The Ruby Heart: Part Five

      "Why should I help you? You're with the Dark Faeries!" I cried.

      Elaine ignored me and reached into my pocket, lightly touching the heart-shaped jewel. There was a familiar blinding light, and I once again shut my eyes. When I reopened my eyes, we were back in the throne room of the palace, and the only thing different was that it lacked Faeries.

      Elaine took my hand and led me through the wall outside. Below us were Tien, though she was now completely a Dark Faerie, and a dozen other Dark Faeries.

      "She hasn't told them! The deal worked!" Tien exclaimed. She held out the flute. "And I got this from her!"

      "One of us should hold on to it," a tall figure said.

      "Yeah! You may be the leader, but we are part of this plan too!" said another.

      "Indeed. You did compose this plot, but you are not even one of us, Tien! You were born a 'pure' Light Faerie, and we were born of darkness! Another of us should get the flute!" the Faerie next to Tien exclaimed.

      Several other figures agreed, and they kept on talking until they began to shout. "Be quiet, or we'll attract attention," one of the two figures that had not yet spoken snapped. The smallest Dark Faerie stayed silent.

      Then suddenly, the small Dark Faerie spoke. "I'll take the flute. I will keep it out of the hands of the so-called 'pure Light Faeries'. They will never guess that such a small," she paused, "and weak and timid Faerie would take on such a task as keeping a powerful magical object out of the 'right' hands. They don't deserve it, after what we have done. We deserve it."

      "Keaira is correct," the Faerie on Tien's left said. "Even if the Light Faeries find out about us, and even if they somehow discover where we all hide, and that we have the flute, they will never search such a small weakling."

      I saw Keaira make a fist out of anger, but she quickly opened her hand and accepted the flute from their leader.

      "Now that we have the flute, we will carry out the plan!" Tien exclaimed, and raised a Wand of Dark Nova, though I had no idea where she had been carrying it.

      By now, Keaira had put the flute in her pocket, and she was angry. "This isn't right!" she yelled, throwing a ball of light at the Wand of Dark Nova Tien had raised into the air. The wand cracked, but by then Keaira had snatched the purple heart from Tien and flown far away.

      "Run or fly, hide or flee, but there is no place I cannot find or follow," Tien said smiling evilly as the young dark Faerie flew away.

      I quickly followed Keaira as she fled from the other Dark Faeries. Soon, she came to rest on a small cloud and began to cry. "It isn't right," she whispered, but I didn't listen very hard, but rather watched as she gripped the flute tightly with one hand and hung the amethyst heart around her neck. I finally got to see her in the light. She had a light pink headband holding her short amber-coloured hair away from her face, grey eyes, and two identical pink Snowbunny bracelets. She wore a black dress with small dancing flames at the hem. Her wings were silver and black. The amethyst heart that now hung around her neck was on a polished gold beaded chain instead of the shiny silver chain. I wondered why.

      But I did not have time to ponder before a blinding light forced me to shut my eyes. When I once again reopened my eyes, we were standing back in my room. I also noticed something strange: there were quite a few gold blocks that had been removed from the gold-walled room. Elaine looked over my Beauty Bed, where the old Dark Faerie sat.

      "What are you doing here? How did you get in here?" I yelled. "And not even what I have just seen would make me trust you! For all I know, the plot was completely different, or there was no plot at all! What proof is there that Tien and Keaira and Malana and Jyoti really existed?"

      "I came to check on you two. I got in here through the secret passages in this castle that the Dark Faeries know all about. Like the hidden passage behind the wall," Tania replied quietly. "And if there was no plot, why would the Dark Faeries come here at all? The proof is me, the other Dark Faeries, and Elaine. We are their descendants."

      "Well, you are a Dark Faerie! I have no reason to trust you!"

      "Well, what reason is there for you to trust the Buzzes?"

      "They are my family and my people!"

      "What proof is there?"

      "Well, there's no proof that you and Elaine are telling the truth!"

      "And what about how kind and loving Aaron has been to you!"

      "Aaron was a liar!"

      "What proof is there?"

      "My family!"

      "What does your enemy have to do with your brother?"

      "I don't have a brother! Aaron was just trying to gain my trust so he could destroy this kingdom with the Dark Faeries and the Scorchios! I never trusted him!"

      "You speak untruthfully."

      "Yes, I never did trust him!"

      "If you never trusted him, why did you stay with him? He was telling you the truth! You are biologically his brother! You have the same parents: Kabibe the Pink Scorchio mage and the warrior Starry Scorchio who goes by the name of Zeroun! If you stay here and lead the kingdom, the two species will go into another war!"

      I didn't want to hear anymore. I backed away towards the wooden door and opened it wide. I thought I saw Elaine and Tania slowly flying closer, so I ran out, straight towards a random place in the castle. I had to find someone.

      I found a pair of Transparishield doors and pushed them open. Sitting in several fancy chairs were Darenila, Reginald, Mother, Father, and several other Buzzes. "The Dark Faerie came back!" I screeched.

      Darenila, Reginald, and my parents quickly got up as I led them back to my room. The only thing there that was different was that the entrance to the secret passage had been covered. I could only assume that the hole in the gold wall had been filled with matching gold blocks that Tania had removed to come into my room.

      Darenila slowly hovered towards the Dark Faerie, but suddenly, a golden blur leapt in front of Tania. It was Elaine. "Move out of the way!" Darenila ordered, but the other Light Faerie would not.

      "Why has this young Light Faerie betrayed us?" an Island Buzz asked. Everyone in the room had followed me.

      Darenila looked into Elaine's eyes for several moments. "She must be hypnotized. There is an old and wise Light Faerie in my palace that knows more about magic than any other Faerie there. I will take her there, but first I must lock this evil away." She pulled out a Wand of Nova. "Tihal Nereniath," Darenila said as she waved the Wand of Nova gently as it created falling sparks forming a ring made of light around Tania.

      I looked down and pondered. Everything would be okay. These two liars wouldn't bother me anymore.

      I thought about what Darenila had said about Elaine. She was probably right. There was no possible way a Light Faerie would help a Dark Faerie by her own will.

      Or was there?

      I immediately shook that thought out of my head. It was ridiculous. Of course Elaine was hypnotized.

      I looked up. By now, Tania had disappeared along with the ring of light I thought I had glimpsed rising. Darenila held Elaine's arm as Elaine went limp and closed her eyes. I wondered why as the two Light Faeries flew into the sky.

      I heard everyone else leave. I was alone again. Then I remembered. The hearts! I had been thinking so much about Elaine being hypnotized that I had forgotten to tell Darenila about the hearts Tania, Elaine, and I currently held. She might know something about them.

      I decided I would be able to tell her about them later. I felt like looking around. I stood in what I estimated was the center of the room and turned slowly. I spotted the Long Tiger Drawer. I opened one of the drawers. All I saw was a candle and a match. But something told me that there was more. I felt around further into the drawer. In the back was a small brown leather book with "My Diary" in fancy writing. I opened it up to a random page and began to read.

      "Dear Diary,

      I have been given this diary to record my days before I rule this kingdom, Atharel. Atharel is the home to Buzz, Scorchio, and the Light Faeries who are pure. Today I met Keaira. She says she is not a Light Faerie, but another kind that she will not say. She told me that her sisters and another of her kind are pursuing her, named Tien. She says that they are plotting to cause great trouble in Atharel, but for some reason, she cannot say what. She obviously is not a Light Faerie. She has silver and black wings, and all Light Faeries have wings in colours of gold, yellow, silver, and white. She has short amber hair held away from her face by a light pink headband."

      I decided to skip this part. I knew it already. And I knew that Keaira was real. She had been unlike the others. Tien had been unlike her own kind as well. But Keaira could not join the Faeries she belonged with. But how could this prove that Elaine was not like Tien, and that Tania was like Keaira? I skimmed through the description of Keaira and looked at the last part.

      "She is hiding behind the gold wall in my bedroom. We found the secret passage through a map that was in my Long Tiger Drawer. I will not say exactly how to enter, but on one wall, you simply tap a certain block seven times, and say 'Ath...' I won't write the rest, or someone might find her. The blocks will slide apart, revealing a passage, but Keaira stays near me. I wish I knew more about her.

      Zeheb the Gold Scorchio"

      I flipped forward to another page.

      "Dear Diary,

      Today, I feel like something will happen. Something bad. I don't know what, but I think it has something to do with Keaira and the new Light Faerie Queen, Parvani. She says that she is the 'Daughter of the Moon' the Light Faeries have been waiting for. Riona willingly gave up the throne to this young Light Faerie, who none remember meeting. I saw her today. She wore amethyst earrings, had auburn hair and grey eyes similar to Keaira's. Her silver-white wings, according to Keaira, contain tiny traces of purple and black. She always seems to be smiling, but she doesn't always seem to be happy. I don't know how many others noticed, but sometimes she seems to be smiling evilly, as though she is in some plot or scheme that is going well. I sure hope I am wrong.

      Zeheb

      P.S. Keaira also says that Parvani is Tien's daughter."

      I closed the book and shoved it into the back of the still open drawer.

      I looked at the wall where the secret passage had been. I tapped every block of solid gold that I could find seven times each. What was the word? Atharel? I slapped my forehead. It was so obvious! I picked a block that I knew would move. "Atharel," I said, tapping it seven times.

      I had picked the right block. Almost immediately, many of the blocks slid apart in unison into the wall. I stared into the darkness ahead. I remembered the candle and match. I quickly ran back to the Long Tiger Drawer. The two objects were still there. I lit the candle and walked through the dark hallway.

      After a long time of walking uphill, I no longer needed the lit candle. There were many torches on either side of the hallway. I wondered how the torches were still going.

      I suddenly realized that my jewel was also glowing. I took it out of my pocket. Now my arm could move because right now I had no intention of getting rid of it. I soon met a dead end. But I could hear voices on the other side of the grey stone wall. I pressed my ear to it.

      "Sunnaria, I hope you can undo the spell on this young Light Faerie. Her name is Elaine." Darenila's voice.

      "Elaine, yes? Of course, I can break the trance on her," said another voice.

      I heard a door close. I guessed someone had left the room.

      "Elaine," the second voice said. "I am Tania's cousin, Sunnaria. I know all about her and this kingdom's true past. Tania is in the dark dungeon below this palace. She still has the Ring of Light holding her captive and weakening her. You must pretend that you were under a trance and remember nothing. And, you will need help from Ruby, who is right behind this wall. Only you, Tania, and Ruby can find the true queen the ancient Light Faerie seers spoke of, the Daughter of the Moon."

      Suddenly, the stones in front of me dissolved. In front of me was a small room made of wood carved to look like clouds. Standing in that room were Elaine and another Light Faerie, who I guessed was Sunnaria.

      Sunnaria was about as old as Tania, with golden auburn hair, glittery silver wings, and emerald green eyes. She wore a pale yellow dress with silver lines twirling and winding their way around. Hung around her neck was a glowing topaz amulet.

      As I stared into that amulet, everything that had happened to me fit together. Aaron was my brother. Tania and Elaine were telling the truth. The only hope to save this realm and keep peace was to find the Daughter of the Moon. And something told me I had met her.

      The Ruby Heart glowed very brightly now. I shut my eyes.

      When I reopened my eyes, Sunnaria was smiling. "It's a very useful item. The Amulet of Realizing Truth. It belonged to my grandmother. I think you look much better this way."

      I looked down. The Ruby Heart was now hanging around my neck on a shimmering silver chain. I saw my reflection in a mirror on the wall I faced. I was a Faerie Scorchio. I was my old self again. All I had to do was make things right.

Epilogue

      Elaine and I snuck down to the dungeons in the castle of Atharel. I don't know how we did it, but we did. We released Aaron, who I had not seen for a year. After a moment of reunion, we flew back to the Light Faerie's cloud. Elaine shot balls of white-hot light at Darenila, who then showed herself to be the Dark Faerie she really was. Elaine's diamond heart glowed as mine had when we were with Sunnaria. When the light vanished, Elaine could speak. She was the Daughter of the Moon. She led the Light Faeries to reunite the Scorchios and the Buzzes. Michelle and Jeremy woke up in their beds, having never learned what exactly had happened. As for me, I live with my family. My one and only true family. Aaron, Kabibe, and Zeroun.

The End

Author's Note: Phew! Glad that's over. This actually was planned to be a possible short story, but somehow gained length before completion. And Atharel, the hearts, the Amulet of Realizing Truth, Tania, Elaine, Sunnaria, and everyone else are all mine. I made them up, and you cannot steal them!