Hello, everyone! I'm back, with the next installment of ATIS! This chapter is very important, as many of your questions will be answered.

Winxer4ever: Thank you so much for your review! I hope you enjoy this next chapter as well. Please, review more when the next chapter comes out. I enjoy getting to know my readers. Out of curiosity, how did you come across my story?

Previously on ATIS:

"Aria," he gasped, scooping her up into his arms. She clung to him, resting her face against his shoulder. "What in the realms happened?"

"I'm s-s-scared," she choked out. "I – I think someone's stalking me."

"Who?" Darius demanded, pulling Aria in even tighter. "Who?"

"I don't know," she said weakly. "Someone sent me a message online." She showed him her phone.

"'You stupid loser, cheater, and lout. Someday, you're going to get the punishment you deserve, and the whole world will be laughing.'"

"That – that's"… Darius was furious. "Do you have any idea who did this?"

"I have a few suspicions," she said. "Some people back at my old school – they didn't like me. They were jealous because I was the best singer in the class!" Her voice fired out angrily. "They did this to me."

-o-o-o-

"I hope Aria dies," Daewon declared.

"I can't believe she did it," Sharzad murmured. "I never thought that anyone from Alfea would do such a thing."

"She sabotaged Galatea when we were auditioning for the Magix Opera Program," Daewon said. "She got placed in as a soprano, whereas Galatea only got the spot of an alternate."

"That's… terrible," Sharzad said. "Do you really think she killed Galatea?"

"What else is there to think? All other evidence points to that," Daewon responded, staring at the window.

Why did this have to happen?Why did Galatea, one of the purest people he had ever known, have to die?

Thinking about Aria only incensed him more. 'If I ever see her again, I'll kill her.' He clenched his fists.

-o-o-o-

"I've always hated you, you know," Aria snarled, dodging a sonic spell that Galatea shot at her. "You're so special, just because you're the crown princess of Melody. I have a better voice and am a better actress than you, and you still always take the spotlight! Just because you're born into freaking royalty!" She shot Galatea in the heart.

Galatea screamed as she was lifted into the air. She felt her ears splitting, deep booms pounding her ears. Aria let out a laugh, and lifted another bolt of energy in her hand. Galatea watched, knowing that this would be the end of it all.

Distantly beyond the boom in her ears, Galatea heard a voice. "What's going on?"

The boom suddenly stopped, and Galatea fell to the ground. She didn't hear anything as her face smashed to the ground, her body lying limply on the floor.

CHAPTER 14: FROZEN MEMORIES

Angéle lay down on the bed. Her arms felt soft and tired, and she stared up at the ceiling, her eyes wide.

Her symptoms were getting worse. With every second, she was feeling weaker and weaker, pain overcoming her as she lay down. Why is this happening? A few tears trickled down her cheeks as she stared up.

I'm useless, she thought. Everything has just gone wrong. I – I don't know how much longer I can hold on.

Aria's stricken face still haunted her, those cold blue eyes. The pure deadness of them, their lack of light, was what had frightened her the most. That deadness was what cast relationships apart, destroying them until they were no more.

"Why did you do it, Aria?" she suddenly cried out. "Why does anyone do it? Why have we done this to ourselves?"

"That's the golden question, isn't it?" Isolde's face had appeared in the doorway, and Angéle shrank back in fear, startled at her expression.

The ice queen walked forward, her smirk cruel and horrible. She was wearing her short black dress today, the one she always wore when she stayed in the castle. Don't come here… Isolde walked towards her, her face soulless with black mascara.

"What a sweet girl," she sneered, stroking Angéle's chin. "So valiant and noble. Just like you've always been brought up to be, haven't you?"

Angéle squirmed as Isolde's nails raked over her throat. She always delights in torturing me… Isolde smiled indulgently and leaned forward.

"You've always been like that, from our first get-together. Quite a show you made; I'm sure your darling mother is crying over you in the Otherworld. You're just as big of a fool as her."

Don't talk like that about my mother, Angéle wanted to say, but she was too terrified to open her mouth. Isolde continued to speak, drawing out every word.

"You loved sacrifice," she continued. "But your father – well, he's quite a different story altogether."

Angéle knew exactly what Isolde was talking about. All through the years, the queen had watched her family; in a sense, she knew them better than she did. She closed her eyes, remembering a windy day in Quintmensis of 1012, the day nothing and everything had changed…

Her father had returned early from work, and was angrily chopping wood in the yard. That was all he represented back then – just plain anger. From her room, Angéle watched him sorrowfully, wondering what had become of the man who used to carry her up the stairs and tell her stories at night.

Of course, she didn't dare tell him how she felt; fear was the governing element in this new house. If her father was angry about something at work, she kept her mouth shut. If her father was angry about the bills, she kept her mouth shut. If her father told her to stop "creating a racket", which meant stop singing the same songs her mother had sung at the court, she bit her lip and kept it shut until he was out of the house.

Lately, his outlet for letting out his anger had been to chop wood. Day after day, he went into the forest, cutting down perfectly whole trees for no reason. Angéle had winced every time she'd seen a beautiful tree fall down, and stared in anguish as he hacked the tree even further to pieces.

But she'd heard the whispers of the villagers. Cloud-trees weren't just any ordinary trees – they had a mind of their own. They had magic growing within their roots, and were not to be underestimated in the slightest bit. And if they were angry, there was nothing that could stop them from being roused.

A roar sounded around the clouds. Angéle looked up, and stared at her father in terror. He had cut a tree halfway through; the way he'd cut it, gravity should've sent the tree in the opposite direction of the cut. But the wind pushed it fiercely, and the tree began to fall towards him.

Angéle watched in horror as her father stood grounded, letting the tree fall.

"Father!" she shouted, transforming into her Charmix. She sped towards him, shoving him out of the way and onto the clouds. There was a sickening crunch as the tree hit her head, and everything went black.

She woke up to find herself in a white cocoon. Streaks of pink, yellow, and blue shimmered around it. Bewildered, Angéle stared, wondering where she'd ended up.

She looked down at her naked body as she lay horizontally in the space. Peach-pink sparkles began to cover it from top to bottom, and she stared in confusion. Then the sparkles faded, and a dress appeared.

Angéle gazed at her new dress. She was wearing a floating yellow dress with blue stripes at her breast, stopping at a white swan-shaped button on her chest. The yellow floated down to her thighs, lightening as it reached the bottom. Yellow sandals laced up her dark brown legs, and a blue band appeared at her throat. A swan barrette appeared in her head, a pure white color that crowned her black head beautifully.

Then wings began to stretch from her shoulder-blades. She stared at the dark yellow wings, with pink, blue, and white highlights in the middle. There were no jewels hanging from her wings; she just looked lovely and unadorned, like a simple small-town priestess. This is who I am… Then the cocoon faded, and she appeared in the light.

Her father was staring up at her, his eyes wide. "You… you got your Enchantix," he gasped, staring up at her.

Angéle smiled, fluttering down to him. "I know."

"You've been training behind my back!" her father roared, shocking her into silence. "Where have you been going? Who taught you the secrets of Enchantix?"

"N-no one," gasped Angéle. No one can teach someone to gain Enchantix! It always happens at the right time! Her father glared at her, anger in his eyes.

"Fairies don't achieve their Enchantix until the end of adolescence," he said roughly. "Tell me: what have you been doing behind my back?"

"Nothing!" Angéle cried. "I haven't done anything at all!"

"You are lying!" her father roared. "You are going to get yourself killed one of these days, going out behind my back! Do you even understand how dangerously you're behaving now? I'm not letting you act like this, do you hear me? From now on, you're staying right at hime!"

Angéle stared at him, tears welling in her eyes. All she knew was that her father was accusing her of doing something she hadn't done, something she had never even thought of doing until now. I thought you'd be proud of me, Father… She closed her eyes.

And especially after I saved your life.

And here she was now, under the watch of the queen who had stolen her life. Isolde's face moved in closer, and she shrank in fear.

"Do not dare to interfere with my plans for Aria," she warned. "You are nothing compared to her. Do you hear me? Nothing." She stabbed her cheek again, and Angéle cried out as icy pain shot through her face. "Do you hear me?"

"Yes," choked out Angéle. The queen smirked down at her, pulling away. "You have been warned."

And just like that, she turned around, striding out the doors. Angéle watched her, defeated, and sank down into the mattress, until memory upon memory faded to nothing in the distant whirl of time.

Darius sat on his bed and held the pink book in his hands. The book he hadn't dared to touch since that fateful day. His hands trembled as he began to turn the pages.

There was only one remaining journal entry, and it was written just a week ago. Surprised, Darius stared at it. She clearly didn't write in it a lot… and she didn't touch it for two years after her last entry. But something was better than nothing, and he flipped the journal open.

I don't want to do this. He clenched his fists. But I have to. I have to understand why this happened to her. He opened the book and began to read, for the final time.

03 Trimensis 1015

This is it. Prom is just around the corner, and I'll be out of here in a matter of weeks. That should be a good thing.

But it isn't. It doesn't make me happy. Because no matter what I do, stupid MOA keeps plaguing my thoughts. All of the abuse I faced there just keeps coming into my mind.

I seriously hope she's exaggerating when she talks about 'abuse', Darius thought. He now knew enough about Aria to say that exaggeration was highly likely. Nevertheless, he still felt a pang of fear as he read. What does this mean?

Shaking his head, he continued to read the entry.

Everything that happened there hurts me. I still can't forget how cruelly my parents treated me, how horrid Daewon was, how everything was just so competitive there. I had to study so hard just to be recognized. And I was – I was one of the best singers there – but still. It made me feel so hopeless.

Things here are so much different. Everyone loves and respects me, as they should. Still, I feel so dissatisfied. I don't know why. I just wish things could be simple.

And I wish I could kick some of those people at MOA in the butt. I hate them. Two years later, and I still can't stop thinking about them. I wish they would all just die.

So she still thinks about them, Darius realized. They still plagued her mind all throughout her time at school. He stared at the journal.

Darius was not one to dwell on the past; whenever he made a mistake, he always made note of it, but didn't let it get in his way. If another boy in school did him wrong, he would be annoyed with him, but then brush it off and move on.

Until he'd found about Daewon. The year after he'd broken up with Aria, he'd been constantly worrying about two people: Aria and Daewon. Although normally relaxed, the moment he saw Daewon around, something just tightened in him. Yet, he couldn't confront him. For one, he was worried it would make things worse for Aria. For another thing, he barely saw the kid; fairy-beings and warlocks, after all, generally stayed apart. Until he'd found out that Daewon had become friends with Sharzad, he'd only seen him around a few times.

Maybe, if I'd confronted him beforehand, we wouldn't be in this situation. At the very least, I should never have let him come home with us. Then this wouldn't have happened to Sharzad.

But he didn't know that for sure. How could anyone know that? For all he knew, Sharzad could have wandered out of the palace herself and found those three witches. She may have even made a deal with them herself. And of course, that "knight" Arishtat hadn't had the brains to stop her.

I can't keep thinking about this, Darius thought. It's just too exhausting. He shook his head tiredly and began to get up.

Just as he got up, the door opened, and his father walked in.

"Dad," Darius gasped, looking amazed. "You – you're home?"

"I just arrived here," he said. Darius noticed, with shock, how ill his father looked. His hair was limp and his eyes were dull, and his shoulders drooped. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Dad, are you" – Darius couldn't finish his sentence. He knew his father was not okay. He had always been very close to his daughter, the same way Darius had been very close to his mother. The impact of her death had clearly decimated him, just the same way it had decimated everyone else.

"I'll be okay, son," his dad said with a tired smile. "It's you I'm worried about. I heard about how you ordered Daewon out of the palace."

Darius's heart sank. Of all things, why does he have to bring that up? Daewon had basically left on his own, without any prompting. Darius really hadn't had to do much.

"From what your mother told me, you attacked him and pummeled him to the ground," King Cyrus continued. "And that's not okay, Darius. Even if you were angry with him – in this case, justifiably so – you should not have attacked him."

"Why?" Darius challenged. "Because it makes the royal family look bad? Is that all you care about?"

King Cyrus fixed him with a firm gaze. "Someday when you're king, you'll understand. But no, that's not the only reason. You just can't attack people just because you don't like them. In extreme cases, you can get the guards to carry them out, but you cannot perform any acts of savagery. You may be the prince, Darius, but even you are not above the law."

"But Dad, at Red Fountain, I always learned to protect the weak and fight against those who deserved retribution," Darius protested. "Daewon deserved punishment for leading Sharzad astray. And Sharzie – she was weak, she" –

"Sharzad was not weak," his father interrupted. "In no sense was she a coward. Her bravery, in fact, is exactly what took her life."

"I didn't say she was a coward," said Darius, feeling embarrassed. "I only said that she wasn't strong enough to stand up for herself."

"Some people show their strengths in different ways, Darius," King Cyrus said. "You show yours through physical strength and clever tactics. Sharzad showed hers through compassion and unwavering loyalty. And those are powerful things too, my son." He let out a sigh.

"Darius, you are always going to come across people who give you trouble. When you become king, you will realize that you cannot solve everything by fighting. And you have known that for quite some time; until a few days ago, you were a very even-tempered, diplomatic man. I want you to be that person again." He sat down in Darius's computer chair, turning it to face him.

"I am quite old, Darius," he said. "My three-hundredth birthday approaches in another twenty-two years. Your mother waited until she was one-hundred and eighty-five, and I until I was two-hundred and sixty, before we had our first child. The kingdom had been begging for an heir, but I told the people to wait, because I wanted to prove my own worthiness before I handed it off to a son or a daughter. But that decision means that you may have to take the kingdom years before you are ready, my son. I do not believe I can rule much longer."

Darius stared at his dad. And yet he tells me to be more confident. Here was a man who no longer had any confidence or spirit. He began to feel faint. If Dad is starting to crumble, then what can I do?

He knew that his father was fairly old to have children, even for a fairy-being. Although fairy-beings reached magical maturity during their teen years, reproductive maturity took many more decades; in many cases, it only occurred once they'd reached their first century. Even upon reaching maturity, many fairies still found it difficult to bear children, which was why they did not have as many children as witches.

"Are you going to give the kingdom to me… now?" he asked nervously.

His father shook his head. "No. I still intend to find those two witches and bring them to justice." His eyes flashed. "But once we have done that, my son, the kingdom shall be yours. Therefore, I'd like you to continue attending royal functions with me. From birth, you have always known your responsibilities, but now I want you to truly understand that your status might be elevated sooner than you think."

Darius stared at his father nervously. All he could think of was: Can I really do it?

He wasn't ready to be king yet. Not so soon after Sharzie's death. He closed his eyes quickly for a moment, praying silently.

I can't lead, he thought. I'm not ready for it. Why is Dad thrusting all of this responsibility at me?

But then he thought about what Saraswati had told him that morning. She could remember her firm voice, unrelenting and stoic: "Fear is not a reason to avoid your responsibilities."

He'd always known he was going to be king someday. It was just happening sooner than he'd expected. He'd been trained for it since birth, from everything from etiquette to diplomacy. He was just going to have to hope that the training had been enough.

Looking straight into his father's brown eyes, he vowed, "I'll do it."

"Hello, Daewon," said Atete serenely as she walked into the room.

Daewon gritted his teeth. He still couldn't understand why Saraswati was making him do this. He had absolutely no desire to talk about Aria, and an even less desire to talk about his feelings. This is going to be a total waste of time. He sat on the sofa across from her.

"I can tell that you do not want to be here," Atete said. "Let's first start with that. Why do you think this is a waste of time?"

Daewon jumped in surprise. "Can you read my mind, the same way as Priestess Saraswati?" he asked.

"Not the same as her," Atete said with a smile. "She can hear every word you think, if she so wishes. My intuitiveness is more about your mood. I can tell you are annoyed at being here. Beyond that, I can also tell that you are extremely bitter, and that you're grieving, not just for the life that has been lost, but for the mistakes you yourself made. But I can also tell that you're making way for someone else in your heart."

"What are you talking about?" Daewon asked. I don't like anyone. I thought I liked Sharzad, but it was a stupid, false crush. The only person I truly loved was Aria, and after that, I don't think I can love anyone again. He lowered his eyes.

"That's up to you to figure out," Atete said. "I want to talk about your feelings for Aria, for you can't make space for someone else unless you clear the hatred that's already in your heart."

Daewon growled. "Are you going to tell me to just forget about her, and keep moving on?" he snapped.

"Not at all," Atete answered. "You don't need to forget her, nor do I expect you to. Rather, I want you to see her in a different light." She viewed him closely. "Think about it, Daewon. What was it that first attracted you to her?"

Daewon lowered his head, thinking of Aria with her silky golden hair, the way it floated down her shoulders, the way she was so beautiful without even trying. The graceful manner in which she moved, the way she spoke, and her bright, vibrant eyes. It hadn't just been him – half the boys at MOA had been after her.

"It was her looks," he admitted. "And… the fact that she was so charismatic. She always had such an alluring tone whenever she spoke to me, almost seductive. And she was so clever, and funny, and"… He clenched his fist. But it was all a lie.

"And some people can be charismatic on the outside, but completely rotten on the inside," Atete said. "Not that I'm suggesting she has nothing good inside of her" –

"Well, I am," snapped Daewon. "She's been spiteful since the very beginning. She hurt Galatea, and manipulated everyone into believing she was the best of the best" –

"But what caused that behavior?" Atete said, interrupting him the same way he'd interrupted her. "Feelings create thoughts, and thoughts create actions; those actions create behavior. No one is born exhibiting a spiteful behavior. So this is what I ask you: what caused her to become like this?"

Daewon shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "That's something you should ask her."

"Well, that's not an option right now," said Atete, with infinite patience. "I cannot diagnose her without a one-on-one session with her, but I need to know what the circumstances are surrounding her so we can understand what exactly caused her to go this way. Only then can we prove her case to the Interrealm Court of Justice." She looked at Daewon. "But you don't want to help her, do you?"

Daewon was not prepared for this. "W-what?" he asked shakily, surprised.

"I mean that you do not want to help Aria," Atete answered calmly. "You are so angry with her, you believe she deserves whatever fate she gets. So far, you have only agreed to help us because Arishtat is doing the same. So explain to me, Daewon. Why are you so angry?"

Daewon stared at her in surprise. The truth was, he'd gotten so used to his rage that he didn't even remember why he was angry anymore. "I – I don't know," he said shakily.

"Take your time," Atete responded. "I'll be right here when you have an answer."

Daewon closed his eyes. He thought of how, like everyone else, he'd admired Aria for her beautiful singing. How she'd taken him out on dates and they'd shared pleasant times together, going to buy ice-cream and walking around in the Melodian bazaars. The memories came back to him, flooding his mind.

But then things had gone sour, not even a month after the start of their relationship. She'd started accusing him of not liking her concerts, of not respecting her enough. It had gotten so tiring that he would escape to his dorm room immediately after school hours, just to be away from her.

And then, she'd committed the ultimate act of betrayal.

Daewon opened his eyes. Atete was still across from him, just like she'd said she would be. His mouth felt dry. Shakily, he opened and closed it, and then spoke.

"She went out with someone else," he said. "Another girl. I walked in on them kissing."

Atete's mouth opened wide. "She likes girls?"

"I think she's bisexual," Daewon admitted. "She told me earlier." He shook his head. "From the looks of it, she was doing it to spite me."

"Back up a bit," Atete said. "Who is this girl?"

"She was in the same year as Aria," Daewon said slowly. "She was this Melodian girl, by the name of Cixi. She was shy, I remember that much." He clenched his fists.

"So tell me what happened," said Atete. "I want to hear every detail."

"It was the day before she transferred to Alfea, two years ago," Daewon said. He closed his eyes briefly, remembering that horrible day as if it was made of stone.

It had been a cruelly sunny day. Daewon walked down the hall, carrying a bouquet of flowers. Flowers that he hoped would serve as a remedy their fight from the day before. They were pink solarblooms; native to Solaria, they were Aria's favorite flower. He hoped she would forgive him.

First I've got to practice. He knew that Aria wouldn't be home until dinner; she was at a show today, a show that he couldn't go to. That had been the basis of their fight; the fact that he hadn't been able to come to one of her shows out of the thousands he'd already seen.

He had to practice his singing. He was the lead tenor in their production of Liberation, a drama based on the story of Princess Bloom and her liberation of Domino, which had just happened a year before. He was singing the role of Prince Sky of Eraklyon; Aria, of course, was Bloom. Daewon sincerely hoped their entwined roles would make them closer.

He walked up to the practicing studios for seventh- and eighth-years. The doors were soundproof, so that no one could hear other people practicing. Shades were pulled over the windows to protect privacy, but today, all of the shades were pulled down.

Daewon let out a sigh of exasperation. They can't all be taken. Half the days, people forgot to pull the shades up when they were done practicing. Letting out a sigh, he marched to the first studio and opened the door.

There were two people in there, but they were not practicing. It took Daewon a second to register what was going on. When he did, he gasped, and pulled back.

Aria was sitting cross-legged on the floor next to another girl. He recognized the other girl as Cixi, who was singing Stella di Solaria's role in the opera. They were both kissing. Aria was playing with Cixi's hair, and giggling a high-pitched giggle that he hadn't heard since the early days of their relationship.

"You're better than that good-for-nothing boy of mine," she laughed. "He doesn't even care about me. But you do, which is why we'll be together forever." She kissed her again.

"Maybe you should speak to your good-for-nothing boy, instead of lying all the time?" Daewon snarled.

Aria jumped as if she had been struck by lightning. She turned around, and saw Daewon. Fear flickered in her eyes, and she drew back, stunned.

"You liar." Daewon strode up to her. "You lied to me. You were mad at me because I wouldn't go to see you sing today, but now you're not even there. You're instead screwing around with another girl." He glared at Cixi, who had also backed off.

Aria drew instinctively in front of Cixi. "It was cancelled," she said defensively. "And you weren't anywhere to be found. I found someone better than you, anyways." She let out a mocking laugh.

Daewon hurled the bouquet at the wall. It shattered, the water trickling down the walls like tears, the remains of the flowers lying helplessly on the ground. His breath was coming out in pants, and he was sure that his face was purple. He glared down at Aria.

"Well," he said, "we'll see what everyone else thinks of your treachery."

Aria's face changed from gleeful to fearful. "What?"

"You can't think this is staying between the two of us," Daewon snapped. "Everyone else is going to know what you've done, so that no one else gets trapped in your web of lies!" He grabbed Aria by the hand and dragged her towards the entrance of the door.

She screamed the entire way and fought his grip on her. She was taller and weighed more than him, and could easily have pulled away from him. But she was weak, and even with Cixi begging Daewon to stop, it did not take long for him to drag her up the stairs, all the way to the common room.

"You dragged Aria out of the studio?" said Atete, looking shocked.

"Yes," Daewon admitted. "It's not something I'm proud of." He closed his eyes, remembering what he'd done that day.

I was stupid, he realized. I acted rashly – and stupidly. Guilt, something he'd blocked out of his memory long ago, began to pour into him. I humiliated her. She kind of deserved it, but I still humiliated her…

"The fact that you are still holding on to your anger, after all these years, concerns me." She looked at Daewon. "You have every right to still be angry at her. But it isn't healthy for you, Daewon. It isn't healthy for you to ruminate over something that happened long ago."

"So, what's your solution?" Daewon asked.

"I want you to think of Aria differently," Atete said. "I have read through her journal entries, and they are filled with sadness and pain. She was abandoned by her parents at a young age, and her heart is filled with emptiness; she tries to fill that hole through attention from others. She will do anything to receive that attention, even if it means hurting and manipulating others. So, instead of being angry, I want you to feel sorry for her."

"Feel sorry for her?" Daewon snorted. "Are you kidding me? She's done so much to hurt me, and she's sabotaged others along the way – including Galatea."

"Whether you like her or not, she has been through a lot," Atete answered. "So have you. And I want you to understand that, though her actions were wrong, her feelings are just as valid as yours and mine. She acted this way because she felt she didn't get enough love, enough attention."

"I showered attention on her," Daewon said. "I bought her flowers, held her in my arms, went to see her stupid shows" –

"But that wasn't enough for her," Atete said. "The attention she craves is unconditional love, which cannot be given by anyone except a parent. You loved her like a boyfriend would, but it's not the same type of love – it doesn't transcend all bounds. And it's not your fault. It's just the way it happened." She looked at him very seriously.

"I want you to let this go," she said. "You were fourteen when this happened. At that age, people don't tie themselves to one person for all of eternity; they simply take it as it goes. This was not a normal middle-school relationship, or even high-school relationship. You were simply too attached to one another for it to ever work out. Yes, you both made mistakes in the course of your relationship. But it was two years ago. I want you to gain the confidence that you've changed in the years since MOA. And you will continue to change as the years go by."

Daewon digested her words in silence. She wants me to let Aria go… but I can't. I don't even know how. His head drooping, he leaned downwards and let out a long sigh. He closed his eyes briefly, then looked back up at Atete.

"There's one very important thing you told me," she said. "You mentioned that, when you were in the music studio, she shielded Cixi. Is this true?"

"Yeah," Daewon said. "She used to do that for me sometimes, if someone said something rude to me. So what? What's the big deal?"

Atete frowned. "I've read her journal entries," she said, "and she exhibits many of the symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. However, there is one thing that doesn't add up here. By definition, true narcissists are unable to feel empathy or love towards anyone else. But if she was shielding Cixi, then that means that she does have the capacity to love. She did something that didn't bring her personal glory or gain."

"That's true," said Daewon, slowly. She did shield her… He gazed evenly at Atete. "So, what does this mean?"

"I think," said Atete, "it means that it may be easier than we thought to break the spell on Aria."

Maire sat next to Darius. For a second, her shoulder lightly brushed against his, but she instantly drew it away, shocked at how much her heart fluttered from that single movement. Darius didn't even notice. He kept staring at his computer screen, typing as he tried to connect with Magix.

It had been like this for a few days. Maire couldn't stop thinking about Darius, not when she was going to sleep, not when she was in the shower, not when she researched the location of the Quintet. She kept thinking about him, his stability (at least until recently), his practicality, his cleverness…

What the heck? Maire thought, feeling woozy. What is going on? She had never felt this way about any boy before, not even the ones she had gone out with. She'd dated boys before, but never for long; the fear her mother had instilled in her always made her cut the cord at some point. She shirked commitment, never wanting to be with anyone for too long.

But this felt… different. She truly cared about Darius, unlike the other boys, whom she'd only dated because of their attractiveness. Darius was attractive, with his muscular body and cyan eyes, but it was his personality that won her over.

But he's completely crumbled, Maire thought. And Mom has told me to stick away from boys. And she had good reason for telling me that. I mean, boys are… unstable. Even a guy like Darius can't keep himself together.

But it just didn't seem right how Darius had just allowed himself to fall apart. Looking at his hardened face, she could make out how angry he was. But he'd never been one to succumb to his emotions.

Maybe I can make him realize himself again, Maire thought. Maybe I can make him realize how important he is to this entire thing. He kept me going before, and I'm going to keep him going now. A bolt of determination, something she hadn't even known she'd possessed, shot through her, and she smiled.

"She's connecting," Darius said, looking at her. "Now what are you smiling about?"

"Nothing," Maire said quickly, changing her expression. Fortunately, Darius didn't seem to care all that much, and a moment later, Saraswati, Daewon, and Arishtat's faces appeared on the screen.

Maire saw Darius's face harden as he looked at Daewon and Arishtat. She knew that, no matter what, Darius couldn't forgive them any more than he could forgive himself. That's the root of the problem. She watched as Saraswati began to speak.

"Greetings, all," she said. "Darius, do you have the scanned pages?"

Darius nodded. "I just sent them to Priestess Atete. I don't know when she'll see them." His flat tone signified that he didn't care, but Maire knew it was otherwise.

Saraswati frowned, but didn't comment. "Very well then. I would like everyone to share his or her findings." She looked straight at Maire. "Have you packed for the trip?"

Maire nodded. "Yes," she said, "we're ready. We have everything to go."

"And do you know where the Quintet of Elements is?" Saraswati pressed on.

Maire nodded. "After some digging," she placed emphasis on the last word, to show that she wasn't a big fan of it, "I found where the Quintet is. It's on Aislinn Island, at the top of Spirit Mountain. We need to go there to find the Quintet and bring it home."

"Good," Saraswati said. "Darius?" Without so much as a pause, she'd turned to the Fulgurian prince.

"I read the thing," he said.

"And?" Saraswati prompted him.

"I think her school is the root of the problem," he said. "Melodian Operatic Academy, I mean. She spent her entire childhood there, after all."

"I agree," said Saraswati. "The schools we go to, along with our parents, profoundly influences who we are later in life. In this case, Aria only had her school. Therefore, I am sending Daewon to go back to his old school and speak to the people whom she had problems with." She looked towards the spiky-haired boy.

"Hang on," Darius interrupted. "Why does he get to go? I want to find out what happened to Aria." He glared at Daewon, and added, "I don't think he deserves it, either."

Daewon started to speak, but Saraswati silenced him with a stare. Then she turned towards Darius. "I have two reasons, my prince. One: I believe a trip of this nature will be too emotionally taxing on you. We want you to be as well as possible. And two: I believe you are in some need of truth-seeking yourself."

"What do you mean?" Darius demanded.

"I am saying that you should go with Maire to Summa and find the Quintet of Elements."

There was a silence. Maire could hardly believe what she was saying. Darius, go with me? Nervousness overtook her, and she fought the urge not to feel faint. She knew what this meant. I'm going to be with him all the time, and I might not be able to control my heart.

"My parents won't let me go," Darius said dully. "They've tightened security since what happened to Sharzad."

"Oh, but they will, if you phrase it right," Saraswati said. "There is a place that nearly every person of importance has gone to visit. I hope you have not forgotten about Aria's parents."

Maire's stomach lurched. The truth was, she had forgotten about Aria's parents. After everything had happened, what with Sharzad and the Gates of Glacia, she'd completely forgotten about them.

"It would be good for you to visit Aria's parents," Saraswati said. "You can stop there before you go to Summa, or after. Either one is fine. Just tell your parents that you are going there."

It might work, Maire thought. She looked to Darius for assistance.

"Yes," he said slowly. "I'll tell them that I'm going to see Maire back home, and that I'm going to stop in Solaria on the way back. That might work."

"Now that we have that settled," Saraswati said, turning to Arishtat, "I believe you have something to share."

Arishtat looked up, a bit startled. "Y-yes, Priestess?"

"You have done your research, have you not?" asked Saraswati patiently. "Please tell. We need to hear."

Arishtat swallowed and, after some hesitation, began to talk. "All right then, Priestess. I have done research on spells that have been used to block all access to certain realms. What I found was very surprising.

"Apparently, a spell was cast on Melody in the year 16036 of the Age of Blood, just before the start of the Fifth Dimensional War. Erected by the guardian fairy at the time, it was meant to protect Melody from the invasion of Hideki Sutoku. It had the same function as the Gate of Glacia, not letting anyone in or out. Anyone who approached near it would be barraged with a torrent of sound-waves so abysmal and painful that he would be forced to leave."

"Indeed," Saraswati nodded. "And what did Sutoku do to evade the enchantment?"

"Well, there was a siren by the name of Matsu," Arishtat explained. "She was a citizen of Melody's mermaid kingdom, one of the best singers in the realm. She was in Andros, visiting relatives, and chose not to return home before the spell was enacted. But Sutoku found her, and was taken by her, for he saw how lonely she was without her people. And he devised a plan to trick her into opening the gate for him.

"He descended upon her at night, using flattery and careful deception. Eventually, she fell in love with him. He then took her to the Barricade of Melody, and had her sing for him. Her song shielded him from the atrocity of the sound-wave barrier, and he was able to pass through with an army and seize the realm of Melody.

"Once Matsu realized she had been tricked, she fled him and dived back into the depths of the ocean. She would talk to no one, for in her eyes, she was a traitor, and had no right to have any company. She wasted away in the depths of the ocean, and eventually died. Her song still lives on in the Lair of Sirens, otherwise known as Matsu's Cavern. Passing by, one can hear the most beautiful music there."

Maire digested this information in silence. Then she turned towards Arishtat. "I don't see how this helps us. I mean, the Gate of Glacia is made of ice. You expect us to be able to sing a few songs and pass through?"

"It's not just the song that made it so effective," Arishtat explained. "Sirens, particularly Melodian sirens, have the power to enchant with their music. Their music can lure sailors to watery graves and make them infatuated with the singers. And if a siren is exceptionally skilled, her voice can even have the power to break enchantments."

"So you're saying we record her voice, and break the Gate," Daewon said.

Arishtat shook his head. "Not exactly. A transcribed audio recording would never be enough to break such a powerful enchantment. Even if she was alive today, her full voice would not be enough. Rather, it needs to be used in combination with another tool."

"What the heck are you saying?" Maire asked bluntly.

"He means that it must be used in combination with something else," Saraswati answered. "Something that three individuals here have labored very hard to find." She turned her attention to Daewon. "Do you still have the key?"

"Yes," said Daewon, looking surprised. "It's right here." He reached into his pocket and, along with a bunch of crumpled paper, pulled out a blue key. "Should have thrown the useless thing away." He scowled.

"Well, I am very glad you didn't," Saraswati said, "for it will still work. You see, the reason the key didn't work the first time is because there was nothing to activate it. Such artifacts must almost always be paired with a spell. In order to open the Gate of Glacia, you needed to use powerful magic to activate the key. However, I believe what Arishtat is suggesting will work."

"What exactly is he suggesting?" Darius asked.

"That he goes and finds the song of the siren," Saraswati said. "Arishtat, I would like you to go along with Daewon to Melody. Help him find Matsu's song, and infuse its essence into the key. We will need it." She turned her attention towards the screen. "Darius, can you charter the flights now?"

"I'm going to run out of personal savings soon, but sure," Darius said, not hiding the sarcasm.

Saraswati sighed, but nodded. "All right." She nodded at them.

"There we are, with our duties. I have started my research as well. What I have found is that the palace of Glacia is nearly undetectable. Even before the Gate was created, it was very hard to find the palace; there are many enchantments shielding it from view. Therefore, we are going to have to perform a tracking-spell."

"A… tracking spell?" gasped Daewon. "But isn't that what killed the high priestess of Rêve?"

How did he know that? Maire thought. I sure as hell didn't know that. But this wasn't the time for questions, for Saraswati was also nodding her head.

"This is why I will need each and everyone one of you to help," she said. "I know the theory of the spell, and have only performed it twice in my life – it is very difficult. Therefore, I will need three objects that physically, emotionally, and spiritually connect us to Aria."

What? Maire didn't know of any such objects. What the heck is she talking about? This was getting more and more complicated.

"But do not worry about that now," Saraswati continued on. "Focus on your respective tasks. Thank you for what you have done."

The screen went blank. Maire looked at Darius, who was looking down at the ground. He looked back up at her, and a weak smile came upon his face.

"Get ready for another mission," he said.

"Come on," Angéle said, passing Aria a broom as she turned to sweep the floor.

Aria followed her, pushing dust out of the cracks of the floor and piling it into a corner. The dust made her sneeze, but somehow, this job didn't bother her as much as she thought it would. She had plenty going on in her mind.

Something was not right. She was feeling very different today, much differently than usual. Her mind was still clear, and ever-more pensive. And she felt as if a part of her mind was accessible – a part that hadn't been accessible before.

This is ridiculous, she told herself. That doesn't make any sense. But she couldn't help it. A dam had been removed in her brain, allowing a new river of thought to flow through her mind, enriching it and bringing it life. And that new river was ominous, its new waters filled with troubles…

Is this because of the potion? Aria stared at her broom as she swept it over the floor. But why would Isolde want my mind to become clearer? What's the point of that? What… what's the point of all this?

She turned her head to look at Angéle. The smaller girl was wearing a smock over her white dress, and was humming softly as she swept. How's she doing this so effortlessly? Had she so willingly gone from priestess to maid? And how was she so good at it? Look at how low I've come, valuing someone who sweeps the floor.

She sighed. There was something about this castle, this cold, drafty castle, which made her change her perspective. It made everything move so much faster; she could scarcely believe that over a week had passed. Which, of course, left the hourglass less than half-filled.

Maybe the hourglass symbolizes when I'll get my revenge. For the first time, a sense of hope passed through her as she stared at the ground. Maybe that's when I'll finally achieve my goal here. Maybe it represents how long I have to wait until I'm finally freed.

But would revenge truly set her free? Or would it only create an even deeper hole in her heart? What if she lost everything in her quest for liberation? Not for the first time, she began to wonder whether this was a mistake. Maybe this wasn't the right path for her to venture down. And maybe… it just wouldn't bring her happiness?

Just get me through the week, she thought forcefully. She slammed her broom down with force against the floor. Angéle jumped at the loud noise and let out a squeak.

"What's wrong?" she asked, coming up to Aria and resting a hand on her shoulder.

Aria sighed. Now I have to tell her… But somehow, she felt as if she wanted to confide in the younger girl, as if she was her only ally other than Isolde. She turned towards Angéle.

"Isolde gave me a potion," she admitted. "It's this weird thing she got from Whisperia. We both went and raided a house and brought it back. And now that I've drunk it, it's making my head so clear"…

"The Mind-Shifting Potion?" Angéle interrupted her thoughts. "She gave it to me yesterday, too."

"What?" Aria stared at Angéle. "When?" Another thought came to her. "How do you know what it's called?"

"I knew as soon as I looked at it," Angéle answered. "I studied potions at home. The recipe is top-secret." She looked at her. "Where did you get it from?"

Aria squinted, trying to remember. "There was a mansion in Whisperia… I remember. Isolde called it the Sekuko mansion."

Angéle gasped. "You went to the home of the Ancestral Witches?"

Aria stared at her. "I"… She was at a loss for words. Angéle looked dumbfounded.

"What happened there?" she asked. "What did you do? How did you find the potion?"

"I… I don't know," Aria answered.

There was a silence, only punctuated by the falling of snow outside. Aria stared at Angéle.

Why did she give both of us the potion? she thought. And why didn't she tell me? She clenched her fists and turned towards Angéle.

"This doesn't make any sense," she said. "What's in that potion?"

"It allows certain properties of the mind to shift," Angéle answered. "And not just for a few days – it's permanent. That's what makes it so difficult to master. I don't know why she gave it to us. I wish I could find out." But rather than appearing frustrated, she just sounded weak, as if resigned to Isolde's master plan.

Though Aria couldn't help but feel the same. She knew she would do whatever the icy sorceress asked of her, even if it brought her pain. She had no choice. They were so deeply tied together, she had no choice but to follow. As Isolde said, she belonged to her.

She walked down the hall, her thoughts still bubbling. And then she heard music. It started off softly at first, but then, as she walked farther, it became colder and fiercer, like a blizzard wind's whisper.

She soon reached a door, one she'd never gone inside of before. It was a crystalline blue door, and its exterior was icy. The music's coming from here. She walked towards it and pulled on it, praying it would open.

It didn't.

Aria let out a curse. She heard Angéle jump in surprise, and then call out to her.

"That's the queen's door," she said. "We can't go in there, Aria. She always keeps it locked. No servant has ever been in there. Let's go back – Aria?"

Aria wasn't paying attention. She was too busy listening to the seductive voice, staring at the chilling door, the way it glinted back at her, almost like a mirror. On second thought – it was a mirror. She saw herself more clearly than she'd ever seen herself before.

And then her figure began to move within the mirror. She saw another girl, a pale-haired girl wearing a light green fairy outfit and golden swirling wings. Specifically – a princess she'd known in a past life.

And then she stared as they revealed themselves to her, telling her what she'd known all along.

It had been a dark night, just after prom. She'd arisen from a terrible slumber, and had set out to go and fulfill a mission, had it not been for a certain fairy princess she could never stand.

Galatea got in her way, just like she always did. Daewon was planning to ruin her job at the Melodian Opera House, and she was going to put a stop to it by killing him. But Galatea, the noble princess of her realm, could not allow any such thing to happen to her subject. And so she finished off Galatea, so she'd never get in her way.

She heard Galatea's cries echoing in her mind, fear filling her to the core. Aria cleaned her out effortlessly, the power of bitterness filling her from head to toe. She could still hear her own sonic booms, and dazzling flashes of light…

"Aria!" Angéle was on her knees, shaking Aria's shoulders. "What happened? Aria!"

Galatea's death was slow and painful. Aria assaulted her, making sure she went through as much pain as she had. She'd soon escaped, receiving no castigation for her crime…

"Aria!"

Galatea's high-pitched screams, tangible in her ears, rocked the night with terror. Aria thrust her in the air, all the while attacking her with spells on every side. Her life source drained out of her eyes, and she fell to the ground…

"Aria!"

Aria opened her eyes. Angéle next to her, pure fear in her eyes. "Are you all right?"

"Just take me back," Aria said weakly. She could barely speak. What did I… what have I…

"What happened?" Angéle, cried, pulling Aria to her feet.

"Just take me home," Aria said forcefully. And that was all she thought of on the way back, as they walked to her room. She barely remembered climbing into bed, Angéle turning the lights out.

All she knew was that she was a murderess. And there was only one person responsible for her dark turn.

So now Aria remembers what she's done! Part of it, at least… How's this going to affect her? How is she going to react in future chapters? Read on to find out!

Did the Daewon subplot surprise anyone? From my research about narcissists, I found that they crave unconditional love. However, when they can't get it from their partners, they lash out, instead turning to the next person. Often they cheat on their partners, too. This is a very sad thing for all parties involved, and I hope I did a good job of portraying it. Again, I don't claim to hold a psychology major or anything, but I did the best I could.

Next chapter:

- Darius and Maire start their leg of the quest.

- Sharzad is visited by a member of the Adlivun Tribe, and receives some advice.

- Daewon and Arishtat find the girl whom Aria cheated with.

- Aria and Angéle reconvene, and speak about what is going on.

Until next time!