"He stopped running." Musa landed on the ground, trying to find the footsteps again.
"He?" Bloom raised an eyebrow.
"Definitely a he, the footsteps were really heavy. But now it's gone. He probably found what he wanted." The music-fairy frowned.
Stella groaned. "He could be anywhere! This place has hundreds of corridors he might have already reached!"
"Will you shut up and let me focus?" Musa snapped and bit back her teeth. Her expression soon brightened. "Voices! And words! Faint ones, but enough to lead us I'd say." She scanned the hallway for a moment before pointing out to her left. "This way!"
"What does he say?" Bloom asked as they ran along the corridor, Musa still trying to keep her focus.
"Well, it sounds like he has company..." Musa raised an eyebrow and spoke the words she heard.
'I'm glad you're here.'
'But why are you here?'
"And the other voice?" Tecna eyed their surroundings, trying to figure out where they were heading.
"A she, clearly."
'The thing exploded.'
"What exploded?"
"The barrier did, Stella," Musa snorted, trying to get back to listening.
'Say something.'
Musa gasped when she almost ran into a wall, losing her focus for a moment.
'...too much of a coward...'
"I don't think I like where this is heading." Bloom bit her lip.
"Or where we're heading." Tecna pointed out a familiar door. "Faragonda's office right ahead."
Bloom sauntered to the door, hesitating a bit before knocking. After receiving no answer, Stella gestured to the door handle and the redhead pushed it down.
"Miss Faragonda, we—" She felt a sudden lack of words when the door opened. The view was surprising if nothing else.
Faragonda was there, but so was the man they had chased. Hagen. They stood there, arms wrapped around each other, engaged in a kiss. They both wore a similar bright smile as they parted, paying little to no attention to the girls.
"Well..." Bloom began.
"About the time, I guess," Stella continued.
"But don't by any means mind us," Musa added, sarcasm clear in her voice.
"Oh." Faragonda backed away from Hagen (who didn't look too pleased about the interruption) and laughed nervously. "Pardon us. You had something for me?"
"Yes, Miss," Tecna said with a nod, being probably the only one of the group, who could form proper sentences at the moment. She continued in a formal tone, "The Red Fountain ship arrived, but the soldiers are still taking over. They're inside this building already and we have no idea how far they've gotten."
Faragonda nodded calmly and turned to Hagen. "Could you give the girls and I a moment?"
Hagen seemed reluctant and sighed. "Fine then. Maybe I could help in the battle, now that I'm getting driven out."
Faragonda smiled. "Take care."
"Ditto." Hagen pressed a quick kiss on her lips before rushing past the fairies and closing the door behind himself.
Stella cleared her throat. "Now, before anything serious... Since when?"
Bloom elbowed her friend lightly on the side and gave her a pointed glare. "Definitely not the best time," she hissed.
Faragonda didn't seem to mind. She leaned on her table and lowered her gaze in a shy manner, tugging her scarf on the top of all. "Since few minutes ago. I suppose you saw him coming, am I right? Hagen told about seeing the shield being destroyed while he was visiting a friend at the Magix City."
A smile tugged her lips. "After some stammering and worrying he told me he... Loves me. Wanted to tell before either of us kicks the bucket." She chuckled a bit, keeping her gaze still on the floor. "So he might have been just on time," she mumbled.
"What?" Bloom raised her eyebrows a bit at the last statement.
"You don't face an army like this every day, do you?" Faragonda adjusted her glasses. "Besides, there's something more... And I want you to know it." She picked a crumpled piece of paper from the desk, straightening it a bit before handing it to the girls.
"Is this the note from earlier?" Bloom narrowed her eyes to read the messed-up writing.
"Yes. Can you read it?"
After a second of studying, Bloom nodded without removing her eyes from the note.
They're coming for you, sweetheart. No hard feelings.
—MM
"Does this mean..?" Bloom got no chance to finish her sentence. Faragonda's eyes suddenly widened and she rushed to the door, pushing the girls with her. "Out. Now."
The confused group obeyed and in a second they stood outside. Faragonda closed the door swiftly and kept her hand against it.
"With all due respect, Miss, why we had to leave?" Musa asked, blinking rapidly.
The door and ground shook violently along with a loud explosion, which caused Stella to nearly lose her footing. Faragonda waited for a while before opening the door again.
The office was completely wrecked. The desk and the couch were nothing more than piles of ash and burnt wood. The bookshelf was burning and falling into pieces and there was nothing left of the books that had been on it. Only the large mirror was left untouched.
"That was more straight-forward than earlier." If Bloom wouldn't have known better, she could have thought Faragonda was somewhat amused.
"They're here for... You?" Musa breathed.
Faragonda nodded, wrinkling her nose a bit at the terrible burning stench, which made Bloom's stomach do a back-flip and breakfast creep up her throat. "Only partially. Though Mortuus seems really eager to have my head brought to him on a plate." She closed the door. "I've had my office cursed twice before this. That old madman..."
"But... Why?" Bloom asked, voicing the thoughts of all the girls.
Faragonda hesitated for a moment, seeming to have hard time choosing right words. "The two of us... We didn't really get along in the past."
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind that. But let's say he wants revenge of the years he had to spend at Light Haven." Faragonda sighed. "Remind me to have a word with the monks. They shouldn't have freed him."
Another, though a bit milder explosion sounded further away, accompanied with screaming.
Faragonda frowned, balling her fists. "Girls, you must go now," she ordered in a calm voice. "You'll be needed elsewhere."
Bloom glanced at the direction of the explosion and then Faragonda. "But you... What if they..."
Faragonda swung her hand. "I'll be just fine. The four of you and I already survived one of those, didn't we? But I want to meet you again in about half an hour, which would be..."
"10:24 from this moment exactly," Tecna informed.
"Yes. Come to the staff room at that time. You'll find a new door from there. I'll be waiting for you."
Another explosion.
Musa grimaced. "Let's go, guys. This is racking my ears."
The girls lowered their heads as a farewell for Faragonda before turning to rush away.
"Oh, and one more thing!" the headmistress called after them. When the group stopped with questioning looks on their faces, she smiled. "Please, don't tell Hagen anything about this. He'd just worry for nothing."
