Maiden of the Twilight 10 CHAPTER NINE

Something's off. I felt a different vibe around those eyes. "Oh Lunox, just the person I've been looking for." Oh, it was nothing. I thought it was somebody else, it was just Odette.

"Odette, how long have you been standing there?"

"Not long, when I saw Belerick come from here, I figured that you'd be."

"Oh, is that so? Would you like to sit?" Odette accepted my offer, and she sat beside me. I thought of the things that Belerick and I had previously discussed. I tried to feel if something is odd with Odette. But as I was observing, I did not see anything different with her. "So, you were looking for me?"

"Yes, I was. I just wanted to thank you, for helping me be rescued."

"Oh it wasn't all me. As a matter of fact, I did the least of saving you. I was afraid that I may not be able to save you all by my own, so I didn't. I'm sorry if I was a coward, I didn't know what to do."

"Oh, I see." Then we stayed in silence for a minute, it was awkward. I wanted to break the pressure but Odette spoke. "I heard you retrieved your memories."

"Yes." I smiled. "I got them, I know who I am was then, and I know who I am now. I'm so glad."

"Good for you." Okay, now something's odd. The way Odette talks to me is a bit way off than she used to. I could sense a bit of cruelty in her tone of voice, and the Odette I know cannot do that. "Then you can use your powers? And summon the Twilight Orb?"

"Y-yes. I can whenever I will to." I felt a strange energy coming out of Odette when she said those words. All of a sudden, she asks about my powers and about the Twilight Orb. I found it really peculiar because she wouldn't ask about that normally.

"Oh I see." Then another deep silence came in between us. Okay, seriously, what is happening? This didn't happen before, all these dead air in our conversations. Odette would tell heartwarming stories whenever I ran out of things to say, but this time, she didn't. It was like I wasn't with her. And then she talked. "Could you show me how you summon the Twilight Orb?"

"What?"

"Could you show me? The Twilight Orb? Please." I wasn't sure if I should show her the Twilight Orb. I hesitated, but I thought that I shouldn't. After all, she was still my friend, so I decided to let her see it.

"Okay." Then I flicked my wrist to the left and waved it to my right, I concentrated and focused my energy to summon the Twilight Orb from within me. And with a flash of light, it appeared in front of my chest and I held it with both of my hands. "Here it is, the Twilight Orb."

"So beautiful." She said and we both smile at each other amidst looking at the shining Twilight Orb I had in my hands. But then something hit me from behind that I almost lost hold of the Twilight Orb. I was thrown from where I was sitting that I hit my back with the tree we were sitting under on. When I turned to see who it was, I saw the innocent boy, Dyrus wearing an evil grin on his face.

"D-Dyrus?"

"Yes, Lunox. It's me." His voice changed, from the soft sweet voice of a boy it turned into a creepy one. Then to my surprise, Odette stood beside him as if she wasn't herself. And I was right, she wasn't. Her aura is different from the Odette I know. She's all wicked now, and the glow of her eyes weren't blue as it used to be, it was now crimson red. "I see, you met our newest ally, who turns out to be one of your own."

"No. Odette!"

Dyrus laughed wickedly, and his appearance changed. The innocent looking boy transformed into a little demon, having two horns, sharp nails and a tail. He was completely different to the way we met him. "Dyrus! How could you this?!"

"How could I? Isn't it obvious? The Twilight Orb's power must be owned by the Abyssal Ruler. And by the way, the name is not Dyrus. It's Dyrroth, and I am the Prince of the Abyss." And once again, he grinned at me. "Well, best to leave Odette to finish her work. I would very much love to kill you right now, prophesied one. But it would be more fun if someone precious to you would do it. Tta!" And Dyrus, or should I say, Dyrroth, swiftly blinked away, leaving Odette and I by Swan Lake. She just stared at me.

"Odette! I know you can hear me! You're in there somewhere! Please, fight it! Fight whatever they've done to you!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Odette's eerie crimson eyes were just nailed on me, and she didn't say a word. And she couldn't hear me. No, she's under a spell, a spell so powerful that she lost herself. Just like the Queen Vexana, and maybe she's the one who cursed her. No. "Odette! Swan Princess, fight it!"

"The person you're looking for is not here anymore." Odette spoke with evil in her voice, and wickedness in her eyes. Then she summoned a swan to attack me, and it was different from the usual swan she summons. This time, it was infused with dark magic which gave her immense power. I was hit by the swan, and it afflicted me that I dropped the Twilight Orb and it rolled to the bottom of her feet. "You're so pathetic, too weak to be the prophesied one."

"Lunox!" I heard Belerick screaming as he ran swiftly towards us. He was with Lancelot, Guinevere and Gusion. Odette grabbed the Twilight Orb and began to hover in the air. Oh no, Odette. She lost it, herself.

When they arrived, the shock in their faces were unquestionable, especially Lancelot's. He couldn't believe what had happened to his love. Belerick assisted me to stand on my feet. "Belerick, she took the Twilight Orb."

"Oh no." – Belerick

"Odette! My love, what have they done to you?!" Lancelot tried to talk to Odette as she was hovering in front of us, and the worry that he had was superlative. "Please, let go of it, Odette. Please, come back to us. Come back to me. I never thought that the abduction would have done so much as this to her."

"Stay focused Bro! This isn't some kind of drill, and judging by the looks of Odette's face, she's up to no good." Gusion reprimanded Lancelot who was too bothered by the state of Odette.

"Let me talk to her Brother." Guinevere volunteered, then she stepped forward. "Sis, are you okay?"

Then Odette smiled in an evil way. "Never better, Guin my sister."

"More to the point everyone, she's holding the Twilight Orb. We must convince her to give it back, or all of Land of Dawn would be in danger." Belerick interrupted and he held out his hand as he was telling us what to do.

"Sis, please, we're your family and friends." Guinevere continued to talk to Odette.

"And I couldn't care less. I'm tired of your cheeriness and sunshine, and the cutesy voice note you have that you pass to your nitwit boyfriend. You're pathetic!" Odette cruelly replied wearing the never fading evil grin on her face. And by what she said, Guinevere was hurt that she faced down. Gusion held her shoulder and consoled her. "Guin, don't listen to her, it's not Odette talking anymore." And then a nova was sent flying towards us and immobilized everyone. Odette was the one who attacked us.

"She's being controlled by Vexana's evil magic." I said.

"Then what must we do to break the spell?" Lancelot anxiously asked. Suddenly, powerful fire magic came out from a distance creating luminous chemical attack towards Odette. "Let the weak melt away!" And we saw Kimmy and Claude sprinting towards us. Claude made a teleportation near Odette and shoot at her but the Swan Princess just repelled both of their attacks, receiving no damage.

"Nice try, airheads." – Odette

"What?! I can't believe my eyes!" Kimmy exclaimed.

"My turn." Odette raised her scepter and summoned a swan and casted her supernova in our way. Gladly, we were all reflexive enough to dodge her attacks. "Want more?"

"Okay sis, you asked for it. Pew boom!" Guinevere fired an energy ball leading to Odette, but as she did with the previous attempts, she just repelled them. "What? Nothing?"

"What's wrong? Hha! You don't think you could really keep up with me!" Lancelot stepped forward gazing into the eyes of Odette while holding his chest.

"Odette, you're still in there. I know. Please, listen to me. Listen to my voice." That's right. Lancelot's unconditional love may be stronger than Vexana's spell. It could break it, nothing in the world is more powerful than that. Unless…

"Oh, Lancelot." Odette closed her eyes and expressed a mellow face, and her voice softened. Could it be?

"Princess, you really wouldn't want that Twilight Orb. Please hand it over." Belerick calmly said to Odette.

"Oh this? Of course not." And then she opened her eyes just for us to see her eyes as flaming red as it was before, and her voice returned to a wicked tone. "But the Abyssal Ruler sure does." And she conjured a portal right behind her, it was made of dark sparkles and lightning, and dark space warps. And then the dark sparkles engulfed her, and she changed her appearance. Her brown locks became dark red, and her white feathered dress became tinted with the hues of dark blue and dark violet. And she spoke, "Lancelot, sweetheart. Forget about me already. I am no longer the Swan Princess. I am Black Swan."

"No, stop this nonsense!" Lancelot miserably replied.

"Okay it's now or never! We must retrieve the Twilight Orb without hurting her!" Belerick screamed. Guinevere thumped on Odette without a warning and casted her supermagic, "Dance for me!" But it did nothing. Yes, it afflicted her, but not enough to knock her up.

"Violet flowers? How weak." – Odette

"My turn. Break the limits!" Gusion threw his daggers in the air and marked Odette, but somehow, Odette was able to dodge every dagger that Gusion had thrown at her.

"Her powers are right of the scale. I think we couldn't do anything to stop her." Claude said.

"Let me try!" Then Kimmy blasted a nonstop attack of refined energy towards Odette, but as it was before, nothing. It was like the dark magic enhanced her abilities and defense that none of our attacks would work on her. As for me, I couldn't do anything. The forces of Chaos and Order are within the Twilight Orb. I couldn't use my powers without it. And here I was again, feeling so useless and weak. What kind of a prophesied one am I to let all these happen?

"Enough games! I must deliver the Twilight Orb to its rightful owner." Then Odette entered the portal she conjured after taking one last evil glance at us. And then she was gone.

***

"How did this happen?" Lancelot, who still couldn't accept what happened to Odette, was flustered with the events. We gathered at Swan Castle's library – the King and Queen, Belerick, Gusion, Guinevere, Lancelot, Kimmy, Claude, Nana and Harith, including me. "How did the Abyss do this?"

"Dyrus." I spoke. Everybody looked at me. It was printed on their faces the confusion that I expected, so I explained everything. I said that Dyrus turned out to be the Prince of the Abyss and was spying on where the Twilight Orb was. And when he confirmed it was me, he somehow triggered the spell that Vexana casted on Odette so she could be the one to take it from me.

"That little!"

"Brother calm down!" Guinevere held Lancelot when he was about to hit the tables. "Your violence won't resolve any of this."

"Why didn't we see this coming?" The King had said in a sad tone.

"Dear, I know it sounds a bit fast but…" everybody looked at the Queen, holding the hand of the King, at the sound of her voice to hear what she was going to say. "… we must save our daughter. And retrieve the Twilight Orb. Who knows what the Abyss is planning right at this moment."

Everybody agreed. Lancelot was the one who most approved of the plan that he volunteered to go and save her. And a man's voice filled the room. "Count us in!" And we saw Captain Tigreal, Freya, and Alucard coming into the room.

"We'll be glad if we handed you help that you need." Freya said.

"Then, we must plan immediately." The King exclaimed.

Everyone gathered round a circular table and began talking about the rescue mission 2.0. Since it was the second time Odette must be rescued. And we hoped that nothing will ever be attached to her once we have. Tigreal, Alucard and Freya would take on the Abyss guards. Claude, Kimmy, Gusion, and Harith on the Abyss demons. Gusion, Guinevere and Lancelot focusing on Odette. The King and Queen were suggested to just stay at the Castle and wait for us. I, on the other hand, couldn't say anything about saving Odette. I worried about her too much, but what I'm more concerned about are my powers. They're in the Twilight Orb, and the Abyss has it. I'm afraid I couldn't do anything except my dream projection. Wait, what if… "Guys? Any plans on how to get there? At the Abyss?"

We looked at each other, and when it was confirmed that no one has yet a concrete plan on getting there, I spoke. "I'll handle it. I can project my dreams in reality, and I can enter them as well. Maybe I could make it work as a portal, so we can go in and out of the Abyss as fast."

"Are you sure?" The King asked.

"Yes, your Highness." I replied.

"How are you since the Twilight Orb is taken? Your powers, are they still there?" Belerick who was beside me all the time asked. They were too preoccupied with saving the Princess that they didn't get the time to ask how I was, but it was understandable. I preferred them to focus on the rescue since it comes with retrieving the Twilight Orb as well.

"I'm alright. But I'm afraid I may not use the energies of Chaos and Order till I retrieve the Twilight Orb. I'm sorry, but I won't be of much help to you." I faced down and felt bad, I had nothing significant to contribute. As much as I wanted to do, I can't in the absence of the Twilight Orb made it hard for me.

But everyone told me that it wasn't my fault. The King and Queen appreciated that I was doing everything that I can to help despite of my loss of powers. They made me feel like I was still me, even without the Twilight Orb. And that I would still be the prophesied one they needed me to be.

Finally, it was time to execute our plans. We gathered on the balcony of Swan Castle as we pumped ourselves in ready for the rescue mission. The King and Queen said their best regards to us, in which we returned our gratefulness.

"Lunox, when you're ready." Said Captain Tigreal. Everything was set, everybody was ready. It was time for me to project my dreams and use it as a portal.

I stepped forward from the crowd. And I closed my eyes. "Everybody, please close your eyes and clear your minds." I breathed deep, and focused on gathering the force that would let me create my dream.

I opened my eyes, and we were verging into the cosmos I have created, and I told the others to open their eyes. They were mesmerized, so in awe. They never thought that I had the power to create such a dreamworld, and to think that it could serve as a portal. I found myself happy at the sight of their fascinated faces. As we went through, I focused on the area where dark energy is most active. Then I had a vision, a hideous scar, and endless pit. I channeled the starlight within the cosmos dream to create the image of the vision I saw, and Captain Tigreal that it was the Shadow Abyss. So I created an exit portal leading to an area in the Shadow Abyss, a place where I felt the tiny beam of aura that belonged to Odette, in order for us to immediately spot her.

As we went out the dreamworld, each of us hid behind tall rock on a solid platform. The only light source in the Dark Abyss is the crimson lava that flows in the bottomless crevices. There were many deep caverns on the wall of the bottomless Abyss, and I could feel dark energy coming from within them. Demons must be lurking within.

Then, not far from our place, we saw Odette on an olden ruin, it looked like a temple. She was hovering on a stage, she was holding the Twilight Orb above her head, surrounded by dark energy, lightning, and dark sparkles, and she was chanting a spell. We couldn't understand what she was saying, but we knew for sure, that it was something bad.

Below the stage stood three identities, and I could tell who they were just by the sight of their backs. Alice, Dyrroth, and Thamuz. They were watching Odette as she continues to chant.

"Okay, here's what I think we should do." Freya began to speak, and we created a huddle circle. "Captain Tigreal, Alucard, and the rest of the men should stay here for the meantime."

"What? Are you insane? This is no time for a girl power showdown." Alucard revolted.

"This is not a drill Alucard. And will you just please trust the plan."

Alucard rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine."

"I thought I heard something here, turns out I'm right." Alice appeared of us, causing us to be alarmed and ready for battle positions. "Thamuz! Get your lava butt right here! We got visitors!"

And then Thamuz instantly came to us with his flaming scythes. He laughed in an evil way. "This is going to be so much fun."

"Girls! We'll hold them off! Go and get Odette!" commanded Captain Tigreal as he held of the rolling scythes of Thamuz with his shield, and the other men engaged themselves in kiting the two demons. Thamuz called on reinforcements, and fire demons came in to the battle.

Guinevere and Nana went to the temple, and dealt with Dyrus. Freya and Kimmy left me at behind a rock on the temple as they joined Nana and Guinevere. When they got there at the ruin Dyrroth was not surprised. Guinevere threw an energy ball and Nana her boomerang at Dyrroth, but he dodged them quickly. Odette was still continuous at her chanting, undisturbed by the attack.

"Odette, sister! Don't do it!" - Guinevere

"Don't listen to them, Princess! We're your family!" – Nana

Dyrroth blinked towards the two, "She doesn't care to listen to you."

"Get out of our way! Dork-roth!" – Guinevere

"It's useless to try and attack me, and you should know!" Dyrroth confidently exclaimed.
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"Nana, let's converge our magic!" Nana agreed to Guinevere's plan and they infused their magic together. Guinevere combined her flower magic to the boomerang of Nana and threw it towards Dyrroth and Molina was about to chase Dyrroth along with the magic attack. But Dyrroth was able to repel the magic. But no matter how they tried, Dyrroth was not being affected.

"Pathetic!" – Dyrroth

"Mind if we join?" Then Kimmy, full of energy and confidence, entered the scene with Freya.

"Kimmy now! Hiyaaaaa!" Freya sneaked attack Dyrroth from behind, and casted an energy from the sky dealing damage to Dyrroth and stunning him, Nana casting the spell of Molina on the area of Dyrroth, causing another stun for him, and Guinevere thumped on Dyrroth keeping him airborne with her supermagic as Kimmy released her maximum charge of chemical. Dyrroth was severely afflicted, he was knocked back to the ground with his consciousness lost.

"Nice team! Now let's go get Odette!" Screamed Kimmy.

"Stop right there! Nice tricks, but it still isn't enough to stop me! Prepare yourselves!" Dyrroth was about to make his ultimate move on the girls when suddenly, he himself couldn't move as if someone was disabling him to do so. Then a girl in a white cloak has appeared right in front of Dyrroth and was able to knock him down to the ground. When Dyrroth wasn't able to stand, the girl spoke, "Fate force me to be an assassin. And you are my target."

"Great timing Natalia!" applauded Freya.

Natalia remained a serious note on her face, but said, "It's not just me. I brought others too."

And when we turned to the men, it wasn't only them fighting against the demons. There were Moon Elves, malefic gunners, Yassons and other warriors from the Moniyan Empire. But as our numbers grew, so did the demons. They took the fight outside of the Abyss, as they didn't want to cause more damage to the place, and it could hurt the Princess. Captain Tigreal led the army, and the demons who fought them followed for more. Lancelot, Gusion and Harith came to us, still ready for a head on battle.

"Everyone, we must focus on saving Odette!" Lancelot exclaimed.

"Fools!" Then, a giant man appeared, holding a large weapon. "The Abyss do not have time for your games!" He smashed the ground in which the others stood but me, as I was still hiding, and hooks reached out to all of my friends, and pulled them, disabling them to move. And then, the man assisted Dyrroth to a cavern and returned immediately. "I am Terizla, guard of the Abyss. You dare inflict pain to the Prince of the Abyss?! Now watch as your Swan Princess consumes all the dark energy and absorb all of the Twilight Orb's power, and become one of us! Hhha!"

Odette was still chanting, and the energy surrounding her became stronger. Oh no, my friends are trapped, the others are dealing with the demons who seem to be coming out of nowhere, while I am just here, hiding. What must I do?! I don't have my powers, I can't help them! "I'm useless! Useless!" I screamed to myself as I cried.

"Now! Who's going to meet their end first?" Terizla cruelly asked with a grin on his face. "You pitiful ones never stood a chance, against the Abyss!"

As Odette continued to chant, she gave a dark glow engulfing the place. And the Twilight Orb shined as bright, and slowly it opened. "Finally, the power!" Terizla, mesmerized by the Twilight Orb, showed an even wider grin on his face as he felt that the Abyss was on the verge of victory.

Then, Odette absorbed the energy released by the Twilight Orb. All of us worried so much, very anxious that Odette might actually become one of them any time. We all lost hope, every one of us. Odette was almost to consume all the energy, but Lancelot spent all his strength to get out from the trap by Terizla, who didn't care because he knew that nothing could stop Odette, already. Nothing... or so he thought.

"Brother!" Guinevere was bothered that his brother would get hurt, as he walked towards the transforming Odette.

When Lancelot was near Odette, "Odette!"

The sound of an evil laugh appeared out of nowhere, and then shadow demons came in engulfing behind Odette. An elf with a bluish skin and pink locks, and evil scarlet eyes suddenly appeared behind Odette. She said, "You cannot bring her back to the light."

All of the others and I felt unsettled when we laid eyes upon the dark elf. But I was more terrified, I sensed a terrifying power lying within this seemingly-cute and mischievous maiden.

"Odette can you hear me? It's Lancelot, your Lancelot." The sincerity in his eyes were firm. But not a flinch did Odette do. "Odette, listen to me. You have to wake up. The day you saved my life, I wanted to say my feelings."

"You are pathetic!" Interrupted the demon elf as she walked circles round Odette and Lancelot, but he ignored her.

"And then, I made a promise to myself, that one day I'd save you. But, I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do. Maybe the only thing I really wanted was to spend more time with you, because I care more about you than anyone else in the world." Tears began to appear in Lancelot's eyes. "Please, Odette, please."

Everyone was fascinated with the words of Lancelot, even his own sister couldn't believe that her brother has become soft. But Odette's face expression didn't change. It was blank. And then, Lancelot fell to the ground when the elf sent an abyssal demon flying towards Lancelot and stunned him, then she transformed into an abyssal demoness with sharp claws, and hurt him.

"Hahaha! What useless efforts!" screamed the demoness.

"No! Brother!" Guinevere cried.

"I-it didn't work." Gusion sadly said.

"And Selena has severely hurt Lancelot, no!" Freya angrily looked at the demoness who again transformed into her elven form. Selena? So she was Selena.

"At long last! The power of the Twilight Orb, shall be ours! The Will of the Abyss, I, Selena, shall be the strongest among all!" Selena absorbed the energy released by the Twilight Orb, instead of Odette. "The power! So strong!"

Terizla applauded Selena as she was taking the Twilight Orb's power, and all of our inner strength weakened as we felt that there is no turning back once Selena takes all of the Twilight Orb's power. And then, Selena realized that I was there.

"Oh, how sweet. The prophesied is here. Come out come out wherever you are. You know I can feel your presence."

I was so anxious, I froze. I knew that I can't fight such a powerful demoness without my powers, plus she's gaining the ultimate power that the Twilight Orb contains. I cried from the depths of my heart for help from my mother. I knew she said that the day we saw each other was the last, but I believed that I still could call upon her. Then, a bright light came down from the sky which took everyone's attention, both Moniyan, and Abyssal. Everything went fuzzy as the light which came down from the sky glowed even brighter. And for some reason, I entered Twilight dreamworld.

"Lunox." I heard a voice, and it was mother's, I was glad.

"Mother? Where are you? I hear you calling."

"Over here Lunox." And Mother appeared infront of me as her celestial body was formed by stardust.

"Mother am I dreaming?"

"No, Lunox, and yes. Something in between, as your dreams can become a reality if you conjure it properly."

"Why have you appeared to me again, Mother?"

"I did this to say, that you haven't lost your powers, my little one. Look over there, look and see who you really are." Mother pointed out a space, and images began to appear.

"I-it's home, from where Father, you and I lived. It's the tribe from a long time ago. And you, and Father."

"Yes, and we raised you and loved you with all of our hearts. Now look closer." Then Mother showed an image of me, being blessed with the power of Chaos and Order. "You are a gift, a blessing."

"No," I disagreed, and faced down as I felt guilt and awful, "I let my friend Odette down twice, and I let the Dark Abyss take the Twilight Orb."

"Nobody can steal your past, your dreams, or your powers. You just have to look deep within yourself, and you will find them in there." And then, Mother faded away as I went back to reality.

After that talk with mother, I had the courage to face Selena, without my powers. I went out from behind the rock, and walked towards Odette and Selena, who were together. "Oh, Lunox. I've heard so much about you. Too bad the Twilight Orb and all its power is mine now. Hhha!" Selena grinned at me.

That moment, I needed to do something. I positioned myself into battle. With or without powers.

Chapter end