The journey to Helena’s domain was long and fraught with tension. The skies above were veiled in swirling gray clouds, and the air was thick with unease. Evelina walked beside Isabella, silent as ever, her steps heavy but purposeful.

Breaking the quiet, Evelina spoke, her voice low but sharp, “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

Isabella turned to her, surprised. “Afraid of you? Why would I be?”

Evelina hesitated, her gaze fixed on the rocky path ahead. “People call me a monster,” she muttered. “Children cry when they see my face. And my family… what should I even tell you about them?”

Isabella stopped walking, forcing Evelina to pause too. She looked directly at her companion, her eyes steady. “When you feel ready to tell me, I’ll listen. But for now, I’ll tell you this—you’re not ugly. People are fools.”

Evelina blinked, stunned by the response. She had never heard those words before. “Why?” she whispered. “Why would you say that?”

Isabella’s tone softened, but her words were firm. “It doesn’t matter how beautiful someone looks if their heart is black. Nothing good can come from it. But you… I feel your heart. It’s good. You gave me the crown without a fight. If it were anyone else, they would’ve clung to it until their last breath.”

Evelina’s lips parted slightly, not in a smile, but in a moment of quiet recognition. She felt something stir deep within her—a connection she had never known before. Isabella didn’t pity her. She saw her.

They walked on in silence, Evelina lost in thought, Isabella leading the way. Soon, the land began to change. The air grew colder, and the wind howled like a living thing. Ahead lay Helena’s domain, a swirling vortex of tornados and shadows surrounded by an army of dark figures.

Helena stood in the eye of the storm, her black gown rippling like water in the chaos. Her piercing gaze landed on them the moment they stepped into her territory. A sly smile spread across her face.

“So,” Helena said, her voice carrying over the storm, “you both finally arrived. Where is my crown?”

Isabella didn’t flinch. She held the crown up for Helena to see. “It’s here.”

Helena’s smile widened, though her eyes remained cold. “Hand it over, then. I didn’t expect you to give it so easily, Evelina.”

Evelina ignored the taunt, her face as still as stone. Helena’s laughter echoed through the storm. “Your heart is kinder than your face, ugly girl.”

Evelina’s eyes flared with anger, and she stepped forward, her fists clenched. Isabella quickly placed a hand on Evelina’s arm, holding her back. “Not now,” she whispered.

Turning her attention to Helena, Isabella’s voice was calm but firm. “Give me the cure for Lysandra, and the crown is yours.”

Helena tilted her head, amused. “The cure? Oh, how sweet. It’s not something I can just hand over. You’ll have to brew it yourself.”

“What’s in it?” Isabella asked, her tone sharp.

Helena smirked, then gestured to the storm surrounding her. “The recipe is simple, yet impossible for most. It requires a piece of your own soul, mixed with the essence of the Blood Lake. Dangerous, isn’t it?”

Isabella didn’t waver. “Fine. Tell me how.”

Helena’s amusement flickered, replaced by a strange curiosity. She gestured for the crown. Isabella hesitated, then handed it over. Helena held it in her hands, her expression twisting as whispers began to emanate from the ancient artifact. Her eyes widened as glowing Draconian symbols etched themselves onto the surface.

“This…” Helena muttered. “You have to activate it. I won’t.”

Isabella frowned. “Why won’t you activate it?”

Helena’s expression darkened, but she said nothing. She tossed the crown back to Isabella. “Do it yourself. Until then, it’s useless to me.”

Isabella took the crown, her thoughts racing. She felt a strange pull toward it—a connection she couldn’t explain. Still, she turned and walked away, Evelina following her.

They left Helena’s stormy domain and made their way to Lysandra’s home. Evelina walked beside Isabella, her silence heavy. Finally, she spoke, her voice quiet but resolute.

“Thank you,” Evelina said.

Isabella glanced at her, surprised. “For what?”

“For calling me beautiful,” Evelina said, her eyes softening. “No one’s ever done that before.”

Isabella smiled faintly. “Well, it’s the truth.”

And for the first time, Evelina felt that it might be.

In the dead of night, Mecatopia is a silent contrast to the grand preparations for the Arcane Ascendancy. While everyone busies themselves with decorations and excitement, Isabella is alone in her dimly lit room, working tirelessly over a potion in the shadows. The cure. She's found it, but it came at a tremendous cost-her own sleepless nights, sacrifices, and the pain of watching Lysandra slip further away. A first-year shouldn't be able to create such a complex remedy, but her drive goes far beyond magic skills; it's her heart. Evelina looking at her that she is really innocent, and Lysandra is so lucky that she has friend like her.

Isabella's hands shake as she finally drops the potion in her mouth, hope she will get back soon as she was before. By holding Evelina's hand she is leaving but she turn again, her heart is aching and Evelina lookikg at her.

She turns to look at Lysandra, lying in the bed nearby, but the sight breaks her heart all over again. Lysandra's body is pale, shrouded in a black mist, her veins dark and twisted like cracks in stone. Her face is sunken, a fragile shadow of her former self, with her once-vibrant hair now dull. The curse of Helena has taken a brutal toll on her.

Isabella drops to her knees beside the bed, reaching out a trembling hand, and murmurs, "Lysandra... please. I-I did it. I found the cure... I brought it for you. Please, you can't leave me. Not like this." She places her hand gently on Lysandra's cold one. "No one understands me the way you do, Lys. Everyone else sees my strength, but you... you're the only one who knows how I'm really feeling. Please, open your eyes."

Her voice cracks, barely above a whisper, "I'm so... alone, Lys. Do you know how much I need you?" Isabella's tears begin to fall, streaming down her cheeks and landing on Lysandra's unmoving hand. Her nose starts to bleed from exhaustion, but she barely notices, lost in her desperate grief. "You were always my light, Lysandra... you could always see through the shadows. I would trade everything... my magic, my strength... just to have you back."

Evelinas eyes filled with tears, she feels like she also deserves a friend like her, the one who cares too much of her. She gets out of her room for taking fresh air.

Evelina sat on the edge of the hill, her knees pulled close to her chest, staring at the full moon hanging in the dark sky. The cool breeze brushed past her face, but she barely noticed it. The silver light reflected off her pale skin, and her eyes carried a sadness she’d learned to live with.

She whispered to herself, “I wish I had a friend like Isabella.”

The soft sound of footsteps broke her solitude. Evelina glanced back and saw Isabella approaching, her long hair flowing behind her, catching the moonlight. Isabella sat beside her without a word, her eyes fixed on the moon as if it were sharing some untold story with her.

“You know,” Isabella began, her voice soft, “since the day I met you, I noticed something. You never smile.”

Evelina blinked at her words. For a moment, she let herself drift into a memory—an old vision she couldn’t forget. She saw herself in a field of flowers, the sun shining brightly. She was laughing, running carefree, and behind her, Paul. His smile was as warm as the summer air, and they ran toward each other. His arms wrapped around her, and for a fleeting moment, their laughter turned into a kiss.

The memory faded as quickly as it had come. Evelina looked at the ground, her voice barely audible. “I don’t know... perhaps this world took my smile away.”

Isabella’s gaze softened, and she said, “The world can take many things, Evelina. But sometimes, it’s up to us to take them back. You deserve happiness, even if the world tells you otherwise.”

Those words pierced Evelina’s guarded heart. For the first time in a long time, she felt her walls crack. She took a shaky breath and began to speak.

“My father...” she started, her voice trembling. “He wasn’t a father. He was a monster. He used to beat me for things I didn’t even do. And my stepmother, she—she didn’t care. She and her daughters would taunt me, humiliate me, make me feel like I was nothing.”

Isabella listened without interruption, her expression unreadable but her presence comforting. Evelina continued.

“And Paul... My first love was the monster in the skin of human, he used me for her needs and whe the time came to save me, he breakup with me and left me alone.” Her voice broke, and she hugged her knees tighter.

Evelina paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing. “Do you know the worst part? I wasn’t born like everyone else. I was created by witches, Isabella. My parents didn’t want me. The Eclipse Surgeons—they killed my real parents and used many powerful witches blood to make me. I was a project, not a person.”

Isabella’s expression darkened. “The Eclipse Surgeons...” she said quietly, her voice filled with a mix of anger and sadness.

Evelina looked at her, surprised by her vulnerability. “I read about your mother in her diary, Isabella. I know half of your story, but you’ve been through more than anyone should.”

Isabella nodded, her jaw tightening. “There’s one thing that doesn’t make sense to me, though,” she said, her voice thoughtful. “Your mother—how did she find the Aether Crown? And how did she know so much about it? It doesn’t add up.”

Evelina frowned. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I told you—I wasn’t born naturally. My bloodline is a mix of powerful witches’ blood. I don’t know what’s real about me, and there’s nothing about my mother that I can tell you. It’s all just... a blur.”

The two girls sat in silence, the weight of their words hanging in the air. Slowly, the blackness of the night began to give way to shades of pink and violet as the sun crept over the horizon. The chill in the air lingered, but the promise of a new day softened its bite.

Isabella rose first, extending a hand to Evelina. “Come on. Let's cheak Lysandra I wish she wakeup."
As the first light of dawn filters through her room, something stirs. Lysandra's hand twitches, her color slowly returns, her hair begins to shine, and when her eyes open, they are as bright and warm as they once were.

Isabella stares, hardly daring to believe, and then a sob of pure relief escapes her. She throws her arms around Lysandra, pulling her close. "You're... you're back," Isabella breathes, her voice thick with tears. "You have no idea how empty it's been without you. I was lost, Lys. Completely lost."

Lysandra, still weak, manages a small smile and whispers, "Isabella... thank you. I always knew... you'd never give up on me."

They hold each other for a long moment, both girls realizing just how much their bond has weathered. Finally, they pull away, their laughter mingling with their tears. After introducing Lysandra to Evelina Isabella stand and said "I've some business with Sirela. I'll catch you tomorrow, rest love." She kissed on her head and left the room with Evelina.