Lady Eudore was waiting for Faye when she returned to her study. A faerie in her fourth-instar, she lacked the sparkling beauty of a Princess or the majesty of the Queen, but her cobalt hair still glistened with a light only possessed by those in the Royal Court.

“You have been chosen,” she said, “Queen Thetis has seen your potential and has selected you to be sole handmaiden to the new Princess, Phantasia.”

This did not make sense. Of all the hopefuls Faye was the third youngest and least gifted. She did not even understand why her name had been put forward. Perhaps that Phantasia was not a Water faerie, but a strange faerie of unknown origin, had a role to play in this decision.

“That is not so,” said Lady Eudore, “You have great potential that you do not acknowledge.”

“To assume I will have abilities in the future that I do not have now is not a reasonable statement,” said Faye, “It requires faith. Faith requires belief in the unknown. To believe in something that is not known is an illogical action,”

“That is why you have been selected.” said Lady Eudore.

***

Lady Thalassa of the Holy Sanctuary was one of the oldest of all faeries. For over seven hundred years she had stood watch over the giant arched doorway at the height of the Water Palace. With a direct connection to the Guardian who resided in the Sanctuary, her knowledge of what lie between the Innerworld and the Goddess herself was unparalleled even by Queen Thetis. Her brilliant cerulean eyes shone through holes in a horned mask, part of the cetacean armour modelled after the Guardian she served.

“This Trial shall be a test of your worthiness,” she explained, “Should you fail, you shall be cast back into the rivers of life. Should you succeed then your audience with the Guardian shall bestow upon you the gift of evolution.”

Before Faye could accept her role as handmaiden, she had to pass the Trial. Every faerie of the second-instar who was destined for more had to go through this rite of passage to be deemed worthy of a third-instar. Faye did not know what awaited her beyond the giant, majestic doors engraved with the symbol of the Guardian, but that lack of knowledge itself was a part of the Trial. Learning, adapting and understanding were all key requirements for reaching the Holy Sanctuary and Faye was not skilled enough in any of these to pass, but to refuse the call would be to suggest Queen Thetis’s choice was wrong. Faye could not exist knowing a child such as herself could suggest such a thing.

“Do not be afraid,” said Lady Thalassa, “Your hesitation is understandable but you have been selected by the Queen herself. If she did not know you were capable of this task you would not be here,”

“Now,” she continued, “Permit me to open the doorway to our holy land.”

As she stepped aside a thin line of blue light severed the crest of the Guardian in two. Then the two doors began to part, flooding the chamber with the nebulous light from the world beyond. At first all Faye could see was the drifting, pulsating currents of blue-tinted mana but as the view widened she could make out a transparent stairway leading from the doorway into the ethereal abyss. Far in the distance, at the stairway’s end, a solitary island sat floating on the currents. Faye looked towards Lady Thalassa for guidance.

“Everything is now up to you,” she explained, “My part in this is over. Now step into the otherworld and begin your journey to a new understanding of yourself and your nature,”

Faye took a few slow steps forward as she stared at the vast path ahead of her. As soon as she stepped over the line there would be no going back: she would either succeed or fail, and to fail would be to fail the Queen herself. Taking a deep breath, Faye increased her pace to a run.

Chapter 38
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