Polly flapped her wings and soared into the air, flying swiftly toward the volcano as the roars and screams of the Moonlight Fae on the ground grew louder.
Polly skillfully dodged the bursts of magma and fiery sparks shooting from the crater, the heat intensifying with every second.
This time, however, the volcano’s eruptions were even more fierce than before. It was as if the volcano itself had been stirred into rage, its fiery wrath reflecting the chaos unfolding that night.
“Princess, can you handle the heat?” Broken asked.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she replied.
As they reached the volcano’s interior, they spotted an iron cage to one side, surrounded by a barrier of pulsing purple energy.
Polly landed at the edge, and Broken quickly dismounted, his eyes fixed on the figure within the cage.
Inside the cage, a Fae with tangled blonde hair and tattered clothes hung suspended, her arms stretched out, hands clasped in opposite directions. It was Elaine, motionless, and still in her original form.
“Elaine,” Broken whispered, rushing to the iron cage.
A glance at his Affinity status with Elaine showed a reading of 72%.
“I think there’s still a chance.”
He approached the iron cage, noting the bars were as thick as his thigh, yet spaced widely enough for him to slip through. A mysterious energy barrier enveloped the cage, blocking entry and escape alike.
“Elaine… Can you hear me?” he called softly.
Elaine stirred, her face lifting slowly. Her pale, tear-streaked face came into view.
“Broken… you finally came,” she whispered, her eyes bruised and swollen, evidence of how long she’d been crying.
Alora stepped closer to Broken, inspecting the barrier surrounding the cage.
“Broken, we need to find a way to bring down this barrier.”
But before she could finish, Broken had already managed to slide between the bars and step inside the cage effortlessly, ignoring the protective barrier.
Alora’s eyes widened in shock as she reflexively touched the barrier. A sudden, intense force erupted, blasting her backward several feet.
“Princess, don’t!” Broken spun around, attempting to warn her, but it was already too late. “Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she replied with a sigh, brushing herself off. “I forgot that you can slip through things like this.” She managed a small smile. “Alright then, good luck there.”
Broken turned his attention back to Elaine.
Both of her hands were tightly cuffed, pulled in opposite directions, and her body hung limply, her face drawn and weary, shadowed by a deep frown.
“Broken…” she murmured softly. “Did you come to take revenge for what the Moonlight Fae did to you?”
He stepped closer, standing directly in front of her now. For a moment, he was silent, searching for the right words.
“I’m sorry for everything that happened, Broken…” she whispered again.
“Did you know that all the Faeries outside have turned into Eternal Flame, Elaine?” he finally said.
Her eyes widened slightly. “I don’t know what’s happening outside, but… I can feel them. I can sense them calling my name, hoping for my help.”
Her face was alarmingly pale, her expression pained.
“But I’m completely helpless here,” she said, her voice breaking. “I’m the most useless
leader to them… I brought this curse upon them… this misery…”
Broken was silent for a moment, then pressed on. “Is it true that Morel orchestrated all of this without your approval? Where were you when they sent the Forest Guardians to attack my territory?”
Elaine shook her head slowly, her face filled with regret. “I was powerless… unable to do anything,” she replied.
“I surrendered when they forced me to oppose them… I couldn’t stand against them,” she admitted.
“So now all of the Faeries have turned into Eternal Flames, including Morel, Cedric, Cecilia,” he continued. “But you told me only one Fae could turn each full moon. Do you have any idea how to fix this, Elaine?”
Elaine shook her head. “This has never happened before, Broken… this is the first time all the Fae have transformed into Eternal Flame. I don’t know how to stop it,” she said quietly. “What if we do the Faery Bonding, and I end your life while you’re in the Eternal Flame state? Do you think that might save the others?”
“I’m willing to try anything if it might save the Moonlight Fae,” she replied.
“Then we’ll do it,” Broken said. “I believe this is the only way.”
Broken’s final words came with a heavy weight, as if something deeply unsettling gnawed at his heart. The situation was devastating-Cedric and Cecilia had already transformed, and he didn’t know if there was still hope for them.
And Elaine… within minutes, she, too, would be taken over by the Eternal Flame. If he failed to form the Bonding before that happened, things could end in disaster-worse than anything he’d yet faced.
This was the only chance he could think of, his one shot at possibly saving them all. The pressure was immense, but he knew he had to try.
Elaine shook her head slowly. “You still came here, even though we betrayed your trust. You
came to save us… risking yourself…”
“Not exactly,” Broken replied quietly.
Elaine’s expression turned curious, searching his face.
“There’s something I need from the Fae, and I’ll be rewarded if I succeed in this mission. So, you could say I’m doing this for my own benefit,” he continued.
Elaine paused, her gaze locking with his for a moment.
“I’m not saying it to make you feel any less regret. It’s just the truth, Elaine-I’m only doing what benefits me.”
A faint smile tugged at her lips. “You’re honest with your words, Broken… I admire that.”
Keeping an eye on his Affinity with her, Broken watched it tick up, hoping it would reach eighty percent before time ran out.
But before he could fully assess the increase, a loud explosion echoed behind him. He spun around to see three Eternal Flame beasts advancing, with levels averaging around 200.
“Princess Alora?!”
Broken called out, realizing the urgency of the situation. He was cornered by the grim
decision should he continue the Bonding process with Elaine or assist Alora against the
advancing beasts?
Gritting his teeth, he whispered, “Polly, Pawpaw, Blaze… do everything you can to protect the
princess!”