In the dense forest of the island of Agua, Freya, Lint, Teron, and Ofiliya lay unconscious and wounded on the ground. The soldiers from the island of Diya, sent by the Rajah and Rajahin, had also perished. The soil had turned to mud, soaked in the red liquid that covered it.
Only Fynilopi remained standing, her body stiff as she surveyed the scene. She no longer had the ability to move swiftly, and her blue eyes no longer glowed, rendering her unable to read the enemy's movements. She clenched her fists, her body radiating heat from her anger.
Finally, the enemy who had abducted her, her brother, and her friends turned to face her. "You are not my father! He is gone and will never return. You shameless impostor!"
"Fynilopi, after all the years I protected the kingdom, they abandoned me! They—"
"You're despicable! You’re using my father's abilities and body. He is gone! Let him rest!" Fynilopi shouted, and the red liquid from the fallen knights and soldiers began to float around her.
Unknowingly, she manipulated the surrounding liquid with her intense anger. "I will make sure you harm no one else."
"Fynilopi, come with me, and bring Freya. We will continue Princess Heri—" Before he could finish his sentence, a red sword pierced his chest.
Fynilopi's blue eyes turned blood-red. Her right hand raised, and above it floated numerous red swords. "You’ve hurt Freya. Even if you were my father, I will never forgive you."
A fiery mixture of rage and grief stabbed repeatedly at Fyn’s heart as she looked at her father, now drenched in the blood of Fyn’s comrades. If they were to meet again, why in such a way?
Seron manipulated the water around him, sending a surging wave towards Fynilopi. She immediately manipulated the blood surrounding Freya, creating a barrier for the survivors.
Before the water could hit Fynilopi, it stopped. Green crystals appeared, encasing the knights and soldiers, including Freya's group.
"Fyn, I'm sorry. We just found out," Fleen said, walking to Fynilopi's side.
The red swords vanished, and Fynilopi’s eyes returned to their normal color. She would have collapsed from exhaustion if not for Ghilarre, who caught her. She now leaned against his chest, cradled in his arm. "It's okay, Fyn. We're here now."
"Fleen, I'm glad you arrived. Join me in continuing Princess Heri—"
"Shut up! This isn’t something my father would do."
___________
A few minutes ago, Queen Astrala, Fleen, and Ghilarre stood before a giant, rainbow-colored crystal. They looked up as a crack appeared in it. Astrala knelt on the crystal she stood upon.
"It seems my time is near. I will soon join them," she said with a smile, surprising her companions.
"Wait, what about Herica? She needs to return, and that other Herica needs to disappear." Fleen looked around, unable to think of a way to prolong Astrala's life.
"Yes, you know we can't handle her, and I can't use the Manipulator's Garden like you can," Ghilarre added.
They received only a soft laugh from Astrala. She sat on her crystal and looked up at the large crystal. "The Herica of the past has rested. I can no longer feel her aura within the crystal."
Queen Astrala removed the crystal, and an unconscious Herica fell from it. Before she could hit the water, Fleen manipulated the water to form wings, swiftly catching her.
As they landed on the ocean, the part they stood on turned to ice. Astrala watched them with a warm smile on her lips, while Ghilarre looked at her with raised eyebrows.
"Queen Astrala?"
"I knew that if those events hadn’t happened, Herica and Hydron would still end up together."
"Why is that?"
Astrala looked up at him. "In our family, women with the ability to manipulate crystals end up like me. And we often die early, usually around twenty-eight years old. But for me, it seems my time is now."
"Please don't," Herica interjected, standing on the crystal with Fleen's help. "Herica told me she was happy during the times she spent with you."
Astrala nodded, her smile widening. "I'm sure she was worried I wouldn’t forgive her, but she needn't worry. Though I can't forget what she did, I forgive her."
"There's something else. I have the ability to manipulate dreams... sort of. And I saw in Herica's memories while she was in my body that they created a replica of the former Chief Knight," Herica added.
"What do you mean?" Fleen asked.
Herica turned to him and held his hand, worry evident in her eyes. "I'm sure one of your siblings is in his grasp now."
"Fynilopi?" Ghilarre whispered, and they turned their gazes toward the island of Agua.
They could still see the island, but they heard nothing. It seemed peaceful, as the inhabitants stayed inside their dwellings. Ghilarre clenched his fists, and Fleen's eyes blazed with determination.
"I won't let anything happen to my siblings because of that impostor."
Herica nodded. "Hurry, Fleen. You might be too late."
"What about you?"
"Queen Astrala and I will go to the former hiding place of the Voice of the Moon. We need to destroy Herica's book. It’s the only way. So, while we do that, stop him from hurting anyone else," Herica said with a smile.