Darkness. It was everywhere. In the corridors, in the classrooms, in the building. The usually lit hallways were dim and dull, all colors silenced. Devoid of human presence, the entire school was like a haunted house; eerie and unsettling, the air pregnant with tension.
Dashing through one corridor after the next, Sharon and Eva threaded their way through what seemed like endless tunnels. Cold wind whipped Sharon’s face as she pushed her arms back and forth. It was eerily thrilling, she thought. Usually, the school was quiet and peaceful in the evenings—all except for this one. Shivers crept up her spine as she thought of what might become of Misthills should she and the leaguers lose this battle.
The notion of possibly seeing each classroom and hallway for the last time in her life pained her. What was a span of seven months seemed like seven solid years to her. Misthills had given her the only thing she’d craved—normalcy. To live like a regular mortal. Apart from being the head of the student council, she hadn’t had many outstanding achievements. She wasn’t a cheerleader, a social butterfly, the prom queen, the valedictorian type, the straight-A student, nor an athletic jock. But that was all right with her. She loved it this way, living life as an ordinary student. Or at least pretending to be.
It was not until then that it hit home to Sharon that she realized how much Misthills meant to her. The school was her ticket to a normal life of simple pleasures, something she had always craved. She never wanted to be a hero or experience grand adventures, and it was only in Misthills that she could be the ordinary girl she wanted to be. As she descended the stairs, she heard the screams and shouts increasing drastically in volume. A flood of fury welled up in her. This was what that evil, that monstrous, that sadistic fairy relished—chaos and destruction. Tearing down Misthills and taking over Chelvicerra, the two things that symbolized Sharon’s past and present. He was wreaking havoc in her life, destroying all the things she valued and more, depriving her of her beliefs and what made her herself. Sharon vowed to the heavens she’d find the staff and murder Icarus the first chance she got. It was the only way out, her only hope of restoring order and bringing back the peace and tranquility she yearned for.
Down, down, and down the stairs went the two enchantresses. Although Sharon had berated her companion for worrying and jumping to conclusions, it did not alleviate the ominous feeling that bubbled in her. The raging war, Icarus’ whereabouts, Maisy’s safety.… It was enough to drive anyone insane.
“We’re almost there,” Eva said in a small voice as the staircase terminated. They approached the ground floor and came to an exit.
A breeze as soft as a feather rippled their hair as they headed into the night. The air was chilly and carried a hint of wetness, foretelling the arrival of a storm. The coldness heightened Sharon’s senses, making her feel more awake, alert, and alive than ever.
Holding each other’s hand, she and Eva hurried down the long trail of stone steps that descended to the sports field. Among the leaguers and Vanquishers below, sparks of all colors zigzagged in every direction, burning into the inky darkness. It was a miracle the attackers could sight their quarry in the dim light provided by the faint glow of the moon and stars. Fairies and vampires played a deathly game of tag in the air, thirsty for blood and hungry for violence.
A werewolf caught sight of them. “Sharon, Eva! Is that you? Don’t come down here, no matter what! It’s a matter of life and—”
“I only need to know one thing,” interrupted Sharon, her heart racing. “Is Maisy in there? Maisy Cole, the angel?”
“I think so—maybe—but.… Hey, where are you going?”
Without another word, the two enchantresses dashed onto the sports field. Sharon did not know where to begin her search in this vast area. She scanned the right side of the field to see if Maisy was there, but no luck.
“Goodness me, look at that!” Eva exclaimed.
Sharon’s stomach clenched as her fears worsened at the sight of the tumultuous mayhem. But then she saw something truly amazing. A giant that appeared to be Stephen snatched the wings of a fairy who had tried to stab a werewolf and hurled her across the room. She soared through the air and fell with a thump, lying insensible on the floor.
Her gaze darting around the battlefield for more familiar faces, Sharon saw Alan’s fangs pierce into the wrist of an ogre, saw Felicia click her beak and flap her wings menacingly at a group of Vanquishers, saw a large flying ant slammed to the floor by Cynthia; saw numerous cupids orbiting the running tracks and firing arrows at random warriors; saw brave leaguers spilling everywhere to assail their next victim with streams and rivers of sparks. Sharon’s insecurities were dispelled after witnessing those gallant moments. Cynthia’s words of determination rang in her ears: we will never surrender.
Eva gave Sharon’s hand a gentle squeeze. “It’s not over yet, sister. And you know what? I’m proud we made it this far.”
Sharon nodded, unable to tell Eva how much her words meant to her.
“No!” A deafening scream split the air.
Looking up, Sharon saw Hazel’s knife soar through the air, narrowly missing Felicia’s right wing.
“Nobody touches her!” Eva, who sprinted towards Hazel, snarled.
“You! Aren’t you the coward I met three weeks ago?” Hazel said between barks of laughter. Both Cynthia and Alan made a dive for the fairy, but Eva motioned them to leave.
“I don’t want anyone’s help; this is my fight.”
Eva and Hazel, eyeing each other with resentment, started to duel hand-to-hand. The unbearable tension of their duel attracted every eye on the sports field.
“What’ll happen to your poor sister after you’re dead?” Hazel asked in a casual tone as if they were discussing how to spend the weekend. She swung her spear at where Eva’s head had been moments ago. The two of them, one fighting her merely her enchantress magic and the other with a fatal weapon, were edging closer and closer to the railing that ringed the other end of the sports field. Beyond it was a deep valley nobody had dared venture into.
Eva retaliated by flinging a handful of sparks at her, a few diving into her chest and burning scars into her skin. “Maybe you should ask yourself that question first,” she retorted with superb calmness.
Hazel let out a boisterous laugh and tossed her head.
And at that very moment, a kaleidoscope of sparks escaped Eva’s palm and dived into the fairy’s heart. Shocked at the sudden burst of attack, Hazel lost her balance and fell, head over heels, over the metal railing. The ghost of her last scream ripped from her throat, echoing in the night.
Her face alight with pride, Eva sauntered over to Sharon and grinned. “I was brilliant, wasn’t I?”
“More than that,” Sharon gave her a pat on the back. “I’m proud of you, Eva.”
“Let’s get going,” said Eva. “We’ve got a secret weapon to find, right?”
Sharon registered a glint of confidence in her eyes and a significant edge of firmness to her voice that she was certain wasn’t there before. Smiling, she nodded. Eva had found her bravery, and so had she.
Hurrying to the gate that led to the ecology lane, Sharon and Eva followed the trail. Sheltered from the sky by tall old trees, it was a safe hideout.
“Do you think the staff might be somewhere here?” whispered Eva.
Sharon shrugged. “Anything’s possible.”
She listened to the withered leaves and dried twigs crunch below her weight with each step she took. It was strangely soothing, she noticed. Rhythmic, steady, like a metronome. Unlike last time, the trees here were bathed in a soft, creamy glow. Yellow lanterns dotted the branches above them, nestled atop the limbs of the trees. Reminded of the trees in Tempora Forest, a shiver went through Sharon’s body. In an odd way, it reminded her of ancient rituals she’d read about in books. She wondered who had positioned the lanterns there. Was it simply to provide illumination for the dark lane, or was something more sinister going on?
Sharon noticed for the first time the ecology lane was a long, declining slope. Like a snake, it curled at the end and led to another winding path that meandered through a cluster of trees. A light breeze whooshed in her ears, and swirls of leaves skittered across the trail and collected by the tree trunks. Sharon felt a small raindrop strike her nose. Then another.
Eva gasped. “Sharon, there’s someone heading in our direction.”
Sharon squinted at the road in front of them. A dozen bright lanterns were floating towards them. The owners, who were shrouded by the shadowy trees, huffed and puffed for breath.
“Doesn’t look like someone on our side,” whispered Sharon. She clenched her fists, prepared to release a stream of sparks at whoever was approaching them.
“Where is she?” growled the stranger. He lifted his lantern and looked around. Sharon recognized the voice. It belonged to Alexander Robb, the ogre who had threatened to murder her last time.
Crouching in the dark, Sharon watched her enemy come closer. It was rather comical, she thought. She was crouching less than five feet away from the ogre, but he seemed too dim-witted to notice her.
After a few more minutes of hide-and-seek, his heavily-built bodyguards joined the search, and one spotted her.
“You!” he snarled, pointing his lantern at her.
The rest of them swarmed towards them, pointing their weapons at their new enemy. Sharon knew it would be impossible for her and Eva to defeat the mob of Vanquishers. They were thrice her size and could send her flying into the air by just lifting a finger. The only way to bail herself out was to use her wits and stall them.
“So,” bellowed the ogre. “You have chosen death again, Sharon Gale.”
“Death?” she replied, halfhearted, her mind searching frantically for a solution.
“Don’t you play dumb with me. You sealed your own fate last time when refusing my offer to let you join our side.”
Icarus’ biggest drawback. His distrustfulness towards his entourage. An idea began to stir in her mind. Doing her best to flesh it out into a complete plan while holding the ogre up, Sharon said vaguely, “So you’re going to take me to Icarus and let him kill me. But what good will that do to you?”
Alexander growled. “Why does that matter to you?”
“It doesn’t,” said Sharon, raising her voice. “I was simply curious.”
A flurry of footsteps sounded from above them. Humans, giants, and werewolves came spilling into the ecology lane, their innumerable frames filling up the slopes. From the corner of her eye, Sharon saw groups of vampires, fairies, angels, and cupids hovering in the sky. Her plan had worked. Soon, she’d make Icarus’ Vanquishers implode and turn on their master.
Alexander, unfazed by the ever-growing number of spectators, narrowed his eyes at Sharon. “Then you need to control your curiosity and learn to keep your nose out of Master Icarus’ business.”
Sharon gazed back at him and then at the audience, allowing the silence and tension to build. It was an odd, spectacular sight. Almost every fighter—leaguer or Vanquisher—was gathered here. And yet none of them seemed interested in fighting each other. They all seemed to be anticipating something, expecting a dramatic climax of some sort. The enormous crowd that filled up the slopes, the burning lanterns that littered the trees, and the sliding temperature around them…. It all seemed surreal. Dreamlike.
Sharon waited until the bystanders had grown twice in size. Now all eyes were on her. “Vanquishers,” she addressed some of them. “Look at what you’ve done today. You invaded Misthills High, caused chaos, and killed so many leaguers you must’ve lost count of them. Ask yourselves. Why? And for what?”
Putting on her best performance, she let the suspense hang in the air as three long seconds crawled by. “Icarus, I know you all worship him. You trust him with your lives, don’t you? But how has he treated you after you so faithfully pledged yourselves to him? After you’ve confined yourselves to his castle and served him and his wife for all those years? What have you gotten in return?”
“We do not need anything—” Alexander cut in.
“Don’t you understand? Icarus has been using you, all of you. Just look at his track record. Have you any idea how he treated his own mother, the Snow Giant? He murdered her. Do you want to end up the same way as she did?”
Heads turned. Voices murmured. Sharon was satisfied to see expressions of fear and shock exhibited on the Vanquishers’ faces. A whisper of wind sounded in the distance, prompting her to resume her speech.
“I gather he neglected to mention that to some of you. Looks like your master doesn’t trust you as much as you trust him. He even lied about the invasion dates to the non-A-listers among you, am I correct?”
Now there was utter silence.
“Vanquishers, can you guarantee Icarus will take you under his wing forever? Will you be the next Snow Giant, the next one to be used and then sacrificed? Furthermore, look at the fallen comrades who have left you tonight. Your great master has shown no condolences for them. He went into hiding and allowed you to die for him after you’ve supported him for so many years.”
A pattering noise ensued her words. It was raining. Sharon felt tiny drops of water landing on her face. This, if anything, made her feel even more awake. It drove her another step closer to the essence of her plan.
“Have you ever imagined what will happen next should you win this war? If Icarus takes over Chelvicerra? He’ll kill all the humans, and you—all of you—will be sorted into different classes. A-listers, non-A-listers. In other words, Chelvicerrans whose lives matter and Chelvicerrans whose don’t. This isn’t harmony. This isn’t diversity. This isn’t co-existence. It’s chaos, destruction, and unfairness. A never-ending war of statuses between all the tribes. It yields hatred, enmity, and envy. And look at the history of Chelvicerra, of the fairies and humans fighting for power. Do we need more fights, more things to disagree on?
“I’ve lived in the mortal world for seven months now, and ironically, the global issues there parallel the ones we’re now facing. Race, everyone goes crazy about it. The white, the black, the yellow…yeah. But let’s ask ourselves, are we really that different? Don’t our lives all matter?”
Somewhere in the throng of Vanquishers, Sharon saw several fairies staring back at her with tearful eyes. She took it as a sign she had half-succeeded.
“Now, do you want someone like Icarus to be the king of Chelvicerra, inciting hatred between all the tribes? Nobody wins. Everyone gets hurt. Is this the world you have in mind? The future you’re fighting for? Is it worth it?”
The Vanquishers looked at each other, muttering, whispering, worrying. Among her audience, Sharon saw Cynthia and Maisy, of whom were both nodding at her in approval of her strategy.
“It’s not too late. You have the power to change the fate of Chelvicerra by standing up to Icarus Bones. I’ve been told I’m the savior of Chelvicerra, the only one who can restore justice. But this is not true. I’m not the only one. You are. We all are.”
A stomping noise seized Sharon’s attention. She cocked her head and listened, her eyebrows contracting.
“What’s going on here?” A furious voice thundered. It was Icarus himself. With his mane of silvery-purple hair and sallow skin, he had an intimidating demeanor. He strode up the ecology lane, coming to a halt in front of Sharon. Rage burned in his eyes as he registered the presence of his followers.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Icarus bellowed at the Vanquishers. “Why have you stopped fighting?”
“My lord, surely we—” Alexander started.
Icarus waved his words away. “I’ll deal with the lot of you after I’ve killed her.” He threw Sharon a look of disgust.
“What a pity, Icarus. You still don’t understand, do you? You had the upper hand, but that’s in the past tense. They,” she gestured at the Vanquishers, “will do your bidding no more. You murdered their loyalty yourself. You refused to stay and fight when your Vanquishers needed their leader. You ran away and left them to deal with me and my leaguers.”
Icarus smirked and unsheathed a dagger. Sharon flinched.
“Not so plucky now, are you?” sneered Icarus. “Scared, you coward?”
“I may be. But at least I have the courage to face my fears and fight my fights. You, unlike me, selfishly prized your own safety above your subordinates’ tonight. You, unlike me, allowed them to sacrifice their lives for you after they’ve served you for so long a time. You, unlike me, vanished when the Vanquishers needed you. And worse, you don’t even have the courage to admit you’re afraid. Now, who’s the coward?”
“The odds are against you, Sharon Gale. Preach to me as you like, but there’s no use pretending—”
“The odds?” Sharon raised an eyebrow scornfully. “I don’t see what you mean by—”
“I recruited your boyfriend! He betrayed you—”
“Only because you threatened him. He pretended to take your side because you threatened to kill him if he didn’t. It may have slipped your notice, but Samuel has been helping us all along. He sent our friend a letter last time when Alexander Robb had us imprisoned in the basement. And then help came before you could have your way.”
Icarus’ panic was reflected on his face. He opened his mouth to retort, but a rapid pounding of footsteps cut across him.
“Sharon, we’ve been looking all over the place for you,” Clyde, with Samuel behind him, was holding a staff with ornate carvings on the hilt. The two of them approached Sharon and handed her the precious artifact.
“You’ve done beautifully,” Samuel whispered in her ear. “Activate this, and you can end the war once and for all.”
“The Snow Giant’s staff…. Where did you find it?”
“Being a former A-lister, I have my own ways of knowing where Master Icarus keeps his belongings,” Clyde replied, a sly grin on his face.
“Samuel Johnson? Clyde Anderson?” Icarus gaped at them, at a loss for words. “I—I trusted you both!”
“Icarus,” said Sharon in a serene voice. “The odds are on our side now. To fight or resist would be unwise. Your entourage,” she jerked her head at the crowd, “is no longer yours.”
Icarus stared blankly at the angry, tear-streaked faces of his once followers. Misery, helplessness, and frustration eclipsed the arrogance once dominating his features. “Fine. I give up. I yield everything to you, happy?” He said in a hollow voice.
For the first time, Icarus seemed truly pitiful. For a split second, Sharon almost felt like letting him off the hook. But she could not do that. She had to do justice to Misthills and Chelvicerra, two beautiful places that had been ravaged by his brutality, and also to the Vanquishers, who had been brainwashed by their tyrant.
“No, not yet. Until you’ve had your comeuppance.”
Panic dashed across Icarus’ face. “What—what will you do to me? No! I don’t want to die!”
“It would be the most fitting penalty for a murderer like you who’s desensitized to killing. But I never kill, Icarus Bones. Although Chelvicerra would be better off without a nuisance like you, it is against my nature to stoop to your level.” Sharon raised the staff that had once belonged to the Snow Giant. “Before I mesmerize you and wipe you of your memories, I want you to look at Samuel and Clyde and each and every one of your Vanquishers and think about what you have threatened them to do against their will….”
The rain came down harder, thumping on the leaves and spattering on the ground like hooves. Sharon could see threads of gray gliding from the heavens in the buttery yellow light. The lanterns seemed strangely unaffected by the heavy rain. They shone and glowed, beaming brighter than ever.
“Next, I want you to think about the innocent Chelvicerrans who have suffered from your cruelty.”
A gust of wind howled, its screams resonating among the trees like a thousand tortured souls. Sharon could’ve sworn she heard echoes and whispers, though it was perhaps a mere trick of the wind.
“No, stop….” Icarus moaned. “Stop!”
“Finally, I want—”
“I SAID STOP!” The horrified fairy clasped his hands to his ears, his eyes alight with fear.
“Finally,” said Sharon, raising her voice as she grabbed his shoulders and forced him to gaze into her eyes. “Finally, I want you to think of and apologize for each and every life you have taken. The Snow Giant, the innocent humans, and the Vanquishers who have died for you—”
Wailing like a banshee, the wind shrieked and screeched in everyone’s ears, all to the tune of rumbling thunder. Dangling from the branches, the lanterns quivered and swung back and forth as if maneuvered by some unseen force. The rain assailed the ecology lane, drenching the bystanders.
“No!” screamed Icarus. “No, that’s enough! That’s enough, I said!”
“It is not enough!” roared Sharon. “And it never will be! You killed all those people, and nothing can bring them back!” Her eyes flashed, and her hair flapped around her shoulders in anger. She raised the staff and traced her finger over the six-star-symbol—
At that moment, a blinding blood-red streak of lightning dived between two trees, aiming for Icarus. The fairy’s whole body seemed to glow from the sudden invasion of electricity. With an excruciating scream, he toppled to the ground, stumbled off the lane, and plummeted into the valley neighboring the narrow trail.
Nobody moved a muscle. Nobody uttered a word. The crowd was flabbergasted, dumbstruck, and appalled by what they had just witnessed.
“Justice,” muttered Sidney, who was hovering three feet above Sharon. “Got his well-deserved comeuppance, didn’t he?”
Sharon nodded, light-headed with relief. “It’s over. It’s all over.”
“You did it,” whispered Samuel. “I’m so proud of you.” He threw his arms around Sharon and planted a kiss on her lips.
But the two of them were squeezed apart by the throngs of leaguers who were hurrying over to congratulate Sharon. She hugged Eva, Felicia, Stephen, Cynthia, Alan, and every one of her friends, telling them without words how much she appreciated their presence and assistance.
“You did an outstanding job tonight,” she told the leaguers. “We’re lucky to have you with us.”
“They’re not going straight back to Chelvicerra now, are they?” Alan asked. “It’s five in the morning.”
“Not now. Alan, lead them all to the Misthills dorms. Ask Stephen and Felicia to guide you there. The leaguers deserve a good rest after everything that’s happened tonight.”
“Sure,” he said, unable to wipe the huge smile off his face. “See you tomorrow.”
Sharon waved at him, watching the leaguers trickle up the slopes and disappear behind the gate. She couldn’t help beaming as she thought of the normalcy she had fought so hard to restore. Imagining and dreaming of the merry days and tranquil nights yet to come, a soft grin curled her lips.
“S…Sharon?” an ogre called out to her.
She opened her eyes, meeting the gaze of a terrified Alexander.
“Please,” he implored, kneeling down. “Let us go…. We promise we won’t—”
The other Vanquishers fell to their knees as well, begs and pleas for mercy arising from them.
“Vanquishers,” said Sharon, holding up a hand to silence them. “Leave. You’re free.”
The cries of misery transitioned into sentiments of gratitude as the Vanquishers poured out of the ecology lane and headed back to the oak tree that led to Chelvicerra. Sharon could not help but feel sympathy for them. They had spent more than a decade serving Icarus, who showed as much mercy to his subordinates as his rivals.
“Sharon?” an unfamiliar voice called out to her. It was a tall fairy with a pixie cut.
“You are...?”
“Amelia. I was Icarus’ second-in-command, although I’m no Vanquisher. I’m a courtier who serves whoever rules Chelvicerra. I’m here because you, as Icarus’ conqueror, will inherit his position as the next ruler.”
“What?” Sharon replied, taken aback. “But I haven’t given that a thought—”
Amelia gave her a shiny smile. “The traditions our old Chelvicerran ancestors have set state clearly that the one who vanquishes the previous ruler shall inherit his or her kingship. Coronation will be scheduled the day after tomorrow, so be prepared to address your people. Ten in the morning at Icarus’ castle. Please come to Chelvicerra one-and-a-half hours early so we can get you prepared for the occasion.”
“But I’m not interested in inheriting the position of—”
“Way to go!” shouted Eva, giving her a high-five.
Samuel pulled Sharon into another hug and kissed her on both cheeks. “You are incredible!”
“You should have told us earlier. You’re going to rule Chelvicerra!” Sidney hollered, clapping his hands and jumping up and down in midair like a maniac.
Cheering and clapping, the others lined up to shake Sharon’s hand. Everyone was determined to express their affection for their new queen.
Everyone was willing to let her take the spotlight. But for some reason, Sharon could not be happy.
Cynthia, who happened to catch her eye at that moment, approached her. “What’s the matter?”
“I can already see the next war coming,” Sharon muttered to herself. “The fairies...they’ll be the first ones to overthrow us.”
“What are you talking about?” Cynthia asked.
“The Snow Giant hijacking Eva, Icarus’ regicide, and what he did to Chelvicerra…. These all happened because of the battles in history and the rivalry between fairies and humans. Don’t you understand? Someone’s got to do something, or I’ll be the next one to die. Someone has to put an end to that vicious cycle.”
Sharon glanced over her shoulder at the others, who were still celebrating and screaming nonsense, oblivious of the pending danger her new status would bring.
Cynthia slipped an arm around her. “I know, Sharon. I really understand.”
Sharon stared at the valley yawning below the ecology lane, disoriented. The sun was rising, blessing Misthills with its heavenly beams.
“I thought it was over,” Sharon murmured to herself.
But the truth was it wasn’t. Not quite.