Let's see how this goes. Not my first time writing in the Winx fandom, but it is my first time where I'm happy with what I'm writing.
"NO! I'm not letting you kill my sister!"
"Listen to me, son-"
"Go to Oblivion! I'm never letting you lay another hand on Nyx! The only way you will is over my dead body!"
"Your highness!"
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"Get out, Nyx! Don't look back! Run!"
"But-"
"I SAID RUN!"
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"Dee! Dee, please wake up! Big brother! Don't leave me alone! Please!"
Footsteps, then a girl's scream of terror. More footsteps, followed by shouting.
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.
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"Hey, Ogron, come check this out... he's just a kid. Can't be much older than eighteen, at least..."
"Hm, so he is. Gentlemen... I believe he's still alive,"
"He's not going to be for long- And you've got that look on your face... You're gonna help him, aren't you?"
"He has a fighting spirit... Why would I take that from him, when I can use it?"
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"... I have nothing left to live for... I owe you my life. Yes... yes, I'll help you in your mission to erase the Earth fairies... but afterwards, I go on my own. Understand?"
"I accept your terms. Welcome to the Black Circle, Duman Wilde,"
With a sharp gasp, Duman's head shot up, his feet under him in a click of nails on concrete. After a moment, he oriented himself, and shifted from his wolf form, to his human form, rubbing at the scars on his neck.
"Stupid nightmares," Duman growled under his breath, and kicked the wall next to him. In response, the ceiling dropped pebbles on to his head, and the shapeshifter glared up, then sighed, "One more night, Dee. Then you can leave all of this behind."
He realized what he had called himself and ran a hand over his face, turning from his spot and walking down the cold hallways of the abandoned castle. Duman was sure it had been quite a sight back in its hayday, but now, it was only a shell of what it used to be. Anything that had made it grand and mesmerizing was long gone, faded to dust and at the mercy of the elements.
Duman came to a stop in the doorway of what had once been a balcony. He leaned against the stone wall, arms crossed as he stared up at the night sky, eyes searching the stars. He soon found the red star he was looking for, and felt a mixture of disgust, anger, and sadness surge up in his chest.
"What are you doing up, Duman?"
The shapeshifter startled, twirling around to see Ogron step from the shadows. The other wizard had somehow snuck up on Duman. In the moonlight, his blue eyes glowed ominously, and Duman fought down a shiver.
"Couldn't sleep," Duman answered, after a moment of silence. He turned back to stare at the sky, glancing to his left as Ogron stepped up next to him, "What are you doing up?"
"Planning," Ogron replied, hands clasped behind his back. "In case things go wrong at Alfea, tomorrow."
Duman did a quick calculation of the position of the moon in the sky, factored in time differences, and said, "Today. It's early morning on Magix right now."
Ogron paused, looking surprised for a moment, before shrugging loosely, "It's only a matter of hours until the Earth fairies are erased from the universe. Time does not strictly matter right now."
"Sure it doesn't," Duman commented. Then, "You remember our deal, right? As soon as you have the last Earth fairy's wings, I leave."
"I will not force you to stay, but you are more than welcome to," Ogron said. "You've been of great service, Duman, but I'm not sure that you could leave behind the life you have lived and not be punished for it."
"Is that a threat?" Duman asked, darkly.
Ogron held his hands up, "Simply an observation. If anyone who knows the Black Circle sees you after you've left... you most likely will be hunted yourself."
"I'm a shapeshifter," Duman snapped. "I'm sure I could survive."
And I have resources that you don't.
Ogron studied Duman's face for a moment, before he turned to looked back out over the horizon, "My offer will stay on the table."
Duman kept his mouth shut, and the two were silenct for a several moments.
"Why do you wish to leave though?" Ogron finally broke the quiet.
Duman's gaze went to the ground, fists curling.
"You don't have to answer. I was just curious-"
"Nyx," Duman whispered, loud enough to cut Ogron off. "My... My late sister. She... she was the only one who ever looked up to me, saw any good in me. I guess she had to, since I was the one who protected her from our parents... I guess, even though she's gone... I still want try and live up to that expectation she put on me."
Duman could feel Ogron's eyes on him, though he didn't dare meet the taller man's gaze.
Eventually Ogron spoke.
"I see," Ogron tilted his head. "Hm... in that case, after you leave tomorrow, not only is the offer of returning to the Black Circle on the table, but if you ever need our assisstance with anything, you may ask."
Duman turned around, back into the castle, "Get some sleep, Ogron... you'll need it if you want the energy to celebrate your win."
Ogron didn't get to celebrate his victory, and Duman didn't get to leave the Black Circle, as originally planned.
"The last Earth fairy must still be, here, on Earth somewhere," Ogron said, thought, as the group retreated back to their castle hideout. "The question is where? Earth is a large planet, and even if we spread to its four corners, it could take years to find her."
Duman bit back a groan at the prospect of years. After a moment of thinking, he spoke up.
"The Tree of Life, in Pixie Village can tell us," Duman said. "Pixie Village is located not far from Alfea."
Ogron paused, then pointed up at Duman, "If you know where it is, you go. Find out where the last Earth fairy is, then report back here."
Duman hid a sigh, rolling off of the wooden beam he had been lounging on, "Give it a few days. Those girls at Alfea are probably on high alert, waiting to see if we attack again. It's best to not draw too much attention to ourselves."
Ogron hesitated, then nodded, "You're right. Give it a week, then go to Pixie Village. Once we get the location of the last Earth fairy, we'll erase her from existence, and our quest for power will have come to an end, gentlemen. No one will be able to stop us."
Gardenia, Duman stared at the Tree of Life, a bad taste filling his mouth. He tilted his head back and glared at the dark sky, Alright, Arcadia, what's your game? You mocking me now? Sending me back to where it all ended for me?!
An answer didn't come, but then again, Duman wasn't expecting one.
Duman sighed, and eyed the tree again. Sure enough, a single leaf barely hung on to the bare branch of Earth. But then again, it wasn't the only barely bare branch of the Tree. Duman circled slowly, reaching and gently running his hand over another branch, where only two leaves hung from.
Huh... Duman's fingers tingled with his natural, light magic. Wonder what happened to the people of Mystic?
Several vines on the tree curled in reaction to his magic, reaching out towards him and curling around his hand and wrist. Duman could sense the tree's sadness, and he couldn't help a small smile.
"I know," he whispered. "I'm not doing with my magic what I should be, am I? I promise though, it won't last too much longer."
The vines tightened a little, then more reached out from the side, pulling him around. Curious, Duman let them lead him around the tree, almost to the line of where the dark and light crossed, to a branch that flowed with magic he knew all too well.
"You know where I'm from, huh?" Duman eyed the branch of Merula, "Funny, only you seem to. The wizards know I'm from somewhere here in the Magix Dimension, but not what planet."
The vines twisted tighter, before releasing him, and disappearing back into the darkened branches of the tree.
Duman sighed and turned away, calling up his tie to the Black Circle to teleport away.
He had vowed once to never return to his home planet, to never have any association with it, despite being the crown prince, because of what his parents had done, what they had tried to do his sister...
What they had succeeded in doing to his sister...
Duman would never go back to the ones who had murdered the very reason that had been his existence.
Notes:
- This fanfic IS an AU! It follows the actual canon of season 4 to a certain degree, then will go completely in the opposite direction you'll expect it to.
- Duman joins the Black Circle because they save his life. More on that to come in later chapters.
- All of the Wizards vary in age: Gantlos, at the oldest at a around 500 hundred years; Ogron is the next oldest, at around 400; Anagan is 200, and Duman is the youngest, at just 28.
- Ogron, Gantlos, and Anagan all come from Earth, but Duman is from his own planet called Merula, and is the crowned prince, as mentioned in this chapter.
- Duman's magic is actually light magic/positive energy, not negative. His negative energy comes directly from the ring of the Black Circle.
I think that's all for now! I hope you guys will stick around to see where this fic goes, because I certainly am eager to see how it turns out!
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