Chapter Nine - Mandragora's Attack On Alfea
Mandragora's army attacked that night. Just after Miriam, Niobe, and Luna had returned from the Red Fountain school. And Alfea was unsuspecting.
Miriam had been sleeping when she heard the first thud. She scrambled out of her bed and rushed to the window of the dorm room. Luna came up behind her as she peered outside. "What is it?" Luna asked.
"Mandragora." Miriam gasped. She turned and went running from the room, passing many groggy students coming out of their own rooms.. Luna was on her heels, and soon Niobe had joined up with them at the head of the stair well leading down to the main floor. They descended the stairs quickly, and headed to the courtyard.
"What are we going to do? Those bugs are tough! There is no way we can take her whole army on!" Niobe exclaimed.
"Some will have gone to Red Fountain. Remember, Mandragora wants to kill some boy too, just because he met Miriam." Luna gave a small laugh. "Sounds like an angry parent kind of thing. Or an overprotective parent."
"But who? Miriam's met plenty of boys." Niobe pointed out.
"Oritel." Miriam answered.
Both Niobe and Luna looked at Miriam in surprise. "Oritel?" Luna repeated. "Why Oritel? He's not overly special or anything."
Miriam shrugged. "I've got a feeling okay. And, well, he's…he…I'm a bit closer to him than I am to the other boys I've met." Miriam felt heat in her cheeks and ducked her head down quickly.
"You mean…Miriam? Are you and Oritel an item?" Luna asked, intrigued by the turn in the conversation.
"No…well…not quite…Luna! We've got to protect Alfea! Focus!" Miriam snapped, irritated by Luna's delight. She pushed open the doors and they stumbled onto the battle scene. Faculty and students had gathered in organized groups to receive instruction for when the bugs broke through. Miriam, Luna, and Niobe quickly hurried over to a group of first years being led by the transformation professor, Wizgiz.
"Ladies. The first thing you need to focus on is not panicking. I know you haven't had any experience battling real battles with real villains that aren't controlled by some experienced faculty member and regulated by laws according to the Magical Education council…" A loud thud cut the leprechaun professor off. There was a huge crash and the protective barrier shattered, the pieces disappearing as they fell. Screams and battle cries filled Alfea then. Many of the older students transformed immediately into Winx and other more intricate transformations. The much younger students either stared or began screaming in terror.
"Transform now!" Headmistress Heatherue commanded. The shout echoed about the grounds, despite the cacophony of yells and roars. Many fairies over came their sudden fears and followed the order. Soon the courtyard was filled with fairies in glitzy, fashionable outfits and sparkling wings.
Miriam turned and nodded to her two friends. She then raised her fist and shouted. "Winx!" The natural motions of transformation came instinctively and Miriam's powers flowed through her, strengthening her. The exhaustion from being awoken early disappeared as the energy ran through her veins. Her pajamas were replaced with her fairy outfit and her wings. Immediately she fell to action, attacking Mandragora's army with ferocity. "Dragon flame!" Miriam hit a creature about to attack Miss Faragonda.
"Allow me to return the favor!" Miss Faragonda shouted, and she threw a blast at something behind Miriam. Miriam saw a bug behind her crumple.
"Thanks." Miriam called to Miss Faragonda. She scanned the mess before her in search of her friends. Instead she spotted Semara running from a monster. Miriam flew over and disposed of the creature. "Semara. If you aren't going to fight, get inside." Semara just threw Miriam an evil glare, but listened and hurried into the school.
"The creatures attacked much sooner than we thought." Miriam turned and saw Headmistress Heatherue make her way over, disposing of several bugs on her way. "I should've known evil has no respect."
Guilt overcame Miriam. Should she tell the headmistress that the bugs might have come in search of her? She was about to say something when she heard a familiar scream. "Luna!" Miriam was in the air in seconds, searching frantically for her friend. "Luna, I'm coming!" She spotted a glint of pale blue and flew over quickly. "Get off of her!" Miriam threw a blast that knocked the creature off her friend.
"Thanks." Luna said shakily. Miriam pulled the girl to her feet and supported her. "That thing caught me by surprise, that's all. I can fight…" Luna's words grew weak as she went on.
Miriam shook her head. "No, Luna. You've been hurt. I getting you to the school now." Miriam dragged Luna toward a nearby entrance, avoiding ongoing battles. She reached the doors after much effort and ushered Luna inside. "Stay here. Don't be stupid." Miriam left the weakened Luna and returned to the fight outside.
"Ahh!" Miriam jumped as she saw a fairy not too far from her get grabbed from the air and thrown from the air by a flying creature. Miriam felt her her jaw drop in horror as she saw this happen over and over with other unsuspecting fairies.
Niobe landed next to her. "Looks like we've no longer got the air advantage." she commented grimly. "Where's Luna?"
"I brought into the school. She was attacked and hurt." Miriam informed Niobe. She sprang back into the air and attacked some more creatures. " I don't know how much more of this I can take." Miriam confessed to Niobe. "My magic is draining quickly."
"I know! We haven't been conditioned to battle like this!" Niobe threw up a shield to protect Miriam from a bug's attempt. "But they have." Niobe pointed toward the older fairies with the more complex outfits.
"Well, yeah! They've been here longer." Miriam pointed out.
She was about to throw more magic at another creature when something slammed into her. Pain filled her head and body leaving her in a daze. She shook her head and fought the daze. Something had her and she was going higher and higher.
Niobe was trying to catch up to her. "Miriam! Oof!" Niobe was tackled out of the sky by a flying bug.
Miriam struggled. One of the flying creatures had her in its grasp, its claws digging into her waist. She yelped in pain. "Let go!" Miriam cried, releasing the energy she had built up for retaliation. The fire flowed then radiated from her, burning the creature. It roared in pain and dropped her. Miriam was left to fall. She fought to get her wings fluttering, but they didn't seem to listen. "Come on!" Miriam focused hard. The wings listened and Miriam was jerked upward.
"So you've finally shown yourself."
Miriam flinched as she heard the voice echo above the chaos. She turned and saw Mandragora. The sharp featured woman cackled at Miriam's look of horror. "You're afraid. That's good. You'll be easier to take down."
An indignant feeling gushed through Miriam and she clenched her fists. "I'm not afraid. And you won't take me down so easily.
Mandragora threw back her head and laughed again. "I love taking on the young. They think they know all. They are in reality foolish and immature. My mistresses will see that you fall, Miriam. If I don't stop you, they'll stop you. It's as simple as that."
"This is simple too." Miriam threw out her hands and a fiery burst of energy smacked into Mandragora.
"You insufferable brat!" Mandragora threw her own magic at Miriam. Miriam braced her self, but had no way of knowing how hard the magic would hit her. Her wings fluttered irregularly and Miriam fell several feet. "You dare to withstand my magic! You should just give in now! I'll leave your precious Alfea alone!"
"Back away from her!" Niobe shouted and tackled Mandragora.
"Niobe!" Miriam flew after them. The two hit the ground hard. Miriam landed and pulled Niobe away from Mandragora's clutches, dragging her back. The chaos had stopped and the bug creatures and fairies backed away from the three.
"You stupid girl!" Mandragora threw a magic attack.
Miriam struggled, but was able to throw up a shield just in time. Niobe was limp in her arms. "You will pay!" Miriam screamed. She placed Niobe on the ground gently and looked angrily at Mandragora. The embers of her exhausted powers rekindled with her anger. Flames appeared in her hands and she threw them.
Mandragora dodged the attacks and tossed her own at Miriam. "You're going have to better than that little Miriam."
Miriam flew up to avoid the lazy attacks Mandragora was mocking her with. She then flew straight at Mandragora clawing her flames at the woman. Mandragora continued to expertly dodge the attacks, all the while filling the air with cruel comments and annoying laughs. Miriam's anger built up more with each unsuccessful attempt she made to hurt the crazed woman.
"Oh I'm paying." Mandragora said sarcastically. "If I hadn't been interrupted back in Magix, you'd be dead. No doubt about it."
"Who are your mistresses? Are they the evil that threatens the universe?" Miriam shouted.
"You won't get to meet them. I'll kill you first. If you somehow get past me to actually meet them, you'll wish I'd killed you first!"
The fire in Miriam then became unbearable. "No. You will not kill me. Nor will you hurt Oritel!" Miriam let loose the unbearable flame within her, relieving the pressure it had put on her mind and body. The feverish anger left her and she heard Mandragora cry out in surprise and pain. And that was the last thing she heard and saw as she passed out from the overexertion and exhaustion.