Alone in her bedroom, Echthra sits crisscross on her bed, magical sigils sparkling in the air around her. Her eyes are closed. She whispers ancient incantations to herself. Candles float around her body, shedding a dim light. Neither horrors of genocide nor human experimentation can reach her now. She has only one goal this evening: to find the person disturbing her affairs. Echthra reaches out to Wrivin, hoping to find more answers about her nemesis. Whoever they are, she must not let them destroy everything she's done.
You must understand my crisis, Wrivin. You have kept watch over my enemy for eons. I ask only one thing of you; let me find them.
Suddenly, her mind is plagued with images of a vast, rich jungle. She opens her eyes and finds herself standing in the midst of it. Before her lies an elegant crystalline temple. Could this be dedicated to Wrivin? Or someone else? No matter. She knows this place.
Ahhh. Matera. The Jungle Moon. Yes, they must be there.
Her ears twitch, indicating the unfortunate arrival of one of her puppets.
"I wouldn't interrupt my spellcasting if I were you." Echthra's cold, ethereal voice sends a shiver down the spine of the room's other occupant. How did she know?
"A-Apologies, My Lady. I… I'll come back later" the puppet says, exiting the room.
Unfazed by the intrusion, Echthra returns to her activities. A vessel she's never seen before enters the atmosphere above her. Could that be…? Wandering the jungle in her ghostly form, she finds the ship and watches as one figure exits, a young woman. She resists the urge to laugh scornfully. A human girl? She destroyed one of her space factories single-handedly? Impossible! She follows the mysterious girl into the temple. Upon arriving inside, she glances around at her surroundings. Within the room lies beauty beyond anything Echthra has ever seen. She walks across the onyx floor to the moonstone altar in the center. An intricate silver chandelier hangs above her head, glistening in the light of the sun. Colorful opal walls embedded with stained glass windows create a rainbow kaleidoscope on her body. Her enemy stands across from her with her back turned.
"We meet at last," Echthra says.
She turns around and opens her eyes, revealing a vivid purple color.
Non debes hic esse.
"Neither should you. Now, who are you?"
Vestri pessimus somnum exterreri solebat.
Before Echthra can respond to the threat, the girl's body rips open and tendrils of solar flares lash out and pierce her pale blue flesh. She gasps from the pain and collapses.
"You cannot kill me. I am eternal." Echthra says over the sound of her flesh sizzling. A laugh escapes her throat and she summons her magic to her. Soon, the altar, walls, and floor of the temple are stained heavily with red and black blood as Echthra and the girl attempt to kill each other. In the end, Echthra is victorious. As the girl lies dying on the cold black floor, she grins at Echthra.
"I have defeated you, and yet you smile. Why is that, little maggot?"
Bene vale.
Echthra's vision fades before she can retort.
She immediately slides off her bed and rushes to the depths of the Red Machine once she opens her eyes to the real world again. Who is that girl? How could a mere human do so much damage to her? No. Impossible. One thing is certain; she will pay her a little visit…
***
One late Summer evening, a few weeks after the events at the space station, a thunderstorm rages as Juno reads one of the books she received for her 19th birthday in her room. She's been training nonstop since that day, trying to build strength and endurance. A web of thin white tendrils spreads from her body and latches onto various points in the room. Her magic and shapeshifting training have also improved her natural abilities.
She hears a knock on her door through the thunder.
"Enter."
Adam appears in the doorway.
"Juno? Am I interrupting your—" He notices the tendrils and stops. "Oh. Should I… come back later?"
"Oh no, you're all right. What can I do for you?"
"It's a bit of a tough ask."
"Oh?"
"Why don't you come take a look?"
"Sure thing."
Adam watches as Juno disconnects herself from the tendrils which fall limply and dissipate into nothingness. She sets her book face down on the bed and then follows Adam out of the room. He leads her to another room in the lab. "What did you want to show me?"
"This." Adam presses a button on the panel in front of him. Juno looks at the screen in front of her. An image of a vast moon completely covered in vegetation meets her gaze. Adam hands Juno a thin, lightweight electronic pad with information on this celestial body.
MATERA: JUNGLE MOON
Host Planet: Aurorelia
SUMMARY
Biomes: Tropical Rainforest (70%), Wetlands (15%), [REDACTED] (15%)
Sample Flora: Mangroves, Kapoks, Cacao Trees, Passion Flowers, Orchids, Water Lilies, Bamboo, Sugarcane, Palm Trees, Fruit Trees
Sample Fauna: Monkeys, Bats, Hummingbirds, Ocelots, Snakes, Geckos, Frogs, Butterflies, Beetles, Freshwater Fish
Redacted? What does that mean?
Juno carefully studies all the information on the pad; paragraph after paragraph of data on the moon fleshing out every aspect in the summary. She's a fast reader. Once she's finished examining all the pictures and data, she turns her attention back to the screen in front of her. She looks at the model and the images of plants and animals splayed across the screen. "Wow. It's beautiful."
"Quite lovely, yes. Here. You might want to read this too." He opens the files on the host planet on the screen and her tablet. She reads it over.
AURORELIA: CLASS M PLANET
Location: Flower Nebula, Euphoria Galaxy
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Underneath its pastel pink skies, Aurorelia is a paradise planet and a tourism hub. Covered in vast tropical forests, colorful beaches, and crystal blue oceans rich in plant and animal life, it exhibits a primarily humid subtropical climate. Aurorelia is home to thousands of plant and flower species, most of which the planet's natives harvest and cultivate in gardens, orchards, and farms. Ordinarily, Aurorelia is prone to natural disasters, but its highly advanced weather regulation system keeps storm conditions from occurring.
ATMOSPHERE AND ENVIRONMENT
Much like Earth, Aurorelia's atmosphere consists mostly of nitrogen and oxygen with small traces of other vital elements for sustaining human life. With long sunny days and short cool nights, the planet's natives spend hours and hours outside enjoying their star's—and their three moons'—light. Aurorelia's gravity is slightly less than that of Earth, resulting in various unique effects on the planet and its inhabitants. Such effects include but are not limited to more sophisticated animal and alien adaptation features, stronger natural landforms, more energy efficiency, and lighter, sleeker architecture.
FLORA AND FAUNA
Aurorelia is lush with thousands of plant species: trees, herbs, fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Natives of the planet only consume these natural food sources. Gardens, orchards, and farms are common sights on the planet's surface. Only small animals such as lizards, frogs, birds, insects, and small mammals live here. Aurorelia's ecosystem presents a unique structure in which animals are never killed, but rather routinely captured by natives and traded or sold.
INHABITANTS AND CULTURE
Aurorelia is the home of a race of humans known as the Veivri. They resemble Earth humans but have unique physical features such as long pointy ears, heterochromia, colorful hair, and runes on their skin. Not only are they exceptionally beautiful, but they are also quite friendly and peaceful. As a tourist destination, they hold countless festivals and welcome everyone with open arms.
RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY
Aurorelia houses several valuable resources. Ores such as iron, gold, silver, mithril, obsidian, platinum, palladium, cobalt, and adamantine run in rivers beneath the surface of the planet. Aurorelia also holds a large supply of food for natives and visitors alike. The technology on this planet is fairly advanced, especially regarding the weather control system in place. They have established sleek buildings equipped with all the activities and pleasures the resorts have to offer.
HISTORY AND LORE
[REDACTED]
How fascinating! Aurorelia reminds me of home. I wish I could return.
"We've received intelligence that this moon too has been infected with a type of Illixi bioweapon, one we've not yet seen. Since the moon is uninhabited, none of the Veivri have seen it either. We have detected Illixi ships coming and going, but we're not certain as to why. Our sponsors' reports indicate the presence of an ancient temple on the moon. They may be trying to capture the moon and reclaim their territory."
"You want me to check it out?"
"Like I said, it's a tough ask. I know you've only just come home from your most recent mission."
"I don't mind. I'm ready to go back out there."
"You sure? You've uh… been sort of quiet since visiting that station."
"I'm sure."
"...All right. Well, whenever you're ready, get suited up and I'll see you off."
"Understood."
Before changing, Juno once more sends a quick text to Castor.
Good evening, Castor. I am heading out on a new mission.
He responds a couple of minutes later.
Hello, Mirror! And so soon? Are you sure you're feeling up to it?
Yes, I'm all right.
Where are you going?
Matera. It's a jungle moon. Supposedly, Illixi ships have been seen coming and going.
Interesting. May I join you?
Of course. I'll pick you up. See you soon.
***
Juno changes from her pajamas to a pair of jean shorts and a black checkered top. She puts her hair into two braids, then puts on some boots. She gathers the necessary items for her trip in her backpack and leaves the room, heading immediately for her ship.
As she flies toward Castor's apartment, she can't help wondering what the Illixi's operations on a remote jungle moon could be. She hopes there are no machines there. Her previous experience with Sholi is something she'd rather forget. Juno soon arrives in the shipyard. The twin suns shine down on her as she walks the rest of the distance to his place. City dwellers pass by her, some chatting on their phones. When she reaches his door, she knocks.
"Come in, Mirror," Castor says.
She opens the door and enters, then closes the door behind her. Castor is wearing an ivy green t-shirt with dark blue jean shorts.
"Ready to go?"
"About as ready as I'll ever be. I'm excited! I've always wanted to see a tropical rainforest. I'll bet it's as stunning as you've described."
"Quite, yes. I've been meaning to explore more of my powers there."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Well, you see… I've been doing some reflecting."
"And?"
"Since my powers stem from the universe, I may also have control over nature. Meaning I can control the weather, make plants grow, and even subdue animals."
"Wow! If that's possible, that's awesome!"
"I've had my suspicions for a while."
"Oh?"
"You see… if you remember, I told you how much I enjoyed gardening on my homeworld. Everyone told me I had the most delicious fruits and vegetables, and the most beautiful flowers. I've started wondering recently if my mystical bloodline is the cause."
"I wouldn't be surprised if it is. Wrivin created everything, right? She must have instilled some of her power in you when you were born. Or, reborn, rather."
"I suppose we shall find out. Now then, let's go."
"Yes!"
***
Moments later inside The Carnation, Mirror prepares a cup of chamomile tea for Castor and herself. They sit in the pool room, dipping their feet in the pristine water. Mirror smiles listening to Castor talk about his Summer. He shares countless stories, completely captivating Mirror. He tells her how he visits the beach quite often and enjoys splashing around in the ocean.
"You know, the last time I went to the beach, I found some things I thought you might like."
"You… did?"
"Yeah. I brought them with me to give to you. Here, close your eyes," he says. She does so and holds out open palms. What meets her touch are several smooth objects and two slightly more textured ones.
"May I open my eyes now?"
"Yes."
When she looks down at her hands, she finds a number of little trinkets. She looks at the biggest one first; a fully intact glass milk bottle, smoothed down from the constant waves of the ocean. Her eyes widen a little. She then looks at the rest of the objects: a sand dollar with a tiny flower pattern in the center, an assortment of colorful beach rocks, a dried starfish, and a jagged shark tooth.
"You… You found all of this?"
"You might say I have a keen eye for detail." Castor grins and Mirror smiles back.
"I love them. Thank you. Please tell me more about your summer."
He tells her about how he rides his bike just about everywhere, and when it rains, he sits on his balcony and watches the summer storms.
"Are you into clouds at all, Mirror?"
"Yes. I quite enjoy the weather."
"Here, I have some neat cloud pictures on my phone." He takes out his phone and taps on the screen until he finds the photos he wants to show her. "Luckily, I get a good view of them on my apartment roof."
"Oh, wow! These Mammatus clouds are fascinating!" Mirror's eyes pore over the pictures. She tells him exactly what type of clouds they are.
"What's this one?"
"You captured this?!"
"Yeah! What uh, is it?"
"Your people call them Kelvin-Helmholtz waves. They are quite rare, as they only last for a short time."
"Interesting! I thought they were neat because they look like little ocean waves."
"Yeah, they do!"
He continues. He tells her how his family and friends recently gave him some books, most of which he read in the cool darkness of his bedroom.
"What books did you read, Castor?"
"Well, um… a lot of romance books. Those are my favorite, after all."
"I know." Mirror grins and kicks her feet in the water.
"I enjoy reading under the blankets on my couch with a cup of tea."
"Oh, the very best."
Of course, the most important thing he tells Mirror is how much time he spends with his friends. How they'd go fishing and camping. How they'd attend concerts. How they'd host movie nights and play relaxing video games. He smiles.
"They're really cool people, Mirror. I'd like to introduce you sometime."
"And I would love to meet them."
"Maybe this Autumn, we can hang out with them. Go apple picking or bake pies together."
"I'd like that."
***
As Juno and Castor fly toward Matera, Echthra makes her plan for their first meeting. She will not be there in person. No. She will create a doppelganger to investigate Juno.
***
Before long, Mirror and Castor arrive in the atmosphere of the jungle moon. No Illixi ships or space factories can be seen, but what lies on the surface is completely unknown. A torrential rain pelts against the glass of her ship as they descend through the clouds.
"Hold on, Castor." She reaches for his hand. Once they pass through the mist, they are greeted by the color green as far as the eye can see. Castor looks out through the glass at the vivid jungle below. Mirror pilots across the surface of the moon and eventually sets them down in a small clearing. Castor leaves the ship with Mirror behind him. He looks around, a spark of curiosity in his eyes. Luckily, the trees provide some cover from the rain. Chirping birds and ribbiting frogs surround them. Mirror walks up to a passion flower sprouting from the ground and picks it up. She puts it in her hair. Castor smiles and blushes, a look of pure admiration in his pale green eyes.
"Wow… I've never seen so much green in my entire life," Castor says.
"Lovely, is it not? Jungles are home to so much life."
"Indeed." Castor then notices a butterfly fluttering around Mirror. "Looks like you have a friend." He smiles brightly as the butterfly lands on Mirror's nose. Castor slowly takes out his camera and snaps a photo of her. Mirror whispers a spell to the creature on her face and, after sitting there for a few moments, the little butterfly floats away into the trees.
"Come on. Let's go," Mirror says. Castor nods and together they begin trekking through the jungle. Fronds of palm trees protect them from the rain. Castor and Mirror pass by dozens of flowers and carnivorous plants. Hummingbirds and butterflies flit about. While they walk, Mirror also gathers rainwater in metal bottles and collects fruits, herbs, and fish to eat.
"You must know a lot about hunting and gathering."
"Yes, I do. On my homeworld, I spent my childhood learning survival skills. Curious as I am, I often wandered around my town. Luckily my powers gave me quite heightened senses, so I never lost my way. Anyway, I mean to say that I am quite familiar with the natural resources here. We should make the most of them."
***
Mirror and Castor spend countless days aimlessly wandering the jungle, enjoying the scenery, spelunking in caves, and eating together. They sleep under the stars and share stories of their lives underneath their makeshift palm frond blankets. One night, Castor decides to ask Mirror some questions about her that he's been dying to learn the answers to.
"So, Mirror, I uh… never asked you about your life before meeting me."
"What do you wish to know?"
"Could you tell me more about your family and friends? About your homeworld?"
"Certainly. My father's name is Scogon. He is an alchemist."
"Wait, huh?"
"Yes. Among other things, he has studied astrology, medicine, and art."
"Impressive! Now I have to know; do your parents have magic too?"
"You could say that. All of the Crierce have unique gifts. I'm the only one who has shapeshifting powers, but everyone has some type of special magic. His talent is potion-making. Other Crierce have elemental magic, invisibility, and even healing.
"Wow! Do tell me more!"
"Scogon is a wonderful father. He is introverted, yes, but also hardworking, reliable, loyal, observant, and supportive. He remembers the important things in life and does everything he can to provide for me and my mother."
"How does he handle your status as a goddess?"
"Often he's not sure how to respond to me. His faith in Wrivin is strong, but having a reincarnated goddess for a daughter is…"
"...right. What about your mother?"
"My mother's name is Veilin. She is an artist."
"An artist, you say?"
"Yes, that's right. Her powers are based on color."
"Wait, really?"
"Mhm. Her magic is… slightly complex to explain."
"Ah, I see."
"Veilin is a marvelous mother. She is extroverted, yes, but also exceedingly generous, compassionate, and supportive. She understands me more than my father does regarding my goddesshood."
Next, she tells him about her childhood; how she spent her days wandering alone in the forests, swimming in lakes, weaving flower crowns, spelunking in caves, and tending to her garden. She smiles at the memories.
"You must have so much to do on Happi."
"Indeed. Never an ordinary day in my life."
Her smile fades. She is quiet for a moment.
"Mirror?" Castor asks, lifting a hand to her face.
"I'm sorry."
"Huh? What are you sorry about?"
"I don't have many friends. Most people my age avoid me."
"Oh, Mirror… I'm sorry."
"No need. I made do with who I had: Khazier, Latei, and Yuclia."
"They must be good people."
"Yes. They are." Mirror's smile returns. "I hope you can meet them someday."
And lastly, she tells him about her fears; what if she is killed? What if her home is destroyed? What if the princess succeeds? As she is confiding in him, she shares what happened to her at the space station weeks ago.
"You saw… me?"
"Yes. I tried to wake up from the nightmare, but I couldn't. At least, not until you called my name. I don't know what lies in store for us, but… I am scared of what could come to be."
"I understand the feeling. All I can say is that we should try to take life day by day. You'll succeed in your quest to defeat the Illixi princess; that much I am certain of. As for the rest of the things you told me?" He holds her face in his hand. "I'll be with you forever."
"...Thank you." A single tear slides down her face. Closing her eyes, she silently nuzzles her nose against his. Heavy rain falls from the clouds above, lulling them both to sleep. Soon, Mirror begins to dream…
***
Juno opens her eyes inside an ancient crystalline temple. Before her lies a moonstone altar, and standing at the altar is an Illixi woman with her back turned.
"Who are you?" Juno asks, stepping forward to meet her adversary. The Illixi woman turns around, her long white hair floating around her. She opens her pitch-black eyes, the silver crown on her head glinting in the rainbow light passing through the stained glass windows.
Welcome, Juno.
"How do you know my name?"
You are my nemesis. I know… EVERYTHING…
Before Juno can respond to the threat, Echthra unleashes a powerful burst of magic. Juno's fair skin burns with intricate black sigils. She drops to the ground in pain.
"You… must be the princess," Juno says, her body shaking. She shapeshifts into multiple animal forms, attacking Echthra from all sides. Juno and Echthra battle each other mercilessly, but in the end, Juno defeats her. Coated in her own blood, Echthra lies on the floor, staring up at her enemy. She grins despite this.
"I have beaten you. Why are you smiling?"
"I cannot be killed. You… will never win."
Before Juno can respond, she wakes up.
***
Come morning, the rain has stopped but a thick mist has settled over the moon. Mirror's senses remain heightened from the dream. She sits up and blinks, a dim light pouring into the cave's mouth.
"She's here…" she says.
"...Hm? Who's here?" Castor asks sleepily, rubbing his eyes.
"The Illixi princess. She's here on Matera," Mirror says mysteriously. Castor shoots up.
"What?!"
"We have to find her. We must figure out why she's here."
"How do you know this?"
"I saw her. She's within a crystal temple. Although, I… don't know its location."
"We should start searching then."
"Yes. I'll make us breakfast and then we'll go."
Mirror prepares herself and Castor some fish, eggs, and fruit. Once they have eaten their fill, they leave the cave behind and venture through the jungle. Mirror walks along the muddy paths with a crown of flowers in her hair. Wandering through the mist, she smiles at the plants and exchanges magic with them. She feeds flies to the carnivorous plants. She kisses the flowers. They whisper secrets to her that Castor cannot hear.
"What are you doing, Mirror?" Castor asks, a grin spreading across his face. She looks up at him, her mystical purple eyes sparkling. She smiles sweetly at him.
"Making friends!"
"Are the plants talking to you?"
"Indeed, they are." Suddenly, the trees, plants, and flowers morph into the shape of a living throne for her. Castor reaches for her hand and helps her up.
"My lady." He bows respectfully. She unsheathes her machete and knights him with it.
"I dub thee Knight of the Flowers," she says.
"Can you make yourself a dress? And me a suit of armor?"
"Certainly." She descends and digs her fingers into the mud. A golden light spreads through the area and, following her command, the trees shed bark which she transforms into plate armor. Meanwhile, her magic also gathers living material and creates a colorful floral gown. Castor blushes bright red. He extends a hand.
"Shall we dance?"
"Yes. Let's."
She takes her faithful knight's hand and, hidden by the mist, they begin to waltz. On cue, an ancient melody rings through the air. He spins her around, her dress' skirt flaring out around her, then brings her in close again. Mirror and Castor continue to dance until rain begins to fall once more. When the song finally ends, Castor dips her. She smiles brightly. He pulls her back up and kisses her passionately. She holds his face in her hands. Now pouring from the sky, the rain soaks through their clothes, but they don't care.
"I love you."
"And I love you."
***
Hidden in the crystalline temple, Echthra's doppelganger slowly grows more and more impatient. Surely the girl must have detected her presence, right? She paces the onyx floor noiselessly. What's taking her so long? Suddenly, an idea comes to her mind.
I know how to draw her attention.
Her vicious, ethereal laugh echoes through the sanctuary.
***
After their moment of bliss, they continue onward across the moon's surface. They drink rainwater and skip rocks along the streams they pass. They make frequent stops to observe some of the wildlife and eat more of the food they have gathered. Mirror's mind is still on high alert, and the more they walk, the more her senses flare up.
"Hey. Are you okay?" Castor asks.
"We're close…" she murmurs. Mirror closes her eyes, wincing. "Look out, Castor."
Castor steps back as dozens of white, spiderweb-like tendrils shoot out from Mirror's skin and attach themselves to the trees. She hovers in front of him.
"What is it, Mirror?"
She doesn't respond for a moment. Meanwhile, the tendrils pulse and glow. When she speaks, her voice is distorted.
"Something's wrong… A wasteland lies before us… Everything's dying."
"Could it be the Illixi bioweapon?"
"No. Not quite. I do not sense any injectors or revokers here. Whatever this… infection… is, it's nothing I've seen before."
"Let's investigate," Castor says. Mirror nods and severs her connection, dropping to the ground. Luckily Castor catches her. They intertwine their hands and proceed.
Suddenly, they both begin to notice the plants withering around them.
Mirror tries to communicate with them, but her efforts yield no results. She then tries to heal them, but her light turns to shadow moments after leaving her fingers. She clutches her head and continues. Soon, her senses overwhelm her so much that Castor has to help her stand. She shuts her eyes and allows him to take the lead. Her breathing turns shallow.
"I… I'm sorry."
"How's your head?"
"...it hurts." She winces. "Everything hurts…"
"Are you going to be okay to go on? Or do you want to stop for a minute?"
"We h-have to… k-keep going."
"All right. Hold onto me, okay?"
Castor holds her hand with one and in the other, he slashes away at the plants with the machete. The deeper he goes, the more he notices the infection ripping through the jungle. Ashen flowers and animal bones meet his gaze. The low hum of black flies feeding on carrion fills their ears. A heavy scent of rotting flesh and withering plant life wafts into their noses. Eventually, he reaches a series of huge fissures in the moon. They penetrate deep into the surface. What was once a jungle lush with life now exists as a wasteland. The leaves on the trees, the grass beneath their feet, and even the stone of the chasms are a deep purple color. Mirror opens her eyes. She covers her mouth. She stands on the edge and looks down into the void. Unknown creatures lurk inside, their horrible noises echoing below them. Her heart squeezes in her chest.
"...I need to go down there."
"What?!"
Before Castor can stop her, Mirror runs, jumps off the cliff, and into the fissure.
"MIRROR!"
***
Falling.
Falling.
Falling.
Mirror drops through the darkness. She whispers an incantation to herself and suddenly emits a bright silver light. She falls all the way down until she plunges into a pool of water. After looking around, she swims upward. Once she breaches the surface, she can hear clicking insects echo through the chasm.
Her hands aglow with plasma, Mirror starts down the tunnels. Her eyes adjust quickly to the dark. Suddenly, a massive worm-like creature with sharp pincers bursts free from the ground. Her mind still on high alert, she almost doesn't see the creature until it is right upon her. She slams her fists into the worm, its flesh sizzling upon impact. More of these same creatures come up behind her, piercing her skin with their pincers. She unleashes a powerful burst of solar flares, killing all of the monsters instantaneously. She hurries through the tunnels, maneuvering around the stalagmites and killing worms and slimes along the way. Whatever this horrible place is, the infection has spread drastically.
Can she heal the moon's wounds?
Mirror kneels and places her hands on the decayed soil and stone. Closing her eyes, she whispers ancient spells in her native tongue. A green light spreads from her fingers and into the ground below her. She will need a great deal of energy to repair the damage done to this place. Hopefully, she will still be able to escape the fissures when she is finished. She presses her palms against the ground as green and gold light spreads through the soil and stone. Breathing new life into the contamination, she slowly cleanses the disease from the moon. Soon, blue light joins the green and gold, creating a trio of colors in various patterns. More and more, her body bursts with colorful magic as she reverses the necrotic spell. Questions run through her mind, none of which she has an answer to: why are the Illixi so interested in Matera? What is this infection? And, most importantly…
Where is the princess?
Suddenly, she hears a voice.
Come to me, Juno. I await you down below.
Clutching her head with both hands, she gasps and breaks her spell. A faint light at the end of the tunnel system entices her.
I found her!
Dismissing the agony inside her skull, she stands up and sprints down the tunnels, killing everything in sight. Once she reaches the source of the light, a massive open hole, she finds the temple. Light pours over the elegant structure and she stops dead in her tracks as a realization dawns on her.
Wait a minute… this temple… this isn't an Illixi temple at all! It's one of Wrivin's!
She slowly walks inside.
***
When she enters the room, she reflects on her dream. Will she end her enemy here and now? No, that seems unlikely. She's smarter than this; much smarter.
Juno walks across the floor, her boots thumping against the onyx. Light from the stained glass shines in a kaleidoscope of color on her body. Her flower dress trails behind her until she is standing face to face with the Illixi princess. Her cold black eyes penetrate Juno's very soul.
"Welcome, Juno. At last, we meet."
"And you must be…?"
"I am the Illixi Princess: Echthra." She smiles viciously. "I have sought you since you destroyed my machinations on Xindyria. I have learned so much about you."
"How is that possible? You've never met me."
"I have my ways. Indulge me; you are not alone here on Matera, are you?"
"Of course not. You're here."
"As I suspected. Where is he?"
"Who?"
"You do not need to play the fool with me. I sensed his presence long before your arrival here. Now, enough about him. It is you I wish to speak with."
"I have nothing to say to you," Juno says bitterly.
"Oh, but I do. What brought you here, Juno?"
"An infection is destroying this moon's ecosystem. Matera's flora and fauna are dying. I am here to investigate and see if I can use my magic to restore the damage done. Of course, you wouldn't understand my reasons. Why are you here?"
"Other than to finally encounter you, I sought something. Both Matera and Aurorelia are rich in resources, that is true, but I have only one reason for entering this temple." Echthra reaches into the depths of the altar's holy water with both hands and pulls out a necklace with a large, rainbow, heart-shaped pendant attached which sparkles in the light and dangles delicately from her fingertips. Juno eyes the pendant carefully. She's never seen a gemstone of that type before, and she's traveled to countless alien worlds before.
"What is that?" Juno asks. Echthra manipulates it with her fingers, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Lovely is it not? They call it 'Wrivin's Jewel.' Otherwise known as Amarea."
"You have no right to hold that gemstone!"
"I have the only right. If you want it, you shall have to kill me!"
Before Juno even realizes what's happening, Echthra rises into the air, the pendant now around her throat. Juno's blood boils. She will kill the princess here and now, and rip the jewel from her bloody corpse!
Juno begins launching multiple lightning bolts at the princess, but she is too fast and dodges all of them. Echthra laughs maniacally as she teleports rapidly around the room. Juno sprays solar flares around the temple, burning the glass windows and destroying the altar. Meanwhile, Echthra shoots greenish-blue flames from her open palms. She shouts incantations and casts dark magical spells upon her enemy. Juno rips off her flower dress as it burns to ash. She shapeshifts into multiple animals in a row: first, an axolotl so she can regenerate her cells, then a hummingbird so she can quickly flit around the room and avoid Echthra's strikes more easily. One question remains in Juno's mind as she attacks and defends.
If Wrivin is on my side… Who is on Echthra's side?
"COME GET SOME BLOOD!" Echthra screams, her ethereal voice now harsh with rage. Juno grins. Echthra's weakness is clear now; she is driven by hatred, so much so that in a fight, she is blind to all strategies. Juno seizes her opportunity and decides to strike Echthra where she'll hurt most. After the two of them beat the hell out of each other, Juno and Echthra both lower themselves to the ground.
"Heh heh…" Juno smirks, still heavily bleeding. "I see now why you chose not to face me in person. I must admit, you tricked me for quite a while. If you had really come all this way, I could have ended your life."
"What?!" Echthra exclaims.
"Indulge me, Echthra. Where are you really?" Juno's smile fades as Echthra breaks into hysterical laughter.
"I am… EVERYWHERE… You'll never defeat me. I am UNKILLABLE! Once I take your life, I will become the Goddess of Magic and rule this galaxy forever!"
Before Juno can retort, Echthra's vessel explodes in a pool of black ink. Unfortunately for Juno, the pendant disappears with her. She collapses to the floor of the temple as the walls and windows come crashing down. She creates a shield last minute to protect herself from the debris. After shapeshifting into an axolotl again to recover her strength, she then changes shape into a bird and flies out of the opening. Now back on the surface, she expends the last of her health and energy to finish healing the whole moon. She still did not figure out the cause of the infection, but now that Echthra is gone, she has a feeling no other Illixi will come back here. Once her job is finished, she seeks out Castor. He gasps upon seeing her so bloody and beaten.
"MIRROR!" Castor screams, tears spilling down his face. He sprints over to her and catches her before she collapses.
"C…Castor, I… I'm so… so sorry. I've dragged you into a hopeless war." Juno whispers. Her chest pours blood like an exploded cup of fruit punch. Castor gasps at the sight, almost about to faint. His hands are soon coated in blood.
"Oh my God, Mirror, what happened to you?!"
"We… W-We need… to return to… m-my ship. H-Here… I'll transport us there… I'll be… all right… I-I promise. P-Please, Castor. Let's… go home."
***
After returning to her ship, Castor enters the coordinates for Xindyria. He spends the whole trip taking care of Mirror as she recovers. She tells him everything the Illixi princess said and did, and tells him about Wrivin's Jewel.
"What do we do now, Mirror? Echthra nearly killed you."
"One thing is for certain…" Mirror pauses. "We have to stop Echthra, no matter the cost. And yes, I may die in the process, but my life is a sacrifice I am ready to make."
"What?! No! I'm sorry, Mirror, but I can't let you do this! Echthra could have murdered you! How are you so calm about this?!"
"Castor, please…"
"No! Why am I the only one freaking out right now?! Your scientist caretakers can go find someone else to send on these… these death-wish suicide missions!"
"Castor!"
"Mirror! Listen to me! You can't keep doing this to yourself!"
"I have to. If I don't, you and everyone else you love will die horrific deaths! You don't want to know what I've seen inside the space factories! You don't want to end up a part of the Web! And most of all, I don't want to witness the extermination of humanity! You don't understand how much responsibility I have!"
"You know what? Forget it! If you're not going to take care of yourself, then… then…" Castor collapses into broken sobs. Mirror reaches out a hand to comfort him, but he pushes her away. He can't even look at her.
"What's wrong?" she whispers.
"I-I… I can't… be with you anymore…" he says finally.
"...what?"
"I'm sorry, Mirror. I love you, but I can no longer watch you destroy yourself." Castor silently clears the tears from his face and goes to bed, leaving the still-injured Mirror alone with her thoughts. A pair of tears spill from her eyes watching him leave. No. No crying! You did this to yourself! She decides to go to the pool room to regenerate and heal her wounds. Her heart shatters in her chest. He didn't mean that, did he? She tries to ignore the physical, mental, and emotional anguish plaguing her, but it's impossible. She wants to apologize, but how can she ever convince Castor that she'll be okay? Maybe… Maybe it's better if she forgets him… and if he forgets about her…
The entire return trip to Xindyria is silent…
***
Upon their arrival at Castor's apartment, a thunderstorm rages. He leaves without a hug or kiss goodbye. He slams his door shut and locks it. Mirror makes the rest of the trip back to the lab completely alone.
As she lies alone in her lab bedroom late that night, she dreams only of suicide.
What have I done?