Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade nor it’s characters, but I do own the plot idea of this Fic, and the world of Chrysalis.

Author Notes: Long awaited chapter 44. I had to take a break from writing for a bit. Because I needed it after the end of school. I was really stressed, I wanted to catch up on sleep and the likes, and just have a bit of ‘me’ time. So sorry. But from now on, I’m going to go full throttle.

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Chapter #44: Shattered Hopes

Cleo sat in her room, staring out the window, watching the three moons of Chrysalis, clear in the night sky. Tears slipped down her cheeks at the thought of her parents. So much left unsaid, so much left undone. The thought of that brought even more tears. Wiping at them absentmindedly she got up from her bed and moved to sit by the window. Some part of her wanted to go now, find him, and demand answers. Another part was afraid of more bad news. There was a faint knock on the door and Cleo glanced back. Momentarily wondering if she should pretend she was asleep. But deep down she knew there would be only one person who would see through the ruse Lia undoubtedly already established; he’d know she wasn’t asleep. She got up and approached the door, opening it.

“Cleo…” it was him. Cleo cast her gaze down. “I hope I didn’t wake you up.”

“No, you know full well that you didn’t. I couldn’t sleep peacefully.” She moved away from the door, allowing the man to step inside. The door clicked shut behind him and Cleo wrapped her arms around herself. Spencer watched her for a second, in all the years he known her, he never seen her this distraught. Her hair was disheveled, and her wings were ruffled and out of order, in the brief moment she looked up at him, he saw her red, puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks.

She felt his hands on her shoulders, “Are you mad at him?” he asked.

“Him?”

“Your brother,” Spencer clarified. She didn’t reply, and instead continued to stare out the window. “I know the news are hard to take Cleo, but really you should talk to him. Give him a chance to tell his story, if not for you than for him. He has quite the story to tell.” Cleo looked away from the window and back at the normally silent commander. She smiled faintly at him and stood up.

“Thank you,” she uttered quietly.

“For what? I’m just-“

“Thank you, for being my voice of reason again,” Cleo cut in. “I’m a big girl, I should’ve taken the news better. Somehow in my heart I always knew my parents were gone, but knowing it in your heart, and having an affirmation…”

“I understand Cleo.”

“Alright, I’ll talk to him tomorrow. How’s that?” Cleo asked, getting up from her seat. Spencer neared and put his hands on her shoulder, the girl sighed and enveloped him in a warm hug. “I’d be so lost without your comfort sometimes,” she murmured. “You’ve been a brother to me all this time, and that will not change, I don’t want it to change.”

“And it wont…” Spencer replied, looking down at her with all the tenderness and caring he would allow himself. He drew in a deep breath and allowed it to come out slowly though his nose. ‘It will not change…’ he affirmed to himself, somehow he wasn’t happy with that.

---

Curtains billowing in the breeze of the silent night in the Avian Kingdom. The whole capital was by now sleeping. In the inn where the group was staying, Charly was soundly asleep in her room. The clouds parted, allowing the light of the northern moon in to the room. Charly turned over unto her other side, clutching her blanket tighter as her brow furrowed in displeasure.

In her dream she was wondering through and endless pitch-black abyss. Walking foreword, no sound echoed, even her steps were mute. There was no way to tell foreword from back and sides. The darkness seemed to be devoid of all light. Suddenly in the distance a tiny dot of light appeared. Charly ran towards it, only to suddenly find herself floating in mid air. The darkness around her exploded, millions of stars lit up around her spontaneously, Charly gasped as she found herself floating through apparently open space. Turning slowly she could make out planets orbiting a sun. In the far distance like a smudge of paint on the canvas of stars was a gorgeous purple and pink nebula, glimmering with a light of it own. To another direction she could make out a particularly bright star, another sun likely.

‘What is this place?’ she wondered. A comet streaked overhead, Charly followed it with her eyes, as it’s icy tail unfurled, glimmering in the light of the sun.

“This is my home,” a voice spoke, a female voice. It was distant and echoed. The sun in the distance flared and a prominence exploded out, like a sweeping arm. Charly threw up her arm to shield her face. “Don’t be afraid, this is just a dream. None of this is real, except me and my voice.” The echoed voice assured. Charly lowered her arm and turned, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from.

“Who’s there?”

“I’m here, I am the one that brought you here, to this world. To Chrysalis.” The voice replied.

“I don’t like talking to voices,” Charly protested.

“Very well Child, I shall reveal myself.” The voice replied. Before her eyes a figure materialized, seemingly out of the ink of space. A gorgeous Favian, clad an ornate golden and black flowing gown that looked almost Greek, thought the skirts were much longer, and fuller, layered. Many golden bracelets and armbands covered her arms. Her inky hair flowed like rivers, far longer than what Charly thought possible, it was touched by starlight, shimmering with the stars and their warm glow. Her wings were much the same. And as she opened her eyes, they shimmered in a warm shade of azure blue. On her head was a tiara-like crown of three long gold extensions, and long feathers like the crest of phoenix. “You need not ask who I am,” the woman spoke. “I am Gallaxia, goddess of the stars. I brought you here from your world for a purpose. You wished for a grand adventure, and your pure heart called out to the book of wishes. I granted your wish.”

“Well now we want to go home!” Charly protested. Gallaxia’s eyes softened.

“That my child might not be easy. Your adventure is not over yet. Come to my temple, and everything will become clear then. I have a gift to impart on you, a gift that will be your guide and source of power. Power which will help you protect those you love.”

“But… we’re going home… how…”

“All will become clear when you come,” Gallaxia whispered. Charly blinked, finding herself floating in the same pitch-black abyss again.

Charly woke with a start; sunlight was peeking through the tree lines and her window. She passed a hand through her bangs. ‘What an odd dream,’ she thought to herself. Throwing her covers aside she moved to dress for the day.

When Charly made her way to the hall below, she was not surprised to find that Takara and Hikaru were already awake.

“Good morning,” she greeted them.

“Hey Charly! Excited! We are going home today!” Hikaru piped up. Charly cast her gaze down.

“I- wouldn’t count on it. Hikaru… maybe Avians can’t send us home… not just yet,” she mumbled.

“What are you talking about?” Takara wondered quietly.

“You heard the Elven elders! There’s a wishing stone that will send us back! It has to!” Hikaru jumped in, her voice made the conversation in the inn go mute instantly. Hikaru froze and smiled, waving apologetically. Charly shook her head and walked away.

‘That dream… it must have had a meaning, why would I dream something like that? Why is it that I know in my heart that home is still a long way off?’ she asked herself.

“Hey where you going?” Takara called. Charly stopped and glanced back at her friends, shaking her head again she left the inn.

“What's with her?” Hikaru wondered.

---

Charly walked down the street, not really watching where she was going. Her feet seemed to guide her wherever it was they wanted to go. Before long she found herself in a familiar place. Standing in front of the statue of king Hayden and queen Elaine. She took a moment to look around; the branches of four trees supported the platform around her. The small park consisted of sitting benches, and potted shrubbery, with no real contact to the earth around; plants were contained in vast containers, ranging from rectangular wooden holders, to round terracotta pots. A whole wooden wheelbarrow stood off to the side, anchored down, filled with soil; all sorts of colorful flowers growing in it.

She approached the wheelbarrow and leaned down to sniff the flowers, hands folded behind her back. A butterfly fluttered away and Charly smiled. This place was truly beautiful. A flash of white from the corner of her eye caught her attention. Charly followed to see a familiar white clad figure sitting on one of the benches, on his hand he had bird seed, and two little sparrow-like birds were feeding on it, each sitting on one of his outstretched fingers. His hood was down, revealing the shocking disheveled-looking mop of orange hair, his gaze was focused on the birds he was feeding, his eyes held such gentleness that it only made sense that the tiny birds would trust him. The gentle breeze played with his clothing and hair casting an air of tranquility about him that calmed all those who observed the dainty-looking youth who so obviously loved the wild natural world around him. After getting their fill of birdseed the little birds fluttered away, resuming their merry song. It was then Charly approached.

“Hello again,” she spoke. The man stood up as soon as he noticed her presence.

“Good morning Miss,” he greeted.

“Please… no miss, my name is Charly. I don’t believe I ever caught yours,”

“Brooklyn,” he replied. Charly smiled. “Can I ask what are you doing here so early?” he wondered.

“I guess my feet led me here. I was thinking about something. And I guess since this is the only familiar place, I walked here… somehow.” Charly explained as she sat down next to him on the bench. A woman passed them, smiling briefly at Charly, and nodding a hello. The second she laid her eyes on Brooklyn, her smile vanished and she walked away briskly, without acknowledging his presence. Charly noted that and it struck her odd for a moment, but she didn’t dwell on it. Brooklyn seemed to notice it too, his eyes taking on a sad note. “That was odd…” Charly murmured.

“Alas… it wasn’t so odd as you think miss,” Brooklyn replied.

“Why?”

“You assume me to be an Avian right?” Brooklyn asked. Charly nodded. “You are half right. My mother was an Avian. My father was a demon.” Brooklyn explained. “But I’m afraid I was not a child of any sort of love between my parents.” Charly’s eyes widened in shock. “I know… it’s repulsive. Most people deem me repulsive.”

“They hate you because you’re a victim of circumstance!” Charly asked. “Of all… oh Brooklyn! That’s terrible! I don’t know what others think, but I think it’s wrong to hate anyone for such a stupid reason. It wasn’t your fault you were… well…” she broke off, unable to say ‘conceived that way’. It sounded far too personal, yet also cold and impolite, insensitive even. Brooklyn watched her, surprised by her attitude.

“I see… I should have known.” Brooklyn mumbled. Charly blinked in surprise.

“What?”

“You truly are different from other humans.” He added, getting up from his seat the bench he let his white cloak fall around his shoulders. “I should be going now, go back to your friends, they will be worried.” With that he walked off.

“What?” The orange haired half-demon didn’t stop. “Brooklyn! How did-“ Charly cut herself off, he was out of hearing range. “He makes oddballs look normal. Geez.” She mumbled. Knowing that he was partially right she got up from the bench, and began the walk back to the inn.

---

Back in the inn, all the girls, except Charly gathered in the main hall. Robert and Johnny were nowhere to be seen, but everyone else was gathered. The brunette arrived shortly after words.

“Are we going to the Sol Sanctum?” Lilly asked calmly.

“Yes, in a bit. We have to wait for someone, Bryan said she knows the priestesses in the sanctum.” Mariah explained. The girls glanced at the Ravenwing mercenary; he was watching the door like a hawk. Obviously waiting for someone.

“Whom are we waiting for exactly?” Hilary asked.

“My sister,” Bryan replied quietly.

“You have a sister?” Mariah wondered.

“I found about her very recently.” Bryan explained. At that moment the door opened and Cleo stepped inside, with her was Spencer, following rather too closely for Bryan’s liking.

“I hope we’re not late,” Cleo spoke. Glancing around the large group gathered here. Bryan approached the girl and nudged her towards the women in the group, as if to let her get acquainted with them, but partially to get her away from the soldier. Acquaintances came and gone and group set off about five minutes later.

The walk to the temple was unremarkable; silence seemed to rein over the group. Charly in particular seemed distant. She’d glance at the other once in a while, her eyes stopping for a second too long over Kai. He seemed to be trapped in a world of his own making. Which was odd, Kai seemed oddly alert of everything that went on around him at all times, to see him distracted like that was strange.

Charly sighed, looking away before he would catch her gaze. Maybe she was working herself into frenzy over nothing, but somehow the memory of the dream would not leave her alone. And as the group passed the gates of the Sol Sanctum, Charly felt another feeling deep within her heart. A beckoning warmth radiating from within the building, a strange feeling she never felt before.

---

Soon the girls found themselves deep in the building, the walls around them were made of painted, polished, and waxed wood. It depicted what they could guess religious scenes, of mostly a single avian woman, and two different men. But there were minor effigies of beings around the woman. In some images she was healing the effigies with a light shining from hands. In another image she was protecting a child from a vicious monster while one of the two men fought it. In a third image she seemed to be sitting on a rock, playing a lyre in front of many gathered Avians. And in a fourth image she was healing the wounded as a battle raged around her.

“This is so pretty,” Hilary voiced.

“You can say that again! It’s obvious there is much history to be known here,” Charly added.

“This is the biggest temple dedicated to our lady Gallaxia, the goddess of stars, life, and love, the queen of the heavens,” Cleo explained for the benefit of non-Avians in the group.

“You can really tell she is much loved among your people,” Mariah voiced.

“Indeed, Gallaxia one of the three most important divinities, the others are also depicted here.” Cleo approached a large image depicting the three gods common to all the smaller images in detail. In it, the lady had her hands clasped with one of the two male figures, while the second man looked on, sword at a ready. “The others are Lord Eteros, the god of time, and death. The heavenly King.” Cleo pointed out to the image of the man with whom Gallaxia had her hands clasped. “And Pyros, lord of war and destruction. Guardian and protector of soldiers.” Cleo pointed to the other figure.

“Cleo? I thought it was your voice carrying through the halls of this temple,” a voice called. A woman appeared from the set of double doors leading deeper into the temple. She was much more mature looking than Cleo, in human terms to be fifty at least. But it was obvious she was much, much older if the Avians in the group looked eighteen, but were thirty-six at the least. She was clad in exquisite robes with a train, a three-tipped crown on her head, and a gorgeous staff in her hands. Her wings neatly folded behind her back, the tips of the feathers reaching the train flowing over the floor with each step.

“Lady Bianca,” Cleo bowed.

“What brings you and such a large group here?” the high Celeschii asked.

“I think it’s best they explain themselves. I’m sure I don’t have all the details,” Cleo replied. The elder Favian turned to the women.

---

Half way through the explanation Tala moved for the door, he couldn’t take it anymore, he’d say his farewells if and when time came. The fact that the women could possibly be going home finally didn’t bring him any elation he would’ve had a month ago. He found himself warring with a building sense of loss. He should be glad for them since now they would be heading home, but half of him wasn’t glad for that, the selfish side didn’t want to see them go. ‘They owe me, that’s all,’ he tried to rationalize it. But as hard as he tried, the more he realized he was blatantly lying to himself. That scared him deep inside, he grew attached, the one thing assassins like him, players with death, the merciless killers were not allowed to do. Assassins weren’t allowed to grow attached; he wasn’t allowed to grow attached. It would only be a risk he was not willing to take, to play with the life of someone he cared about.

During the talk he glanced at Kai, being long-time friends with him, and as much Kai hated it, Tala learned to read him, or so he thought. The assassin knew that Kai didn’t want to see the women go either. ‘He’s too damn attached to that brown-haired ditz,’ he thought bitterly. At the last word the taste in his mouth went sour. Charly was no ditz, and Tala knew that. The brunette seemed to have done the impossible, got a hold on Kai.

Thinking of the women in that light brought his thoughts to another dark-haired Amazonian beauty. In his mind he could see Vega smiling at him, that foxy lopsided smile. He felt his blood run warm at the through of her. He didn’t want to see her go, some small selfish part of him wanted to demand that she stay, but he knew that she’d slap him for even saying that, and then promptly a fight would ensue. It would be cruel of him to ask her something like that, and he knew that. ‘I should just resign to the fact that it’s over.’ He thought.

Inside the temple the girls finished telling their tale. Bianca’s eyes grew very sympathetic throughout the story, and as they finished the story, the elder Celeschii felt a twinge in her heart for these women.

“It is most definitely the act of Gallaxia, and he servant faye,” Bianca explained.

“So that means there is a way to send them home here?” Cleo asked eagerly.

“There… was,” Bianca replied hesitantly.

“Was… as in there no longer is?” Tyson asked.

“Yes I’m afraid, the crystal of wishes is no longer housed here.” Bianca cast her gaze down, “I am terribly sorry, but there is nothing we can do.” All eyes turned to the human girls in the room. They froze, like living statues, eyes wide, afraid to move, afraid to breathe.

“No… there must be something!” Takara snapped out, refusing to believe it.

“We can’t be… stuck here!” Hikaru added. Tears exploded from Lilly’s eyes, turning on her heels she ran for the door.

“Lilly!” Max called, racing after her, suddenly very afraid for her, the emotions racing off her were a jumbled mess, she was liable to hurt herself in such a condition.

“I- I think…” Vega was unable to articulate anything. She was in shock.

“Vega, Charly… Hikaru, Takara… I’m so sorry,” Mariah approached, embracing each of the girls in turn, offering them silent support. Hilary followed suit mutely. Tyson dared not speak; he knew there was nothing he could say to help them now. Charly cast her gaze down.

“Somehow…” she began, “I knew this would be too easy. Somehow in my heart I knew we would not be going home,” She mumbled.

“Charly? What are you mumbling about? Have you gone mad? We’re stuck here damn it!” Hikaru grabbed the brunette by the shoulders.

“The Crystal of wishes is not here,” Bianca interjected, before things could get even worse, “It was stolen by a powerful demon. We know who he is. The crystal will have to be retrieved if you are to return home.”

At that all the girls looked at her sharply, “Who has it?” Takara asked.

“His name… is Ryukai.” Realization slammed down on the group even before Bianca could explain about him, thought explanation was not needed. Everyone knew who Ryukai was.

Author Notes: This is it for this chapter. It ended up being a little longer than usual. But for a reason, this is the last chapter of the first book. Further chapters of the fanfic will be posted under a new title. WFE: The Second Scouring

This is not the end of the Avian Kingdom Ark. Just the middle point. There is much to come yet. The girls deal with the harsh news. And important plot twists will follow.

Bonus Content: And now for some bonus content. I did this in the COTA trilogy. And now it’s time for music tracks that helped me write the fic. As well as music tracks that I consider ‘themes’. So if you can pool all or some of them for your personal enjoyment while reading WFE. Go you. Most of these are in fact, love songs. But they help me write.
Beauty – Shaye (WFE Theme)
As Long As You Love Me – Backstreet Boys
8-Th World Wonder – Kimberley Locke
I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You – Marc Anthony
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing – Aerosmith
If I Ever Lose This Heaven – The Prophet Kings
Desert Rose – Sting (This song is kind of a theme for the whole desert rose arc)
Dreaming Of You - Selena
It’s My Life – Bon Jovi
That’s The Way It Is – Celine Dion
Crash And Burn – Savage Garden
Thousand Miles – Vanessa Carlton
Love Will Lead You Back – Taylor Dayne