This is a very emotional chapter and I love how it turned out. To be honest I felt like I was having difficulty juggling both Elyssa and Timmy's reactions. I didn't want Elyssa to come across as being okay with letting Tecna go but I also wanted them both to want to support Tecna even if it meant there'd be a chance of losing her. It was a very complicated balancing act so I hope I gave both some clear motivations that supported one another.
Chapter Eight: The Final Decision
Musa, Tecna and Elyssa regrouped with Timmy, who was still conversing with Helia. They told him that the music fairy had remembered that there was a Zenithian spacecraft that landed not too many years ago. The group, consisting of the two sisters, Musa, Timmy and Digit, headed off in the direction of the ship with Musa leading the way.
It took about an hour before they reached it. The spacecraft had crashed near the outskirts of the Magixians' settlement and was long forgotten about up until Musa had brought it to her memory.
As they approached a hill, the music fairy gestured onward and said, "It's that way." The rest of the group hurried ahead, and once Tecna caught sight of what the spacecraft looked like, she gasped in utter disbelief.
"This is the latest model of Zenithian spacecraft technology," she said, "But no one had a reason to leave Zenith. We blocked off trade altogether when I was first isolated. Our parents feared it would create scandal if any other realms knew about my powers."
"Wait Tecna," Elyssa interjected, "Our parents were the last ones to leave Zenith. Do you think-?"
"This is their ship." Tecna answered in a horrified whisper.
"So…, if this is their ship, then they should've been able to get here just like us, right?" Elyssa asked as Tecna was left absolutely wordless with shock.
"Unless they were killed before the ship crashed," Digit chimed in. Timmy was standing there, observing what was happening between the two sisters. He had originally come to scavenge the ship for parts to fix their own, but seeing as there was more to their discovery, he decided not to intervene for now. Without a second thought, the two sisters left to investigate, with Digit following close behind.
As they entered the ship's bridge, they could clearly see just how much damage was done. Of course, it had been left abandoned for five whole years.
"There has to be something that can tell us why this ship is here," Elyssa pondered. As the sisters and Digit continued to look around, she uncovered a sealed compartment. "Tecna, Digit, come see this!"
The others immediately crowded around her as they saw what the compartment contained. There was a cylindrical device and a data log. As queen, Tecna spent the past few years studying and enhancing her kingdom's innovations. She knew exactly how to operate these gadgets. Instinctively, she pressed a button in the center of the cylindrical device, and a holographic map of the entire Magic Dimension appeared in front of them.
"It looks as though your parents were setting a course for Andros." Digit observed. Tecna froze, she knew that was where the Omega portal was located.
"But why?" Elyssa asked. Then, Tecna activated the data log. In front of her was another holographic screen, listing numerous audio files. All were around a few minutes each, with the dates created descending. Tecna tapped her finger on the file with the most recent date.
"We are coming close to Andros," Magnethia's voice spoke, "The Omega portal knows why our daughter, Tecna, was born with magic. If my husband, King Electronio, and I die during this mission, our only hope is that the answers we seek are uncovered and that our daughters are well taken care of."
Suddenly, there was a disturbance in her message, "Magnethia! Andros has sent magic force fields to stop us from going any further!" It was Electronio, "We have to turn back!"
"We can't turn back now!" Magnethia had protested, "There's got to be a way to convince them to drop their shields!"
"The magic is too powerful!" Electronio continued to argue, "Andros has the rest of the realms of the Magic Dimension's magic against us! They insist that the portal is too dangerous and we could die trying to find the answers we're looking for!"
"I have to keep going!" Magnethia shouted as the sound of the force fields bombarding the spacecraft could be heard in the background, "Tecna deserves to know the origin of her powers!" And then, there was an explosion as the message cut out. As Tecna heard everything, she attempted to take deep breaths before the wave of emotions hit her in one foul swoop. Then, she abruptly ran from the wreckage, unable to contain her tears.
The Queen of Zenith ran from the abandoned spacecraft as Elyssa and Digit tried to follow her. Tecna didn't even stop when she saw Timmy with a concerned and distraught expression on his face from the corner of her eye. She kept going, not daring to look back at those trying to stop her. Suddenly, her wrist was grabbed and she whirled around to face Elyssa.
"Don't follow me," Tecna hissed as she ripped her arm away from her sister, "It's because of my powers that our parents are dead! It's because of me that everyone's freedom has been taken from them! If I fail-"
"This is exactly what I was scared was going to happen!" Elyssa shot back before taking a few calming breaths, "Tecna, don't do this… Remember when you said to the Magixians that you would let them know why you have magic? We already know that our mother in part Magixian, but it's that equal balance of logic and emotions working in harmony that is the reason why you have your powers. You care so much about your family, your kingdom and the entirety of the Magical Dimension that you are willing to put your life at risk. For complete strangers and those who might not even deserve to be saved. Princess Bloom said that you are the embodiment of the balance of logic and emotion, you do the most logical thing because you care. You are selfless and courageous. And if anyone can set the residents of the Enchanted Forest free and allow them to return to their rightful homes, it's you."
As Elyssa was attempting to console her sister, Timmy had finally caught up to them and listened in awe at what she had to say. When she had finally finished, he chimed in, "I completely agree with everything Elyssa just said. Tec, you're the most amazing person I ever met, and I totally believe in you."
Tecna spun around at the sound of her lover's voice and ran into his arms. She would miss the comfort of his embrace. However, she had a feeling she would have to go the rest of the journey alone, but she hated to tell her loved ones. She hoped that she would return to them safely after all was said and done, but expected that to be the best case scenario. After the swarm of adoration and confidence engulfed her, she loosened Timmy's embrace.
"The other fairies and I think that the Omega portal is the one that was breached when the Magixians' ancestors cast the spell on the Enchanted Forest," Tecna began, "I remember mother telling me when we were younger that the portal holds the truth about everything in the Magical Dimension. That's why she was so determined to go and seek answers about my magic. The portal is located on Andros."
"So we find the pieces we need from the wrecked spacecraft and go to Andros," Timmy said.
"Not you," Tecna said sharply, "I suspect the only way the Androsians will let me get close is if I enter alone. They said the portal was too dangerous, and I have the only powers to stop it. The people of Andros won't entrust that responsibility to anyone else."
"I understand that you are the only one who has these powers, I know you can do it. I just don't want you to do it alone and I don't want to lose you in the process!" Elyssa shouted in protest. It was at that second that something snapped within Timmy's heart.
"No!" He suddenly cried out in heartache, and the two sisters turned to face him, "Tecna, I know I said I would support… every decision you made on this mission. I also said that I would be there with you through every leg of your journey. I said I wanted to be your partner in this and none of that has changed. I have been told that…, if you truly are a fairy, that I need to be equally as courageous as the fairy I love. I need to let you discover who you truly are. But if that means you could die, I don't know if… I can do it. I don't know how."
By now, Timmy had tears streaming down his face, and Tecna turned to see the same from Elyssa. Her younger sister nodded, silently agreeing with Timmy's words without having the strength to say so. Digit had been silently floating there the entire time, unable to comprehend or add to the exchange.
"I can't lose you, Tec," Timmy choked, "The time spent with you has been the best years of my life and I don't know how to live if you're not with me." Tecna sprang into his arms again, motioning for Elyssa and Digit to join. She tightened the embrace on her loved ones as her tears returned. Then, she looked up to stare into Timmy's hazel eyes one last time, and their lips met in one of the most passionate kisses they had ever shared. When their lips parted, Tecna buried herself in the arms of her sister and her boyfriend and took a deep breath. No matter how heart-wrenching it was to do this to the ones who loved her the most, Tecna still had to go on. This was exactly what Elyssa had reminded her, she was making the most logical decision because she loved them. She wanted the Magical Dimension to return to a peaceful balance, and so she knew what needed to be done.
"I love you all… so, so much," She said as she choked on the words, "I'm sorry."
Suddenly, a blinding light emerged from behind them, and the group parted in their hug to see what it was. It was a transportation portal. Then, the four other fairies of Magix appeared again, they all stared in disbelief at the light.
"Time has declared you have now proven that are ready to go to Andros," Princess Bloom began" And so it has granted you, and only you, personal access. You can bypass every obstacle that your parents had to face. You have passed many tests to show that you are willing to make this great sacrifice."
Without a word, without looking back, Tecna walked forward into the blight light. Then, she made one last declaration, "Elyssa, you are to take my place as Queen of Zenith."
"What?" Elyssa cried out, "No!" Then, she attempted to run toward the light. However, she was blasted backwards. Only Tecna could enter, just as she predicted.
"Tecna!" Timmy shouted in just as much anguish as Elyssa had. He saw what happened to Elyssa and knew there was no point in making an attempt himself.
Tecna closed her eyes again and continued to step forward into the light.
"I'm sorry," She whispered before the light began to blind everyone around it. Then it instantaneously vanished, taking Tecna along with it.