In a corner of the realm untouched by moonlight, shadows twisted like serpents, and the screams of lost creatures echoed through the stone walls like wind in a canyon. The air was thick, suffocating, pulsing with a malevolent energy that pressed against the heart.
A girl—bruised, dirt-streaked, and trembling—lay on the cold, damp ground. Her breaths were shallow, ragged, her eyes barely open, and her limbs shaking from the effort of rising. She clawed at the earth, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes, silent and sorrowful.
"Please... light… I need light…" she whispered.
With a trembling hand, she lifted two fingers and flicked them twice. A tiny spark shimmered in the air—and a firefly emerged, its body glowing faintly like the last ember of a dying flame. She whispered softly in an old tongue, one the fairies used to sing in their lullabies. The firefly danced at her command, flickering with gentle warmth. Then, another joined. And another.
Soon, a procession of fireflies illuminated the chamber with their soft, golden glow, swirling around her like stars caught in a slow spiral. One firefly dimmed its light and floated ahead, leading the way through the darkness. The others followed like a tiny, obedient army.
She murmured to herself, voice barely above a breath. "I need to be more careful in everything…"
But even before her whisper fully faded, the ground trembled faintly, and a rush of icy wind tore through the path of fireflies.
A figure emerged—one that bled darkness. The wicked ruler of Vryle.
She materialized as if summoned by Daniela's fears. Long claws swiped through the air, slashing every firefly in sight. Each tiny creature shattered like crystal, scattering sparks that quickly died. Blood dripped from the corners of her lips—dark, thick, and fresh—trailing down her chin as she licked it away with a twisted smile. In one clawed hand, she held the limp arm of a fallen being, drinking from it as if it were a chalice.
Her eyes burned crimson, glowing brighter as she looked at the girl crouched in fear. Even though she was still meters away, her voice thundered like a beast's roar—unnaturally loud, distorted, like it came from the shadows themselves.
"You'll find no escape. Best not to waste your breath... Help me see what's happening inside that castle."
Daniela's voice cracked with fury. "How long will you use my sister for your evil?!"
The ruler moved instantly, appearing inches from her face like a specter from a nightmare. The torch on the wall suddenly lit itself with a wave of her hand, casting a dancing flame between them. Daniela saw the pale face, stained red with fresh blood, and the cruel grin that curved her lips.
"Your sister is doing great, Daniela," she purred. "She's doing her best to save you."
"You wicked vampire!" Daniela screamed, her voice raw with hatred. "How could you twist her love for me into betrayal? How could you turn her against our Queen?!"
The vampire's lips curled further, exposing her long fangs. "You're still alive because of her. Every breath you take is a result of her loyalty to me. So perhaps… thank her."
Daniela's heart sank.
"She's almost fulfilled her mission. I feel her presence in Eriland already." The ruler licked the blood from her nails, eyes never leaving Daniela's trembling form. "Soon... very soon."
Elsewhere, under the amber canopy of Eri's twilight sky, Yon Zue raced along the crystalline paths of the castle. His breath caught in his throat as a golden firefly darted ahead of him, carrying the message of an informant.
He burst into the royal chamber. "Prince Liu!"
Prince Liu, adorned in sapphire robes and wearing a crown of silver leaves, turned sharply. "What news?"
"There are more missing Pixies," Yon Zue reported, panting. "And a message from an informant… urgent."
Prince Liu's brows furrowed. "Speak."
Yon Zue relayed the words: "The downfall of Ornaphendreul, along with Queen Krystle… has already begun."
A sudden chill passed through the chamber. "Ornaphendreul…?" Prince Liu muttered.
Back in the shadows, the Vryle ruler's voice echoed in Daniela's mind.
"Your sister discovered something," she said with a whisper like rusted silk. "That the Phyrinx... combined with the sacred stone… could destroy someone—someone like Ornaphendreul."
Daniela gasped. "You used her to lure him?"
"Oh no. That was all Trixie's idea," the ruler said with a delighted giggle. "She even went to the mortal world. Forbidden. Written in the Book of Prophecy. Breaking that law—well, that will tear apart the balance among the Lands. What will the other kingdoms say when the chosen guardians of the Book violate its sacred laws?"
Daniela felt her world shatter. Her sister... what had she done?
In the courtyard of blue roses, Prince Ornaphendreul stood still as another firefly buzzed toward him. He listened, smirked, and muttered, "So, they think me a fool."
He turned toward the garden's edge. "She gave me the stone... yet she expected me not to notice the trap within her words. They want me dead. But I am no pawn."
Trixie stumbled through the outer edges of Eriland, her side bleeding. Her wings faltered as she crashed into a clearing just outside the castle's vision. The stone in her hands pulsed—glowing brightly.
"I… I can hold it now," she whispered, crying. "Maybe now I can save Daniela. I… I've already killed one for this... I must be stronger now."
The stone trembled in her hands, glowing even brighter. But its power didn't surge. Something within her was blocking it. Her hatred.
A lightning bolt tore through the sky and struck her. She cried out and fell, the stone slipping from her grasp. A tall figure loomed above, inside a dark mist-bound barrier.
Ornaphendreul.
His eyes—black as ink—locked on her, unreadable. "You dare take the stone's power for yourself?"
Trixie collapsed, broken. "I… I meant to give it to you. I was only…"
He stepped closer. "Fool. Do you want me dead? You think I wouldn't know what happens when I hold the Phyrinx and the stone together?"
Her lips parted to speak, but nothing came. He laughed bitterly, shaking his head.
From the towers and halls of Eri Kingdom's castle, people gathered. The light and the thunder had drawn them. Queen Krystle arrived, followed by Erica, Prince Liu, Yon Zue, Shin Fairy, and the Ten Warriors. Then came Sushie and Xyon—carrying a bleeding girl.
"Sushie…?" Yon Zue whispered, startled.
"It's her…" Jana Lee confirmed, kneeling beside the wounded girl. "Put her down. I'll heal her."
"Who is she?" Yon Zue asked, voice trembling.
Sushie stared at him coldly. "Who are you?"
The tension between them was thick, their pasts whispering beneath their words.
Prince Liu stepped forward. "Where have you been, Sushie?"
She bowed. "It's a long story… but yes. That's Ornaphendreul."
"And that girl…?" Yon Zue gestured to the wounded one.
"She's Shiya," Sushie said calmly. "I cast a spell so others would see her as me. You were seeing her all along."
Understanding dawned across the prince's face. "Then… you're my fiancée. The real one."
His gaze met Xyon's—and for a moment, neither spoke. Two worlds, two faces, one mystery.
"They're not humans…" Jericho muttered.
Yon Zue's ears twitched.
"Right. We're not," he replied sharply.
Jericho froze, realizing—this was no fantasy. These weren't characters in some tale. The legends of Eriland were very, very real.