The Queen of Energy

chapter 5: Regroup!

Aisha lay back on her bed, sipping the steaming herbal tea her mother had brewed. Her body still felt the lingering sting from Dark Q's attack, but the tea and a moment of peace were starting to calm her.

"How are you feeling, daughter?" Niobe asked, her voice full of concern as she perched at the edge of the bed.

"Better," Aisha replied with a small smile. But her eyes narrowed, a spark of fire lighting up behind them. "Thank you. We needed to regroup after what that clone did to us. We can't let her get away with it. We have to pay her back!"

Teredor, standing near the door, turned his attention to Electra, who was sitting at the window, scribbling thoughtfully in her journal. Her face was serene, her brow barely furrowed as the pen glided smoothly across the pages.

"And how about you, Electra?" Teredor asked gently, watching the 24-year-old fairy of energy closely.

Electra's pen paused momentarily, but her calm eyes remained fixed on the horizon outside the window. "I'm fine," she said softly, though her tone held a weight of reflection. "Just... deep in thought."

Niobe, ever the keen observer, tilted her head as she studied Electra. "Earning complete Enchantix powers seems to have calmed you in a way we haven't seen before," she noted, with a smile of pride. "Last time you were here, you were more impulsive... more aggressive. I'm impressed by the way you've changed. Patience and strategy have done wonders for you! How's your mother handling everything?"

Electra sighed deeply, the pen now resting in her lap. She closed the journal and met Niobe's gaze. "She's furious, as always. It's hard to be around her when she's like that. But... she told me something I never knew about her, something I'm still trying to wrap my head around." She took a breath before continuing, "She's still struggling with incomplete Enchantix powers."

A hush fell over the room as Electra's words sank in. Even Aisha's usual fire was momentarily dampened by surprise.

Niobe's face softened with sympathy. "I see..." she said quietly, her eyes reflecting memories long past. "It's a long story, Electra, and it happened before you were even born."

Electra leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "What happened?"

Flashback to 1980, Aria's third year at Alfea:

The sky was dark, thunder rumbling as a shadow monster loomed over Niobe and Aria. The battlefield was chaotic, but Aria's blood was boiling. Without a second thought, she lunged toward the monster, fists clenched tight.

"Get away from my sister, you creep!" she roared, her battle cry echoing across the field. She unleashed a fierce punch, putting all her rage into the blow. The impact shook the air, but something felt off—wrong.

Niobe ran toward her sister, her voice strained with worry. "Aria, you can't just throw punches without thinking! Is that really necessary?" she asked, trying to reason with her.

But Aria barely glanced at her. "I don't need a plan. I have sheer force and Enchantix powers," she snapped, her eyes wild with anger. "Now stay out of my way, unless you want to get hurt!"

Before Niobe could respond, a calm voice cut through the chaos like a blade. "Aria, stop," Arcadia said, her words sharp but steady. She stood just behind them, her posture regal yet weighed down with a heaviness that only someone with knowledge of the future could carry.

Aria, still seething, turned toward Arcadia. "What?" she demanded.

Arcadia's eyes softened with pity as she spoke, "I have something important to tell you, Aria—about your Enchantix powers."

Aria's expression shifted, curiosity fighting with irritation. "What about them?"

"They're incomplete," Arcadia said, her voice gentle but firm. "Dangerously incomplete."

"Incomplete? But why?" Aria's voice faltered, a tremor of confusion seeping in.

"Because you hate losing too much," Arcadia replied, her words landing like a punch to the gut. "You can't pretend you don't know that."

Aria's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to argue, but deep down, she knew the truth of what Arcadia was saying.

"But... how long do I have to stay like this?" Aria asked, her voice shaking.

Arcadia stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Forever," she said simply. "Or until someone else can lead you in the right direction. You have to learn to love winning more than you hate losing, Aria. You're stronger than this, but you have to let go of that hatred."

Aria's legs gave out, and she stumbled back, retreating to the safety of her dorm where she cried herself to sleep.

End of flashback.

Electra's eyes widened as Niobe finished the story. "Whoa," she breathed, her mind reeling. "That was... intense. No wonder my mom's so angry all the time. That's a hard prophecy to live with."

Niobe nodded, her expression gentle but firm. "Yes, it was. But Electra, now that you have complete Enchantix powers, you have the ability to lead her. You can show her the way."

Electra sat silently for a moment, processing everything. Her mind swirled with thoughts of strategy and love, of revenge and letting go. "Yeah... maybe I could help her," she said, her voice thoughtful. "But first things first—before we help my mom, we need to deal with Dark Q. She's not going to wait around for us to get our act together."

Aisha, who had been listening intently, suddenly sat up with renewed energy. "Yeah! We can't let her catch us off guard again."

Electra nodded, her determination hardening. "Let's come up with a plan—this time, we'll be ready."

The room buzzed with newfound resolve as they began to strategize, knowing that Dark Q's next move was imminent. But this time, they wouldn't just be reacting—they'd be ready to strike back.