The Crocodile Dragon roared in glee as he surveyed the destruction he had wrought. Desolation filled the air, and the bodies of those who had dared to challenge him lay beneath him, burned and almost unrecognizable.
Not far from the brothers, Dellie, who at the time of the blast had used her ability to burrow deep beneath the earth's surface, managed to reemerge above. Her reaction was immediately painted with horror and sadness as she saw the aftermath—a once-vibrant landscape now lying in total ruins, consumed by unrelenting flames.
Her beloved forest, once a sanctuary of nature thriving with life, was now half destroyed, reduced to nothing but a sea of ash. Tears blurred her vision as she whispered a prayer, reaching out to her mother for guidance, but the silence around her offered no comfort. Overwhelmed by despair, her small wings fluttered frantically, their rhythm echoing her cries. She felt utterly alone, the only fairy in sight, and her heart ached with worry for her sisters, praying they had survived.
As Dellie flew near the dragon, her thoughts turned to her dear friend Paul, who was now missing. The last time she had seen him, he had been struck and sent hurtling far away by the crocodile dragon. She wanted nothing more than to find him, but the sight before her made her heart sink. Four charred bodies lay on the ground, unrecognizable, yet she knew who they were—they were her beloved friend's brothers.
Memories of Paul's village flooded her with sorrow. She couldn't bear the thought of him enduring such sadness again. These people were now part of Paul's new family, and the idea of him discovering the truth about what had happened to them weighed heavily on her. She feared it would shatter him completely. The image of his downcast expression lingered in her mind, fueling her determination to shield him from further pain, even as her spirit ached under the unyielding weight of hopelessness.
Though Dellie feared for Paul's safety, she knew in her heart that her friend would have survived that surprise attack and would return. She was resolved to prevent him from ever witnessing this devastating scene. Her love for Paul ran so deep that she was willing to go to any lengths to protect his happiness, even at the cost of her own life.
And so, without hesitation, Dellie summoned thick roots from beneath the earth, attacking the crocodile dragon from behind. This managed to momentarily distract it, and Dellie seized the opportunity.
Focusing intently, twisting vines of vibrant green surged upward, coiling around and enveloping the bodies of the brothers as she poured every ounce of her energy and essence into her magic.
She prepared to unleash her ultimate healing powers—a formidable magic that demanded no less than her very life. With each passing moment, her essence drained away, the vibrant pulse of her energy intertwining with the spell. The air shimmered with a luminous glow as she stood resolute, her very being committed to mending the wounds of those in need. The vines blossomed, unfurling into brilliant leaves and delicate flowers that cast a warm, ethereal light, illuminating the surroundings.She prepared to unleash her ultimate healing powers—a formidable magic that demanded no less than her very life. With each passing moment, her essence drained away, the vibrant pulse of her energy intertwining with the spell.
Before the dragon could fully comprehend what was happening, the bodies of the brothers were nowhere to be seen, safely hidden below.
With a heavy heart, a single tear slipped from Dellie's eye, tracing a path down her cheek like a fleeting star. "Brothers of Paul, please take care of my dear friend," she uttered, her first words ever spoken not from her mouth but from her spirit.
As she collapsed to the ground, her once radiant glow began to fade, enveloped by dust and ash, leaving behind only an echo of her beautiful nature magic.
Meanwhile, up above in the realm of the gods, Fay, the goddess of nature, watched in silent despair. Her luminous eyes glistened as she witnessed her most beloved daughter, Dellie, sacrificing herself to save others. A deep ache settled in her chest, a mix of grief and guilt. Dellie had called out to her for aid, and Fay, bound by divine law, had been unable to intervene.
For a moment, anguish consumed her, the weight of her inaction pressing heavily upon her. But as she beheld the charred forest—the remnants of her sacred domain—and the lifeless bodies of her daughters, including Dellie, grief gave way to rage.
Her despair turned to fury, a blazing anger that coursed through her veins like wildfire. The cries of her fallen children echoed in her mind, and the devastation below was a stark reminder of the dragon's merciless rampage. The once-vibrant forest, a symbol of her divine essence, lay in ruins. Her clenched fists trembled, and the air around her shimmered with her burgeoning power.
Fay's wrath could no longer be contained. A tremor rippled through the heavens as she descended, her radiant form piercing through the clouds like a falling star. Dust swirled as she landed in the heart of the crater, her presence commanding and divine. Draped in a gown woven from living vines and blooming flowers, she was the embodiment of nature's beauty and fury. Her eyes, now alight with righteous vengeance, fixed on the crocodile dragon.
The dragon froze as its predatory instincts were overwhelmed by an undeniable sense of dread. It turned sharply, abandoning any thought of defiance, and spread its massive wings in a desperate attempt to flee. The ferocity that once defined it had vanished, replaced by sheer panic as it sought to escape Fay's overpowering presence.
But Fay was faster with a sweeping motion of her hand, the earth beneath the dragon quaked violently. Thick roots burst forth, writhing like serpents, encircling the beast's limbs and wings. The dragon thrashed and clawed, its immense strength splintering the initial roots. But Fay remained unmoved, her glowing eyes narrowing in determination.
"You will not escape judgment," she declared, her voice resonating like thunder.
From all around, the forest answered her call. Mighty branches and thorned roots erupted in unison, weaving into an unbreakable web that dragged the dragon down. The beast roared in defiance, but the very ground beneath it shifted, yawning open like a hungry maw. The dragon's struggles became frantic as it was pulled into the earth, its cries muffled as the soil closed around it.
As the ground settled, Fay raised her hand one last time. From where the dragon had been buried, new life began to sprout. Towering trees with verdant canopies stretched skyward, their roots nourished by the fallen beast. Flowers of every hue burst forth, blanketing the scarred land in vibrant beauty. The air became fragrant with the scent of renewal, and the barren crater transformed into a lush sanctuary, teeming with life.
Fay stood amidst the rebirth, the vibrant forest blooming around her in defiance of the devastation that had come before. Her gaze softened as she whispered a quiet lament for her daughter. She then lifted her eyes skyward, knowing the heavens would not overlook what she had done. What she had wrought in her fury carried a price.
Not long after, the clouds above churned and parted. Descending from the celestial heights came another deity, a presence as commanding as Fay's own. It was Cail, the revered mother of dragons, her beauty untamed and wild. Clad in glimmering scales that shimmered with fiery reds and deep obsidian, she embodied the might and majesty of her kin. Massive wings unfurled behind her, their shadow falling across the reborn forest—a stark reminder of the balance that had been disrupted.
"You know the price of meddling in the realm below," Cail intoned, her voice resonant with the authority of the heavens. "Our charge is to bestow blessings, to nurture from afar, not to intervene."
Fay met Cail's piercing gaze, her own expression unyielding. She had acted for love, for justice, and for the sanctity of her creation. "I am sorry, Cail, but I know what I have done," she began, her voice trembling as she saw her friend looking at her with deep sadness. "I could not stand by and watch as everything I nurtured, everything I loved, was destroyed. If my actions demand punishment, then so be it."
Cail's eyes narrowed, her radiant features flickering with a turmoil of emotions—anger, sorrow, and something deeper, an unspoken ache that hung between them. She took a slow step forward, her wings folding tightly, casting a long shadow over Fay, dimming the light that once surrounded her. "You should have waited," Cail's voice trembled, barely a whisper, like the first rumblings of a storm in the distance. "You always act on impulse, Fay. You think only of your pain, never of the balance we've sworn to protect... never thinking of the cost."
Fay lifted her gaze, her desperation breaking through her calm demeanor. "How could I wait, Cail? I could hear their cries, feel their pain. My daughter... she—" Her voice faltered, grief catching in her throat.
Cail's expression hardened, but not before a flicker of something softer crossed her face. She closed her eyes, as if steeling herself against the weight of what was to come. "Do you think this is easy for me?" she said, her tone laced with an edge of bitterness. "You leave us no choice. Your actions have defied the laws that bind us, and the council will demand judgment."
"Then let it be done," Fay said, her voice tinged with guilt. She hadn't wanted to put her friend in this position, yet here they were.
Cail opened her eyes, a gleam of rage reflecting in their depths. "You've always been reckless. Do you even realize the burden you've placed on me?" she snapped, her voice sharp and accusing. Her wings arched high, and the air around them thickened with divine energy.
Before Fay could respond, Cail raised her hand, summoning a swirling vortex of celestial light and shadow. The air grew heavy, charged with divine power, as the energy gathered into her palm. With a solemn, ceremonial tone, she intoned, "So be it." Her voice resonated with ancient authority, as though the very fabric of existence bowed to her will.
"By the council of the gods, you shall be sealed for thousands of years," Cail continued, her words reverberating like the chanting of an old, sacred rite. "Stripped of your title, your power—everything you once were. Let the binding remain unbroken until the end is judged."
As the last word left her lips, an intricate array of glowing sigils appeared in the air around Fay, swirling like the wind around a sacred shrine. The sigils spiraled inward, their glow intensifying as they surrounded her. The ground beneath Fay trembled, and the tree she had sprouted after slaying the dragon shuddered as it responded to Cail's command. Its bark cracked open, and its branches reached down as if to claim her. The sigils wrapped around Fay, pulling her toward the tree.
The tree's bark closed around her, sealing her within its ancient trunk. Her essence was absorbed into the tree, the divine chains of light vanishing as the tree stood solemn and silent, holding the remnants of Fay's power. The tree became an eternal prison, its roots deep in the earth, a silent testament to her fate.
Cail stood wavering, a tear continuing to slip down her cheek. Her wings spread wide, catching what little light remained, as though trying to hold together the fragments of her shattered resolve. With a final glance, she vanished into the ethereal realm.
The world held its breath. Time passed, but nothing moved. The silence was broken only by the gentle rustling of the trees, as if they too mourned the loss of a deity bound in sorrow and silence. And so, the judgment was cast, the price paid, and the goddess, once radiant with life and love, was now forever bound to the earth she had so fiercely protected.