SPELLBOUND

The dragons seemed to have entered through another wall and suddenly, the darkness that was already pitch black had grown thicker now. Was there another layer?

Suddenly, all the dragons halted in their steps and there, Evie saw 'herself' shining brilliantly like the sun as she stood on the head of her dragon, perfectly balanced and with no hints of slipping or falling. She was looking intently ahead. The vision of 'her' in her golden splendour majestically standing on her steed that was as black as ebony was truly awe-inspiring.

Evie's heartbeat sounded so loud in her own ears as she lifted her eyes towards the same direction as well and there, she saw something so unbelievable that her eyes almost popped out. How? How did this happen?

An Abyss was right before them already. Its large yawning cavity a menacing and dark void that seemed to even draw in every single iota of light from its surroundings. Evie immediately remembered the abyss that she had seen in her dream. This seemed to be the very same abyss that she saw – that Abyss of Darkness. However, in this memory, it had now grown too massive that if Evie's calculations were right, this Abyss of darkness had already swallowed all the other lands except for the Southern empire.

Quickly, Evie left Vera's side and moved towards 'herself' as fast as she could.

When she finally reached, Evie stood before her. Her eyes were closed, but not tightly scrunched up as she would have thought. Her face was so peaceful that her body was glowing with a kind of power that Evie could not quite fathom. At that moment, Evie had a feeling that this was no longer her anymore… there was no more hint of humanity left in her appearance… it was like she had turned into and become a real goddess, descended from the heavens itself.

Evie was paralyzed and overwhelmed at what she was seeing. She could not even react anymore. She just made sure to keep her eyes opened and watched everything very vigilantly. Until another light pulsated out from 'herself'.

"It's coming." Evie heard her whisper, still without opening her eyes. Coming? Who?

Abruptly, Evie whipped her head towards the front. Something was pulsating ahead in the darkness as if someone was coming closer. But Evie still could not see a thing but just feel the pulsating darkness. Down below, the monsters kept climbing out from the abyss.

She looked at 'herself' again and she saw her finally moving. In one swift and impossibly fast move, her hand was already lifted, her palm facing upwards to the sky.

An overwhelming power swirled around her figure and Evie saw the other dragons moved past 'herself' as if to create a barrier surrounding her.

Winged monsters reeking with strong dark magic began to come out from the darkness and the dragons and their riders circled 'herself'. The warriors below guarded the ground against the giants that were throwing themselves in that direction.

As another battle, fiercer than one could ever imagine ensued, Evie watched 'herself' stay ever so still in that position. Her eyes remained closed, her expression as tranquil as a dreamless sleep.

The dragons and warriors around her including Vera fought fiercely as though they would rather die than let anyone pass through their guard and reach the person they were protecting.

Evie was puzzled as to what was going on. What was she doing while all her people and comrades were fighting to their deaths?

But as Evie was questioning herself on that, a light came from the sky. Shocked, Evie looked up and she saw a light piercing through the darkness like an arrow from the sky. Her eyes widened as she returned her gaze to 'herself'.

"Come… oh, light… hear me… come to me…" she heard 'herself' call out. Her voice was light and feathery like a prayer. Her own light grew so strong as the descending light kept piercing through the darkness as if making its way to her hand.

"Come!" she called louder as the battle around her became fiercer.

Evie was not even breathing anymore as she saw the dragons fall from the overwhelming numbers of the enemy who appeared as soon as 'she' called for that light to come.

"COME!!!" 'she' screamed, and a strong beam of light appeared from 'her' palm, shooting upwards as if to meet the descending light halfway.

And the moment the lights collided, 'she' screamed again. "Ahhhh!!!"

A light so bright burst forth from 'her' body as the light from the sky seemed to have entered her palm.

The once pitch black space now looked as though the sun had suddenly appeared and all the warriors and the dragons roared out mightily despite the enemies now pouring out in impossible numbers. Everyone was cheering out as if they were already victorious in this war even as they fell to their deaths.

When 'she' stopped screaming, Evie saw an arrow so bright and sharp being formed in her uplifted hand.

'She' opened her eyes and those amber orbs shone brighter than the sun.

"ONYX!!!" 'She' shouted out and Onyx finally moved.

The dragon breathed out fire as it passed over the enemies and as 'she' notched the arrow in her bow.

The other dragons that were still alive followed after 'her', protecting her as she rallied ahead. The monsters jumped right into Onyx's face and tore at his eyes, but the dragon did not stop. And as soon as Onyx reached what seemed to be the very last layer of the wall, the dragon then rammed his whole body against it with the full impact of his weight and speed combined. 'She' was the only one who managed to enter into what seemed like the very centre of the darkness.

'She' immediately pulled on her arrow and aimed it forward.

Evie looked ahead towards what 'she' was aiming at. Someone was standing there… a man… w-who?

Evie could not recognize the man's face as he was enveloped with pitch black smoke swirling around him. But Evie saw that his eyes… they were… a piercing blue…