Team A was ready to go. Sky and Brandon stood off to the side, watching the group (minus Brandon) packing some equipment into their bags. The guys were in their Specialist uniforms (without the capes) and the girls were in their Explorer Outfits (again).
"I'll make sure we'll all come back," Brandon said, re-equipping his double-edge phantonblade to his belt.
"See that you do. Don't want to start looking for a new squire." Sky's squire looked at him flabbergasted, unsure if he was being serious or just teasing him.
"How long will it take for your data to link up?" Sky asked Tecna as he pull up the holomap from a small disk on his wrist.
"In 0.5 seconds," she looked up from her DataPad screen, "once we get down there."
"I hate dark holes!" Stella whined.
"It's a good thing you're in front," Riven snickered.
"Wait, what?!" Stella screeched.
"Until we get more data on those shadow creatures, you're the only one who can dispel them," Timmy and Tecna said simultaneously, their cheeks turning a light pink.
"Come on guys, we can't have her backing out now," Musa said, coming to her friend's rescue.
"We're all set, Sky," Bloom said, pulling her bag onto her shoulders.
"Is there any way I can change your mind?" Sky sighed. Bloom peck his cheek.
"I'm going Sky, and you knew I was going either with or without your permission," Bloom smiled, jabbing a finger at his chest. Sky quickly caught her finger, pulling her hand to his mouth.
"Figure you would say that. I try though," he kissed the inside of her palm, slowly and deliberately. "That doesn't mean I can't stop worrying about you."
I will always be your knight.
"Sky..."
Whistle!
The duo look over to see Roy and Riven cat-calling and whistling at them, doubling over in laughter.
"I didn't know they were best buds," Bloom said.
"Neither did I," Sky commented, raising an eyebrow.
"If you two are done, I can start my piece of the mission," Aisha glared at the two, her fingers drumming across her forearms.
"Right, right. Sorry, Aisha," Roy said, beckon the Morphix Fairy to step ahead.
"One Morphix Lift, coming right up," Aisha snapped her fingers together and a morphix platform like pulley appear.
"I'm going to lower you guys down. Just comm either me or Helia and I'll bring you guys up," she said.
"Why can't you girls just fly us down there and back?" Riven asked confuse.
"We don't know if we have enough to come back up. We're transforming once we get down there and onward. Besides, you saw what happen last night," Bloom reminded him.
Those things have strong grips to drag her back down when she's flying, Sky agreed, silently.
"If you're done sulking, we need to go while we have daylight," Tecna said, looking at the time.
"I trust you'll look after each other?" Sky asked, earning an eyeroll from his best friend.
"Yes, dad," Brandon mocked salute before joining his team.
"Establish contact through the comms at noon for your status update," Sky added.
"We got this Sky," Bloom mused, placing her right hand over her heart and raising her left hand up in the air. "Guardian of the Dragon Flame's Honor, I swear."
"Get on the platform and let's go!" Stella hollered to her friend. "The sooner we get the started, the sooner I can get back for my mani-pedi!"
"Coming!" Bloom hollered back, running over to the group, waving back to Sky just Aisha began to lower them down.
Once he couldn't see them anymore through the darken hole, he look back to the rising sun.
"Be careful and good luck," he mumbled.
"They're leaving, finally," Nex grumbled, bumping his shoulder against his friend's as he walk pass. Nate look back at him, confuse at to why he's so angry.
"It has to be my coffee. I swear this is the last time I give him my coffee," Nate mumbled, walking into his office. He had to do a double-take when he notice Daphne sitting in the center of open-floating-books.
"Why are you in my office?!" Nate glared at her.
"It seem the perfect to go through these books," Daphne answer politely, not looking up.
"They're leaving," Nate said, unsure of what else he was suppose to say.
"I know," the Nymph reply. The captain stood there, trying to comprehend why she's not going to wish her friends good luck.
"You might be able to say goodbye if you hurry."
"Don't need to."
"Not even a good luck or safe journey?"
"She'll come back. If not, we'll find each other. Always."
"Always?"
"Always."
The Noralian and the Dominian stared at each other. Rubbing his neck at the awkward tension between them, trying to come up with something.
Oh what hell!
"Whatever beef you two have against each other, you two are still sisters. You still care about the other. She would have gone out there to say goodbye if you were in her shoes," Nate ran a hand through his messy hair.
Daphne let out a sigh, the books closing shut as they form a small, neat, pile next to her. She stood up, brushing her dress skirt of dust before inclining her head at him. Then, she was gone.
"Finally," Nate exhaled, happy to have his office to himself before he look down at the offensive objects before him.
"What the fuck do I do with these?!" He shouted, his body slumping down in his chair.
"Ah forget it. She's gone and I can finally start working on this," Nate pulled out a blueprint.
"You just miss them," Sky said, watching Daphne huffing over her bended knees.
"No," she gasped, inhaling much needed air from her dash out of the ship.
"Yeah, sorry. We would have delay it a bit longer if we could," the Specialist patted her shoulders before turning his attention back to Timmy.
"Did the linkage go up online yet, Timmy?" Timmy gave him the thumbs up.
"The linkage is up and running. I'm getting a bunch of data. It would take me some time to construct a map though," Specialist said, his fingers flying over the keyboard as multiple screens move about to create a map.
"Don't push yourself too hard," Helia advised.
"I won't. I probably won't be able to complete it until Tecna is back."
"Do you know when they'll be back?" Daphne asked, her tone laced with worry.
"They're suppose to be back before nightfall," Sky said. "I don't want to take any chances until we know what we are dealing with."
"I agree," Aisha added.
Daphne straighten herself, her gut churning in despair as the link between her and her younger sister slowly fade.
"It's eerily quiet," Stella shuddered.
"Too quiet for my liking," Tecna added, "I'm picking up something but I don't know where."
"Could be those shadowy thingys."
"Could be or something else."
Bloom stare at the surrounding darkness before hugging herself; a cold chill running up and down her spine causing goosebumps to appear on her flesh.
"Bloom?" Brandon looked at her in concern; Riven's eyes casting warily at the seemingly moving darkness.
"A foreboding feeling, I fear," she answered, her voice hitch slightly.
"Well, that never stop us before," Roy said before coughing. "I mean it never stopped you guys before."
Stella gave him a confuse look.
"Tecna, did you connect the link to Timmy's computer?" Riven asked.
"I currently sending data as we speak," the Fairy of Technology said, a small green screen with scrolling numbers and letters undigitizing before her hands.
"We're not going to stand here til sunset to find out if those things will come out or not," his eyes scanning his new team, Brandon eyed Bloom critically. "You girls should transform now while we still have the chance."
"Don't worry, we'll watch your back," Roy added for safe measures. The girls smile slightly, taking up their stances.
"Magix Winx! Bloomix!" They cried.
A whoosh of crackling energy swept around the girls; the roar of a dragon, the bright light of the sun and the silence echoes of the digits drummed through their male friends' ears. Once they were in their Bloomix forms, Stella lit a small orb in her hand, nodding to Bloom.
"Lead the way, my friend." Bloom close her eyes briefly before pointing to their right.
"Wait."
The group turn their attention toward Tecna.
"What now, Tec?" Stella whined, jutting her bottom lip out.
"Let me send in my probes first. There will be areas we will not get to and I want this map out as quickly as possible." Tecna summoned little robotic probes in the shapes of tiny pixie wings.
"Go ahead, Tecna. I'm sure Timmy would be ecstatic to get more layouts," Brandon said. Once the probes disappear in different directs did the group continue in the direction Bloom pointed.
"This place need more light," Stella said suddenly as they trek for sometime, entering a tunnel sloping downward.
"Then why can't you light the whole place up?" Riven asked. Brandon look over at his girlfriend.
"Stella?" He put a hand on her shoulder, the light she was holding started to fizz.
"I don't know how long I can keep this, Brandon," Stella said, her voice becoming hoarse. He felt her body shudder.
"Um, guys? We need to go," Roy said.
"What are you talking about?" Riven asked before his skin went pale. Brandon look in the direction of what Roy was looking at. Standing before them was a tall, shadowy, 6-headed beast. It's red eyes stare at them as it bare its rotten teeth. Saliva drip out of its mouths, hissing as it made contact with the ground.
"Well, we know what's weakening her," Riven raised his weapon up. Before he could attack, it let out a roar, blue flames coming out.
"Retreat!" Brandon ordered.
They didn't need to be told twice when the beast blew fire at them again.
**Sorry for the delay, was trying to finish up my watercolor final project. Expect every other 2 or 3 chapters for Bloom's search for the missing pieces of Ardent Virgam. Also, next chapter there will be an important Author Note at the end. So please read it**