNING: HIGH VOLTAGE ALERT, her scanner read.

This is not unlike my wiring system, Tecna realized. The portal ran on the same energy: electricity and a lot of magic. But if the source is cut off, then maybe, just maybe, it'll all stop…

She gasped as the funnel ejected them, and they were thrown out of the portal. Musa fell on her butt, Bloom slammed into her, and Teboc fell on his back.

Only Tecna stood unfazed, her Charmix gleaming on her breast as she faced the portal.

"I can do this," she declared, marching forward.

The others gasped as she walked forward, calling out to her, but Tecna shut them all out. If this is all I ever do in my life, then so be it. Heart filled with determination, she strode towards the funnel.

Waves crashed over Flora's head as she was dragged underwater, riptide after riptide subduing her. Her lungs were on fire, and she clawed her way upwards desperately to the surface.

I need to get out! She needed to help her friends get out of here, so they could leave this realm. This is wasting our time! This reminded her of how she'd dove underwater to save Miele after the Trix had thrown her into the stream.

But this was far, far worse. The waves were much stronger, and there was no mercy in store for her. I'm going to die here… I'm going to die in this water… Her lungs felt as if they were filled with ice.

"Flora!" she dimly heard Layla's shout. "We're coming!"

Stop wasting your time on me! Flora wanted to shout. Get the others out of here! But she was too weak to do anything of the sort. Another wave pulled her under, dragging her deep to the bottom of the sea.

Her lungs were now utterly numb. Black spots were beginning to cloud her vision, and her head was fuzzy. This is it, this is the end… She closed her eyes.

Suddenly, the sea stopped churning. She lay at the bottom of the sea, no longer moving, no longer shaking. What… An air-bubble suddenly formed around her head, and she gasped in the cool, clean air, coughing out all the water that'd entered her lungs. A hand grabbed her and dragged her out of the water, up to the surface.

What's going on? She emerged out of the water, staring at Layla, who had just saved her from drowning. She was about to thank her friend, but froze as soon as she saw what was ahead of her.

The funnel had stopped spiraling. It was now completely still, sending no static electricity or waves into the sky. The water was as placid as could be, although gray clouds still threatened the sky.

"What's going on?" Flora demanded. With a trembling finger, Stella pointed in front of her.

Something was in the funnel – or rather, someone. If she squinted her eyes, Flora thought she could see Tecna walking into the portal.

Tecna! she thought, horrified. What are you doing?

Suddenly, the storms halted. Waves paused in mid-strike, and the girls stared at the portal. All eyes were on Tecna as she stood in the middle of the funnel, defiant and tall.

"Don't do it, Tecna!" Flora cried out. But her words were drowned out by the deafening roar of the funnel, and all she could do was look hopelessly on.

Tecna walked forward, pushing through the funnel. Come on, come on... But the funnel was strong, and rejected everything near it. Still Tecna pushed through, forcing herself past the inner walls.

She gasped as she was pulled into the funnel, into the eye of the storm. Here, the electrical winds swirled around her, a circle around the tiny center. She knew, without a doubt, that it would be impossible for her to ever get out.

Everything came to a halt. Time stopped completely, and Tecna stared down. The girls, the churning sea, the impending doom – everything could wait. As she stood in the eye of the funnel, she thought she saw a vision in its fierce winds.

Anastasia was back home, only a few months after her surgery. She was so happy to be home, so happy to be out of the hospital. Her parents had never exactly been doting, but back then, they'd always truly showed her love. They'd taken her to a laboratory, owned by one of Papa's friends – Mr. Vasiliev.

Anastasia didn't like Mr. Vasiliev. His teeth were scary white and he had a weird look on his face. But Papa liked him, so she knew he was a good guy. Papa would never be friends with someone bad.

"Anastasia," the man – Mr. Vasiliev – said to her. "I would actually like to spend some time with you. I will return you to your parents in the morning."

Anastasia's eyes raised as she stared up at him. The man smiled, pointing her towards the door. "Come with me?"

She looked back at her parents. Mama looked uncertain, but Papa smiled, pushing her forward. "Go on, Nassy," he said affectionately. It was the last time he ever called her that.

Yawning, Anastasia followed Mr. Vasiliev through the door. They walked through the corridor until they reached another door, which Mr. Vasiliev stood in front of. "Watch this." He held his hands together.

The door began to slide open, leading to a circular room. Mr. Vasiliev walked in, motioning for her to follow. Anastasia stepped inside, and immediately gasped.

The entire room was metal. A little bit of moonlight penetrated from a circle of glass at the top, which illuminated the room with an eerie glow. Around her were test-tubes, which were filled with weird, glowing purple liquid.

Anastasia stared at it in frightened awe, shocked and terrified by what she saw around her. "What's here?" she whispered.

"This is the heart of my laboratory," Mr. Vasiliev whispered. "Your father, Anastasia, has agreed to let me hire you as an employee. You will be working here."

Anastasia began to feel scared. "I don't like this." She moved to leave, but then Vasiliev grabbed the back of her shirt.

"Now, there." He smiled. "What's the rush? You haven't seen the best part yet."

He steered Anastasia towards a chair in the center of the room. Cautiously, Anastasia sat in it, staring up at the shaft of light above her head. The moon glowed luminously above her head, bright and full. Behind her, she felt Mr. Vasiliev lift the back of her shirt and gasped. "What are you doing?"

"Hush, girl," Mr. Vasiliev commanded, his eyes on fire. He opened her control panel and placed a chord in, connecting it through the socket.

Anastasia looked upwards. The purple test-tubes on the side began to turn, and she saw that they now had laser beams on them. What's he doing? The beam pointed to her, illuminating her fully.

And then she screamed as white-hot fire shot through her body.

It was the worst pain she'd ever experienced. Worse than even the hover crash, or the first few days after the surgery. She let out a cry, sobbing as she was struck with unbearable pain. "Mama! Papa!" Above her, she could hear Vasiliev's laugh.

The torture seemed to last forever. Dimly, she thought she could hear the scratching of a pen and murmurs of interest. When it was finally over, Anastasia collapsed out of the chair, crying and screaming. Vasiliev picked her up in his arms, smiling.

"My little cyborg," he whispered. "I created you myself – without me, you would be dead. Don't you ever forget that." He uncorked her a golden vial, and forced the contents down her throat.

The pain subsided, but she still couldn't stop crying. She felt completely weak and drained inside, as if nothing would ever be right again. Vasiliev smiled, and then pushed her into the chair again. It was then that she noticed what was in his hand.

It was a steel remote.

"You see," Vasiliev continued, "I have now connected this remote to your control panel, which means I no longer need the wire. I can control you from anywhere in the world. Look at this." He pressed the 'ELECTROCUTE' button. Anastasia screamed again as electricity zapped through her wiring.

"That's what happens when you misbehave," Vasiliev said, his eyes dancing. "You've been a very bad girl today, Anastasia – I will have to inform your father. I hope you've learned a lesson about crying – it's never tolerated here."

Anastasia forced the tears from her eyes. Vasiliev stood up, and forced her off the chair. Then she gasped as he grabbed her by the throat.

"Say one word to your parents about this," he whispered, "and I will kill you. I have the controls. Do you understand?"

Anastasia nodded woodenly.

"You will work for me," Vasiliev continued. "You already know coding, and I will put you to work in my laboratory. And if you even think about stepping out of line – well, just remember today. You are mine forever."

Tecna blinked. The images in the winds disappeared, and they continued swirling around, just as fiercely as ever. What just –

"Don't do it, Tecna!"

She looked up, staring forward. Flora was flying towards the portal, a distressed look in her eyes. Green eyes met electric-blue as they stared at each other, worlds apart. In more ways than one.

I'm sorry, Flora. I know I promised you I'd be safe, that I wouldn't hurt myself. But I have to do this. I hope you understand. She focused her energy, trying to detect the fuse.

There it was, right in the center. She pushed it, forcing her way inside; the floor parted and created a tunnel.

She pushed through, focusing all of the energy she'd ever possessed to close the tunnel. Cease your energy, come to me, come to me... Destroy no more...

Eventually, the tunnels parted. The electrical fuse hit her, with the force of a thousand volts. But no pain came – unlike Vasiliev's torture, it was completely powerless. The electric whirring stopped, and she stared around, letting out an exhale of relief.

It's gone, she thought. It's gone.

Then the tunnel began to shake. The inertia of her energy ceased to exist, and she plummeted down the bottomless chute. Darkness, the same as the darkness of that horrible night, enveloped her.

Then rocks closed in on her, crushing her utterly and completely, squeezing out her life-source. I can't breathe… But no matter how hard she fought, resistance was futile. Eventually, she gave in to the total, sucking silence of the closed portal.

And then, nothing remained.

End of Part I.