The Curse of Talador: Fate - Part Four

Airia, Tryssa, Lina, and I were all eighth level students at the Altadorian Academy. There were a few changes in my life, but other than changes in names - such as the Academy's name - things were pretty much the same.

     Not one day passed when I was grateful that I had my three friends by my side at almost all times. Tryssa and Lina lived together at Lina's home next door to mine, where Airia and I lived together with my mother and my Faerie Doglefox, Lily.

     The four of us were highly skilled in our spell-casting abilities. I despised potion-making, yet Lina helped me out - she was a straight A+ student in potion-making - and in the end of our seventh year we all managed solid A's or higher in every subject.

     Eighth year was four years before our completion of school. Though I am almost two hundred years old in human years, I was only eighteen in Faerie years. Education ended when we became twenty-two in Faerie age.

     A day that I wouldn't forget even if I had not been cursed was that day. Things began as usual with breakfast, and bidding my mother goodbye, then Tryssa, Lina, Airia, and I left for school. Today we would be tested in our spellwork in battle, or situations like so. Our teachers created a simulated situation in which we would have to use our knowledge of spells to find a way out.

     "From what I've heard, we're all going to be taking the test at the same time," Lina was saying. "A ninth level student told me we got to create the course on our own this year. I'm going to do something I absolutely fear most, just for good measure."

     I saw her shiver slightly at the thought. "What is it that you fear, Lina?" I asked. "Is it being controlled by the Darkest Faerie?"

     She nodded.

     All of us - everyone in Talador - er, Altador - had suffered at the hands of the Light Faerie who betrayed her city. In other words, Dria.

     "I understand," I replied, concentrating hard on the ground. I myself had been the one to petrify Lina, as I was being controlled by the Darkest Faerie.

     Tryssa shuddered as we passed through a rain cloud, though it had nothing to do with the damp air. "I don't ever want to be petrified again, but I don't think I could fit that into a scene."

     "Oh, I have to disagree, Tryssa. You could face the Darkest Faerie who is trying to petrify you," said Airia pointedly.

     She smiled. "Thanks! I'll keep that in mind."

     Tryssa and Lina had warmly welcomed Airia into our little trio, which was now a foursome. We all acted as if we'd known Airia our entire lives. Two Faerie years did seem like quite a while to us. After all, every ten human years is equal to one Faerie year, making us 180 years old in human years.

     "So, Airia,what would your scene be?" I asked as the four of us leveled out our flying pattern.

     "Oh, I don't know. I hate the darkness, so I guess I'll have to fight off creatures in the dark."

     "What about you, Siyana?" requested Lina eagerly.

     I thought for a moment, gently sloping into a smooth dive towards the Academy building. What did I fear?

     Then it hit me and I wondered why I hadn't thought of it before.

     "Well, ever since the time I lost my first life, I've kind of avoided the water as much as possible," I began in an undertone. No one else needed to know about my lives, or anything else Jerdana had told me about.

     "Then I thought about the Darkest Faerie. So - I know this may sound stupid to you guys - why not face her while I'm underwater?"

     Tryssa met my gaze and held it. "That's not stupid, it's brilliant! I won't copy you, though," she added.

     Lina nodded in agreement with Airia as we touched down lightly on the marble staircase. My footsteps echoed through the near-empty hallways. We had arrived in the nick of time.

     Outside the classroom, before entering, I said, "Since we won't be able to talk during the exams, good luck to all of you!"

     "Thanks!"

     "You too!"

     "Hope you do well!" the three chorused.

     Together we entered the room and gathered our nerves and daring for the test.

     "Welcome to class today," greeted my teacher, Ms. Danzer. "As you should all know, we shall be taking our eighth level spellwork tests. You will create a scene in your mind, one that you fear, and use your knowledge of spellwork to help yourself. Bear in mind it is not reality, yet you will still feel, taste, smell, etc. Cast the incantation to create this situation...you may begin."

     "Emajio collah," I murmured.

     Then I closed my eyes and imagined myself floating in a saltwater ocean. Immediately I felt the rush of waves gently lapping my cheeks and neck, the undertow far beneath my feet. From my shoulders down, I was completely submerged.

     Breathing in the salty sea air, I imagined myself sinking like a stone beneath the waves.

     The seawater closed over my head as I simply dropped underwater. I held my breath, but every minute or so a fine stream of bubbles flew from my mouth. I kept my eyes closed.

     The presence of eerie creatures was amazing, even though I could see nothing. Finally my eyes flitted open, and I found I had stopped sinking - and that I could see perfectly clear in this ocean. How odd.

     Now that I had sunk low enough in the water, I began to swim through the stunning beauty of the ocean I had created. It was crystal clear without a hint of murkiness. Sunlight streamed down through the hundreds of feet, casting a glow on the sandy bottom I skimmed over.

     I kicked my feet rapidly, finally making it into the seaweed. I'm getting nowhere fast, I thought. Hmm...

     As you should know, I am still cursed with remembrance. But it is that very curse that helped me succeed in all my subjects, for even if I am not paying attention in class, I catch every word my teachers say. So I remembered a tenth level spell Ms. Danzer mentioned once - just once. It allowed me to change my form - in other words, shape-shift.

     I formed the figure of a Water Faerie in my mind and murmured, "Metamorphisa kallis."

     I screamed and let out a huge stream of bubbles. The pain was intensifying in my legs, and I knew I had done it wrong. "Kallia! Kallia!" I screeched shrilly.

     The burning sensation stopped.

     Collecting myself, I brushed away a strand of hair and tried to ignore the burning not in my legs, but in my lungs. If this worked I would most definitely have extra credit.

     I concentrated hard on forming my two legs into a silvery blue tail, and my long, golden dress that was flimsy and dragging into a short, blue top...all at the same time, and murmured the incantation once more, praying that my lungs would not burst from the pressure being enforced.

     My legs, which had always been longer than anyone else's became very hot and melded together, forming glimmering blue scales. This time there was no agony. My feet elongated into teardrop shapes, the same blue as my scales.

     I noticed an odd change in my hand. I had always had a paper-thin webbing reaching up just about a centimeter tall, but now it grew upward and changed to an amazing aqua-blue. My eyes adjusted to the dimmer water and became blue, but my hair remained the same. And, of course, I could now breathe underwater.

     I smiled, and sighed at the wonder of the world I had created, a stream of bubbles emitting from my mouth as they would for anyone.

     I flipped my sleek tail and marveled at how the cool water slipped between my webbed fingers and through my hair. In other words, I was a lithe shape gliding effortlessly through the ocean.

     The Darkest Faerie, I thought. Let her appear in her normal form using the spell to let her breathe underwater.

     I flicked my tail and swiftly, gracefully darted into the seaweed, watching as a second later she appeared, her lavender hair trailing behind her. She was obviously using the water-breathing spell, just as I imagined. Come and try to find me, I thought.

     The Darkest Faerie slowly and clumsily moved towards the seaweed where I blended in perfectly.

     Her back was towards me, now was the perfect time to strike -

     I shot a stream of propelled water out at her. The Darkest Faerie was thrown forward a few feet and whirled around, confused...

     "Meleia schar!" she yelled, trying to Reveal me.

     I dodged it and revealed myself. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to harm me!" I said defiantly.

     She glared and shot a stunning spell at me, which hit my tail. I quickly muttered the countercurse and prepared my next attack.

     "Karia ellei!"

     This threw her off-balance. My spell hit the Darkest Faerie full force, causing the spell enabling her to breathe underwater to cease.

     "Why you-"

     I heard her say, then all she was saying was gurgled words I couldn't understand. Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening. Bubbles were flying everywhere as she tried to yell curses, but nothing happened.

     The Darkest Faerie blubbed out a few more giant bubbles and garbled sentences, tried to gulp air but took in a lungful of water, and began thrashing about helplessly, choking on water, trying to reach the surface.

     I had purposely created her in such a way that she would have the personality she had in reality. So what she did next surprised me beyond words. It was unmistakable.

     "Heblp mbe," she whispered in a pleading gurgle.

     Her spasms were growing weaker. Her body convulsed one last time, and at long last she lay very, very still and moved no more.

     If this were reality, the Darkest Faerie would be dying.

     Without a second thought I swooped down and grabbed her limp form, and cast a large bubble of air around her.

     The Darkest Faerie did not move.

     I whacked her on the back. Finally she coughed up mouthfuls of water and gazed into my eyes. I saw hate and loathing, yet at the same time, a stubborn and ill-disguised thankfulness. She gasped and panted, and I saw the slightest, faintest hint of a smile on her sneering lips.

     "Th...th...thank you," she finally admitted dubiously.

     Then, with a slight pop, she disappeared, along with the rest of the ocean. I had, regretfully, returned to reality.

     "That was a very decent thing you just did in your situation, Siyana," said Ms. Danzer.

     She told the class, and they whispered in wonder. I had, after all, been the only one to escape Talador alive without being petrified.

     "Now - without further ado, let us proceed with our school day."

     ~*~

     Later, when school had ended, our foursome was soaring high over the clouds, skimming just barely below space. Airia, being an Air Faerie, could breathe just fine, but the three of us had to cast an invisible bubble of air around our heads to breathe.

     "That's amazing, Siyana," said Lina seriously. "I don't think I would have the heart to forgive her for everything she's done to us."

     "Yeah," agreed Tryssa, nodding vehemently. "I would have crushed her to a pulp in my situation, but the test ended too soon."

     I frowned and confided in them about my strange likeness with Water Faeries, and how wonderful it felt to be one.

     "It was amazing how graceful they are."

     A twinge of hope flickered in my stomach. Now that I could shape-shift, I could change into a Water Faerie anytime I wished and swim in the ocean surrounding Altador on two of its borders.

     We dived through the clouds stunningly fast and emerged beneath them, soaking wet. Tryssa, Lina, and I muttered the spell to make the air bubble cease.

     There was something wrong down below.

     "Look!" gasped Airia suddenly.

     In the very center of the city, an all-too-familiar purple portal formed. Out stepped the Darkest Faerie - the real one. She grinned maliciously as people fled to their homes and anywhere away from her. She didn't know about Talador's two remaining chances.

     The Darkest stepped up for all to see, and though she spoke no more than a whisper, all of Altador heard:

     "I have returned."

The End

Author's note: This is the end of the second story in the Talador Trilogy. Stay tuned for the extraordinary conclusion to this series of....er....series. Who knows - it may even mean the end of Altador. That is for me to write and for Neopia to find out.  ~Skye