As we fell, my mind raced. What were we up against? How could we possibly win against an invincible fairy? For some odd reason, Meryl and Drualt seemed confident in us. Still, I was terrified of what awaited at the bottom of this seemingly endless pit.

I dreaded the jarring sensation of landing, so I tried flying. I couldn't. I frantically tried again. Nothing happened. Why couldn't I fly?

We landed with a thud.

The air reeked of smoke and earth, but the underground area was surprisingly bright and scorching hot. We sat at the end of a long, narrow bridge that led to a massive castle with tall spires that reached the sky of rolling smoke and fire. The angular, dark-colored castle was nothing like home. The architecture vaguely reminded me of the fairy castle but was much more sinister. I didn't want to set foot in that dreadful place.

Addie turned to me and gasped. "Rhys, your eyelashes! They're black!"

Something leaped and thumped in my chest. I felt... a heart, a blood-pumping heart! Was I...human? How could that be? Did Kumal's bite change me, or was it Marid? Whoever caused the transformation also took away my magic and flying abilities. I panicked at the thought. "I can't be human," I whimpered. I tried summoning my baton. Nothing. I tried flying. Nothing happened.

Addie put her ear to my thumping chest. "Your chest is noticeably cooler, and I hear a heartbeat." She looked at me gravely. "You're human."

"No," I breathed. How was I supposed to live as a human? I despised walking on my own weight, and I didn't like to eat large amounts. I dreaded feeling hungry and I dreaded feeling tired. The thought of sleeping terrified me. "I don't want to be human. I'm a sorcerer."

Addie hugged me. "It's not so bad. Think on the bright side—you'll have a dream for the first time, and you'll have a faster human mind."

That was true, but the idea of having a strange, overpowering illusion in my mind still frightened me.

How could I defend myself without magic and my main source of mobility? I hated running. I'd more than likely trip the moment I had to run for danger. I held Addie tightly for comfort. I thought about our children and was instantly fortified. I'd endure anything to see them again. We proceeded to the other side of the bridge.

A statue of a seven-headed, horned dragon with spread wings rested above the castle doors. Beneath it, a black anthropomorphic dog guarded the castle's doors. The dog was as tall as a man and stood with its arms crossed over its chest. "Who dares to enter Marid's lair?"

I refused to show fear. I inhaled, straightening my posture. "I am Prince Rhys of Bamarre," I said with a strong, resonant voice.

"And I am Queen Adelina, ruler of Bamarre."

"If you wish to enter Marid's lair, you must first pass my test of worth."

How would he test that?

"Each of you must stand before me, one at a time so I may judge your worth as a warrior," he ordered. "If you are deemed worthy, you may enter."

"And if we're not?" I asked.

"Then I shall kill you," it replied.

Would he deem me worthy? I led the humans into battle during the Great Monster War and even slew hundreds of gryphons and several ogres. I went first.

The dog gazed at me for a few seconds. "Done," it said. "You are deemed worthy."

I released the air I had been holding. If I had passed that easily, so would Addie.

The dog deemed her worthy too. It moved aside, revealing the opening doors to us. "You have passed the first test, but your next ones won't be so easy."

Addie and I exchanged glances before entering the lair. The enormous castle had a small interior. The dark, empty chambers and corridors were much narrower than I had expected. I never knew such emptiness could be so disturbing. It felt like Ziriat castle's opposite. Marid probably did that on purpose.

After going through many dimly-lit corridors, we came to a pair of closed doors. They opened on their own as we approached. We entered together and the doors slammed shut behind us. The chamber was lit by two torches—one on each side of the chamber, and then they snuffed on their own. I had a bad feeling about this…

A bright flash of light filled the room. The light changed into an image of me, wrapped in a shimmering cocoon. It was a depiction of my birth. In the image, I looked about me and rocketed to the sky, showering sparks over farmland. I came back down and saw my parents, holding each other, faces tear-washed. They approached me and introduced themselves as my parents and named me. Overjoyed, they hugged and kissed me. It had been ages since I last thought of my birth.

The image changed to show Ma helping me walk for the first time. I fell. Pa picked me up so I could try again. I remembered feeling frustrated every time I fell, but with their loving touch and encouraging words, my parents made it better.

Next, we saw my father presenting a swaddled Rose to me. I gazed happily at my new little sister. The memory brought a tear to my eye.

The image skipped to a six-year-old Rose, crying as she held Pinky, our pet pot-bellied pig. "No, you can't!" she wailed.

"Rose, we must," Ma tried reasoning softly. "That's what the pigs are for, baby."

Rose cried harder. She looked at me. "Brother, do something."

I couldn't. Ma and Pa wanted it that way.

The image skipped ahead and it now showed me working the fields. During the day, I worked the fields on my feet to avoid trouble. A maiden, who I fancied from afar, strolled by. With a kind smile, I said and waved hello.

The maiden glanced at me and scurried away, telling me to stay back.

I frowned and held out my hands to show her I posed no threat.

Her brother, the village strongman, who was also the mayor's son, knocked me down. Grabbing my tunic, he jerked me close. I still remembered his foul, alcoholic breath. "You dare talk to my sister again and I'll kill you. Got that, monster?"

Scared, I nodded vigorously.

He kicked my side.

Why did they fear me so? All I wanted in human society was to raise a family in peace. I was polite to everyone and helped the villagers whenever and however I could.

I averted my eyes, remembering what had happened next. In an attempt to prove my "humanity," I worked the entire village's frozen fields at night instead of studying. A monster lacked the capacity to do an act of kindness. Surely it'd prove the mayor's son wrong and possibly win his sister's favor. The villagers praised me the following day. The mayor's jealous son hated the praise I'd received and burned down our farm out of revenge. He was the real village monster, not me. However, my younger self didn't understand that, through his actions, the mayor's son proved that he was the monster.

I heard the scene change again.

It now portrayed me coming home from the citadel to my sobbing parents. They explained how Rose had died of the Gray Death while I was away. Tears gushed from my eyes. After we wept for a while, they took me to her grave near the lake. I stayed put for days, mourning for my dear sister, my best friend.

The memory was too much. I fought back tears.

Addie took my hand, tears building in her own eyes.

Then, the image showed me at my elderly parents' bedside as they passed away at dawn. I fell to the floor, grieving like I'd never grieved before. The Gray Death had rendered me alone in the world. I would live another lonely twenty years before meeting Addie.

I broke down in tears.

Addie held me and said consoling words. We heard an infant wail and turned around to watch the next image.

We saw Queen Daria in bed, holding a newborn Addie. An elf midwife opened the door and in came Lionel, holding a curious one-year-old Meryl. Lionel sat on the bed. "Look, Meryl. That's your little sister," he said gently.

Meryl gazed at Addie. Filled with excitement, she looked away, smiling.

"Are you excited to be a big sister?" asked Daria, readjusting so that she could hold Addie and Meryl at the same time. "Are you excited to be a—"

Meryl kissed Addie's cheek.

Both parents "aww-ed" and chuckled at Meryl's innocent display of affection that would mark the beginning of an unbreakable bond.

"Adelina," said Daria. "Her name is Adelina."

"I thought you wanted to name our second girl Freya."

Daria gazed at Addie. "Freya had a tragic fate," she explained solemnly. "No one in our families was named Adelina, therefore she will make a name for herself." She gently rocked her newborn. "Isn't that right, Addie?"

Baby Addie stared at her parents, blinking.

Lionel collected Addie in his arms. "She looks like me," he noted. He kissed her forehead.

The image changed to show the royal family in the nursery. Daria read to the two-year-old Addie while Lionel helped the three-year-old Meryl build a castle with wooden blocks.

Eventually, Addie lost interest in Daria's reading, distracted by Meryl's ruckus with the blocks. Addie climbed down Daria's lap and joined Meryl on the floor.

Daria closed the book and joined her family.

Lionel glanced at a clock. "I must go," he said, preparing to stand.

Daria grabbed his arm lovingly. "I wish you didn't have to go."

"I know, but I must. Believe me, I'd rather stay here in this nursery with you and our girls than go."

Daria removed her marriage necklace and handed it to Lionel.

"What are you doing?" he asked, puzzled by the gesture. "I already have your strands with me," he added, grabbing his charm.

"Take mine so that you'll have even more of me with you. May it give you strength on your journey."

Lionel took the charm. They kissed before the king left to attend the peace treaty signing in a faraway kingdom.

Next, we saw the queen in bed, infected with the Gray Death. Her cheeks were ashy and her teeth chattered. Milton spread another blanket over the bedclothes.

Daria burst into tears. "Milton..." she wept.

Milton hurried to hold her hand. "Yes, my queen?"

"I can't take this to the grave alone," Daria said, staring at the ceiling. She made eye contact with him. "Promise me that what I'm about to tell you will remain confidential."

"I promise."

Daria shivered and more tears rushed down her cheeks. "I'm with child." Her voice was high-pitched and brittle.

Milton gasped softly. He squeezed her hand with both of his. The elf wet his lips, unsure what to say to such a revelation.

The queen sobbed. "I could have cured myself if I'd struggled." She patted her chest. "Milton, the Gray Death is here in my chest. If I'd sought it, I would have found it."

Milton shook his head. "No, my queen. That cannot be so, because you would have cured yourself on the first day. Even the bravest and purest of souls fall prey to the Gray Death."

"I could have cast it out!" she cried. "I wish I had gone on ruling despite the disease. Maybe then I wouldn't be killing my own child!" the queen shouted, voice breaking. She cried hysterically. "I'm a murderer, Milton. And because I'm weak, my precious daughters and loving husband will suffer. I'm deserting my family."

Milton stroked her forehead. "No," he breathed. "You're neither a murderer nor a weakling."

She squeezed her eyes shut. "Please don't tell anyone, especially my husband. It will destroy him even more. I can't do that to him."

Milton promised.

Daria cupped her face. "It took us a year to conceive a third... and I've ruined it." She uncovered her face. "We wanted to have four children close in age—two boys and two girls." Daria resumed crying. "Send for my girls."

Milton called for a manservant to bring Addie and Meryl into the sickroom.

Daria held her daughters until she died at sunrise.

I looked at Addie. She covered her mouth with disbelief, knowing that she was supposed to have a little brother or sister. What a terrible thing to take to the grave. My heart ached for Queen Daria.

After she had been dead for a few hours, Lionel returned from his trip and was informed immediately of the news. The king ran to Daria's sickroom, not caring if everyone found out about the medical conditions he had hid so vehemently for years.

A servant drew a sheet over Daria's body as Lionel burst through the door. He rushed to Daria's bedside and sat down, collecting the lifeless body in his arms. The king broke down and sobbed hysterically. Daria's death marked the beginning of his aloofness.

Addie's eyes streamed with tears. She wiped her tears away and continued to watch.

The image changed to a twelve-year-old Meryl standing in Lionel's study, looking furious. "I can't believe you!" she snarled. "You're doing very little for the citizens. Bamarrians are dying left and right from monster invasions while you hide away in your castle. Where is your courage?"

He stopped reading to look at Meryl. "You are being disrespectful, Daughter. It's unbecoming for the heir to the throne to use a sharp tongue."

"And you're being a coward. It's unbecoming for a king to be a poltroon," Meryl countered.

That argument felt achingly familiar to the one I had had with Merry about my perceived cowardice. Having gone through that with my spirited child, I knew Lionel was livid.

The king stood and advanced on Meryl. "You will not speak to me like that again," he declared sternly. He pointed at the door. "Go to your chamber. Now."

Fists clenched, she glowered at Lionel before stomping away.

Before she was out of earshot, he added, "You are forbidden to speak to Addie until I say otherwise."

Grunting, Meryl rolled her eyes.

The scene skipped to show Addie knocking on Meryl's door. Meryl told Addie about her punishment, and in response, Addie dropped down to the floor so that she could whisper through the bottom of the door. They stayed like that for what I assumed was hours.

"I can't stand how he runs the kingdom," Meryl grumbled. "When I'm queen, I'll do things differently."

"You'll be a much better ruler. You're not a witless coward like Father is," Addie said.

While Addie was focused on her conversation, she failed to realize that her father had walked up behind her. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Addie gasped and jumped up. "Father!" she peeped, turning around.

In a tranquil fury, Lionel said, "I forbade Meryl to talk to you until I said otherwise." He crossed his arms over his chest. "I heard what you said about me. As punishment, you must stay in your chamber and write the respect adage a thousand times."

"A thousand times?" Addie exclaimed.

"A thousand times," Lionel confirmed, nodding his head.

Addie groaned before lumbering her way to her chamber.

The image now showed Addie at her desk, writing the same adage from Homely Truths over and over again. I felt sympathy pains in my fingers from watching. No wonder he claimed she was an obedient child. His punishments were severe.

The eleven-year-old Addie dropped her writing utensil and frowned. She sighed. "All he ever does is punish," she grumbled. "I bet Mother was different." Addie gazed at the ceiling and smiled. "At least I have Meryl—always and forever."

Addie grabbed my arm and wept into my chest. During our first few years of marriage, Addie expressed how much it had hurt to receive negative attention from her only parent. Like Bella, Lionel would moralize and scold his daughters but nothing else. He never showed affection or gave encouragement, which I believed was why Addie doubted herself before eradicating the Gray Death. Overall, Addie had a pleasant childhood, thanks to Meryl and Bella, but the emotional detachment and her uncertain standing with her father was the worst part.

The image finally disappeared, leaving us standing in the dark. The torches ignited again, revealing my mother standing before me. "Ma." It was just an illusion. "No, you're not real. You've been dead for decades."

Addie turned around to face her but kept close.

The entity that looked like Ma slowly reached out to me. "Rhys, my child..."

I wanted to touch her hand—I'd give almost anything just to hug her one last time. I reached for my sword—it was gone! How did that happen? I didn't see anything steal my sword. This fairy forsaken place made no sense! I never wanted to leave home again.

The being drew closer. I couldn't bring myself to strike it. Striking it would be like striking my actual mother.

Addie drew her sword and prepared to strike the creature for me.

"Don't do that, Daughter. That's unbecoming of a queen."

Lionel stood behind Addie, holding her sword hand.

"Father?"

Please don't fall for this, Addie. Haven't you been deceived enough times?

Faster than Addie could react, the Lionel doppelganger grabbed her neck, still holding her sword hand. "You think you're a worthy sovereign?" asked the imposter. "Look at you. You weren't even supposed to inherit the throne. What makes you think you can rule a kingdom? You're irresponsible, foolish, petty, and selfish."

"But you weren't supposed to inherit the throne either. You were third in—"

The Lionel monster tightened his hold on Addie's neck.

The creature that looked like Ma pounced on me, knocking me on my back. Its eyes shone red and its teeth sharpened into points. It tried biting me, but I managed to keep it away by thrusting a thumb into its eye socket. The creature shrieked and fell away before coming back at me. "Addie, he's wrong!" I shouted, preventing my creature from biting me. "You've just made some mistakes; that's all they are. That doesn't make you unworthy." I tried reasoning. "You're too young to give up now. All you have to do is fight back." The creature lunged at me, enabling me to hold it in a headlock. The creature vanished as soon as I twisted its neck.

Addie was overwhelmed. The genie was cruel to make an illusion of her predecessor exaggerate her flaws. I had to do something before it choked her to death. "No, you're not really my father..." she said weakly. "You're just an illusion." Addie shoved two fingers in the creature's eyes.

The creature shrieked and released Addie.

My doughty warrior stabbed the monster in the chest, and like my creature, it vanished.

Surveying the cleared area, we clinked charm boxes.

"Don't get too comfortable," growled a male voice.

We faced the shadows, the source of the voice.

Kumal stepped into the light, sword drawn.

Addie shook her head subtly. "Who are you?"

Kumal smirked deviously. "I'm so glad you asked," he said sardonically. He approached us slowly. "Millennia ago, there was a human king who wanted to witness a sorcerer birth. He put out a slab of marble on a rainy evening, and lo and behold, lightning struck the slab and created a sorceress. The king was kind enough to take her in, name her, and clothe her. He was even kind to her when such a thing was unheard of."

What does this have to do with him? We asked about him, not this random sorceress.

"A few years later, once the sorceress became emotionally attached to the king, he ravished her in his private chamber. Once he was done, he cast her out. Being ordered since birth not to copulate, the broken sorceress had to bear the burden alone.

"Unfortunately, she could not hide the truth any longer, for she had conceived. She tried explaining to the masters at the citadel what had happened, but they didn't care. As far as they were concerned, she got what she deserved for being weak. The cold masters gave her an ultimatum: either terminate her pregnancy or face banishment. She wanted neither.

"Overwhelmed, the sorceress flew to the desert to think of a solution in peace. While she was alone, the sorceress gave birth prematurely to twins." Kumal paused. "I am one of those twins and so is my sister, the desert dweller." He grinned. "My dear sister helped me keep track of you, thanks to that bowl. As soon as you used it to see your children, it cast a tracking spell."

I knew the desert dweller shouldn't have been trusted.

Kumal resumed. "Marid found her and gave her an opportunity to serve him in exchange for unthinkable power. She accepted and became the most powerful sorceress in the world."

Was the sorceress who I thought she was? That story sounded familiar…

"The sorceress took charge of the citadel and rightfully declared war on the humans. She became the queen of two worlds."

The sorceress was Queen Myra. Kumal was Queen Myra's son. I had no idea she had had children. No wonder the masters were against sorcerers having children. Myra's story was much more tragic than I had thought it was. Her rampage against the humans now made sense.

"But then the phoenix unfairly took her life, not realizing her side of the story," Kumal said bitterly.

Even though Myra was raped by a human, it didn't justify her vindictive actions. It wasn't worth an argument with an evil being, though.

"I will forever serve Master Marid," Kumal declared, now standing in front of us. "Thanks to him, I am more powerful than any arch master."

"Enough stalling," Addie said darkly. She twirled her sword and struck a fighter's pose. "Let's finish this."

Kumal lunged at Addie. His attack was so fast I feared Addie wouldn't have enough time to react.

Addie swatted his sword away, creating a jarring rasp of steel. She slashed vertically.

Kumal evaded her attack at the last moment.

The two adversaries delivered several blows, evenly matched. Addie's speed surprised me, as I had never seen her fight so determinedly.

Kumal found an opening and drove his knuckles into Addie's nose, causing her to stagger backward.

Wiping her bleeding nose, Addie sprang up and angrily kicked Kumal square in the stomach with shocking force.

Enraged, Kumal charged forward with another series of strikes.

As Addie defended herself from the series of strikes, she tripped backward. Kumal stabbed downward at Addie, but she swung her leg, tripping her opponent.

Instead of falling, Kumal jetted away as Addie stood.

"Come back here and fight, you cheating coward!" Addie spat, flicking her sword.

Kumal's flying made me nervous. Thus far, he had fought Addie fairly on the ground. Heart pounding, I perspired.

"As you wish." Kumal rocketed at her, head first, sword raised.

Wanting to protect my beloved, I ran to her. With my slow human speed, I wasn't going to make it in time. "Addie!"

Bamarre's greatest heroine threw her sword, impaling her opponent's face. Kumal had underestimated the Eradicator, for she had perfected her trademark sword technique—the throwing skill that slew Vollys years ago. I felt silly for forgetting that technique.

Kumal fell from midair, sword wedged in his head.

Addie and I didn't dare go to him. We waited for any subtle movements.

Chuckling, Kumal lifted himself into the air. He yanked the sword from his head, blood pouring out the deep wound. The minion's face healed rapidly, as if Addie never impaled him. He smirked triumphantly.

Remembering what happened in the oasis, I wasn't surprised it didn't kill him. I gulped.

"You fools, I am Marid's emissary—his right-hand man. He grants me immortality in exchange for my—" he was cut off by combusting into flames. Kumal screamed as the flames licked his every limb. "Master!" he cried out.

In a whorl of darkness and flames, a towering, humanoid being I assumed was Marid appeared in front of Kumal, arms crossed over his broad chest. Marid stood taller than any human I had ever seen, even taller than Drualt. His image was a blur, making his face appear as though he had four heads and several eyes, but I could clearly see his four dragon-like wings. He was truly the master of this realm. "You disappoint me, Kumal." His voice was unnaturally deep and gravelly. He sounded like an articulate ogre. "That's the second time this measly mortal has defeated you, and it will be the last."

"Master, no! Please! Don't do this!" begged Kumal.

Marid watched his underling disintegrate into a pile of ash. The fallen fairy looked at us. "Why do you seek me out, humans?"

I was terrified. My mind raced and my heart hammered wildly. This was the super being Meryl and Drualt could not beat. Our deaths were nigh.

"To defeat you," Addie spoke boldly.

Marid guffawed. "What could a pair of pathetic humans do to me? I've killed many of your wretched kind, but how many humans have killed a fairy?"

Addie readied her sword. "How many humans have you directly fought?"

Marid chuckled deeply. "I like your spirit, human. I want you to replace Kumal."

Disgusted, Addie shook her head. "I'll never join you. You'll have to kill me first."

No, Addie! Why would you say that? I felt as though my heart would explode from how hard it pounded. How did humans tolerate it?

"Foolish, human. Don't forget, you belong to me. You willingly ate my fruit from the oasis." He made a fist.

Addie instantly collapsed, writhing. What was he doing to her?

Marid laughed. "See, I own you," he stated. "You might as well surrender now and join my omnipotent forces."

"No," Addie croaked in pain.

An image appeared all around us. It was an aerial view of kingdom after kingdom. "Behold," he spoke. "All this shall be yours if you pledge your allegiance to me."

Squirming in pain, Addie said, "Never."

"So be it..." He put his other hand out.

Addie screamed at a magnitude I had never heard. I had to do something, but what? As soon as I moved a muscle, he would make me disintegrate. Then my next thought stunned me. Kumal had tainted me, not Marid. Still, he was a warrior fairy capable of moving stars.

No. I would rise above my fear and save my soulmate. Running as fast as I could, I collected the sword.

Marid looked at me. "You think that human weapon can defeat me?"

I ignored him and continued charging.

"Stay back before I vaporize you, petty human," he warned angrily.

Now I was mere feet away from him.

"I said stay back!" he roared. Marid fired a beam of darkness from his hand.

Preparing to be smote to the ground, I winced as the beams hit me. I felt nothing. So that's what Meryl and Drualt meant. Marid did not have the power to directly harm humans unless they were tainted by the desert.

Marid stopped inflicting pain on Addie and paid full attention to me. "What is this? How are you thwarting my attacks?"

I ignored him and slashed.

At the last second, he conjured a sword, but my attack went right through it and slashed his arm.

He roared in pain. "How can this be? You're a pathetic human, I'm a—"

Addie strangled him from behind. I was glad she silenced the long-winded, conceited genie. "We know exactly what you are, but it's time you realize that humans are not as feeble as you think."

Marid threw Addie to the ground. "I'm immortal, you fools." The genie transformed into his seven-headed dragon form that we saw before entering his lair.

Kill him? No, wanted to capture him. But how? Kumal had the lamp. I only had a map inside of its canister.

That was it!

All we needed to do was capture him in an inanimate object. I grabbed the canister, popped the lid off, and aimed the opening at Marid. "We're not yours, Marid—you're ours."

The canister vacuumed the thrashing Marid. Once he was inside, I popped the lid in place.

We had succeeded in capturing the almighty genie. Our mission was complete!