‹ Prequel: Shattering Crystals
Status: Active
Twisted Returns
she is our last hope
"One week?" I ask.
Alina does that thing where she seems to enter a different world, her gaze faraway. "Oh no..."
"Alina?" Marigold says. "What did you see?"
"A war... one week."
"Can it be prevented?"
"Afraid not. I don't know why they're waiting, though."
"Discuss it later," Marigold says, watching Lorraine lean against Cody, her eyes closed. "I have to find everyone a room."
----
I'm woken up by a loud bell. Like the screeching emergency alarm before, only less... screechy. I can't find where it's coming from.
"Good morning, Crystallaria," Marigold's voice says. "As you may know, that Crystal Palace was under attack last night. Unfortunately... between last night and this morning, sixteen years have passed. For more information on this, please tune in to the emergency channel."
I look around in my room. I suppose the box resembling a television actually is a television. I wonder how to turn it on.
Marigold continues. "Emergency procedures are in process. Instructions will arrive at homes in about an hour - please do not panic. Attack is expected in a week, and we are assembling defenders."
I imagine being a regular citizen, without any knowledge of this situation. All this is being dumped on them... and everything seemed so normal last night. I wouldn't believe it. I would think it's all a joke. In fact, I'm still waiting to open my eyes and be back in my tiny bedroom.
"Our efforts are not for nothing. Princess Diana remains safe. Remember, she is the light and life of Crystallaria. When it comes down to it all, she is our last hope." The bell rings again and the room is silent.
Replaying Marigold's words in my head, it doesn't feel like she's speaking about me. Maybe I used to be the light and life of Crystallaria. Maybe I used to inspire hope in the planet's people. But right now, I don't feel like any of that. I just feel weak.
When Marigold showed me to my room, it all fascinated me. I wanted to go through all of my possessions, to find out what kind of person I used to be. Unfortunately, I fell asleep the second I tried the ultra soft bed.
There's a guard outside of my bedroom, and probably many people waiting for me with words of praise. But somehow, I don't feel like socializing.
Instead, I head into the bathroom. It's not much different than a bathroom on Earth. A huge, luxurious bathroom that is. It follows the theme of blue ice.
Inside, there's a walk-in closet. The closet is illuminated by tiny diamonds hanging from the ceiling, all glowing from within. There are clothes in all colors, for every occasion. Some styles are bizarre, others close to the clothes I had arrived in. I pick out a yellow dress that I have a vague memory of wearing,
The air in Crystallaria is cooler than I'm used to, so I quickly strip down, get in the shower, and shut the glass door. I back away, preparing for cold water, but when I turn the knob, I find out that the water is the perfect temperature for me. Nice.
I quickly wash my hair with sweet smelling shampoo. I stand under the stream of water for a few minutes, then realize I forgot a towel. I sigh, and turn around to find towels appearing on a shelf behind me. This place really does have everything.
I turn off the water and grab a white towel, drying myself off and getting dressed. I walk over to the sink, finding a wide-toothed comb on the counter next to it. I run it through my hair, knowing that getting the knots out will be painful. But as I comb my hair, it untangles and dries itself.
How did I live without this? I head back into my bedroom with my dirty clothes in my arms. There seems to be no place to put them, so I drop them on the floor and head for the door. Then I remember the necklace.
I wave my hand to bring the jeans towards me. Still nothing. Maybe this room is magic-proof too. But Marigold told me how I would be in here for hours, just practicing magic.
I go back and pick them up, fishing around in the pocket. I pull out the necklace to unshrink it. But again, the spell doesn't work.
I rush to find Marigold. A few people wait outside, including my guard, Katie. She looks tired, like she stayed up all night. Which she probably did.
"Good morning," I greet everyone. They all smile and reply. I keep smiling until they get the hint that I want them to leave. After a few minutes, I'm left standing alone with Katie.
"Do you need anything, Princess Diana?"
"Uhh... call me Dana."
"I heard about that," she says, a small frown on her face. "The whole story, I mean."
"Yeah..." I don't exactly know how to respond to that. A silence follows.
"So, did you need anything?" she asks a few moments later.
"Yeah. Do you know where Marigold is?"
"She's in her study. I'll take you there."
----
"Katie, you should get some rest," Marigold says, shutting the door of her study. I sit down in a green cushioned chair by her desk, looking around. There are books everywhere.
"So, what did you need?" Marigold asks, also sitting down.
I hold out my wrist to her, which has the necklace around it. I supposed it works as a bracelet, but I can't read the words.
"Oh, yes, I remember that. You can't keep him out of your head, am I right?" she asks, concerned. "There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry."
"I know," I say, feeling the lump rise in my throat. I wish she hadn't brought that up. "It's just... I can't unshrink it. The necklace just stays the same size. I can't do any spells at all."
"That could be due to stress, sweetie."
"But I don't feel stressed. I feel... weird."
"Here, I know a spell that will help." She takes my hands in hers and closes her eyes, murmuring something in a language I don't understand. A few seconds later, her eyes fly open. "Dana, your powers... they're gone."
Alina does that thing where she seems to enter a different world, her gaze faraway. "Oh no..."
"Alina?" Marigold says. "What did you see?"
"A war... one week."
"Can it be prevented?"
"Afraid not. I don't know why they're waiting, though."
"Discuss it later," Marigold says, watching Lorraine lean against Cody, her eyes closed. "I have to find everyone a room."
----
I'm woken up by a loud bell. Like the screeching emergency alarm before, only less... screechy. I can't find where it's coming from.
"Good morning, Crystallaria," Marigold's voice says. "As you may know, that Crystal Palace was under attack last night. Unfortunately... between last night and this morning, sixteen years have passed. For more information on this, please tune in to the emergency channel."
I look around in my room. I suppose the box resembling a television actually is a television. I wonder how to turn it on.
Marigold continues. "Emergency procedures are in process. Instructions will arrive at homes in about an hour - please do not panic. Attack is expected in a week, and we are assembling defenders."
I imagine being a regular citizen, without any knowledge of this situation. All this is being dumped on them... and everything seemed so normal last night. I wouldn't believe it. I would think it's all a joke. In fact, I'm still waiting to open my eyes and be back in my tiny bedroom.
"Our efforts are not for nothing. Princess Diana remains safe. Remember, she is the light and life of Crystallaria. When it comes down to it all, she is our last hope." The bell rings again and the room is silent.
Replaying Marigold's words in my head, it doesn't feel like she's speaking about me. Maybe I used to be the light and life of Crystallaria. Maybe I used to inspire hope in the planet's people. But right now, I don't feel like any of that. I just feel weak.
When Marigold showed me to my room, it all fascinated me. I wanted to go through all of my possessions, to find out what kind of person I used to be. Unfortunately, I fell asleep the second I tried the ultra soft bed.
There's a guard outside of my bedroom, and probably many people waiting for me with words of praise. But somehow, I don't feel like socializing.
Instead, I head into the bathroom. It's not much different than a bathroom on Earth. A huge, luxurious bathroom that is. It follows the theme of blue ice.
Inside, there's a walk-in closet. The closet is illuminated by tiny diamonds hanging from the ceiling, all glowing from within. There are clothes in all colors, for every occasion. Some styles are bizarre, others close to the clothes I had arrived in. I pick out a yellow dress that I have a vague memory of wearing,
The air in Crystallaria is cooler than I'm used to, so I quickly strip down, get in the shower, and shut the glass door. I back away, preparing for cold water, but when I turn the knob, I find out that the water is the perfect temperature for me. Nice.
I quickly wash my hair with sweet smelling shampoo. I stand under the stream of water for a few minutes, then realize I forgot a towel. I sigh, and turn around to find towels appearing on a shelf behind me. This place really does have everything.
I turn off the water and grab a white towel, drying myself off and getting dressed. I walk over to the sink, finding a wide-toothed comb on the counter next to it. I run it through my hair, knowing that getting the knots out will be painful. But as I comb my hair, it untangles and dries itself.
How did I live without this? I head back into my bedroom with my dirty clothes in my arms. There seems to be no place to put them, so I drop them on the floor and head for the door. Then I remember the necklace.
I wave my hand to bring the jeans towards me. Still nothing. Maybe this room is magic-proof too. But Marigold told me how I would be in here for hours, just practicing magic.
I go back and pick them up, fishing around in the pocket. I pull out the necklace to unshrink it. But again, the spell doesn't work.
I rush to find Marigold. A few people wait outside, including my guard, Katie. She looks tired, like she stayed up all night. Which she probably did.
"Good morning," I greet everyone. They all smile and reply. I keep smiling until they get the hint that I want them to leave. After a few minutes, I'm left standing alone with Katie.
"Do you need anything, Princess Diana?"
"Uhh... call me Dana."
"I heard about that," she says, a small frown on her face. "The whole story, I mean."
"Yeah..." I don't exactly know how to respond to that. A silence follows.
"So, did you need anything?" she asks a few moments later.
"Yeah. Do you know where Marigold is?"
"She's in her study. I'll take you there."
----
"Katie, you should get some rest," Marigold says, shutting the door of her study. I sit down in a green cushioned chair by her desk, looking around. There are books everywhere.
"So, what did you need?" Marigold asks, also sitting down.
I hold out my wrist to her, which has the necklace around it. I supposed it works as a bracelet, but I can't read the words.
"Oh, yes, I remember that. You can't keep him out of your head, am I right?" she asks, concerned. "There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry."
"I know," I say, feeling the lump rise in my throat. I wish she hadn't brought that up. "It's just... I can't unshrink it. The necklace just stays the same size. I can't do any spells at all."
"That could be due to stress, sweetie."
"But I don't feel stressed. I feel... weird."
"Here, I know a spell that will help." She takes my hands in hers and closes her eyes, murmuring something in a language I don't understand. A few seconds later, her eyes fly open. "Dana, your powers... they're gone."
♠ ♠ ♠
Fun fact - In Shattering Crystals, their former personalities slowly start melting in with their human personalities, but you have to read carefully to notice.