The water in the lake was calm and still, but Princess Andrea could feel the dark magic pulsing through it. She could feel her body go cold as she stared deeply into the beautiful reflection that faced her own. Andrea felt as if she was slowly detaching, her mind caught up with the horror saturating the water.
"Well, well, well. Look who it is. My brave little princess, all alone in the Outer Lands..." The voice echoed from within the water, so clear and soothing, Andrea could feel herself slipping.
Andrea took a step back from the edge of the water, trying to distance herself from the Villainess's influence. "What do you want?" she called out, her voice steady despite her fear.
The villainess's laugh sent echoes across the water. "Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to see the pretty princess so intent on chasing after me, you definitely don't disappoint my dearest Andrea, you're as alight as ever."
Andrea gritted her teeth. She knew that the Villainess was playing with her, trying to catch her off guard, but the princess wanted answers.
"I don't have time for games, Villainess. What do you want?"
The water began to ripple and churn as if Andrea was stroking the water. The Villainess' magic was strong, Andrea had never seen this level of power before. Andrea remembered that Etherea could never use her magic in places she herself wasn't present, her mind couldn't comprehend the sheer power that was cast before her.
The Villainess laughed again, enjoying the torment in Andrea's expression, "What do I want? I want the whole world. And you, my dearest Andrea, are the key to everything I desire."
Andrea drew her sword, her eyes fixed on the Villainess. "I would never help you. I swear on the name of the Kingdom of Greencourt you won't get your way."
The villainess laughed again, a cold, cruel sound. "Ah yes... Your perfect little kingdom, thriving in bliss. If only you knew the truth..."
Andrea faltered, "What do you mean?"
The glimmering reflection broke into a grin, "You look so cute when you're confused! But don't you worry, I'll reveal it to you in due time."
The water started to rumble, "Continue on your little quest, I'll see you shortly."
The water boiled as Andrea pondered over the Villainess' words, the reflection present in the later now unrecognisable. Before Andrea could react, the water began to rise up around her, wrapping her in a dark, suffocating embrace. She tried to struggle, to fight against the magic, but it was too strong.
The villainess's voice echoed in her mind. "You see, Princess Andrea, I have control over everything in this world. And soon, you will be mine."
And with that, the water closed over Andrea's head, and everything went dark.
...
Princess Andrea woke up with a start, gasping for air. She was lying on the riverbank, her clothes soaking wet, and her heart racing with fear. She looked up into the golden eyes of Etherea. Etherea sat beside her, concern etched on her face.
"Andy! You're finally awake! Took you long enough" she sighed, she placed a comforting hand on Andrea's shoulder "I had to pull you from the water, what on earth happened?"
Andrea took a few deep breaths, fighting to calm herself down. "I saw her," she said finally, her voice shaking. "The Villainess. She was speaking to me through the water, casting dark magic to reach me. She said she wanted me, that I was the key to everything she desired."
Etherea's expression darkened. "I've had a bad feeling for a while, for her magic to reach so far, to do so much, I'm not sure if we can handle her..."
Andera shook her head, "I can't give up yet, I can't let her scare me, we can stop her - I know it."
The fairy shuddered, "I'm already in too deep..." Etherea looked down at the princess "You better pay me big time, I should be able to buy my own castle after this!"
Andrea laughed, some of her tension sliding away, "Sure, sure, the Greencourt coffers are always full, I could pay you with ten castles!"
Soon the two of them were laughing, "You shouldn't tell me that, princess, soon I'll add another castle to the bill."
After a moment Andrea took a deep breath, looking out towards the water, she felt an uneasiness simmering from beneath the surface.
"I can't shake the feeling that there's something else going on," Andrea said, frowning. "Something she's not telling me."
Etherea tilted her head, looking thoughtful. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," Andrea admitted. "But I feel like there's more to her plans than just wanting the prince, or power, or whatever it is that she wants. Like she's after something specific, something personal. She kept saying she wanted me."
Etherea studied her for a moment before asking, "Do you think she fancies you?"
Andrea blinked in surprise. "What? No, of course not. She's evil, Rea. She wants to destroy everything I stand for, that's like the opposite of love."
Etherea shrugged. "Maybe not love. Infatuation or obsession, maybe she's jealous and wants to steal everything you have - including your boyfriend, have you ever encountered the Villainess before?"
Andrea shook her head, feeling a little uncomfortable with the conversation. "I don't think so, but when I saw her, she seemed familiar, I couldn't shake this feeling. I'm so confused."
Etherea nodded, seeming to accept Andrea's answer. "It's okay Andrea, have faith that the answers will come, but we must be careful," she said. "We can't let her get the upper hand on us again."
Andrea nodded, feeling a little better now that she had Etherea's support. But she couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get much, much worse before they got any better.
As Andrea and Etherea were discussing what to do next, Juno trotted over to them with Oakley in tow, his little horn glowing with urgency.
"You two! Get off your tootsies, we gotta get out of here now!" Juno said, his voice urgent. "Oakley and I have done some scouting and there's an evil-looking market not too far from here. I know we don't have the best track record with markets, but we need supplies, and villainesses be damned we need the firepower" Juno shot a pointed look at Andrea.
Andrea and Etherea exchanged a glance, both sensing the urgency in Juno's voice.
"What kind of supplies?" Etherea asked, her brow furrowed with concern.
Juno looked at Oakley, who was sitting quietly beside them, and then back at the fairy priestess.
"Demolition supplies," he said, his tone grim. "The kind Oakley needs to build his traps and defences. As I said, we're going to need them if we want to stand a chance against the Villainess."
Andrea nodded in agreement - although she was not appreciating Juno's tone, he was such a mean unicorn. But she had to throw aside her distaste, she knew they couldn't afford to waste any time.
"Lead the way, Juno," she said, her voice steady despite the growing sense of unease in her stomach.
Juno nodded, and the four of them quickly gathered their things and set off towards the distant ridge.
As they journeyed towards the market, Andrea couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into a trap. She had heard rumours of markets in the Outer Lands - they were places where villains and criminals gathered to trade in illegal goods and services. Her father the King had always despised the Outer Lands, he had told her many stories of knights going missing and people fleeing in terror when the Princess was a child. The thought of walking into that den of horror made Andrea's skin crawl.
But she knew they had no other choice. They needed those supplies if they were going to stand any chance of defeating the Villainess.
As they approached the outskirts of the market, Juno signalled for them to stop. He led them over to a rocky outcropping, where they could see the market in the distance.
Andrea's breath caught in her throat as she looked down upon the sprawling tent city below. There were hundreds of people milling about, all of them with a dangerous glint in their eyes. She could see weapons being traded openly, and the sound of laughter and shouting echoed up towards them.
"We need to be careful," Juno said, his voice low. "This is not a place for the faint of heart."
Andrea nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. She took a deep breath, pulling her hood down over her features.
"Let's go," she said, and the three of them began their descent towards the evil market.
As they entered the evil market, Andrea, Etherea, and Juno took in the crowds, while vendors were all shouting their wares at a screeching volume. Every now and then, someone would bump into them, and Andrea could feel the weight of hostile stares following them as they made their way through the throng.
They needed to find the right vendor without drawing attention to themselves. They couldn't afford to let anyone know who they were, or what they were doing there.
Juno led the way, his horn glowing softly in the dim light of the market. He seemed to have a sense of where they needed to go, and he guided them through the crowds with surprising ease.
Andrea could feel her heart racing as they made their way deeper into the market. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, that someone was waiting for them to slip up so they could pounce.
They finally reached a section of the market that was filled with stalls selling all manner of explosives and traps. Andrea's eyes widened as she took in the sheer variety of dangerous goods on display. There were crates of dynamite, barrels of gunpowder, and even bundles of live grenades.
Juno led them to a small stall tucked away in a corner of the market. The vendor was a thin, wiry man with sharp eyes and a sly grin. He looked the group up and down, sizing them up.
"What can I do for you, ladies and gents?" he said, his voice dripping with fake cordiality.
"We're looking for demolition supplies," Juno said, his voice cold and business-like.
The vendor raised an eyebrow. "Demolition supplies, eh? What's a unicorn want with those kinds of goods, huh?"
Juno chuckled, "Not for me you oaf, for the child!"
The vendor stroked his chin, "I see...". Andrea was concerned, why on earth would Juno say it was for Oakley? Was he stupid? Did he want them dead?
"That makes a lot more sense, so what is it you need then, hmm?" the vendor asked.
Andrea spoke up before Juno could answer. "We need the kind of explosives that can bring down walls and structures quickly. Do you have anything like that?"
The vendor nodded thoughtfully. "I might have just the thing. But I need to know what you're planning to use these explosives for. Can't be too careful these days, you know."
Andrea exchanged a glance with Etherea and Juno. They all knew what was at stake.
"Just a little project, nothing dangerous!" Oakley piped up eagerly.
The vendor chuckled, "Ehh! Of course, of course, who am I kidding? I can certainly help you out with that. What do you need?"
As Oakley described the supplies he needed, the vendor nodded along, pulling out various items and laying them on the counter. Andrea and Etherea were amazed at how knowledgeable Oakley was about the different demolition materials he needed, Juno simply smirked as if he knew all along - very rich considering he'd only met the boy when Etherea and Andrea had too, Andrea thought to herself. Once Oakley was satisfied with the selection, he handed over a pouch of coins.
"Where did the kid get money?" She whimpered.
As the vendor counted the coins, he smirked "You people aren't from the Outer Lands, are you? I'd even wager you're from Greencourt, hmm."
Andrea was surprised, "What does it matter where we're from?"
The vendor laughed wickedly, "Eh I have nothing against Greencourt peasants, the nobles and whatnot are another story!"
Andrea felt a chill go down her spine, "What do you mean?"
"Acting as if you don't know, we all know! Greencourt is a cesspool for greed, they act like they're so good and mighty but all they do is tax their people dry."
Andrea was more confused than ever. "What would you know of the inner workings of Greencourt, Outer Lander?"
The vendor's expression grew dark, "Outer Lander? You act as if I've proudly taken on that title. My family was forced out of Greencourt because we couldn't afford to pay their ridiculous taxes. We lost our farm and our home. We were lucky enough to find a new home out here, but not everyone is so fortunate. Those in power in Greencourt care only for their own wealth and comfort, they don't care about the smaller people when they're sitting so high up. They can't even see us."
The group listened intently as the vendor spoke, each one feeling a twinge of guilt. Andrea had always known that her family was wealthy, but she had never really thought about the impact of their policies on the common people.
"I'm sorry, I should have known that," Andrea said softly, placing a hand on the vendor's arm. "I won't forget what you have told us."
The vendor nodded, "I can see a turning point now, we all can, change is coming. You should be careful out there, hmmm, Outer Landers don't take kindly to strangers."
...
As the group started to leave the market, each one lost in their own thoughts, Andrea realised she was feeling guilty again. A few weeks out in the real world, Andrea was getting tired of being so deeply considerate of other people's feelings - it was such hard work! But she knew this time it was warranted. Andrea had always thought of her family as benevolent rulers, but now the Princess wondered if there was more to the story.
Andrea suddenly felt as though they were being observed.. She had been quiet for a while, but Etherea noticed her change in demeanour.
"What's wrong, Andrea?" Etherea asked, confused but wary.
"I don't know," Andrea replied, looking around cautiously. "I just have this feeling that someone's watching us."
Juno snorted. "Probably just some stinkingly greedy merchant trying to overcharge us for something, a unicorn would never stoop so low!."
Andrea recalled her encounter with the villainess and how she had been able to speak to her through magic. What if the villainess was following them?
"Let's keep moving," Andrea suggested, looking around for any sign of danger. "I don't want to stay here any longer than we have to."
The group picked up their pace and continued down the dusty road, their eyes darting around, watching for any signs of trouble.
Andrea kept a firm grip on the newly acquired supplies. They had purchased more food, and a sleeping mat for Oakley. The boy had been sleeping with Juno, but the group thought he deserved his own mat.
Juno kept a watchful eye out, his horn glowing softly as he scanned the area for any signs of danger.
Finally, they reached a small clearing by a stream, and Andrea suggested they take a break. She sat by the water, feeling the coolness of the water soothe her feet. Etherea sat next to her, while Juno grazed nearby.
"Andrea, is everything alright?" Etherea asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I don't know," Andrea replied, looking around cautiously. "I just have this feeling that something's not right. We need to be careful."
Etherea nodded, "I know. Just tell us if you see anything, like what happened with the Villainess!"
As the sun set, the group set up camp for the night. A hushed silence fell over the group while they followed the same routine they had subconsciously learnt to the nth degree.
"How much longer do you think it'll take us to reach her?" Andrea asked, breaking the silence.
"It's hard to say," Etherea replied, her voice soft. "We need to be careful and take our time. We don't want to rush into anything."
Juno snorted in agreement. "The last thing we need is to walk right into one of her traps."
Andrea nodded, taking a bite of her bread. She wondered what would happen once she got home and was reunited with her family when she returned with her beloved Prince William. Would they be able to resume their happy life together, or would things be different now that she had been through so much?
"What will happen once we defeat the Villainess and I go back home?" Andrea asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Etherea looked at her, her eyes filled with compassion. "It won't be the same as before, Andrea. You've been through so much, you'll need to take time to heal and adjust to your new reality."
Andrea nodded, feeling a sense of comfort in Etherea's words. She knew that things wouldn't be the same, but she was grateful for the support of her friends.
As they settled in for the night, Andrea battled with her worries but ultimately decided she was content to be surrounded by her companions, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
...
Andrea was jolted awake in the middle of the night, her heart pounding. She sat up, her senses on high alert. Andrea's feeling of being watched had increased tenfold, and it made her skin crawl.
The others were asleep, so Andrea scanned the area, searching for a threat. It was then that she heard the snap of a branch in the distance. Andrea's heart raced as she tried to locate the source of the noise. Suddenly, a band of shadows emerged from the trees, their eyes glowing a sickening red laced with malice.
Andrea let out a scream, waking the group.
In a flash, Juno let out a fierce battle cry, charging towards the shadows with his horn. Etherea let her glowing wings unfurl as she rose in the air, looking so pristine you won't believe she'd been asleep the moment before. The fairy began to chant a spell, sending a burst of light into the shadows, and for a moment Andrea could see their insides; they looked like smokey wisps of blood and bone. She turned around to see Oakley throwing a wrapped package towards the shadows before it hit a nearby tree and exploded, sending the shadows shrieking.
Andrea's mind raced as she tried to think of a way to help. She fumbled as she pulled the sword from under her bedding. She leapt up, swinging her sword around as Etherea had taught her. Her sword cut into the shadows like butter, but they seemed to not know pain, and while they dripped with blood as she tore through them they seemed unharmed. They were relentless, attacking the group, their red eyes fixed on the princess. Andrea was determined not to let anyone die, but she was still so new to fighting, her body still weak and untested.
Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, a figure appeared from the darkness. Andrea was shocked at how hot he was, she almost dropped her sword. He was tall and muscular, with piercing green eyes and dark hair that fell in waves around his face. He moved with ease and grace, it almost seemed like he was not afraid of the shadows.
Andrea felt a glimmer of hope. While she had never seen this man before, something about him seemed familiar - he reminded her of Sir Jamathon and his unyielding bravery. Her heart felt a stab of pain at the loss.
The man quickly dispatched the shadows with a series of swift kicks and punches. Andrea watched in awe as he moved with a precision and skill that seemed almost otherworldly.
Once the shadows had been defeated, the man turned to the group. "Please, come with me," he said, his voice deep and commanding. "I'll take you somewhere safe."
Andrea hesitated for a moment, unsure if she could trust him. But something in his glowing green eyes told her that he was not a threat. She nodded, and the group followed him into the darkness, grateful for the chance to escape the danger that had threatened them.
Andrea looked up at the man, feeling a mix of relief and confusion.
"Who are you?" Etherea asked, her voice taking on an accusatory tone.
The man looked down at her with piercing green eyes, his face unreadable. "I am... a friend," he said, his voice low and smooth.
Andrea furrowed her brow. "A friend? But why would you risk your life to save us?"
The man's expression remains impassive. "Let's just say I have a vested interest in keeping you alive," he said cryptically.
Andrea opened her mouth to ask more questions, but the man held up a hand to silence her. "We don't have much time," he said, glancing around pointedly. "We need to move quickly."
Andrea nodded, still unsure of what to make of this stranger. As they followed him through the forest, she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Was someone still following them? Surely the shadows wouldn't be defeated so easily by a few punches. They were good punches for sure, but her sword was sharp and much heavier than a punch. It had to be a trap. Andrea cast a sideways glance at Etherea and Juno, but they looked just as bewildered.
After several minutes of brisk walking, the man led them to a hidden clearing, shielded from view by a thick canopy of trees. "We'll be safe here for a while," he said, his eyes darting around as if he was expecting trouble.
Andrea took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. "I mean, thanks for saving us," she said earnestly. "But I still don't understand why you're doing this."
The man's lips quirk in a small smile. "Let's just say that our interests happen to align at the moment," he said enigmatically.
Andrea frowned, feeling frustrated by his evasiveness. "That doesn't explain anything!" she says pointedly.
The man sighed. "Look, I can't tell you right now, but I saw you at the market and knew you were in danger, I couldn't just sit by and let something terrible happen, we're not all bad here in the Outer Lands," he said, his eyes flickering with something that looks like regret. "I can tell you more later but we must make sure you're all safe first."
Juno let out a huff, "What about our supplies, super smart move to just leave it all?"
Oakley nodded in agreement, "I had a lot of stuff there, including all my life savings." he said with a frown.
Andrea looked at Etherea, but she seemed stumped before she said, "I guess we have to go back and get it, at least before someone takes it." The man shook his head, "You can't go back, they'll be watching!"
Andrea considered his words, weighing her options. She knew they were in a dangerous situation, but right now they needed all the allies they could get. "Alright," she said at last, reluctantly. "We'll stay here, we can get more supplies later, we still have ways to go, but I'm going to need more of an explanation from you, who are they? You're just super weird and you do not seem trustworthy, I definitely not one to trust the first stranger I come across, got it!"
The man nodded, looking pleased, "I can prove my heart to you, please allow me the honour!"
Andrea was still sceptical but she knew she was overly paranoid lately, and this man did just help them out in a massive way. "So newbie, what's your name?"
The man let out a nervous cough, "Ah, it's Johno!"
Andrea raised an eyebrow, "Just Johno?"
The man, Johno nodded eagerly, "We don't really have last names here, or anywhere really."
Satisfied with his answer, Andrea turned to Etherea, "So, do you think that was her doing?" Andrea finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Etherea tilted her head and considered the question before answering. "It's not really hard to tell, those shadows that just randomly attack us, it's got evil Villainess written all over it."
Andrea shook her head. "I don't get why she's doing all this to me, as if stealing my boyfriend, killing my knight and constantly attacking me isn't bad enough, she's also sending cryptic messages! I know I'm a super pretty princess, but it doesn't make sense."
Juno let out a huff, "She's after your kingdom girl, Outer Lands ain't good enough for her, she wants the fancy stuff!"
Oakley let out a laugh, "No way! She wants to smooch your boyfriend, they're probably going to get married!"
Etherea looked disgusted, "You're both wrong, the villainess is clearly in love with the princess and is doing all of this to make the princess hers!"
Andrea looked at them in disbelief before turning to Johno, he gave a nervous shrug, "Don't look at me, I have no idea who this Villainess even is!"
The whole group let out a rambunctious laugh, Johno is such a funny guy! They all couldn't help but think he was going to be a great addition to the team!