Chapter 14: Maya and Lilith
Flora stared at their rescuer. She was an elderly woman, wizened by her years. She stood with confidence as she watched the dragons fly off. The woman turned and looked at them.
"Why have you come to Pyros?" The woman's eyes were narrowed and pinned Flora to the spot.
"We accidentally opened a portal here." Stella said cautiously. "We need help. Please. Our friend Bloom is seriously injured and needs healing…"
The woman interrupted. "Bloom?" She glanced around at the Specialists and the Winx. She spotted Bloom and walked toward Layla. Layla backed away as the woman approached. "She's close to death. Follow me!" With that the woman went walking in the opposite direction. Layla looked at Flora and Flora shrugged.
"What do we have to lose? She's just an elderly woman." Flora followed the woman then.
They walked for what felt an hour when the woman led them into a cave. Flora hesitated then entered the cave after her. In the cave she found a fire pit with mats sitting around it. Several baskets and ceramic pots lined the walls. There were a few bookshelves and a table, all filled with books and parchment. "What is your name?" Flora asked the woman politely.
"You can call me Maya. It is what Bloom called me when she trained here." The woman didn't seem to notice Flora's expression of awe.
"You're Maya?" Stella stared. The woman nodded then motioned for Layla to set Bloom down on a grass mat on the floor. Layla did so.
"So you trained Bloom and helped her to achieve her Enchantix." Tecna said.
"Indeed." The woman examined the gash in Bloom's side. "You, Flora. I'd like you to go to that basket there and get me herbs to heal her wound." Flora glanced at Maya, shocked she knew her name. The woman chuckled. "Of course I'd know the new Company of Light. Ms. Faragonda is a close friend of mine. She spoke highly of all you girls."
Flora dug out the necessary herbs and brought them to Maya. Maya began to clean Bloom's wound. Sky came over.
"Will she be okay?" Sky asked anxiously.
"You need not worry, King of Eraklyon. Bloom's stronger than this. Once I finish this spell she'll only need some rest." Maya glanced at Sky, then at the rest of the group. "You can explain what happened." Sky looked to Flora and Flora sighed.
"Well, it began with Bloom's wanting to get stronger. She wanted to be ready for a new evil. So she went to this group known as the Prima. King Oritel and Queen Miriam then called us to bring her back to Sparks. They didn't want her training with the Prima because their teaching habits are dangerous. While we were searching for Bloom, something happened to Daphne. We came back, and King Oritel and Queen Miriam blamed Bloom for what happened to Daphne." Flora looked at the woman. The woman had remained silent throughout the tale.
"They said someone with Dragon Fire powers destroyed Daphne. Stella then portal led us, but not before Miriam cast a spell to destroy the Scepter of Solaris." Musa added.
Maya remained quiet and gazed at Bloom for a time. "Bloom went to Oblivion. That is a dangerous place. I've sent many of the pupils I've trained there, with regret mind you. They never returned." Maya lay her hand on Bloom's forehead. "But I don't believe Bloom would destroy her sister. No. Bloom had a kind and generous heart. Something else destroyed Daphne. Possibly it may want to obliterate Sparks for good." Maya glanced at the Winx girls. "Daphne was the protector of the Dragon's flame."
"So they're aiming for the bearers of the Dragon Fire." Stella shook her head. "Same story, different evil. Well, we hope."
"What do you mean?" Musa looked at Stella.
"Well, evil guy with Dragon Fire powers? Baltor, duh." Stella crossed her arms.
"It'd be awful if Baltor were back." Flora shivered.
"But Bloom took care of him. If he came back Bloom would just kick him to the curb again." Layla looked at Maya, who was shaking her head. "What?"
"The universe fears her in peace, then exalts her in war. She's been pressured by the universe, her family, even you, her friends." Maya gazed at the resting form of Bloom. "There may never be any rest for this warrior."
Flora felt guilt. They'd always had Bloom with them when they took on supreme evils. What if Bloom hadn't been there?
"Enough talk. You all need rest." Maya stood up and walked to the entrance of the cave and said no more.
Bloom was trapped. Everything was dark. So dark. She tried to scream, she tried to summon her dragon fire, but nothing happened. Bloom felt fear begin to gnaw away at her courage. She'd never felt anything like this before.
Then there was a light. She stood before Bloom, robed in gold with light radiating from her. She held out her hand to Bloom and Bloom felt all her fears evaporate. Bloom grabbed her hand and was pulled out of the world of absolute darkness. "Who are you?" Bloom asked.
"I am the leader of the Divine Fairies. I am called Ianessa." Ianessa smiled warmly at Bloom. "Bloom, you work so hard for what you believe in. Your faith in what is right has carried you far in life. Like your lost sister, you are an amiable girl."
"Lost sister? Whatever do you mean? Daphne isn't lost. She resides in the bottom of a lake as the nymph of the Dragon Fire." Bloom looked at Ianessa, denial shining in her eyes.
Ianessa shook her head. "Alas, tragedy has once again tainted your already bereaved life, Bloom. Daphne's essence was drained. She is lost, my dear."
Bloom stared into the woman's eyes. "No. No. Why?"
"Revenge. The evil you must know defeat aims to destroy everything Sparks. I'm afraid. Bloom, not all the evil can be vanquished you know. Some of it is only trapped and released later. It is the way of the universe. The way balance is kept. Even so, this evil should not be allowed to roam free. No. You, Bloom, must stop this evil."
Bloom just hugged herself, tears falling hot and wet down her cheeks. Daphne was gone. It just wasn't fair. Not fair at all.
"Bloom. Daphne isn't gone. Just lost. But trying to retrieve her is well beyond your capabilities. Focus instead on the task of defeating this new evil." Ianessa paused. "Well, maybe not new."
"What?" Bloom stared at Ianessa, waiting for an explanation.
"There are a few things you must be aware of before I let you go. One, Daphne was defeated by a woman with dragon fire powers. She was Baltor's consort before he was trapped in the realm of Omega. She is the evil I am speaking of Bloom." Ianessa placed a hand on Bloom's shoulder. Bloom gazed at her.
"What is she called?" Bloom asked quietly.
"She was called Lilith. A fitting name for such a vile creature. She hated Sparks, though she was from Sparks herself. She, like Baltor, was given a portion of the dark ember of the Dragon Fire. She was a destructive force after that. She and Baltor traveled the universe, obliterating entire realms and taking magical artifacts. Miriam was finally the one to seal the woman away."
"How?" Bloom gazed imploringly at Ianessa.
"Miriam came to us, asking for a spell to separate Baltor and Lilith. Even our evil divine fairy, Daria, agreed Lilith had to be stopped. So we gave her a spell. One that would fulfill your mother's destiny and bring Daphne forward in hers. The spell was completed nine months after we gave it to her. Lilith was sealed away." Ianessa looked off into the distance.
"My mother's destiny? Her destiny was already fulfilled?" Bloom looked off into the distance to see what Ianessa was looking at.
"Nine months, Bloom. Your mother's destiny was to give birth to you." Ianessa said this solemnly.
"My mother used my birth to lock away Lilith?" Bloom fingered the ends of her red hair in thought.
"Yes. She told no one. Not your father, nor your sister Daphne. Don't feel used, child." Ianessa grabbed Bloom's hands. "Your mother and father and Daphne loved you, well beyond the point of your birth. Besides, your birth is not your destiny."
Bloom nodded. "I know. It's to stop the evil threats in the universe."
Ianessa laughed. "No it's even beyond that." Ianessa stared off into the distance again. "We haven't much longer Bloom. The second thing I wanted to tell you was that your parents are blaming you for Daphne's defeat."
Bloom felt her heart break. She stopped breathing steadily and soon found herself hyperventilating and gasping for air. Her parents blamed her?
"They are upset Bloom. Daphne was their eldest child. They believe her to be destroyed. They do not yet know of Lilith being freed."
Bloom nodded, but couldn't help the second downpour of tears trailing down her face. She wiped furiously at her eyes and looked at Ianessa. "Is there anything else I should know?"
"Remember what the Prima taught you." Ianessa began to fade, the light leaving with her. Finally, the light left, and Bloom was once again left in the suffocating darkness.