Previously: "A...group challenge, to see what kind of level they're on..."
It had been three days now, and the reality of the challenge was fully on them now. They had to climb this crazy mountain. In the first ten minutes, Stella had already wanted to back out twice, and since then, everyone had thought about it at least once, well, almost everybody. In the three days they had been on that mountain, not once had Galin stopped thinking about the feather on the peak. Not once did he stop for a break, not once did he think of quitting. He was determined to get that feather, if it was the last thing he did.
"Tecna, can you see if there's an easier way up in the near area? This trail is getting harder to climb." Bloom asked from the end of the line of fairies.
"I've already looked several times Bloom, this is the only way up, and I'm afraid it's going to be a while before we have an area large enough to set up camp." Tecna replied. "You are right, though, it is getting harder to climb."
"Girls, we have no other options, we have to take this path. We'll have to make do. Look at the Guardians for goodness sake, they're totally without any fall protection, and they're just trucking along." Galin interrupted. "If we hurry, we might make it to the camp before nightfall." That got the Winx to move faster. In the twilight realm, there wasn't much of a lighting difference between night and day. The biggest difference was the monsters that came after you in the night. If you weren't properly camped, you would be monster bait in mere minutes.
"We're finally here." Bloom panted. "I can't believe it took us three hours just to walk three hundred feet up a mountain." It had been quite the trek, but they had made it to their new campsite. It was Flora's turn to set up camp, and Roxy had volunteered to get food. It wasn't long before three large trees sat on the shelf that was to be their camp, with very dense foliage, and natural ladders in their trunks. They were comfortable enough, and the three bears Roxy sent out came back with some fish and berries, which Bloom cooked. Around the flamelash that Flora grew on the edge of the camp, Galin sat with the rest of the Winx.
"So, tomorrow we should reach the last campsite. After that, it's all vertical climbing. I think that if we do it just right, in three days we should be back here, and ready to head back down the mountain." Everyone seemed to be relieved that they were almost done on the mountain. While they were on it, Layla and Musa had both achieved Shadix level, but they weren't very good with it yet, and even when they got better, that was still only three Shadix fairies, not the six they would need to take on Zoltan.
The next morning, the group got up early, and headed out along the path. It had only been an hour or so, when they came across a giant rock in the way of the path. A large wall stood next the boulder, and it was riddled with handholds. "Well girls, looks like we're going rock climbing." They climbed the wall, and found themselves at the bottom of the giant face they would have to climb to reach the mountain's peak. "Ladies first?" Stella shook her head wildly.
"Look at the size of that storm." She pointed to a large swirling cloud that hung above the top of the mountain. "I am not going up there."
"Miss Faragonda, I think I might have a lead on that box of yours."
"Oh, come in Felicia, and sit." The young fairy sat in one of more comfortable chairs, and gave the headmistress a very serious look.
"I think it may have gone to earth."
"Earth? Why?"
"I was visiting relatives on Tir-Nan-Og, when I heard about a star shower that had happened the night before. Apparently it was full of energy, to the point where it was dangerous just to watch it. I spoke with some of my friends, and they told me that that sort of thing only happened when a major magical event was happening, or going to happen soon, on Earth."
"When was this?"
"About three weeks ago, I think."
"Thank you. I would like you to go and get professor Wizgiz."
"I'm glad I could help." Felicia left the room, and quickly ran off in the direction of the quad.
"I sure hope the Winx are okay, and the locket is safe."
A full fledged fight had broken out. "Bloom, we can't climb that wall, it's suicide!"
"We have to Stel, we have to get up there, or the feather could get blown away!"
"What's more important? The feather? Or our lives?!"
"Obviously not the feather, but we still need it!"
"Girls, please stop!" Unfortunately, nothing any of the other fairies tried could stop the battle that was raging between Stella and Bloom.
"Girls! Quit it!" Stella stopped for a second, surprised by the volume and feeling that Flora had put into her shout. "We need to stay here Bloom, if we don't, we could wind up dead. We were told that the feather would be up there, so chances are it's either really heavy, or there are a lot of them."
"Flora, we can't take that risk! What if part of the challenge is to get through that storm without our powers to rely on?"
"Bloon has a point." Musa cut in. "I wouldn't be happy if that turned out to be the case." The fighting picked back up again.
"Galin, you need to stop this. You're leader, use that power to stop this fight before they use their powers and lose us the challenge!" Layla told Galin as they stood there, watching the fight unfold.
"But I'm not really leader! I took the role so we could get going, I didn't expect this kind of thing to happen, I have no idea what to do!"
"Then wing it. But you have to do something, and fast."
Galin stepped forward, and put his hand on Stella's shoulder. "Stella, can you stop for a minute, so I can talk to everybody?" Stella stopped, and the other three fighting fairies stopped when they saw Stella had. "Thank you."
"Listen up everybody, I need to talk with everybody for a minute." The Winx stopped, and were soon joined by the Guardians, who were rather interested in what was going on. "I am the group's leader, and because of that position, I have a decision that I have to make, despite my being torn down the middle in the matter. You have all trusted me with your lives, and I have trusted you to trust my judgements. Now, I must ask you to do this without question, because I know in my heart that this is the only way to do this. We need to continue, up into the storm. It may seem like it's crazy, but I have a feeling that it's what needs to be done. At the start of this quest, we joined our hearts in judgement, and we will stay joined." Galin turned to face Flora. "Flora, when it was your turn to look for food, you considered backing out. But you didn't, because your friends were here, and you will stick with them until the absolute end." Galin turned to face Stella this time. "This is the same. We will stick together until the absolute end, because we must." Suddenly a bright light came from the locket that Galin wore. It now had an ornate design on the door.
"Is that his Charmix?"
"Probably."
"I think so."
"Uh, what's this?" Galin asked, shocked at the transformation that had just occurred.
"It's your Charmix, it's like a power up for your powers. You can call it, and you'll get a temporary boost to your powers."
"Nice. So, with us all agreed, we can take a lunch break, and then we start the climb."
Woot! Finally updated this! So, for those of you are are adventureous, you should really read my Rainbow Magic stories, because soon Reviving magic will have some new things added to it, things I am quite sure you will enjoy. Otherwise, I am having a contest, you can read the details in the aouther's note of Reviving Magic chapter 5, blah blah blah, you know the drill. Vote on my poll on my profile, and review to speed updates up!
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