In the observatory, the air felt thick with history as Varmora, Lira, and Elara stood together. The night outside was calm, but inside, Varmora’s words carried the weight of centuries. She handed Lira a glass of a drink, her eyes distant as if seeing the past.
Varmora, with a small, reminiscent smile: “I remember those days too, Kanthia. We were at our peak. And you, you were so young back then..." She chuckled softly, handing Lira the glass. “And you, Mystraylra,” she turned to Elara with a teasing glint in her eyes, “you always used to ask your mum, Zylna, how I came into this world.”
Elara, laughing in surprise: “Nooo, did I really ask her that?”
Varmora chuckled, handing her a glass as well. “Yes, and she would always tell you, ‘The Phinixes sent you here.’”
Their laughter echoed lightly in the quiet observatory, but beneath the surface, Lira's mind churned with a question she couldn’t hold back anymore.
Lira, her tone respectful but curious: “Phinix, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask… if I may?”
Varmora, turning her full attention to her, smiled: “Of course, Kanthia. Ask.”
Lira hesitated, glancing at Elara before speaking carefully: “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but... why didn’t you leave with the other Phinixes? Why did they abandon us, but you stayed?”
Varmora paused, the question hanging in the air. She set down her glass, walking slowly toward the large window overlooking the bright night sky. She stood there in silence for a moment before she began.
Varmora, her voice soft but laced with hidden pain: “We never abandoned you. When we Phinixes reached our lightbirth age, we each gave birth to Auls, the ones who would become the Rynous of different realms. But something terrible happened. One of us, Phinix Decna, gave birth to a devil. We tried to take it away from her, before it could grow into a threat. But Decna… she was a mum. She couldn’t let go. Her screams still echo in my mind.”
Her words trailed off as she gazed out at the stars, as if seeing that day all over again.
Varmora, her voice darker now: “In the end, we had no choice but to send her away—far from our ten realms, where her devil child could never reach us. After that, we Phinixes decided to live in Valfala. We didn’t want to interfere with you fairies... we couldn’t risk another devil being born.”
Elara and Lira were silent, absorbing the story. Their expressions had grown serious, a somber mood filling the room.
Elara, softly: “That’s… horrible.”
Lira, nodding: “But where did you send her?”
Varmora shook her head slightly, still looking out the window: “I don’t know. I was sent back to Aracaneum before they finalized where to send her.”
Elara’s brow furrowed as she tried to process this. She opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly, a small hiccup escaped her lips. She blinked in confusion, then another hiccup came, followed by another. Lira, too, hiccupped suddenly, as if something was caught in her throat.
Elara, hiccuping uncontrollably: “What? Why—”
Lira’s hiccups intensified, and her hands reached for her throat as though something was choking her. Their eyes began to blur, their throats constricting with each passing moment. Panic began to set in as both of them struggled to stay upright.
Through the haze of their fading consciousness, they saw Varmora. She stood there, smiling—a dark, victorious smile.
Varmora, her voice like a triumphant whisper: “To take what is ours.”
Both Lira and Elara collapsed, their glasses slipping from their hands, shattering on the floor as they fainted. Varmora’s smile widened as she turned toward the window, the night sky beckoning her. Her plan was finally in motion.
Without a second thought, Varmora’s body burst through the window, transforming into a radiant, powerful burst of light as she flew into the night sky, heading straight for Ethan.
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The atmosphere at Dyfost was thick with tension, as all the fairies gathered, their expressions grave. The urgency in their voices filled the air with anxiety, as they confirmed what they had feared all along—Varmora had been after the Codex all this time, and worse, she wanted to extract it from Ethan.
Mira's voice broke through the rising worry: "I knew it. She didn't come here to protect us... She’s after the Codex."
Tara’s expression turned fierce, her muscles tense as her eyes glowed with determination. "If she wants Ethan," she said, her voice resolute, "she'll have to walk over my dead body."
Ethan, cradled protectively in Flora’s arms, shook his head, his voice small but firm. "No, Tara. Don’t say that."
Tara took Ethan from Flora’s arms and held him close, kissing his forehead softly. "Aww… don’t worry, baby," she whispered, her voice gentle and soothing despite the storm building inside her. "I won’t let her hurt you."
Luna, her eyes scanning the group, spoke up with urgency. "We need a plan. To keep him safe."
Zara, her analytical mind working quickly, turned to Aria. "Aria, are you still holding onto your plan?"
Aria hesitated, her expression grim. "No… but if we’re left with no other option, I’ll take Ethan and run. I won’t let her get him."
Flora, her gentle demeanor slipping away as her power stirred within her, nodded slowly. "That could be our last option, but—"
Before she could finish, the air crackled with an otherworldly energy. A soft pink glow illuminated the night sky, and every head turned upward. There she was—Varmora. Hovering above them, her aura radiating a beautiful yet menacing pink glow, her expression twisted in a smile that no longer held warmth.
"I thought you were working on repairing the Dyfost," Varmora said, her voice dripping with false amusement. "But it seems you’re busy gossiping instead. Is this how we’re going to get the Dyfost running again?"
Zara stepped forward, her golden eyes blazing with defiance. "We know why you're really here, Phinix. And what you want."
Varmora’s eyes flickered with a dangerous glint as she smirked. "Ah, Amiraha. You really are like your mother. Smart, knowledgeable… But, you know, she was always so slow."
Zara’s voice was icy but steady. "She was slow, but not me. I know you told Ryznith about our castle the very day you arrived, disguised as Philight."
Varmora’s smile widened as she admitted it without shame. "Ryznith was nothing but a distraction. I knew once she had Ethan, Emberis would burn her down. Everything went exactly as planned."
Sylph’s fiery eyes narrowed, her hands beginning to glow with a red-hot heat. "You did that on purpose. You pretended to care for him, but you never did. You used him!" Her voice, usually playful, was now filled with pure rage.
Varmora shook her head, a sadness in her voice. "No, Emberis. I did care for him. But being a Phinix is a heavy burden. We must sacrifice our feelings to complete what is left undone. My task is to bring the Codex back to Valfala, where it belongs."
Nia’s usually calm and gentle demeanor fractured as she stepped forward, her voice shaking with anger. "We trusted you. Fairies used to worship Phinixes. But now I understand why you abandoned us. You’re nothing but greedy gods."
Varmora’s smile twisted, the light in her aura growing more intense. "Greedy gods? We had no choice. We left you for a reason. The Codex cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of neshis. It is safer in Valfala, where it belongs—away from that little pathetic human."
At the mention of Ethan, Sylph’s glowing hands flared even hotter, the fire within her ready to explode. "Come and try to take it!" Her voice was a deadly growl, filled with wrath. She was no longer the playful fairy—she was now a protector, challenging a god for Ethan’s sake.
In an instant, the others followed. Aria’s body sparked with lightning, her speed ready to zip through the air, crackling energy surrounding her. Flora’s eyes blazed green, her hands ready to summon the wildest of plants and trees to trap Varmora. Vyrella and Nia’s hands glowed blue, her water manipulation on the verge of freezing the very air around them. Mira’s purple eyes shone, her land manipulation powers ready to crush Varmora beneath a massive boulder. Luna’s hands summoned two large swords made of pure light, their edges shimmering with deadly precision. Zara’s golden eyes pulsed with atomic energy, prepared to rewrite the very matter around them.
Atheira’s cosmic powers flared, her bright blue eyes lighting up the sky as she prepared to unleash the forces of the universe itself. Tara stood behind them all, holding Ethan protectively in her arms as she cast a powerful protective spell, a shimmering aura forming around the fairies, designed to shield them from harm.
Varmora, sensing the challenge, her smile only growing darker, raised her arms. The night air shimmered as her energy crackled, and in the blink of an eye, she launched her attack.
The battle outside Dyfost raged on, a chaotic whirlwind of power and fury as the fairies faced off against Varmora, the Phinix of Astryla.
As Varmora charged, a malevolent energy crackling around her, Aria zipped forward, her movements a blur of speed. She grasped Tara and Ethan, whisking them away to a hidden spot within the castle, the world around them a mere streak of colors.
“Tara, stay here! Don’t come out at any cost.” Aria’s voice was urgent, the command cutting through the air like a blade.
“But—” Tara began, her eyes wide with concern.
“At any cost, keep Ethan safe.” Aria’s tone brooked no argument.
With a firm nod, Tara clutched Ethan tightly, her heart racing as Aria zipped back into the fray.
Ethan’s small hand latched onto Aria’s arm, his voice quivering. “I don’t want to lose any of you. Please come back...” Tears shimmered in his eyes, each word pulling at Aria’s heart.
Aria knelt, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. Their moment hung in the air, a promise of return. “We will. I promise.” And with that, she vanished, leaving Tara and Ethan in a cocoon of safety.
Outside, the battlefield crackled with intensity. Sylph, ablaze with rage, unleashed torrents of fire at Varmora, the flames dancing wildly as they licked at her enemy. “Feel the heat, Phinix!” she shouted, her eyes blazing.
Flora summoned thick, intertwining vines, encircling Varmora’s arms in a desperate bid to restrain her. “Stay steady!” she called, but Varmora merely smirked, flexing her muscles and breaking free with a surge of power.
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With a contemptuous flick of her wrist, Varmora hurled Sylph aside, sending her crashing into a nearby wall with a deafening thud, the impact shaking the ground beneath them.
Mira, undeterred, summoned a massive boulder from the ground, lifting it high above Varmora's head, then letting it plummet down with a deafening crash, hoping to crush the Phinix under its weight. Just as it struck, Nia seized the moment, conjuring icy tendrils that wrapped around the boulder, freezing it in place, solidifying their attack.
But Varmora, unfazed, rose from the rubble like a phoenix reborn. With a roar, she burst free from the ice and debris, scattering it like leaves in the wind. Her eyes glowed with a malevolent light as she surveyed her opponents.
Varmora: "You think you can stop me with these little powers? I am the Phinix Varmora. The Phinix of Astryla!"
Just then, Athiera unleashed a cosmic beam, a radiant wave of energy that struck Varmora directly, causing her to stagger back, her confidence momentarily shaken.
Athiera: "A Phinix of shit-talks!" She laughed to herself, reveling in the moment.
But Varmora was not defeated. With a furious glare, she unleashed a cataclysmic wave of energy, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The force of her power knocked the fairies back, crashing them into the ground, splintering trees and tearing apart the earth beneath them.
Luna: "So you want to see our little powers, huh?" Determination ignited in her eyes as she rallied her friends.
With a synchronized charge, they surged forward. Sylph launched fireballs that exploded against Varmora’s form, a distracting blaze, while Luna darted in, her blades of light glimmering, aiming for Varmora's leg. The blade sliced through the air, drawing a thin line of blood that dripped to the ground.
Zara, sensing their moment, summoned chains of light that shot forth, ensnaring Varmora’s legs, holding her momentarily in place. Flora’s vines sprang forth, attempting to secure her arms, but Varmora flexed with a primal roar, shattering the chains like glass.
Aria zipped in, landing rapid-fire punches, each one landing with the force of a freight train, her speed overwhelming. Vyrella and Nia worked in tandem, freezing Varmora’s body, making her movements sluggish, while Athiera’s cosmic energy lashed out, striking with blinding light.
Finally, Mira called upon the very earth itself, digging beneath Varmora, pulling her deeper into the planet's crust. The ground trembled as they trapped her, hoping to confine the raging Phinix.
For a brief moment, silence enveloped the battlefield, the echoes of destruction hanging in the air. Varmora was momentarily subdued, buried deep within the earth of Yadgir, but the fairies knew it wouldn’t hold her for long.
Mira: "This won’t hold her for too long. We need to regroup!"
Nia: "She’s powerful. We need to attack at once, each time, hitting her with everything we’ve got!"
Sylph: "We need a proper plan. This is madness!"
Zara: "Our powers are almost useless against her. How can we do this?"
Aria: "And Rynous and Aarthel. They’re not here. I’m sure she did something to them."
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The scene shifted to the dimly lit Observatory, where the air was thick with an eerie silence. Lira and Elara lay sprawled on the floor, the remnants of their earlier struggles still evident in their disheveled appearances. Slowly, their consciousness began to return, but the energy to move felt distant.
Elara was the first to awaken, effortlessly pushing herself off the ground, a look of determination in her eyes. Lira, however, groaned softly, struggling to rise, her muscles heavy and her head spinning.
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” Lira rasped, her voice low and strained as she glared at Elara, who was now standing tall.
Elara’s lips curved into a playful smile. “What? I wanted to confirm if the Phinix really wanted to spend the night with us.”
Lira finally managed to push herself upright, flexing her muscles as if to shake off the fatigue. “And it confirmed.”
“Yes, I knew she dissolved something in our drink.” Elara said, her tone light but serious. “That’s why I used my powers to make us both faint.”
Lira looked at her, a mix of annoyance and gratitude in her eyes. “Rynous, water please?”
“Oh, here…” Elara quickly filled a glass, extending it toward her.
Lira drank eagerly, feeling the cool liquid revive her strength. As the water worked its magic, her voice regained its boldness. “You knew it would affect me like this, didn’t you?”
Elara grinned sheepishly “Maybe… but I saved us both.”
Lira’s expression hardened with resolve as she steadied herself. “And now we have to save them. Varmora must be at Dyfost. We need to go immediately!” Her voice rang out strong and commanding, the fatigue washed away by urgency.
Without another word, they rushed out of the Observatory, determination propelling them forward. As they sprinted towards Dyfost, the weight of the impending battle loomed large in their minds. They had to join their friends and confront Varmora before it was too late.
The ground at Dyfost trembled as Varmora erupted from the crust with a violent surge, sending debris flying in every direction. Her aura glowed brighter, almost blinding, her energy crackling around her like pink lightning. She hovered above the battlefield, her form pulsating with godly power. The air felt heavy, as if even the planet itself was bowing to her might.
“Enough of your pitiful tricks,” Varmora declared, her voice echoing with untold power. “Now, witness the wrath of a true Phinix. A God!”
With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed a devastating wave of chaotic energy. The fairies didn’t even have time to react. The blast hit like an unstoppable force, sending each of them flying in different directions, crashing through rocks and and debris, their bodies slamming against anything in the way. The pain was unbearable, and as they struggled to move, they felt the crushing weight of Varmora’s strength.
Varmora descended slowly, her feet touching the ground with a deadly grace. The air hummed with her presence as she strode toward the entrance of Dyfost, where Aria had hidden Tara and Ethan. Her steps were deliberate, a twisted smile forming on her lips as she laughed to herself, mocking the fallen fairies.
“You really think you can stop me? Stop a God?” she sneered, her voice filled with cold arrogance. “We made you. We are your creators. And what are you fighting for? An insignificant human.” Her laughter filled the air, mocking their efforts.
Sylph, barely able to move, her breaths ragged and pained, forced herself to stand. Her body trembled as she faced Varmora, rage burning in her eyes. “Stop, Varmora... Don’t do this,” she managed to say, her voice heavy with exhaustion yet still defiant.
Varmora’s eyes gleamed. “Phinix Varmora,” she corrected coldly. “And you, Emberis, the so-called Guardian... get up. Fight for your human, if you can.” She spoke with disdain, knowing Sylph couldn’t match her power in her current state.
Flora, holding her side from the impact, tried to reason with her, her voice filled with both compassion and desperation. “You don’t have to do this, Varmora. There are other ways. Please, stop.”
Varmora’s smile widened as she shook her head. “No, no, no. I’ve wandered through countless cycles across these realms, searching for the Codex. And where do I find it?” Her voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “In that little vermin. That human.” She pointed toward Dyfost. “I will take it from him and restore it to its rightful place, to the Phinixes. The Gods.”
Zara, bloodied but still defiant, pushed herself up, her eyes fierce with resolve. “You’re no god, Varmora. You never were. Have you even thought about what happens if you kill the last of us? There will be no one left to serve you Phinixes. We are the last of our kind across the realms. Without us, you are nothing.”
Varmora’s eyes flashed, her voice dripping with righteous conviction. “Misguided, child. The Codex is the key. It is the only way to restore our lost civilizations. To bring back what we have lost. Think of your families—” her voice softened, almost enticing, “—they could be restored. The sacrifice of one human means nothing in comparison.”
Sylph staggered to her feet, fury overtaking her exhaustion. Her eyes blazed red, her entire body trembling with barely-contained rage. “HE IS MY FAMILY!” she screamed, her voice thundering across the battlefield. “AND I WON’T LET YOU TAKE HIM FROM ME!”
With a surge of pure, unyielding fury, Sylph’s body ignited, blue flames licking at her skin as her true form emerged. The ground beneath her feet sizzled and cracked from the heat as her flames intensified, reaching impossibly high, filling the sky with a terrifying glow.
Varmora paused, her expression momentarily shifting from arrogance to curiosity.
And then Sylph attacked.
She roared, launching herself at Varmora with blinding speed, her body cloaked in deadly blue fire. The air itself seemed to ignite as Sylph charged, a whirlwind of flames that ripped through everything in its path. Her fiery fists slammed into Varmora, each hit resonating with a thunderous force. Flames engulfed Varmora, swallowing her in an inferno of blue fire, the sheer intensity of Sylph’s attack shaking the entire realm.
Varmora screamed, her pink energy clashing violently with Sylph’s flames. The ground beneath them shattered, the sky above darkened with swirling clouds of power. Sparks of energy and fire exploded with every collision, each strike sending shockwaves across the battlefield. The very air rippled with their battle, as if the planet itself couldn’t withstand their clash.
But Varmora was far from defeated.
With a roar of her own, she unleashed another burst of chaotic energy, sending Sylph hurtling back, her flames flickering but not extinguished. Varmora stood tall, her body glowing even brighter, her eyes wild with fury.
“I AM PHINIX VARMORA!” she declared, her voice shaking the heavens. “I AM A GOD, AND YOU WILL ALL BOW BEFORE ME!”
As Sylph crashed into the ground, the other fairies began to rise again, battered but not broken. The battle wasn’t over yet. They exchanged glances, bloodied but determined. Varmora was powerful, but they had something she would never understand: love for each other, for Ethan. That bond gave them the strength to keep fighting.
With a unified cry, they all prepared to charge again, determined to stop Varmora, no matter the cost.
But Varmora unleashed another destructive burst of energy, sending all the fairies crashing into debris, her voice thundered above the destruction, dripping with cold malice. “Now, stay there and watch as I take the Codex from your pathetic human.”
She clenched her fist, and the wall behind which Tara and Ethan were hiding shattered into dust. But as the smoke cleared, Varmora’s eyes narrowed in confusion. Nothing. The space was empty.
Her lips curled into an annoyed sneer as she realized what had happened. “Elysia,” she growled, “you know you can’t hide from me. This is one of your tricks, isn’t it?”
She released another surge of chaotic energy, more violent this time. The blast sent waves of destruction across the area, causing the entire Dyfost complex to tremble. Cracks spread across the foundation, walls began to crumble, and the once-proud structure of the Dyfost was now teetering on the brink of collapse.
“Come out, come out,” Varmora called, her voice almost playful, dripping with cruel amusement. “Or shall I force you?”
She released another devastating blow of energy, and with it, the spacebridge, a crucial part of the Dyfost, was utterly destroyed. Sparks flew, and the structure shook violently.
“Don’t force me to destroy this place even more.” Varmora's tone darkened, almost impatient. “We still need the Dyfost once our civilization is restored.”
But Tara remained hidden within her powerful illusion, holding Ethan close, keeping him safe.
Varmora’s eyes narrowed. “So, you won’t come out?” She raised her hand, gathering energy until it crackled ominously in her palm. “Fine.”
With a mighty roar, Varmora unleashed the most destructive wave of energy yet. The blast tore through the realm, shattering the cover of the Dyfost's core. The illusion Tara had painstakingly maintained finally broke as she lost her concentration, the force too overwhelming. Tara and Ethan were sent tumbling to the ground with a sickening thud.
Tara gasped, scrambling to scoop Ethan into her protective embrace, but before she could shield him, Varmora’s merciless energy blasted her across the ground, slamming her into a wall with brutal force. Tara cried out in pain, her body crumpling as she struggled to rise.
The fairies, all battered and broken, lay helplessly watching in horror. Time seemed to freeze for them as their hearts stopped. Ethan lay exposed, just mere feet away from Varmora. Fear gripped them, a terror so deep they could hardly breathe. They wanted to move, to protect him, but their bodies were too wounded, too weak.
Varmora approached Ethan, her eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction. She looked down at him, the vulnerable little boy who had unknowingly carried the Codex all this time.
“Oh, little one,” she crooned mockingly, kneeling down before him. “You really are quite cute. But do you honestly think you can save this world with just your cuteness?” Her smile was cold, cruel. “You’ve given us so much, you know. But if I had known you carried the Codex, I would’ve killed you the moment you set foot in this realm.”
Ethan’s body shook with fear, his wide eyes filled with terror. His lip trembled as tears welled up. “No... please... don’t do this...” His voice was barely a whisper, a fragile plea, laced with sobs.
Varmora’s eyes softened, just for a moment, as if considering his plea. But then her expression hardened once more. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I need the Codex. And you, little one, are in my way.”
Without another word, Varmora placed her hand on Ethan’s chest, her fingers glowing a malevolent pink. Ethan let out a heart-wrenching scream as his chest began to glow a blinding yellow. The Codex, the ultimate power within him, was being forcefully ripped from his body.
His screams pierced the air, agony etched into every cry. The fairies’ hearts shattered as they witnessed the unbearable sight. Tears streamed down Flora’s cheeks, her motherly instincts overpowering her pain. “Nooooo!” she wailed, her voice raw and broken. “No, please!”
Sylph, her voice trembling with desperation, tried to push herself up, her flames flickering weakly. “No... no... Ethan...” She groaned, struggling against her own battered body. “Noooo!”
Aria, blood dripping from her temple, fought to stand, her legs wobbling beneath her. “Just a moment, Ethan...” she gasped, summoning whatever strength she had left. “I’m coming...” But her body gave way, collapsing once more.
Luna, who had always been a source of calm, could barely find the strength to speak. “No...” she whispered in anguish, watching the most unbearable scene unfold before her. She reached out weakly, but she couldn’t move.
The realm was filled with Ethan’s cries of pain, echoing across the battlefield. His small body convulsed as the Codex was being pulled from within, the fairies powerless to stop it.
Varmora’s eyes gleamed with triumph, the Codex now within her reach.