It took a while for Makenna to find Merlin's Cave. When she finally did, it was almost five o'clock in the afternoon. Makenna had to be quick—she wanted to return home. She flew Tracey and Caleb into the heart of Merlin's Cave, where they found Merlin.

"Merlin, please," Makenna called, "we've returned and need your help."

Merlin, staring blankly at the cave's wall, turned to her.

Makenna released Caleb, and he landed on the cave's rocky floor on his feet.

Merlin hurried to Makenna and Tracey. "What's wrong, Makenna?"

Makenna held Tracey's arm over her shoulders. "Something's wrong with Tracey. He's been acting weird since we've been on the beach."

Merlin glanced at Tracey, who stared at the passageway leading to Merlin's Cave's exit. He seemed to be in a trance. Merlin reached up and grabbed his arm, pulling him away from Makenna.

As he dragged his apprentice toward a chair, Tracey stopped and peered into his eyes. "Hm, is it just me, sir, or do you have a mild case of heterochromia? Don't worry." He patted Merlin's cheek. "I'd be glad to help."

"See?" Makenna asked Merlin. "He's gone cuckoo! He thinks he's a doctor!" She tried to land, but her foot hit the ground, and she fell on her face.

Caleb gasped. "Makenna!"

"Ooww," Makenna groaned.

Caleb hurried to her and grabbed her arm, helping her stand. "Are you all right?"

Makenna nodded. "I'm fine." She and Caleb hustled after Merlin and Tracey.

Merlin soon reached the chair and sat Tracey down.

Makenna and Caleb approached the back of it, and Makenna took Tracey's shoulders.

Merlin examined Tracey up and down, clutched his chin, and peered into his glassy eyes and dilated pupils. "Makenna, what exactly happened on the beach?"

Makenna gulped. She didn't want to tell him she had failed to protect Tracey from the Octopus Man. Quickly, she thought of a lie and said, "Um, there was a sudden, huge storm. Big, I mean, and a huge wave crashed on Tracey and me. He may have just swallowed too much seawater."

Merlin wasn't convinced. How dare Makenna lie to him! However, he kept his cool and asked, "Really? Because it seems to me that my young apprentice may be spelled."

"Spelled?" Makenna asked, shocked. "What does that mean?"

"It means, smart one," Caleb said with a glare, "that somebody has cast a spell on Tracey!"

"Makenna," Merlin said, "be honest. Did you and Tracey have an encounter with the Octopus Man on the beach?"

Makenna hesitated. Weakly laughing, she said, "No! No! Of course not! That's crazy!"

Merlin glared at her.

Makenna shivered. "Fine! We did okay? Just tell me that you can lift the spell, Merlin!"

"I'll try, Makenna," Merlin explained, "but remember that my powers are dying. I may not be able to do it."

"Well," Caleb said, "you have to try!"

"Right," Merlin said with a weak nod and smile. He kneeled to Tracey and grasped his wristbands. "All right, Tracey, just relax. Think happy thoughts. Think about Selene, ninjustu, and singing. That's it."

Tracey's eyes drooped.

"Oh, Tracey," Makenna said.

Caleb watched, intrigued. "Wow," he whispered.

Merlin tightened his grip on Tracey's wristbands. "That's it, Tracey. Think about singing."

"Singing?" asked Makenna. "Why singing?"

"Because," Merlin said, "believe it or not, Makenna, Tracey loves to sing."

"He does?" asked Makenna. "Huh, I never knew that." She patted Tracey's shoulders, and he closed his eyes. He had fallen asleep. As he slept, he breathed gently.

Merlin peered into Makenna's face. "Makenna, he may have also had an overload of power. Sometimes, when fairies use a lot of magic, they go through a magic overload. During a magic overload, a fairy acts like they may be drained of power, but the power is too much for their body to handle. A magic overload sickens a fairy, and it is normal for them to act strange."

"Sickens?" Makenna asked. "Will he get better?"

Merlin chuckled. "You like him, don't you?"

Makenna blushed. "No, I don't!" she said in a heated voice. "I just want to ensure nothing is seriously wrong with him!"

Caleb smirked. "Which means you like him."

"Aw, shush!" Makenna yelled. She slapped Caleb on the back of his head.

"Ooow," he groaned, reaching for it.

"Ah," Merlin giggled, "young love." He cleared his throat. "Don't worry, Makenna. Tracey will be fine. He should be back to normal soon. I don't think a potent spell was cast on him. To me, it appears it's probably mostly a magic overload."

"Well, that's good," Makenna said.

"Let's just get him to his room," said Merlin, "and there, I'll need to lecture you on why you're a fairy so you and Caleb can return home. I'll try to make it as brief as possible."

"Thank you, Merlin," said Makenna. "Hm?" She stepped out from behind the chair and peered into Tracey's face. "Whoo-hoo." She waved her hand before it. "Hey, Tracey. This is so weird. It's like he's in a coma."

Merlin nodded. "He is, Makenna. He's in what fairies call a 'magic coma'. A magic coma is when a fairy is not using their powers to recover from a magic overload, loss of magic, or a spell. A magic coma helps the fairy's magic level return to base level. For the most part, it's a positive thing. However, there are times when negative things, such as poison, put a fairy in a magic coma. Sometimes, magic comas are performed incorrectly, and fairies never recover from them. They die. On the positive side, though, depending on how much the fairy is affected by a spell, loss of magic, or magic overload, they usually wake up between 10-12 hours after being first put under."

"You're not killing him, though, right?" Makenna asked with widened eyes.

"Oh no, no, no!" Merlin argued, waving his hands. "I would never kill my apprentice, Makenna! Trust me, I know what I'm doing. I've performed plenty of magic comas! Although"—he chewed his nails—"there was that one time when I accidentally killed Jennifer. And Bill. And—"

"Wait!" Makenna shouted. "You've actually killed people? How many?"

Merlin dropped his hand and shrugged. "Only six. Why is that bad?"

"Merlin!" Makenna yelled. "He's only seventeen!" She reached for her cheeks.

Merlin waved his hands again. "And I'm only 1,003! Don't worry, Makenna. I was inexperienced at the time. This time, it's not going to happen. Come on, you really think I would kill a teenage fairy? Uh, no! Hey, Gina." He turned to Gina, who rested on Tracey's shoulder. "Can you please lead us to Tracey's room?"

Gina nodded. Flapping her wings, she lifted off Tracey's shoulder and flew forward.

Merlin turned around and bent his knees, reaching back. Makenna helped put Tracey on his back. Once ready, Merlin stood and followed Gina.

Makenna and Caleb glimpsed at one another, and Makenna said, "Oh, Caleb, I'm scared. What if Tracey doesn't make it?"

"He will, Makenna," said Caleb, patting her shoulder. "Come on, Merlin's Merlin the Great."

Makenna nodded. "True, but still." She shivered when an image of Tracey's funeral entered her head.

Caleb took her hand. "Hey, don't worry—Tracey's Tracey. Knowing him, he will make it through this magic coma, and when he wakes up in ten hours, he will be back to normal. The spell will be lifted, and his magic level will be back at base level. He'll be fun-loving Tracey again."

Makenna slowly nodded. She inhaled and met Caleb's eyes. They nodded simultaneously and hooked hands, chasing after Merlin.

***

It wasn't long until Makenna, Merlin, and Caleb reached Tracey's room.

Once they did, Merlin told Gina, "Thank you, Gina."

Gina blushed. She, Makenna, and Caleb followed Merlin to Tracey's bed.

With the two kids' help, Merlin gently put him down on it. Gina grabbed his sheets with her beak and pulled them over him.

When they were sure Tracey was comfortable, Merlin said, "All right, Makenna." He rubbed his hands together. "He should be fine now. Come with me. I'll try to explain how and why you're a fairy. Tracey would be able to help, but he's kind of out of sorts right now." He glanced at Tracey and then at Caleb. "So, Caleb will have to help explain it."

Caleb grinned. "Really?"

Merlin nodded.

For a bit, there was silence. Caleb then closed his eyes and put his hands together. "Thank you, Merlin the Great! Thank you!"

"Ah!" Merlin said.

Makenna gasped. "Caleb! Don't mention 'great'!"

Too late.

Merlin was back on the floor, curled in a ball, and a black rain cloud hovered his head. "Don't mention that word."

Makenna furrowed her eyebrows. "Merlin, pull yourself together! Caleb and I want to return to Seabrook Island, so get on with it!"

"Sis," Caleb said. He took her shoulder. "Calm down."

From the floor, Merlin said, "Geez," and stood back up, turning toward Makenna. "There's no need for you to get snappy, Makenna. I'm just slightly depressed. Ahem!"

Caleb let Makenna's shoulder go, and Merlin placed his palm on her back, leading her forward. Caleb followed.

Gina stayed with Tracey.

Merlin soon stopped Makenna, and he and Caleb looked her in the eyes. "To start things off, Makenna," Merlin explained, "you should know that there are hundreds of fairies in our vast world. In this world of fairies, there are five distinct types. They include the Earth Fairies, the fairy sprites, the Metamorphic Fairies, the Apprentice Fairies, and the Wizard Fairies. Tracey is an Apprentice Fairy, in case you didn't know. You see, um..." He trailed and glanced at Caleb.

Makenna impatiently crossed her arms.

When Caleb saw Merlin glancing at him, he nodded and continued the explanation: "Metamorphic Fairies, Makenna, are the rarest fairies in the world. They are only born from someone with a heart of pure gold, and also, for a Metamorphic Fairy to be born, there had to have been one person in the family tree who was a fairy. Only one person."

Makenna rolled her eyes.

Caleb ignored her rude eye roll.

Merlin was the next one to speak. "Makenna, whenever a Metamorphic Fairy is born, they are tested to see if they deserve their wings. The only way to pass the test is to give an act of true metamorphosis to help you become a Crystal Metamorphic Fairy. I'm sure Caleb's told you about the five stages a Metamorphic Fairy can go through."

"He has," Makenna said with a nod, "but how would I give an act of true metamorphosis?"

"We can't tell you that," explained Caleb, who, like Makenna, crossed his arms. "It's a test. You should also already understand that Merlin is losing control of his powers, and only a Metamorphic Fairy can help him and bring balance back to this world of fairies."

"That is correct," Merlin said. "I'm not just asking you to help me get in control of my powers again, Makenna, although that is one of the reasons; the main reason is so that we can protect this world of fairies and your world from the evil clutches of the Octopus Man. With my magic unstable, our world and your world are vulnerable. Unless we can do something about it, we're an open target for the Octopus Man."

"The Octopus Man," Makenna whispered. She clenched her fists, "That jerk," and turned her head toward Tracey. "Oh, Tracey, I'm so sorry."

Caleb and Merlin noticed her glancing at him. They turned and studied the young apprentice and his friend tern.

Gina, resting beside his head, seemed to chuckle, seeing them staring at her and Tracey. She waved her wing and said through tern squawks, "Hey, everybody."

After a moment of silence, Makenna forced Merlin and Caleb to look at her again instead of Tracey by saying, "I'm confused, though. I've never heard of somebody in mine and Caleb's family tree who was a fairy."

"Well," Caleb said, "there was one. You wouldn't be a Metamorphic Fairy, Makenna, if there weren't one."

Merlin nodded. "Caleb is correct, Miss Delling. There was a member in your family tree who was a fairy. She was a very strong-willed fairy. However, she died when she was thirteen years old."

Makenna gasped. "You knew her? Who was she, Merlin? What was her name?"

"You will find your long-lost family member and answers about her one of these days," Merlin explained, "but for now, we have more pressing priorities. I must get you and Caleb back to Seabrook Island so Selene will know where to go when she comes for you, Makenna."

"Selene?" Makenna asked.

"Yes," said Caleb, "Selene. She is the wisest, oldest fairy in the world. She visits a Metamorphic Fairy in their dreams when they're being tested and explains how they're doing and if they will get their Crystal Wings soon."

"She will eventually find you, Makenna," Merlin explained with a slight glare. "And it will happen soon. You can't hide from Selene, and you can never lie to her! Do you understand?"

"Hm," Makenna said, tapping her chin. "Define 'understand', Merlin. You see"—she chuckled—"it just occurred to me that I may still be dreaming, and this so-called Selene is—"

Merlin glared harder. "A simple yes or no is all I need, Makenna!"

"Fine." Makenna shrugged. "Yes. I understand, Merlin."

"Very well," Merlin said, although he was sure she was lying again, "then I shall use my last bit of energy to teleport you and Caleb back to Seabrook Island."

"Whoa, what?" asked Makenna. "Teleport?"

"Duh," said Merlin. "Don't you think, Makenna, it'd be easier just to get teleported back home vs. flying over the ocean with the Octopus Man on the loose?"

Makenna thought about that momentarily before saying, "Yes, sir, that makes sense." She checked on Tracey again and sighed upsettingly.

Merlin looked with her. "Do you want to say goodbye to him before you leave?"

Makenna blushed. She closed her eyes and turned her back to Merlin, placing her hands on her hips. "No, thank you, Merlin! Ninja Boy doesn't need any goodbyes! He can face the magic coma himself, and if he dies, well, whatever. I have Peter Nelson back home! Come on, Caleb." She marched forward, and Caleb gulped.

Steam escaped Merlin's nostrils, and he clenched his fists. "His name is Tracey, and he will not die!"

Makenna rudely waved her hand back at him. She turned and crossed her arms. "Well, what are you waiting for? Teleport Caleb and I back home before I lose my temper!"

"Makenna," Caleb nervously said, "cool your head." He approached her and again placed his hand on her shoulder.

"It's all right, Caleb," Merlin said. "I love being insulted by Metamorphic Fairies. She's homesick. That's all. She thinks this is all just a dream. Well, she'll learn the truth sooner or later. All right, you two, grab hands."

Makenna and Caleb did, and Makenna glanced at Tracey one last time.

Standing before her and Caleb, Merlin asked, "Are you sure you don't want to say goodbye to him?"

"Humph," Makenna said, blushing again. She snootily pointed her chin at the ceiling.

Merlin sighed. "Yeah, that's the answer I'm looking for, Makenna. Now, listen to me."

Makenna arrogantly smiled at him.

"This is the last thing I'm asking you to do for me," Merlin said. "After Selene visits you, which she will, I want you to fly back here and report to me what she told you."

Makenna placed her free hand to her lips and acted out a fake yawn.

Caleb nudged her.

In a smug voice, Makenna said, "Yeah, whatever, Mister Merlin."

She was really getting on Merlin's nerves now. He couldn't wait to return her to Seabrook Island so he wouldn't have to deal with her anymore. Besides, he needed her and Caleb out of his hay. It was not that Caleb acted the same way as Makenna, but it was so he could take care of Tracey until he woke. He hoped that when Makenna came back to report to him about Selene, she would be a Soon to Be a Crystal Metamorphic Fairy. However, he wasn't sure. If Makenna didn't change her attitude, she would never become a Crystal Metamorphic Fairy.

Trying not to let the thought worry him, Merlin cleared his throat and smiled feebly. He lifted his hands, and orange magic appeared in them. Merlin pointed them at Makenna and Caleb. "Whammy, zammy, kazami!" The magic escaped his hands and circled Makenna and Caleb.

Makenna gasped. "Wait a minute!" She held her hand out to Tracey. "Tracey!"

Merlin closed his eyes and announced, "Hidden in the shadow! Across the vast meadow! Blending in the ghetto! Hiding the wings shadow!" A great blast of light escaped his hands and flung itself on top of Makenna.

"Huh?" she asked. She gasped again and tightened her grip on Caleb's hand. Together, the two siblings squeezed their eyes shut. Then, in a blast of orange smoke, Makenna and Caleb disappeared.

Merlin's jaw dropped. "Whoa, I did it?" He waited for a few moments. Then he cheered and started to tap dance. However, he was unaware that Tracey began shivering uncontrollably from his bed, and the mark of the Octopus Man flashed on his arm.