Chapter three: Kidnapped!

Praxina's smile creased her face as she stared down on earth with a wicked vengeance.

Everything was going horribly perfect. Darkness shrouded the world like a massive black curtain, and somewhere inside Praxina's bitter heart, a warm, fuzzy feeling was erupting. Not only was the petty human world losing courage and joy, but so also was that insolent pink princess named Iris.

"Come on, Iris," couched Talia. "You can do this!"

Iris shut her eyes and tried to concentrate. "Okay," she said. "Here I go. Crystum Pactus!" she thrust her fist forward, then gasped.

"Wait," said Aurianna. "Isn't something supposed to happen?"

"Yeah." said Talia. "A crystal should have gone around Iris's hand. Try again, Iris." "Crystum Pactus! Crystum…Pactus! Crystum–"

"Stop." Talia grabbed Iris's hand with a stern expression on her face. Then it softened and she looked legitimately worried. Iris was crying.

"It's Nathanial, isn't it?" Aurianna said quietly.

Iris blinked and touched her eyes, unaware that tears were coming out of them. "I'm sorry, guys." she mumbled. "I guess I'm just a bit distracted."

"That's not good," said Talia. "You're the Princess of Aphedia. You need to get it together." "Talia, take it easy!" Aurianna said. "Iris is obviously upset. We should be more

compassionate!"

"Fine. but I still think we should practice our spells. Iris, you sit this one out. I'm going to drill Aurianna with some defense spells."

Iris begrudgingly went to sit down while Talia turned to Aurianna. "Okay. Get ready, Aurianna.

Crystumsabrus!" a long crystal saber appeared in Talia's hands and she charged forward, twirling toward Aurianna.

"Ribon of Volta!" crafted for her by her brother, Aurianna summoned a long, orange ribbon into her hand and swung it at Talia. It wrapped around her saber and tethered her back to the ground. Aurianna smiled. "I've got you now!"

"Not yet you don't. Talia, Princess of Xeris!" Talia's right armband glowed with power and she spun into a magical blue sky. She raised her arms and then they slowly went back down with a glow of light, where appeared a short blue dress with a large diamond at the neck. Her hair flowed above her head and she gently touched both feet to the floor as a pair of blue, heeled boots appeared on her legs. Then she turned around and raised her hands over her head where a pair of white gloves with blue hems appeared. Then she touched her shoulders and smiled as a simple blue vest appeared. Lastly she placed a hand on her head which turned her long brown hair into a silvery white. Her bottom lip glossed over in a lovely pink, and two lovely

Xeris-styled hair pins appeared on either side of her head, followed by diamond-shaped crystals that twirled down and finished her transformation with a sparkling, transparent train.

"Hey!" Aurianna stomped her foot. "No fair, transforming into your princess form to one-up me! If you're going to do that, then I am too! Aurianna, Princess of Volta!" Aurianna's Voltan ring

glinted with magic and she winked as she was swirled into a golden glow of magic. Her arms also raised above her head as golden moons danced around her, decking her with a warm, orange dress with a crescent moon at the neckline. Then she crossed her arms over her chest like an X and there appeared lovely orange Voltan armbands. Next she tapped her legs and knee-high orange heeled boots appeared, bearing crescent moons on the buckles. After that she thrust her hands out in front of her, and lacy sleeves appeared on her shoulders. Next she brushed the back of her hand over her hair and it turned from a burgundy color to a long, flowing pink with orange highlights in it. Her lips turned a light pink and two dangly earrings appeared, one for each ear, followed by a Voltan hair clip that kept her long, side ponytail in place. A big smile lit up her face as she watched a set of crystal crescent moons float down and top off her transformation with a train like Talia's–only hers was a sparkling shade of orange.

"Crystal colidum!" Talia cried, firing a defensive crystal shard at Aurianna.

"Crystarmum!" Aurianna cried, summoning a crystal shield out of both her hands. It blocked the attack, shattering the crystal shard like glass.

"Nice work." Talia said, nodding at Aurianna. "Your reactions are pretty good. Now, let's do something a little more interesting." Talia summoned her magic and created a prototype of two people Iris had thought were long since out of her head. One was Praxina. The other…was Mephisto. Something awful twisted inside Iris at that moment. Just seeing his face, even if it wasn't real, sent a nasty feeling of guilt through her veins.

Praxina's prototype cast a spell that trapped Aurianna in a crystal cage. "I've got you now, princess! Vengeance will be mine!"

"Praxina?" Mephisto's prototype turned an awful shade of white.

"Crystal solvenda!" Aurianna cried, freeing herself from the cage. "Crystal–"

"Stop." said Iris, standing up slowly. Mephisto wasn't moving. In fact, he looked completely terrified.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Aurianna asked. "They're just prototypes. I can defeat them no problem–"

"It won't be that easy, princess."

Iris's breath caught in her throat. They looked like just prototypes…but when Mephisto spoke…

"Iris, what's the matter?" said Talia. "It's just a spell. They aren't really here."

But Iris couldn't help but think something was off. Praxina was staring blankly like a real prototype should. But Mephisto…Iris walked up to him and touched his arm. Instantly he grabbed her wrist and disappeared!

Chapter four: Nathaniel, Where is my love?

"I've got you now, princess."

Iris's eyes fluttered open and she gasped when she saw she was in a dark crystal ball. She banged at its walls crying, "Mephisto! Let me out this instant!"

"Why would I do that?"Mephisto asked. "After all, didn't you push me off a cliff? Didn't you kill me?"

Iris's hands flew up to her ears. "No. Stop it! It was an accident…"

"No, princess. You wanted to kill me. You wantedto cause my sister untold pain and heartache!"

"No! No, I didn't!"

"Iris?" Talia's voice sounded muffled and far away. Iris shook her head and closed her eyes. "I didn't mean for you to die! How can you be alive? This isn't real…this isn't real…"

"No, Iris." Talia's voice was stronger now, and her hand touched Iris's shoulder, pulling her back into reality, away from her nightmare daydream. "No, it's not real. Snap out of it!"

Iris rubbed her forehead then opened her eyes. She was back in the lolirock training quarters. The prototypes of the twins were no longer there. "Wh-what happened?"

"You kind of passed out," said Aurianna. "Are you okay?"

Talia helped Iris off the floor. "I…I think so," Iris said. "My head hurts a little."

"Then you should rest," said Talia. "even a princess needs her rest. We can train some more tomorrow, okay?"

Iris nodded and went away to her room. But sleep was the farthest thing from her mind. Her heart felt heavy and her nerves were all over the place. She couldn't stop thinking about Mephisto, how he had seemed so hurt and angry in her…what was it…a vision? If it was a vision, then could Mephisto truly be alive? But that wasn't possible. She had seen him fall.

There was no way he could have lived.

Iris sat up in her bed and pulled her knees to her chest. She felt very alone and frightened, and not for the last time. She wished she could go see Nathaniel. If things had been normal, he would probably hold her close. Tell her she had done the right thing, defeating Gramorr. That Mephisto's death was not her fault. She missed hearing him talk to her like that.

Suddenly Iris was determined to see Nathaniel. She didn't care if he wanted things to be over between them. She didn't care that he was going out with Missy. She needed to see her friend.

It was cold outside as she trudged through the freshly fallen snow to Nathaniel's house. In previous times, she would have felt excited and jittery to see her crush. But right now she just felt empty and sick. It took every ounce of courage for her to raise her hand and knock, then even more courage to actually stay in front of the door and not run away like a coward.

When the door opened, a face appeared that Iris hadn't seen before. It was an elderly woman with light brown hair and deep blue eyes. She looked remarkably like Nathaniel, so Iris thought this must be Nathaniel's mother. "H-hello," Iris said cautiously. "I-is Nathaniel around?"

"Not right now, dearie." said the woman. "He's on a date with some girl. Who are you?"

A thousand things popped into Iris's head. What was she supposed to say? "Oh no, you're wrong. I'M Nathaniel's girlfriend, and the other girl is a fraud"? No, that wouldn't be right. Then a voice spoke up behind Nathaniel's mother.

"It's ok, mom. I'll take it from here."

Iris felt the blood rush to her ears. She knew that voice. She would know that voice anywhere. Nathaniel.

He was wearing a tuxedo! Could this boy be any cuter? His hair was combed and his eyes…they were just as wonderful as Iris had remembered. "Nath-Nathaniel!"

"What are you doing back?" Nathaniel shot. "I thought I made it clear I didn't want to see you again."

Iris clenched her hands and tried to remain calm. Her emotions were strong and crazy, like a wild beast trying to get out. When she spoke, it was shaky and filled with sorrow. "Nathaniel, I've missed you. Can't you see how this is torturing me? I cannot be away from you any longer, and I will notlet you date someone as awful as Missy!"

"How dare you come here and tell me what to do? I already told you–"

"Nathaniel, please! Don't you remember how it felt? All the fun times together? the dreamy picnic in the woods? That time we shared our first kiss beneath a moonlit sky?"

"What are you even talking about? I did all those things with Missy."

Iris was shocked. "What? No, Nate! That was me! I'm the one you love. Not–"

Suddenly Missy came forward and took Nathaniel's hand in hers. "What is SHE doing here, Nate? I thought we got rid of her already."

"That's right, Missy. She was just leaving." Nathaniel replied.

Iris was at a loss for words. Missy was intolerable. Missy was mean. But seeing her in an evening gown of deep rose and a fancy hairdo, Iris had to admit that the girl was beautiful. Beautiful and powerful. Iris could feel herself shrinking away. She desperately wished that Nathaniel wasn't standing so close to her, smiling so wide and looking so happy. Then she saw it–a fluttering black butterfly encompassing Nathaniel's shoulder. This time it was no trick of the eyes. Iris felt her pendant glowing and she twirled in a magical summoning of power. Nathaniel was in trouble! Again! The last time this happened, she had accepted his love and received the last Oracle Gem. but those days were gone. What other reason would her pendant be glowing? In what other way could Nathaniel be… in trouble?

Iris stepped forward, ignoring Missy's glaring eyes. She stared up at Nathaniel and began speaking what was on her mind. "Nathaniel, I've known you since we were kids. You have supported me, encouraged me, and been faithful to me all these years! You were the one who convinced me to join Lolirock. You were the one who helped make my dreams come true. I love you, Nate! Can't you feel it?"

"No, you idiot." Missy said. "He can't."

"Then I will make you feel it." Iris leaned forward and kissed Nathaniel, wrapping her arms around his neck. She couldn't be sure, but she thought Nathaniel was kissing her back, realizing his strange enchantment and trying to come back to her. But then the moment ended because Missy flew into a rage and shoved Iris backwards. "How DARE you kiss my boyfriend? Get lost, you freak!"

Iris blinked away tears. She saw Nathaniel's eyes turn normal, and for a split second he seemed confused. "I-Iris…?"

"I'm your girlfriend, Nate. It's me. Iris!"

"Get lost and never come back!" Missy snapped, slamming the door in Iris's face.

"What a pity. I should have known that love was never meant to be. I almost feel bad for you,

princess!"

Iris gasped and turned around. There, standing right behind her, was her old enemy. "Praxina!"

"About time you figured that out," Praxina laughed. "You've always been so gullible!"

"It's you!" Iris cried. "You're the one who enchanted Nathaniel. You're the one who has taken him from me!"

"Obviously. So, are you going to attack me, or not?"

Iris clenched her teeth. "You will never get away with this! Iris, Princess of Aph–ah!" Iris fell to her knees and clenched her pendant. That was strange. When she had tried to transform, a piercing pain had struck her heart. Maybe it was just a magical glitch. Iris tried again. "Iris, Princess of Aphedia–ow!"

"Feeling some pain, Princess?" gloated Praxina. "Wonderful. Because that's exactly how I felt when you stole my brother from me!"

"My magic…"Iris mumbled. "Why isn't it working?"

"Foolish human!" cackled Praxina. "It's obvious your spirit has been lost. You act as though losing someone you love has no impact. But at the core, it is destroying you from the inside out!"

Iris could barely breathe. If she had no magic, she couldn't defeat Praxina. And if she couldn't defeat Praxina, then…Iris took a breath and got back to her feet. No, she would not let Praxina win. She would not let her precious life on earth be destroyed by evil.

"Do you REALLY think you can stop me?" Praxina challenged. "I have it all, princess. I have your lover. I have your kingdom. I have your parents!" Praxina cast a spell that showed Iris's mother and father clothed as servants and chained to a brick wall. They looked weak and starved.

"No!" Iris felt cold and helpless. "Praxina, release my parents!"

"Why should I? I have every intention of releasing tenfold the pain on them as the pain you gave to me when you took my brother from me! Isn't that just, princess? Isn't that fair?"

"No, Praxina. You're not thinking clearly."

"I'm thinking as clear as crystal!" Praxina shouted. "My brother is gone because of you!" "Mephisto's death was not my fault! The ground crumpled beneath him and he fell. I would not

do that to him!"

"It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't destroyed our master. Destroyed our plans. You Destroyed everything!" Praxina raised Iris from the ground with her magic and cast a spell of thorny vines around her. "Now you are going to watch as everything you hold dear is taken from you forever! And I get to sit back and watch! Won't that be fun?"