They silently stared at each other, right in the eyes for a while. None of them dared make a move. Annshera intended to catch Dylane’s arm but she promptly teleported. Once behind Annshera, Gyldaen put on her Ascian black robe and put down her hood.

“So, you found me out.”

It was the very first time Annshera was standing in front of an Ascian who revealed his face to her. She was expecting an adult but Gyldaen was still a child. A pake skin, dark and gray hair and a face way too soft to belong to one of those agents of chaos.

"Speak the common tongue. No need to pretend not knowing it."

Annshera tried to hide her confusion with disdain. She was feeling mixed emotions about her. From all people why it had to be her ? Did she truly bond with an Ascian ? How could it be? She also felt betrayed, she needed to understand, hear Gyldaen’s side of the story.

“Why did you do that ? Who sent you ? You better answer !”

Gyldaen stepped back, intimidated just like a child being lectured. She lowed her and stammered “ I… I just wanted to be a mermaid.”

Annshera exasperation rose up. “You except me to believe that ? Who was it ? Elidibus ?”

The little Gyldaen suddently relaxed at the mention of this name. She cheerfully approached Annshera and hold her hands.

“You know ?! He is my brother ! I miss him ! He is traveling the world. I feel lonely without him. No one there to tell me stories. Only Elidibus, my brother. He is nice to me.”

Annshera experienced several echo visions at once, showing her more of Gyldaen. A little girl within a sort of dark room was holding a young man hand. They both opened the door to a library. Once face to to the books, he carried her allowing her to take her favourite book : Krystalinda, the Mermaid Queen. Next, on a bed, Elidibus read the book to a very interested and enchanted Gyldaen. The child geel asleep and Elidubus remained next to his little sister, watching over her. Several years later face to face, one with a black robe and the other with white one; the siblings, heartbroken, saying each other goodbye. The brother put a object in his little sister hand then whispered her “You can be a mermaid Gylda” before vanishing. Full of sorrow, Gyldaen wandered in her room, her brother gift on her hands. One night she escaped Ascians’s vigilance and made her way out of the Ascians’ world.

“Gylda…”

“You came back to your senses! What did you see?”

“You… And don’t look at me like that. You still killed those mermaids, not matter how cute you are.”

“I didn’t killed the mermaids ! I just stole their voice.”

“This is the same !Their voice is their vitality. You didn’t read that in your books ? You killed them Gyldaen.”

“No ! I… I like them ! I didn’t want to hurt them I swear. Annshera please don’t kill me. Will you kill me ? I don’t want to die. I still love you.”

“What about your Ascians’ brother ?”

“I don’t want to be with Ascians anymore. There is nothing for me there since Elidibus left. I want to be outside just as he does. See the world. Be a mermaid. Sing and dance with everyone. Remember the game, it was funny. The world is funny and beautiful. It doesn’t deserve to be destroyed. Annshera please… don’t kill me.”

“It’s not my kingdom, it’s not my call. The decision belongs to Krystalinda. Teleport us to her. “

Gyldaen threw herself in Annshera’s arms and teleport them to Krystalinda’s quarters. The remaining members of the close circle of the queen were all present. Krystalinda ordered them all to wait outside, except Solene. “Bring me the White auralith” Solene had one look for her queen, hesitating but she gave her what she asked. Gyldaen and Annshera looked at each other astonished. She would kill her N Without hearing what she has to say ? Terrified, the young Ascian girl hide behind Annshera. After Solene departure, Krystalinda sealed the room.

“LINDA !”

Annshera stretched out her arms, placing herself between Krystalinda and Gyldean.

“Get out of my way !”

“No way ! She is a child !”

“An Ascian one. Your sworn enemy. We had an agreement. Together we can summon the Sword of Light, Warrior of Light, it’s time to do your duty !”

“No! No ! You asked me to protect her !”

“I have to answer to my people. To honor my mermaids sisters, Ascian Gyldaen needs to die. This is the only way. You know it Gyldaen.”

Gyldaen teleported herself between the two women. She looked Annshera in her both of them on the verge of tears. Tenderly, the Ascian hugged the human woman.

“You need to kill me. This is the only way to bring all the others their voices. I’m not afraid, not anymore. I love you Annshera. Gather the strength of the sword of Light.”

Annshera closed her eyes then took a deep breath and wiped her tears. She delicately put her hands on Gyldaen cheeks, contemplated her one last time. “You are very brave Gyldaen, I love you.”

Annshera joined Krystalinda holding her scepter together. They raised it and the mermaid queen started an incantation. “Holy Light of the Crystal Mother, gather form, the darkness slayer. Come form, Sword of Light !” She never succeeded to summon a sword of light that big. “Annshera didn’t even reach her full potential. What could be it when she would ?”

As hard as Gyldaen tried to be brave, she couldn’t help but tremble. The mermaid and the human both jumped back, swinging the sword of Light and stroke the final blow to the Ascian. Screaming of pain, Gyldaen vanished. All that wwasleft of her was the star Elidibus gave her. She didn’t even have time to pick it up, it immediately disintegrated. Several flux of energy came out of it, the mermaids progressively found back their long lost voices, they were saved.

“I failed… Guess I couldn’t do it.”

Annshera turned herself to Krystalinda. Hera beautiful face was full of tears. Her hands were holding the auralith. Annshera couldn’t feel anything from it. She opened wide her eyes.

“You didn’t use it…”