ONE

Sky jabbed his sword at his opponent. Beads of sweat were falling of his face and his breathing was shallow. Sky didn't care. Even though his mind was racing with a million other thoughts, he focused on defeating the other man armed with a deadly sword.

Jab, thrust, sidestep, the movements repeated themselves in his mind. Never let your opponent see you distracted, Cordatorta's voice rang in his head. Take him by surprise. Gain the upperhand. Don't let your emotions get in the way of a battle. The latter stabbed itself into his brain like a spear, wringing out all the memories he was trying so hard to put behind him.

Don't let it get to you, Sky chanted like it was his mantra. He tried to block out all those painful memories of defeat; flames engulfing the place, magical beams of energy being shot in all directions.

Amidst all the chaos, only one thing stood out clearly. She was gone. There was no trace of her. She had just vanished. Sky could still hear her faint, desperate cries, protesting as she was snatched away by the pale skinned wizard, cackling evilly as they faded away in a billowing gust of smoke.

The anger was getting to him. Sky could feel the rage creeping through his veins. His fists clutched onto the blue phantomblade more tightly and he gritted his teeth in frustration. The prince couldn't block those painful memories of her just disappearing, leaving Sky to dwell in sorrow and misery.

"Ahh!" He yelled out a cry of fury, nailing his opponent square in the chest. He'd won. His anger had been channelled into the battle. Sky wasn't tired yet he was panting like he'd just run a marathon.

"Alright, that's enough lads. Sky wins the duel," Professor Housaam, the duelling teacher declared. Quimbly, his opponent, extended his hand to congratulate the prince for winning. Sky shook it briefly, keeping his eyes trained to the ground. It wasn't out of arrogance though. He was still angry and had he not controlled himself, his sword would've done more than just poke Quimbly's heart.

Sky knew it wasn't right for him to vent this kind of rage onto his classmates but he needed an outlet. He just needed to let it all out, but no matter how many times he did, the pain just wouldn't go away. His whole body was numb and everything was just so bleak and dreary.

It had been two weeks since Bloom was taken. Sky clearly remembered the date: April 2nd, 2006. Bloom was confident that by using her Dragon Fire to combat Valtor's dark one that she would be able to eliminate him. There were no drawbacks to her power. She had defeated the Trix and destroyed Lord Darkar. Valtor and Bloom bore the same power which was both a boon and a curse. A boon because she knew what weakened Valtor. A curse because whatever hurt Valtor also hurt Bloom.

Yet for the first time, Bloom and the Winx had suffered a devastating defeat. The monstrous form Valtor had exhibited was what Bloom had destroyed. His wizard one had returned, his eyes glowing blood red and a deadly aura surrounding him. Sky squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to remember what Valtor had done to them. He was hardly listening to what Housaam was saying.

"Class dismissed!" Housaam roared, snapping Sky out of his session of wallowing. Unfortunately for him, no one from his squad was in duelling class since it was exclusively part of the royalty stream of subjects, which meant only those who belonged to the nobility could opt for the course.

Sky pushed himself off the ground, but even that took a lot of willpower. He just wanted to fall back down and never get up again. It had been a rough year for him and Bloom. At the start of the school year they'd gotten into a petty argument and Sky didn't even remember what for. Then there was Diaspro spelling him with a love potion, her training on Pyros to get stronger, their mission to the Omega Dimension and now, she was gone. Valtor abducted her.

Valtor. The very mention of his name made his teeth grit and his fists clench. This was all his fault. All through their senior year he purposely targeted Bloom, trying to get her to break down and surrender. If Sky had the chance to face Valtor again, he vowed to put an end to him.

Sky had worked himself up into a hurricane of emotions. He had another hour of class before lunchtime and he had neither the physical nor mental strength to endure Professor Leonard's Strategies and Tactics class. He found himself slinking away from the duelling court and up to the third floor, where a few seniors would be whiling away their time. Their hangout was located in a remote corner, tucked away in a non-functional classroom.

I just need to be alone for sometime, he thought to himself. His friends were amazingly supportive but he needed to organise his thoughts and feelings. Bloom had been abducted twice and there was always someone or the other with a personal vendetta against her. Bloom was a danger to be around yet he loved her with all his heart. Sky swore to the ancient Kings of Eraklyon that he would never leave her side.

The smell of nicotine hit his nostrils before he could even administer what the classroom looked like. Sky had been exposed to second hand smoking a couple of times and the smell always made him cringe. However this time, it awakened something inside of him. An unsatisfied hunger was lurking around, screaming and shouting, begging to be pacified.

Sky suppressed his inner turmoil and stepped into the room. It was hazy and grungy and the air had a musty odour to pale yellow walls had cracks running along them and haphazard patterns of dried red paint were splattered across the floor. There was a single window, a small, circular one with a single ray of faint golden light pouring through.

"So that's why this classroom is closed off," Sky muttered to himself. After all, it wasn't the ideal picture of what Red Fountain represented.

"Hey Sky, is that you?" Sky jumped slightly, but the voice was familiar. A tall, chiselled boy stepped out from somewhere in the room. His copper brown hair was glinting in the sunlight and his sun kissed skin was practically glowing. It was Pete, son of the Duke of the Second Sun in Solaria.

"Pete, sorry. I thought I was alone. I"ll leave now," Sky said hurriedly, bowing slightly out of habit.

"No wait man, it's cool. Stay with me, I could use some company. Unless you're planning on ratting me out, then I'd have to kill you," Pete said cheekily. Sky however, wasn't amused.

"I have other things to worry about than ratting you for smoking and ditching class," Sky replied coolly. Besides, it would backfire on him because then he would have to explain why he wasn't.

"Kay Sky, but I'm gonna finish this cigarette, so uh...don't mind me."

Sky watched as Pete inhaled and let out wisps of translucent white smoke. Every time he did so, his fingers would relax and his breathing would steady. His body become loose, as if every time he took a drag of the cancer stick, his worries would just go away. Sky knew that Pete was under a lot of royal pressure, to handle things in Solaria just like his father was. When Cassandra and her daughter Chimera briefly held power, rumour had it that Chimera was soon to be engaged to Pete. At least he was one person Sky could relate to when it came to kingly businesses.

"So, how are things in Eraklyon? Is your dad pressuring you into taking the throne?" Pete asked, snapping Sky out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, the sooner the better, according to him."

"Shitty year, right? The pressure of finals, being King, women problems..." Pete's voice slowly died down at the mention of women. Sky clenched his fists. His anger was coming back. Why Bloom? Why did you give in so easily? Why did you leave me? Don't you care about me?

His mind was being hammered with these persistent thoughts. Now he was angry Bloom. Angry at Disapro for stooping so low and teaming up with Valtor. Sky wished these women were never there in his life, saving him the trouble of anguish and heartbreak.

"Sky, I think you need to take a chill pill, y'know, de-stress. Here, try it. It helps." Pete took a cigarette from the box and lit it, whilst simultaneously crushing his finished one. He held it delicately between his fingers, offering it to Sky.

"No thanks, I don't smoke." He'd been offered a cigarette a couple of times and had no problem saying 'no'. But this time, there was a fire inside of him that needed to be quelled. His mind was berating him, scolding him for saying no. He needed a distraction. He needed to forget.

"Actually Pete, I'll take it," Sky said, just as Pete was about to take a drag. Wordlessly, Pete handed it over to him. Sky studied it for a few second, getting to know what a cigarette was like. The flame offered to it was greedily eaten, the tip pulsing with a faint amber glow. The nicotine invaded his nostrils and surprisingly, it soothed him. He just wanted to let go.

Sky took a deep breath, brought the cigarette to his lips and slowly inhaled. The smoke rapidly filled his throat, causing him to choke but that feeling was soon replaced by a warm, tingly one. It filled his entire body and enveloped him in a fiery embrace. He felt his body go limp and his mind relaxed instantly. It was like his brain was shutting down and letting go of all his worries and his fears. Sky sighed, his mind, body and soul at peace.

Sky and Pete smoked in the abandoned classroom until the lunch bell rang. It echoed through the corridors like a lost soul wandering through an abyss, waiting to be found.

Sky had only one cigarette. He knew he wouldn't get addicted, he knew how to control himself. When the lunch bell rang, Sky took his own time to leave the classroom, inhaling the clouds of nicotine left by the cigarette. He didn't feel so hungry; it was as if the smoke had suppressed his usually monstrous appetite. Still, he had to make an appearance or his friends would be worried.

I don't feel so agitated anymore, Sky thought to himself as he entered the giant dining hall. He spotted his squad sitting at one of the central tables. Grabbing his food from the lunch line, he made his way over to the table.

"Hey Sky, where've you been?" Brandon asked cheerfully, like nothing was wrong. It was just an act though. He was trying to make it seem like nothing was wrong. Sky was grateful to his closest friend but no matter how much he tried, it just didn't work. Brandon would have felt the same way if it were Stella who was taken.

"In Red Fountain," Sky replied vaguely. He didn't want to tell his friends that he'd been smoking; he felt embarrassed and ashamed of himself for caving in.

"You know Sky, if you have negative thoughts right now, then letting them go would help you," Helia probed gently.

"Thanks Helia, but I've got nothing to dispel," Sky replied half-heartedly.

"Ah well, we tried. He doesn't want to talk, that's okay," said Riven. He didn't look too interested in the Prince's plight, but that was Riven. He was worried too but he didn't believe in his emotions getting in the way. "For all we know, Bloom could be dead," he added.

"Riven!" Helia chastised softly. Sky's ears were burning. He wanted to get up and punch Riven in the face, but he didn't. He was so angry with him for saying that, yet he was glued to his seat. Riven's snide little comment was raising a dreadful feeling that he tried to bury at the back of his mind.

What if Bloom was dead?

Sky gripped the table, his knuckles becoming white. He was barely registering Brandon and Helia's argument with Riven. No, he said to himself. Bloom's not dead.

"Bloom's not dead," he said weakly. "She's not dead!"

"Of course she isn't Sky," Timmy replied. Throughout the boys' entire tirade, Timmy had stayed quiet. Sky turned to look at him. Behind his glasses, Timmy's light brown eyes were shining an emotion he hadn't seen in the past two tumultuous weeks; hope.

"If she's alive then you'll be able to feel her presence. The Dragon Fire can't be put out easily. Whatever you decide to do Sky, I"ll have your back," Timmy told him earnestly.

'Thank you Timmy." Out of all of his friends, Timmy was the only one who knew what it felt like to have his girlfriend trapped somewhere, knowing that she was in imminent danger. Timmy hadn't tried to force Sky into talking and respected Sky's personal space.

Brandon opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by Nabu running into the hall.

"Guys, Miss Faragonda's calling us to Alfea. There's someone who wants to talk to us."