"A mission?" Stella groaned at the thought of one less shopping day. She was happy to get out of Pr. Wizgiz's test though. The Winx were currently walking down the hallway toward their headmistress's office.
"Don't worry, Stella, I believe it won't be that bad," Musa assured her friend.
"According to my calculations, I highly doubt that would be the case," Tecna commented as the the rest of the Winx stop and stare at her.
"What?" the tech fairy asked, glancing between each of her friends with confusion. They were standing in front of a big doorway with golden ivy sketch across it. The door open, revealing the Earth fairy of Animals.
"Winx, there you are!" they turned their attention to Roxy as she close the door behind her.
"Ms. Faragonda waiting for you inside," Roxy explained.
"Did she give you a mission too?" Aisha asked, giving her friend a friendly hug.
"No, I asked if I can go to Earth and visit Tir Nan Ogg for a couple days. My mother and Queen Nebula are putting together a festival in marks of the Earth Fairies being freed from the Black Circle. I want to see what a festival would be like over there since I never seen one before. She said I can go for a week but I have to make up my studies when I come back," Roxy answered. "I have to go now. Oh, I almost forgot. Pr. Daphne is in there too, Bloom." With a wave goodbye, Roxy walk away to her next class. Bloom knock on the door before entering.
"Ah, hello girls," Ms. Faragonda greeted them with a warm smile.
"Hello, Ms. F," the girls greeted back, standing in front of her desk.
"As you may know, I called you here for your mission. Daphne will be accompanying you as she'll be acting as your guide there," Ms. Faragonda clasped her lavender-color-gloved hands together and rest her chin on top of them. Daphne nodded.
"We are to escort and protect a group of archaeologists to the deserts of Sipar. At the same time the Specialists and the Paladins will be joining us for the mission as well. I already talk to Headmaster Saladin and he agreed with me that it would be good training for them," Daphne explained. "But it is a dangerous mission. There has been a couple of attempts on the archaeologists. Treasure hunters have been trying to steal the ancient artifacts they find and profit them. We got to prevent that. There's also the factor of the desert itself. Nobody ourside of Sipar went through the Desert of Sipar in centuries, rumor has it: it is curse where if you enter it, you come back insane or never come back at all."
"But why Sipar? There got to be other places that has yet to be discover for them to go to?" Flora asked.
"Good question, Flora. I found out, they're looking for the Temple of the Sand Goddess. Supposedly, the Goddess of the Sand protected her people by using the desert to create illusions against their enemies as well as making sure they don't come to harm," Daphne answered, summoning an open book into her hands and leaf through the pages until she found what she was looking for.
"The Temple has been swept away by the sands due to a battle between Blaise and Serible. No one knows what happen to it or the two women who were sworn enemies since the day they cross paths," with a waved of her hand, the book disappear in gold sparkles.
"I can't force you to go on this mission. But I know, you would do what you would deem best," Ms. Faragonda said.
"If it is to get out of my upcoming exams, I'm in!" Stella squealed. Musa gave her a deadpan look.
"You are always trying to get out of your exams, Stella. I'm in too. Never know, it might be interesting," Musa shooked her head.
"Can't let the boys have all the fun," Aisha smirked, folding her arms over her chest. Flora and Tecna nodded their confirmations that they'll be going as well.
"Whatever happens, we're in this together no matter what," Bloom said.
"I was hoping you would reject the mission but knowing you, you would have gone on it regardless of what I tell you," Ms. Faragonda sighed, leaning back into her chair.
"Go pack now, we're leaving tonight. The sooner we get to Sipar, the sooner we can get back home," Daphne said, smiling sweetly as Stella bolted out of the headmistress's office screaming that she doesn't have time to pack. The Winx couldn't help but laugh at their friend.
A Red Fountain ship touch down, not far from where the Winx and Daphne were currently waiting. The hangor door open revealing the Specialists and the Paladins walking down the ramp toward them.
"Ladies," Brandon greeted them, giving Stella a kiss on the lips.
"Are they on the ship?" Daphne asked, allowing Thoren to take her luggage.
"All four of them. Just between you and me, this is going to turn out to be a babysitting mission," Thoren answered, cringing at the sound of metal crashing and a loud boom.
"What's going on in there?" Tecna asked. Timmy's face went pale.
"They're messing with my ship!" Timmy put his hands in his hair.
"They better not be touching my-" Riven started but then four people came running out of the ship follow by a purple boomerang weapon.
"Incoming!" One of them yelled. They all duck but sadly Riven didn't duck sooner and was knock down by his own weapon.
"That does it!" Riven growled as he tried to get to the four culprits but was pull back by Helia and Roy while Musa was trying to calm him down.
"Let go of me! I'm going to pulverize them!" Riven lashed out at them before Musa sigh.
"I really hate to do this but," Musa said, raising her hand.
Smack!
Riven stop and stare at his girlfriend.
"Better?" She asked. Riven could only nod in response. His comrades let him go.
"We're terribly sorry, we couldn't help ourselves," a woman with black hair and spectacles spoked. "My name is Maria Jones. These are my collegueas: Robert George, Lin Lee, and Sam Blise." All four of them were wearing kaki color vests and shorts with matching hats and boots. Robert Jones a red head with striking blue eyes and a narrow face. He is the tallest of the group. Lin Lee is a small petite Asian woman with her chestnut hair in a high braid and topaz eyes. Sam Blise is blond african man with green eyes, a white tattoo in a shape of a tiger across his left cheek, well muscular and fit, the strongest of the group. Maria Jones is the brains for the group.
"Don't worry, we'll make sure they won't touch anything else," Bloom assured Sky, who had a tire look on his face.
"I really appreciate that Bloom. I'm afraid Riven will push them off the ship soon and Nex looks like he's ready to pulverize them," Sky folded his arms across his chest.
"Why?" Bloom asked, turning to see Nex glaring at the four archaeologists.
"It's a long story," Sky chuckled dryly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"We can put them in a bubble until we land in Sipar," Tecna suggested.
"Or we can just confine them to their quarters," Flora suggested.
"We'll confine them to their seats. We have to switch ships, this one is not adept to Sipar's deserts," Timmy explained, showing them the ship's data.
"Nex, do you think your friend still has that big ship, Starfire, of his?" Thoren turned to his comrade.
"Yeah, why?" Nex asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Time to call him up and take him on that offer," Thoren explained.
"Right."
The Red Fountain ship took off to the stars. It's inhabitants were busy doing their own thing expect for Bloom for she felt the Dragon Flame stir with unease within her.
Something is not right. I can feel it. Whatever it is, it's not good.
"You okay?" Daphne asked, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder.
"I don't know. I have this bad feeling on what is going to happen on this mission," Bloom answered. Her sister left her to her thoughts, casting a worry glance before checking up on the archaeologists. Bloom gaze out the window until something caught her eye. It was hurtling so fast Bloom couldn't comprend what was happening. That was when everything went dark.