Carabosse woke up with a start. The fires she'd witnessed the night before burned inside her mind, as though the memory she watched was put on repeat. She rubbed her hands across her burning eyes and chanted the words, that her Mama had taught her, to calm her mind down.

A tiny hole in the carved-out, stone wall let in a line of shimmering light. It exposed the floating dust particles in the air within the small room where Achlys allowed Carabosse to sleep. The room only had enough space to keep a bed, it reminded her of Ibis' nest and so she felt more than comfortable curled up inside the furs that were laid down for her.

She sat up and crawled along the soft bed towards the purple bead curtain that separated her tiny room from the much larger slate room, in which she met the Dark One for the first time. Her delicate hand silently shifted the strings of beads to one side so that she could quickly glance out. There, standing with his back towards her, was a black cloaked figure with spiky silver hair. Perched upon his human sized shoulder, was Ibis, who noticed Carabosse's movement and swivelled his head round to take a look.

Carabosse let go of the curtain and let it swing back and forth. The beads made a musical, twinkling sound as they gently bumped into each other. With fumbling hands, Carabosse pulled at the knots in her hair and straightened out her jade dress; she wanted to look presentable for the beautiful, shining Dark One that she knew would look flawless that morning.

"Good morning to you, Carabosse. Come on out," Achlys called whilst turning towards the swaying bead curtain.

Like a mermaid emerging out of a glistening waterfall, Carabosse gracefully left her tiny bedroom. As her bare feet touched the slate floor she made herself grow to match the Dark One's size.

"I trust you slept well," Achlys added.

"I did, thank you," Carabosse responded shyly, bowing her head. The Dark One approached the trembling young fairy and caressed her soft cheek. He then lifted her face up with a finger under her chin, so that he could look into her emerald eyes.

"Are you alright, my child?"

Carabosse nodded her head timidly then scoffed at her own silliness. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's come over me. I feel so nervous all of a sudden," she said, no longer able to look at Achlys' beautiful shining, black eyes.

A laugh full of endearment left the Dark One's chest and his hand found itself back upon Carabosse's cheek. "You have no reason to be nervous around me, Carabosse." He cooed over her. "We are the same, we are family, we belong together."

A smile of deep relief swept across Carabosse's face. She couldn't see herself ever getting tired of hearing such things, it felt so good, yet so alien to her all in one go.

A cheerful "Hoot!" drew Carabosse's focus towards the creature sitting upon Achlys' shoulder.

"Good morning, Ibis, I'm not ignoring you," Carabosse greeted the tawny owl, whilst stroking her fingers across the brown smooth feathers of his tucked wing.

"Come, we must eat," Achlys interrupted and started to walk towards an opening of a nearby tunnel. Carabosse watched Ibis open his wings, leave Achlys' shoulder and fly in the opposite direction.

"We have a busy day ahead of us."

Carabosse jogged behind the Dark One to keep up.

"Why? What are we doing today?" she asked between short puffs of breath.

"I'm going to teach you all I know about magic."

"You are?"

"Yes, you have much to learn if you wish to truly punish the Mother of Fairies," the Dark One said, then stopped in his tracks and turned towards his possible protégé. "You do still wish to make her suffer, don't you?"

"Yes," Carabosse answered, with determination entering her glowing green eyes. "Someone must teach her a lesson. It's what she truly deserves!"

Achlys' mouth curled into a pleased smile, which sent butterflies fluttering inside Carabosse's stomach.

"Well, I'll happily get you ready to give her what she truly deserves," Achlys' voice was laced with delight as he spoke. "But first, we must have some breakfast."

Carabosse then followed him into the tunnel - to the place where food was kept within the cave.

◇

Twisting green flames curled around Carabosse, who strongly stood within the slate room. Her arms were held out wide at her sides and her fingers spread as far as they could stretch. Her eyes, the source of the green flames, shone brightly matching the bright emerald glow of the fire.

"Wonderful, just wonderful!" Achlys praised her. "Now, keep unleashing that power. Hold nothing back. My little sister has taught you for so long to suppress your true power. Only you have the key to its cage."

The flames suddenly rushed back inside her irises as Carabosse shut her eyes. Thoughts of her Mama sent a crushing feeling to her gut and distracted her mind.

"Carabosse?" Confusion plagued Achlys' expression, as he pondered the sudden stop in activity.

"M-m..." Carabosse's bottom lip trembled. Her Mama's ghostly face took over her thoughts. What would she think of her choices now? Would she approve or disapprove? Carabosse was no longer sure. She felt as though she had not heard her Mama speak in so long. She would never speak to her again. Two words managed to break free from her troubled chest. "My fault."

"Carabosse, remember whose fault your dear Mama's demise truly was." She heard Achlys' velvety voice say and felt his hand squeeze her hunched shoulder. "Who cursed her own child? Who saw nothing but darkness from her child's birth? Who dismissed everything your Mama ever said or thought?"

"Mother..." Carabosse answered in a deep growl.

"Feel your rage deep inside of you," Achlys said, placing his hand upon Carabosse's midriff. "The scorching fire that Heartha has placed inside of you."

Carabosse's breath crushed out in seething rasps as she felt those fires grow inside her again.

"Don't hold anything back!" Achlys whispered into her ear, then stepped out of the way. Carabosse, at that second, allowed her anger to tear along every vein in her body, and with a mighty yell, green and orange flames exploded out in all directions. They lit up the entire room.

When her screams died down, Carabosse collapsed to her knees, her energy sucked from her body.

A victorious laugh bounced off the slate walls as Achlys celebrated their breakthrough.

"There! That's it!" he said. "We've reached the first step."

"We have?" Carabosse breathed, exhausted.

"Indeed," Achlys replied, whilst helping Carabosse back onto her feet. "The only way for you to reach your true potential was to eliminate all that held your power back, in here," he explained and pressed his index finger gently into Carabosse's forehead.

"So, Mama was holding me back all this time?" Carabosse queried through bursts of laboured breath.

"Not maliciously, but yes, she was," Achlys said, watching his words so as to not accidentally upset her again.

"I do feel more ready," Carabosse confirmed quietly, with a smile full of wonder. "I feel..."

"How do you feel?"

"Like I can do whatever I want!" Carabosse's voice sounded dangerous, it was as if Achlys had managed to release a beast that had long been trapped. "Teach me, teach me everything."

◇

On the day that marked Carabosse truly changed, Achlys saw the darkness grow within her. A black smoke first filled her eyes. It pushed away her irises' emerald glow, leaving behind a dark abyss. That twisting darkness then leaked out and filled the space around her. It coiled around Carabosse's form like black ribbons and lifted her into the air. It caressed every inch of her body, wrapped around every limb and covered her torso. It danced upon her hair so it stood on end, making it wave maliciously with a power only the Dark One could understand.

Carabosse was then lowered down slowly and her bare feet made contact with the cold slate floor. She stood there newly clothed with garments of black and blood red that glittered with the dark magic that had woven them together. Her long amber hair was pulled up off her neck and twisted into a high updo, decorated with black, hanging ornaments that swayed as she turned her head. The remaining smoke then gathered at her wrists and formed two black gloves with long pointed fingers onto Carabosse's delicate hands.

She stroked her left, gloved hand across her cheek with a pleased sigh, then gazed up towards the small opening within the slate ceiling above her. In that moment her mind was only on one thing, she contemplated all that she could do to bring terror to those in the Enchanted Forest.

"You are beautiful beyond words," Achlys declared, he walked towards her and held her gloved hands in his. "Your eyes are as dark as mine," he added, whilst gazing into her smiling face. He smiled back, not able to hold back his pride.

"I want to do something, to celebrate," Carabosse announced.

"By all means, you can do anything you want."

"Let's give the Enchanted Forest a visit, I'm sure they're eager to welcome back their sister," Carabosse said with a glint in her newly dark eyes.

Achlys gestured to the circular pool that stood at the centre of the room, "You better have a quick look first."

Carabosse took two steps and glanced into the deep, still waters. She placed a finger on its surface and watched it swirl in evenly spaced ripples as it revealed to her the Enchanted Forest.

It showed her what her enemies were doing that very moment. She laughed in dark delight as she saw them darting around the Great Oak Tree, desperately trying to repair the damage she caused on exam day. She felt such glee as she watched them struggle to figure out how to quench the stubborn embers that have been glowing for so many weeks now. Surely those fairies already had an idea of how powerful Carabosse truly was; this made her wicked smile widen.

"Once they see my face they shall truly know who I am and what I am now capable of," Carabosse boasted.

"You'll be feared throughout the land. You are Carabosse, the Dark Fairy." Achlys caressed Carabosse's amber locks and kissed her temple with a soft touch that made her turn to face him. Her teeth gleamed in the reflected light of the looking pool as she grinned in delight. Her heart pounded with a warmth she felt around Achlys and also with the excitement of what that day may entail.

She looked back into the water and placed her finger again into the ripples, this time following the circular movement with her hand. The water began to ring with sound and she instantly recognised her mother's authoritative voice.

"Now, you mustn't panic my children. I only wanted to warn you of Carabosse so that you are all ready. The Great Magic has informed me that she has indeed teamed up with the Dark One and is now very powerful, with a magic of great darkness. She'll bring death and ash just as I have prophesied. But don't be discouraged, my fairies, for what she lacks will truly be her downfall. For the darkness cannot truly keep out the light. We must keep our faith."

Carabosse's heart filled up with a hatred that took over her entire being once she had heard her mother's words. She swiftly turned away from the pool and took a few slow, echoing steps towards the open, large doorway that led towards the entrance of the cave. She stared through the purple stalactites and stalagmites with an intense glare.

"They'll see, once all is revealed, they'll know! I am the most powerful fairy in the land!"

After she uttered those words, Carabosse flung her arms to the side. They melted together with her dark wings and turned into grand, white feathered wings; transforming into a beautiful, innocent looking, snowy owl. She thought that her brothers and sisters in the Enchanted Forest would not be looking for such a bright creature when they kept their eyes out for her. She called to her feathered friends Ibis and Chasser and the three of them soared through the swirling galaxy towards the cave's exit, leaving behind Achlys, who watched their swooping dance with pride.