A/N: For a while now quite a number reviews I've been getting had included a lot of concern for the fact that we're now into the eleventh chapter and some certain redheads haven't made an appearance. Well now . . . oh hell, I'll just let you read it, shall I?

Chapter Eleven

Sleep did not come easily for Sky that night.

Shortly after his talk with Helia the Prince had retired to the allocated shelter he was sharing with Timmy and Tecna. Musa had offered to 'bunk' in Helia's shelter to help him get Flora through the night while Brandon and Stella had managed to score a lean-to all to themselves. Although after the show Stella had put on for her fellow Rebellion members, the girl had definitely earned a private room.

Timmy and Tecna had fallen asleep easily, curled up in each others arms, but Sky had restlessly tossed and turned for what felt like hours. Every time he tried to clear his mind visions of Bloom, rot monsters and battles – both past and present – came rushing back in. Finally, after one frustrated toss that almost resulted in him smacking Timmy in the head, Sky gave up on sleep and quietly slipped out of the shelter.

Naturally, the Camp was a lot quieter at night than it was during the day, but Sky was still surprised to find more people than he was expecting lingering around the campfires or slinking through the dark on patrol. A vast majority of them were witches, whom Sky had always suspected were half nocturnal anyway, but he did encounter the odd hero as he aimlessly wondered the Camp. He noticed that there was a light on in the single white tent, indicating that Seleena was still up, no doubt scheming away at some way to bring down the Trix. Sky had been a little concerned about the Rebellion leader's apparent lack of plan but since no one else was really coming up with a reasonable alternative there was no choice other than to follow her.

For now, at least.

Sky wasn't really paying attention to where he was wondering and when he finally did stop he blinked in surprise as he saw he was standing in virtually the exact same place where Helia had found him only a few hours ago. The huge Tree loomed over him, looking slightly ominous in the dark. Craning his neck Sky tried to catch sight of another of the little tree spirits Helia had pointed out before, but he couldn't see much in the shadows.

With a heavy sigh, Sky reached out and touched the rough bark of the Tree. "I wish there were a few of those dryads left in Magix," he lamented sadly. "I bet they'd be handy in a fight."

All of a sudden, a feeling of drowsiness hit him so hard that Sky dropped to his knees, one hand pressed against his forehead and the other still braced against the Tree. His eyelids became heavy and before he could stop it Sky pitched forward into a sleep filled with hazy dreams.

In his dreams he saw the Realm of Magix from a great height, but in the place where he knew the City should be, instead there was amazingly tall trees. They were the size of buildings with huge branches that reached out and intertwined with one another. They were exactly like the Tree the Rebellion was based under, only abundant in numbers. And then, in a flash that was as fast as blinking, he suddenly found himself on the forest floor beneath the canopy of those great trees. He could feel the refreshing coolness of shade coupled with warm patches of sunlight dappled on his skin. A gentle breeze carried the crisp, clean smell of a forest untainted by any trace of pollution and there was that beautiful stillness that only nature could truly conjure.

And somewhere, faintly in the distance, he could hear the unmistakable sounds of female laughter.

Then finally he was standing in the middle of a clearing. The morning sun was hitting his eyes, making it difficult for him to see but he was still perfectly aware of what was surrounding him. He'd recognise it anywhere. The only structure left behind by the dryads; the Standing Stones of Magix.

While on the wind was a voice so soft he could barely hear it, but he was able to recognise beyond a shadow of a doubt.

"Sky . . ."

"Bloom?"

Sky woke up with a start. It was hard to tell in the dark but he suspected that he had only been asleep for a couple of minutes. Yet for some reason he felt utterly refreshed as though he had gotten a full eight hours. He had also somehow he had ended up with his back resting against the base of the Tree and there, perched on his knee, was a kodoma.

Blinking owlishly, Sky stared at the little spirit that in turn stared right back.

Now that he was close to it Sky could see that it looked rather humanoid, though it wouldn't have stood any higher than six inches tall. It had arms, legs and a big round head with huge black eyes and a wide black mouth. To Sky it looked like drawing of a person that a three year old might create only it was real and was giving off a pale green glow.

"Um, hi," Sky awkwardly greeted. The kodama tilted its head to the side and continued to stare at the Prince with its wide, non-blinking eyes. Sky got the impression that the spirit was waiting for him to do something. "Um can I help you?"

"Eh," it replied, touching its head.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand."

"Eh," it grunted again, gesturing towards Sky before touching its head again. "Eh."

In a rush Sky remembered what he had been dreaming about before being distracted by the spirits sudden appearance. "Bloom!"

"Eh!" the kodaman grunted, only this time it sounded excited. Sky suspected he was on the right track.

"The Standing Stones. Is she there?"

"Eh!"

"I have to get there," Sky said more to himself than the spirit. If there was even a chance of him finding Bloom than he was going to leap at it. Then as soon as that thought crossed his mind, Sky realised he had no idea how he was going to get to the Standing Stones. He didn't know exactly where the Rebellion's Camp was based but he knew it was a long way from the civilised part of Magix where the Standing Stones were located. There was no way he could walk there and even if he could he had no idea what direction he needed to travel. When Brandon and Timmy had brought him to the Camp Annabelle's rainbows had led them and Dominique had brought all the others in. None of them really had any idea of exactly where they were. He looked back at the kodama. "How do I get there?"

The kodama didn't speak this time and Sky watched as it faded away only to reappear a few feet away. "Eh."

"Am I . . . Do you want me to follow you?"

"Eh!" the spirit prompted before turning and starting to walk even further away. That was all the encouragement Sky needed to scramble to his feet and follow the little glowing kodama. Even though Sky was a lot bigger and therefore his stride was a lot longer, the kodama still managed to keep its lead by disappearing after a few steps and reappearing further ahead.

"Where exactly are you leading me?" Sky asked but the only response he got was for the kodama to look back over its shoulder briefly before continuing on its way. Sky shook his head in disbelief at the odd situation he found himself in but a few seconds later her was blinking in surprise at what the kodama had led him to. "Levi bikes?"

"Eh!" the kodama cheered, reappearing on the gas tanks of one of the bikes.

"Well I guess that takes care of how to get there," Sky grinned, running his hand along the handlebars of the bike. He knew for a fact that the Rebellions levi bikes were under the tight control of Chucky and Annabelle so he knew that his little kodama friend had been busy when he saw the bikes keys in the ignition. However his smile faded as he realised something and he looked to the tree spirit for guidance. "But I still don't know how to find the Standing Stones. I don't even know where I am exactly."

Fortunately the kodama had an answer to that to. The tree spirit started to glow brighter and it started to hover in the air. Sky was momentarily reminded of the pixies he had seen back on Eraklyon but as the kodama zoomed a few feet away with a demanding "Eh" he knew he shouldn't be wasting time reminiscing.

"Right," Sky nodded, climbing onto the bike and starting it up. "Lead on, buddy."

The kodama let out a bubbly little sound of excitement and then flew off into undergrowth, acting as a little, glowing green beacon for Sky to follow.

Sky didn't know if it was because Fate was finally on his side or because the kodama knew something he didn't, but they didn't encounter any rot monsters on the drive to the Standing Stones. Under normal circumstances Sky would be a little uneasy driving so fast off-road at night, but his attention was so focused on the glowing kodama leading him that the thought didn't even enter his mind.

And as he got closer to Lake Crysalous he became more and more aware of the impact the Army of Decay was having on the Realm of Magix.

All the trees in the area had had the life completely sucked out of them. The ground was dry and barren, resulting in Sky kicking up a dust cloud behind his bike. Pockets of mist became more frequent the further Sky drove, no doubt a combination of the humidity from Stormy's storm cells mixing with the icy cold that was practically radiating out of Cloud Tower. However the freakiest part was that the whole forest was utterly silent, except for the occasional shriek from a rot monster somewhere in the dark. Those shrieks were so startling that Sky almost swerved into a tree more than once because of them.

And he wasn't the only one being affected. As they moved further back towards the City of Magix, Sky could see that the kodama wasn't glowing as brightly and every now and then it would droop lower in the air. Until it eventually dropped so low that it hit the ground and didn't get up.

"Hey buddy, you all right?" Sky asked, pulling up alongside the sitting spirit.

"Eh," the kodama grunted weakly.

Sky took note of his surroundings and then considered the small spirit on the ground. "Oh, I get it. You're a tree spirit. If the forest is unhealthy so are you."

"Eh," the kodama said weakly, pointing its little arm frontwards.

"Is there anyway I can help?"

"Eh!" the kodama said again and there was a sense of urgency about it.

"You want me to go that way?"

"Eh! Eh! Eh!"

"Okay, but I'll be back, all right?"

"Eh!"

"All right, I'm going," Sky told the little spirit. Dismounting the bike, he started walking off in the direction the kodama had pointed him in. Without the sounds of the levi bike revving beneath him the silence suddenly became more ominous, making each gentle footfall sound impossibly loud.

The band of silver paleness along the east horizon indicated that behind the cloudbank the sun had started to rise. The enormous landscape – ravished as it was – still bore an impression of reserve and hesitation, which could only indicated the start of a new day. A soft breeze whispered quietly through lifeless branches, mist swirled along the ground and between the twisted tree trunks Sky could make out the unmistakable sight of Lake Crysalous, still frozen over by Icy's magic. He had made it.

"The Standing Stones," Sky whispered to himself when he stepped out from the dead trees and finally laid eyes on the ancient site.

A colossal rectangular pillar towered in front of the Prince, its shape blackly defined against the weak morning sky. Another tower-like pillar stood near it, square and uncompromising as the first. The two were adjoined by third slab that lay horizontally across the highest points of the pillars, seemingly without joint or moulding, in a vertical structure that resembled a giant, stone doorway. A little ways over, there was another stone pillar, only this one stood isolated and beyond it was another and another. The place was all doors and pillars, some connected by continuous architraves, others solitary but they were all spaced out to form a giant circle on the banks of Lake Crysalous.

In the grey light of dawn the Stones were that unique combination breathtaking and imposing, so it took a moment for Sky to really notice what it was he was seeing.

The Army of Decay may have ruined the surrounding vegetation, but within the circle of the Standing Stones the ground looked completely unspoiled. The grass was as green as it was the first time Sky had visited this part of Magix, and lying unconscious in the very centre of the sacred circle was an alarmingly familiar form.

"Bloom!" Sky shouted, bolting forward. Whatever ancient magic had managed to repel the Army of Decay had no effect on him and within seconds he was by her side. Dropping down, Sky seized the redheads' shoulders in a frantic need to ensure that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. "Bloom! Bloom, wake up! It's me, Sky! Oh please wake up. Please, please, please."

At first there was no response from the Last Princess of Sparx, making Sky's heart ache horribly, but then her eyes scrunched together tightly in the way people do when trying to fight the pulls of consciousness. And then she let out a weak and sleepy sounding "Mmmmh."

"Bloom?" Sky whispered gently. His heart was pounding in his chest and he was sure he felt it faltered for a second as Bloom's eyes fluttered open, allowing him to gaze into those amazing blue orbs he adored so much.

"Sky?"

"Oh thank gods!" Sky gasped, pulling Bloom upright and into a desperate embrace. It took a second for Bloom's sluggish mind to catch on to what was happening but when it did she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back just as tight. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Looks more like you're the one who found me," Bloom replied, causing Sky to choke out a sound that was halfway between a laugh and a sob of relief. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too," Sky admitted, leaning back just far enough that he would look at the fairy again without breaking contact with her. "Oh, you have no idea how much."

Bloom blushed adorably before squeezing her eyes shut and placing a hand on her head. "Oh, I feel all groggy. Like I've just woken up from a really deep sleep or something."

"I have a feeling that that's exactly what you've done," Sky said with a sad smile as he patted her bright, beautiful hair. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"The last thing?" Bloom blinked in confusion and then Sky could see the exact moment when her memory kicked in. "The Army of Decay! The witches!"

"Shhh. Calm down," Sky tried to soothe her and not really succeeding.

"What happened?" Bloom demanded and when Sky hesitated she gripped his arms firmly. "Sky, what happened?"

"We lost," was Sky's simple reply. "You and Icy went off to battle it out one-on-one but when she returned and you didn't it seemed to signal the end. Icy, Darcy and Stormy took out every defensive or offensive strategy we had and by night time, Alfea had fallen."

"No," Bloom gasped, her voice no more than a whisper. Her blue eyes were wide and Sky could see tears start to well in them. "Not Alfea."

"I'm so sorry, Bloom."

"Does that mean . . . Is everyone else . . ."

"There are apparently a number of students being held as prisoners in Alfea and Red Fountain while the teachers are in the dungeons of Cloud Tower. However there are a large number of students who escaped the rot monsters and have banded together to form a Rebellion. Your friends are all there. We're not going to let those witches get away with this. I promise you."

Bloom looked a little shell-shocked but she still managed to understand what Sky was telling her as well as picking up on things he wasn't saying. "How long was I out?"

Sky hesitated. "Bloom – "

"No, I want to know. You just can't gather all that information about where teachers and other students are or form a rebellion in the space of one night. How long was I out?"

Sky sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. "This will be the fourth day since Alfea fell."

"F-F-Four . . . Four days?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my god," Bloom covered her mouth. "I don't remember any of that? Last thing I remember was fighting Icy and the next thing I know you're here and four days have passed. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god."

"Bloom! You need to stop this," Sky said firmly. "I think you've been asleep for this long because you needed to be kept safe until someone like me could find you and take you back to the Rebellion. I mean, look at where you are."

"The Standing Stones?"

"Yes. Apparently they belonged to the dryad nymphs who live in the forest centuries ago and fought against the first settlement. The dryads are now gone but the trees and these Stones still have a bit of their magic left. In some strange way the Realm of Magix itself is fighting back against the Trix and their Army of Decay. I didn't just stumble across you, Bloom. I was led here on purpose and now it's my turn to take you back to the Rebellion so you can help us defeat the Trix once and for all."

Without any warning or hesitation, Bloom suddenly grabbed the front of his uniform, dragged him forward and slotted her lips against his. For a brief second Sky simple stared cross-eyed at her – too shocked to really appreciate what was going on – but then his awareness returned and he quickly threw himself into returning the kiss. His arms wrapped themselves tightly around her delicate body to hold her tight up against his chest. His eyes slide shut of their own accord and his tongue ran itself across her lips teasingly.

When they finally pulled away from one another, both teens were flushed and both wearing identical goofy grins.

"Wow," Bloom panted breathlessly.

"Wow," Sky repeated, his gaze being continuously drawn from her stunning eyes back to her amazingly soft lips.

"We should . . ." Bloom swallowed. "We should get back to the others."

"Yeah," Sky agreed, leaning in to kiss her one more time before he had to lead her back to his levi bike and the kudoma that would show them the way back to Camp.

A/N: There we are. Bloom's finally entered the game. We can all relax for a little bit.

I actually wrote this chapter a while back but then went back and rewrote it after visiting the actual Stonehenge in England. Oh my god, what an incredible location. I thought the highlight of my trip to Europe would be seeing the Eiffel Tower at night (because, c'mon, isn't that every girls dream?) so I was not prepared for just how stunning and atmospheric Stonehenge would be. And so brilliantly preserved. Barely any fences around the Stones themselves so you can get some brilliant shots. And then you get these little audio-tours that gives you mind blowing information about the place like how this stone here gets hit by the first rays of a sunrise only on the summer solstice and that one over there does it on the winter solstice. Oh when you turn around, see looks at those little hillocks? Yeah, they're barrows. WTF?

And at the end of the audio-tour there was a little readying from "Tess of the D'Urbavilles" by the novelist Thomas Hardy (not to be confused with Tom Hardy, the very sexy actor who able to reduce me to a puddle of goo with his sexy accent and sexy eyes and sexy lips and just sexy sexiness) which I drew upon/stole to improve this chapter.

Mmm, and now all I'm thinking about is Tom Hardy's tattoos. He's got like over twenty so this may take some time. TBC.