Companion to Chapter 36 of AUP.

CHAPTER 7: TURQUOISE SKIES

If Timmy could have used one word to describe what the cannonhole looked like, it was bottomless. The huge, gaping opening of the cannon gleamed impossibly purple, and not a pleasant, soothing purple. Murky and ill, it was filled with sickness deep inside.

Time seemed to stand still. He could hear Vasiliev's cold laugh echoing through the room, his demonic appearance filling him with dread. The normally well-kept man was now completely disheveled, his hair falling all around. Revealing himself as the animal he truly was.

He deserves to die the most painful death possible. He had destroyed Tecna completely, making her fall in Omega and lose all sense of self. He clenched his fists behind his back, wishing more than anything that he could punch him to the ground.

But he knew he had to remain levelheaded. If he so much as lifted his hands, he would be dead – and that wouldn't do anything to save Tecna. I must wait until the time is right. Vasiliev leered over him, sneering.

"This room is beautiful, isn't it?" he laughed. "I used it to build the greatest plague in the world, one that is ripping the world to shreds right now. Even as we speak, Magix is crumbling at its seams!"

What? Timmy gasped in horror. What does he mean? What's happening? Feeling weak, he stared forward.

"Any last words?" Vasiliev laughed.

Timmy didn't answer immediately – instead, he surveyed the cannon. He could tell it had the power to destroy everything in its path, killing so, so many people. It'll destroy this room – and everything inside –

Suddenly, an idea came to him. Feigning indifference, he stared up at Vasiliev and said, "Fine. Go ahead."

"What?" Vasiliev snarled.

"Go ahead and wipe me out," Timmy answered, doing his best to control the bubbling anger inside. "You'll wipe out all your inventions with it. The disease was made here, wasn't it? If you press that button, then everything you've worked so hard for will be gone."

Slowly, Vasiliev's expression changed. He stared slowly around the room, as if he'd just realized something. Then his expression changed again, a raspy, furious snarl that indicated his fury.

"You would dare try to hold leverage over me?" he snarled. "Do you realize I can end you right here and now?"

Yes, Timmy was painfully aware of that. He could feel the cannon's presence beating down on his forehead, knowing that one misstep was all it would take. Yet, a calmness like he'd never known before had taken over him, filling him with quiet strength.

"Yes," he answered simply. "Yes, I dare."

Vasiliev bellowed curses. He swore and paced around on his machine, staring around at the room. Yet he did nothing, for he clearly knew that Timmy was right.

"Very well then, child," he sneered. He turned around his machine, heading out the door. Timmy exhaled in relief, stunned at how he'd managed to get away so easily.

His relief was short-lived. A second later, chains shot out of the glass floor and bound him to the wall. He let out a gasp in horror, and Vasiliev smiled.

"You won't be getting out of here," he laughed. "Have fun rotting in eternity." His machine zoomed down the corridor and out of sight.

Timmy stared helplessly, trying to look around. What am I going to do? How was he going to get him free from here now?

He stared over at the bubbling liquid, trying to discern his surroundings. The chains were made of very strong steel, and it would be very difficult for him to pull it off. However, he could still shuffle around – just close enough to the chalice.

He pushed himself closer to it, staring around. And then he saw it. A glass mirror was right below the table containing the chalice. Its surface gleamed impossibly clearly back at Timmy, and he stared in shock.

Could it be a – He stared in shock, wondering if it was going to help him.

There was only one way to find out. Pushing his chain forward, he delicately stood in front of the mirror. He leaned down and, with his head, gently nudged some liquid out of the chalice without spilling it all.

As soon as it hit the mirror, it bounced back. Zooming upwards to his hands, it smacked straight into the chains, melting them completely. He stared at his wrists in astonishment, and then smiled. Picking up the chalice, he poured some onto the ankle-chains, destroying them.

"Now we're talking," he breathed. Placing the chalice back, he picked up the magic mirror, gazing at its surface. Tucking it under his arm, he ran out the corridor and into the night.

He burst out into the street, staring around. People were looking rather worried, and were heading quickly inside, muttering to each other. Staring upwards, he immediately discovered the reason why.

A dark cloud was overhead, pouring ice and snow everywhere. Huge claps of thunder shook the city. The cloud was straight over the fortress, and he gasped in shock.

I have to get there! He knew, instinctively, that Tecna was somewhere in the fortress, and that something was happening to her. He ran forward, heading towards the castle.

Inside, he could see warriors and robots fighting, all of the warriors wearing blue-and-orange uniforms. He stared around, trying to see if he could get to the back of the castle quickly enough.

There was only one problem: there was no entry-point. Growling in frustration, he searched around, trying to find a place where he could climb.

There. Spotting a rope hanging from the turrets, he grabbed onto it, climbing upwards to the top. Running along the edge, he leapt from tower to tower. For every robot that ran at him, he held his mirror in-front, using it as a shield.

Whoever said I'm not agile clearly hasn't seen me now. When Tecna was involved, nothing would get in his way – not even the highest of turrets. Leaping across to the last one, he stared forward.

He was in front of a square-like building. Ahead was a frozen forest, with snow and ice shooting out of the cloud. A group of fairies were there, trying desperately to battle the machine he'd just seen. Vasiliev. Heart pounding, he stared upwards and froze.

It's Flora and the other girls! He had to stop Vasiliev from hurting them. Leaping off the tower, he landed smoothly on the snow, running forward.

He was getting closer and closer. Snow whirled in his face, but he pushed through, not allowing it to stop him. It stuck to his glasses, blinding him completely so he could see nothing but white.

Come on! Gritting his teeth, he pushed through the pain, forcing himself forward. He continued to run blindly, towards the sound of the grating machine and the screaming girls. Almost there, almost there…

Suddenly, a magical blast knocked the snow off of his glasses. Staring around in disbelief, he stared at the girls in front of him, shocked that he was able to see. They were lying on the snow, completely unable to move. Turning to his left, he stared at the machine and froze.

A fairy with a purple vest and shorts was lying on the ground. The cannon was pointed directly at her, and she let out a cry, her unmistakable electric-blue eyes wider than the moon. Vasiliev let out a laugh.

"I told you I would destroy you," he snarled. "Now has come my chance. It is time for you to end, as you should've ended long ago!" He fired.

No! Fury like he'd never known built up in him. He leapt forward, holding his magic mirror in front of him. The cannonfire made direct contact with the mirror, and he winced at the force it took to hold it in front of him.

He glanced back at Tecna, who was staring at him in amazement. Her jaw dropping, she looked like he'd never seen her before – awed and shocked and jubilant and terrified all at the same time. He stared at her deeply, embedding the sight of her into his mind.

"I've found you, and I'm not leaving you!" he shouted. "Do you hear me, Tec? I'm never going to leave you again!" Turning his mirror towards Vasiliev, he shoved forward, using all his energy to send the cannonfire back.

Vasiliev bellowed in rage as the force of the cannon's jet shot towards him. Leaping out of the way just in time, he shouted, "You foolish boy" –

"I dare, Vasiliev!" Timmy shouted back. "Tecna will never have to fear you or your abuse ever again! This is what you get, for all of your wrongs!" He turned the mirror straight on Vasiliev.

Vasiliev shouted in pain as the killing blast shot straight through his heart, knocking him down. The light died out of his eyes, and he lay on the grass, completely motionless. The cannon fell off the machine.

Then Timmy's legs gave way. The mirror flew from his hands, hitting the ice with a thud. He fell flat on his face, straight to the ice.

"No!" he heard Tecna's voice behind him.

Timmy exhaled. You're okay, Tecna – that's all I ever wanted. He closed his eyes, letting darkness overcome him once more.

The next thing he knew, Timmy's hands and feet were awakening. He slowly regained consciousness, feeling coming back to every part of his body. A gentle breeze wafted past him, filled with warmth.

Wait! Since when was Zenith ever warm? Opening his eyes, he stared upwards, and let out a gasp.

The trees had shining chestnut bark and beautiful currents of energy. Energy shot through the entire land, filling him with a warmth he'd never known. Grass, orange grass, shot out of the ground. The sky was a stunning, beautiful turquoise.

He stared upwards, slowly. And then he saw Tecna, sitting cross-legged ahead of him, a smile on her face. Her purple shorts and vest billowed gently around her waist, framed with lime-green and orange streaks. Her magenta hair, normally in a pixie-cut, now fell down her shoulders, slightly curling at the ends. Long purple sandals climbed up her leg, beautifully contrasting with her white legs. Her angelic purple wings gave her so much strength, so much power. He stared deeply into her electric-blue eyes, which looked exactly like the sky.

"You're alive!" he cried out, leaping into her arms. "We're alive!" She hugged him tightly, filling him with warmth.

"I mean – of course you're alive," he said, sheepishly. "I never doubted it for a moment."

"I did." Riven stared at Tecna in disbelief. "I can't believe you're" –

"Would you do what he did for me, Riven?" Musa asked slyly. Riven grunted and stared at Tecna, completely taken by shock.

"You found her!" Mirta beamed at Timmy, delight in her eyes. "I can't believe it! You are truly amazing, Timmy!"

"Yeah," Timmy sighed, pulling back from Tecna's arms. He gently brushed aside a lock of her hair, staring into her eyes.

She had grown so much since he'd seen her last. Her face was filled with such hope, and there were no longer dark circles around her eyes. Tears fell down his face, and he cried, rocking Tecna in his arms.

He cried because he had watched her slow, painful descent into fear and anxiety, all throughout the first semester. He cried because she'd had to make that cruel sacrifice, truly feeling as if she had no other option. He cried for all the torture Vasiliev had put her through all those years, and because she'd had to suffer so much, without him. Even now, he could still see the pain in her eyes, everything she'd been through.

But most of all, he cried because he was so glad she was safe. And that she was there now in his arms, never to leave him again.

He gazed upwards. Bloom and Sky were just heading out of the forest, talking to each other. Sky nodded to the Specialists, saying, "We need to radio Faragonda immediately. We'll give you guys some time to catch up."

Timmy's eyes shot up, and he stared forward. Turning towards Tecna, he said, "Actually – I need to show you something."

"What?" Riven asked.

"I found something inside the lab," Timmy said. "A chalice with liquid inside. Vasiliev told me about the disease."

"The one that's been ripping us all apart?" a fairy-man with a purple tunic and glowing wings asked.

"Yeah, that's the one." Timmy frowned, not recognizing the man, but deciding not to press the issue. "It has the disease's antidote."

"We need to recover it immediately!" gasped Mirta.

"Lead us to it," Sky said. "We'll find it."

Timmy frowned nervously at Tecna, who smiled at him.

"Go," she said softly. "I'll be here, with my friends. I've waited months to see you; I can wait a few hours."

He smiled at her. "Thank you," he whispered, following the Specialists, Mirta, and the fairy-man towards the fortress.

"Here we have it," Riven said, pointing to the chalice.

Mirta and the fairy-man – Nabu, his name was – levitated it carefully into the air. Sky held the door. The group walked out of the chamber, and Sky motioned for Timmy to follow.

He was about to, but then he frowned, gazing around the chamber. "There's something I want to do first."

"Not something stupid, I hope?" Riven asked shortly.

"Well, kind of," Timmy admitted. "I want to destroy this chamber."

"What?" Sky gasped. "You'll get yourself killed!"

"Look, I know this chamber has some kind of significance for Tecna," Timmy answered, "and I want it gone. I don't want what Vasiliev did to ever haunt her. I want it all to disappear from her life."

"But she'll always have some kind of sadness with her," Mirta said. "You can't do that, Timmy."

"I know," he answered, "but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try."

"Get the antidote to the spaceship," Mirta told Riven, Sky, and Nabu. "I'll stay with him and make sure he doesn't knock his head off." They left, and she stood with Timmy, frowning.

"I still think you're crazy," she said, "but I understand why you need to do it." She frowned. "Do you want me to blast it? I'll use my magic."

Timmy shook his head. "It has to be me." Bending down, he picked up an ice-stone from the ground – one that hadn't melted from the magical energy. I'm only going to get one shot. Poising his mirror directly at one of the test-tubes, he threw the ice-stone onto its surface.

It shot out into the test-tube, ricocheting off of all of them. The chemicals inside burst out, and then all exploded. Mirta grabbed Timmy and flew him away, far from the circular room.

From the air, he watched as the entire room exploded, shards of glass flying everywhere. The liquid vaporized instantly, going up in smoke.

Just like everything Vasiliev's done. For that man was nothing, no longer a threat towards anyone. He let out a sigh of relief, finally putting everything Vasiliev had done to peace with himself.