The fairy folk, us fairy folk.
We laugh at the humans who think we’re a joke.
For we are real, so real you see.
See us as we flit from tree to tree.
Being reunited with his brother had brought about a strength in Ostephen that Deliah hadn’t yet seen. He was energized; he was hopeful; he believed in the power of miracles because he had just experienced one. There was no doubt in his mind that the light would triumph. They had made it to Rainbow’s Pass, and they had prepared as a kingdom for the ensuing battle. It was only a matter of weeks before they would reach the Dark Corner. All would be revealed; an end would be seen.
Deliah sat alone, gathering her thoughts and her own strength. She remembered something Papa would say whenever she would hear a story of a bad guy or a monster and get frightened. He would always hug her and say, “One light will always overpower any darkness. One light is all it takes. Just shine.”
“Papa,” Deliah said aloud, “please give me strength. I have a lot of people counting on me, and I don’t want to let anyone down. I refuse. I owe it to Faye. I owe it to my home.”
Papa appeared as a vision before her, and he said, “My sweet child, the light shines down, shines out, shines through. You’ve nothing to fear. Just be you.”
His words comforted her greatly, and her worries eased. Something inside her shifted from nervousness to determination.
“I’m ready for you,” she said. “I’m ready.”
• • •
The Dark King laughed as he heard the little girl’s words echo through his castle.
“Muahaha,” he roared as he gripped the sides of his throne so tightly that he tore the arms off. He tossed them to the ground.
Through scathing teeth, he said, “We’ll see! We’ll see!”
Raising his hands, he sent waves of lightning crashing through the Dark Kingdom, and all its inhabitants guffawed proudly as several trees split in two, caught on fire, and fell to the ground sizzling, leaving nothing but a trail of black soot in their place.
• • •
Sitting by the shore, Ostephen was filling Kristoff in on the events of the journey and was enjoying a few moments of rest when a giant sea turtle swam up to them.
“Hello, Duin. The sea sprites told me you popped in for a visit. Sorry I missed you earlier.”
“That’s all right,” Duin replied, putting a giant flipper on a rock to get a tad closer to them. Several sea sprites jumped up playfully next to him, splashing in the surf.
“Is that a sea sprite?” Deliah asked as she peered out. “They haven’t any wings! They’re so light!” A couple sea sprites waved to her and pretended they were surfing among the sea spray, while another was riding a seahorse.
“They’re actually the other reason I came to speak with you,” Duin said in his highly intelligent yet leisurely, professorlike drawl. “The sea sprites have received word from Dedrik the dragon that you should head to Mount Finity, home of the dragons. Dedrik has a gift for you, but I must warn you that Mount Finity is quite a trek, and you may tire easily.”
“No worries,” Edwin said, “I plan on sticking around this time. They need to conserve their energy, and a little extra protection couldn’t hurt either.”
“Very well,” Duin said.
The sea sprites waved and invited them into the water, shouting “Come on in, it’s fun!”
As Duin slowly slipped back into the water, he asked if Deliah wanted to come along for a ride with him. She grabbed on to his shell; the others jumped in as well. They all splashed playfully, forgetting for a short while about any worries. A starfish landed on Deliah’s forehead and peeked over her brow, bending a tentacle to say hello. Deliah giggled and floated on her back, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her face. Duin floated alongside her peacefully.
“I think you’ll find Dedrik and the dragons quite useful.”
“I’m not sure I care to see any dragons,” Deliah said slightly terrified.
Duin noticed Deliah’s hesitation and added, “Dragons tend to get portrayed as dark or dangerous, but they can serve as guides just like fairies or angels. Dedrik has much to offer. She is a wise one. She is the guardian of treasures and of hidden wisdom.”
After a calm hour spent basking in the afternoon sun with the sea folk, they collected their belongings, hopped on Edwin’s back, and took off for Mount Finity.