It was the next day, and Lorelai and I had finally made it over the mountain top. We hid behind some rocks to scope the area. All I could see was fire and lava from every corner of my eyes. It was a scorching, sweltering wasteland, and I could feel the intense heat of burning flames.
Lorelai then said, "Adrian look!" She pointed to a large castle in the middle of the wasteland. "That's Grewrick's castle." It was a prodigious castle, with a tower at the very top, and evil looking gargoyles surrounding the castle. It gave off a feeling of darkness, gloom, and foulness. It was a sinister place.
"Whoa, it's huge. Thank god it's not that far from here. We'll have to fly higher so that we don't get near the lava." I said. Suddenly, something massive on the other side of the rock wall swept from below and blew this blistering heat of wind towards us. Luckily, Lorelai and I ducked down in time to hide from the torrid heat wave. After the intense heat died down, We slowly peaked over the rocks again. "What the hell was that?!" Lorelai then wiped the sweat off her face.
"That was a Phoenix." she said.
"A phoenix?"
"A phoenix is an enormous firebird, that ages differently than most birds. Everyday for a phoenix is like aging three years."
"Three years everyday?" I questioned.
"Yeah, so a phoenix can usually lives to being one hundred, but when they hit one hundred, they die. They live for about thirty-three days." she explained.
"So, this phoenix was just born recently, and is going to die soon?"
"Yup."
"Has Grewrick always had a phoenix?" I asked.
"Yes. Ever since Grewrick left the fairy realm, he's always had the phoenix. Grewrick saved the fire bird when he a young fairy, because he saw goblins attacking the bird, and the phoenix was only a small bird at the time. But when Grewrick left, he took the bird with him." she explained.
"Wait a minute. Grewrick has had the phoenix for a long time? Didn't you just say that a phoenix can live up until about thirty-three days?" I was confused.
"Yeah, they do. But when a phoenix dies, since they are firebirds, they burn up and turn into ashes. Then a moment later, they are born again from the ashes."
"Whoa. So basically they keep reliving a cycle." I said.
"Yeah, but if you were to fight a phoenix and pierce it in the heart, the phoenix will truly die and pass on into the next life." she stated.
"Wait, don't tell me-"
"Yes Adrian. It may be the only way we can get into Grewricks castle. You may have to defeat the phoenix."
"But, I can't defeat him if I'm this sma-" I then paused, and and looked at Lorelai, as she gave me a smirk. God I had a dumb moment.
"Riiiiight. We can grow to human size and defeat it." I said with realization on my face. We both then pulled our pendants.
"Alright, remember, you touch the jewel in the middle." Lorelai instructed. At the same time, we both tapped the jewel, and they started to glow. A bright light engulfed us, and as we looked around us, the rocks we hid behind were getting smaller and smaller. The light got even brighter, and we closed our eyes. My body felt like it was being stretched, and it really wasn't a good feeling. The light from the pendants died down, and I opened my eyes to see that I was back at my original size.
"I'm back to my size." I said. I looked at Lorelai, and she was now the same size as me. She opened her eyes and looked at me, but she didn't look well.
"Adrian…" she said as she stopped fluttering her wings.
"Lorelai!" I said as I grabbed her in time from falling. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, sorry Adrian." she said as she started to fly again. "It's my first time growing to the size of a human. I got a little dizzy."
"I'm glad you're okay." I said as I held her cheek with my right hand.
"It's very different from this perspective. " she said as she looked around her. "Everythings…"
"Smaller?"
"Yeah, smaller. But the world is still a massive place." Lorelai said.
"KAAAWWWW!" Lorelai and I cupped our ears with our hands and looked over to the wasteland to see the phoenix making his rounds.
"Okay, so here's the plan. You see that there are many rocks around the area, right?" she asked as I nodded my head yes. "Alright, well, we can try to make our way to the castle if we try to hide behind the rocks that lead to the castle. With the power of our wings, we can fly really fast past the phoenix, but if worse comes to worst, then we'll have to fight the phoenix." I then breathed in, and out.
"Okay." I grabbed the bow and quiver of arrows from behind my back and handed it to Lorelai. "Here, take this."
"What? Why?"
"Because, when I brought it with me, I never used it. You look like you can fight with a bow." I explained. She then smiled at me, and took the bow.
"Thank you Adrian." She then strapped the quiver of arrows and the bow behind her. "Alright, you ready?"
"We've come this far. There's no going back." I said. We then flew over the mountain wall and headed into the fiery flames of the firelands.
"KAAWW! KAAWW!" The phoenix flew over us and landed onto a large patch of ground with no lava or fire around. We were caught by the phoenix about ten minutes ago hiding under various rocks, and have been fighting it ever since. I was on the ground with my sword and shield out, and Lorelai was flying around above trying to distract the bird with arrows. The phoenix was spitting fireballs at me and I kept dodging them and hitting them back with my shield. I'm getting exhausted, I need to find a way to stab his heart, but the phoenix knows our every movement. I then looked at the phoenix's eyes and tried to think…Aha! I got it!
"Lorelai! Shoot the phoenix's eyes so that he can't see!" Lorelai then shook her head in agreement and headed towards the bird's face. "Be careful!"
"HYAA!"
"KAAAAWWW!" She shot both of the phoenix's eyes, and the bird gave out a loud cry. I then took my chance and flew up to where his heart was.
"HYAAAA!" I pierced my sword into the phoenix's chest. It went silent for a moment, then the phoenix gave out another cry and fell to the ground. The large bird started to melt away with the flowing lava around us. We-we did it!
"Adrian! You did it!" shouted Lorelai as hopped onto the ground and ran up to me and wrapped her arms around me.
"We did it Lorelai! I couldn't have done it without you!" I said as I hugged her back. We then pulled apart and turned to look at the colossal castle in front of us.
"You ready, Adrian?" she asked as she looked at the castle.
I took a big gulp and said, "Ready as I'll ever be." I then looked at the bottom of the castle. "Hey Lorelai, I don't see any way into the castle. This damn wizard doesn't have any front doors." Lorelai then looked up at the highest part of the castle.
"Adrian look!" she said as she pointed to the top. "There's an open window up there." We looked at each other, smiled, then jumped off the ground and flew towards to open window of the dark malevolent castle.
We entered through the large window and landed into a large room with black marble floors that looked like the throne room. There was a giant chair, that was very tall and had with spikes pointing out at the top, and at the end of the room with a long red carpet leading to the chair. It looked like there was no one around. Weird…
"I don't see anyone." I said.
"Me neither." Lorelai responded. "This could be a trap."
"Be on your guard." I said as we started to move forward. We walked closer to the throne quietly, but suddenly, a huge cage fell from the ceiling above us. I jumped just in time, but Lorelai got caught under the cage, and rubble from the ceiling had fell in front of all the exits in the room. I then ran to Lorelai that was in the cage. "Lorelai!"
"Adrian!" Lorelai started to flutter her wings and hit the cage bars trying to budge it open, but the bars shocked her and she fell to the ground with steam steaming off of her.
"Lorelai! Are you okay?!"
"Adrian, I…I feel…weak…" Oh no… What happened to her? She started to look pale and sickly. She then passed out, but as she did, her wings disappeared.
"LORELAI!" Then, from behind, I heard a evil, sinister laughter.
"BWA HA HA HA HA HA!" A very tall, lanky man came out from behind the throne chair. He had a long face, with long black hair, and a beard that connected to his sideburns that made his jaw line look very sharp. He had dark, vile red eyes, with thick eyebrows, and a long scar that ran from his head down passed his left eye and onto his cheek. He was wearing long, dark black robes, had a tall wizard hat on his head, and held a long staff that held a red jewel on the top. He then stood in front of his throne.
"You." I stated. "Grewrick."
"Good. You know my name. It's a Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Prince Adrian." said Grewrick.
"You know who I am?"
"Oh I know everything, dear boy. I know that you're a the young prince from Brellomore. I know that you escaped your home and got attacked by goblins in the Old Birch. I know that Lorelai Peony, the small fairy and daughter of Fludien, the Elder of Okapi, saved you from the goblins and took you to her kingdom. You were told that you were the chosen one to save the fairy realm from my curse, and that you were granted the power of flight. Wings." I tensed up. "You then set off on your journey to come destroy me, and I knew that you both confessed your feelings for each other last night." I started to blush at his comment. "And then you killed my phoenix, and then came into my throne room, and little miss fairy got caught under my cage. And here we are now, talking about what you've done up until now. And I bet you're wondering, 'How do you know all of this?' Well, I've been watching for a long, LONG time." Grewrick then pulled out a dark sphere from his robes.
"What is that?" I asked angrily.
"Why! I'm glad you asked. This here is my crystal ball, a way for watching your every move. It is my ultimate power." Ultimate power? I couldn't think of that right now.
"What have you done to Lorelai?!" I howled.
"Oh! I almost forgot about our precious little fairy. She touched my deflective cage, which strips you from your power and energy." WHAT?!
"YOU!" I roared with my fists and teeth clenched together.
"Ah ah ah." he said with his pointer finger up. "It was the girl's fault for touching the bars in the first place, not mine. It'll be her fault that she…dies." He then cracked a smile
"YOU MONSTER!" I grabbed my shield and unsheathed my sword.
"You really think that defeating me will save your true love and the fairy realm? Pathetic. Fine then, come at me!" He then had purple, black fire appear from his hand and his staff started to glow. "Show me what you've got, boy!" He shot his powerful magic at me, and I deflected it with my shield. I then charged at him with my sword facing him.
"AAAAHHHHH!" He then swung his staff at me a threw me across the throne room. "GAH!" I hit the back wall and fell onto the ground. I then stood back up and ran towards him again. He shot his fire magic at me again, but I deflected them with my shield. He suddenly started to teleport around the room. Everywhere I turned, he'd disappear.
"Damn it!" I can't see him! He's too fast! Grewrick then came from behind and struck my back with his magic that threw me down to the ground. "GAH!"
"HA HA HA! Well, aren't you going to fight back, young prince?!" yelled Grewrick. I stood back up from the ground, and wiped blood off my lip. My breathing got heavy from the immense power that hit me, I felt like it drained my energy. "Well well well. Looks like you're okay." I then lifted my sword and shield up, as he then began to speak. "Listen young prince, we don't have to fight. We can settle this the easy way, and no one will get hurt."
"What are you talking about!?" I shouted to him.
"Prince Adrian! Join me!"
"What?!"
"Join me and we won't have to fight. You can stay here and won't have to go back to Brellomore. In fact, I can make it so that I can erase your parents memories, and they would never remember having a child. You can be free of those castle walls."
"Cut the crap Grewrick!" I can't listen anymore to this nonsense.
"I can save Lorelai." My body then froze.
"What?"
"I can save her and return her powers and wings back to her. She won't die, if you only join me." Is he serious? Suddenly out of nowhere, I heard a familiar voice inside my head.
"My boy."
"Elder? Is that you?"
"My boy, you mustn't give in to his lies."
"I know Elder, but I'm nowhere of beating him. He's too strong."
"Don't say that. You have to be strong. Remember the lullaby that Lorelai has sung to you everyday? Remember what the lullaby says. 'Hail Fludien, give us courage, teach wisdom, bless us with power. Your sword in you hands, her song in your heart, may you bring light to this land.'"
"Yes, I remember." I said.
"I've already given you courage, tought wisdom, and blessed you with power. You now must take your sword in hand, and listen to her song."
"You mean Lorelai?"
"Yes. You'll then bring light to this land. You mustn't give up! Stay strong my boy, for me, for the fairy realm-" He paused for a second. "for Lorelai." I turned to Lorelai, who was still passed out in the cage. I will protect you Lorelai, with my life.
"Thank you Elder. Thank you…" I then looked back at Grewrick.
"I'm not going to give in to your lies any longer! Your days of evildoing are over Grewrick!" I bellowed out as I stood up on my two feet.
"Fine then. If you won't give in, then I'll make you myself!" He then started to float up into the air. "You made the wrong choice, young prince!" He then unsheathed his own sword, and I started to flutter my wings and flew up to his level, to see him face to face. Then at the same time, Grewrick and I charged at each other and clashed our swords together and the battle had begun. He then approached close to my face slashed his sword as I was trying to dodge him.
"GAH!" My eye started to bleed, and he left a long scar across my eye. Dammit! He's very powerful, but I'm not going to give up! Grewrick then used his teleportation power and appeared behind me. OH NO! He's going to hit me!
"GOODBYE, MY YOUNG PRINCE!" I'm done for!… Huh? What happened? I turned around and saw that Grewrick was stunned, and by an arrow. I looked at the cage and Lorelai was awake and on one knee, with the bow in position for shooting.
"LORELAI!" She then gave me a smile, but was still weak. Grewrick then fell to the ground and I landed onto the ground in front of him. His sphere that was in his robes rolled out in front of me, and I picked it up. Grewrick started to stand up as he saw the crystal in my hands.
"YOU! GIVE THAT BACK TO ME!" I then flew in front of the cage, in front of Lorelai and set it on the ground. I took my sword and set it on top of it.
"GREWRICK! IT'S OVER!" I then swung the sword skyward. "THIS IS FOR THE FAIRY REALM! FOR SUFFERING FROM YOUR CURSE!" I then hit the crystal with my sword, and it cracked at the top. Grewrick then held his chest and coughed up blood. "THIS IS FOR THE ELDER! WHO HAD SUFFERED, PROTECTING THE REALM FROM THE CURSE!" I then swung the sword again and made another large crack. Grewrick coughed up more blood.
"NO! STOP IT!" He said as he tried to crawl over to me.
"THIS IS FOR LORELAI! WHO WAS STRIPPED OF HER POWERS AND SUFFERED THE PAIN!" I swung the sword again, and the sphere was almost broken.
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING! STOP!" he screeched as he threw up blood. I then held my sword above my head for the last time.
"AND THIS IS FOR ME! FOR MANIPULATING ME AND THINKING THAT I WOULD GIVE INTO YOUR LIES!" I then swung the sword on the sphere and it broke in half. A bright red light then glowed from his chest and he grabbed his chest where his heart was. He looked at me and Lorelai and reached his hand out to us with his teeth clenched. He then threw his head up and howled out a cry of defeat.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He then froze, and turned disintegrated to ash. The sphere in front of me then disintegrated, and the dust blew away in the wind, as did Grewrick's ash.
"I-I did it." I said with a tired breath. I then turned around and saw that cage holding Lorelai had turned to dust, and I saw Lorelai as she stood up from where she was. "Lorelai!"
"Adrian!" I then ran up to her and hugged to super tight, and she hugged me back. Suddenly, a bright light shined in between us, and we pulled apart.
"Lorelai? What's happening?"
"I don't know." The light then engulfed her, and I couldn't see her anymore. The light lifted her up and shined brilliantly, that I had to cover my face with my arms and closed my eyes. A moment later, the light died down, and I looked up to see Lorelai. She had her wings back and she got her color back and didn't look sickly anymore.
"Lorelai!"
"Adrian! My powers! My wings! Their back!" she said with excitement in her voice, a smile on her face, and twirled in a circle. I then reached my hands out to her.
"Lorelai! Come here!" She then floated down onto the ground and grabbed my hands, and I brought her into my arms. "We did it Lorelai!"
"You did it Adrian. Not me. I got locked in a cage and lost my powers." she said with sadness on her face. I then grabbed her chin.
"Lorelai, I would've died, if you didn't shoot Grewrick with an arrow. We both did it." She looked deep into my eyes, and I pulled her into a passionate kiss as we closed our eyes. A moment later, we pulled apart and her cheeks were rosy red. "Now that's the face I remember." I said with a smile as she smiled back at me. When we thought everything was okay, we suddenly felt the entire floor shake beneath our feet.
"What was that?!" I asked with stern in my voice.
"I think with Grewrick gone, the castle can't function anymore without his magic!" explained Lorelai. "The castle is going to collapse!"
"Well how are we going to get out? There's rubble blocking all the exits in the room! We're stuck!" I said freaking out.
Lorelai then looked over to the throne and said, "Adrian, look!" I turned around, and on the ground was a glowing blue ring spinning in a circle.
"What is that?" I questioned.
"It is a portal back to Okapi." said a familiar voice.
Lorelai then gasped and said, "Father?"
"Lorelai, it's so nice to hear your voice again. When you and Adrian defeated Grewrick, the curse was lifted from the fairy realm." Lorelai looked at each other and smiled.
"Thank goodness." I said.
"And with my powers back, I was able to create a portal for you two so you can get out of there quickly." After he explained, a huge boulder fell from the tall ceiling, and I grabbed Lorelai and flew away from the falling boulder. I then landed near the portal.
"Lorelai! You okay?!" I asked with distress in my voice.
"Yes, I'm fine thank you." she responded breathing heavily.
"You two better make it quick." said the Elder. And with that, Lorelai and entered the portal, and our bodies started to sparkle and disappear. We then left the collapsing castle and was transported back to the realm. The entire castle then fell into the lava and melted away, and the Crimson Firelands started to glow with a magical light. The wasteland had then disappeared leaving a beautiful valley full of sunlight, flowers, and trees blooming. Grewrick and his evil power had all disappeared into nothingness, and the world was at peace.