Fer.al Series #2 - The Blood Tundra

Chapter 13: Ex Nihilo

"Fata Morgana!" Lillie cried when she spotted her Sapnap-like friend. Or just friend? She felt something she never felt before with Robin or anyone. The urge of protection.But she shook it off. Big reunion time.

The Kitsune was perched on a high ledge. "Lillie!" With a joyful cry, they lept down.

Right into the way of a soaring dagger.

"Fata Morgana!" Lillie was horrified when red rain splattered down onto her. The dagger was jabbed into the Kitsune's side, as they went limp in Lillie's paws. Lillie tried to pull it out. To her surprise, the Kitsune didn't squirm or scream or twitch, as red spilled out of the wound, soaking Lillie's fur while she held the dagger and flung it at the fallen wall.

"Lillie," Fata Morgana said with what little strength they had, and raised one paw to touch Lillie's face. "I protected you. I loved you. My mission is complete." The pixel flame atop their head flickered once more, then dimmed.

"No, Fata Morgana!" Lillie set down the Kitsune and buried her head into their chest. Sparks are immortal. No-sparks die off naturally. Lillie thought that she would say goodbye to Fata Morgana eons later. Not today. Not in this joyful celebration of victory.

Lillie looked at the fallen wall. Tynim was definitely crushed under there. Killed before Lillie would kill her. Of course, Tynim planned this. Severely wounding Fata Morgana, in exchange for her death and defeat. Why didn't Lillie prevent this? She could've caught the dagger in mid-air, either with her paw or with her chest.

Fata Morgana risked everything to protect her, and she failed to protect them.

"Anyone have medicine? Healing potions?" Lillie screamed, a desperate scream.

"I've got some," Arc pulled out a green vial, but Pug stopped them before they could reach Lillie. "This is for Sparks. They're a No-Spark, and this could harm them even more."

"Fata Morgana!" Lillie was sobbing.

Far and away, shadows withered away, revealing colorful animals in the places of the Wingwatcher soldiers. "Where are we..." a pink Kirin asked another yellow Senri, who was puzzled and shook his head at her. The Wingwatchers were free. Tynim died, along with her spell that controlled the Wingwatchers. Along with Lillie's friend, or lover? Lillie questioned herself if she actually loved Fata Morgana.

"Anyone? Anyone help me?" Lillie howled, desperate.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think so."

A blue star fell from the sky, illuminating the place in a cyan blue light. A small Kitsune, not much bigger than Lillie formed in the light. Fera tossed her head back and sat regally.

"Why care about them so much? They're just a No-Spark, fullfilling another mission, just like they did millions of times."

"Excuse me," Lillie flared at Fera. "MILLIONS OF TIMES?"

Lillie would rage at the guardian spirit. She would rage at anyone if they said something bad about Fata Morgana. She is in love with them, she suddenly realised.

"Yeah, millions of times," Fera paced around, each step as if shaking the Vault. "I revive them and erase their memory each time so they don't remember it." she said in a playful voice, as if Fata Morgana was just a doll, a doll to change clothes and play with, a doll that could stand their memories erased again and again and never get tired of it.

Fata Morgana whimpered.

"Please please please, Fera," Lillie stepped back and begged. Lillie before would never beg. But seeing this goddess she imagined to be caring and merciful...do this...to a Kitsune she dearly loves...and she can do nothing about it, couldn't fight her...

"Fata Morgana, I loved you..."

Lillie whispered into the ear of the Kitsune, as Fera waved her paw. The pixel flame flew off Fata Morgana's head and landed in Fera's paw, and then shattered. Shattered along with Lillie's heart.

"Can't you let them stay with me?" Lillie pleaded. Tears dripped down onto the lifeless body of the Kitsune. White with red and orange flame markings. Black cuffs. A black flame scarf. The same look as when Lillie first saw them rescue her from Wingwatchers. The red eyes fluttered shut. "Stay with me? Live a happy life without missions? I loved them, and they loved me."

"Sorry," Fera's face was stern. "Missions is their purpose."

"Well I don't think it's a bad idea,"

Another beam of light landed nearby, materialising into a red Kitsune.

"My...my...sister?" Fera stammered. "I thought you were..."

"Gone, lost, 'banished into the Blood Tundra', huh?" Aref flicked her tail in a playful way. "No. Those were lies. Anyhow, I think you should focus on reviving this Kitsune. Then give her to me."

"Fata Morgana is mine," Fera shouted at Aref. Lillie couldn't believe her eyes. Feral's two guardian spirits fighting over a toy. But not a toy. A Kitsune. Lillie's love. It was both funny and heartbreaking.

Fera lost the battle, as she skittered over to Lillie. Lillie backed off, and Fata Morgana's dead body rose to their paws. The same pose was held for a minute or two, Lillie lost count. Then Fera's cold blue eyes glanced over to Lillie.

"Do you want to keep their look?"

Fera's voice dripped like icicles onto the stone floor. "Seriously? I spent hours on that!" Aref protested. But Fera didn't listen to her sister, she kept her eyes fixed on Lillie.

"Yes."

Lillie realised that the first animal Aref turned into a Sapnap fan was herself.

"If you wish," Fera sat and held up a paw, producing another pixel flame, bright and healthy just like when Lillie first saw it on Fata Morgana. "Sorry, Lillie, but I'll have to erase their memories, whether or not it's okay with you."

Lillie watched as it slowly floated towards her Kitsune. Her Fata Morgana not remembering anything. Including herself, including their name.

It was worth it.

Suddenly there was a bam. Aref smacked the pixel image out of its path and crushed it under one paw. "AREF!!" both Fera and Lillie shouted in shock. Lillie was flaring up. Aref. Aref caused everything. Aref didn't want Fata Morgana back. Aref wanted the world to be destroyed.

Aref does not want her to love.

"What, what can you do about it?" Aref smiled smugly. Just when Lillie was about to barrel into her, Aref held up one paw, and in the paw was a bright red Spark.

"Welcome to Fer.al, Fata Morgana."