Carrie woke at midnight in a cold sweat. The nightmare realm still had a hold on her in sleep.
She padded to the door, intending to go to the dungeons. But as she swung open the door, she found herself looking at Violetta and Odessa in an argument also Aren and James in an argument and Eve mediating between fights.
"Look blondie, I've done plenty of missions like this...."
"That's reckless!"
"So?"
"Guys calm do-"
"You just want to play hero!"
"No I want our savior to be successful!"
"Guys!"
Eve whispered loudly. "Carrie's here."
Everyone composed themselves. Aren ran a hand through his hair, trying to look cool. "We were just about to knock."
"And I was going to go see you. In the dungeons. You know that place where you were all in chains. How'd you break out?"
James smiled. "It is possible I have experiences with escaping from jails firebird. Carrie examined her friends for injury. Around Eve's stomach was bandaged with a torn shred of fabric. "Eve?! What happened? Are you ok?" Carrie fussed, sweeping everyone into her room.
After finding a cotton dress to tear up, Carrie helped Odessa bandage Eve's wound. Carrie tucked the rest of the strips into her pocket.
"So what are you planning that you need bandages?" Aren noted.
Damn he catches everything. Carrie thought to herself.
"Just to kill the queen and restore the magical balance to the world." Carrie said casually.
"No way hot stuff, too dangerous with all of us, and I have a feeling you planned to kill her alone." James remarked.
"I thought you said I could defend myself."
"Yes, not lead a freaking assassination right under the Queens
nose!"
The group erupted into fighting again. As her friends argued, Carrie slipped out of the door.
She remembered that if she went to the dining room, there was a door that led to the throne room.
She managed to get there, but expecting to continue up the stairs to Ingrid's quarters, she was shocked to find the Queen on her throne, speaking with someone. Carrie quickly leapt to the side of the doorway.
"You're lucky you get to live! Don't push it."
"It's my kingdom!"
"Not anymore."
"I will find her! The Phoenix will appear someday! And when she does we will be up in arms fighting you!"
"But she has already come! And she is my champion! In fact, she is here now.... Carrie dear, come out!" Ingrid called.
Carrie jumped out from behind the doorway. The person who Ingrid was talking to stepped into the light. It was a girl. Couldn't be more than fifteen and speaking against the Queen. The girl gasped. "Phoenix!" Carrie shifted her weight from foot to foot , unsure of what to do. She decided to attack Ingrid.
Carrie flung herself at the Queen, pulsing flames making a protective coat of armor. The Queen giggled as she deflected Carrie, flinging her into a marble column. Carrie jumped to her feet and feigned an attack on Ingrid's front. The Queen blocked as Carrie jumped to her back, pulling out the strip of cotton and wrapping it around Ingrid's throat. She clasped the ends and flew up, strangling Ingrid. "You won't win Phoenix!" The mad Queen choked out. She grabbed Carrie's leg, slamming her to the ground and shocking her. She formed two chains of lightning and spun them like nunchucks. Carrie avoided them and flung fire at her. Then, remembering Kyulk, she searched for a weapon.
Something glinted in the darkness. Carrie saw two crystals hanging from Ingrid's ears. She flew to her, pretending to be stupid enough to fly near the whips of chain. The Phoenix felt a sharp pain as the lightning grasped her legs and pulled her to eye level with the Queen. She had a look of malice in her face. Pure hatred for all that Carrie was. Carrie used this as an advantage. "You know, usually Queens have to be somewhat intelligent. But I'm sure you have people for that. A whole arsenal of spies. Oh wait, I killed half of then including Rachael." Carrie said. Ingrid grew enraged but it wasn't enough. "And this whole champion thing is a joke. Think how funny it will be when the Queen's "champion" kills her before the first day is over."
This did the job. The Queen screeched, tossing her head back. Quick as Ingrid's lightning, Carrie ripped off the Queen's crystal earrings and slashed at her neck. As the Queen found her throat slit, Carrie's fire found its way into the wound. Carrie concentrated all the pain the Queen had cost to millions of people including herself. Soon a bright light filled the room, blinding Carrie.
As she blinked away the spots in her vision, ash floated down around her. At her feet, was the silver diadem the Queen wore.
"She's truly gone!"
Carrie turned behind her and saw the little girl from earlier with a look of disbelief on her face. "After all these years!" Carrie smiled. "Who are you?" She asked. The girl looked at her. "Oh yes, I am Ingrid Valencia Syr, Queen of Stormae." Carrie's jaw dropped. "I just defeated her.." The girl laughed. "No silly, that was Lyria Undersee. You see, when my father passed away, I was only three. So we arranged for my cousin Lyria to have the throne until I was at least sixteen. My father never told anyone about me, so no assassins would know me. So no one knew the difference when Lyria was introduced as me. But we never guessed that she would rule like this."
"Liar."
A voice from behind her rang clear and harsh. "No way you even care about what she did to our people." Violetta stepped into the moonlight. She took note of Carrie's earring weapon. "Carrie, I'll hold her back while you do the honors."
Carrie was horrified. "No Violetta. She's none nothing wrong." She said firmly.
"Nothing wrong? Nothing wrong?! She stood by as a mad woman plagued a genocide! As men, women and children were murdered! As the few good Stormae were erased. The wench probably enjoyed watching us suffer. They all do." Violetta said bitterly. She advanced towards Ingrid. "What about your father? Was he a horrible person as well?" Carrie asked. "No. But all the remaining Stormae are." "Imagine how Aren would feel. What about the twins?" Carrie pestered. "This is for them." Violetta said before grabbing the crystal and trying to stab the young Queen. "Stop!" Carrie screamed, pushing out her wings and catching Violetta in a fire net. Violetta summoned water and doused it. Carrie leapt in front of Ingrid. "Please Violetta!" Carrie cried. Violetta tossed her aside. She grabbed Ingrid by the throat and lifted her into the air. Carrie started to chuck fire balls at her friend made enemy. She bubbled her in flames, but Violetta was quick and bubbled herself in a layer of electrified water before.
Carrie was a good fighter, but Violetta was better. "You can arise from the ashes.... Come back better." A voice drifted into Carrie's mind. She knew if she killed herself or let herself be killed, the magic wouldn't work. She had to die in battle. Then she realized, Violetta was a better fighter. Carrie wouldn't need to let her win.
The girls fought for twenty more minutes until Violetta was singed and Carrie had been struck by lightning multiple times. Finally, Carrie flew in a circle around her opponent, gathering power when, she found herself drenched in a bubble of water. She saw a massive ball of lightning growing in Violetta's hands. Then it was over.
Carrie woke up lying on the cold marble floor of the throne room. She heard Violetta taunting Ingrid. "You know, it's pretty fair. Two Queens for everyone dead because of you. I'm sure you didn't actually rule, but you probably gave some suggestions, didn't you, you little brat? Huh? Huh?!" Violetta cackled.
Carrie flew up silently. Her fire wings now larger and more ornately swirled in fire. She dropped herself behind Violetta. "Goodbye little Queen." Carrie heard. Violetta's hands rose up, clutching the crystal. Then, Violetta felt scorching hands wrap around her wrists. She spun instinctually, accidentally twisting her own arms. She screamed as she realized it was her foe that she just killed. Carrie felt the flames swirling around her arms up, making a pair of hands. Her other hands grabbed for Violetta, who was still in shock, pushing her to the ground. The crazed hybrid quickly recovered, water slowly covering Carrie. The Phoenix let herself be covered before letting out the hottest blue flames she had. They instantly evaporated the water. Violetta had already thrown the lightning ball and Carrie thought it was over again. But she found herself holding a circular shield out of fire, the flames forming petals. Carrie had just enough time to realize that it was a rose, before the lightning slammed into it, pushing Carrie back as it ricocheted back at Violetta. She was only half Stormae, so she didn't need to be punctured to die. As soon as it hit her, she explodes into a thousand fractals of light. Carrie felt a sharp pain when she moved her arm. It had been bent at an odd angle, and was possibly broken.
As Carrie walked over to Ingrid, a thought crossed her mind. How will I explain this to Aren? Just as she said that, she heard a voice. "Damn firebird, you look sexy after battle." And another "Are you alright? Let me look at your arm."
Carrie laughed. James and Aren. It wasn't hard to tell who was who. She turned to the boys and hugged them tightly. James and Aren weren't all too happy to be in a group hug, but Carrie was super happy, so they put up with it. "Is it over?" A voice asked from the hall. "Is Carrie ok?" "Yes and Yes." Carrie answered. Odessa came running up to her and hugged her. Followed by Eve hugging her. "I need some rest." Carrie said exhausted. "You can go back to your room. You are under my protection." Ingrid said regally. Even though she was young, Carrie knew she would be an excellent ruler. "Who's this?" Aren asked, stepping up beside her. "Friends, may I present to you, Queen Ingrid Valencia Syr of Stormae."
After explaining everything, the group moved to Carrie's room. Carrie sat on the floor while Odessa and Aren put her arm in a sling. James sat on her bed, talking to Eve about powers and such. Carrie knew both Aren and Janes liked her. She knew that she liked one of them, but she felt she loved another. After her wound was dressed, she kicked out James and Aren to get changed. Ingrid had asked her to come forward as the savior of the M.Es of the world. Ingrid also asked if Carrie would be the new ruler of her species. She said no, because while the Stormae were all ruled as one united people. But the Daemons didn't have rulers; just followed an honor system, Faerie just had an elected ruler but had multiple per city, and Hybrids had the camp with Aren. So Carrie didn't know what to do now. She would do some more interviews before packing up her belongings and moving from Tacoma to the camp. She knew that she would be welcomed there. Aren wasn't mad about Violetta, he knew she was unstable when it came to Stormae.
Carrie picked out a navy blue cotton dress that went down to her ankles. She put on her mother's necklace and brushed out her long, maroon hair. Eve braided her hair and Odessa did her makeup. Carrie stepped out. Aren's mouth dropped. James stared.
After walking to the throne room, Carrie moved to join Ingrid at the balcony. Below were thousands of blue eyed people. Ingrid smiled at Carrie, then spoke. "Hello. I am Queen Ingrid Valencia Syr. The terrible woman who led you for years was my cousin Lyria Kyssd. My father never told you my age or ever showed me in public. The truth is that when he died I was only three. So he got Lyria to pretend to be me. He never imagined she would rule so cruelly. She was defeated by Carrie Lockwood, the Phoenix." A battle was waged between boos and cheers as Carrie was handed the microphone. "Yes. I am Carrie Lockwood, daughter of Deanna Lockwood and Jacob Piers. My mother was Faerie and my father was Daemon. My father died a year after King Syr died. My mother made it 19 years until Lady Wesslyt murdered her. I killed Lady Wesslyt after she killed my friend. Friends are important. Without them I wouldn't be here." The crowd cheered. But something was wrong. The cheers were cut by screams. Then something hit Carrie. Hard. Pain exploded through her chest. She grabbed the railing for support and searched the crowd. There, in the center was one lone gun man. "Come on, Wesslyt!" He called. A guard ran from behind Carrie. He tried to grab Carrie, but missed and closed his fist around soft, wavy blonde hair.
Odessa screamed as the guard dangled her from the ledge. "Get back! Or blondie gets splattered on the courtyard!" Ingrid gasped. "No! I saw you die!" The guard pulled off his mask. He looked the same age as the Queen. He had light brown hair and narrow milky blue eyes. Carrie had seen the same eyes staring at her when Vanessa was killed. "You remember me don't you Ingrid? After all we're to be married." The boy laughed. "Our marriage was for an alliance that was broken when the Wesslyts took Lyria's knowing she wasn't me!" Ingrid screamed. She blasted him with so much lightning, he burst into light like Lyria. Before Carrie could scream at Ingrid to be careful, Odessa started to fall. But Aren was there in a second, catching her. Carrie saw the look in Odessa's eyes just before the bullet wound was too much and Carrie passed out.
It was a look of love.
