Chapter 9

Hello, everyone! Here's the new chapter. Onwards with the story - QueenNothingness

I suggest you listen to:

Dua Lipa - New Rules

Game of Thrones Soundtrack - Dance of Dragons

Utada Hikaru - Passion

Getting back into the routine of going to school was not easy in the least. Ember had taken the habit to sleep in during her vacation, and it was clear that her body still remembered it that way. "Ember? Ember, you need to wake up!" she heard a voice say. "One more minute." she muttered, putting her pillow over her head. "Lisna is right, Ember. You'll be late if you do not get up now. You still need to shower and prepare." Mirta said. Ember groaned and opened her eyes, looking blearily at her friend and pixie.

"You think after a week you'd be used to the new ryhthm." Mirta laughed, already half dressed. "Get up, sleepyhead. Otherwise you'll miss breakfast." Lisna grinned. Ember nodded. "Sorry, I have still some difficulty getting up." She took her towel and bathstuff and went into the shower. She finally started to wake up.

By the time she was putting on her sneakers, Mirta already had her books in hand. "Come on, or we'll miss breakfast. It's bacon and eggs this morning." Mirta tried to catch Ember's attention. "Really? I do like the bacon here in Alfea." Ember smirked, taking her books and following Mirta out of the door.

She was wolfing down her bacon and eggs, when the Winx came walking in. "I am so happy to be going to Lymphea. I have not seen Miele in ages." she heard Flora say, who sat down next to her. "Hi, Ember! How are you?" Ember muttered something with her mouth full, causing Layla to laugh who was sitting across her. "You seem to enjoy breakfast?" she grinned, putting some bacon on her plate. "Yes, I was really hungry this morning." Ember admitted, cheeks reddening a little bit. " I do as well. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all." Layla winked, Mirta nodding. "What did you say about Linphea, Flora?" she asked. "We're going to my homeplanet. We're going to visit the boys at Linphea College who are doing some exercises there. Elion is there as well." Flora smiled, Ember coughing in her food. Clarissa, who was sitting next to her, grinned. "Ah yes, your soon to be boyfriend." Ember blushed and hit her friend on her arm, Emma bursting out laughing, her long blonde, almost white curled hair flying around her as she moved her head. "He is not. We barely even talk." Ember muttered, taking a gulp from her glass of water. "Sky told me Elion does like you. He may seem very cold, but he is just reserved and doesn't really always know how to react. Try talking to him some more." Bloom suggested.

Later that day, Clarissa and Ember were walking towards the doors to go outside, the fairy of autumn talking about her boyfriend. He was a paladin, and was part of the group going to Linphea. "He said he needed it to better his training. His father is head of the palaceguard on Eraklyon, and he'd like to follow in his footsteps." Clarissa explained, Mirta listening attentively. "But that's a good thing. It means he has already figured out what he wants to with his life. Better that than doing nothing with your life because you do not know what you want to become." Mirta answered, Emma and Ember nodding affirmatively. "You're from Eraklyon?" Ember asked. Clarissa nodded, noticing they had already arrived at Paladium's classroom. Ember sighed. "Well, I need to be here. I'll see you later at dinner." Ember said, waving as the three girls went towards outside. Ember knocked on the door, feeling her nerves rising. "Come in." she heard a voice say. As Ember walked in, she saw that Paladium was rummaging through a bag. 'Professor?" she asked, eyebrows rising in confusion. "Ember, do come in! You can sit down in that chair." Paladium said, pointing to a chair before his desk. Ember swallowed and nodded, sitting down while wringing her hands.

Paladium walked around his desk, sitting down. A silence fell over the room, Paladium looking attentively at Ember. "Why don't you tell me some more about your parents and life before Alfea, Ember?" he asked, Ember stuttering when she was taken offguard by the question. "E-Excuse me?" she stuttered. Palladium smiled softly. "Do you live with your parents? Where do you live...?" he motioned with his hand. "My parents are dead." Ember blurted out. "They...they died in a caraccident when I was two years old. I've been raised by my Aunt Susanna ever since." she said, nerves calming down. "I had a normal life up until Alfea. I went to school, was an okay student, I spent my free time reading and walking in the forest, parc,... I like being outside." Ember said. Paladium nodded, writing some things down in a notebook. "And the first time your powers showed themselves?" he asked, looking intently at Ember. "Well, there was a storm, more like a hurricane really." Ember said, remembering what happened. "I went to the parc, waiting for my aunt to pick me up. Than it blurred..." Ember looked outside the window. "There was some kind of darkish blue diamond, shining a blue light towards me. My aunt says it engulfed me and than I lost consciousness. "

Paladium nodded and kept on writing. "There is something you are not telling me. I can see you hesitating, Ember. It's okay to tell me; we're both here to figure your powers out." Paladium amended, Ember sighing. "I recently found out my father was probably from Odos, and that is the reason I am a fairy. He had a necklace with a diamond on it, diamonds that are only cultivated on Odos. Everytime I lose control, there is a male voice talking to me. And than recently, I dreamt of my father. I think... he has something to do with it. Whit my powers, with that diamond..." Ember said, shaking her head. Paladium hummed, thinking deeply.

"There is indeed a possibility your father is from Odos and in due time we will figure that out. I have deducted from this you only lose control if you are in mortal danger, you get very angry or people you consider family, friends, and so on are threatened. I think your powers were dormant and with you being in danger during that storm, since you are the fairy of air, they activated themselves to protect you. We'll just need to figure out a way when you do get that feeling you're losing control, we can change it into a way that you can use it to access your full powers." Paladium explained. "When Icy attacked Mirtha, your eyes went blue. We need to find a way when you get into such a state, you are coherent enough to use it to your advantage. In that moment, your powers rule you. We need to find a way to turn the tables around, so you are in control at all times."

Ember nodded, Paladium standing up and motioning for Ember to do the same. "We'll start with a good dose of mediation. We'll go by the lake, it's calm there." Ember smiled, following Paladium out of the door. They found a spot next to the lake, a gentle breeze blowing around them. Paladium sat crosslegged across Ember, Ember mimicking his posture. "First, you'll need to clear your mind. Than when you have done that, I want you to remember the emotions you felt when you were in danger and when Mirta was attacked by Icy." Ember nodded, closing her eyes and emptying her mind. She grew calm, listening to the sound of nature around them. "Very well, now try to think about your emotions when Alfea was attacked last year." Paladium said, gaze locked on Ember, notebook at the ready to jot down notes. Ember took in a deep breath, and thought about that.

While her memories filled her head, the wind around her began to blow harder, her hands shaking. Paladium raised an eyebrow, seeing that Ember's breathing was picking up. Ember herself had gone into such a deep state of meditation, it felt as if she was reliving it again. I cannot do this! She thought, panic clouding her mind. Not again, never again! She thought desperately. Ember opened her eyes, her eyes a darkblue hue. No way that I will ever be that helpless again! Paladium raised an eyebrow, Ember's darkblue eyes looking at him. Air was crackling around her, a storm beginning above them. "Ember? Ember, it's okay. Try to come back to the present. Ember!" Paladium asked, grabbing her arm.

Ember heard a voice faraway, still submerged in her memories of Icy's attack. Ember. Try to come back to the present. Ember blinked, the memory being replaced by Professor's Paladium face. "Uh, what?" she asked, not sure what happened. "You went back into that state, your eyes turned blue. But you did come back once I called your name. You seem to have more control than you think, Ember." Paladium said. Ember sighed, feeling the adrenaline still in her body. She shuddered. "You did well. Let me analyse this, I'll see you in two days. " Ember nodded as Paladium stood up. "Thank you Professor." Paladium shook his head and smiled. "I have something for you." By magic, a blue notebook summoned itself from the air. "I want you to write down in this notebook everytime you lose control, everytime you dream of your father, anything you may think has to do with your powers. It will help us to understand it better." Ember nodded and took it.

When she came walking in her room, ready to take a hot bath and than do her homework, she was greeted by an unusual sight. Clarissa was crying, Mirta patting her back in support. "What happened?" Ember asked, looking at Emma who shook her head. Clarissa looked up, her midlong brown hair a frazzled mess. "Something went wrong on Linphea. They were attacked by something and my boyfriend, he was petrified!" Clarissa wailed, head burried in her arms. "Petrified? As in the legend of Medusa?" Ember asked, sitting next to Clarissa and squeezing her arm. "Apparently there were some dragons that attacked them, they have petrifiying rays. Clarissa's boyfriend was trying to protect some of the young fairies, and got petrified." Emma explained, sighing. "The Winx are trying to find a way to turn them to normal but, they haven't been succesfull until now."

"I'm so sorry, Clarissa." Ember hugged her friend, looking at Mirta. She shook her head, worried gaze in her eyes. They didn't dare to say it, but they all thought the same.

If even the Winx didn't know how to help, who could?