Chapter 7: Puzzle?

"Why did you want to talk to me all of a sudden?" Darcy asked. The truth was, it was sudden, but I had seen my sister having fun with Icy and remembered that the Trix were going to trick Stella and steal the Scepter. I couldn't let that happen and ruin any chance of a relationship between us.

"To be honest, I want to prevent you from making a mistake that you might regret," I answered truthfully, as I saw no point in lying to a witch with mind-related powers. "You seem to be the most reasonable out of the three of you, so you should know that stealing Stella's scepter could close all possibilities of a relationship between us."

"Icy doesn't listen to anything that disrupts her plans," Darcy said, opening up a bit. "So, how about a deal?" I proposed. "What tricks do you want to play…" "Power," I interjected. "You three are obsessed with power, and you don't care who you hurt to get it. So, my offer is a peaceful solution and a threat. You can either have a peaceful relationship with us and help us with any problems we face in the future. In exchange, we'll give you access to all the magical knowledge we find in our enemies' lairs. But if you hurt my sister physically or emotionally, there will be consequences." I threatened, not realizing the change in my eyes during my speech.

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The eyes staring back at me were vastly different from the playful and flirtatious ones I had encountered at the fairy gala. These were the eyes of a hunter, of a predator searching for its next prey. The monster that she keeps hidden inside her, the one that wouldn't hesitate to harm anyone in her way, was now complaining about us not caring about others as we pursue our goals.

What's wrong with that? They're strangers, as long as we get what we want... No, that's not it. From the moment I met her, she's always been fiercely protective of her sister. It was almost as if she was driven by a higher power to keep her sibling safe, she herself doesn't care about strangers.

Even my illusions, which would hardly be seen through by even the most skilled charmix fairy, as long as we remained still that is, couldn't conceal my presence from her. She was able to sense me and Stormy even before she laid her eyes on us.

I learned from Icy that she had even defeated a troll to ensure her sister's safety. Her actions reminded me of our sisterhood before we became known as the Trix. Back then, we were just three girls, betrayed by the world around us, and clung to the only thing that still held value in our lonely existence - each other.

Lily seems to have nothing else in her life but her sister, not even emotional connections. She's willing to sacrifice her own humanity to keep her sibling safe. The reason for her obsession is unclear, but it may have something to do with the future enemies she mentioned or her emotional instability. It's not normal for someone to be able to switch from smiling kindly to making a threat with such a cold, uncaring gaze.

I'm not sure if Icy has developed any feelings for the pixie, be it friendship or romance, but it's of no concern to me. My priority is to ensure that she doesn't incur the wrath of the Fairy of the Hunt, no matter what.

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As I found myself in the familiar darkness once again, I wished only for sleep, not meditation. Shouldn't I have had to focus to get to this place? Suddenly, a voice that combined male and female tones spoke from behind me. "You finally arrived."

"What are you, and why are you here?!" I yelled out in fear, as something inside me told me that what was speaking to me shouldn't exist. Just trying to comprehend what I was seeing was causing me a headache.

"I am merely a fragment, a piece of a puzzle," the voice explained. "To put it more clearly, I am a step-by-step guide to complete the two-colored puzzle that is you. But I and you are two separate pieces, and that is why the puzzle is incomplete. My absence has caused the puzzle to be put together incorrectly, leading to the mess you call yourself."

As the voice spoke in its strange, wrong tone, I felt a strong urge to scream, cry, or run. But all I could do was stand still and listen, even though I didn't fully understand what was being said, yet everything seemed clear as if it was something I already knew.

"Why are you here?" I asked. "I am here to correct the work of someone who thought their finger painting was a masterpiece just because their mother praised them," the voice answered. "I am here to correct your existence. And unfortunately, you haven't even asked the most important question yet."

"What is there to correct?" I wondered. "Could it be about my reincarnation? But that was perfect, wasn't it? I had all the memories and emotions from both lives."

"The most important question you haven't asked is where we are," the voice explained. "We are at the core of your soul, your existence. That is an unchanging part of someone, a part that cannot be altered. No matter what you will experience in the future or how you may change, that part will always remain the same. Or at least, it should have."

"You were originally Lily Peters, the sister of the dragon flame holder. However, I altered your core, in a sense. To put it simply, a part of you that wasn't Lily Peters died and arrived in this world through sheer determination, breaking free from its own world's weak restrictions. This part found you as its host and merged with you, creating a new entity. I could have fixed this without you noticing, but that would have led to unintended consequences. So, I need you to understand who you are and what went wrong so I can help you correct it.

You have two cores instead of one, and that is where your magic comes in. Your second core, the previously deceased soul, used the laws of this world to become your magical core and manifest as your fairy powers. This shouldn't have worked without erasing both of you, but it did because of an anchor - your sister. Her existence both kept you alive and made you unstable. Your emotions were unstable or heightened only when you were near her. And this whole anchor thing working had more to do with her holding the dragon flame than her relation to you.

You never sought out social connections outside your sister because your only concern was her wellbeing. You took the Trix to the Gala to ensure that your sister's happiness wouldn't be disrupted, and you even attempted to form a friendship with them to make things easier for your sister with Icy.

I can't say for certain if it was all coincidence or if it was planned by the other part of you, but I can say that I am sorry for what you went through. No one should have to endure that, but rest assured, I will help you."