This is it, guys. The full moon has arrived – both literally and figuratively. (The full moon is tomorrow). Concerning Aria, it's time for the ultimate test: will the group be able to free her from her spell?
Previously on ATIS…
Suddenly, Aria noticed an hourglass on the stand. There were ice-blue crystals of sand inside, each that were slowly falling down. What does that mean?
-o-o-o-
"Your story still has many holes in it," Sedna said, severely. "But I sense that your intentions are altruistic. I don't believe Aria deserves amnesty of any sort. But I am a woman of my word, and this is my deal with you." She faced the Fulgurian princess, and Sharzad looked up, gazing into her eyes.
"We will speak with the Elder tomorrow. If he corroborates your story, then I won't harm Aria, on the condition you help me liberate us from Glacia's rule."
-o-o-o-
"Dad, Daewon deserved punishment for leading Sharzad astray," Darius protested. "Sharzie – she was weak, she" –
"Sharzad was not weak," his father interrupted. "Her bravery, in fact, is exactly what took her life."
"I didn't say she wasn't brave," said Darius, feeling embarrassed. "I only said she wasn't strong enough to stand up for herself."
"People show their strengths in different ways," 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."
-o-o-o-
Icy smiled, feeling the Freezix power within her veins. It emboldened her, making her powerful and strong. With this new power, she and her sisters would rise above all realms.
And punish her mother for deserting her.
The thought made Icy's mouth water, and she closed her eyes, ready to complete the conquest, one that had been the mission of her life.
CHAPTER 23: AN ICY AWAKENING
The final day
Aria woke up, yawning. Sheets were against her skin, and her body felt so much more solid, so much more alive. It took a moment for her to realize that they were back in Angéle's room at the ice-castle, the sheets covering them. She blinked slowly, then gazed down at Angéle. The brown-skinned girl stirred, and her eyes fluttered.
"Where are we?" she asked, looking up. She stared around in surprise. "How did we get into bed?"
Aria shrugged. "Probably Desirée put us in. It was our spirits that roamed the Land of Dreams, right? Not our physical selves."
"Correct," said Angéle. She frowned. "So, when are you going to tell Isolde?"
Oh right. Aria didn't want to worry about that now. She leaned towards Angéle, holding her by the shoulders.
"We'll cross that bridge when it comes to it," she said. "For now, let's enjoy our time together as much as possible." She leaned in and kissed Angéle squarely on the lips.
The kiss brought them both back to their senses, like a fire lit under them. Aria felt overcome with happiness, something she'd never felt in this intensity before. We'll be together for the rest of our time, and no one is ever going to change that –
"Aria!" a voice called. "It's time for" – The door slammed open, and a gasp of shock and horror filled the air. In fright, Aria jumped back, staring at the door.
Queen Isolde was standing in the doorway, her expression one of fury. She glared at Aria and Angéle; although they had backed away from one another, it was fairly obvious what they'd been doing. She began to advance towards the girls, and Aria defensively put her hands in front of herself.
"Stop!" she shouted, creating a bubble in front of them. But it did nothing. Isolde merely froze the bubble, which fell to pieces, and glared down at Aria.
"How many times to tell you love is false!" she snarled, her shrill voice piercing the air. "And yet, you went against my creed!"
"Love isn't false!" Aria yelled back. "I felt it! And so did she! We both felt the same passion!"
"Don't you dare answer back," Isolde snarled. "You have forgotten your place; you are meant to serve me, and me only!"
"Well, that ends right now!" Aria snarled back. She could feel Angéle trembling, and laid a reassuring hand on her skin before continuing. "I will no longer serve you, Queen Isolde! My revenge ends now!"
Time itself froze. Aria saw Isolde's expression, first stunned, then fearful. At last, pure rage filled her features, and she moved forward. But instead of targeting Aria, she went straight to Angéle.
"You," she snarled. "You did this! You made her change her ways, and conned her into this false reality! You stupid, stupid angel!"
"Leave her alone!" Aria shouted, standing in front of her girlfriend. "This isn't between you and her! It's between you and me!"
"No!" Angéle suddenly cried out, hysterically. "I can't take this anymore!"
She got up in a flash, running towards the exit of the room. Aria watched, horrified, as Angéle ran out into the corridor.
She'll hurt herself like this! She ran towards her girlfriend, gasping in alarm.
"Freeze!" Isolde shouted, and an icy cage appeared around Aria. Something else flew through the air, and Aria clenched her fists as the manacles fastened themselves around her wrists. Solare, no… Isolde glared down at her, her black dress flaring.
"Stay there," she commanded. "Don't even try to help me get her."
She turned around and ran out of the room. Aria banged against the icy bars, but there was no hope. She collapsed to the bottom of her cage, sobbing.
Please, Angéle, come back to me…
"We have suffered heavy losses," Chief Amaruq said solemnly.
The three chiefs were seated at a round table. Sedna sat with them, narrowing her eyes as they listed out what their intelligence had caught.
"The other tribes are still going strong," General Nuniq protested. "Every single tribe of northern Nunangat – and even some of the equatorial kingdoms – has joined in the uprising. The Glacian forces don't outnumber us anymore. We have a chance."
"A very slim chance," Amaruq snorted. "We don't have a central authority in this riot. That's all it is – a foolish riot. The Glacian military is centralized; we are not. They will crush us while we scatter, forced into labor prisons and massacred by the thousands." He let out a sigh. "I do not think we can hold them off any longer."
Sedna glared at him. "How could you be so pessimistic? After all we've suffered, now you're giving up?" Even after our first battle, he's still being a pain!
"I'm not giving up, Chief Sedna," Amaruq answered. "I just don't think it's possible to defeat Isolde."
"How do you expect us to defeat her if you act like this?" Sedna demanded. "Look at our trainees! They've been up all morning, creating protest slogans and practicing their warrior moves. They know we shall overcome!"
Amaruq snorted. "That's just youth talk."
Sedna was about to tell him exactly what she thought when Nuniq intervened. "Look, let's not fight. We all had a rough night; the battle today will not be easy. We need to be able to put up a united front if we have any hope of defeating Isolde" –
"Good morning, Chieftains." A tall, energetic young man had joined them, pulling a chair to join them at the round table. Sedna recognized him as Prince Darius – the man who had led their special forces into Nunangat.
"How good of you to make your appearance, Your Highness," she said, eyeing Sharzad's brother with suspicion.
"Please, just call me Darius," the man responded. "I am here to discuss our tactics today."
Tactics, thought Sedna, refraining from rolling her eyes. This man had brought a mediocre army with him – far less than Fulgur had. And yet, he was here to talk about tactics?
"Today is the day," Darius said solemnly. "As the full moon rises over Glacia, our mission becomes more and more crucial. Therefore, I ask that we work together, joining forces to defeat Isolde and bring Aria back home" –
"Hold it, prince!" Sedna barked, causing the two other chiefs to look at her in alarm. "When I said I'd join with you to defeat the tyrant that rules this realm, I didn't say anything about that girl! What makes you think I'm going to help you save her?"
"That's what we came here for," Darius said, appearing stunned. "And I thought I had all of your agreement on this matter."
"You thought wrong," Sedna responded. "That woman killed my father; I don't care under whose influence she was."
She could see Nuniq and Amaruq staring at her, but she held her head defiantly. Although they had agreed to help Prince Darius and his people into Glacia, she knew they agreed with her in principle. Darius stared at her beseechingly.
"You have to help us," he said. "We have to save Aria."
"Why should I?" Sedna let out a bitter laugh. "How many more people have to die for that girl? Already I've lost thirty warriors to the army's rampage; seventy more lie injured. And Chief Nuniq and Chief Amaruq have lost so many more." She gestured towards the two men.
"If we don't save Aria, Isolde will win!" Darius said urgently. "Don't you see, Chief Sedna? Isolde will use Aria to bring terror to this realm!"
She halted. Staring up at Darius, she whispered, "How much power does that girl have?"
"A lot!" Darius was pacing around. "Isolde has given her the power to destroy entire houses in one blow! She destroyed half the capital of Solaria, Chieftain. It's not enough for us to defeat Isolde. We have to free Aria from that spell!"
Sedna's head was spinning. And here I was wallowing about Father's death… She could see in her head, very clearly, what Darius was talking about.
The power of bitterness is very strong, she thought. But then again, so is the power of unity and courage… She gazed up at him, grudgingly.
"What is your plan?" she asked, stiffly.
"My plan is that you three unite your forces with half of my military and lead a Nunangatan offensive at Nootaikok," Darius answered. "They will send the full force of their military after you, leaving my special forces and I free to infiltrate the Glacian Castle. High Priestess Saraswati will open a portal and take us there, along with your elite warriors and wolves. I will lead your warriors into battle, while my High Priestess and other forces work together to cast the spell."
"Indeed," said Sedna, her eyes narrowed. "And then what will happen?"
"If everything goes according to plan, Aria will be freed. Then we can converge our power to defeat Isolde for once and for all."
"If everything goes according to plan," Sedna let out a hollow laugh. "Do you realize how risky this is? What you're suggesting depends on your ability to infiltrate the Glacian Castle."
"I know it's difficult," said Darius urgently, "but we have no choice. Please, Chief Sedna, understand this. We have no other choice."
Sedna looked over at Nuniq and Amaruq, and saw they were in agreement with Darius. We've already lost nearly everything; what more have we to lose? She let out a sigh.
I can't let my bitterness over Aria control me, she thought. I have to do what's best for my tribe. If that means swallowing my pride for once, so be it. She turned to face the prince.
"All right, Darius," she said. "I will alert the army now." Rising up from her chair, she walked out of the igloo, her body tense and ready for battle.
Angéle screamed as a jet of ice hit her squarely on the back. She fell over, but not before Isolde's hand grabbed her dress.
"You useless girl." She spoke the words with a razor-sharp tone. "I should kill you right on the spot for what you've done."
Angéle let out a whimper. What's she going to do? Will I ever see Aria again?
"Come with me," Isolde continued, her nails digging into Angéle's exposed flesh. "We're going for a walk."
Angéle could do nothing as Isolde dragged her across the floor, weeping. She stared up as Isolde stopped in front of a room, pressing her hand to the icy door. It creaked open, and then she dragged Angéle in.
She'd never been in Queen Isolde's room before. The room was made completely of ice, and the floor scorched Angéle's bare back with its coldness as she lay on the ground, whimpering.
"I warned you," Isolde snarled, her voice filled with pure hatred. Angéle tried to pull away, but Isolde's grip was tight. "I warned you to never meddle in affairs between Aria and I, and yet you did. And now you will pay." She reached into her closet and pulled out a black phantom robe. "Wear this." She pulled Angéle roughly up, throwing her onto the bed.
Angéle's body felt weak and sore. What's going on… Isolde threw the robe over Angéle, and she stared down at it in horror.
She could tell by the feel of the fabric that it was Impenetrable. This meant that, once the hood was pulled over, she would be completely concealed, and no one would be able to see, smell, hear, or touch the girl underneath. Angéle looked up at Isolde in fear.
"What are you going to do to me?" she whispered. Isolde let out a dark laugh.
"That, my dear, is for you to find out." She smirked. "Though I daresay it won't be pleasant for your girlfriend."
"No," Angéle breathed. What are you going to do to her?
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough," Isolde smirked, exiting the room. "In the meantime, dear, just sit tight." The door slammed shut.
No… Angéle got up, hammering at the door. "Aria! ARIA!"
But there was no response. Weeping, Angéle fell to the floor, her sobs racking the air. She lay huddled, her body shooting with pain as she lay limply against the ice.
She's going to destroy Aria. The answer came to her, clear as day. She bowed her head.
And there's nothing I can do about it.
High Priestess Saraswati stood in the center of the igloo. Priestess Atete stood with her, along with Maire, Daewon, and Arishtat. Tentatively, Sharzad walked towards them, and they lifted their heads.
"Princess Sharzad," Saraswati said warmly, extending her hand out. "Good to see you back."
Sharzad smiled, taking a seat next to Daewon, who grinned at her. "Ready to kick some Glacian butt?"
"I sure am," she declared. I can't believe how good it is to have his cockiness back… She gazed up at Saraswati. The priestess frowned as she faced them, her eyes narrowed.
"We need to discuss who is to cast the spell," she said. "Our selection shall be very important; only those who have a close relationship with Aria, or who have connected with her in some way, will be able to cast the spell." She gazed at them. "We also need people who will represent the four pillars of life: childhood, youth, midlife, and old age. I will represent old age, as I connected with Aria through the tracking spell."
Makes sense, thought Sharzad. After all, old age was the wisest form; no one embodied that better than Saraswati. She'll do a great job. Saraswati continued to speak, gazing at the five people in front of her.
"The person who represents childhood will have to be under eighteen years of age, which is nearly all of you. Which one of you will take that role?"
There was a silence, then Daewon stood up. "I'll do it," he said. "I'll represent childhood."
Sharzad stared at him. Here was the boy who'd hated Aria with all of his fiber, and wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. And yet, he was so eager to heal her, to cleanse her of all her wrongdoings. He's changed a lot in this past week. Then again, so had she.
"Thank you," Saraswati nodded, passing him a yellow crystal. The crystal flared up at his touch, and the very wind swirled around at it. That crystal has the power to manipulate air… She stared at it in amazement.
"And then who will represent young adulthood?" Saraswati asked.
Atete stood up. "I connected with Aria through the spell," she said. "I heard and felt all of her pain, all of her emotions. I am young, merely seventy-five years of age. I will take this role." She took a red crystal from Saraswati, and it flared up with a flame.
Each of the elements are being represented in this spell, Sharzad realized. They're using the elements to cleanse Aria! She felt much lighter, knowing what they were planning with this spell.
"We are missing one person." Saraswati frowned, gazing at the people before her. "We need someone to represent midlife. Yet, we do not have anyone here who fits that role." She frowned. "Who will come with us?"
Sharzad frowned. Who would fit that role… Suddenly, she thought of someone.
"Akna," she breathed. The others whirled towards her in surprise.
"Who?" Maire demanded.
"Akna," Sharzad repeated. "She's two-hundred years old, and represents midlife well – she's Sedna's mother. She's met Aria." The others gasped. "I'll ask her. I'm sure she'll agree." She took the blue crystal from Saraswati, feeling its cool liquid energy wash over her like a wave.
"There we are," Saraswati nodded, picking out a green crystal. It was stronger than earth, landing securely in her palms. "I believe we have it."
"Wait a minute," Maire demanded. "You forgot one – we need spirit! Who's going to represent that?"
Saraswati turned towards the red-haired girl. "That, I thought, was obvious."
"What do you mean?" Maire put her hands on her hips.
"It's you, Maire," Saraswati said with a smile. "I can think of no one more spirited than you. You shall cast the spell for us, as your connection to the elements is the strongest of all of us. Here you are." She gave Maire the white crystal, a pure color that illuminated the walls of the igloo.
Maire gasped as she was lifted into the air, a white aura shining over her. Her red hair flowed over her shoulders; for a moment, she looked breathless. Then she came back to earth, her green eyes shining with determination.
"All right," she said, "I'll do it." She nodded at the others. "We're going to go to that castle and save her from" –
"What's going on?" Darius emerged into the igloo, panting. "What'd I miss?" He turned towards Sharzad, his eyes narrowed. "Why are you here?"
"I" – Sharzad stared at him. Why can't I be?
"Darius," Saraswati intervened, "we have decided upon our roles. Maire, Daewon, Atete, and I will cast the spell, while you and Arishtat defend us from Glacia's guards. Sharzad will stay back here with Sedna, and help her fight this battle" –
"Absolutely not." Darius placed his hands on Sharzad's shoulders. "You're not going anywhere, Sharzie. I don't want you hurt."
"I" – Sharzad stared at him. "How can you think I'm going to stay put, when Nunangat is under attack?"
"You don't have to," Darius answered. "You can stay in that camp and defend their elderly population. But you're not going out onto the field. I won't allow it."
"Darius"… Sharzad clenched her fists. She found it infuriating how Darius always ordered her around. He'd always done this since they were little. Just because he's the heir doesn't mean he has to protect me. She was about to say just as much, but a voice stopped her.
"Let her go."
Sharzad turned around. There was Leif in the doorway, holding the Spirit of the Arctic. His voice was grave as he walked inside, staring at Darius.
"Who are you?" Darius demanded.
"I said, let her go," Leif said. "You cannot order her to stay put."
"I am one of the commanders here," Darius said. "I shall do as I like."
"I've learned a lot this week," Leif said quietly. "One of the things I've learned is… to let go." He lifted his head. "I'm in love with your sister. She has the freest spirit I've ever seen; she's the strongest person I've ever known. You can't tether her, Your Highness. You have to let her go, let her make her own decisions. It's for the best."
"But what if I lose her?" Darius whispered.
"You won't lose me," Sharzad breathed. "The only way you'll lose me is stopping me from being who I am."
Darius stared at her, and Sharzad could see his heart breaking. "Will you promise me that you'll stay safe?"
Sharzad swallowed. "I can't make that promise, Darius," she answered. "But I promise I'll act according to the best of my judgment and do what is right. That is all I can promise you."
He nodded slowly. "I love you, sis." He held her tightly, his arms nearly crushing her windpipe.
"I love you too," she breathed, leaning against her brother's strong body. Tears flowed down her cheeks, and she closed her eyes.
"Warriors, to arms!"
Sharzad jolted up. That's Sedna… She looked into Darius's eyes, who gave her a weak smile.
"Go ahead," he said. "You have my blessing."
Stormy yawned, closing her eyes. Another boring day on this boring planet, which had barely a diameter of a kilometer. She sat up, glaring at her sister.
"I am sick of waiting around here," she spat.
"Really?" Darcy raised her eyebrows. "Then what's your plan? What do you want to do?"
"I want to do something!" Stormy clenched her fists. "If only we had our powers! If only we could do something, get our old glory back again" –
"That," a voice said above her, "is not going to happen."
Stormy looked up in horror. A spaceship was flying towards them, one with the Fulgur crest upon it. Oh no… A man leapt out of the ship, landing neatly on the ground.
"You're coming with us," he announced. "You're justice is far overdue. Come with us, or we won't be as merciful."
"We're not going anywhere with you!" Darcy snarled, clenching her fists.
"Yeah," added Stormy, "not with you pixies! We're not going down without a fight!"
"So be it." The man turned towards his spaceship. "Men, attack!"
Lightning-bolts shot out of the ship's cannons. Jumping out of the way, Darcy and Stormy watched as it made cracks in the planet surface.
"Stop!" one of the men yelled. "We're going to bust this planet entirely if we don't watch out!"
The man bared his teeth. Lifting his sword in the air, he ran at Darcy and Stormy, who flew out of the way. Stormy growled, feeling anger overcome her.
That's all we can do, she thought, fly. Picking up a rock, she hurled it at the man.
But then something wrapped itself around her. A wire, one which had come from the ship. Stormy struggled, trying to break out of the binds.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the man below her warned. "It'll electrocute you if you play with it too much."
Stormy glared at him. "You're speaking to the witch of electricity, dimwit." She shook within the binds, growling at its strength, its ability to keep her wrapped up.
Then she gasped as shots of lightning burst through her, electrifying her very core.
It was worse than any attack she'd ever inflicted on anyone. Before, at least her lightning had broken other people. But now, it was getting the best of her, something she'd never imagined possible. Why is this happening? The electricity stopped, and she lay weakly, unable to do anything.
"That's right." The man walked forward, and Stormy saw that he had Darcy in the same binds. "Now come with us. It'll make your life much easier" –
A bolt of ice shot through the air. The man gasped as his very essence froze, turning him to solid ice. He fell to the ground, and the crew gasped in alarm.
But then an ice-shower hit them, too. The ship turned to ice, and it fell to the ground, breaking into thousands of pieces. Inside, the men lay dead, unable to withstand the impact.
Stormy and Darcy looked up, wincing. Something happened… They stared at the new spaceship looming ahead of them, the second one with the Fulgur crest.
What is going on?
Aria hammered at the cage. "Let me out!" she snarled, her voice filling the air. "Let me out!"
But there was no one there. Aria fell to the ground, weeping, her eyes red. What happened to Angéle… I need to know what happened… She gazed up at the door.
Footsteps sounded in the hall. Then the door slammed open. Isolde stood there, wearing her glittering, ice-blue dress. Aria immediately stood up, glaring at her.
"What happened?" she demanded. "What happened to Angéle?"
Isolde stared down at her. There was regret and sadness in every pore of her being, most of all in her eyes. Trembling, Aria backed down. What's going on? Why is she acting like this? Isolde began to speak, her voice a low, haunting echo.
"Angéle killed herself," she said solemnly. "She had thrown herself off of the balcony by the time I found her. She lies buried under meters of snow." She shook her head sadly.
What? A storm of grief rose in Aria, threatening to tear her apart. "No!" she cried, sinking to the floor.
"It is true," Isolde said, her eyes flashing. "She is gone."
No… Tears leaked freely down Aria's eyes. How could Angéle lie to me like this? She cried out, pain throbbing in her chest.
She… she told me she'd stop this. Grief poured out of her eyes. And she told me never to kill myself – that it wasn't the answer. She closed her eyes. Isolde knelt down and roughly cupped Aria's face in her hands, glaring down at her.
"You feel this way because you are weak," she spat. "Only people who allow themselves to love will ever feel this way! Look at what you've become." Her midnight-blue eyes were monstrous, dark and demonic. "You see what has happened now, do you? Because of your fatal weakness, everyone you care about is gone. Now all you have left is vengeance."
"All I have left is vengeance," Aria repeated.
"Your lover betrayed you," Isolde continued on. "She has left you alone to suffer, to live out the rest of your days without her. I ask you: why should you listen to her? Why should you let her creed take over when she didn't keep her end of the deal?"
She's right, Aria realized. That lying, lying hypocrite…
Something fierce rose inside of her, something passionate and furious. Aria lifted her head, letting the rage soak in every pore of her body. I will never let lies take over me again. The icy bars disappeared around Aria, and Isolde nodded.
"Now!" she cried. The manacles disappeared, and the window burst open. And then, Aria felt the Axe of Anguta in her hands, the one she was destined to hold. I'm going to destroy every corner of this world… She flew out of the window, Isolde following close behind her.
"It is time," she said. The panes behind them slammed shut, and Isolde grabbed Aria's hand, pulling her down. "As the full moon rises over Glacia, revenge shall be ours."
Aria smiled cruelly. And then no one will get in my way… She let out a cruel laugh, one she'd never heard in herself, but one that suited her perfectly.
If she had looked on her nightstand, she would've seen that the hourglass's end was nigh, that only a few grains of sand remained. It was the cause of the sadistic smile on her mistress's face as they flew forward into the night, relishing the eve of war.
Sharzad turned around, running into the field; the others followed behind her. Sedna was perched atop the rock, her eyes fierce, with the two other chiefs beside her.
"Warriors of Adlivun, Massak, and Anachim!" she called. "You fought valiantly yesterday, but the real battle starts today. Today, we are going to confront Isolde's forces and vanquish them for once and for all!"
A cheer rose up in the crowd. Sharzad stood with them, her heart in her throat as she gazed up at Sedna. We won't lose this cause… we can't… Sedna continued speaking, her throat low.
"More tribes are joining forces with us," she added, which brought more cheers to the crowd. "The Sikko Tribe, Pukak Tribe, and the survivors of the Panuk genocide will join us on this offensive. The Kingdom of Pátu has also agreed to join forces with us in this battle against tyranny!"
The crowd roared. Sedna turned towards the north, her eyes flashing.
"As a matter of fact," she said, "they are here to greet us."
And so they were. The Sikko, Pukak, and Pátu battalions were marching forward, their eyes sharp. But Sharzad could also see more soldiers from the west – soldiers with highly-polished armor and advanced weapons. Glacia! Fear shot through her, but Sedna held her ground.
"Now!" she shouted.
The Adlivunese, Massakian, and Anachimian warriors shot forward, growling. Sharzad stood with Darius and the others, staring at them. Saraswati closed her eyes.
A bright white light began to appear in front of her. Sharzad watched as Saraswati moved her hands in an ellipse, creating a circular portal. Their way to Glacia… Saraswati held the portal open, turning towards Darius and the others.
"Get in!" she called.
Daewon flew into the portal, Arishtat close at his side; Maire and Atete were next to follow. The warriors assigned to help them followed close behind. Darius stared at Sharzad, a tear in his eye.
"Take care of yourself," he whispered, and then he disappeared into the portal.
"Sharzad!" Akna was running towards her, her eyes wide. "Leif said you needed me. What is going on?"
Now Sharzad remembered. Our water element… She picked the blue crystal out of her pocket and handed it to Akna.
"I need you to go with my brother to the Glacian Castle," she said. "Help them cast the spell to release Aria from her prison."
Akna took the crystal in her hands, frowning. "But then who will take care of my child?"
Sharzad could've kicked herself. Why did I not think of that? She stared at Akna, her eyes beseeching.
"Please," she said. "You are the only one I know who will be able to take on that role. I'm telling you, no one else can. We're depending on you, Shamaness. We need you to help heal Aria."
Akna nodded slowly. "Then promise me this, Sharzad. Promise me you'll make sure no harm comes to my child."
"I will," Sharzad vowed. "You have my word."
"Quick!" Saraswati shouted. "The portal is closing!"
And so it was. To her alarm, Sharzad also caught three enemy soldiers in front of her, warriors who were advancing towards the portal.
"Stop!" she cried, raising the Breath of Lightning in the air. A lightning bolt shot out of the spear, hitting the earth near the soldiers' feet. In fright, they scattered.
Sharzad turned around and saw that the portal had disappeared, Akna and Saraswati within its depths. It's up to them now… She heard Sedna's voice ahead of her.
"They're through!" she shouted. "Now we have to keep them back!"
Sharzad clenched her teeth. We're not going to let Nunangat lose… Rising into the air, she held her spear high above her head, looking for her next enemy to duel.
One way or the other, tyranny will fall.
The ship flew into the air, gliding past all of the warriors, all the brilliant jets of light. Icy bared her teeth, turning the ship so that it reached its maximum speed.
She could not believe how easy it had been to take the ship. While the warriors had been fighting, Icy had taken the ship, soaring into the sky. No one had stopped her – they'd all been too busy with their battle.
They did all the hard work for me, she thought. For days she had been wandering from glacier to glacier, wondering when she'd be able to take down her mother. It had frustrated her that she wasn't able to leave this realm and find her sisters. But now the Gate was down, which left her free to leave and find Darcy and Stormy.
They must be around here somewhere. She flew out of the atmosphere into space, the white planet of Nunangat behind her. Where are they… She gazed ahead.
The planets around here were tiny. There was a reason why no one inhabited them; they were, to put it plainly, pathetic. Let's go and look. She flew forwards, staring at the planet in front of her. It was then that she caught sight of something.
A Fulgurian warship was hovering above one of the rock planets, and a man was dueling with two women on the surface. Or, to be precise – two witches, witches that Icy had known all her life. The man was effortlessly beating them, wrapping them with Fulgurian binds.
Icy clucked her teeth in exasperation. How could they be so foolish? How have they not recovered their powers by now? She rolled her eyes.
No matter, she thought. I am the child of winter, born to spread ice and storms. And I shall show them what magic truly is. Concentrating her powers, she focused on the man.
She could feel his life-source, the warm energy that emanated through him. Time for that to go. With her new powers, she focused on the very blood that ran through his veins, and froze it cold.
The man gasped, falling over at her touch. Icy let out an evil laugh, one that she had not heard in weeks. Time to take him down… Sending a fatal blast, she froze him completely and utterly, leaving him encased in ice.
She turned towards the ship. Time for you to go, too… She froze it, relishing in the screams of the crew as the ship hurtled down, hitting rock. Icy smiled, opening the ship's doors.
Stormy and Darcy were still struggling in their binds. They stared as they saw Icy fly towards them, gasping in shock at her new outfit.
She was wearing a glittering, dark blue dress that swept the floor. She had ice-crystals in her hair, and around her neck, too. The two of them stared up.
"Woah, sis," said Stormy, "what happened?"
"What happened to you?" Icy spat. "Are you pathetic or what? Letting those idiots whip your butt is not what I call being a Trix!"
"Hey, they bound us," Darcy said defensively. "How'd you get out of Glacia, anyhow? We thought you were dead."
Icy let out a derisive laugh. "You underestimated me, as always. I am the Princess of Glacia, and soon to be its Queen. In fact, Queen of the entire world." Her eyes flashed. "Are you going to join me or what?"
"What do you mean?" Stormy declared. "Of course we'll join you."
"Good," Icy smiled. "We're going to be the best and strongest in the universe. But first"… She materialized a crystal ball in her hands. Breaking it in two, she shot each half towards Darcy and Stormy.
The two sisters screamed as they rose into the air, their binds breaking. They weren't used to the powers of ice, obviously; as witches of darkness and electricity, their power sources were far different from Icy's. But then they transformed, letting out icy laughs.
The two women were wearing Freezix outfits, just like Icy's. Stormy's dress was sparkling magenta, and Darcy's was sparkling purple. They both were mirror versions of each other; while Stormy had a slit up her right side, Darcy had up her left. Stormy had an ice-bracelet on her left arm, and Darcy had one on her right. Icy smirked at her sisters, who grinned back.
"Now," she said, "this is what I call kicking butt in style." She turned towards the ship.
"No kidding," Stormy grinned. "I can feel the power running through me."
Darcy turned on the ship, and it hovered into the air. "Where to?" she asked Icy.
"Glacia," Icy answered. "I'll use my Freezix power to locate my dear mother." She bared her teeth.
The time has come, she thought. Soon, I will destroy the person who took my ability to love.
Cackling, the three witches flew towards Glacia, ready to end Queen Isolde for once and for all.
A lot happened in that chapter! Are you all ready for the battle? Don't you all just hate Isolde right now?
Next chapter:
- Sharzad and Sedna will fight Isolde's army.
- Darius and his group will march on forward to Glacia.
- Leif will have to confront a surprising enemy.
For those of you who love history, like me, here are the Berlin Wall references in the last chapter:
- Don't shoot at your fellow countrymen ~ Willy Brandt, Mayor of West Berlin (quoted by tribal protesters)
- Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! ~ Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States (quoted by Sharzad)
- It's always the small people who change things. ~ Luc Besson, French filmmaker (quoted by Sharzad)
- Now what belongs together will grow together. ~ Willy Brandt (quoted by Darius)