Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 43

The fox looked at the sky, worried. He wondered when Cybelline would come back, there was so much he needed to tell her.

When Cybelline came back, she looked around, "Where's Miri."

"I put the little one in the coffin with her parents. They're safe, as long as they're in there." Red reassured her, his eyes not leaving the girl's face.

Cybelline rushed to the coffin. Four little boys stood solemnly there, looking at the three in the two crystal crypts.

Isthan nudged Ryion, "Is that really Cybelline? Do you believe it?" This new person was nothing like their Cybelline.

Cybelline ruffled Isthan's hair, "I save your life two days ago." Isthan's eyes widened and then he threw himself at her for a fierce hug. The other boys did as well.

Ceric sniffed at Cybelline's clothes, "Yep. That's her alright." The boys looked at him and Berin smiled drily, "Trust Ceric. He's got a nose that's sharper than a wolf's"

Cybelline stood up and looked at the Fox, "Can you teach me how to heal?"

The fox shook his head, "No. I can't. You are too powerful."

"Come again?" Cybelline blinked. 

"If you want them to live, then you can't just use the Source on them." Red looked at Cybelline as if she was crazy, "That's the Source. It's an active volcano of magic, it's meant to be used to fuel entire countries of fae and folk. If you used it on just one person..." He looked at her, "Take a look at the outside, what do you see?"

Cybelline looked up and said, "Show me the outside world."

The sky turned opaque and a scene played out before them like a movie. Mountains had turned to piles of rubble, it looked as if the land had experienced a major earthquake.

"Magic has consequences." The fox said softly, "Queen Titania grappled with the Source for years, until the Six First Blood Lords presented her with six stones to help her control her powers. She fashioned it into a crown and used it to reign in her magic."

"Where's the crown now?" Cybelline asked

Red shook his head, "I don't know. The last I heard, Titania had given the stones back to the Six First Blood lords."

Cybelline sighed, "You know, this stuff should come with an instruction manual."

"I can provide instruction." The fox said proudly. Cybelline raised an eyebrow and the fox's tail went down sheepishly.

She lowered her hand and the golden ball of magic appeared, "So if I gave you some of my power, would you be able to heal them?"

The fox backed away and shook his head, "I wouldn't be able to handle it. I'm strong, but I'm not sure I can even touch the Source without disintegrating. I saw what you did out there, you don't have control. We need to find you Titania's Crown."

Red looked around and sighed, "If I knew that that this day would come, I would've asked Queen Titania what to do." He looked at his paws mournfully. 

"That's alright. You're trying your best."  Cybelline reassured him, finding a lost crown could take years, in the meantime, she need another way. 

Cybelline thought for a moment, she looked at Berin, "In the bag I gave you, how many green healing gems are there?

This was the bag of things she'd taken from the Capital, the night where she had entered the strange tower.

Berin came forward and gave Cybelline the bag. Cybelline thought for a moment and then emptied the contents onto the ground.