"Faster, Elkay. I almost have enough magic to teleport."

Elkay huffed and puffed behind Ellie.

"Are you sure . . . we need to be flying . . . this fast? There's no way . . . she'll make it there . . . before us."

Ellie closed her eyes.

"She already has. I got word from Squadron X that she's captured Barry. Her adopted daughter, Raven, has a magic soul-pot that-"

Elkay held up her claw.

"Hang on, hang on. What the hell is Squadron X?"

"They're in charge of the C Story," Ellie explained, "I'm not narrating it, because we're pressed for time already. Lowery and Vivian are supposed to meet up with my team at the rendezvous point and- Hang on, I'm charged."

Ellie opened a portal in front of them, and they soared through. When they came out the other side, they saw Spurr riding a strange creature. She had been waiting for them.

"Spooky . . ." Elkay whispered.

Spurr stood atop the monster, which beat its wings slowly, flying in place. Ellie and Elkay slowed to a stop, hovering in front of her in a similar fashion. For a moment, they remained silent, frozen in an aerial standoff.

"So. This is how it ends," Spurr said flatly.

"This is how it ends for you," Elkay hissed, "You mess with us, you'd better hope you're insured."

Spurr smiled thinly.

"You think it's that simple? You think you can win this?"

Elkay nodded.

"Ellie is going to kick your ass."

Spurr shook her head.

"She isn't going to harm me, because in a few minutes, she'll be on my side."

Ellie crossed her arms.

"Unlikely. Nothing you say will sway me."

Spurr stared at her for a very long time.

"You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into."

She waved her hand, and the monster gave a loud shriek, tossing its head. Slowly, it landed on the ground, wincing in pain. Spurr stepped down and walked towards Ellie and Elkay, who landed as well. She stood with her arms crossed and adopted a neutral expression.

"I'm sorry, Ellie, that you had to involve yourself with this pathetic excuse of a dragon. You seem nice enough, and I apologize for making your life so difficult. Do you remember what I told you on graduation day?"

Ellie nodded.

"You said I was destined to fail."

Spurr closed her eyes.

"I said that because I thought it was in your blood. Somehow, you have managed to elude the disgraceful genetics that Kristine carries."

Elkay cringed.

"She said it. It hurts . . ."

Spurr sneered.

"You can't bear to hear your own name, because you are ashamed of what you are. You could have been great. You could have been the best Queen there ever was. But you chose to concern yourself with Fiction."

Elkay snarled.

"The world needs Fiction."

Spurr shook her head.

"You created the Overworld. You didn't have to do that. You had a responsibility to Asterpara, and you ignored it."

Elkay roared.

"You have no right to tell me how to be a Queen!"

Spurr closed her eyes.

"I have every right."

She began to glow, changing her shape with Asterparan Magic. When the light around her faded, Ellie's eyes went wide. Spurr was a yellow dragon with sharp features, slightly taller than Elkay and much, much older. There was no doubt who she was, even before Elkay whispered her identity fearfully.

"Mother? . . ."

The dragon stared down at her daughter with disdain. Elkay shrunk back like a wilting flower, leaving Ellie standing defiantly between the two of them.

"You don't know her like I do," Spurr declared icily, "She is not your friend. I don't claim to be any better than she is, but at the very least, I don't lie about my intentions."

Ellie shook her head.

"I trust Elkay. She won't betray me."

Spurr took a deep breath.

"I'm giving you the chance to join me. Please, for your own sake, consider it."

Elkay looked at Ellie with a kind of puppy dog expression that indicated that she believed it was a possibility. Surely she didn't think Ellie would leave her? . . .

"She knows she's in the wrong," Spurr hissed, "That's why she feels so guilty. She's been lying to you."

Elkay whimpered.

"Ellie, I haven't been lying to you. I'm trying to be good . . ."

Spurr glared down at her daughter with contempt. She snapped her fingers, and Zebil appeared nearby.

"Kristine!"

He ran over, but Spurr pinned him to the ground with her front foot. Elkay tried to dart forward, but Ellie held her back.

"Julia, there's no need to make this more complicated than it already is," Ellie said calmly, "Leave him be."

Spurr frowned.

"You really think it's that easy? You think we can talk through our problems? Fine. I'll give you an ultimatum. Join me, or I'll kill the tiger. If you choose to let him die, you'll see just how unreliable Elkay is. She will turn on you."

Ellie stepped forward.

"That's not fair! She loves both of us!"

Spurr shook her head.

"She'll be off with some other tiger or dragon once he's gone. She might even find a new granddaughter to replace you."

Suddenly, Zebil thrashed around and tried to claw at his captor.

"You know nothing about her! She loves Ellie!"

"She is a loathsome cunt who will latch onto anyone who shows her even a scrap of affection."

Ellie blinked in shock.

"I'm beginning to see why she never told me about you."

Elkay peeked out from under her claws.

"I assumed she was dead, so that's actually the reason why."

"Enough!" Spurr hissed, "Are you going to join me, Ellie Sattler, or do I have to teach you a lesson the hard way?"

Ellie clenched her fists.

"What use would it be to join you if I don't believe in your principles? I'd only be doing it to save Zebil-"

Without warning, Spurr placed her hands on either side of Zebil and tore him in half. He didn't even have time to yowl in pain before he died.

"NO!" Ellie shrieked, "NO, THAT WASN'T MY ANSWER!"

Spurr stepped back as Elkay ran over to the two halves of her lover. She collapsed on his chest, weeping heavily.

"Oh god . . . Oh god . . . Oh god . . ."

Ellie screeched in fury, changing into a raptor. She leapt upon Spurr, but the dragon held her back with ease.

"You wasted your strength traveling here, Ellie. I know you thought you could talk your way through this, but you have to understand that with Kristine, nothing sinks in. I'm sorry you had to learn this way."

Ellie tried to claw at her eyes.

"You monster! I'll kill you!"

Spurr summoned magic tethers and ensnared Ellie and Elkay. When they were tightly bound, she opened a portal to a cold and desolate land.

"I'll be waiting for you when you learn your lesson, Ellie. I hope you can forgive me someday."

And with that, she tossed them into the snow, letting the portal close behind them.