04: The Threat of Taleia

Griffin made a fluid gesture with her fingers and the lights in the room faded. A blue glow flourished between them and the silhouette of Taleia came to life beneath their eyes.
- She was one of the nymphs of Magix.
Young, smiling, her face still clean, the girls watched her exercise her powers on water and wind. Then came a dark shadow that pierced her chest and the spiraling black tattoos grew on her like tendrils of a climbing plant.
- Evil corrupted her. She tried to steal the powers of her companions, just as she tried to steal yours. Some people carry a huge emptiness inside and try to fill it with power. Her companions tried to bring her back from the dark side...
Shapes of light grew around Taleia, gesticulating in her direction, shaking her shoulders, trying to hug her, but her face remained black with ink and her expression remained impassive.
- ... in vain.
One of the light silhouettes took the outlines of a tall girl with long brown hair and a body covered with glows. The girls watched her mutter something, then the lights that covered her body converged in a sphere on her hands. The girl seemed to shout something, throwing the ball on Taleia. The lights whirled around her then seemed to immobilize her and they both disappeared.
- Hesperia was the only one determined enough to imprison her. Her relic has kept her imprisoned for hundreds of years ...
- ... until today - Bloom blurted out - when she got hold of our principal. How could this happen?
The vision faded and the lights returned to shine as before. Bloom was a little stunned, and she found herself rubbing her eyes.
- I have no idea. The threat of Taleia was thwarted, it's true, but it isn't a subject on which much is known. The nymphs of Magix have always been a big mystery.
- But if it's nymphs we're talking about we can ask my sister! She surely know this story and...
Griffin laughed bitterly.
- Bloom, we're talking about more than five hundred years ago! Your sister is barely fifty!
- But...
The witch stood up and began to walk nervously in the chairs, followed by the worried eyes of the girls who were only waiting for her to say a word.
- The nine nymphs of Magix were born in the first places touched by the Great Dragon, who created the Magic Dimension. They lived long and challenging lives but none of them is still alive...- she broke off for another bitter laugh - ...except for Taleia, apparently. When their bodies fade away their essence abandons them to be born in another body, less powerful but animated by the same spirit. Your sister Daphne incarnate the essence of the nymph Driope and her recent enemy, Politea, the one of the nymph Pasitea. Taleia was one of the first nymphs, extremely powerful... only the strength of Hesperia, a first nymph too, managed to stop her, and only at the cost of her own life.
- But none of the first nymphs survived...- Bloom murmured darkly.
- Headmistress Griffin - Tecna stood up to get closer to the woman too - what do we know about the relic of Hesperia?
- It is a very ancient artifact, forged by the first members of the lineage of Hagen, whom you have met. Many great artifacts are the work of that clan of blacksmiths. If that relic can help us, he will know it. I will visit him immediately.
- And Griselda?
The headmistress' shape seemed to crumple up as she lowered her head with a sad expression. After all, she was the same age as Faragonda and had fought countless battles with her. Her eyes, as she turned to Flora, were anything but inexpressive.
- Griselda sacrificed herself to stop Taleia but you heard it as well: we have five days to find an alternative. Her power will not last long.
- Sacrificed?
- The spell will last for five days and after that Taleia will stop being a statue. As for Griselda... there's no way to know if and how is she going to survive the spell.