Chapter 33: Fire Lord

Alirion slowly descends the spiral staircase leading to the dungeons. It is extremely dark but he does not show any difficulty at all. In fact, he is not even using any torch or any form of light to illuminate the path.
It is also partly because he is extremely familiar with every part of this Haven. This is where he grew up. This is where he learned all the magic he could get his hands on during his younger years. His mother died giving birth to him while his father did not even care about his existence. But the past is of no importance to him anymore. He is more focus on what he plans for his future. Nothing could hold him back anymore, not his father, mother and sister. They are all gone now.
Alirion's mind is occupied by his delight for being in this place once more. After his encounter with the rangers through his puppet fire fairies, he feels confident that he has sent a clear message that he controls everything in the Orange Haven.
It is truly a lot different when he was here so many years ago. He was full of ideas on how to get his hands on being the Lord of this realm. He always felt that he possesses greater power than anyone else and just being a follower is not his destiny. He should not be bowing to any King or Queen. Instead, he should be feared and obeyed.
He believes that his dark magic is strong enough to keep any fairies outside at bay. Therefore, Alirion takes his time to ponder if he should get rid of this King now or just torture him a bit for the lack of faith in his capabilities in the past.
As he goes down to the bottom most part of their realm, he could not help recall how he bitterly felt that he should have had this realm in his control a long time ago, if not for its very stubborn Fire Lord.
Alirion gives a sneer upon reaching his destination. He is facing the Fire Lord, the mighty King Hakan. This is the proud Lord of the fire fairies who never trusted him despite Prince Hagan's closeness to him and his beloved sister.
"So, what does a Dark Fairy like you need now? I have nothing to bargain with you. I requested for you not to hurt my people, our people. Instead you turned them into your puppets! Does your darkness know nothing about honor?" King Hakan shouts in rage inside his dark dungeon.
"Easy with your tongue my Lord. I might bind it again if you could not shut up and stop being so all mighty with me. You are still that arrogant King who always believes in no one else. I could always change my mind about it and destroy everything here." Alirion teases the Fire Lord.
"I have given you a chance. Despite being a bastard son, I have provided you sanctuary! I let my son befriend you! How come you were never like your sister?" King Hakan spats his words for the Dark Fairy.
Alirion's expression turns sour upon hearing the King compare him to his sister. She has always been the pride of their father. Why would his father be proud of him when he was just his illegitimate son from a poor fire fairy? His sister should have been a queen if only she heed the love of Prince Hagan. He stops himself in his thoughts about the past.
"Well, you should have made my sister your son's bride! She could have been your Princess! Your son was so in love with her after all!" Alirion loses his cool too.
"My son makes his own choices but he can never force her. We are not like you! You have always been obsessed with power! Hagan should not have trusted you! Where is my son?" The Fire Lord shouts even more, not particularly showing any fear.
This time, Alirion laughs insanely.
"Oh, your son, my Prince, and friend saved me but changed his mind when I wanted my revenge. According to him, he does not intend to taint my sister's memory with revenge. So, I decided to get rid of him." He laughs out loud again.
"What? What did you do to him?" The Fire Lord's anger changes to worry.
"Well, before I visited your precious haven, we argued a lot so I let the ogres deal with him beyond the dark mountains after I have gotten enough of his essence to transform into him."
"I would say it was a pretty brilliant plan of mine as a back up plan if your weak son changes his mind. And predictably, he did."
Alirion proudly explains.
"He is of no use to me anymore, just like my sister whom he loved so blindly. Both goodie goodie." He continues narrating.
"You ungrateful bastard! After he rescued you and even tricking his own father to smuggle you pass the Water Haven, you got rid of my son just like that? You are such an evil traitor!"
"You are the one he shouldn't have followed blindly!" King Hakan shouts again. The Fire Lord shakes the bars of his cell violently as if to strangle Alirion. His eyes turn bright gold from his fury. Sparks start to emit from his palms.
Alirion takes a few steps back. He seems to deliberate if he would continue taunting King Hakan further. He starts to reconsider if he bound the Fire Lord's magic perfectly well.
"Well, we can't go back now right? No more sister... No more friend...So at this instant, I should get rid of you too. In that way, I would finally have this realm for my own." Alirion declares so full of himself.
The Fire Lord becomes silent. He tries to reign over his anger. He would not be doing this as a sign of defeat. He is bidding his time to unleash whatever magic he could although the Dark fairy used his dark spells to hinder him.
Alirion interprets the King's silence as acceptance of loss. He laughs out loud truly thrilled of seeing the Fire Lord's helpless state. He is about to add some more mockery but got distracted by the visions he saw through his sentinels outside.
"So, they've come for another visit?" he says with amusement.
 
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Outside, Princess Ava and her company approaches calmly towards the fire fairies at the entrance.
Princess Ava stops in front of the three sentinels. She is flanked by Ailsa, Cleon and Aramir.
"We have come here to seek for a proof that you have not harmed the King. We also intend to claim Prince Hagan's body." Princess Ava speaks with an unwavering tone.
"Your Prince is not here. I have given him to the ogres. Maybe his parts were already distributed to all the ogres as trophies. A Fairy Prince would be a great honor for their kind." Alirion speaks through one of his fairy puppets with so much malice.
Princess Ava could not hide the disgust on her face. However, she would not let Alirion have the satisfaction to see the pain she feels concerning Prince Hagan's gruesome death.
"Well then, I demand you to show us King Hakan!" Princess Ava recovers and speaks bravely like a true royal Princess and warrior.
The Dark Fairy gave another mocking laughter.
"Why would I do that my Princess?" He replies full of himself.
"Whatever vengeance you have in mind, it has nothing to do with the Fire Lord. You already have this haven. What else then?" Princess Ava speaks calmly trying to control herself from hurting the fire fairies in front of her.
"What else do I want? I need all the other realms to bow to me as the ruler of all fairy realms." Another villainous laughter follows.
"You have really gone insane! The other Kings and Queens would not bow to you. You are just one crazy fairy with an oversized ego!" The Princess continues.
"If you think fearing you would make everyone follow you, then you have no idea at all about leadership. They would follow you not based on fear but for believing in you. What you stand for and for your people!"
Princess Ava shouts fearlessly.
Cleon, Aramir and Ailsa start to spread out. A couple of other fire fairies come out from the main entrance. All of them definitely are under a dark spell to do Alirion's bidding.
Cleon raises his arms and releases a tornado to blind the approaching fire fairies. Ailsa brings rock-sized ice down to incapacitate the fire fairies who are filing out from the entrance in great numbers.
Since the Dark Fairy is distracted with the sudden attack of different elements, Princess Ava and Aramir rush through the opening. All the puppet fire fairies are focused on retaliation that the two are not hindered by anyone. Their plan might work after all.
 
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The Fire Lord notices that Alirion's attention is preoccupied by the events outside. He holds on to the cell bars and tries melting them with his fiery hands. It is taking so much of his energy since the dark spell of Alirion is in effect. However, he patiently continues with this effort.          
Alirion's face is contorted so much for trying to control as many fire fairies to battle the intruders. The tornado and hailstorm makes it even more difficult for him to see everything that is going on out there.
 
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Princess Ava and Aramir do not waste any time. Aramir uses his earth magic to open any door he could because he is not certain where the other fire fairies were being held prisoner. True to his instinct, the dark fairy's control is limited. Alirion could not possibly use his dark magic to all these fairies. The other fire fairies start to emerge from every nook and cranny.
Finally, he spots Haco, the leader of the rangers. Haco starts to organize everyone.
"Aramir, thank you for rescuing us. I am sending everyone out. We must get King Hakan from the underground dungeon. I am positive we would find the dark fairy there too." Haco signals to the fire fairies to move out.
"Lead the way Haco. Princess Ava is with me." Aramir jerk his head to point to Princess Ava's direction.
"Princess Ava, let us head to the dungeons." Aramir shouts to the Princess amidst the commotion of fire fairies moving out.
Haco leads the way to the underground dungeon with Princess Ava and Aramir after him. Two other rangers follow.
 
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Meanwhile, Cleon and Ailsa continue with their respective magic spells. They are careful not to unleash more than what is necessary so as not to permanently harm their fellow fairies. They just need to incapacitate them so as not to get to them.
The hold of the Dark Fairy is still strong. But suddenly, the other puppet fairies begin to falter. Have Princess Ava and Aramir succeeded?
 
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King Hakan takes Alirion by surprise. He blasts his dungeon door, startling the Dark Fairy from his concentration.
Due to the unexpected turn of events, Alirion loses his control over the fire fairies outside battling with the intruders.
"What! No! It can't be!" Alirion shouts as he sends a ball of fire in King Hakan's direction. His face is full of surprise and disappointment. He has not predicted that the Fire Lord could escape his cell.
"You, bastard! How dare you kill my son? He trusted you! He treated you as a real friend! You shall pay for his death with your own miserable life!" King Hakan throws balls of fire one after the other towards Alirion. His golden eyes are ablaze with so much fury.
Alirion gauges the rising anger of the Fire Lord. He has underestimated this King. He thought that he has extinguished any hope of this King after telling him that his son is already dead. Instead, his anger fuels the King to retaliate.
He realizes that he could not win. Alirion deflects the fire balls coming his way and casts a heavy cloaking spell to escape.
The last ball of fire from the Fire Lord hits the dungeon wall when Alirion vanished.
 
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Alirion reappears at the top of the spiral staircase where he is met by Princess Ava, Aramir, Haco and his rangers. He does not waste time on them. He sends a blast of fiery electricity on Princess Ava's direction.
The Princess tries to evade the blast. Aramir pulls Princess Ava behind him to shield her. A look of shock passes onto the Princess' face. Aramir falls down stunned for a moment. Haco and his fellow rangers shoot their own balls of fire to fight back.
The Dark fairy disappears quickly leaving a mirthful laugh behind.
Princess Ava kneels down and embraces Aramir close to her. Her tears flow quickly drenching Aramir's weakened body.
"Aramir, why did you do that?" The Princess whispers gently in Aramir's ear. She caresses his long brown hair.
"My Princess, it is an honor to protect you. King Merlion would not forgive me if something happened to you." Aramir replies in between breaths when he regains consciousness a few seconds after.
"Save your energy. Nurse Zella would know what to do." The Princess cradles Aramir like a precious baby.
"Aramir, hang in there. Princess, we shall fetch King Hakan from the dungeon." Haco bows and signals to his rangers again.
"No need to get me. I am here." The Fire Lord ascends. His aura is full of fire and anger.
"That bastard of a fairy would pay for all of this." King Hakan exclaims full of fury.