Phantasia

According to Faye, the best way to stop the ritual was from the fringe plane. The Water faerie had already formulated a plan to both save the sacrifices and cause the spell to backfire on the shamans and their demon master.

“We must break the circle,” she’d said as they hurried from the underground shelter through the nearest exit, “Each element controls a different aspect of the manifestation – if we remove just one, we reduce the final product of the ritual. The more we remove, the less effective it shall be. Destroy all four elemental nodes and we break the spell completely,”

Whether they had the time – or power – to deactivate four leansídhe-powered points of mana, however, was another question entirely. Leaving even one intact would have dangerous consequences for the sacrifices, from turning them into demons, condemning them to living an eternal nightmare, or melting their bodies together into a schizophrenic amalgam. And to make things worse, Phoenie and the others would be making their own way into the underground, unaware of what awaited them.

“You’re absolutely sure the warning will get through to them?” asked Phantasia.

“It shall,” replied Faye as they reach the church.

Phantasia didn’t want to stop. She wanted to rush to the fringe plane just as she’d wanted to rush to the World’s End straight after the Academy day was over, but once again Faye held her back.

“It is of utmost importance, now more than ever, that we are both fully replenished,” she said, “I shall meditate in the waters for a short time. I suggest you focus your strength within the church. If we are entering the fringe plane we will need as much mana as we can possibly contain,”

Phantasia scowled at the thought of wasting more time, but Faye was right. Even her handmaiden didn’t know what dangers awaited them on the edge of the Outerworld – a golem would the first of their worries. As Faye settled down to restore the mana she’d exerted, Phantasia paced back and forth along the church aisle, preoccupied with thoughts of Phoenie leading everyone into a trap. When Faye returned, twenty minutes later, Phantasia was ready to leave in a blur to make Hermia and Korrigan proud.

With their natural grace the two faeries swept through the cellars and crypts like the crashing waves of a flood, passing through the study and into the tower. Spiralling downwards into the very fringes of the Outerworld, with the flow of mana turning to a rushing current.,Phantasia raised her defences to cover them both – for what little good it would do – and hoped that, if they were fast enough, they could perhaps sweep past the golem before it could react…

But the stone guardian, standing tall in the archway leading to the castle, remained motionless as they approached. Phantasia tiptoed closer, recalling how Hermia And Horatio had come under sudden attack, but the golem was as still as the statue it resembled. Even its crystalline arms, usually shimmering with life, were dulled.

“It would appear this golem has been sealed,” said Faye, moving fearlessly towards the body, “Princess, can you focus you sight on this plane?”

Chapter 47
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