The sky crackles like bolts of lightning, ablaze with swirls of purple and fiery red. Unnatural green rain cascades over the lands, resembling acid seeping from cracks in the once serene clouds, which now collide like chaotic bumper cars.

The once opulent and vibrant lands have turned into an unsettling eyesore. The air hangs heavy with malevolence and the stench of decayed bodies. Trees and plants have withered, their once thriving beauty now marred by haunting deformities. Animals have fled, leaving the land devoid of its once harmonious ecosystem.

In the heart of what was once a thriving village, the homes now stand empty, their doors swaying open with every gust of wind. The laughter of children, the discussions of men, and the gossips of women have all vanished, replaced by an eerie silence that echoes throughout the deserted streets.

Amidst this devastation stands the feeble figure of a man, whom was wise beyond his years and carried a golden heart full of empathy, lies on his deathbed, gasping for his final breaths before the grip on his life's slips away.

And one person was a witness to this chilling, horrifying vision—Queen Elysia.

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Elysia Redwood woke up with a startle, a hand sliding against her chest to ensure that her heart wouldn't jump out of her throat at any moment.

Her surroundings are hazy, and she blinks, trying to clear the black dots clouding her vision. "Where am I?" she silently wonders.

Her head pounds like a massive boulder has collided with it. Wincing, she touches her forehead, only to recoil in horror as her fingers come away stained in crimson red. She's bleeding, but she can't fathom how she got injured. It must be a dream, or perhaps, a nightmare.

In that moment, a familiar voice shouts out, "Elysia!"

"Who's that?" she mumbles under her breath, having forgotten her own name until she catches the gaze of the speaker.

The man had speckles of hair on his chin, his skin a warm creamed honey tone. His sunshine golden-brown eyes once seemed to sparkle with life and charm are filled with sadness, and his sandy-blonde hair, a complete mess. But as trinkets of blood drips from the scratches and wounds on his face, she realizes what was happening. . . and who she was.

Then, her heart sinks as a sinister figure emerges—the sly, cunning, and devious snake king. Panic floods her, and she screams at the top of her lungs as he approaches the love of her life. She watches in horror as the evil king snatches her beau by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. The man dangles helplessly, his legs kicking in the air, choking under the king's cruel grip.

Elysia clenches and releases her fists, anger boiling inside her like a tea kettle kept on the stove for too long, waiting to release its smoking steam. She pushes herself up, dusts her pants and shoulders dramatically and bends down to obtain a fistful of sand. She utters a few magical words that were taught to her by the fairies in times of need, as she lets the sand slowly flow freely from her palm.

"Powerful winds, Sands of my land! Roaring cyclones, unleash the hora! Swirling tempest, heed this call! Unleash your might, engulfing all!" The queen's voice carried authority as she commanded the elemental forces to bend to her will.

As soon as the powerful verse left the queen's mouth, a powerful sand storm started to propel itself in the direction of which its summoner pointed, leaving havoc and chaos in his path. The battlefield, once drenched in blood and strewn with bodies, now found itself buried under a fresh layer of sand. The swirling storm picked up weapons, growing even more powerful as it approached the king it was summoned to defeat.

The snake king's slit tongue flickered as he sensed the threat posed by the sandstorm. Reluctantly, he released the queen's beau, who gasped for air, color returning to his pale cheeks. Standing before his next challenge, the king reveled in the thrill of battle, welcoming the impending competition like it was a game.

"Let Liam go and leave the kingdom at once, you slithery, slimy reptile," the sand monster barked on behalf of it's creator. "Or bid the morning a farewell."

A sinister smirk crept across the villain's face. With a rude snort through the slits of his nostrils, his pupils dilated, and his forked tongue flickered. Human flesh gave way to scaly skin as the evil king transformed into a monstrous snake. And not just any serpent. The infamous serpent of darkness: the basilisk.

Its obsidian charcoal-colored scales glistened with an ominous sheen, and its blood-shot red eyes glanced across the lands like fiery beacons of malice. As the basilisk coiled its massive body in preparation to strike, the sandstorm swirled and intensified around it, unyielding to the serpent's intimidating form. The winds howled with defiance, pelting the basilisk with grains of sand and obscuring its vision. But the basilisk was cunning and swift, using its serpentine agility to evade the storm's fury.

With a venomous hiss, the basilisk lunged forward, fangs bared and ready to deliver a deadly fight. However, the sandstorm was relentless, blurring the serpent's path and thwarting its attacks with relentless gusts.

In the dance of sand and scales, the battle raged on—a clash between fairy magic and dark magic. The kingdom watched with bated breath as the forces of nature and evil collided, the outcome unaware.

Just as the sand storm twirls around the body of the snake, trying to lift it into the air, the basilisk blasts out a slim-green smoke, aiming it at the competitor. The wind starts to decrease in intensity, and slowly becomes the same size as the snake. But the snake king was a cunning, cruel master of deceive. He wanted to hurt Queen Elysia where it would hurt the most.

And there was only one thing that would cause the queen immense pain.

Turning around, the pitch-black demonic serpent turns its gaze at General Liam, and the future king of Heartsylvania, who had been trying to get up and reach for his sword gifted by the fairies. Letting out a shrill war cry, the snake slithers towards the man, teeth baring and hissing like a feral cat.

"NOOO!" the queen lets out a blood curdling scream, when she realizes that her distraction wasn't working and that the snake king was heading straight towards her future husband. Elysia holds up her palms, and a magical golden aura surrounds her. At that moment, all the royals from different kingdoms, the season fairies, mythical and magical creatures appeared alongside the people of Heartsylvania, wanting to become a part of the war between good and evil.

As King Charles of the Charming kingdom approached the battleground, he was met with an invisible forcefield that sent him sprawling backward, his sword falling by his side.

"There's a forcefield surrounding the land," he informed the others, and got up.

"But we must help her," Queen Cindy, his wife, worriedly exclaimed, gently caressing her pregnant stomach, unsure if the magical world was safe anymore for her unborn child.

Just then, a refreshing spring breeze filled the air, and to everyone's surprise, flowers began to bloom in the once barren land. The crowd parted to make way for Blossom, the spring fairy, who stepped forward with her flower-adorned wand.

She mutters a few spells under her breath, and waves her wand. However, she too was forcefully thrown back, though she landed on her feet gracefully.

"I—I don't un—understand," Blossom stammered, bewildered. "Whose magic is so powerful to keep a fairy at bay?"

Sunshine and warmth suddenly spread through the crowd as Solara, the summer fairy, joined her sister. "It's not magic," she explained, her wise demeanor evident. "This power surpasses our magic combined."

"And what could that be?" Blossom sarcastically asked, wrinkling her nose in disgrace, unable to fathom anything stronger than her and her sister's powers.

Before Solara could respond, another voice chimed in, declaring, "The power of love."

Blossom turned to her wiser sister for confirmation, who in return nods. As the atmosphere suddenly grew colder, snowflakes began to fall, and everyone held to one another was comfort. Even Solara felt her warmth diminish.

The youngest of the season fairies weaves through the crowd in the shape of a shimmering icy blue ball of light, until it collides with the ground in front of Solara and Blossom, and out comes Snowelle—the winter fairy.

"You do know I was about to answer, right?" Solara told her younger sister crossly, her golden-auburn hair flickering with her expanding fieriness, causing Snowelle's icicle earrings to melt.

The winter fairy smiles, twirling her light blonde hair with a finger, and showing off her snow-white teeth. "Oh, sister, we are all but one. Whether you answer or I answer, it doesn't matter." With a snap of her fingers, her melted icicle earrings were replaced with a new pair of stunning snowflake earrings.

"Where is Ambrosia?" Blossom interjected, trying to put an end to her sister's competitiveness.

At the mention of her name, a pleasant breeze filled the air, carrying the sweet aroma of cinnamon and gourmet spices. Leaves danced like paparazzi, signaling the arrival of Ambrosia—the Autumn fairy.

Emerging from a whirlwind of turbulent wind and swirling leaves, Ambrosia appeared in her simple yet captivating beauty. Her wavy, chocolate brown hair cascaded gracefully around her oval face, and her eyes sparkled with the deepest shade of orange-brown, reminiscent of a freshly baked pumpkin pie.

"Someone called me?" she asked, glancing at her sisters with a hint of puzzlement.

Blossom, her older sister, stepped forward, causing some of the dried leaves circling the Autumn fairy to come back to life. "I did."

Ambrosia raised an eyebrow, curious. "May I know the reason, sister?" With the flicker of a gaze, she sent out the leaves that were converting green.

Solara walked forward, and with her presence, a wave of warmth washed over them. "You have to recite the spell to remove this," she said, pointing at the invisible forcefield.

"Why me? You are all equally capable," she reasoned.

Snowelle, remaining where she stood, spoke tenderly, "Only you have been in love before. . . and have had your heart broken."

Ambrosia's once chatty nature fell silent, her mouth hanging open. She'd hoped nothing would trigger her to unwrap those past feelings of being deceived and unwanted, and grinds her teeth to not shout at Snowelle. But she knew it wasn't the Winter fairy's fault, it was her own, and she knew what would happen if history repeated itself. And she just couldn't bear to watch love lose and dwindle away.

With a deep breath, she mustered her voice and nodded. "Very well, I'll recite the spell. But we must proceed with caution," she said, her voice tinged with a mixture of apprehension and determination, and raised her hands to the air before reciting:

Love, the very source that binds our souls,

With threads of passion, it takes its toll.

But love's true power, let it now unfold,

To break this forcefield, bold and cold.

Like a rippling ocean wave, the forcefield began to crack and shatter, causing the ground to vibrate and everyone to shake and quiver. Those standing near the boundary were sent flying into the air, landing painfully a few feet away. Even the fairies struggled to remain steady, with Snowelle having to freeze her and her sister's feet to maintain their positions.

Inside the forcefield, the situation was equally dire. Queen Elysia focused her efforts on summoning another elemental soldier, this time creating a rock monster from nearby stones. The monstrous being let out a bellowing roar, hurling sharp rocks and stones at the Snake King. However, the Basilisk remained unfazed, not even flinching at the onslaught.

With its poison-dripping fangs, the serpent hissed menacingly at General Liam, the green gas clouding his vision and causing him immense pain. Despite the pleas of his lover, Elysia, he remained motionless, falling into a deep sleep under the influence of the venom.

"Please, just run away. I'll handle him," Elysia begged, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks as she tried to rouse Liam from his slumber. But her pleas fell on deaf ears, and the Basilisk showed no sign of relenting.

Realizing that time was running out, Elysia made a desperate decision. She rushed towards the main battle, trampling over stones thrown by her rock monster and dodging the serpent army in her path. Her deep red dress adorned with heart-shaped rubies snagged on thorny bushes, and snakes from the serpent army attempted to hinder her progress by clinging on to her dress. Each time, she countered with a swift spell to blast them away into space. Nevertheless, these obstacles slowed her down, and she could feel the weight of urgency pressing upon her.

With an evil chuckle that reverberated throughout the world of magic, the enormous, devilish snake turned to face Queen Elysia, relishing the shock evident on her pale face. Strands of her thick strawberry-blonde hair were glued to her sweat and blood-streaked face, and her lips quivered with fear. Silent tears welled in her hazel-brown eyes, but she pushed forward, her long, thin legs carrying her toward the monstrous Basilisk.

As their eyes locked, the sinister serpent noticed the queen's crown, a symbol of her authority and power. It was a simple yet elegant ruby in the shape of a heart, nestled amidst vines of roses made of pure gold.

The Basilisk's stilted eyes glinted with greed to acquire the prized possession that would help him dominate over the feeling of 'love'. Poison-dripping fangs glistened menacingly, and its forked tongue flickered with anticipation. Just as the Queen was a few feet away from him, the Snake King knew it was time for the anticipated end of the show.

Despite the sand being tossed at its glowing blood-red eyes and the stones hurled at its thick, dark, scaly skin, the Basilisk swiftly coiled its long tail around General Liam, squeezing the life out of him like wringing water from a wet towel. The man's cheeks drained of color once more, and this time there was no hope of return. His mouth opened as if to scream, but no words emerged. He couldn't even wiggle the tiniest inch, his arms and legs crushed under the relentless force and tension. Taking one last painful breath, General Liam, the to-have-been future king of Heartsylvania and the beloved of Queen Elysia, whispered the words, "I love you, Eli." No sooner had he said the words, the Basilisk's venomous fangs sank deep into his neck, the excruciating pain making it feel as if his head was being torn from his body, leaving everyone in shocked gasps.

Even after the forcefield was broken, the fairies and royals found themselves surrounded by the serpent army, making any intervention a potential bloodbath. They stood silently, helpless witnesses to a great man taking his last breath before a brilliant light emerged from his lifeless body, ascending higher and higher to join the heavenly abode of magic.

Having witnessed the murder of the man she adored so deeply, Queen Elysia felt a crushing sense of helplessness, her strength waning. She didn't even muster the strength to put up a fight with the snakes, merely allowing them to leave. She understood that they knew if anything were to happen to her, the Crown of Roses would fall into the hands of the Kingdom of Serpents. With her vulnerability, the powerful force of sand and rocks subsided, returning to a mere palmful of sand and a pile of rocks on the ground next to the emotional Queen, and everything came to a standstill.

"I can't watch!" Dutchess Arianna squealed, covering her eyes to shield herself from the traumatic scene unfolding before her.

The season fairies shook their heads sorrowfully, and with a whisk of their wands, conjured a colorful quilted blanket adorned with representations of the four seasons to wrap around General Liam's lifeless body. Everyone watched with bated breath as Queen Elysia lay on the ground beside her fallen lover, crying her eyes out.

Snowelle stepped forward, seeking her sisters' consent. "Should we?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Solara shook her head gently. "We should let her emotions flow freely. It may be the only solace for her now." Yet, even the brightest of the fairies seemed dimmed by the weight of the tragedy.

As the impact of General Liam's loss reverberated across Enchancia, the once-feared villains of the land seemed almost humbled in comparison. However, unbeknownst to them, an even greater fear was about to unleash its grip on the realm, and no one knew how to stop it. Just when everyone believed the worst was behind them, Queen Elysia let out a sudden, agonizing cry, clutching her chest as if in the throes of a seizure.

"What's happening to her?" the royals demanded, sharing looks of panic.

Even the season fairies were caught off guard by the unforeseen turn of events. The young Queen hadn't experienced such excruciating pain before. It felt as if a knife was twisting in her stomach, and her entire being was gripped by an overwhelming darkness. A blood-curdling scream escaped her lips before the pain finally subsided, leaving her feeling oddly numb. She wiped her tear-stained face, baffled by her own tears.

Then, an eerie realization struck her. Her emotions and feelings were slipping away, as if an integral part of her identity was being forcibly ripped apart. She felt stripped bare and vulnerable, yet a strange sense of power began to surge within her. Her once-beautiful brown eyes now blazed with a fiery red, much like the Basilisk's, and her flowing hair turned into a murky, dark black.

The onlookers grew closer, but stood in stunned silence as the elegant Queen transformed into a monstrous being. Her once-svelte figure bulged in various places, her sleek dress tearing under the strain. Long, twisted nails sprouted from her fingertips, and warts and creases marred her once-seamless face. The sight was nothing short of horrifying.

Dutchess Arianna stepped forward, her voice quivering with a mix of sorrow and disbelief. "Elysia, my dear friend, what has become of you?"

But the monstrous Queen showed no signs of recognition or remorse. Instead, she let out a sinister laugh that echoed throughout the desolate battlefield. Her words dripped with venom as she proclaimed, "Your beloved Queen is no more. I am now the ruler of this world, and you shall all bow before me."

The fairies, royals, soldiers, and magical beings exchanged wary glances. They knew they were facing a grave threat, one that was far more dangerous than any enemy they had encountered before. This new villain was not an outsider seeking to conquer their land, but someone who had once been their ally, their leader, their friend.

As the reality sank in, Queen Cindy clutched her pregnant stomach protectively, fearing for the safety of her unborn child in this world turned dark. King Charles looked at his wife with concern, vowing silently to protect his growing family and his people.

Duchess Arianna stepped closer to the women she once considered a friend, her voice steady this time. "We will not bow to darkness. We will stand together, and we will fight for what is right and just. We will bring back the light to this land, no matter the sacrifice."

With a cold glance thrown at the Dutchess, Queen Elysia issued her first command spitefully: "Out with all your heads!"

And everyone knew that another villain had made her place in the era of darkness, only she was one of their own, so she would hurt them more.

And so, the battle for the fate of Enchancia began, with the once-beloved Queen turned monstrous villain at the heart of it all.

Only time will tell whether good or evil wins.