A cosmic wind spiraled around her, lifting her into the air as a celestial glow wrapped around her. Starlight wove through her form, shaping shimmering straps and crystal cuffs, while her boots crystallized beneath her. Twin star-crystals settled into her hair as her wings unfurled, bright and glowing, like the night sky itself. Her magic pulsed around her comfortably, stardust swirling at her fingertips.
This was her debut in Magix, her first step into the magical world. She was Maggie, the Fairy of Stardust, a Starchaser ready to leave her mark on this new realm.
Beside her, Ashya, Fairy of the Phoenix Flame, erupted in a blazing swirl of fire. The air around her crackled as her dark outfit transformed beneath a blaze of orange and gold. Her gloves and boots forged themselves from the flames, their fiery heat leaving behind trails of ember. The inferno seemed to feed off her power, glowing brighter with each movement. Ashya's eyes burning with fierce and passionate magic, every inch of her surrounded in a halo of fiery light.
Sirene, Nymph of the Water Bearer, emerged from her transformation in a mist of swirling vapors. Her form shifted as shimmering sleeves and a flowing blue dress materialized, moving like the tide. Sea foam bubbles glistened around her hem, catching the light with every movement. Her heels formed last, delicate as waves lapping the shore, glowing with a soft blue radiance. The magic of the ocean pulsed through her, cool and calming, yet infinitely powerful as she landed, her presence leaving ripples in the air.
The three fairies stood ready, their magic surging through the air.
- ✧ ❖ ✧ -
The air in Magix City crackled with an uneasy energy, the hum of the city's technology seemed to buzz louder than usual. The skies overhead seemed to darkened as if the very heavens sensed the impending chaos. From the cracks above, a shape hurtled down with a deafening roar, its massive form eclipsing the sunlight. The Nue, a monstrous beast born of legend, had landed with a bone-shaking thud, its body crackling with arcs of lightning. Its electric-yellow eyes burned with malice as it sized up the three girls standing in its path.
The ground trembled beneath its weight as the beast let out an ear-splitting roar.
Maggie's pulse pounded. It was bigger than she'd expected—its claws sharp enough to tear through steel and its electric aura crackling dangerously around it. Before she could react, it lunged towards the young fairies.
Sirene, already in motion, slamming her hands down, summoning a wall of water between them and the beast. The current surged upward, crashing like a tidal wave, but Maggie could see the immediate strain on Sirene's face. She was pushing hard, expending a tremendous amount of energy, but the Nue wasn't holding back.
The beast growled, momentarily stunned by the collision, but only for a brief second. It regained its posture with terrifying speed, its serpent tail thrashing through the air, sparking and crackling as it swung toward them.
Electricity met water with an explosive crack.
"Not a great matchup," Sirene muttered more to herself than anyone else, her voice laced with frustration.
Her hands glowed with magic as she reinforced the barrier as the Nue slammed into it, causing waves of water to spill out violently, the force of the impact rippling through the air. With a slash of its claws, the Nue sent a surge of electricity toward the water, its lightning-infused energy crackling along the surface.
In that instant, Maggie's eyes widened in surprise as the water spell trembled beneath the onslaught.
Sirene gritted her teeth, her eyes flicking between the Nue and her spell. "Isn't this a little too strong?" she muttered, but didn't finish the thought. She quickly moved, gathering the shattered remnants of the water wall in a swift motion, trapping the Nue inside a ball of water, the magic churning with fierce energy.
For a moment, it worked.
The beast fought against it, snapping its massive jaws and thrashing with unbridled strength, but it couldn't break free just yet.
The moment of reprieve was short-lived. The Nue thrashed within it, its massive claws tearing through the water barrier like paper, and with a mighty roar, it shattered the trap.
Before they could counter with another spell, the Nue lunged with terrifying speed, its massive body propelling itself forward, aiming for them with fangs bared.
"Now!" Sirene shouted, her voice urgent. In perfect sync, Maggie, Ashya, and Sirene shot into the air, narrowly evading the Nue's vicious strike. The ground split beneath the force of its claws, sparks flying as it skidded and whirled to face them again.
Maggie's chest tightened as she realized just how much danger they were in. The beast's power, its speed—it wasn't going to be as easy as they thought. And with every failed attempt to contain it, their chances would grow slimmer.
They needed a plan. Now.
The air around her crackled with tension, but she wasn't about to back down yet.
Maggie hovered high above the battle, wings beating in a steady rhythm as her gaze fixed on the massive Nue below. The beast's claws were sharp enough to tear through steel, and the electric aura that surrounded it was enough to send a chill down her spine. But Maggie wasn't afraid. She'd faced dangerous creatures before.
And she was the Fairy of Stardust. So she was going to make this magic work—no matter how bad the matchup.
Focus, Maggie.
She told herself, forcing herself to take a steadying breath. Her magic pulsed eagerly beneath her skin, racing through her veins, alive, restless, powerful. It always burned a little too hot, surged a little too fast—but that was just how her magic worked. That was normal. She just had to keep up with it.
The Nue turned its glowing eyes toward her, sensing the shift in the air, but Maggie wasn't going to wait for it to make the first move. She had no time to waste. This was her moment.
The light gathered in her hands, swirling like a miniature galaxy. It flickered, shifting between shimmering brilliance and something wilder, but Maggie held it firm. The Nue's glowing eyes snapped up to her, sensing the shift in the air. Sparks flared along its fur, muscles tensing, ready to strike.
But Maggie struck first.
"Starfall!"
She shouted, and in an instant, the spell releasing from her hands, streaking through the air like a comet, blindingly bright and fast. It tore through the space between them, the stardust explosion blinding in its intensity.The force of it sent her skidding backward midair, wings straining against the sudden recoil.
But that was fine. That just meant the spell was even stronger than usual. Good.
The blast slammed into the Nue with a blinding eruption of stardust and energy, swallowing the beast in brilliant light. Maggie's chest swelled with triumph.
But when the glow faded, her victory crumbled and the Nue snarled, more furious than before. The beast's electric aura sparked to life again, and Maggie watched in disbelief as it regained its footing, unscathed. The attack had barely made a dent.
Maggie scowled. Oh, come on.
That spell had been perfect. She'd felt how strong it was—stronger than usual, even! It should have flattened the thing. So why was the Nue still standing?
She didn't get a chance to dwell on it as the Nue lunged.
A flash of movement—claws slashed through the air, its tail crackling with electricity as it lashed toward her.
Maggie shot upward, wings burning as she pushed herself higher. The strike missed by inches, but the force of it sent a shockwave through the air, nearly knocking her off balance. She wobbled mid-flight, trying to steady herself, but she wasn't out of danger yet. The creature was relentless.
Think, Maggie, think.
The Nue lunged again—its claws reaching out, jaws snapping—but before it could close in on Maggie, a sudden blast of heat ripped through the air.
"Phoenix Flare!"
Ashya's voice rang out, powerful and unwavering, as a tidal wave of golden-red flames engulfed the Nue. The flames lashed against the beast, throwing it back with a deafening roar. The ground beneath it shuddered as the flames did their work, but the Nue remained standing, its monstrous form swaying slightly as the inferno began to fade.
Maggie's eyes sparkled as she watched Ashya's magic crash into the Nue. She grinned, the thrill of seeing her friend's power in action lifting her spirits. Ashya had always been strong, but there was something about the intensity of the Phoenix Flame that always left Maggie in awe.
The heat radiated from the flames, wrapping the air around her like a warm embrace. The ground beneath her feet seemed to pulse with the energy of Ashya's magic. Ashya's wings shimmered with fiery light as she hovered just above the battlefield, her focus laser-sharp as she prepared for her next move.
"Inferno Burst!"
Ashya shouted, her voice carrying the full force of her determination. Another explosion of flames ripped through the air, slamming into the Nue with explosive impact. The fire curled around it, wrapping its massive form in a fiery grip before erupting outward in a burst of brilliance.
The Nue staggered back, its enormous frame faltering under the relentless onslaught of Ashya's flames. The fiery blasts had finally begun to leave their mark, the beast's massive form singed and scorched in several places. Maggie could see it now—finally—the beast was feeling the heat. For the first time since the battle began, the Nue seemed to falter, its massive claws scraping against the ground in a desperate attempt to regain its footing. The ground beneath it cracked under the pressure as the creature tried to stabilize, its glowing eyes flickering with pain.
Maggie's breath caught in her chest. They were finally making progress. The beast was weakening, its movements slower, less precise. Ashya's attacks were working. The flames she unleashed were more than just an overwhelming force—they were breaking through the Nue's defenses. The creature was not invincible after all.
For a brief moment, the battlefield seemed to hold its breath. Ashya's fiery wings shimmered in the midday light, and Maggie felt a sense of hope rise in her chest. Could they actually defeat this thing? Could they win?
But then, just as quickly as hope had bloomed, the Nue let out a bone-chilling roar that shook the very air around them. The creature's body jerked, as if shaking off the effects of the flames, and with a powerful thrust of its legs, it launched itself into the air.
Maggie's heart raced as the creature's claws scraped against the city's magic power lines. The ground trembled beneath them as it landed with a deafening crash, its nightmarish form towering over everything. The sheer force of the impact rattled the very foundation of the city center, and Maggie's breath caught in her throat as the vibrations echoed through the streets. It wasn't just the landing—it was something far worse.
With another guttural roar that seemed to split the air itself, the Nue unleashed a shockwave of raw power. The energy pulsed through the city, bending reality around it. Buildings groaned and shuddered, their foundations creaking as if they might collapse. Maggie covered her ears, struggling to keep her balance as the shockwave rippled through the air. In an instant, the city's energy magic and technology flickered and died, leaving an eerie silence in their wake.
It was still midday, the sun high in the sky, yet the world seemed suddenly dimmer, quieter. An unsettling stillness hung in the air, broken only by the ringing in Maggie's ears, the aftermath of the intense blast.
How could something this powerful even exist?
Her eyes snapped back to the Nue just in time to see its monstrous jaws gape wide. Its teeth gleamed like jagged mountains, and with a horrifying crunch, the creature sank its fangs into the power line. Electricity crackled and sparked, lighting up the air as the line buckled under the immense pressure. Maggie felt the air grow heavy with raw energy, thick with crackling power as the Nue fed on the magic-infused current. Its aura surged, brightening with every passing second, the energy around it building in intensity until the very atmosphere seemed to hum with power.
The Nue, now fully empowered by the city's electricity, let out a deep, bone-rattling growl. Its body crackled with lightning as its electric-yellow eyes locked onto Ashya, who had just landed on the ground, her fiery wings still ablaze. The creature, now far more dangerous than before, shifted its focus entirely to Ashya, its aura growing more intense with every passing second. Ashya stood her ground, her wings flaring as she prepared for another attack, but the Nue was faster than before. It lunged with terrifying speed, its claws snapping through the air with a crack of thunder. Ashya's wings shimmered as she leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike. She shot another burst of flame toward the creature, but this time it seemed to barely flinch.
- ✧ ❖ ✧ -
Ashya had already landed, her wings still ablaze, but Maggie saw the signs—the small hesitations, the way Ashya favored her right side, the fraction-of-a-second slower reactions. She was tiring. She had chosen to fight on the ground now, likely to conserve her dwindling strength, and though her stance remained firm, her movements weren't as sharp as before. Every strike, every burst of fire she sent toward the Nue, carried just a little less force than the last.
But the Nue wasn't slowing down. It was adapting, growing stronger with every bolt it pulled from the city's power grid. Its aura thickened, rolling outward in waves of barely contained energy. It was an apex predator, now fully aware that it had the upper hand.
It lunged, faster than before, a blur of shadow and lightning. Claws snapped through the air with a crack of thunder, narrowly missing Ashya as she twisted out of the way, her wings flaring. She retaliated instantly, sending another burst of flame toward the beast, but this time, it barely reacted. The fire washed over its hide, flickering harmlessly against the surge of energy coursing through its body. Maggie's stomach twisted. The Nue wasn't just enduring their attacks—it was absorbing the electricity around them, growing more powerful with every passing second.
Maggie's pulse slammed against her ribs. This wasn't working. They couldn't keep this up much longer. Ashya was still fighting, still standing her ground, but the strain was evident. She had to be at her limit. And the Nue—it wasn't even close to stopping. If anything, it was thriving.
She had to do something.
From her position in the air, she extended her hands, calling forth the magic that burned beneath her skin, ready to turn it into something sharp, something strong—something that would work. A shimmering burst of stardust formed at her fingertips, gathering into a concentrated mass before she hurled it toward the Nue.
The Shooting Star spell shot toward the Nue, streaking through the air in a perfect arc—
—and disintegrated on impact.
The explosion of stardust barely made a ripple, disintegrating into nothing as it hit the creature's tough hide. Her heart sank as she watched the fleeting magic evaporate.
Maggie's breath caught. Her heart plummeted. No. No, no, that was supposed to work.
For a split second, she could only stare, wide-eyed, at the empty space where her magic had been. The weight of failure pressed against her chest, crushing and heavy. Her fingers twitched uselessly at her sides, the remnants of her spell flickering out like dying embers.
It hadn't been strong enough. A lump formed in her throat, bitter and suffocating. That raw, brilliant magic—her greatest strength, her pride—felt suddenly unreliable, slipping through her grasp like water through her fingers.
Her hands curled into fists. The memory of her earlier encounter with the silver-haired girl crashed into her like a wave—the way she had been overpowered, the way her magic had been so easily dismissed. She squeezed her eyes shut, shoving down the swell of frustration that burned hot beneath her skin.
Focus, Maggie. Focus.
She couldn't afford to hesitate. Not now.
When she opened her eyes again, Sirene was there, appearing beside her with a calm, calculating expression on her face. Her wings glowed softly in contrast to the chaos around them, but Maggie barely registered the serene beauty of her friend. The weight of their situation—of the Nue's growing power—was all that filled her thoughts.
Ashya.
With a fluid, almost effortless motion, Ashya suddenly lunged forward, wings blazing with the power of the Phoenix Flame. The Nue, faster than before, barreled toward her, but Ashya struck first—her body a blur of motion as she met the beast head-on. Her punch, infused with the raw power of fire, collided with the Nue with explosive force.
The creature recoiled, its massive form sent crashing into the already crumbling bell tower. The ancient bell groaned under the impact, its chain creaking ominously as it swung violently in the air. The entire structure trembled as the weight of the Nue's body struck it, the shockwave reverberating through the ground. Dust and debris showered down, and Maggie winced, her heart pounding as the tower seemed to sway precariously above them.
They couldn't keep this up much longer. Although Ashya was still moving, Maggie could see it now—Ashya was tiring. Her movements were becoming slower, less fluid, and with every blow, Maggie could see her strength waning.
But as her thoughts raced, Sirene's voice cut through the turmoil, bringing her focus back to the present. "We can't keep this up for much longer."
Maggie snapped back to the present, her thoughts racing as the urgency of the situation hit her like a wave. The Nue's claws slashed through the stone, its growls reverberating in her bones, and Ashya—her friend, her ally—was slowing, her wings faltering as the fight drained the last of her strength. Maggie's heart pounded in her chest, her thoughts darting between the need to act and the overwhelming fear of making the wrong move. She couldn't afford to waste a single moment.
"Then what do you suggest?" she called out, trying to rein in the panic creeping into her voice.
Sirene, ever the picture of calm, stepped forward, her focus unwavering. Her eyes locked on the Nue as if it were the only thing in the world. "Do you know any old myths about how mortals—humans, that is—on worlds without magic were said to defeat a Nue?"
The words, out of place amid the chaos, seemed to hang in the air for a heartbeat. Maggie's blood pounded in her ears, the roar of battle fading just enough for her to register Sirene's voice. But the rest of the world, the chaos of the moment, kept pulling her back. She had no time for myths, no time for stories. She needed answers, not distractions.
"I don't have time for myths or stories right now," Maggie snapped, her voice edged with impatience and frustration. "Just get to the point."
Sirene's voice remained as smooth and unbothered as ever, unaffected by Maggie's terse tone. "They say a human could defeat a Nue by striking its soft underbelly with an enchanted phoenix feather arrow."
Maggie froze for a split second, the words cutting through the haze of panic and desperation. Her mind stuttered as the myth hit her, but the sound of the battle raging around them quickly reclaimed her thoughts. "A phoenix feather arrow?" Maggie repeated, her disbelief creeping into her voice as a dry chuckle slipped from her lips despite the tension in her chest. "Well, too bad we're fresh out of phoenix feathers." She shot a quick glance toward Ashya, whose fiery wings had dimmed to a flicker of their former brilliance. "Maybe Ashya's got one tucked away somewhere, huh?"
Sirene didn't acknowledge Maggie's attempt at humor. She didn't even spare her a glance. Her eyes never wavered from the Nue. "Focus, Maggie."
Maggie gritted her teeth, forcing herself to calm down. "I am focused," she muttered, turning her attention back to the Nue. It was still thrashing, its massive form wreaking havoc in its blind rage. But Ashya was too close, and the Nue was moving unpredictably. Maggie's pulse quickened. She needed to act—now.
Phoenix feather arrow... The thought hovered in Maggie's mind, like an old, familiar incantation. She had used a similar kind of magic before—one that required a feather, an anchor of sorts to manifest the arrow. It was a tool, a shortcut, a safety net. But this time, something inside her flickered. There was no need for a feather. She didn't need a feather.
Maggie's pulse quickened. She had the magic, at least some of the control. She'd been practicing for moments like this. Why not create an arrow herself. The thought settled in her chest like a spark, a surge of energy that burned brightly within her.
Her mind raced, each synapse firing with the realization. This is it. This is how I can stop it.
"I can do this..." she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the noise of the battle around her. She was no longer thinking of the Nue or the Phoenix feather or anything but the comfortable hum of the magic she knew she possessed. Her hands moved of their own accord, fingers splayed, ready to call upon the energy that pulsed just beneath the surface of her skin.
The arc of magic began to form, shimmering faintly at first, then solidifying into something real. It was a bow, an arrow—she could feel it, the shape taking form in the space before her. The energy thrummed in her veins, crackling with power. She could feel it in every muscle, every breath, every pulse.
But just as the surge of power was building, ready to be released, Sirene's arm shot out in an unexpected, almost instinctual motion. Her hand gripped Maggie's wrist with the force of a vice, stopping her mid-cast.
Maggie froze.
Her breath hitched in her throat, the surge of magic sputtering out in an instant, fading like a wisp of smoke. The arrow she had crafted began to dissipate, its glowing light flickering and vanishing. The wave of energy that had been pulsing through her body faltered and died, leaving a hollow feeling in its wake.
Frustration. A familiar, bitter heat rose in her chest, the pressure of it growing until it was almost unbearable. Her fingers tingled with the remnants of her power, a sharp reminder of what she could've done. But now, all of it was slipping through her fingers—gone, just like that.
Her gaze snapped to Sirene, sharp and biting, the raw edge of her emotions just beneath the surface. Does she think I can't control my magic after the mess-up earlier?
But when she met Sirene's eyes, something stopped her. There was no judgment in Sirene's gaze—only calm. Unyielding, solid, like the earth beneath their wings. The world was chaos around them, the air thick with danger and desperation, but Sirene hovered firm, unflinching.
"Wait," Sirene said, her voice smooth, but unrelenting. "You won't have a clear shot."
The words hit Maggie like a blow to the gut. Her frustration flared again, but she swallowed it down, her chest rising and falling as she forced herself to steady her breath. Her hands, still raised, held the faint, glowing arc of magic in the air, her power thrumming beneath her skin, waiting. But her eyes never left Sirene's—unblinking, unwavering. "What are you talking about?"
Sirene didn't flinch, her focus never shifting. "The Nue is too unpredictable. And Ashya's too close. If you shoot now, you could hit her."
Maggie's heart lurched. The weight of Sirene's words cut through her frustration, sharp and immediate, like a blade slicing through the fog of her thoughts. She hadn't fully considered it—not like this. Her mind had been too caught up in the urgency, in the desperate need to end it now, to stop the beast, to do something.
Maggie's stomach dropped. The Nue was thrashing violently, its claws slashing unpredictably, its maw snapping with rage. Ashya's wings were dangerously close to those lethal claws. One misstep, one stray shot—and everything would unravel. Maggie clenched her jaw, the weight of responsibility pressing down on her.
She had to think. She had to wait.
"And," Sirene added, her voice sharp, cutting through Maggie's thoughts, "you've never used that spell before. We can't afford to make a mistake."
Sirene's voice, softer now but still carrying that same sharp edge, broke the tension. "Besides," she added with a faint, knowing smirk, "Although I wouldn't particularly mind if you hit her, I don't think that's the best option right now."
Despite herself, Maggie let out a shaky laugh, a nervous release of tension, though the weight of her impulsivity still hung over her. "Yeah," she said, her voice dry, "I guess hitting her would really ruin her day."
Sirene spared her a brief sidelong glance, her expression unreadable. "We don't have much time," she said, her voice as serious as ever. "But we can stop the Nue—even without a direct attack. We just need to be smart about it."
Maggie nodded, her resolve hardening. The lesson was clear now—rushing in wasn't the answer. They needed to think, to be strategic, or else. No more mistakes. No more shortcuts.
She exhaled slowly, forcing the last remnants of her frustration out with the breath. "Alright, what were you thinking?" Maggie said, a hint of a smile ghosting across her lips.
Sirene's eyes glinted, approving but still focused on the chaos before them. "We finish this. Together."