Illias clasped his hands together and began mumbling the ancient language. Remalyn, who had been resting near the wall, stood and approached.

"I'm sorry I think I misheard you."

"When Marla is finished, there will be no human alive with magic, not even Marla."

"What will that accomplish?" Remalyn's voice grew loud, and she threw her hands into the air. "Taking away our magic will only make us more defenseless. You would be sending us to our graves!"

"Why haven't you been able to kill it?" The Magoia asked with a calm tone. "The Queen called hundreds of mages to the Capital to fight it, yet it is still alive. That is because the Navaji has crept into the depths of our magic. It has entered the people's minds and is absorbing whatever worry and anxiety it finds. As a result, fear is beginning to shape our own future. We must cleanse our power entirely before anything else can be done."

"Then we won't fight it with magic," Remalyn explained. "We have a royal armory at our disposal. We will use that-"

"Normal weapons will not work against it."

"But we've hurt it before-"

"It is too powerful now."

"If you take away our magic, we will have no way to destroy it. None!" Remalyn paced the room.

"Attacking it only increases its strength. It is powered by fear, remember. So, no, I don't want to destroy it. On the contrary, I want to help it."

"That's crazy!" Remalyn cachinnated. "You are crazy!"

"Remalyn," Marla spoke up. "Let the Great Magoia explain. She obviously has a reason for this. She would not abandon us or lead us astray."

"It would only be temporary." The Magoia continued. "Once all magic has been nullified, I can create it again." She paused. "Marla will be the first to regain magic." Everyone looked to her. "She will be the one to stop the Navaji."

"You want to put our lives in her hands?" Remalyn pointed.

"I believe in Marla, and so does the Navaji. That is why it did not take away all of her power. That is why it revealed her future. It wants her to save it. I feel it, somehow. Illias agrees."

"Why me?" The Magoia could give anyone this power. So why did it have to be her? "Why not Illias? He's a powerful wizard."

"He is. That is why he must stay here, protecting the sanctuary. This place does not need to be cleansed by your power, Marla. It has been hidden from the Navaji since the beginning. The magic here is pure, and Illias must keep it that way. Besides, if something were to happen to me, Illias and this sanctuary would be your only hope. This is why I can not risk him." The Magoia looked at Remalyn. "As to why I have chosen Marla- It is because she seems to be the only one here who understands what is truly at stake."

"I know what is at stake. You are risking everything on a hunch! Can you say for certain that this will work?" Remalyn demanded.

"No, but it is our only chance to neutralize the threat."

"Right now, you are the threat."

Remalyn approached, fists formed.

The Great Magoia sighed.

"I am sorry you feel this way. You would have been a strong ally, Remalyn. But it seems you are no longer needed." She waved her wing. "Remove her from my sight." Two bulldog butlers appeared beside her. They began dragging her away.

"Let me go! You are making a big mistake!" She yelled out. "The Queen won't agree to this!"

"The Queen will see reason whether she likes it or not. Goodbye, Remalyn." The doors shut.

"Everything is prepared." Illias knelt.

"Proceed then." The Great Magoia flew up and hovered above.

Solen approached. He held out the embroidered necklace that he had bought for her.

"As the Great Magoia explained, the nullifying magic we are recreating for you is made up of the Navaji. It is a complex power to create. With more time, we could return the power to you directly, but since we do not have that luxury, this necklace will become its container. No one else will be able to wield this ability, nor will this necklace break. As we perform the spell, it will become a part of you. It will be as if you were never parted from it." Gently, Solen brushed Marla's hair back and hung the necklace around her neck. He stepped back. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Solen nodded and left the circle.

A red glow emitted from Illias's hands, igniting the incantation powder around her. The room was filled with the echoes of Illias's chants and Solen's hums. Marla jumped as the Navaji flesh within her hands was engulfed by a bright flame. The putrid smell of oozing burning tissue made her nose itch, but it soon disappeared. The necklace around Marla's neck began to glow. A sudden gentle breeze began to push up against her, twirling her hair and suspending the enchanting pendant. Without realizing her mind went blank. All she could do was stare. Its light gave off a warm aura. It felt safe, but as well as something else. It made Marla feel empowered. Like she could be anyone or accomplish anything. Was this the power of the Navaji?

"It is done." Illias words interrupted her trance. The Great Magoia flew down to Marla.

"Solen will accompany you back to the Capital. There, you must convince the Queen of this plan and prepare the spell."

"I've never done any incantation magic before."

"Solen will help you. All you need is to find another piece of the Navaji's flesh, just like the one we used here."

A bulldog butler burst through the door.

"It seems Remalyn has disappeared." The Magoia shook her head. "I fear she may cause us problems."

"Then they must go to the Capital at once."

"What about you?" Marla asked the golden finch. "You will help us won't you?"

"The moment she leaves this sanctuary, the Navaji will know it. It won't take long for it to find her after."

"For now, I must remain here. Once you use your power to take away the people's magic, I will reveal myself. That is when I must ask the most of you. You must find Navaji's soul and connect with it. You should be able to calm it with some convincing, but your soul must be unwavering."

"The Navaji's soul?" Solen's eyebrows furrowed. "Are you saying she has to travel to the Spirit World?"

Marla had learned of the Spirit World as a child, as most did at that age. It is a place of peace and chaos, the birthplace of the Gods. The Spirit World is home to the past and to the future. It's a harbor to cursed spirits who refuse to pass through the lightened gates. But most importantly, it is where your physical soul resides and where your body visits upon death.