Elzilaura tries to scan the room and analyze where she is. The gloomy court hall was empty and the ambiance quite resembled that of a horror house. A half-beaten chamberlain scampered across the room as fast as he could. The chamberlain thanks Elzilaura.
"Oh, thank you for coming." The Chamberlain says. "It has been so horrible. Every member of the royal family is dead. They were killed by Masaa." He sobs. "She is still here. I will lead you to her. Only you can stop her. Put an end to her madness before she kills everyone else." The chamberlain tried to escort the princess to where the murderess may be.
They left the court hall and entered the corridor and the chamberlain pointed to the last door. He claims Masaa entered that door. "I cannot carry on any longer." The chamberlain drops to the floor. Elzilaura tries to help him up but he holds out his arm refusing her help. "No, you must go on without me. Go now and save us. Please." The Fliskan princess slowly laid the chamberlain down. "Yes, I will. Just wait for me here."
Hurriedly, she rushed to the door. At the end of the corridor, she found herself entering a narrow room that seemed like a passageway. The walls seemed glass-like screens projecting different movie clips. As she looked at each phase of the walls, each scene was experiencing. It was the bitter memories of Masaa. In one scene, she sees Masaa being bullied by some classmates envious of her. Next, she sees Masaa beaten by her nanny.
As Elzilaura walks on, she sees more disturbing scenes. She sees Masaa being punished by a cruel teacher. She was asked to kneel in front of a class for not being able to finish her homework. On the adjacent wall, the scene pictured the teacher verbally abusing Masaa who would often pick on the poor student because her parents were so influential. This teacher would make Masaa stand for hours when she is unable to recite and all the other cruelties were shown in that scene. The next few clips were about Masaa's friends she trusted the most who ended up betraying her.
At the end of this narrow passageway was another door. When Elzilaura opened this said door, she entered a dark room, and in the middle was a girl sitting on a wooden stool. The girl was dressed in black from head to toe. Her back and tuft of hair were the only ones visible to Elzilaura. When the princess called out to the girl, Masaa turned to face Elzilaura. To her surprise, Masaa looked exactly like her.
In the blink of an eye, the dark shadows that seemed to be near Masaa rushed and enveloped Elzilaura even before she could scream out loud. Soon, there was a reversal of fate. Elzilaura was the one seated on the stool all gloomy and a bewildered Masaa was standing right before the stool where Elzilaura was. Her appearance had changed. The black clothes were gone and she was now wearing a dark blue dress and had dark brown hair. She no longer resembled Elzilaura.
"Where am I?" Seeing the gloomy princess scared her and she ran out the door. As she passed through the narrow passageway, the walls were full of scenes now about Elzilaura's bitter experiences.
Masaa saw Elzilaura being sternly treated by her tutors and mentors. They were all pressuring Elzilaura to do better for she was to be the next queen. She saw how strictly her mother brought her up in the traditions of a Fliskan royal.
Masaa saw a part when the princess was still on planet earth under the identity of Laura. She was betrayed by her fiancé and best friend. The scene where she learned her mother's secret and when she had to leave earth were also revealed. Masaa continued to rush to the door leading to the corridor. When she reached the said corridor, all the doors melted away.
From behind the chamberlain who was now able to walk and miraculously cured speaks.
"If you think you can escape then you are so wrong." He then laughs ominously. "You cannot escape from the past." She looks at her wrist and surprisingly, they were bound by dark big cuffs. She stares at them and then goes into a trance. Bitter memories flashed in her mind again and there was nothing in her heart but revenge. Then, a tornado sweeps Masaa away.
Meanwhile, Elzilaura was seated on a stool grieving about the bitter experiences she had as they all flashed through in her head. But then, she realized, the past is gone and could never be changed. She must move on and accept every experience. After all, these moments have made her into the person she is today. She tells herself " I am not perfect though even though I had to go through a lot that is the beauty of tomorrow. We have tomorrow to accomplish those that we truly cannot finish today."
With that, the darkness that has consumed her was gone. In an instant, the room was no longer gloomy but it turned out to be an empty storage room. When she passed through the narrow passageway, the movie clips were gone. All that was left were the glass walls so she rushed to the door. As she opened her way to the corridor, she saw the mysteriously healed chamberlain turning to face her.
"If you think you can escape, then you're wrong." He laughs hysterically again. "You cannot escape the past." Big black handcuffs appear. She also goes into a trance upon looking at them. Bitter memories flashed through her head but she kept on constantly saying that it is over. She accepts the past. Then the faces of those who treated her cruelly appeared and she felt anger towards them. She wanted to exact her revenge on them.
Soon, she also recalled the experiences she had recently which were favorable. She then sees the importance of these unfortunate events in her life and accepts them again. This time she vows to let go of her hate and move on now. Filled with love in her heart, she forgives these people who have done her wrong instead of seeking revenge. She speaks and though she does not see the chamberlain, she tells him, "For so long I have lived in hate. Now, I chose to live in love."
Doing so, the black cuffs disappeared. As she was in the trance, a storm was brewing and the tornado was prepared to sweep her off just like what happened to Masaa. Now that she has awakened and the cuffs were broken, the tornado took the chamberlain instead. He screamed out loud and as it slowly faded, all that was left was the disappearing echo of his scream.
Suddenly the room changed and she found herself in the royal apartments pregnant. It was a stormy night and she was caressing her belly. The doctors had informed her that her pregnancy was sensitive so she has to take bed rest. She is also forbidden to use the crystal cross' power for it would endanger the baby's life. Her husband whose face she cannot see for the room was poorly lit and warned her not to disobey the doctor's orders.
When the doctor left, a member of the royal council informed her that Fliska is under attack by three forces from a different galaxy. They are fast approaching and the army needs her. She must use the crystal cross to help them in defending Fliska. She explained to the minister that she cannot go against the doctor's orders but the minister implored her to use the cross for indeed thousands of people shall die.
She hurriedly got out of bed and as she reached for her slippers, she heard her husband threatening to leave her should she choose to go. Her husband wants her to stay with her and raise a family. If she uses the power of the cross in her weak state, she will surely die and the baby as well.
Elzilaura wanted to be with him and have a family with him but thousands of people shall die. The enemy troops could even wipe out the planet if she didn't take action. That is why she used the gemstone and defended her kingdom. Soon everything went pitch black.
She couldn't see anything until a flicker of light came from a candle. She then noticed she was holding a candle and walking along a dark corridor. Not for long, she heard once again the voices that often broke her calm.
"Oh, there is the poor pampered princess who doesn't know anything about ruling a kingdom."
"It's the little lamb of her lioness mother."
"She's old enough to marry and yet she's still clinging to her mother's skirts. It's so childish."
"I wonder what will happen when she takes the throne."
"Well, if she can take it before someone else beats her to it."
"She doesn't know how to be decisive."
This time around she mustered her remaining strength and answered back.
"Lies."
"All you're saying are lies."
A flicker of light came out of nowhere. Slowly, her strength was returning.
"I have let you rule over me. You are in my head for so long."
"You are not even real."
"You are fear, doubt, and anxiety. You are a figment of my imagination."
"I am real."
Suddenly, she reaches the doors leading to a ballroom where the noble lords and ladies of the Fliskan Royal Court were chatting. All eyes were on her. She scans the room and stares at these eavesdroppers and gossipers. Instead of chiding away, she confronts them.
"I know who I am and what I am capable of doing." Some continued to murmur while most of them stared in astonishment.
"What you say against me is a reflection of your weakness, not mine."
In an instant, everything swirls and fades to black once more.
Back in the hall, everyone was watching when the pool turned black. The calm waters were becoming wavy now. Queen Monandra says that the test is almost over. The last phase of the tests is not visible to anyone now. It is a secret between the forces of this universe and the one chosen or granted permission to wield these forces. The Queen also informs that any minute now, Princess Elzilaura will emerge from the waters.
Meanwhile, Elzilaura found herself floating in a place of total darkness. She sees nothing but the crystal cross. It breaks apart and the lights escape from it. A voice tells her to put the gem back together and control the flow of energy. She concentrates and soon the cross is put back together while the energy lights enter her hands. As she meditates, it flows in and then the voice in her head commands her to release the power. She opens her eyes wide and sends the light into nowhere. Soon streams of light fly all around.
She was very tired and her body was bruised. As she was trying to stay awake, a voice spoke. The voice introduced herself as a Fliskan queen of long ago. She announces that Elzilaura has already surpassed all the challenges which tested her skills as well as wisdom and virtues. This Queen then reveals to her the origins of the Crystal Cross. At the beginning of time, a primordial body existed which was Nimeralia.
Nimeralia contained all the power stones and power gems. Since the energy within the primordial planet was too great, it exploded. The heavenly body had split into two. The first half consisted of positive energy while the other half was of negative energy. These two halves broke down further and were absorbed by forming heavenly bodies. The positive pieces became the power gems while the negative pieces became the power stones.
It was also customary for the new crystal princess to receive a gift. A shower of golden rain fell from nowhere and she was enveloped by it. She heard the voice saying incantation which was a form of anointment. Then she closed her eyes and felt as if floating on a vast sea.
She slowly opened her eyes and saw that she was already back floating in the waters of the sacred pool. She soon stood up and tried to catch her balance. When she did, she emerged from the pool.
She goes back to her robes and dons them again before moving towards the dais. Simultaneously, the lamp follows and floats back to Queen Monandra's hands. As it was customary, the queen gave back the Crystal Cross to its rightful bearer.
"As all have witnessed, you have completed a series of tests that require physical, emotional, and spiritual strength and courage. You have opened yourself to your gem and it has opened itself to you thus allowing you to wield its full power safely. Upon emerging back from the waters of the sacred pool, I hereby declare you have successfully passed this trial of light. You truly are the heiress to the throne of Fliska. There is no doubt about your identity and let no one ever contest your claim. From this day forward, you are now officially the Crystal Princess."
The room then gave her a round of applause. Kanunia, Dazifae, Zyric, Harrion, and Alednos immediately flocked to her but bowed before they expressed their congratulations. As protocol decreed, the princess must be presented to the people. The Fliskans allow the Queen and the princess to walk toward the balcony while they follow behind the two monarchs.
Queen Monandra escorts the victorious princess to the palace balcony. The rest of the guests in the hall follow the two royals. As they stood outside the balcony, Queen Monandra addressed the crowds. "Dearest Ludinians, Fliskans, and all peoples present here today, I introduce to you now the valiant royal who successfully passed the trial of light. Behold the Crystal Princess!" The crowd, the guests and everyone else cheers in delight.