Faerie Wings II: Rosia's Revenge - Part Five

     Illere raised her hand. "Don't we have to use a combination of spells, Miss Avalon?"

     Miss Avalon smiled and nodded. "Yes, Illere, you are correct. For in order for an Earth faerie to create a strong, healthy tree, we must use a certain combination of spells to help the tree grow as steadily and as quickly magic will allow us. Now, who would like to make their first tree right now?"

     "I would!" Illere said eagerly. As the rest of her class watched, the Top Earth faerie knelt to the ground and played her hands on top of a spot of grass. After saying the phrase "Seedling Grow", all of the other Earth faeries watched as a healthy green seedling popped out of the ground, turning itself to face the bright sun. "Essence of the Earth," Illere chanted as she waved her hands over the seedling, hoping to help it grow into a small plant. But when the seedling collapsed and wilted, everyone began to snicker and laugh as Miss Avalon looked over the dead plant.

     "It seems as if the plant received too much magical energy," Miss Avalon said with a sigh. "You must remember to be careful with using these spells, Illere. For these spells are much more powerful than the ones you are used to as a regular faerie."

     "But I was so close this time, right?" asked Illere, hoping her teacher would forget all of the other times she failed to successfully cast a spell.

     Miss Avalon shook her head. "I'm afraid nothing would have saved this seedling, dear. It received so much energy that its roots dried up and it immediately lost all if its water. Perhaps you'll be better next time."

     An Earth faerie with bright brown hair placed a compassionate hand on Illere's shoulders. "Don't worry. All you need is some more confidence and I'm sure you can do it! Would you like me to help you after school?"

     Illere nodded and quickly wiped her eye. "Thanks, Ellen. You always know just what to say to make me feel better!"

     ***

     "I see Illere!" Kira cried as she ran towards the clearing her friend was with her classmates. Alice nodded and ran faster, hoping to run faster to catch up to Kira. Illere looked over at the two faeries and smiled.

     "Kira! Alice! How are you two?" Illere asked.

     Before Kira could respond, a thick black fog spread itself throughout the clearing, blocking the view of everything and everyone. As the Top Air faerie managed to walk around the darkened clearing, she could hear the screams of Illere's classmates and the loud pangs of glass. Why am I hearing faeries run into glass? Kira wondered as she reached her arms out for her friends.

     "Kira, it's starting all over again!" Alice cried from nearby. The Grey faerie grabbed Kira's wrist and held it tight. "You must be very careful," she whispered. "I think Balthazar's here with his faerie-catching nets!"

     "But I thought Balthazar was powerless," said Kira. "How could he have created this thick fog?"

     "I don't know," said Alice. She ran with Kira in tow until Alice felt somebody grab her wrist and pull her away from the clearing. "Hailey, is that you?" asked Alice.

     A Grey faerie with short hair nodded. "Yes. You and your friend are safe now, sister. The fog hasn't reached itself out from the clearing."

     Kira looked at Hailey, and then at Alice. "I didn't know you had a sister," she said, sounding confused.

     Alice shook her head. "She's not; she's a very close friend of mine, but we've always viewed each other as sisters because we're so close."

     "Ah," said Kira, nodding her understanding.

     As Alice and Hailey talked amongst themselves, Kira turned to the clearing and noticed that the fog had faded. She gasped when she saw Illere huddling inside a light green shield as a Dark faerie with black pigtails flew over towards her. Kira gasped again when she recognised the Dark faerie as Violet, Rosia's youngest sister.

     "Stop, you wicked faerie!" Miss Avalon cried as she ran towards Illere. "Vine-Wrap Trap!" the teacher shouted, and a cluster of thick green vines sprung out from the ground underneath Violet and quickly wrapped itself around her waist and wrists.

     "That was incredible!" Kira gasped.

     Alice nodded. "That Earth faerie certainly has a lot of magic energy in her."

     Violet shirked as she tried to free herself form the vines, though the veins wouldn't let go. Furious, the Dark faerie's eyes began to glow blue, and everyone watched in horror as a thick purple cloud formed around Violet while the vines that had entangled her wilted towards the ground. "Take my pretty glitter!" Violet cried as she sprinkled green glitter on top of Miss Avalon.

     "Shield of green!" Miss Avalon shouted. But it was too late, for the glitter had already touched her shoulders and a giant glass container had formed itself around her.

     Illere looked up from her huddle and gasped when she saw her teacher banging on the container's glass surface. "Miss Avalon!" she exclaimed, watching with wide eyes as the glass jar shrank and flew up into the air.

     Violet flew over to it and grabbed it immediately. "Bye, girls!" she said as she poofed herself away.

     Kira and Alice ran towards Illere. "Are you alright?" Kira asked.

     Illere shook her head, her eyes letting go tears every second. "Miss Avalon is gone because of me! If only I had been more confident, like how I was before I went to Faeriewood!"

     "But Illere, you're an amazing faerie with awesome powers!" Kira insisted. "Why didn't you use the spells you already knew?"

     Illere shrugged and wiped her eyes. "I suppose I just froze and forgot all of my usual spells, that's all."

     Alice looked around the clearing and shook her head. "That Dark faerie has taken all of the young Earth faeries with her. But I fear she may want to return."

     "What do you mean?" asked Kira. "Why would she return?"

     "Because she's not finished," said Alice. "And I don't think her partner is finished either."

     "But why would they want to collect other faeries?" asked Illere.

     "I don't know," Alice sighed. The Grey faerie looked around one last time and quickly ran towards the spot where Miss Avalon had lest been standing. After inspecting the grass, she waved over to Illere and Kira and pointed to a pile of green glitter on the ground.

     "What is it?" asked Kira.

     "It's Balthazar's spell," Alice explained. "Its how he's able to bottle up faeries so quickly: he sprinkles this stuff on unsuspecting faeries and it encases them in these glass containers."

     So Daphne and Violet might be working for Balthazar now? Kira thought. But what happened to Rosia and that fourth sister?

     Illere turned to Kira. "We must alert our friends right away! And we have to before Violet or Balthazar strike again!"

     Alice shook her head. "I don't think Balthazar was here. It seems to me like these faeries are working for themselves, yet they are somehow able to use Balthazar's spell for what ever reason they may have?"

     "Well, I think we should tell Brillare and Ardore too," Kira suggested. "That way they would be able to protect themselves in case they are attacked as well."

     Illere nodded. "That sounds like a great idea! I'll tell Brillare and you and tell Ardore, okay?"

     Kira shuddered. Ardore was not only the Top Fire faerie was Faerieland: she was also a hot-head faerie that Kira secretly hated to work with. "Well, I suppose," she sighed. "But where is Ardore at the academy? I know Brillare likes to be at the library, but where would Ardore be?"

     "I don't know," said Illere. "In fact, now that you mention it, I've barely even seen her in the hallways with any of the other Fire faeries."

     "Do you know where she lives?" asked Kira.

     "Nope," said Illere. "But just yesterday I saw her enter a boutique on Main Street. She was busy burning some drapes so I decided not to bother her with a 'good morning' greeting."

     Ardore has a store? Since when was she interested in owning a business? Kira thought.

     Alice sank to the ground and sighed deeply. "Well, I hope you girls can stop those faeries before it's too late," she said with a sigh. "Because after what Balthazar had done to me and my friends, I refuse to let him get away with his tricks anymore."

To be continued...