Previously on ATIS…

Behind them was a group of teenagers, presumably twelve or thirteen years old. Their faces were harrowed, and some of them were even crying. Behind them, a few kids were sneering.

Arishtat tensed up. "What are they saying?" he asked Daewon.

Daewon pointed to the smirking kids in the back. "It's always the same people chosen as the lead roles. They're always given free reign around the school, and they order everyone around. If someone doesn't listen or isn't up to the standard… well, let's just say they're in for a rough patch."

"That's… horrible." Arishtat could scarcely believe what Daewon was saying. "Why does this happen? How do you allow it?"

"Did I say I liked it?" Daewon snapped, and Arishtat recoiled back. "No, I don't. But it's the way it is. There're only two states of being: either you're with the Stars, or you're not. The most messed up part about this whole thing is that people worship the Stars, like they're some gods or something. And then the Minimum singers feel really bad about themselves, and instead of telling the self-inflated Stars to go screw themselves, they start to think that they're going to work for minimum wage at some sonar factory or something."

Arishtat could scarcely believe the amount of stress that mere twelve-year-olds were going through. The Barq Military Academy had been stressful and strenuous, yes, but not this bad. "So was Aria one of the 'self-inflated Stars', then?"

Daewon locked eyes with Arishtat. "You bet she was."

-o-o-o-

"I need help," Angéle said desperately. "The time is almost up."

"Yes, you have eight days and seven nights left to complete the task," Desirée said matter-of-factly. "It has taken you until now to realize the dire circumstances."

"But I can't use my magic anyways," Angéle protested. "How on earth do you expect me to complete the task?"

Desirée flicked her hair back. "How many times to tell you, Angéle? This test does not require magic." She looked at Angéle gravely. "And yet, you do not do anything. What can I possibly do to help you, after that?"

"I… don't know," said Angéle, feeling faint.

"You are the only one who can help yourself at this point, Angéle," Desirée said sternly. "Either you pass the task or you don't." She disappeared, the box's lid closed, and then it vanished.

-o-o-o-

You both are dishonest. Whenever there is a mirror, you look the other way almost immediately, refusing to see the figure inside. There is only one name for a person who avoids the truth, and that is a coward.

"We need the elements!" shouted Darius. " You are not going to stop us from this quest! We are going to save Aria, and there's nothing you can do about it" –

You enter at your own risk. Once you enter, there is no turning back. Either you make it to the end or you get tangled in your own web of lies. There is no other option.

Maire turned towards Darius, her eyes wide. "Are you sure we should" –

"We're going," Darius answered roughly. He glared into the volcano. "Yes, we're clear."

There was a silence, and then the voice spoke. Leap into the volcano.

"What?" he asked, taken aback.

"Did she seriously just say that?" Maire gasped.

You will leap into this volcano. If you want the truth, you are going to have to chance death and enter the Labyrinth of Lies.

ER 18: CRYPT OF THE ELDER

3 days until…

The dusty room was still the same when Maire woke up. She opened her eyes slowly, staring around at the prison that she was forever confined to live her life in, forever stuck as a prisoner of her own thoughts.

She closed her eyes, wishing that the whole thing was just a dream, that she'd wake up again in her warm bed. But when she opened her eyes, she was still here. She was still in this horrible, desolate world.

She looked down at Darius, who was sleeping. A tortured, terrible sleep. He drifted in and out of consciousness, gasping and crying out. "My fault… my fault"… he choked out. And then there was silence.

Maire knew he was reliving the memory of Sharzad's death, the same way her mother always haunted her. How her brothers' ascent to misery and misfortune still saddened her. She knew, in her meager position, there was nothing she could do about it.

But I can do something about myself. She lifted her chin. I can do something about this place, and take myself out. Maybe this doesn't have to be the end.

She thought about Darius, how much she loved him. How much she didn't want things to end this way for him. I want him to be set free – no, I want us to be set free. I want to set ourselves free with the truth…

And then, quite suddenly, it came to her what she had to do.

She bent over towards Darius. He was still sleeping, sobbing violently. Roughly, she grabbed him by the shoulders. "Wake up!" she insisted, shaking him.

He opened his eyes. "What"… he murmured. Then he saw Maire, and opened his eyes. "What?" he gasped, seeing her.

"Darius, you have to get up," she said with finality. "You have to stop lying to yourself, the same way I'm lying to me. You have to stop thinking about Sharzad!"

"What are you talking about?" he insisted. "It's because I killed her that we're even here in the first place."

"No!" Maire ground her teeth in frustration. "It's because you keep believing those lies that we're here. Don't you see, Darius? These tests are designed to use our own lies against us. If we believe them, we get trapped in this room. If we push back with the truth, we win. We've got to get out of here, Darius! We've got to win!"

"What are you talking about?" Darius demanded. "They want us trapped in here forever. You heard what he said." He frowned at her. "I don't see what you're getting at. I don't see how" –

"Darius," cried Maire, stepping towards him. He didn't take a step back; rather, he moved into her, holding her in his embrace. "I don't want this for you, or for me. I want us to succeed, and to go and find Aria. I want us to pass our mission. We don't have to be stuck here forever! We can get out!"

"But how?" Darius demanded. "You're not explaining very well. How are we supposed to get out of here? I want us to succeed, too, but why are you so insistent on something that's never going to happen? Why" –

"Darius!" Maire cried, the last of her patience leaving her. "You silly boy! Don't you see?" She glared at him. "Don't you see that I like you?"

There was a stunned pause. Maire held her breath, shocked at what she'd said. I – how did I do it? How did I tell him? Darius stared at her for a moment. "You like me?" he repeated.

"Yes," Maire said. She now understood how she felt. It was all coming to her clearly – like the truest gust of wind. "Yes," she repeated, staring up at him. He was silent.

"For the longest time, I stifled my feelings. I would date boys for a few weeks at a time, and then break it off. I didn't want to commit myself to a relationship, to something that I'd have to work at." She looked at Darius, who was staring at her.

"But you, Darius, you've made me want to change. You've made me actually like you for who you are, not for any other reason. You're so brave, clever, and tactical." Her eyes flashed. "And I want that to happen again. I want us to work together as a team, and rise once more!"

Her words got cut off as Darius leaned in, and kissed her. Maire lost all of her breath as she kissed him back, holding tightly onto his shoulders. The two of them held each other tightly, never letting each other go. Eventually, she pulled back, and Darius nodded.

"Yes," said Darius at last. "I'll help you." He turned towards the bars, his eyes flashing. "Hey, monsters!"

The monsters came forward. They looked at him disdainfully, and Maire could've sworn she'd seen an eye roll.

"We're not gonna fall for your trap anymore!" Darius yelled. Now he was confident, more confident than Maire had seen him in the past few days. "You hear that? I'm not falling for your lies about Sharzad anymore! She made the sacrifice out of her own free will, and I'm gonna let her go! And I'm gonna let Daewon go, too! You hear that?" His eyes flashed. "Now let us go!"

And just like that, the monsters disintegrated. The bars dissolved, and a path illuminated, leading out of what was once a prison. Maire stared in astonishment and turned towards Darius, who was taken aback, clearly expecting a bigger fight.

"Wow," she said at last. "I guess this really is a test of mental strength."

"Yeah," Darius shouldered his pack. "What do you say we go kick some butt?"

The auditorium was packed with students from Year 5 to 10. The assembly was mandatory for the entire upper school, and the students were sitting in the auditorium, snickering and complaining about having to watch another lame assembly.

It had just been their luck that the headmaster, upon discovering their skills as warriors, invited them to speak at the school. Daewon hadn't wanted to, but to his surprise, Arishtat had agreed.

"It might be a way for you to explain to your classmates," he said. "This way, you can prove to them how wrong it is what they've been doing. Explain to them that bullying is wrong."

"They're not going to listen," Daewon responded. Arishtat had merely shrugged.

"They probably won't," he answered. "But the few that do take it to heart will take it to heart. And it's worth a try. What have you got to lose?"

And so Daewon agreed. He emailed the headmaster back, telling him that they'd be there to speak to the class.

Which was why Daewon was standing on the stage and speaking to one-hundred-and-twenty students about his career as a student of the Defense Association.

"Welcome," he said, speaking in the Harmonian tongue. "Most of you know me as Daewon Lin, a former student of this school. But you don't know my friend, Arishtat Faramarz, a highly-trained warrior. He doesn't speak Harmonian, but I'd like to welcome him anyways."

Muttering continued, even in the front seat. Daewon was glad Arishtat didn't understand Harmonian, because some were muttering, "that dude who caused the princess of Fulgur's death." No, he figured it was best for Arishtat to stay away from that.

"I'm going to talk a little bit about my time here," he continued on. "I'm not going to lie to you; I made many mistakes in my career as a student here. I allied myself with the wrong crowd, I sat and did nothing while many of my classmates were bullied, and I let myself down, as well as all of you, many, many times."

Now the talking had ceased. Everyone was staring up at Daewon, taken aback by his confession. Daewon continued on.

"But the worst thing I did," he admitted, "was to let my anger and rage take control of me. I'm sure you all remember that night. It was the night I dragged my former girlfriend in front of everyone, calling her a liar and a cheater, as well as many other things I would like to erase from my memory. She has turned into a full-fledged criminal now." He sighed. "I would like to say her descent to wrongness had nothing to do with me, but as we know, that isn't the case at all."

Pin-drop silence. There wasn't a single voice in the auditorium now.

"I'm not saying that I was an accomplice in her crime," Daewon continued on. "I did not directly make her turn into a criminal, any more than the rest of you. Rather, the culture that we embrace, the culture within this school, is what made her into what she is now. Yes, I'm talking about us now."

Now there were mutters. People were staring at each other, as if they hadn't expected Daewon's turn to criticism. Daewon could easily make out the social groups of the students; the Stars were all glaring at him defensively, crossing their arms; the Minimums looked scared, as if they were about to be attacked; and the Ensembles looked uncertain, wondering what was to follow. Daewon took in a breath.

"I'm going to talk a bit about the culture at my school, the Academy of Paladins, first," he said. "Like all other schools in the UR Defense Association, the Academy is meant to train future defenders of the Magical Dimension. Sophomores and seniors go on missions to defend the realms from criminals. However, in order for this to be a reality, we don't work against each other; we work with each other. And that means any semblance of hierarchy is gone."

Daewon paused and looked at the students.

"What I see here is a clear hierarchy," he said. "I can make out who you are just by looking at you. The hierarchy in this school is directly correlated to how good of a singer you are; anyone who doesn't meet the standard is met with vicious bullying. And that, my friends, is what makes the culture of this school so toxic."

The mutters broke out into a full babble. The Stars were furious, glaring up at Daewon defiantly as if to say, just because you're in that school doesn't mean you can talk! Daewon sighed and shook his head.

"Now," he said, "some of you might be wondering: what does this have to do with Aria? After all, she was a Star, not a Minimum. So why did this make her into a criminal?" He took a breath. "Well, this goes to prove that the system is just as damaging to Stars as it is to Minimums. Because in order to bully someone, you must have a very insecure, shaky sense of self-worth yourself."

"Maybe some people deserve it," one girl shouted, "because they're losers. If people are just gonna croak in front of an audience, they deserve it."

Daewon glanced at the girl disdainfully; he thought he could even recognize her. Her name was Hana Kim, and she'd always gotten the lead roles in the fifth- and sixth-year productions. She looked to be about a seventh-year now. Sorry, but this kid is going down.

"No one deserves to be bullied," he said sharply. "Listen, a kid could be tone-deaf for all I care; that doesn't justify bullying. And let's be real, Hana." Hana jolted in surprise at hearing him speak her name. "Once you graduate from here and go out into the real world to find a job, everything is gonna change. You may be the best singer in a school setting, but 'best' is a relative term. If you start as the newbie in an opera company, there will be singers better than you. Does that mean you deserve to be bullied? Does that mean you're not a good singer anymore?"

Hana stared at him, her eyes wide. The other Stars next to her were gaping as well; clearly they hadn't thought of that, either.

"But I'm not here to preach," Daewon continued. "I'm just as guilty of this, but in a less direct way." He looked at everyone. "Ensembles, please stand up."

A few kids looked nervously at each other, but then they all stood up. Daewon nodded and looked at Arishtat.

"Now," he said, "Arishtat is going to demonstrate something. And no matter what, I want you to remain silent. Do not tell him to stop; don't even cry out."

Arishtat pulled a sword out of his pack. And then he drew out something wriggling. The students gasped in amazement as he pulled it out, showing it to everyone.

It was a fluffy poodle. The puppy had golden, fluffy hair, and it had a tongue so pink it reminded Daewon of the flowers he used to buy Aria at the store; they were the exact same color. But I can't think about that now. He took the puppy from Arishtat and set it on the ground, focusing on his magic. I need to manipulate sound in order for this to work… The puppy began to walk in front of them, sticking out its tongue and wagging.

Arishtat nodded. He held his sword high in the air, holding it for all to see. For a moment, he looked like a warrior, gleaming and triumphant.

And then he brought the sword down on the puppy's back.

The students screamed with terror as blood spurted, and the puppy let out a terrible yelp. Daewon made sure the sound reached all the way to the back of the auditorium, all the way to the teachers, who were also looking horrified. He shook his head.

"I told you to be silent," he warned. "You're supposed to stay quiet and let him do it. I challenge you: don't make a sound!"

Many of the fifth-years were clutching each other and sobbing. The older kids just looked sickened. Arishtat stabbed the puppy again, straight in the heart.

The light went out of its eyes, and it fell to the ground, lying deathly still.

The students were staring at them, the blood stricken from their faces. There was not a sound in the auditorium. Daewon stared at them, and then nodded.

"Now it's time for my final confession," he said. "The puppy Arishtat just 'killed' was never alive to begin with. I cast an illusion spell on this." He closed his eyes and focused, and the illusion disappeared, leaving a very torn-up, beaten stuffed animal. "And the blood that dripped was actually yakand-gal tree-sap. It's a prolific tree in Fulgur; Arishtat harvested the sap himself. We filled the stuffed-animal with it." He closed his eyes again and concentrated; the sap re-entered the body and the carcass sewed itself together, revealing a soft, though no less wounded-looking, animal. Daewon picked it up and turned again to his audience.

"I wish that the wounds of verbal abuse could be healed just as easily," he said. "Before you sit down, Ensembles, answer this question: why did I make you stand up? Why did I put the focus on you? And why did I specifically tell you not to make a sound?"

The students looked at each other, just as uncertainly; however, Daewon could tell they knew exactly why he'd told them to stand, even though none of them would say it. Finally, a fifth-year girl raised her hand.

"Because that's what we've been doing all this time," she said. "We've been sitting around and letting the Stars bully everyone. We're just as guilty as them."

Immediately, the Stars turned towards her, snarling and yelling. Daewon couldn't catch what they were saying, but he caught a number of swears. He glared at them.

"SILENCE!" he shouted, amplifying his megaphone. The Stars shut up, though they were all glaring at him. Daewon continued on.

"Listen, our goal is to end bullying, but it's not to pick on the Stars, either," he said. "They need help just as much as the Minimums; they're simply a product of their external environment." A few began to shout indignantly at him, but he silenced them with a glare. "Now, Ensembles, tell me this: who is the bridge between the Minimums and the Stars?"

There was a silence, then someone raised his hand. "Um, us?"

"Exactly," Daewon said, smiling. "And that includes me, too. We are the change here. The onus falls on us to fix this culture, and to quell the gap between our fellow classmates – not through force, but through reasoning and compassion. Instead of being passive and allowing cruelty to breed cruelty, we need to be active in ensuring that kindness breeds kindness. And we need to stop this competitiveness, because it's simply unhealthy. After all, MOA is a learning environment, not a medieval society where everything is predestined. It's a lot to ask of you, but I say this again: can we work towards a better us?"

"Yes," the Ensembles said together. Although they spoke shakily, they spoke in unison. Daewon smiled at them, and at that moment, he knew his point had hit home.

"Thank you," he said. "I'm proud of us – and by that, I mean all of us. I feel positive about us; I think this group is going to effect the change this school has needed for so long. Thank you guys for letting us speak. I hope to see you guys soon as a thriving community where everyone can live in peace."

He exited the stage. Shouts began to break out, convincing Daewon that his image shouldn't be as positive as he'd expected; it sounded like there were some very angry Stars back there. I hope I didn't make it worse. He shook his head.

"How was it?" Arishtat asked as they slowed into the corridor.

"I think we should leave before we get run out by a mob of angry students," answered Daewon. "But yeah, I'm happy about my speech. I think I did well."

"I thought it was beautiful." Arishtat had stopped, and was turning to face him. "You did beautifully, Daewon. I couldn't understand what you were saying, but from the reactions of the crowd, I know what you did will effect some change, even if it doesn't change the social order overnight. And Daewon, I'm proud of you." He swooped down and kissed him.

The kiss brought Daewon into his senses, and he held onto Arishtat tightly. I was not expecting that… He kissed him back, relieved and happy that he'd found someone who loved him for who he was…

"Aw, look at you two lovebirds!"

Daewon drew back immediately. Who was that? He turned around wildly, looking for who it was.

Cixi was walking towards them. She was wearing a bright yellow dress, one that shined like the sun. She grinned at them as she drew near.

"Great speech, by the way," she said. "I think you traumatized a lot of people, though."

"Thanks… I guess," said Daewon, staring at her. "Um, so what are you doing here?"

Cixi held up a letter in her hands. "I was just accepted into Ariel's Art Academy!" she squealed. "I got this just this morning! Now I'm out of here!"
"That's great news!" gasped Daewon. "Good job!"

"That is wonderful," Arishtat agreed. "Maybe you will now be in a place that accepts you for who you are."

Cixi nodded. "I'm happy," she agreed, smiling. "Oh, but before you go, I wanted to give you this." She drew something out of her bag.

It was a bracelet, made out of hair. One strand of hair was wavy and golden; the other was brown, much less prominent. Cixi held it out to Daewon.

"It's a bracelet Aria gave me," she said. "It's made from a strand of your hair and a strand of hers. Apparently you made it for her, but she didn't want it, so she gave it to me so I could admire her hair." She let out a snort. "I didn't want it, but I didn't throw it away. I left it somewhere in my nightstand, and I only just found it now. So, I wanted to give it back to you so you could decide what to do with it." She thrust it in his hands.

Daewon stared at it. He remembered the short-lived Arts and Crafts Club that had run after school hours; he'd joined it for the three sessions that it'd actually existed. He'd made this for Aria then, as a peace-offering after a fight they'd had.

He didn't want it. It was just a reminder of a relationship that had been doomed from the start; now that he had Arishtat, he didn't want to let Aria hold him back. He was about to give it back to Cixi and tell her to throw it out when Arishtat said, "Wait, we need that."

"We do?" Daewon turned towards him and stared.

"For our spell," Arishtat repeated. "Remember?"

"Oh!" Now Daewon remembered. Saraswati had told them to get something for the tracking spell… This connects us physically to Aria! He jumped in excitement.

Cixi was looking at them in confusion. "What spell?"

"We're casting a spell for school," Daewon said quickly, trying to think of an excuse. "Before they closed school, we had a project to master a hair-color spell. The professors told us that light hair works the best." He pocketed the bracelet. "I think I'll use it for that."

Cixi still looked confused, but she didn't press the issue any further. "Okay, sure." She nodded. "Glad I could be of some help."

"We're glad we could help you, too," Arishtat added. "Best of luck, Cixi. We hope you're successful in your future."

"I hope so too!" Cixi smiled. "Thanks guys, and please visit me at Triple A, okay?"

"Will do!" Daewon grinned. Triple A already sounds infinitely better than MOA… "I wish you best of luck too." And he truly meant it.

"See you later," Cixi nodded. The auditorium doors were opening, and Daewon heard angry chatter in the hallways. Cixi winced, frowning. "Now I think you'd better run."

"Right," said Arishtat, grabbing Daewon's hands. The two flew down the hall, speeding out the doors and out of sight.

Darius followed Maire as she led them down the path. His mind was still buzzing as he followed her, enthralled by what had just happened. His own moment of triumph and determination, feelings that he'd not felt since Sharzad had died.

It never was my fault, he realized, the truth coming to him at once. I'll always feel sad about it, but that doesn't mean I have to shoulder the guilt.

Now he understood what his father had said. The courage to lead, the courage to take charge. He lifted his head high, bravado coming to him in full swing. I'm strong enough to do anything!

"Look!" Maire had halted in front of him, and he narrowly avoided colliding into her. He stared at what she was pointing at, and gasped in surprise.

They were in a circular dome. A panel was in the center, with different platforms. Four empty pedestals were situated, mounted around an empty fountain. The pedestals corresponded to a door across from each, each situated with a unique triangle symbol.

"Oh!" Maire put a hand to her mouth.

"What?" Darius asked, looking at her. "What is it?"

"We're in the Chamber of Elements," she explained in a hushed voice. "This is where the test truly begins. We have to go through each door, and cleanse ourselves through the elements."

"What do you mean?" Darius followed her gaze.

"The four doors," Maire explained, pointing to the doors that were, in a perfectly symmetrical order, opposite from one another. "Each element is represented by a symbol. The triangle with the crossbar is air." She pointed to the door in front of them, which had a triangle with a crossbar etched into the wooden door. "The normal triangle is fire." She pointed to the door to the right, moving in a clockwise fashion. "The upside-down triangle is water. And the upside-down triangle with the crossbar symbolizes earth, the end of the cycle."

"Wow." Darius surveyed the room. "So, what do we do now?"

"We have to go through the tests," Maire explained. "The first one would be the Test of Air, because that begins the cycle." She pointed to the first door. "We have to go through that first."

"All right." Darius followed her. The door opened, and he stared around the room, transfixed by the sight ahead of him.

There was nothing but… wind. It whipped everywhere, the currents slamming everywhere. There were wisps of clouds above Darius's head. He could make out a yellow gem atop the peak of a fake mountain, with clouds lazily floating by it. Below him, the entire ground was coated with spikes.

"Uhhhh"… Darius stared down at the ground. He knew that, if they were to fall, it would lead to certain death.

"I'll go," Maire offered. "I can transform and fly up to the gem. It should be easy."

Darius frowned. As far as he could see, there was nothing easy about this test. In fact, they would be lucky to survive. He caught Maire's arm just before she could transform.

"I think you'll get caught up with your own wings," he said. "Someone who can't fly needs to go. Someone like me."

"But how exactly do you plan on getting across?" Maire pointed out.

Darius gazed across the hall. There were poles erected from the ground; clearly, he was supposed to grab onto them and use them to propel himself across.

"I can do it," Maire said. "I used to do this all the time with my brothers. I always won."

Darius shook his head. "Your reflexes will kick in, and you'll end up transforming in the middle. It won't work." He stared across the chasm. "Just let me do it."

"All right," Maire sighed.

Darius gave her his bag, and grabbed onto the pole. Leaping off, he threw himself at the next one.

The air beat at him, sending him the other way. He only just managed to grab onto the pole; a second later and he would've fallen to his death. He heard the wind jeering at him, laughing.

You're such a try-hard, it sneered at him. Going on this stupid mission, when it's not even your business. Seriously, who cares if Aria dies or not?

Darius gritted his teeth. He tried to push himself towards the next pole, but the whispers continued to jeer.

You could be better than this, you know, they chanted. You could be free. But no, you have to fight for a girl who doesn't even care for you.

He lost his balance. The wind shoved him off the pole, and he fell. Blindly grabbing onto it with his fingertips, he tried to climb up, but the wind held tight.

"Darius!" Maire screamed. He could hear her yells, terrified and shocked. "You can get through this! Don't listen to them!"

Why do you care about her? the wind laughed. She'll dump you for some other boy as soon as she gets out of here. She's probably going out with someone else right now.

It was that lie, the wind's insistence for him to abandon his duty, that angered him. He threw himself at another pole, grasping onto it with his life. Determined, he advanced closer to the gem.

"Go, Darius!" Maire cheered him on. "Get the yellow crystal!"

The crystal was just there. Darius leapt off the last pole and onto the mountain. Grabbing the gemstone in his hands, he held it high above him. The lying thoughts immediately disappeared, and he stood, triumphant.

"Darius!" Maire screamed. "The chamber is going wild!"

And it was. Without the yellow crystal in place, the wind was hurtling everywhere; the force of it nearly made Darius fall over. The poles fell, and he stared down in horror. How am I going to get across?

A twister was beginning to form, right at the base of the mountain. He stared at it, transfixed and horrified. That thing is going to eat me up… He stared at it, terrified to move any farther.

"Darius!" Maire yelled. "Ride the twister!"

"What?" Are you crazy? He stared at her, stunned.

"It's floating in this direction," Maire insisted. "Trust me, just do it. Hold onto the crystal."

Okay. Darius closed his eyes. Clutching the crystal, he leapt into the hurling winds.

It was the worst sensation he had ever experienced. He could feel his clothes ripping off, flying into the air as he continued across the chasm. He nearly screamed in pain as the wind forced him on.

A hand grabbed him, and he felt himself fall onto a platform, of solid ground. Blindsided, he lay there, gasping and shaking. Then he felt Maire's hand on his shoulder.

"I got the crystal," he panted, forcing himself to sit up. His shirt was completely in tatters from the wind. That's incredibly fierce.

"Come on, let's go," said Maire, taking his hand.

"Yeah," agreed Darius. The wind was getting more violent, and he wasn't about to sit around any longer. He ran after Maire, ready to escape the virulent world of false liberation and lies.

Sharzad followed Sedna into the crevasse, fluttering down as she landed upon an ice platform that sailed on the water. She looked around.

The lagoon was turbulent. Sharzad had only stood on the ice shard so she could get some rest, but it shook, unsteady and volatile. She screamed as it tossed her over, and she fell straight into the icy water.

She rose to the surface, sputtering and gasping. All she could feel was the frigid water winning her over, as she yelled. I'm not going to make it out of here…

"Careful!" Sedna had grasped onto Sharzad's shoulders. With effortless strength, the older girl pulled her out of the water, drying her with a spell. Sharzad gasped as the water molecules left her wings and sailed into the lagoon. She looked back at Sedna to thank her, but the chieftain was staring down the tunnel.

"Something's not right here," she murmured, her eyes narrowed. "The lagoon is usually much more peaceful. What has happened?" She began to fly down the tunnel; nervously, Sharzad followed.

She was glad they hadn't brought Leif with them after all. For some inexplicable reason, she'd had this desire to bring him along, somehow feeling he would be useful on this trip. She had been foolish enough to mention this to Sedna, who'd merely snorted.

"That good-for-nothing imbecile," she had scoffed. "Does nothing but sit around all day. The worst apprentice I've ever seen. Can't even hunt a seal."

Sharzad felt a pang of anger rushing through her. "He's not an imbecile."

"Oh really?" Sedna laughed. "Has he sweet-talked you into liking him? Oh wait, I forgot, he can't talk." She scowled. "I don't know what my mother was thinking. My father didn't want to let him into the Tribe, but my mother persuaded him. For all we know, he could be a Glacian spy – he's not even Nunangatan. And no one knows where he's come from."

"He's not a spy," Sharzad cried, an inexplicable rage building up in her. "Why are you being so mean? Why are you acting like this?"

But Sedna's eyes had narrowed, and she glared at Sharzad. "You seem to forget your place easily. You forget that you still are my prisoner, and that I shall finish you off if you are deemed a threat to this Tribe. So watch it, girl. You may be the princess of one of the UR's puppet realms, but that doesn't mean you have any worth here."

Sharzad had shut up after that, though she hadn't been ashamed of what she'd said. At the same time, she wondered why she cared so much for Leif. What was the deal with him, anyways? She'd only known him for two days, not even.

He's so mysterious, she thought. But there's something within him – something I really want to know. She shuddered. I just wish he'd open up. I – I want to help him.

The tunnel opened up to an icy chamber. Sharzad gasped as she saw it, her eyes going wide. What in the dimension has happened… She was at a loss for words.

What had clearly once been a sacred place was now utterly destroyed. Icy fragments were splayed everywhere, and the chamber was in disarray. A blue forcefield was set up to stop the ceiling from caving in, but Sharzad knew it wouldn't last long.

"What… happened"… Sedna choked out, her eyes wide.

"Icy happened." An old man with sopping clothes walked towards the two of them. His long white beard was completely wet, and he looked exhausted. How is he not dying with sickness? And… Icy? He can't mean…

"Shaman Agloolik." Sedna walked up to him, respectfully bowing her head. "I am Chieftain Sedna of the Adlivun Tribe. We came in search of your wisdom, but clearly – something has happened." She stared up at him.

"One of the Trix attacked this sanctuary," Agloolik said clearly. "Icy Sekuko, to be exact. She destroyed this cathedral to the core."

Sharzad gasped, but Sedna stared at him blankly. "Who is Icy Sekuko? And what are the Trix?"

"They're a group of mastermind villains in the Magical Dimension," Sharzad choked. "They've tried to take over the dimension several times. But Icy… I thought she was dead."

"Clearly, that's what everything thought," said Agloolik sadly. "And now she has destroyed our last haven, and taken our most powerful enchantment." He let out a sigh. "The people of Nunangat have no hope."

Something triggered inside of Sharzad, and she stared at him, confused. "How do you know who Icy is?"

Agloolik looked at her calmly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you've been trapped here for years," Sharzad pointed out. "And Icy was only born after the Gate of Glacia came up. So how do you know about her?"

"That is not true," Agloolik said. "Actually, Icy was born several decades ago. In fact, she was born just before the enchantment went up."

"But she's only twenty-two years old," said Sharzad, astonished.

Agloolik shook his head. "Icy faked her birth certificate. So did her sisters, Stormy and Darcy. They did this so they could get into Cloud Tower six years ago. Although she is descended from the Ancestresses, the UR does not know who her parents are. It is believed that a birth certificate was never issued."

"Then where is she from?" asked Sharzad in surprise.

"No one knows," answered Agloolik. "I know her age because I am an elder, and I can see through disguises. But beyond that, I do not know anything. I do not even know if she was born in Whisperia."

Sharzad's mind was whirling. No wonder Darcy and Stormy were so smart. They hid so many more things than we even know. She stared up at Agloolik.

"But that still doesn't explain how you know about the Trix," she said. "They definitely became a master-villain group only long after the Gate went up."

"I am able to see a little bit beyond the Gate," Agloolik responded. "When major magical disturbances happen in the Magical Dimension, I am able to look a little outside and find out what is going on. It is how I found out about Domino's destruction and subsequent restoration. And when Icy Sekuko and her sisters summoned the Army of Decay and marched on Alfea College for Fairies, I instantly knew they were Sekukos. I also saw your friend, Aria, being possessed by Queen Isolde, and I watched as she murdered Princess Galatea."

Sharzad gasped. "So you know about that?" She turned towards Sedna, whose eyes were wide. Clearly, she hadn't expected Sharzad's suspicions to be confirmed so easily.

"Of course I do," Agloolik answered. "Transfigural possession is a powerful act. And I also know that once the full moon comes in two days' time, the fate of Nunangat will be very much the same as this crypt." He let out a devastated sigh, and then gazed back at the two young women.

"You came to the wrong place. This entire cave has been destroyed, and our hope is no more. I need you both to leave."

Sharzad wasn't sure she'd heard him right.

"What?" Sedna asked.

"You heard me," Agloolik answered. "There is no hope left for the people of Nunangat."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Sedna's voice grew sharper.

"That girl who killed your father is much more dangerous than you realize," Agloolik answered. "Once Queen Isolde got that girl Aria to steal the Axe of Anguta from us, she has learned the full extent of its powers. It is a very dangerous artifact in the wrong hands, and can kill entire squadrons of people in one slash. And once the full moon comes, she will be fully under the Queen's control, and will wreak devastation across all of our tribes."

"So?" Sedna snarled. "There is a way! We will stop her! We will save her, the same way we will save this crypt!"

"The odds are stacked against us," Agloolik answered. "Nunangat has been under Glacian rule since the Age of Blood, but the rule has been harsher in the present years. One-hundred and eight years ago, Queen Isolde came into power; forty-five years later, the Panuk Massacre occurred. Immediately after that, the Gate of Glacia went up, and both planets have been subjected to eternal winter. There is absolutely no way to get out of this realm – Queen Isolde made sure of that. She has even gone as far as to chain Kiviuq."

"Kiviuq?" asked Sharzad. "Who is that?"

"Kiviuq is the Great Traveller," answered Agloolik. "He is a guardian of Nunangat and the Infinite Ocean. The chieftain of all narwhals, he can travel all of the oceans, even passing through blockades and shields."

Sharzad had an image of a narwhal tethered with an icy chain, and she gasped. "Was he the one I encountered in the crevasse?"

"Yes," answered Agloolik plainly.

Sharzad's mind was whirling. He could be our ticket to breaking down the Gate of Glacia… But Agloolik continued speaking, and her morale plummeted like stone.

"I have tried many times to free him, as have other sages, but to no avail. Genocides still occur frequently against the Nunangatan people, particularly those who still live in tribes. And now, our last monument is about to fall." He nodded up at the ceiling.

"This cave is about to collapse. And once it does, the mass of the ice will break this entire sector of the glacier, causing severe damage. I put up this forcefield, in the hopes of saving this crypt, but I cannot hold it much longer." Agloolik's face was grave. "We need to get out of here, and then I will let the forcefield fall."

"But all of Nunangat's secrets within this crypt shall collapse!" Sharzad cried.

"That matters not," said Agloolik with finality. "Nothing can be done. Now all we can do is to get out of here."

Sharzad stared at him. "So you're giving up?"

"Clearly," said Sedna. Her eyes were on fire, and she glared at him. "He is giving up. He is a weak coward who doesn't deserve his title." Agloolik winced.

"Go back to your people," he said weakly. "They need you, their chieftain, to look after them" –

"My ancestors didn't die for this!" Sedna took a threatening step forward, causing Agloolik to cower back. "Thousands upon thousands of generations have worked towards building this crypt, keeping the secrets of Nunangat alive. And now… you're going to let it all be destroyed?"

"I cannot do anything," said Agloolik feebly. "It is what it is."

"You traitor!" Sedna snarled. "Think of the Spring Soldiers! The Nunangatan people! … My father!"

While Sedna descended on Agloolik, ripping him apart with her fury, Sharzad stared helplessly around the walls of the cathedral. As Agloolik had said, Icy was much older than what was commonly believed. She was old enough to have acquired enough knowledge of spells, which she had clearly learned during her studies at Cloud Tower. She must have a lot of power to be able to have done this… so much evil…

Suddenly, an idea popped into her head, and she whirled towards them. "Hey guys, stop fighting! I've got a solution!"

"What?" Sedna snapped her head up.

"Icy clearly has a lot of evil intent," Sharzad said. She looked at Agloolik. "Would you say that Icy's intention, while coming in here, was nothing but destructive chaos?"

"Yes," said Agloolik, his tone implying that he did not think Sharzad's words were anything profound.

"Well, fairy-dust is used to nullify spells of evil intention," Sharzad pressed on. "If a villain attacked someone, we would use fairy-dust, combined with healing potions, to cure him or her. We can also use our fairy-dust to fix this cave!"

"That's a stupid idea," Sedna snapped. "You think fairy-dust alone will fix this? Healing an ancient, fragile structure is a lot different from healing a mildly injured person!"

"You're right," Sharzad's shoulders drooped. "That was a bad idea" –

"It's not a bad idea at all," Agloolik interrupted. "In fact, you just made me remember something. An ancient relic that could save us all."

"What?" asked Sharzad. "What are you talking about?"

"The Spirit of the Arctic," said Agloolik solemnly. "It is one of the oldest artifacts in the dimension. Made from pure ice, it is infused with the magic of Pana, a goddess of the Overworld. Similarly to the Breath of the Ocean, it has the power to heal, though it has been around much longer than its tropical counterpart. As it is an arctic artifact, its power is directly related with the power of the arctic lights."

"I thought that relic was here in the Crypt," Sedna said with confusion.

"It used to be," Agloolik agreed, "until the queen enforced martial law over all of Nunangat. We had to send it away, so that it wouldn't fall into her hands."

Sharzad remembered what Akna had told her about the arctic lights. This must be why Isolde was able to hide the arctic lights! Once the Spirit of the Arctic disappeared, there was nothing to keep the arctic lights shining! Her heart raced, and she stared at Agloolik as he began speaking.

"Around Year 9000 in the Age of Antiquity, which, as you know, was nine-thousand years after the first recorded civilization in Nunangat, the Spirit came into our possession. It was a dark time back then, as the Nunangatan tribes were going through severe winters, similarly to now. This led them to lose faith in their gods. As a result, many of the tribes were squabbling over the limited food and resources, which, of course, led to many fights. The bloodiest battle occurred in this area around that time, on a bitter night when the wind whipped furiously and ice stung every warrior's eyes. The snow was coated in blood that day, and hundreds of warriors died.

"That day, the arctic lights were shining unusually bright. Before the discovery of other planets and the world beyond Nunangat, people believed that the arctic lights were reflections from the Overworld, from the gods' paradise. They believed they were the spirits of the deceased and the gods themselves.

"But as they fought, the air suddenly changed. No longer bitter, it suddenly came to a halt. Every warrior put his or her weapon down and stared up at the sky. The snow had stopped, and the auroras were dancing in the sky.

"And then, the auroras began to fall. They fell as ice-shards, in swirling colors and intensity. The power was so immense that the people saw this as a sign from their gods, a sign that they must stop the fighting. One such shard still remains today. And thus, it has the power to mend what has been destroyed. If it healed resentment and rifts one-million years ago, it can heal this crypt."

"Wow," Sharzad breathed. "Is this story true?"

Agloolik shook his head. "Probably not. I am a firm believer that the gods do not have any role in this world beyond its initial creation. They reside in the Overworld and pass judgment upon entering spirits, but that is all. But there is no doubt that this shard does have stunning power. It can calm the most hawkish of people and cure an entire village of sick people."

"Where is it?" Sedna asked immediately.

"It is in the Infinite Ocean," Agloolik said. "You must reach the Tower of the Dancing Spirits in order to find it. Be warned, however, that it will be difficult to find."

"I don't care," Sharzad declared. "I'm not about to let this crypt fall. And I'm not going to let us stay subjected to Isolde's tyranny any longer, either! One way or the other, we are going to free Kiviuq!"

Sedna stared at her. "Didn't you hear what he just said? It's impossible! We" –

"Don't you see?" cried Sharzad. "This is your way of convincing Nuniq to let us fight, and our way of freeing the people of Nunangat! Even if we have no mobility out of here, at least Kiviuq will! It'll help us convince the Spring Soldiers to launch an attack!" And it'll make him happy… she added to herself, thinking of how sad Kiviuq had looked when she'd first seen him. Now I know why…

"Why can't we focus on one thing at a time?" Sedna retorted. "We need to first focus on the crypt. Then we can worry about" –

"Actually, she does have a very good point," Agloolik interrupted. "The cure for the crypt and the narwhal problem are, in fact, very closely related. In fact, I believe the Spirit of the Arctic will indeed be the key to freeing Kiviuq."

"But there's no point in freeing the narwhal!" Sedna snarled. "Even if he's free, the rest of us are not!"

"Actually, there very much is," Agloolik answered. "There is, in fact, a way to open the Gate of Glacia. The best chance of success, however, would be to open it from both the inside and the outside. We are the force needed to open it from the inside." He looked at Sharzad. "You hail from outside of Nunangat. Are there any people you know who will help us?"

Sharzad thought of Daewon, whose only goal was to find Aria, and Darius, who would do anything to save her. A small smile stretched across her face. "I can think of a few people."

"Then we will have Kiviuq send a message to them," Agloolik answered. "This is, of course, assuming you recover the Spirit of the Arctic. I hope you realize there is no guarantee of success."

"We will succeed," Sharzad assured him. She wasn't going to let them fail. "Let's go, Sedna."

"Let's go." Sedna ran out of the crypt, with Sharzad following close behind. We have no time to waste…

Darius fitted the crystal into the pedestal. It shined, the entire square illuminating in yellow. Maire stared at it in awe, and turned towards Darius.

"Now we have to go to the second test," she said.

Another door opened – the door of fire. That makes sense, thought Maire, recalling that fire was the next in the cycle. She walked towards it; Darius followed close behind.

"I think you should do the next test," he said. "I'm still recovering from the last one."

"Makes sense," Maire agreed, heading into the chamber. I may be an elemental fairy, but I think my personality is fire. She went inside and winced.

The entire chamber was lit with fire. Orange flames licked up the ground, and lava oozed everywhere. The red gemstone was dancing on the fire, and Maire stared at it in horror.

"You okay?" Darius asked her.

She shook her head. "I have to go." She closed her eyes, transforming into her green Winx outfit. She flew towards the red crystal, hoping she could make a quick getaway and go back.

Of course, it wasn't as easy as that. For the moment she began to fly, a meteor flew above her head, nearly melting her. She narrowly ducked it, but the stifling heat wasn't the only problem. Impotent rage began to bubble inside of her, and she stared at the world around her, a surge of anger lighting her.

Your mother is a liar, the voice said to her. So is Aria. So is everyone you care about.

An image of her mother, back when she'd been furious with Maire and her brothers, only brought more anger to Maire's mind. She clenched her fists, closing her eyes.

And Aria, the voice continued on. How can you even bring yourself to care about her? She lied to you the entire time. She cared more about her popularity than you, and saw you only as a cog in her wheel…

"MAIRE, LOOK OUT!"

Maire opened her eyes. A fireball was flying towards her, and she dodged out of the way, horrified. It hit the stone wall, where it scorched the side.

Had she been in the way of the fireball, she would've been scorched in flames.

"Don't let the thoughts consume you!" Darius yelled. "If you let that happen, you'll die! That's the point of the test, Maire! It's trying to trick you into losing yourself!"

Maire nodded. She zoomed towards the crystal frantically, dodging fire and lava. A volcano of anger was erupting inside of her, and images of Aria and her mother kept zooming inside of her head. They're not true, they're not true… she told herself frantically, all the while thinking: just get to the crystal!

She grabbed the red crystal and hugged it to her chest. Almost immediately, the bubbling anger faded away, and she felt calm and tranquil. At the same time, the chamber went wild.

Fireballs zoomed everywhere, and she stared, horrified. The entire chamber was vaporizing, burning into flames. If she stayed there any longer, she would become toast.

"This way!" Darius shouted, and Maire flew forwards, following his voice. She screamed as a flame singed her right wing; losing her balance, she nearly fell towards the fire. Thankfully, her left wing caught on, although it took extra work for her to lift herself up into the air.

"Come on!" Darius screamed.

Off-balance, she flew towards him, the crystal against her breasts as she made it to the platform, immediately transforming back to her civilian form. Her shoulders still hurt where her wings had been, and she gasped, nearly collapsing on the floor.

"No time to crash," Darius warned her. "We have to get out of here before we vaporize!"

"Right." Maire followed him, racing down to the door. Her face was covered in soot and her hair was singed, but she felt better as soon as she ran out of the chamber, away from the suffocating heat and lava. Thank goodness. She sighed.

Two down, two more to go…

Aria still couldn't understand why Angéle was acting so weird. She hadn't spoken to her since the incident yesterday, honoring Angéle's wishes. She couldn't understand why she was acting so strange.

Her mind was clearly deteriorating. The girl's thoughts were all jumbled, and she could barely think about anything or anyone. All she cared about was not "hurting" Aria, which made no sense to her.

How could you hurt me just by being with me? she thought. You've done more for me than anyone else has in my entire life. How is this possible?

She just couldn't understand why Angéle, after promising to honor her forever, had just run away, claiming that she wasn't good enough for Aria. If anything, it was the other way around. But she wasn't about to let it go, either. I've got to make her realize the mistake she's making…

Something fierce was growing in her heart, something she had never felt before. What is this feeling? She closed her eyes and allowed herself to relish it, the feelings of madness, confusion, attachment, protectiveness, and determination. Is this… love? She stared down at herself, taken by confusion.

She had never felt love before. At least, not like this. Before, she'd mainly only cared about having someone to protect her, someone who would love her unconditionally, never giving her up. She'd berated her boyfriends if they hadn't looked after her every step, been available whenever she'd wanted them to, and bought her a gift that wasn't perfect enough.

This was different. Now all Aria wanted was to keep Angéle safe, to make sure she stayed with her. I can't let her leave… not when she's loved me so much. Not when I love her…

"Angéle!" she called, breaking into a run as she leapt off her bed, into the corridor. No answer. "Angéle!" She pounded on the younger girl's door; there was a weak cry.

"Yes?"

Aria pushed the door open. There lay Angéle, her white dress nearly in tatters. Aria stared at her for a moment, shocked at the person she saw.

Her normally gleaming skin was dull and lethargic. Her hair was a mess, completely tangled and limply falling at her shoulders. But it was her eyes that shocked Aria the most. They were dull and pained, completely broken.

"Look at you." Aria drew closer to Angéle, resting her hand on her head. "I'm going to give you a complete makeover."

To Aria's complete annoyance, Angéle didn't relax against her touch. Instead, she pulled away even further.

"Stop!" Aria ground her teeth in frustration. "I'm trying to help you! What's the use of being here if you won't take my help?"

"I can't have your help," Angéle said weakly. "I don't… deserve it. Please, Aria. Please don't"…

"Then what do you want?" Aria snapped at her.

There was a silence, and then Angéle murmured, "I just want you to leave me alone."

Aria ground her teeth in frustration. "Not happening." She glared down at Angéle, who could only stare feebly back at her.

"Why are you so ill?" she demanded. "What's happening to you?"

When Angéle didn't respond, Aria gnashed her teeth. "Damn it, Angéle, I'm trying to help you! Just tell me what's going on!"

"You don't want to know," Angéle cried.

Aria sat down as Angéle began to cry, tears pouring down her cheeks. She took her hand. For once, the younger girl didn't resist; she was too depressed to say anything. Aria watched her silently, her heart breaking in two.

If only you knew how much you meant to me, she thought. Truly. I would do anything for you. She brushed away tears of her own. But you won't let me.

Finally, she stroked Angéle's shoulder. "Look, Angéle… I know you don't want to get up, but you have to. You can't lie here like this."

Angéle moaned. "Don't… know… if… I… can"…

"Well, too bad." Aria grabbed Angéle, throwing the covers off and pulling her out of the bed. She half-dragged, half-carried her out of the room and into the hall.

"What are we doing?" Angéle whimpered as she held tightly onto Aria's shoulders. "Why are we doing this?"

"We're going out because I care about you, and I don't want you to keep continuing like this," Aria responded.

"But I will," Angéle responded. "I will… and… you've no… chance… of… saving me"…

"Why not?" Aria retorted. "What's going on?"

When Angéle didn't respond, Aria sighed. "Well, I did promise you a makeover. We're gonna go and get one now."

"Don't… want… one"…

"I don't care what you want." Aria motioned to the set of stairs ahead of them. She made Angéle hold onto her and the railing as they walked down, heading towards the fifteenth floor.

Aria had been wandering the fifteenth floor, and she'd come across a bathroom, the largest bathroom she'd ever seen. Upon closer inspection, she'd seen a luxurious tub and hundreds of soaps and creams. She'd immediately decided that this was the place she was going to take Angéle.

Angéle gasped as they reached the bottom of the steps. "How… much… longer?"

"Not long at all," Aria responded. And she was right. The bathroom door was two doors down to the right, and she pushed it open, motioning for Angéle to step inside.

The tiles were pearly and immaculate. The entire room was in shades of icy blue and sterile white, giving the bathroom a dead, cold feeling. There was a sink with soaps and creams lined up in perfect order. Drawers could be opened to reveal makeup, nail polishes, and combs. Aria stared at them, fascinated, and motioned for Angéle to sit on the chair.

"That's one of the perks about the job I got at the Opera House," she said as she began to gently comb Angéle's hair. "They promised a personal makeup artist for each singer. They promised a person to do me a makeover every day, at no cost" –

But her old job, her old life, was impossible to talk about. Once she'd yearned to go back, so that she could be a star like she'd always wanted. And then her life had been taken over by revenge. Now, all she wanted was to make sure this girl was okay, that she could find happiness and love. It ached Aria's heart to see Angéle in this much pain, to the point where she couldn't talk about herself anymore.

She stared down at Angéle's listless hair, which was only just beginning to get a shine back. Once she'd admired her for her natural beauty and looks. But even now, when her natural beauty was all but gone, she didn't think any less of this girl. In fact, she cared about her even more, with her natural kindness and innocence. But why? What is this feeling I have for her?

A feeling, almost like lust, was forming in her heart, only it was so much more than that. She wanted more than just the passion that came with physical attractiveness. She wanted real love. And she just wanted Angéle to be okay. I hate seeing her like this. I hate seeing her –

"This feels good," Angéle said in surprise.

Aria smiled. "I know, everything feels so much better once your hair's combed." She turned Angéle's chair towards her and grabbed soap from the counter. She began to wash Angéle's face, careful to avoid her eyes as she scrubbed.

"My mother used to do this." Angéle's voice was like that of a small child's. "She used to do this when I was very little, comb my hair for me and wash my face. You remind me of her."

"Tell me more about your mother." Aria dried Angéle's face with a towel and grabbed lotion from the counter.

"She was the most supportive person in the world," Angéle said breathlessly. "She was always there for me whenever I was upset, but she was always quick to make sure I moved forward. She was my guardian angel, Aria. I shared with her everything."

Sounds like an awesome relationship, thought Aria, beginning to feel envious. I wish I'd had that with my mother. But she couldn't let her envy show in her face. She focused on Angéle, looking into her eyes as she spoke.

"When she died, everything changed," Angéle continued on. "My father became very depressed, and he made us leave the castle. We had to move into the horribly cramped cottage. He found a job as a janitor in the local temple, working from day to night. For two years, I was stuck at home, because he forbade me from leaving the house.

"But then I got my Enchantix. With this new power, I was able to trick the charm he'd placed upon the house, the charm that trapped me within the walls. And then I wandered around the village, though I was careful not to interact with people, or else they'd mention me to my father. I found this cave a kilometer away from home."

"What was it?" Aria asked, smoothing her hair's tangles.

"It was the Prophetess of Rêve's cavern," Angéle said breathlessly. "The Grotte du Miroirs. I entered, and I met with the Prophetess in the cave. My magical energy was itching to do something; I was studying from books I'd snuck from the castle, but it wasn't enough to exercise my powers. And so I asked her to be my mentor."

"What kind of a person was she?" asked Aria.

A hint of a smile appeared on Angéle's face. "She was the gruffest person I'd ever met. Always snapped at me for being so young and idealistic. But she was a great teacher. She taught me so many of the spells that I know now, psycho-magic so that I could understand myself. Rêvian magic is very subliminal in nature, and she was the master of it. With her help, I achieved power I'd never have achieved before." She let out a sigh.

"And yet, I wasn't good enough," she continued. "I still let myself get captured by Queen Isolde. I failed my creed, my goal to do something good in this world. I won't ever be known as even a mediocre priestess – I'll be the girl who failed." She lowered her head.

Aria stared at her, placing her brush on the table. She can't think that… She placed her hand on Angéle's head.

"You're wrong," she said. "You can't think that about yourself, Angéle – you're such a nice person. I – know could someone like you ever think that about herself?"

"It's true," said Angéle softly. "That's who I am."

"That's not!" Aria glared down at her. "Why are you doing this to yourself? Why are you like this?"

"Because the world once rested upon my shoulders!" Angéle cried. "I'm supposed to grow up to be the High Priestess of Rêve! You don't understand, Aria. You'll never understand this."

Aria wanted to retaliate, but something in Angéle's eyes made her stop. She halted, lifting her hand from Angéle's head.

"I don't agree," she said softly. "The world – whatever kind of a world it is – can never rest on one person's shoulders, Angéle. You expect too much of yourself." She sighed. "I'll make you realize that, one way or the other. No matter what happens, you cannot blame yourself."

"It's too late for that," Angéle responded softly, yet her tone was final.

Aria fell silent. She stared into Angéle's face, that delicate, beautiful face, and felt a surge of pity. How is it she's gone through so much? She had a sudden desire to make things all better for Angéle, to take away her pain. She had a sudden desire to… kiss her.

But she couldn't do that. She didn't know how Angéle would react to that, and anyways, now was not the right time. Not after Angéle had revealed such a painful memory to her, one that would've taken her tremendous strength to repeat.

I have to put her above my own desires, she realized. I cannot let Angéle lose herself, not at such a pivotal time. I won't give up on her. She closed her eyes.

And opened them again as soon as she heard Isolde's terrifying screech.

"WHERE HAVE YOU GONE, YOU USELESS GIRLS?"

Next chapter:

- Leif will find out where Sharzad and Sedna went.

- Aria will go on her final trip.

- Maire and Darius will continue to the next two tests.