2
She was walking down a narrow path through a dark forest. Light could barely penetrate the thick branches that formed a thick canopy overhead. She could sense that it was night, for the scents in the forest around her had changed; Moon Drop flowers were illuminated barely beneath her bare feet as she continued to walk on, not even sure of her path. The little buds were her only source of light, but without them, she could understand where she needed to go.
Flora could sense that the forest would guide her; the darkness that encompassed this area was getting thicker with each passing step, but her feet continued to walk, as if guided by an invisible force. The earth was cool, but it sent such a surge of energy through her that it felt that she was in the deepest jungle, surrounded by humidity, and even though it was the dead of night, Flora could make out the sounds of the nocturnal creatures as they ventured out from their homes and wandered through their natural habitat.
Several moments passed and finally Flora came to a clearing. It must have been the centre of the forest, for the branches overhead gave way to a clear patch of sky; the moon was waxing and full, and the stars were bright, so much so that the heavens were able to shine rays onto the earth below them. Flora looked around and saw that she was in a perfect circle; the trees were formed, perhaps naturally, to look this way, but the forest behind them was dark and melded into each other, as if a great darkness was being held at bay by the guardians that formed this clearing. Turing around completely, Flora saw that she was alone, but a powerful energy radiated from the ground and from the trees. The energy was so great that Flora was forced to her knees, as if an invisible hand pushed her down into submission. But for some strange reason, she knew this power; felt it before. It was no stranger to her.
The invisible force that kept her down was still present, and she could feel her body begin to grow numb, however, Flora could begin to feel that there was another source of energy, the same one as before, but it alleviated the force that was binding her. She was able to stand up, though she remained on her knees. Instinct told her to close her eyes, and as she did, Flora could hear the trees whisper to one another. Their thoughts passed through her head as their groans turned into words, only which she could hear. The grass beneath her swayed and tickled her feet, and the wind played through her hair, whispering to her. Their words were all jumbled as they spoke in unison, but just barely could Flora make out a few words.
Gaea. Reincarnation. You. Will.
Flora was about to speak to them, asking what their words meant, though suddenly an extremely powerful force made the forest silent. It was radiating from the centre of the circle, exactly where Flora was standing. The earth started to rumble, starting off gently, but then became so violent that Flora was knocked back to the ground. She tried to get up and find shelter, but the same invisible force from before kept her down. She feared that she would fall into the chasms that were wracking the surface of the earth, and so she dug her fingers into the moist soil, grabbing onto the numerous roots from the trees that were buried underground. The energy pulsating through them was so strong that it was impossible for her to hold on much longer. Her hands burned from the intense heat, but Flora held on for dear life.
A great beam of light surged from the ground, in the centre of the circle. It was a clear sphere, but shining so brightly, it was impossible to tell. The same force she felt from the roots was radiating from the sphere. With each tremble, the sphere got bigger and bigger, until it filled the clearing, Flora included. She was inside; the darkness in the forest beyond the trees that formed the circle was still there, but it seemed to be advancing. Flora looked around and saw that she was above the ground, floating in a way. The darkness pooled on the ground, way below her; at first it attempted to surge upwards to catch her, but the sphere was too high. The darkness made its way back to the ground and started to creep into the cracks in the earth. As if by some will, the chasms closed themselves and the forest was quiet again, however, Flora was no longer amongst the trees and grass. Instead, she was still inside the sphere, floating away from the forest.
In a blink of an eye, Flora found herself in a different location completely. She knew that this was no longer Alfea, or Magix for that matter- perhaps not even Linphea, though this location was covered in green a far as the eye could see. She looked around, no longer in the sphere, and saw weird shapes in the distance. Intrigued by their fading shadows as dawn was approaching, Flora made haste up the hill, determined to catch them before they disappeared. Easier said than done; she kept running, but the distance remained the same, not bringing her closer to the summit at all. Out of breath and panting, Flora slumped to the ground. The sun was rising faster than she thought, and before she knew it, the weird shapes were gone…
"Flora? Flora, are you awake yet?"
She turned in her bed, away from the voice and the light that was spilling through her large bay window. A hand was on her shoulder now, gently shaking her. Sighing and giving one big yawn, Flora sat up in her bed, her hair was slightly disheveled; giving a good stretch of her arms and back, she felt immensely better, her strange dream nearly forgotten. She looked up at Helia, who shared the same bed-head, though his hair was still tied. Flora lifted herself onto her knees to brush away stray bangs that fell into his face, her green eyes peered into his dark ones, just looking at him.
She's so beautiful, he thought. Flora was obscuring the window, but since the sun was shinning brightly, the rays appeared around her, illuminating her back and making her appear so ethereal. The sweet smell of her plants wafted throughout the room, making this morning experience one to never forget. He brought her closer and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. Flora gasped, but it was swallowed into Helia's mouth as their lips battled for purchase. His arms wrapped around her back, holding her close to his body, while hers were around his neck, holding onto him so she wouldn't fall. Each time they were like this, Flora could swear her body turned to jelly; his soft, full lips claimed hers and his tight embrace secured her against him, never letting go. It was magical each time.
Alfea's clock tower chimed seven times, signaling that breakfast would start in fifteen minutes, and that also meant that the boys of Red Fountain would be on their way soon. Flora loathed to let Helia go, but as she felt his arms recede away from her, she got out of bed and went into the washroom. There, she freshened up, changing into the day's clothes, washing her face and brushing her teeth. She came out and saw that Helia had groomed his hair and was putting on his shoes. Flora was dressed in her favourite outfit; a green shirt that stopped at her midriff and had puffed sleeves with a pink skirt that had drawings of strawberries on it and green sandals with light green straps and a flower on the buckle. She went to the dresser and put on her earrings and bracelet, and just as she was about to head to her door, Helia stopped her.
"It wouldn't be a good idea if the others saw us leaving your room together. I'll leave first and wait for you in the hallway further down near the main hall."
Flora nodded and allowed Helia to go out first. She waited a few minutes, looking through the glass of her door to see how many people were walking down the hallway. When she spotted Layla and the others, Flora held her breath; they did not notice her, but she could hear them talking amongst themselves.
"…so strange; I did not see Flora join us in the common room last night."
"I know, but I think I saw her leave with Helia when Griselda was busy counting the students…"
"Left with Helia? If the professors found out that she had a boy in her room, especially in the teachers wing- Griselda and Faragonda will flip!"
"Calm down, Stella. I said I think I saw them- they were possibly saying goodnight to each other, and I'm sure Helia left with the other Red Fountain students with Professor Palladium."
"I don't know, Tecna- I got a call from Sky last night after we left the common room to go to bed, and he said he didn't know where Helia was. He said he never showed up, and his grandfather, Saladin, was also looking for him…"
Flora's heart sank; Sky had proof that Helia was not with them, and she completely forgot that Saladin was there with his students. Not to mention that there was the possibility that Saladin could mention this to Faragonda, or confront Helia about this- she had no idea which would be worse. Ten minutes passed, which seemed like a fair amount of time to make Helia wait; she opened her door and saw that the girls were down the hallways, saying hello to Helia. Stella was the first to bring up their discussion just moments before.
"Hello, Helia. Did you have a good sleep last night?"
"Good morning, Stella, girls. Yes, I did, as a matter of fact."
"Did you find the rooms of Alfea to be to your liking?"
"Stella, that's enough. So what if he was- I'm sure if you had the chance, you'd let Brandon sleep in your room. We're not children anymore," Bloom's voice could be heard. She was quite curious as to why Flora would do something like this, but it wasn't to be ashamed of. Bloom would have allowed Sky to stay with her for the night, and she was sure that the other girls would have done the same.
"Tut, tut- it's the rules, my dear Bloom-"
"-since when did you care about rules, Stella?"
"Flora?"
Flora came up to stand by Helia, who wrapped his arm around her waist. The other girls did not fail to take notice of this, and even though this was something he had always done with Flora, today, it seemed that their suspicions about last night were true. There seemed to be no more arguing about the subject; Flora was quite right, Stella never really cared about the rules of Alfea, not if she could help them, but aside from this truth, Griselda and Faragonda were making their way down the corridor. The girls and Helia quickly went through the doors and took their respective seats. Flora saw that Helia went straight for the Red Fountain table, and that Saladin was about to question his whereabouts when Faragonda began to speak. Sure enough, when it was time to leave, the headmaster of Red Fountain would speak to his grandson.
For now, however, all the students and professors enjoyed their meal and listened as the headmistress of Alfea welcomed her students on their first day of school and classes. When the meal and speech were over, Red Fountain began to prepare for their journey home; the winds outside had receded last night, and the weather was in perfect condition for flying. The Winx headed to their boyfriends to share last minute goodbyes. Flora spotted Helia and went straight to him.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. I promise."
"Oh Helia, if you get caught- I don't know what-"
He silenced her with a chaste kiss. "Don't worry, Flora." She could only nod as they shared one last kiss before he left through the main doors to the courtyard where their ships were. Flora raced to one of the windows, looking out as each of the Red Fountain students embarked on the ships. She potted Helia and placed her hand on the window, a sort of goodbye to him. He wasn't able to see her and he left on the ship, along with the last of the students. Next thing she saw were the engines as they came to life and took off into the air.
Turning away, Flora saw that the main hall was nearly empty; all of the students and most of the professors were in their classes, ready to begin their first official day of school. However, in the main hall remained Flora's friends and Faragonda. She walked toward them and waited for the headmistress to begin their talk.
"Now girls, I know that this would have been your second year had you not taken the mission on Earth, and I'm sure most of the students will know this too, however, I want you to do your best this year. Don't be intimidated by the students- you're not exactly fresh from graduating, but you do have a better knowledge of what it was like to be a student recently. The two gifts that the Ethereal Fairies gave you-"
"Hold on, Headmistress- they gave us three gifts…"
"Yes, they did, Musa. However, I hardly think that you'll be using the third gift on the students, don't you think?"
A few chuckles were passed around before Faragonda continued, "As I was saying, the gifts of wisdom and courage will be useful to you girls. I know this isn't a life-threatening mission, but having doubts and getting lost amongst this sort of thing is all the same; courage and wisdom are not only used for special occasions, but on a daily basis. The more you use them, the stronger you will become- perhaps not in transformations, but in overall life and in everything you do. Using these gifts, especially in this case, is a good way to learn new things, even if you are the professors this time around. With that said, I hope you'll have a wonderful first day."
The girls were about to leave when Faragonda's voice stopped them. "Flora, may I have a word with you?" She turned and left the main hall, most likely heading to her office. Flora looked at her friends and saw that they shared the same confused look she had, though in the pit of her stomach, she hoped this was not about last night. Giving a nod, she left in the opposite direction towards the headmistress's office while her friends went to their assigned classes.
The door to Faragonda's office was closed, but as she was about to bring her fist down in a knock, a voice from the inside stopped her. "Come in, Flora." She opened the door and saw that Faragonda's back was towards her, facing the window. Closing the door quietly, she just stood in the centre of the room and waited to be addressed. "Before we get started, I want to say that I know about you and Helia. Though I am quite disappointed that you have broken the rules about visitors, even under last night's circumstances, I should take into consideration that you still went with your idea. However, I hardly think that I should punish you for your actions; I remember my time as a student and as a young professor- I have gone through what your friends are going through, but you must promise me that this will not happen again."
Flora was rooted on the spot. It was foolhardy to think that Faragonda would not have noticed, especially in her own school. Her mouth suddenly dry, Flora could only nod as this part of the discussion was finished.
"Good, and now onto the more important part," Faragonda turned around and was now facing Flora, "I have come across some interesting documents- ones I had no idea still existed. I'm sure you're well aware that the Dragon Fire is the most powerful element there is in the realm of Magix?"
"Yes, Headmistress Faragonda."
"Alas, did you know that is not the truth?"
Flora looked up from the floor, clear confusion in her eyes. Faragonda could only smile as she came to stand by her. "Are you familiar with the tale of the mother of all creation?"
"You mean Gaea?"
"Correct; she is considered to be as such, as she is believed to be the one who created planet Earth, or who gave life to it, depending on the myth. However, in all the myths and legends, Gaea is considered to be the same thing: a goddess. She is worshipped by countless people and tribes, some still exist today, thinking she will come and deliver judgment on those who have done Earth wrong. What intrigued me most was that Gaea's birth and final resting place was not planet Earth, but Linphea."
Flora looked to her headmistress with utter shock. Considering that Linphea was the planet filled with nature, it was not a far fetched story, and it seemed to fit, given that humans believed that fairies were simply fairy tale creatures of ancient folklore. Gaea, it seemed, was also along those lines; Flora had read many stories where the humans of Earth considered her to be a titan or a goddess, depending on where the story was from. She found it fascinating that such a being could create the Earth, along with nature and life. But never would she consider that such a thing was born on her home planet.
"It is quite a shock, even for me- the longest time, everyone thought that Gaea was a human creation to tell stories- something that did not exist. But with my recent discoveries, that does not seem to be the case. It is likely that she created all the other planets as well, including that of Earth, but it seems that Linphea, your planet was her favourite, and she left the cosmos with a task in mind… Flora, you may want to sit down before I tell you the rest, here," Faragonda drew out a chair for the girl, indicating that she sit down before anything else was revealed.
Flora took a seat, her hands gripping the wood tightly, so much so that her knuckles were turning white. She had anticipated a talk like this with her headmistress, however, she was not looking forward to it. Though hearing the news that Gaea's birth and death had taken on Linphea was news to her, Flora had suspicions that something else was in wait for her. It was custom that one chosen fairy on Linphea take on the duty of guardian, as the Sage of Linphea dictated. This way, the inhabitants of the planet could live in harmony with nature.
"It was revealed to me, through those documents and a few visits to your planet way before you were born that you, Flora, would be the reincarnation of Gaea."
Her hands went slack on the arm rests of the chair as this information passed through her head, somehow as an echo. Flora could see Faragonda's mouth moving, perhaps she was still speaking, but no sound came out. She looked around and saw that the office still seemed the same, though there were minute changes, such as why was there a weeping willow growing right next to her, or why the mirror next to Faragonda's desk showed an image that was unfamiliar, but at the same time familiar? Flora concentrated on the image, which seemed to be getting bigger and bigger as she blinked her eyes. Faragonda had disappeared, or she was still there, but her presence was no longer in the room.
The figure in the mirror was touching the frame now; it looked like to be a woman who was covered in different shades of green. Her hair was wild and flowing, filled with insects and vines, and her body was covered in the same colour as her hair, though her dress, if she was wearing one, was fluttering about her form, making her appear as one entity. Nature and human form collided with this figure, making it hard to distinguish between the two. She came closer still, leaving the frame and gently placing her feet on the floor. It looked to Faragonda, who appeared to be frozen; Flora followed its gaze and saw the same exact thing. It then turned to Flora, her green eyes locking with hers, and though Flora looked upon this being as she was, she could not help but see herself standing there. Flora blinked, then blinked again and saw the same exact image of herself standing next to Faragonda's desk. She saw herself in the whisping clothes and the green hair and eyes standing right there. When she walked towards the chair, life sprouted at her feet; plants and flowers grew from where she placed her foot, and when she stepped up, those plants and flowers wilted and died. The same process happened over and over again until the creature was standing right in front of Flora; the sunlight never reached her as the creature soared to a great height, taking up the entire room. All sorts of plants and flowers grew from her dress and took control of the room; vines crept along the walls and floor as flowers sprouted from them. It opened its mouth, and without a sound, the windows shattered, letting the warmth of the sun in, making the plants grow at a faster pace.
In less than two minutes, Faragonda's office was turned into a jungle of various plant and animal life. Insects buzzed around and arachnids formed their webs in the corners of the room and niches of tree trunks and branches. Flowers dotted the floor with their lovely scents and their dazzling colours. Snakes, birds and small animals made their homes in nooks and crannies in different areas of the room. Nature was brimming so much here that Flora could hear the hum of life as it surrounded her. Its very breath rustled her hair as she sat there in the room, surrounded by life of all sizes and matter.
A crack brought her attention to the mirror where the figure first appeared. Flora turned her head and saw that there was a giant line running diagonally on the mirror's surface, but the creature was nowhere to be seen. Flora looked again and saw it trapped inside the mirror, its figure getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared completely. As if a breath washed over her, Flora turned around and saw that the office was back to how it was before; all the plants and animals were gone, and Faragonda was looking at Flora with a peculiar look through her bespectacled eyes.
"I see, so she already has an influence on you."
"W-what just happened, Headmistress?"
Faragonda waited several seconds before speaking. "That was but a fraction of Gaea's power. She knows that you are here. Not only that, but she also senses that you are ready to carry out her will. Ever since you and the girls have reached your levels of Believix, along with the Sophix and Lovix, your powers have increased immensely. Gaea has taken notice of this; she feels that you are ready to do what she has planned you for."
"I d-don't understand- I thought you said that she died-"
"My child, nature cannot fully die, you above all else should know this. No, Gaea is very much alive, though she is not in her true form- she doesn't need one- she can communicate to you through nature, just like you do when you talk to the trees and other plants. Her voice falls on the wind and, like a message, is delivered to you."
"But that creature- the one that came from your mirror… wasn't that…?"
"I may have been frozen in time, but I did witness what was going on. Such is the power of a goddess. I saw what she did, and though it may have only taken place in your mind, nature cannot be hidden from anyone. Gaea may be an ambiguous goddess, but her intentions are pure. She wants to keep Earth and all other planets alive for as long as possible. Her mission is similar to what you and the girls had to go through on Earth; making humans believe in fairies. Gaea is attempting to do the same, though she wants to make humans stop abusing the planet and poisoning it. She is merciful, but it can only last for so long. It will only be a matter of time before she seeks vengeance on those who have done wrong, and this is where you come in, Flora."
Flora slumped back into the chair, waiting for Faragonda to continue. It seemed that her entire life was being told to her by her headmistress, though there was little Flora could do to say anything about it, as if her existence had been planned to accomplish one thing only.
"Like Morgana, who wanted revenge against humans, Gaea may attempt the same. She has chosen you because of your nature towards others; your positive thinking, your bright outlook on life, and your never-ending struggle to see the good in everything and everyone. She admires how you faced your fears; not by running away, but delving deep to figure out the problem, and thus coming up with the solution. Of course, being the guardian fairy of Linphea must also be taken into consideration, but it was foretold, before you were born, the Sage predicted it; you would carry out Gaea's will, thus trying to find a way to make humans and nature coexist with one another."
Flora knew her headmistress was not finished. This task seemed easy enough, and using her Sophix powers could help her greatly with this since the people of Earth believed in fairies.
"However," Flora's heart sank, "there is something you must know. To complete this task would seem easy enough, as you already possess the right tools to make things right amongst humans and nature, but it goes beyond that. Earth has taken drastic measures to secure the environment, and have accomplished much in ways of preventing more pollution and abuse to nature, but it is not enough… Flora, planet Earth is dying. No matter what means humans take, it is not enough to make up for the thousands of years of damage caused through evolution. Earth's death is inevitable, and with Gaea's waning powers, she can't hold out much longer."
She was at a loss; it was one thing to restore a tree or a plant back to life, but an entire planet?
"I-I wouldn't know how, Headmistress… this is an entire planet, not just a cluster of plants and trees… I can't… I don't…"
"What Gaea is asking of you Flora will not be easy. It is a great sacrifice- one that must be thought of carefully. I would have liked to given you a time frame of when this might take place, but since this is Gaea we are talking about, the sacrifice is something that no one should have to face… Whatever choice you make Flora, know that I, and your friends, will be by your side the whole time."
Flora was silent for several moments. Faragonda had not said what her sacrifice would be, and she had a feeling that whatever it was would not be something she would willingly give. "What is the sacrifice that Gaea wishes of me?"
Faragonda closed her eyes, her hands folded beneath her chin, contemplating on telling Flora or not. Seeing as how the answer would come about whether she wanted to give it or not, Faragonda wanted Flora to hear it from her than from Gaea herself. Knowing such a task would be needed to be tread with caution, Faragonda chose her words carefully.
"Gaea, she wishes for you to give up your body to become one with the Earth and use your powers to bring back life to that planet."
To be continued…
