Hello, everyone! In this next installment, we are going to see what happens to Flora as she searches for clues about Tecna. We'll also see Bloom going through her own struggles.
CHAPTER 25: THE SEKHMET TRIBE
"I've made up my mind," Flora declared.
There was a silence, and Mirta stared up at her in alarm. "Flora, you can't"...
"I'm going," Flora answered. "I have to know what's going on."
It was Undecemensis 12, two days after Bloom had left for Pyros. Faragonda had lifted the all-day curfew, going back to the nightly closing of the Alfea barrier. Bloom was going to be on Pyros for at least a week, and although Flora was worried about her, she knew she had much better things to do than stay around moping.
And she had to know. She had to go to Zenith, and find out what had happened with Tecna. She had to figure out what her family situation was. There was no other way to get to the bottom of this.
"But Flora, what about Ms. Faragonda?" squeaked Chatta. "How are you getting past her?"
"She already gave me permission," Flora answered. "And she called a Red Fountain ship. So it's official."
She remembered the conversation she'd had with Faragonda, making her case about why she should go to Zenith. The headmistress had listened gravely, and then had nodded uneasily at the end.
"Thank you, Flora," she said. "Now I know that Tecna's problems most certainly had something to do with pressures from Zenith. I do wish you'd told me your suspicions before, Flora. We might've been able to help her."
Flora squeezed her eyes shut. I wish I had... But she hadn't thought it her place to tell. A few tears leaked out of her eyes as she stared at the ground. I could've averted her death. It's my fault...
The headmistress took her hand. Blindly, Flora looked up and stared up at Faragonda.
"I apologize for my wording," she said. "I am not blaming you for the tragedy that occurred. Do not blame yourself, Flora. I've said this before, but it was Tecna's decision to sacrifice herself for Melody, and no one else's. She knew what she was doing before she did it. It was an incredibly brave sacrifice, and we will always remember her."
"That's why I'm going to Zenith," Flora whispered. "She's my friend. I need to know what happened to lead her down that path."
"Then you will go," Faragonda answered. "But beware, Flora, for Zenith is a place filled with secrets. You may have noticed that Tecna has been very aloof; well, there is a reason for that. Zenith is filled with people who value efficiency and status over love. It is one of the reasons why Zenith is as wealthy as it is."
"Why?" asked Flora, her heart sinking. "Why is that?"
Faragonda frowned. "A long time ago, Flora, Zenith was very communist. Similar to your realm, Linphea; however, the communism was centralized. In 16203 of the Age of Blood, the king was overthrown, and a harsh reign existed throughout the realm. A dictator by the name of Josef Sokolov took over Zenith.
"Under his realm, the people of Zenith were essentially turned into robots. Production was of the utmost importance; nothing else could matter, as Zenith had to rise to the head of all other realms, and later, lead the UR. Everyone had to do what they could to survive, and essentially lived in fear of Sokolov's reign. Hysteria and panic lived on, and people would continually report their neighbors for suspected crimes."
So Zenith had a reign of terror, Flora realized. How horrible! She thought of Linphea, which, until a few thousand years back, hadn't even been a united kingdom. Although Linphea was very underdeveloped in comparison to other realms, its history was far less bloody, the culture very warm and inviting. The opposite of Zenith. She shuddered and turned back to Faragonda.
"Then," the headmistress continued on, "the Capitalist Revolution occurred. A new group of people overthrew Sokolov, forcibly turning the realm capitalist. They created an even harsher dictatorship, in which even more concentration camps opened. All expression, including religious or cultural practices, was banned. The ancient Zenithian religions all disappeared. This revolution lasted from the beginning of the Age of Unity to Year 738, spanning two-and-a-half generations. Magixian and Melodian entertainment programs, which together have a near-monopoly on the cinema, opera, and television, were completely banned in Zenith; instead, propaganda-like entertainment systems were created. All culture was wiped out."
"So that's why Zenithian people are so aloof," Flora breathed.
"Precisely." Faragonda nodded. "It is also because Zenith has an immensely large population; ten million people live within its borders. The poverty rate is at forty-percent, and another thirty-percent is still barely making ends meet. For the remaining thirty-percent, however, there is fierce competition to do well, meaning the social pressure to study hard is intense. Complete obedience is expected in Zenithian schools, and students work from eight in the morning to eighteen o'clock at night. Emotional expression is seen as an interference in doing hard work, and is therefore also strongly discouraged. I doubt your friend Tecna ever went out with her friends or even heard of pizza before coming to Alfea - Magix would've been a huge culture shock to her. She improved immensely in the past two years, because of you girls, and I am very proud of all of you. But now she has gone down, and we owe it to her to find out why."
"That"... Flora felt tears come to her eyes. "That's" –
And suddenly she was bawling, hunched over Faragonda's desk. How come we never cover this in Realmwide History... I never knew... Faragonda took Flora's hand.
"It's okay," she said gently. "I know we're too late to save her, Flora, but we will make it up to her. You'll see."
"Thank you," Flora whispered.
"So this is what you'll do," Faragonda said, handing Flora her UR Defense Association card for immigration. "I will book a commercial spacecraft for you to fly there. Jared Thompson of Red Fountain is in Kremniy on an internship, and will meet with you at the spaceport. He will fly you back to Alfea when both of you are done.
"In the meantime, I'll call Tecna's parents and inform them that you request an audience with them. Be warned, though, that they may be hesitant to answer your questions. It is always hard for Zenithians to trust anyone, especially complete strangers."
"I know," Flora nodded. "But it's the best chance I've got."
"And so it is." Faragonda nodded. "Good luck, Flora."
And now she was with Mirta and Chatta, explaining all of this to them as they sat together quietly. Mirta absorbed the information in silence, and then stared at her.
"But what makes you think you can do anything about it, Flora? You can't change their culture - that's the way it has been for a thousand years. You can't change who they are" –
"I know!" Flora ground her teeth in frustration. "But I'm not trying to change anything, Mirta; I'm simply trying to find out what happened to Tecna. Please, Mirta, please let me go."
Mirta stared up at her painfully, then nodded. "Go ahead, Flora. I'll be waiting for you."
Bloom gasped as she stared out the spaceship, taking in the view from above.
The Island of Dragons was a tiny planet, about the diameter of 500 kilometers. As they dove into its atmosphere, she saw volcanoes, green swamps, and lush rainforests ahead. Far in the distance, she thought she could make out a smaller planet, one that was entirely white. That's Domino… She swallowed hard, forcing thoughts of her birth-planet out of her mind.
She had to remind herself that, although not altogether unconnected, Pyros was not the same as Domino. In the Age of Discovery, Domino had conquered the then-larger planet, which had only been inhabited by dragons. Colonists had tried settling the land, but most had fled out of fear of the beasts. The few that were able to tame the dragons stayed on Pyros, eventually declaring their independence from Domino. In the Age of Blood, Pyros had been a flourishing nation, one of the forerunners of the dimension. However, natural-disasters, diseases, and decreasing population forced the nation to diminish considerably in prestige. Today, only about five-thousand people actually lived on Pyros.
Bloom would be heading to the Sekhmet Tribe's village, where she would meet with a friend of Faragonda's, a wise elder who had assisted the Company of Light during the Dominian Wars. She was her only hope for achieving Enchantix, her only hope for success. She swallowed, hoping that she would succeed.
"Here is Planet Pyros," Griselda said. She had decided to fly Bloom to the planet herself, which Faragonda had allowed her to do. As it was Sunday, there were no classes; this left her free to take Bloom. "Do you have everything?"
Bloom nodded, picking up the food, water, and supplies Faragonda had given to her. Griselda handed her a special interrealm phone, one that would work on Pyros.
"There is very limited connectivity here," she said. "However, there is one Realm Wide Web tower, located at the base of Fire Mountain. The people will show you how to use it. Now, do you remember your orders?"
"'Don't be stupid'," Bloom said, repeating Griselda's words from the journey. "'Listen to the Elder's commands. Don't be reckless or dumb."
"Exactly," Griselda nodded, slowing the ship so it hovered about ten meters above the land. She pressed a button, and the ship's lower compartment opened.
"I have to drop you off here," she said. "There is no tarmac on this planet – you need to fly down there yourself. The village is due north." To Bloom's amazement, she gave her a rough hug.
"Take care of yourself," she said gruffly.
"I will," Bloom answered, transforming into her Winx. "Thanks for everything." She flew to the surface of the terrain, staring around.
This place is… not what I expected. The vegetation was lush and tropical, but it didn't look like anything she'd ever seen before. Truth to be told, she'd expected something more like the photos she'd seen of Domino. Domino was much more temperate, with prairies and meadows and long grasses, showcasing every bit of landscape. Here, she couldn't see anything above the tall trees and jungle vines.
She barely got a second to look before she heard a loud roar. The ground below her seemed to shake, and she screamed, falling to the ground. Fire seared her back. She turned around, gasping as soon as she saw what was ahead.
A dragon stomped towards her, the color of lava. Its skin was rough and scaly, and its eyes were demonic. Oh no… It spewed out a torrent of fire at her, furious and dark.
I have to be ready. She struggled to her feet, glaring upwards at the dragon. "Don't even think about it!" she snarled, creating a burst of fire in her hands. She shot it straight towards the beast.
But that only incensed it further. It flew towards her, fury and anger in its eyes.
I have to remember my Wrangling training. She remembered what Codatorta had taught them in class, the basic rules of Dragon Wrangling. Assume a threatening stance. Stare the dragon straight in the eye. Never show fear – only dominance. Have a rope ready. She levitated the end of a vine, coiling it into a rope.
As the dragon zoomed at her, she looped the vine around its neck, holding it steady against the ground. It roared out in anger, but she was ready for its wrath. Using her Dragon Fire, she clasped a fiery ring around the dragon's mouth, preventing it from blowing out.
"Awesome!" she grinned, pleased with herself. "Can't wait to tell Codatorta this!"
Her elation was a second too soon. Using sheer force, the dragon broke the hot brand around its muzzle and stood up, breaking the vines. It opened its mouth wide, burning everything in its path.
Bloom's eyes widened in horror as flames engulfed her. No… She tried to repel the fire, but it was too strong.
I'm going to die… this thing is going to kill me! She closed her eyes. I'm sorry, everyone…
"Calmus!"
Bloom opened her eyes and stared in disbelief. A woman stood in front of her, raising her hands and gazing at the dragon. The dragon relaxed and fell back, releasing its fire into the air. Staring in shock, Bloom turned towards the woman.
The woman had dark skin and cream-colored robes. Her hair was white, falling down her back, and she held a curved staff in her hands. She gazed at Bloom, smiling as she motioned for her to come forward.
"Come," she said. "I have been waiting for you."
Flora walked out of the spaceport, staring at Kremniy. The ancient city, once the capital of a great, historic empire, was now the most modern city she'd ever seen.
Androids moved through the gutters, sweeping up trash and darting quickly out of peoples' way. Modern buildings lined the street, each building as colorless as the last. Snow was falling thickly, people muttering to themselves as they walked. Hover-rides were in ziplines through the air.
So this is the famous city, thought Flora, staring. For all its modern technology, it was nowhere near as grand as Magix, and had nearly no life. These were people, but at the same time, they just weren't people. She closed her eyes briefly.
"This is the Upper District of Kreminy," Jared said. Since he was already studying abroad in Zenith, he had offered to meet her at the spaceport. "The wealthy district. Here is your map." He handed Flora a navigational tablet.
"Thanks," Flora said. She wished Jared would be coming with her, but he had other business to take care of. As part of his study-abroad program, he was working with a Zenithian governmental worker in the Department of Homeland Defense, learning about advanced technology and its role in defending Zenith. His internship would be ending in a few days, right about the same time that Flora was due to return back to Alfea.
Biding a farewell to Jared, she walked onto the street, staring down at her navigational tablet. She would be heading first to the hotel where she'd been booked for. Not looking where she was going, she accidentally bumped into a couple.
"Oh... sorry," she said, smiling nervously at them. They didn't smile back. Instead, they stared at her blankly, confused and almost... petrified. Other people stopped in their tracks to stare at her, the same blank stare without any expression at all.
Why are they staring at me? thought Flora. And why can't they smile? She could hardly comprehend. In Linphea, everyone smiled at everyone, and people went out of their way to help mere strangers.
She awkwardly bumped through, trying to find a hover-ride. The man operating it looked at her and said, "Where you want go?" in broken Common Tongue.
"11 Kirov Avenue," she answered.
"90 rubles," he said shortly. She found Zenithian rubles in her pocket and handed them to him, and he pointed her off.
Flora got into the hover, the glass dome closing over her, and gasped as it flew down. It was the fastest thing she'd ever ridden in, even faster than flying. This feels so unstable... She stared as the city zoomed by like lightning.
The hover dipped and turned. It was like a roller-coaster ride, only far, far scarier. Help me... She restrained a scream as the hover sailed down, through the zipline.
And suddenly, it tore from the zipline and launched through the air, towards the ground.
Flora screamed. Oh no... She stared frantically as the ground appeared closer at an alarming rate.
I have to get out of here. Slamming the glass dome open with a burst of floral attacks, she instinctively transformed, flying unsteadily just as the hover crashed to the ground.
People scattered as glass exploded everywhere. One shard of glass hit Flora, and she fell to the ground, unharmed except for the dull pain in her arm. Pulling it out, she pressed a towel to her arm, staring at the bright red stain that appeared against the white.
"That was a horrible crash," a voice near her said. She looked up to see a pink-haired man, nearly about Tecna's age. "It happened before."
Flora stared at the man. And here I thought all Zenithians were unfriendly... "Um... who are you?"
"I am Dmitri Porov," he said. "I was standing right here when it happened, ten years ago." His voice became hushed.
"I was thirteen years old. A hover just like that one was sailing down the zipline, and then suddenly fell off the rails. A group of people were inside, and were trapped as they fell. The medics came and shooed us out."
"Then what happened?" asked Flora.
"All of them died," the boy answered solemnly. "All, except - there was one girl there. She was in my class at school, but after the incident, she was removed. She became a cyborg." He said the word as if it was something disgusting stuck down his throat.
Chills went down Flora's back. She'd heard of cyborgs existing in other realms, but they were the most prevalent in Zenith. "Why was she removed from your school?"
"Cyborgs can't go to the same school," the boy answered, looking disgusted. "They're not the same as us. Their brains are different. That girl is probably working in the gutters along with the androids right now. Some cyborgs, they try to pass as people in order to get jobs. There's a covering they buy on the black market, to cover their robotic parts. But they are always easily caught. It takes a robot to be that stupid." He let out a derisive laugh.
Flora stared at him. That's so awful... So not only were the people in this realm expressionless, but they also treated cyborgs as second-class citizens. This is the worst thing I've ever heard of –
"This is what happens!" a voice behind Flora shouted. "This is what happens under tyranny!"
Flora turned around. A group of people were encircling the plaza, their eyes grim, holding weapons and spells in their hands. Aren't blasters and dangerous spells outlawed in Zenith? But it didn't look like they cared too much about that. A man walked forward, shouting out loud.
"Death to the Premier's rule!" he shouted. "Bring down dictatorship! Bring down this reign!"
Immediately, the robots closed in on the group of rebels. Flora watched in fascinated horror as magical jets shot out of the robots' blasters, striking a man in the face. The rest of the people in the square scattered as quickly as possible. But the rebels stayed strong, holding their blasters high.
"No more!" they shouted. "The Great Premier must fall! No more dictatorship!"
I have to get out of here! More and more robots were appearing, and Flora knew that if she lingered any longer, she'd be arrested, too.
She darted out of the path of a robot, just as they closed in on the rebels. Swallowing, she ran down the street, looking for Tecna's house.
The village was filled with small huts. People came out of their places, staring as Bloom walked down the path. She felt self-conscious as they stared at her, taking in her form.
"Don't worry," the woman in front of her said. "They are just curious. It's been ages since we had visitors."
"Priestess Maia!" a voice in front of her called. Two children, a boy and a girl, ran up to the old woman. They had lava-red hair and deep brown skin. They squealed, speaking to Maia in a language that Bloom did not understand.
Of course they don't speak the Common Tongue around here. In fact, the people of Pyros didn't even use the Internet, although they did have phone connections. The two children stared up at Bloom, clearly confused. Maia nodded to Bloom, presumably saying something about her reason for being there. Satisfied, the two children sped off, leaving Maia to chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Bloom asked.
"Set and Anat are quite eager to learn the ways of their people," Maia answered. "They were slightly jealous that I am teaching you before them, even though you have a far stronger command of magic than they do. They may be impatient, but they are quick-witted. I have confidence that they will be good dragon-protectors."
Dragon-protector? thought Bloom, surprised. But dragons are a threat to their existence! Why would they want to protect them?
She stopped as soon as they reached the center of the village. A group of people were bathing in a small stream, speaking and talking. Then they saw Bloom, and instantly turned around, staring in surprise.
Bloom felt self-conscious as the people stared at her. They seemed to be wearing barely any clothing – the men wore a cloth around their waists, and the women wore a long cloth tied around their shoulders and waists. She took in their features, their aged faces that seemed to speak of wisdom and valor, but also of incredibly hard lives. They don't have any industrialization here… these people just live off the land…
"Are you the foreigner who was granted rights to come here?" a woman asked. So they do speak the Common Tongue… Bloom raised her head, nodding ever-so-slightly.
"Who are you?" a woman asked, in broken Common Tongue. So they do speak it after all. Bloom raised her head, nodding ever-so-slightly.
"I am Bloom, the princess of Domino," she answered. There were quite a few exclamations of shock. "When I was an infant, I was sent to a different planet, surviving the destruction of Domino. Now, there is trouble in the Magical Dimension, and Priestess Maia is here to help me learn the ways of your people."
"If there's trouble in your world, why do you need to come here?" a man asked. "Why should we have any part in it?"
"I" – Bloom stared at him, stunned that anyone would have any objection to her arrival there. "I'm not here for trouble. I'm just here to learn something that I can't learn anywhere else."
"We don't need you here," he responded. His voice sounded fierce, like that of a warrior's. "When foreigners come in, so does trouble. We just want to live our peaceful lives!"
"If I can't beat Valtor, you won't have lives, peaceful or otherwise!" Bloom answered, desperation rising in her throat. "Please, you have to help me! You have to let me do this" –
"One of our dragons has been attacked!"
Bloom whirled around. A woman was running towards the village-square, her eyes wide. "I came across a dragon with rope-burns and marks on his shoulder," she breathed. "He was attacked by someone, and is not pleased. He will not be happy with us!"
"Who would've attacked them?" The man from before asked. He turned his head, scanning the people in the square. "The children stay in the village, and so do our elders. The warriors know it is against our creed. It could've been one of the trainees, but I doubt they would" – His gaze reached Bloom, and suddenly, he froze.
"It was you!" he shouted. "You were the one who attacked our dragon!"
"It attacked me first!" Bloom cried. "I was only defending myself!"
"Then that is proof that she does not belong here!" the same woman as before snarled. "She is just another conqueror from Magix, one that does not understand our ways! Turn her out! We don't need the princess of a realm that's tried to conquer us over and over again! Stop her, before she becomes" –
"Silence!"
The square froze as a man from behind Maia walked forward, a long white cloth draped around his waist. He had a gold chain around his neck, and a staff similar to Maia's in his hand. He halted next to her.
"Priestess Isis Maia," he said, great respect in his tone. "Has our guest arrived?"
"Yes," Maia answered serenely, not at all affected by the turn-of-events. "An old friend of mine messaged me and asked me to teach this young woman our ways. What she says is true. The world is in great danger, and we are the only people who can teach her how to defend it."
There was a burst of protest at this. "Why do we need to accommodate her, then?" the woman demanded. "Jabari is right! We should make her leave before" –
"Keket, hush," the man commanded. "Priestess Maia has great judgment. And if she says the world is in grave danger, then it is. I trust that she is taking appropriate measures."
"Thank you, Chieftain Horus," Maia said serenely. "May I take her to Fire Mountain to begin our lessons?"
"Of course you may," Horus answered. "But a word with you, princess of Domino." His tone grew stern. "We are not one bit like your people on Magix. We fight not with force, but with wisdom and understanding. Here, your status as a royal is irrelevant. Should you go against the ways of the Sekhmet Tribe, you will be deeply sorry." The look in his eyes signified that he knew about the dragon. "Understood?"
She nodded meekly. "Understood." She saw both Keket, the woman who'd yelled at Horus, and Jabari, the man who was ready to kick her out, shake their heads in disapproval. I can't take one wrong step… She swallowed hard.
"Good," Maia answered, leading her away. "Now let us begin."
"Hello?" Flora asked nervously. "Mr. and Mrs. Ivanov?"
A day had passed since the riot on the street. Today was Undecemensis 13, the day Tecna's parents had agreed to meet with her. Not hearing an answer, she tapped on the door.
The door creaked open. What's going on? In surprise, she walked inside, trying not to gape as she stared in front of her.
She could not believe it. Every part of the house was immaculate and unbelievably organized. There was no hint of disorder in the gleaming white walls and sterile rectangular sofa. Yet, there was something lacking in the house, something that didn't seem quite right.
For one, there was no security-system. She'd expected guard robots, or at the very least, some kind of digitally-locked door. For such a big mansion, there was nothing stopping anyone from walking right into the house.
For another, there was no physical presence of anyone. There were no servants to greet her, or the Ivanovs themselves. There wasn't even a droid hanging around. Why is there no one?
Cautiously, she locked the door behind her, heading up the steps. Quite a lot of them there are… She soon reached the top, gazing at the corridor around her.
The walls were all made out of steel. Steel door jutted out of the wall, barely visible in the dim light. She could make out three of them; one was small, and two were big. So these are their rooms… She vaguely remembered reading somewhere that Zenithian couples didn't sleep in the same bed.
But where are they? It just didn't seem right that, in this huge mansion, there was no one around. "Hello?" she asked nervously, knocking on the large door in front of her.
The door creaked open; again, there was no one in front of her. No sign of life; not a single person lived in this house. Flora stared in disbelief, trying to process what was going on.
Maybe they went out on a walk… maybe they forgot I was meeting with them today. But the reality was looming larger and larger.
In dread, she turned towards Tecna's room, the one with the small door. Pushing it open, she gazed down at the room that lay ahead of her.
On the surface, it didn't look any different from her parents' rooms. There was a steel bedframe with a bulky mattress, a chest-of-drawers, and a desk, all in the same configuration. Yet, there was something different about this room. I have to see what's going on… She walked up to the drawers and pushed them open.
Again, she couldn't make out much of anything. There were clothes in grays and browns, all of them extremely prudish. There must be something here… Frustrated, she rummaged through the closet.
Something fell out, in the shape of a hand. What is that? At first glance, it looked to be made of rubber, but when she touched it, it felt exactly like skin. She picked it up, staring at it in the light.
Is this some kind of glove? But what would Tecna need it for? Confused, she gazed around the room. It was then that she spotted Tecna's laptop, charging against the wall.
That's my only hope of finding any information about her… She opened the computer, wondering how she was going to get past its security-system. To her surprise, nothing was locked; on the contrary, Tecna's computer easily opened, clear for her to access.
I don't understand… How was it that both the house was unlocked, and then all of these computers? Something's not right… She opened the computer and stared at the screen. On the desktop background, there were crisp black letters against a gray background – in Unified Zenithian.
Thank Linphèana for Interrealm Translate. She opened a window, copying the words so she could read in the Common Tongue.
ANASTASIA MARIE IVANOVA, the screen read. DATE OF BIRTH: 06 UNIMENSIS 995. DATE OF DEATH: DECEMENSIS 31, 1012. CITIZEN ID: 61082048. PERSONAL COMPUTER ISSUED BY ZENITHIAN DEPARTMENT OF CYBERWARE.
At the bottom it said: CYBORG.
What? Flora stared at the screen, shocked. Tecna's a cyborg? She shook the laptop, unable to believe the word she'd just seen.
No, that can't be true… But the word stared back at her, unrelenting. In shock, she stared down at the glove-like object she'd found on the floor.
"There's a covering they buy on the black market, to cover their robotic parts." Remembering Dmitri's words, she picked up the covering. There must be others like it… She ran back to the closet.
There they are… At the bottom of the shelf were ten different arm- and leg-coverings, all of various sizes. She picked each of them up, marveling at how well Tecna had kept the deception up.
But something was still lacking. I still don't know what happened to Tecna this year… If she'd been a cyborg practically her whole life, then what had changed in the last few months?
The computer can tell me, she realized. It can tell me what's going on. Suddenly feverish, she grabbed the laptop, shoving it into her bag.
She didn't hear the robot creeping up behind her. Without warning, it suddenly grabbed her, picking her up roughly from the room.
"Ahh!" Flora tried to summon her powers, but to no avail. What's going on? Why can't I fight this thing? She tried to pull herself out of the robot's grasp.
In response, it tightened its grip around her neck. Flora knew that, if she tried anything, the robot would crush her windpipe. Where's it taking me? She felt the breeze on her back, and knew the robot had taken her outside.
"That's enough," a voice behind her said. "Let the girl go."
The robot dropped Flora to the ground, quite suddenly. Flora gasped as her shoulders hit the hard concrete, pain welling up.
Then she screamed as an electric volt hit her in the sides. What's happening? A voice drawled out above her, cold and terrible.
"Well, well."
Bloom closed her eyes, sitting cross-legged on the top of the mountain. Below her, rivers of lava swarmed past the peak, and fiery smoke wafted out of the volcano. She drew breath, feeling her fire heat up inside of her.
"Good," Maia said. "Now we may begin with today's training."
A few days had passed since her arrival here; it was now Undecemensis 13. Bloom was training with Maia, learning how to harness the full extent of her Dragon Fire. She took in a deep breath, feeling the flame warm her heart.
So far, her stay on Pyros hadn't been too bad. Nawa, the woman who'd announced the dragon had been attacked, had grudgingly agreed to cook for Bloom. She'd fed her vegetables stuffed with meats, or rice served with spicy sauces and kebab. The breads that went along with meals were much different from any she'd ever eaten, with many more herbs than she'd ever thought possible. I guess they have to add spices in such a hot climate… There was an abundance of fruits and vegetables at every meal, which energized her at every turn. Apparently Pyrosian vegetables had calories and "excellent meditational value", as Maia put it.
They had spent the entire first day, Sunday, learning how to connect with her inner flame. Then on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Maia had told Bloom to practice creating fire-dragons, in ways she had never before. She learned more about the natural world of Pyros, connecting her Dragon Fire with the essence of nature. Every morning they started with a meditation session, which involved connecting with the flame within.
And none of it had brought her any closer to her goals. She was nearly at her patience's end as she sat, frustrated with the fact that she wasn't able to do anything she sought out.
"This is the first step to gaining inner-strength," Maia said. "Without understanding the source of your power, there is no way to improve it. You must be able to connect fully with it, feeling it spark inside of yourself."
"But it's not helping," Bloom said, opening her eyes. We haven't gotten any closer to gaining my Enchantix! She needed the power soon, if she would have any home of defeating Valtor.
"Patience," Maia chided. "You think too much about the destination in mind. In order to learn anything, you must appreciate the journey. Otherwise, you are just the same as when you started."
Then by the time I learn anything, Valtor will have conquered the universe. Bloom sighed, lowering her head.
"We're going to continue with an encasement spell," Maia said, "now that you have control over your fire-dragons. Are you ready?"
Bloom nodded, transforming into her Charmix. She called forth a dragon, one that was filled with warmth and light. Control the flame within… She exhaled, and a fire-dragon flew out from her heart.
As it swirled around the summit of the mountain, Maia transformed into her Enchantix – a magenta set of robes with white wings. "Get ready." She lifted her fairy-dust into the air, pointing it at Bloom's dragon. "Allow your dragon to hold my fairy-dust."
Bloom narrowed her eyes, willing her creation to hold still. Come on, let the fairy-dust through… But her mind was too tense to let it in. After a few seconds, the dragon suddenly exploded.
"Argh!" Bloom shouted in frustration.
"You must relax," Maia said, coming up to her. "In order to master this skill, you must have naught but benevolent intentions and the utmost confidence in yourself." She lifted her pouch. "Let's try again."
An hour later, Bloom was ready to throw herself into the volcano. She'd tried countless times to encase the fairy-dust into her dragon, but had been completely unsuccessful. Every time it didn't work, Maia had made her sit down and do more meditation exercises, which did nothing but irritate her. This is so annoying! She glared at the ground.
"Let's take a break from this," Maia finally said. "I wanted to try something new, anyhow – today you are going to practice with the dragons."
Bloom snapped her head up. "But your villagers don't want me anywhere near one!"
"They mistrust you because of your upbringing as a fairy outside of Pyros," Maia answered. "You see, your history books label us as the dragon-tamers, the people who conquered the dragons. That could not be farther from the truth. In fact, it is impossible to tame a dragon."
"What are you talking about?" Bloom protested. "Red Fountain has so many dragons! Dragon-taming is an art!"
"I shouldn't say impossible," Maia corrected herself. "Anything is possible, after you've bred and beaten them out of character, making them naught but the softest puppy-dog. But the truest way to "tame" a dragon is through understanding. Do you the history of my people?"
"You came from Domino, my home realm," Bloom answered.
Maia shook her head. "That is, again, an error in your history-books. Only a small fragment of ancient Pyros comprised of Dominians. The rest were all native Pyrosians, people far older than Domino itself.
"Throughout the Age of Discovery, only about a few thousand Dominians actually settled on Pyros. Most of the tribespeople of Pyros viewed the Dominians with distrust, and rightfully so, as they were a conquering force. However, their conquest was largely unsuccessful; they were no match for the brave dragons who protected Pyros. The Dominians were left to starve on their own.
"Our tribe, the Sekhmet Tribe, was the only one who would help them. My ancestors offered them refuge and taught them their way of working with the dragons. The Dominians came to respect the Pyrosians, behaving less like a conquering force and more like an equal partner. They intermarried into our Tribe. When Domino sent more colonists to inhabit Pyros, only those who could brave the harsh climate and mighty dragons stayed; slowly, the other tribes came to trust them and allow them into their ranks. Later, Pyrosians and Dominians worked jointly to overthrow Domino's yoke."
"Our ancestors were, in fact, mainly native Pyrosians. However, a part of our ancestry is Dominian, which is why we, mainly the Sekhmet Tribe, have powers over fire." She created a small flame in her hands. "While ancient Pyrosian magic is based off the energy of dragons, Dominian magic is based off the strength of fire. Today, the people of Pyros have both powers, powers which they wield in their harmony with, not against, the forces of nature."
"That's… cool," Bloom admitted. She had never thought of working with a beast that wanted to kill her, but if it had worked for countless generations, she supposed she could give it a try. If you can't beat them, join them. "So what do I do?"
"A dragon's will is unbeatable," Maia answered. "You must connect with one, accepting his dominance and strength. You must fully surrender all ego. But most importantly, you must release all emotional baggage, which is why I've had you do those meditation exercises." She looked closely at Bloom. "I sense there is still emotional baggage you are carrying around."
"Me?" Bloom said in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"You are angry," Maia answered. "There is something that is making you tick with fury, due to perceived betrayal or mistrust. You have many, many regrets, which are sending your internal flame out-of-balance. You must find peace within yourself if you ever wish to bring peace to the world."
"I don't!" Bloom cried. "I"… Her voice trailed off, and she stared at the ground.
She was still angry about everything that had happened. She was angry with Valtor for destroying her friendships, for destroying Domino, and killing Tecna. It's his fault this has all happened… She was angry with the other girls for not trying hard enough to beat Valtor, that day in Cloud Tower. And she was angry with Flora for not telling her about the threat Valtor posed.
If I'd known he possessed the Dragon Fire, I could've beaten him months ago! She clenched her fists. What, does she think I'm some kind of weak Earth girl or something? Why couldn't she tell me? And why didn't she tell us about her relationship with Mirta? We're friends – we don't keep secrets from each other. If she and Valtor hadn't have torn us apart, Tecna would still be alive now!
"Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't start you so soon after commencing your training," Maia said, pulling her out of her thoughts. "However, circumstances are growing dire, and you already have a reasonably strong control over your powers. I believe that if you are not ready for this now, you never will be."
"So, what do I do?" Bloom asked nervously.
"Normally, when trainees reach of age, they are sent into the forest to live with the dragons for two months," Maia explained. "Along the way, they live from the land and learn to communicate with the dragons. They reach a sacred temple in the forest, and there, they meditate for seven days without food. If they gain trust with the dragons, they are able to return as full-fledged warriors of the Tribe. If not, they don't survive. That is normally what our trainees would do.
"You, however, do not have two months. You will have to face a dragon right here, asking for his respect and wisdom. And remember, unlike last time, I will not be able to intervene. It is up to you whether you survive." Her eyes pierced Bloom. "Are you ready?"
"I'm ready," Bloom declared, fire heating up in her throat. I'm going to come out of this on top. Maia nodded, closing her eyes as a dragon flew out from behind the volcano.
It was the same dragon whom she had fought a few days ago. Her eyes widened in surprise as the dragon glared at her, clearly recognizing her for who she was. It let out a loud roar.
I can't give in. She stared upwards defiantly, letting her flame heat her up. I will be strong!
Flora opened her eyes. Who is he? She gasped in horror as soon as she saw the man above her.
A man wearing a black suit and green tie smirked down at her. His skin was entirely pale, and he had electric-blue eyes. What kind of power does he have? She drew back in fear.
"Are you… Mr. Ivanov?" she whispered.
"That spineless coward?" the man laughed. "No, I'm afraid he's not coming back for quite some time."
"I was supposed to meet with them," Flora said, her voice wavering.
"Indeed," the man smirked. "But I have been intercepting calls to this house for quite some time now. I told your dear headmistress that I'd meet with you, the darling Linphean girl. And now… here I am." He lifted the laptop out of her bag. "Quite the little thief, aren't you?"
Oh no… Flora thought in horror. She stared up at him, trying to look brave.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
The man bowed. "Igor Vasiliev, Senior Advisor to the Great Premier and Minister of Technology at your service. I also happen to be your friend's employer."
How does he know… "You know who I am?" she asked in disbelief.
"It was only a matter of time," Vasiliev smiled. "Oh yes, I know all about you. Flora Fernández, daughter of Sacniete and Rodrigo Fernández, sole Linphean fairy in her graduating-class at Alfea to receive her Enchantix. Even though your Enchantix is powerless against these robots."
He's put a spell-resistant charm on them, Flora realized in disbelief. No wonder it's so hard to fight them!
"What did you do with Tecna?" she challenged.
Vasiliev smiled. "Me? Absolutely nothing. It was she who created her own downfall. She was so brave, so noble, and so brilliant – all for nothing. She could've been a great programmer, but instead, she wasted her time on this childish fairy nonsense."
"What do you mean you had no part in it?" Flora glared at the man. "I saw her, night after night. She was unbelievably stressed and pained after working so hard. She had no time to hang out with us or her boyfriend. She had no time to be human. You took that all away from her!"
"Yes, yes," the man said, sounding bored. "She became a robot before her death. You outsiders all sound the same."
"Why did you do it?" Flora demanded, her voice cracking. "Why did you make her work so hard? What kind of a hold did you have over her?"
"You're not in much of a position to be asking questions," Vasiliev answered. "Listen, girl." His face was now mere inches from Flora's face. "You have a choice: you can come with me right now, and I'll introduce you to Her Magnificence. You can work for her, maybe even appear on screen. You Linpheans have heard of television, haven't you?"
"Yes, we have," Flora said through gritted teeth.
"You can be Her Magnificence's poster-child for the war," Vasiliev smiled. "You can appear on screen and tell your fellow citizens to stop fighting. Their war is a lost cause – if they haven't figured it out by now, they will soon enough."
"And what's my other option?" Flora challenged him.
"You can be my test-subject for my creation."
Flora gasped. This doesn't sound good… "What… creation?" she asked nervously.
"Oh, how careless of me," the man smiled. "The one your friend spent hours programming. With her data-analysis, she was able to get it through many tests and trials. All of that is wonderful, but we need a real subject."
"What is it?" Flora demanded. "Some kind of… weapon?"
"You could say that," the man smiled.
Flora's head was spinning. He's going to use it against my people… She glared up at him.
"No," she said. "I'll die before I do either."
"Brave to the end," Vasiliev smiled. "Of course, that can be easily arranged." He nodded to the robot. It moved astonishingly quickly, just about to get Flora…
But the nature-fairy dodged just in time. "Nature blast!" she shouted, hitting the robot with the spell. The robot easily absorbed the blow, and then advanced towards her.
"Vines!" she shouted, stomping on the ground. Magivines sprung from the earth, tying themselves around the robot. It lay on the ground, broken and decrepit.
"No!" Vasiliev shouted, and for a moment, his eyes looked monstrous. "You think you can destroy my creations, fairy? Think again!"
I need backup, Flora realized. Hoping the Zenithian police wouldn't see it first, she sent a green light into the sky, the correct intensity to notify the Red Fountain spacecraft's sensors. She held her hands together as Vasiliev smirked at her.
Something furious let loose in Flora. Without even stopping to think, she glared at him, letting all her fury out.
"You're a horrible man!" she shouted. "You don't even care about Tecna! People are protesting on the streets right now, begging for their survival, and you don't even care! All you want is to be the premier's right-hand man! Well, you can't beat down the resistance movement forever!"
"Oh, so are Linpheans now anarchists?" Vasiliev smirked.
"No," Flora said boldly, "but we don't care for big-governments, especially ones who subjugate and starve their citizens. Now give me the laptop back!" Without warning, she stomped on his foot; as he howled in pain, she grabbed the laptop out of his arms.
"Thief!" he hollered. "Dirty Linphean thief!" He pressed a button on his remote-control. "Get her!"
A rumbling noise sounded behind her. Turning around, Flora gasped as she saw hundreds of robots, all running towards her. "This isn't over!" she shouted. She flew into the air, hoping to escape from the robots…
But they simply glided into the air and flew after her. There's no escape… She watched in horror as the robots easily climbed over her vines, soaring after her.
There's no pollen around here… nothing… she realized. I can't even use the nature around me to deflect these creatures!
There was only one option – to fly as fast as she could. Activating her speed wings, she zoomed into the air, flying as high and fast as she could.
She didn't even have to look behind her to know that the robots were flying after her. Those are some crazy-fast robots… They had far more energy than her, she knew – they would catch her soon.
Wait, I see something. In front of her, she saw a red spaceship flying in her direction. "Jared!" she shouted, flying forward.
A trapdoor opened, and she zoomed into it. A second later, it slammed shut and locked. Jared stared at her, concern in his eyes. "Are you all right?"
"Let's just get home," Flora panted, the laptop still tightly in her arms. She stared down in horror. "Oh no!"
Robots were swarming the sides of the ship, looking as if they were about to break in. Flora covered her mouth in horror.
"Don't worry," Jared said, grinning. "They just installed a new blaster on this this ship." He pressed a button. "Robot launch!"
A huge energy-wave slammed out from the sides of the ships. The robots were blasted off, falling to the ground.
"All right," Flora panted. "Let's get out of here!"
"On it!" Jared pressed another button. The ship zoomed into the sky, far faster than any fairy or robot could move.
Convinced the danger was passed, Flora sank into a chair, exhausted. I didn't find the information I wanted… She hadn't been able to meet Tecna's parents, or really find what Vasiliev was planning with her.
But I figured out so much. Why Tecna had been so aloof this entire time. Why she'd been unable to express her true self around the other girls. She stared at the laptop, determined to uncover its secrets for once and for all.
I'm sorry, Tecna, she thought silently. I'm sorry you had to go through all this. But I won't let you down. I won't let Vasiliev win. Tears stung her eyes, but she shook them away. I won't let a horrible man like him ever come to power.
The dragon curled over her, its amber eyes glimmering with fury. Bloom tried to stand tall, but her very boots were quaking with fear. No! Don't be scared of that beast! She gritted her teeth.
"Stare him in the eye," Maia called, sitting cross-legged in front of her. Her eyes were still shut, and she did not look at all fazed by the dragon flying right above her. "Show him that you are not a threat."
She stood as tall and strong as possible, gazing up into the dragon's eyes. Her legs continued to shake with fear as she stood in her Winx form, her wings glittering. Stop being so afraid! Show it who's boss! Show it who's –
"Do not try to stamp out your fear," Maia called. "The dragon will know you are trying to hide it. If you are ever to become in-tune with your powers, you must have nothing to hide! Remember, courage is not the absence of fear, but the power to continue in spite of it."
Shut up! Bloom gritted her teeth. She stared up at the dragon, taking in its immense eyes. I think I feel some kind of connection with it… It stared down at her, heat in its eyes.
And then it spewed fire at her.
"No!" Bloom shouted, containing the fire in her hands. It didn't work! She flew upwards, heat and fury in her eyes. "Take that!" she shouted, slamming it with a fireball.
"Bloom, no!" Maia shouted. "If you are fighting with force, you have already lost! You will never be able to connect with the dragons!"
It doesn't matter! Bloom seethed. This stupid dragon is getting in my way! Just like Valtor! Rage built up inside her throat. I need to subdue it!
She flew over the mountain-peak, dueling the dragon expertly. Flame and fire roared, burning the landscape below. The dragon was tough and defiant, but so was she, and she had an excellent command over her magic. No more playing nice. Her aura glowed brilliantly, and red flames licked her eyes.
The next thing she knew, the dragon was slinking away, bellowing in rage. It retreated to the forest, and she glared after it. "Get out of here!" she shouted, flying to the ground.
She landed on the terrain, exhausted. That was some hard work… Transforming back into her civilian form, she looked up and froze.
The entire village was covered in ashes. Burn-marks were over the buildings, and flames still gathered behind her. All that remained was a charred village-square, many half-burned huts, and a group of very angry villagers in front of her.
Next chapter:
- Tecna finds out more about the boy she rescued.
- The Trix attack the Sekhmet Tribe.