*This chapter meets my rewritten stamp of approval*
Hey, guys! Thank you for checking this fic out! I've finally gotten around to rewriting the prologue (although for those of you whom've already read it, you'll notice it's actually not that different) and there's just a couple of things I'd like to tell you about it.
1) I wrote this prologue on the strict decision to make it as canon as possible, just because most of the fic is pretty AU, so I felt a canon prologue was in order.
2) I understand the length may be intimidating to some, but it looks worse than it actually is. Not far pass 4,200 or so words; the bulk of it is just the first section, but I will tell you that everything is not needed. I'll go into details at the end of the prologue, but I'll tell you that to get the best out of this fanfic, you should read the first section and the second-to-last section for information's sake. Everything else I'll explain later at the bottom of the prologue.
Important: This prologue takes place during season 3 of Winx Club, but most of the story onwards will pretty much be AU, but you will see what I mean in chapter one where I go into more detail.
Other genres includes Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Family, and Friendship later on.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own ANYTHING! If I did, would I be writing fanfiction!?
Path of Unperceived Hatred
*Prologue*
"But...how can a dimension's guardian just turn its back on its people?" Bloom asked, gazing at Alfea's headmistress in puzzlement. "I mean, it doesn't make sense."
The old woman sporting a grayish-white afro sighed heavily, before hesitantly tearing her eyes away from the large window to look at the six teenaged girls presently standing in front of her desk. She glanced at all of them, then focused on the fiery redhead who spoke. "You don't understand, Bloom." Ms. Faragonda breathed in deeply before continuing. "Arscix is the dimension of Dreams and Fate. 'Dreams', would include nightmares and illusions; all of which are very vivid. As if they were really happening to you; and, ironically, even if they are illusions, if you let it, they'll destroy you by taking over your mind with lies of betrayal that only you could believe.
"'Fate'," she continued, "is a little more complicated. In Arscix, everyone there has their destiny decided on the week before they are born; and they must follow it and no other. Like when you're reading a storybook or watching a movie." Ms. Faragonda raised her hand and did a circular motion. White and yellow sparkles twinkled before the spot in the air flashed briefly, showing an image of a girl cleaning filthy floors. Soon, the scene switched to the girl crying while her family left to go to a castle. "You're reading about the character's life. In that sense, you are reading their destiny, and half of the time you can predict what's to happen at the end." The image then changed to the girl in a fancy dress dancing at what seems to be a ball with a handsome man.
"What!?" the sound waves fairy spoke up, her face showing a mix of disbelief and anger. "That's totally whack! There's no such thing as your future being decided! Especially before you were even born!" She restrained slamming her hands on her headmistress' desk. "You decide your own future, not live by someone else's!"
"Yeah! Musa's right." The chocolate-skinned girl pushed her thick and wavy, brown hair behind her shoulder. "What kind of rule is that? Who even decides these 'destinies' in the first place?"
Ms. Faragonda held a hand up for silence. "I understand your point, girls, but that is what Arscix was known for in our ancient history books."
"Wait, what?" Stella, with her high-pitched voice, halted the old woman from continuing. "I thought you were giving us some kind of assignment, not telling us to study!" She crossed her arms. "And what do you mean by 'was'? They don't 'foresee' the future anymore?" She made quotation marks with her fingers.
"If you all would let me speak and explain properly, you'd probably have known the entire story by now."
"Sorry. . . . " the group muttered.
Ms. Faragonda took another moment to look at them, making sure they stayed silent. "Now, as I was saying . . . Arscix is a dimension said to have been in ruins long ago; it was quite a popular discussion topic among its sister dimensions because to this day, we still do not know what caused its destruction." She sighed. "But just recently, it suddenly reappeared again; and for some reason it didn't cause much commotion.
"Now I come back to the beginning of the problem." She tilted her head forward slightly. "We've noticed a disturbance within Arscix's atmosphere; a powerfully, dangerous disturbance, I might add." She paused.
Flora took this opportunity to raise her hand slightly in front of her. When the headmistress nodded her consent to speak, she asked, "But what does this have to do with that guardian? Is it possible that it's angry because someone or something came into its land?"
It took a few moments before the elderly woman replied. "That's one thing I'd like to know myself, Flora. Though I have no insight about what happened in the past, what I do know is the current problem they are suffering at hand."
"Well, what is it, then!?" The blonde haired girl couldn't restrain herself any longer. She ignored Bloom's muttered disapproval and protests and stared Ms. Faragonda down. "You're telling us all this other stuff except the thing most important!"
Ms. Faragonda, however, didn't seem effected by the eighteen-year-old's outburst. "Arscix has many realms within, including a guardian that protects it by making sure no forces of other dimensions are inside. Now, among the planets is one called Desyria, it's the heart of Arscix."
"The heart?" Bloom tilted her head to the side slightly, making her red hair sway. "Like it's what controls the balance or something?"
"That's exactly right, Bloom!" Ms. Faragonda restrained smiling at the young girl.
"But that can't be!" The short-haired girl stepped up. "No planet can technically be in control of an entire dimension – especially with a guardian! It's not logical!"
"In many dimensions, it isn't, Tecna; but Arscix is one of the very few that do have a fragile weakness." She continued on before any of them could inquire. "As I was saying, not only is Desyria the heart, but also the most dangerous planet of Arscix.
"I'm sure you've already figured out that powers of illusions and fates are the strongest at the heart." Ms. Faragonda gaze went to the golden-brown ceiling of her office, looking at something invisible to the other girls. "I've just found out the Guardian of Arscix is in chaos and rage about the rulers and heirs of Desyria."
"I don't see why." Stella rolled her chestnut brown eyes while making a circular motion with her wrist to emphasize her impatience. "If Arscix people – Desyria especially – go by that destiny mumbo jumbo, the royal family's 'fate' –" she added the quotation marks with her fingers "– should be to rule, right?"
"That's what we all thought. I don't have all the answers, I just know that guardian is searching for the true heir to the throne...and that person is not anywhere in the distant dimension."
The office was swallowed in silence. The headmistress could tell the Winx girls had many questions, but they also knew she wasn't the one whom could shed light on any of it.
Eventually, Layla was the one to voice the seemingly biggest question from all of them. "So you want us to find this true heir?"
Ms. Faragonda nodded. "Not only that, but also discover the secrets of Arscix, most likely hidden within Desyria." She stared at the curtain covered window for a few moments, then turned back to the group. "Remember, the Guardian of Arscix is a powerful being that will not allow anyone or anything from the 'outside' in. This makes it a very dangerous and confusing mission and I expect you all to take it seriously; no side trips."
The girls made no movement or noise to indicate they understood the task ahead of them, but their eyes showed everything that nothing else could put into words. Ms. Faragonda shared their gazes before raising her head ever-so-slightly to dismiss them.
As they all filed out the dark brown door, Bloom lingered behind. When she saw Flora's long, light brown hair disappear, she turned back to the headmistress. "Ms. Faragonda... " She bit her lip and glanced down hesitantly. "...I can't help feeling there's something more to our mission, than you're telling us." She locked eyes with the older woman for what felt like a very long time, but in reality, only seconds.
Finally, Ms. Faragonda smiled softly. "There is no need to worry, Bloom. All I ask is for you girls to be careful."
With much reluctance, the fire-wielding fairy nodded and walked to the door. Before she vanished to the halls of Alfea, she stole one final glance at the headmistress. Was that fear in her eyes? Bloom couldn't tell, for the woman had already closed the door with magic. . . .
"Hey," Musa started as she and the other girls walked in their dorm lounge of Alfea, "is it just me, or was Ms. F acting a little weird?"
Flora nodded. "Yeah, I noticed it too." She was on the small, comfy couch. "Do you think the discussion bothered her?"
"Nah. I don't think that's it," Layla replied. "It's like...she didn't want to tell us about Desyria."
"And didn't it seem like she was hiding something from us?" Tecna placed one hand on her hip. "Shouldn't we know everything if we're going on a mission?"
Bloom tried to smile, but failed miserably. "Well, maybe she thought it wasn't important."
Tecna shook her head. "If that was it, she wouldn't have looked so hesitant." She raised her hand to her chin. "No... There's more to this situation than we think."
Bloom sighed. "Well, we won't find answers here, we should start getting ready."
"Hey, girls!" Stella yelled before they all disappeared in their rooms. "Aren't you all forgetting one important question?"
The group glanced at one another, but shrugged. "What is it, Stel?" Bloom asked.
"Hello! Arscix is a faraway dimension! Why are we the ones trying to save it? Don't they have people of their own?"
"Stel, don't you remember?" Musa sighed. "The people there follow the 'destiny' chosen for them. Obviously, they'll stick with it even if the place is in danger."
"But shouldn't someone's 'destiny'" - she made the air quotations - "be to save their dimension!?"
"That person would have to be born before that 'path' can be given to them," Flora answered this time. "And even after that, they'd have to wait years before actually setting off for the quest."
Stella pouted and crossed her arms. "Well, I still don't think we should go through all the trouble for some place that's suppose to be destroyed."
Musa rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Stel." With that, she and the other girls disappeared in their rooms.
"Argh!" The blonde's pout deepened. "Fine, then!" she yelled before going in her own dorm room.
Two hours later, the Winx stepped outside, immediately getting welcomed by a golden-orange sky. "So how are we going to get to Arscix?" Bloom asked. "Ms. Faragonda didn't say anything about a portal."
"Bloom!" Stella gasped at her friend, dropping her three large bags of luggage on the pale ground. "What are you saying!? Have you not remembered our usual way for transportation?"
"What?" The redhead's question couldn't be heard as a large, orange-brown ship stopped above the school, then gently gliding down. "The guys!"
The door of the ship opened and rested on the ground, then a young man with short brown hair with a long fringe appeared. He wore the blue and white Red Fountain specialist uniform. "Do you ladies need a ride?" he asked, playfully bowing.
"Snookums!" Stella immediately tackled her boyfriend.
Brandon laughed. "Glad to see you too, Stel."
"So how long before we get to Arscix?" Layla asked an hour later from her seat beside her fiancée Nabu.
"Not long," the redhead piloting the ship replied. He readjusted his glasses. "In a day or two."
"Really?" Bloom blinked. "That's fast."
"Well, with the new hyper engine I installed, it should be fast."
Only minutes passed before they were out of the skies and into the never-ending layers of space. Stars twinkled all around them, and only Bloom seemed dazzled at the sight; probably because she's never been in outer space before, just using portals to go wherever place at the time. The others must've been used to it already.
She walked away from the group and entered a more secluded part of the ship. It had two brown-ish red chairs that were more comfortable than the ones at the front of the ship, along with one floor plant, and one whole wall was a window. The perfect place to just relax and watch the surroundings go by.
"Would you like some company?" Bloom turned around to see her boyfriend Sky standing in the doorway.
She giggled and sat in one of the chairs. "Sure!" When he joined her, she rested her head on his broad shoulder while he wrapped his muscular arm around her waist. They sat like that for a long while, just watching the billions of stars go by at a slow pace – when in actuality, the ship was flying pass them at an alarming speed.
Bloom inhaled deeply, taking in the ocean scent of Sky's hair. Hm, she thought, he must've borrowed Brandon's shampoo Stella got for him. She sighed heavily.
"What's wrong, Bloom?"
" . . . " The redhead lowered her eyelids, shaking her head to herself all the while before sitting up straight. "It's just...Ms. Faragonda said Arscix will be dangerous the instant we cross that invisible line separating it from other dimensions and realms, and . . . I don't want you to be in danger."
Very slight annoyance flashed through Sky's eyes. "Bloom, I'm a Specialist. This is the kind of thing I'm suppose to do. Besides," he continued, pulling her close again, "do you really think I'd let you go on this mission where you're in danger?" He smiled. "I'd come anyway."
Bloom shook her head slightly to get her boyfriend's long blonde hair out of her eyes, then returned his smile. "Thanks, Sky."
He kissed her forehead. Right when they were about to relax and stare out the window again, a large explosion sounded from nearby and the ship rocked violently.
Bloom almost screamed. "What was that!?"
"Let's go check!"
When they ran back to the pilot station where they left the others, Bloom immediately noticed her friends had transformed into their Enchantix. "What's going on, guys!?"
Before any of them could answer, a deep, hoarse laughter cut in. Bloom's eyes widened at the familiarity of it. "Hello, Bloom!" A man floated upward until he could be seen through the window of the ship. He wore a large thick red-ish brown coat with a light ruffled shirt underneath. The ponytail his light brown hair was tied into seemed to blow without a breeze, and he smirked darkly.
"Baltor...!" Bloom growled through gritted teeth. Her eyes blazed as three other figures appeared by the wizard's side.
"And the witches," Musa added in a hiss.
"I don't think their too happy to see us," Darcy said, observing her gloved hands. She smirked as she turned to her sisters. "And after we went through all that trouble to come visit them."
"They should show more appreciation!" Stormy grinned. Lightning crackled at her hands. "Let's teach them some respect!"
"Now calm down, ladies." The man waved a hand. "There's no need to rush... The slower, the more painful."
"That's it, Baltor!" Bloom yelled. "We're going to end this once and for all!" She transformed into her Enchantix: a sparkling, colorful, ruffled dress of aqua-blue, mint-green, and petal-pink. She and the girls flew out while the guys climbed on top of the ship. Timmy and Tecna stayed behind to fix the ship and keep it steady.
All the fights the group had been through were all tough and exhausting, and this one was no different; but like most battles, the Winx always manage to pull the upper hand. "Dragon Flame!" Bloom yelled at the top of her lungs as a large ball of red and orange fire sparked in her hands. Once it grew to the max, she threw it at Baltor.
He dodged it easily. "Come now, is that the best you have to offer?"
"Oh, I'll show you my best!" She launch another attack, but this time he caught it in his hands. She gasped.
"Cute." He shrugged. "Very cute." Baltor threw the fire ball back, hitting his target with perfect aim and sending her crashing to the hard surface of the ship.
"Bloom!" Sky cried as he ran over. "Bloom, say something!" He kneeled down beside her. "Are you okay?"
She struggled to lift herself up in a sitting position. "Argh! I'm fine." Her eyes blazed again before she flew back to Baltor. "Enigma Blast!" Lava-like flames bubbled above her hands then shot out to the wizard. It hit him directly, but didn't seem to cause much injury.
Baltor examined his slightly burned coat. "Hm. Not bad." His dark gaze went to Bloom. "But not good enough." Extending his hand out, a purple-red light shot out, but Bloom blocked it with a flaming shield.
Her blonde fairy friend then flew out from behind her and toward Baltor. Her body radiated like the sun as her orange two-piece dress sparkled brightly. "Solar Eclipse Blast!" Stella held her hands out together to let an almost blinding bright sunlight gather in them, then she let it go, sending it straight at her opponent. Baltor counteracted with a another purple attack of his own; it made most of the solar blast disappear, but the little that remained managed to hit him. That didn't slow down his reflexes one bit, however, for as soon as Stella's attack did its job, he threw a dark red blast right back.
The brightness of the fairy dimmed before her body gave out. "Stella!" Bloom cried as she fell; Stella was falling away from the ship! Right when Bloom made a move to catch her friend, Brandon came to her rescue instead.
After a brief moment of relief, Bloom fixed her glare back on Baltor. "You'll pay for that!"
"Morphix Fold!" Soft pink liquid twisted and turned under the ice witch as it stretched higher and higher to wrap around its target.
"Humph. How easy." With just flick of her wrist, an icy wind blew at the morphix creation, freezing it. "Is that all?"
Layla smirked. "Nope." Her dark hands shined a rose pink; the frozen liquid dissolved quickly and went at Icy faster than before. In the brief moment the white-haired witch was stunned, Nabu appeared and waved an arm in a smooth circular motion; the liquid became larger and the speed increased even more.
"What the – !?" Icy tried teleporting away, but in the nanosecond that she flashed back, the blast hit.
Layla glided down slowly until she stood next to her fiancé. They gave each other a high-five. "That's what I call teamwork!"
Nabu chuckled.
But their satisfaction came to a sudden halt when Riven skid passed them and hit the metal ship hard. He growled as he sat back up, but when Riven opened his eye, he found his vision was nothing more than a blur. Blinking only made it worse, so he settled for keeping them closed to adjust.
By the time he opened them again, the weather witch had already turned her attention on him. Stormy threw a lightning blast to finish him off. "So long, loser!" She cackled.
Riven's forearms covered his face and he tensed his muscles, bracing for a painful injury . . . but it didn't come. He hesitantly peeked through a crack, then relaxed, his purple eyes meeting his rescuer: a fairy with long, midnight blue hair styled in pigtails was shielding the attack; his girlfriend, Musa.
After the lightning disappeared, Musa stomped her feet, waved her arms, and began shaking her hip until waves of vibrations gathered all around her. "Boom Box Wave!" The attack flew swiftly toward Stormy; her counterattacks had no affect and she was hit directly, but she wasn't defeated. As the witch tried to clear the ringing from her ears, Musa turned to Riven, concern in her blue eyes. "Are you okay, Riven?"
He didn't respond at first, but after a few seconds his blank gaze turned to a glare. "I can take care of myself!" he yelled, standing. He continued to stare her down, then walked away moments later.
Musa's hands clenched into fists. "You're welcome!" she yelled after him, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
From where she stood, Layla glared at Riven as he passed by, even though he seemed to not notice. How could he do that to her friend? Didn't he realize how much it hurt her? Layla made a mental note to talk to him later. Now, she had to focus her attention back to the battle at hand.
"This isn't good!" Timmy cried.
Tecna glanced his way. "What is it, Timmy?"
"Darcy must've broke into the ship's main fuel source; we're losing a lot of power, I don't think I can fix it while we're still in space!"
"You just concentrate on getting the ship down safely, I'll go to the engine room and see what I can do!"
Before she walked away, the redhead turned around and grabbed her hand. "Darcy might still be down there. Please, be careful, Tecna."
She blushed slightly and nodded. "I will!" She ran to the engine room., but opening the door, she found the room dark and the light switch unable to work. Really. The times when I need Stella most . . . Tecna thought as she felt her way around. She didn't go far, however. She stopped dead in her tracks as a burning, fowl scent filled the small area.
She heard a chuckle. "Too late, Tecna. I've already destroyed your precious engine."
"Darcy!" Tecna glared into the shadows despite her eyes having not adjusted just. "Come out here!"
"Tsk, tsk. I've been behind you the whole time." Before the fairy of technology could react, she felt a strong blast hit her from behind. When she spun around, all she could see were dark eyes and glowing hands. "Sorry, but I gotta go. I wouldn't want to blow up." With that, she teleported out of the ship.
"Blow up?" Tecna's blue eyes widened. "Oh, no!"
Bloom, Stella, Sky, and Brandon double teamed against Baltor, but the boys got nowhere while the girls were barely getting hitting him. Soon the others came to assist, the Trix having been taken down. "Girls, we've got to do Convergence!" Bloom said when Tecna and Timmy joined them.
"But I don't think I have enough magic for that," Stella replied.
"Bloom," Tecna started, "we don't have time for it! The ship is – "
"Don't worry!" Sky said, running in front of the Winx with the other guys, oblivious to what Tecna was saying. "We'll cover you!"
"But – "
"Not now, Tecna!" Bloom cut in. "It's the only way. Come on, girls, convergence!"
As the Winx began to focus all their power into one, Baltor rolled his eyes at the guys charging his way. "Please. I don't have time to waste my powers on you weaklings." He easily blew the Specialists away with a flick of his hand. He gazed at the six girls and smirked. Closing his eyes, Baltor began to chant under his breath, and as he did, a rotating brown-red circle appeared at his feet, sparkling and creating a light breeze. Soon, a red-ish pink lightning crackled widely his hands and small flames of the same color began to take form around the circle.
The Specialists ran to him again, but when they got close, lightning whipped at them. The girls finally opened their eyes and glared at Baltor. "Ready, girls?!" Bloom asked.
"Yeah!"
"Convergence!" they all yelled. A gigantic blast filled with all their powers escaped their grasps and headed straight for the wizard.
Just as it was about to hit, Baltor opened his eyes and the blast disappeared in a wink. He chuckled at the group's jaw-dropped reaction. "This is the day you all lose!" Brown-red light flashed all around him as the wind picked up. "Marvel at this ancient spell. You will forget everything you have learned since the day you were born; every person you have ever associated with not remember you, as if you never existed." The light and wind blended together, stretching higher and higher until it swirled into a large twister. "You will have new lives where you won't know anything about the magical dimensions." The tornado finally turned onto the group, swallowing them in its depths.
"Guys!" Layla's cry died away as she desperately tried to hold on to her friends. "Don't let go!"
"I...I can't!" Flora's grip slowly weakened until she slipped from the others' grasps, but when she let go, another hand grabbed it.
"Hold on, Flora!" Helia urged, pulling her close.
Baltor's voice rang out from beyond the twister. "So long, Winx!" He spat the name as if it was poison. "Have a good life faraway from Arscix!"
Before any of them could process what he said, the wind quickened, forcibly pulling everyone apart.
They screamed long and hard as they were blown away, their hands still extended out to reach something – anything, but nothing was there to grasp. The group of twelve turned into twelve individuals; they each fell down through the dark abyss of space; no speck of land visible that would hint to a landing location.
Baltor took his time flying away even as the large explosion of the ship's destruction blasted behind him. The Trix appeared at his sides as the crackling of the flames rose in the darkness.
"The plan worked!" Stormy snickered. "Nice one, Icy!"
"Of course it did," she purred. "Now we won't ever see those little pixies' faces again!"
"Now, now, ladies." Baltor didn't look their way as he smirked in a distant direction. "We can celebrate later. Our next stop is Arscix, where we'll pay a little visit to Desyria."
That's it! I hope the way I structured the prologue hasn't been a huge turn-off to everyone. Although I do love the explanation of Arscix myself, I understand if others didn't have the energy to read a fairly lengthy piece right after. I apologize for that, but hope you continue to read. The chapters get to the point faster.
3) The only reason the prologue was so long was because I felt I needed to portray the Winx's relationship with their boyfriends, and partly their friendship to each other before going into the real plot, which you can probably predict that they'll all be separated. It will be a tiny bit before some of the girls meet their (not) boyfriends again, and a whole lot longer before the entire group is even together again. I'm estimating at least twenty chapters before they're all together in one room! But even twenty is being nice, so you see why I added the extra interactions here?
4) As a reminder, I did not create Arscix just to add space. If it wasn't important, I would have never created it in the first place! I know it'll be a while before some things resolves themselves, but please keep Arscix in mind.
More about this story will be covered in chapter one, so for now I just want to say thank you again for reading and I hope you continue to read!