Phantasia

Phantasia paced around her room, staying as far away from the balcony as possible. Watching Queen Thetis and King Nereus marshal their troops, while she was confined to her room was far too frustrating. Faye occasionally relayed news about the situation, but she picked up on Phantasia’s mood and remained silent for most part.

“I don’t understand it!” said Phantasia, aware that she had been repeating the same statement for a while now, “I don’t understand why people want to fight, but at the same time I want to fight myself! If I wanted everyone to get along, then why am I so frustrated? Why do I want to be out there with Dionysus so badly?”

“It is logical to protect your assets,” said Faye, “I do not understand your frustration, as it would be illogical for you to fight. Until your abilities are more fully understood, you cannot be a part of any planned strategy.”

If only Phantasia could think like the water faeries! She couldn’t grasp this whole ‘logic’ thing, no matter how hard she tried. She kicked some water against the wall and watched it drip down the spiralling patterns, then she disappeared into her rest chamber. A few moments later she re-emerged, having replaced her regal gown for something more casual. The clothes were unlike anything faeries wore, and were more akin to the sorts of fashion associated with humans. Faye gave her a disapproving look.

“By leaving the palace, you are directly ignoring the orders of the Queen,” she said, “It will be my duty to inform her.”

“They won’t have the resources to come after me,” smirked Phantasia, “You make sure you tell them that. I don’t want them changing their logical strategies because of me. I can look after myself!”

She slipped over to the balcony and surveyed the courtyard below. King Nereus was standing at the crest of the waterfall, Dionysus and his companions at his side. Outside the palace walls, troops of faeries from the other three Queendoms were gathering.

“You will not be able to escape the palace unnoticed,” said Faye.

As the king led the water faeries to join the other troops, Phantasia flipped over the balcony. She took a last look back at her frowning handmaiden and gave her a wicked smile.

“I can try.”

Much to Phantasia’s surprise, Faye was wrong. Though there were plenty of the Queen’s guards watching over every spiral and crack of the palace, she managed to pass them by without any difficulty whatsoever. Maybe they simply weren’t looking out for her. Maybe they were focused entirely on spotting stray demons. Maybe it was just her unique powers. She didn’t have time to ponder the possibilities, as the amassed faerie troops were already preparing for the assault. Phantasia sat on a rock at the edge of the island, the ocean cascading down into the abyss before her, to watch the battle unfold. Now she was out of the palace, she didn’t really know what to do except wait. Maybe Faye was right about her uselessness after all?

Then it started. The fire faeries dived towards the lower planes, charging into battle with their characteristic passion and pride. No sooner had they begun, than Cecaelia’s island fortress came crashing up from the Underworld, sending resonating waves through the aether. Small island outposts were smashed by the hulking rock, and soon demons were pouring out of caves and crevices that scarred its surface. Minor demons, thought Phantasia, barely worthy of effort. Cecaelia couldn’t have had much luck enticing any demons worth their while into her schemes.

The rest of the troops followed the brash fire faeries into battle. As Phantasia expected, the strategy employed by King Nereus was working perfectly. Simply by his presence on the battlefield, he had played on Cecaelia’s disgust with her former Queendom, and she had sent all her forces to meet his own. Each element worked together to cover their weaknesses, and without a genius like Nereus to control them, the demons were easily outclassed.

Chapter 1
Previous / Continue
(page 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8)