Hey everyone, I'm back. Got a new job and now I have more time to write. In fact, I knew I would have more time to work on fanfics, but I totally didn't expect to have so much time to be able to write at the job. Neat, huh? Well anyway, here's another chapter. I hope you'll enjoy it.
Oh and guys, if you'll have any suggestions, ideas to improve story, just say so, I am always happy to read some. Now, without further ado, ENJOY!
Dead silence filled the throne room. Bloom… mighty and honorable princess of Domino kingdom has stolen one of mightiest powers of universe.
"What did you say?" Oritel was giving both Drakens a very angry look "You dare accuse my beloved daughter of stealing such a power? How… how dare you?"
He was certainly on verge of losing it, but a sudden word stopped him "It's truth."
All turned towards open doors, where princess Daphne stood. She was leaning against the doorframe. She wasn't looking at them, she didn't want to face them, but she also knew she had to. Drakens figured out what was happening. She felt… broken "All they said… was true."
"Daphne?" Marion was shocked to say the least. Not just that Bloom did it, but that Daphne knew and didn't tell anyone.
"Princess." Alex faced her "Please, tell us all you know."
Daphne's hands turned into fists. She was forcing herself to do it. Alex saw that much. Her face was so full of sadness and regret. Daphne was obviously conflicted, broken, torn apart… all she could do was put all her trust into Drakens "I… I'm so sorry. I should have told everyone sooner."
"What do you mean?" Oritel couldn't believe it. Did his children really have such terrible secret? Why hasn't he noticed?
"Few years back… right after news of Princess Aisha's death… Bloom rushed into my chamber. Nick is devastated. She yelled. She wanted my help to… to find that bastard who hurt our brother." Tears were running down her cheeks "I… I should have told someone. I should have stopped her. I knew she would go there even without me, so I went with her."
"Daphne…" Marion caught herself clenching dress by her heart. Tear was escaping her eye as well. Her daughter was now before her, crying and she knew it was nowhere near end.
"We… we tracked him down. Darkar. Deep beneath Magix."
"Shadowhaunt." Alex said, remembering how Bloom described him the stalactite fortress deep below surface.
Daphne nodded and whipped some tears off. She was sobbing, crying. Her sleeve absorbed the tears, but more were coming "We fought many creatures of darkness. She went ahead, so desperate to punish Darkar. By the time I got to her… I only saw a portal. I went through and there she was. Darkar lied on ground, dead. Bloom was standing over him… holding a red flower. She… I watched as she put flower to her heart… and absorbed it."
Her tears were becoming greater and greater "I promised… I promised I wouldn't tell anyone. I promised I'd protect her, but… I failed."
"She got drunk with power, right?" Alex replied coldly, still watching crying princess as she leaned against doorframe, nodding.
"I…" her tears were sinking into her dress, rushing down her cheeks and neck "I should have done something, but… I was too weak. She became much more powerful than I am. She became more and more distant, almost dark. I had to keep being the stronger one. But every time I became stronger, she caught up to me."
"And so you two…" Marion gasped covering her mouth "You two became rivals."
"I caught myself hating her for saying she would have my Dragon Flame." Daphne continued "When Drakens told us the story… I was furious. I hate myself for it."
Marion didn't wait for anything. She couldn't bear it any longer. She rushed forward to her crying daughter and closed her tightly in her embrace. They both cried as Daphne hugger her back, letting each other's tears disappear in their shoulders.
Oritel smiled at Alex and he understood. Without saying a word, he gestured Ivan to follow him and he gladly did so. King then joined his wife and daughter in a hug as two Drakens walked away. Before them appeared a mist and as they stepped inside, only two flashes of light filled white cloud.
Next day
Alex thought deeply about last few days, sitting in a window frame of his room on Earth. He hasn't heard of Bloom or Domino family since that emotional moment. All Drakens were on Earth again, safely guarding it from all evils. But what of Magical Dimension? How was Bloom? How did she take Diaspro's wedding with Sky? How are things on Solaria?
Plus he promised Nerina he'd teach her how to use Penonym technique.
Maybe he should return to Domino, at least to check on Bloom. Poor thing. She just lost everything. Earth family, friends, her whole life turned upside down.
Knocking on his door cut his train of thought though "Alex, may I come in?"
"Sure, mom." He replied and doors opened. Alex's mother, Teira, was a pretty lady. Their family was big and rich, but she didn't like any royal clothes. She was wearing summer two-piece swimsuit with semi-transparent skirt. She was really thin and yet well built. Her blonde hair were reaching down to shoulders and her red eyes were remind everyone she was daughter of former Draken of Fire. Alex's eyes would turn red eventually as well and eyes of his children will be just as crimson.
"Alex, honey." She stepped and sat on his bed "Others are ready to begin. Are you sure you don't want to join them?"
She was referring to liberating Earth fairies. He didn't want to go there. For a simple reason, he would most certainly meet Roxy and although thought of reuniting with her was truly exciting. He couldn't bare thought that she'd found someone else. Just possibility was painful, so he forced himself not to ever think of her. It wasn't that he'd know if she had some boyfriend, it was just the thought of watching her with someone else that terrified him.
"Nah, they don't need 3 Drakens there. Antalia and Ivan will do the job just fine."
Teira just sighed heavily "Honey, you cannot just suppress your love to her. Go and see."
"Mom." He cut her off "I don't want to. I had a chance… and it was taken from me."
"So you're going to live your life in uncertainty?" she snapped back.
"Mom, we both know what fate has in store for me." He replied coldly. Raising his arm, looking at it, he spoke calmly and with hint of sadness "I can feel it spreading. Every day… I know my time is coming."
Teira sat there, head hung down "Yes, I wish things turned out differently."
"Me too." He replied "But… I think I found a good successor."
"Good." Teira smiled a little "Listen, Alex, why don't you use time you have to do things you want? You can travel over the universe, make new friends, and reunite old ones. And… you can experience true love."
True love… Alex thought of Roxy that way. He loved her, but… he always regretted his confession to her. How could he? He knew what fate has in store for him and yet… he was selfish enough to make a girl bear strong feelings for him. No, he must not allow his mistake to repeat. He got another chance… he must not let Roxy even know about him.
Another knock on door interrupted their conversation. In came a brown-haired maid "Excuse me, lord Hiros asks for your presence, both of you."
"Thank you." Alex gestured her to leave. Maid bowed and walked out.
"What might be so important?" Teira asked as they both got up and headed out.
Penonym mansion was truly state of the art. On first sight, one saw only an old castle in the middle of nowhere. However, although all halls and chambers still had traditional medieval look, palace was filled with cutting edge technology. Completely independent in every manner.
Palace on top, but huge underground chambers beneath. Whole fields, farms and lake were spreading beneath the area. Enlightened by thousands of artificial suns that could simulate even moonlight. Mighty generators pulling energy from depths of Earth itself were powering every single device.
If anyone laid siege on this palace, its inhabitants would live without any worry for many, many years.
Two of them hurried through these halls, meeting their family members here and there, until they entered where throne room once was. This big chamber now served only to hold banquets, parties or strategy meetings of heads of families.
As they entered, they saw Hiros, Alex's father, standing before a hologram screen. Hiros always wore family robe, similar to Alex's. His hair were dark brown, almost black. His eyes reflected fire within their blood. He was a muscular man, who took his position as Head of Penonym family very seriously. He often was forgetting that Alex was actually above him, as Draken of Prometheus's fire.
"Fahter…" Alex spoke "What is happening?"
"I'm afraid we have bad news." Hiros replied, stepping aside so hologram screen could be visible clearly "We sent a team to Omega Dimension."
"I know, to check on Valtor." Alex interrupted him, but then let him continue.
"We lost contact with them."
"What?!" Both Teira and Alex yelled, but Teira continued "What happened to them?"
Alex was kinda worried too. He knew his big brother, Tomas, went there as well. But Tomas was very powerful, as next head of family should be. He couldn't just fall. No… not even Valtor would be able to get him. Omega Ice dragons then? They keep planet frozen… but his element is fire… ice shouldn't be so much of a problem.
"We…" Hiros sighed "we didn't know, until Bloom called me."
"Bloom?"
"She said that some group is targeting magical archives of many kingdoms." He continued and pushed few buttons on screen. A symbol appeared… one that Alex knew too well. A circle and Y or V going through it…
"Valtor." Hands of young Draken clenched into fists. He was truly angry… this man… was actually worst enemy Winx have ever faced. Bloom stopped him because of their same powers. She could merge her soul with his and destroy him. But this man… he was strong enough to destroy entire universe.
"Precisely." Hiros nodded "We suspect he somehow managed to take control of our team and that he's using them to gain as much power as possible."
"But… without Winx Club…" Teira gasped "There is nobody to stop him."
"Then we'll reassemble them." Alex spoke up again. This time, he was grinning. He planned to reunite Winx Club again, but not before Bloom masters her powers. Oh well, not like he had anything better to do "Dad, call Bloom to meet me at Alfea. I'll make few calls."
Hiros could only nod. His son was about to reassemble new Company of Light… he had to help him, despite not liking his son giving him orders "Good luck, Alex."
Alex only turned on heel and walked out of room. So far he pretty much worried only about Bloom's well-being, but now there was a threat they both had to face. If Valtor is allowed to gather all those spells once again, not even Drakens will be enough to stop him. He must reunite Winx, make them a team and help them defeat this evil.
As one old man once told him "When evil rises, there is always light to fight it."
