Chapter 3

"So, what's it gonna be, Sky?" Andreas asked as he inched closer to Bloom, his blade aimed to impale her in the heart, "your loving father who was so wrongfully taken from you for sixteen years? Or this upstart, fire crotch of a traitor?"

"Traitor?" Bloom asked as she kept her hands raised in supplication, "just who did I betray?" Bloom knew her talk was little more than bullshit, but she hoped it'd be enough to distract Andreas and allow Sky time to come to his senses, for she knew that the instant Andreas showed himself, Sky was paralyzed by indecision.

"Don't insult my intelligence by pretending to be stupid, young missy!" said Andreas, "I heard from your own lips that you're planning to abandon Rosalind and the cause, and colluding several valuable students with you in your pathetic and irresponsible excuse for teenage rebellion. Don't bother denying your little insurrection, I heard you confess to my son in your derisive attempt to sway him to your cause.

"Now, Ms. Peters, if you wish to avoid a prolonged and highly unpleasant interrogation, you'll answer my questions. I know you've dug an escape tunnel, not too bad a plan, going beneath Rosalind's protections. But what I didn't catch between you and Sky was where the tunnel is, how you planned to distract Rosalind and who is helping you. Well, Bloom Peters? I'm waiting?"

Bloom knew Sky was in no position to help her, and with her powers still at low ebb, her only chance against Andreas was to reach the Stone Circle and recharge. Beyond that, she drew a blank, and she could think of only one thing that would give her that one chance.

"Alright, Headmaster," said Bloom in a defeated tone, "I'll tell you everything, but there's one thing you need to understand first." She then feigned a look of utter horror and pointed to something behind Andreas, "What the FUCK is THAT!?"

"What?!" Andreas asked as he turned around, but Bloom was already dashing for the Stone Circle. Pumping her limbs as hard as she could, Bloom was mere strides from the vessel in the center of the circle, when Andreas appeared in front of her.

"Nice try, missy," said Andreas as he grabbed Bloom and threw her out of the circle, "but not good enough."

Bloom landed hard on her behind, yet was back on her feet in half a second. Yet Andreas was already there and he grabbed her by the arm and threw her further away from the Stone Circle. This time she landed even harder and yelped in pain as her shoulder dislocated.

"Oh, did I do that?" Andreas asked as he grabbed Bloom again, pulling her up by her hair. Bloom bit back a scream as Andreas dangled her above the ground, "did that hurt?"

Not wanting to give Andreas any form of satisfaction, Bloom contemptuously spat in his face, "Vanessa spanked me harder when I was little!"

"Guess I'll have to do one better," said Andreas. He let go of Bloom and she fell to the ground, only for Andreas to kick her hard in the side, sending her several yards away. Bloom stopped, barely able to breathe due to the pain of several broken ribs.

"You think you're suffering now?" Andreas asked as he walked over casually, "you don't know what pain is. You're gonna tell me every detail of your little escape plan if I have to wring the truth out of you one bone at a time! Oh, sure, Rosalind will chew me out for damaging her prized Fairy, but preventing the escape of so many valued weapons will balance it out. Now, should I start on your feet or your other arm?"

"No!" shouted Sky as he dashed in, his sword drawn as he stood between Bloom and Andreas, "I won't let you hurt her again, Father!"

"I see you've made your choice, son," said Andreas in a disappointed yet understanding tone, "and it's no surprise, you and Bloom are bonded as Fairy and Specialist. I've no one to blame but myself for allowing such a match."

"Sky, get out of here!" said Bloom as she fought against the pain, struggling to her feet with her undamaged arm clutching her side, "he's too strong!"

"I don't care, I won't let him hurt you!" said Sky.

"Exactly my point!" said Andreas, "you two are bonded. She'd protect you just as intractably if your roles were reversed."

He then drew his sword, "however, such bonds can be broken, not easily, but it can be done. But first I have to beat the shit out of you, you ungrateful brat!"

"Bring it, you vicious old man!" said Sky. With that he and Andreas rushed together, meeting in a furious clash of blades that bloom had trouble keeping up with. Yet almost immediately, Bloom knew Sky was in trouble, with Andreas having the advantage in experience and technique.

"You're using The Boost, aren't you?" Andreas asked tauntingly as he effortlessly blocked all of Sky's attacks, "but you're using it too hard! You'll wear yourself out at this rate!"

"Shut Up!" shouted Sky as he fought harder and faster, yet Andreas's defense was too secure, too cocky. It was as if the older Specialist was toying with his son.

"I'm bored now," said Andreas as he, almost contemptuously, disarmed Sky, then delivered two quick cuts to his legs that left the younger specialist flat on his back. Bloom knew one of two things was going to happen: either Andreas would inflict further injury on Sky, or he would turn his attention back to her. Whatever move Andreas would make next, Bloom resolved to do something about it and she had to do it now.

"You've still a long way to go, son of mine," said Andreas as he stood over Sky, "pity, I almost wish you were stronger, at least that would've given me a better sense of satisfaction in defeating you. We'll get back to training you up after I've wrung the truth out of young Ms. Peters here."

He turned around, only to get hit square in the face by a burning rock. The impact of fiery stone knocked Andreas back several paces, only to duck as another burning rock came hurtling towards him.

"Seriously!?" Andreas asked as he saw Bloom grasping a rock in her good hand, while a small pile of rocks stood in front of her, "meteors? You think you can stop me with meteors?"

"I'm making do with what I have," said Bloom as she set the rock in her hand on fire. In truth, Bloom figured she had enough magic for one or two more burning rocks, but all she cared about then and there was giving Sky a chance to recover, and how grateful she was that Andreas didn't dislocate her throwing arm.

Smirking at the irony of her thought, Bloom threw the rock at Andreas, only to frown as the older Specialist blocked the fiery attack with his sword.

"Bloom, RUN!" shouted Sky as he tried to get up, yet the wounds to his legs forced him to a crawl.

"I'll deal with you soon enough, son of mine," said Andreas, "but first," he lunged at Bloom, "this missy needs to spill her guts!"

Bloom tried to throw her last burning rock but Andreas was too fast. He reached out to grab her, only for his hand to bounce off an invisible wall.

"Wh-what the fuck!?" exclaimed Andreas as he tried again and again to grab Bloom, each time his efforts were thwarted, "are you doing this, little fire crotch?!"

"She hasn't learned any barrier spells yet," said Morgan as she stepped from behind a tree. Now adorned in a magenta and indigo top and skirt with an iridescent coat, Morgan also wore an intricate array of multi-colored eye makeup, lip gloss and nail polish.

"Morgan? What are you doing out here?!" Bloom asked.

"The others were worried about you, and I was bored," said Morgan, "we're almost ready to go, so here I am to check on you and Sky," she then looked at said Specialist, "you must be Sky, I'm Morgan, Bloom's friend and fellow escape artist."

"Those markings," growled Andreas, "I haven't seen the like in sixteen years, but there's no mistake! You're a Blood Witch!" he then scowled at Bloom, "could you sink any lower than to consort with one of those blood-sucking freaks?!"

"You're a Blood Witch?" a shocked Sky asked.

"Reformed Blood Witch, thank you very much," said Morgan, "we don't murder to fuel our powers anymore." She then drew and pointed her athame at Andreas, "not that it matters to this sadistic maniac!"

"Morgan, run!" said Bloom, "he's too strong! Go back! Get Stella and the others out of here!"

"Uh-uh, I ain't leaving," said Morgan, "not without you and your boyfriend."

"But you don't have any offensive powers!" Bloom shouted.

"Thanks for the head-up, Ms. Peters," said Andreas as he grinned viciously, "not that it'll spare you a truth wringing, but it'll go well with Rosalind to know you've made the right choice concerning these bloody fanatics!" with that he charged at Morgan, who stood her ground with an eager smile on her face, much to Bloom's horror and confusion.

Now within striking range, Andreas raised his sword for a killing blow. Morgan could've run or dodged, instead she blocked, with her fingertips. She merely touched Andreas's wrist and he dropped his sword.

Bloom saw Andreas' confounded and livid expression as he grabbed his sword, yet his grip failed and the blade fell to the ground again. Bellowing with fury, Andreas drew a knife with his other hand and rushed at Morgan. She touched his wrist and he dropped the knife.

"You fucking bitch!" shouted Andreas as he reached out to grab Morgan, "I'll crush the life out of you!"

Shouting something Bloom couldn't understand, Morgan jabbed her right thumb, fore and middle fingers on Andreas' torso, stopping the raging Specialist and freezing him in place like a statue.

"What did you do?" Sky asked as he managed to limp over, while Bloom also walked closer.

"Venusian Karate," said Morgan, "highly effective against most humanoid races. Hit the right pressure points and your enemy is helpless," She looked at the immobilized Andreas, "the paralysis effect should last twenty minutes, followed by ten minutes of extreme disorientation from the lowered oxygen intake."

"But he is alive, right?" Sky asked as he got closer and saw Andreas was breathing shallowly, while his eyes were moving, alternating from looks of hateful scorn towards Bloom, to loathing at Morgan, to outraged disappointment towards Sky.

"When you said you had tricks up your sleeves, you weren't kidding," said Bloom, "can you teach me how to fight like that?"

"First thing's first," said Morgan as two veins around her eyes pulse. She crossed her arms and aimed her forefingers at Bloom and Sky, "Bippity Boppity Boom!"

Both Bloom and Sky gasped as waves of healing magic flowed through them, restoring their wounded flesh and bones. Bloom gave a much louder gasp as her dislocated arm popped back in place.

"Well, I guess Father and Rosalind were wrong when they said Blood Witches were the embodiment of evil in Otherworld," said Sky.

"Oh, we can still be bad," said Morgan, "awesomely bad." She looked at Bloom, "isn't there something you need to do before we make the big breakout?"

With that Bloom ran into the Stone Circle and grabbed the handles of the vessel in the middle. Instantly she felt the magic of the land flow into her. As she recharged her powers, Bloom vaguely heard Morgan give Sky a condensed version of the escape plan, as well the Shadow Cadre and how she, Carmen and Elise fit in.

Once fully charged, Bloom walked back, just as Morgan finished telling Sky of Luna's intent to force Stella into marriage.

"I knew Luna was horrid," said Sky, "but to make Stella marry Cyril, that beast, how could Luna be so heartless?"

"You're asking about the woman who all but gave the seal of approval for the genocide of my people?" Morgan asked, "but we won't have to find out once we've gotten Stella and everyone else away from your dad and Rosalind."

"Where are we going once we're out of Alfea?" Bloom asked

"Haven't the foggiest," said Morgan as they started back towards the school, "Andrew never told us that part of the plan, but I trust him to get us someplace safe."

Morgan stopped and walked back to the immobilized Andreas, picked up a rock and smashed it into his face, "that's for Aster Dell, you bastard!" she then kicked him in the crotch, "and that's for me! Think of it as something to occupy yourself when you can move again!" She paused for a thought, "and this," she kicked him in the shin, "is for good measure."

"Are you done assaulting my father?" Sky asked.

"Almost," said Morgan. She then spat in Andreas' face, "okay, now I'm done," she then looked at the time on her phone, "and son of a banshee, not a moment too soon! By now Rosalind is having her minions trying to locate Stella, while Elise is about to send the distraction to Luna, who no doubt will send it to Rosalind after her initial freak-out. Oh, just you wait until Luna sees what we produced. If this doesn't give her a heart attack, I don't know what will!"

"It is 11:30, Aisha," said Rosalind as she sat at her desk in her office. Aisha stood at the doorway, a confused look on the Water Fairy from Andros.

"Yes, it is, Headmistress," said Aisha.

"Don't patronize me, young lady!" snapped Rosalind, "I'm under enough stress as it is. In half an hour, Queen Luna will arrive to make her special announcement, and Stella should've been here to receive instructions five minutes ago! And Andreas is nowhere to be seen either! And with Bloom's injuries still on the mend, can you see how much stress I am under?"

"Would suggesting a nice, long holiday be too much?" Aisha asked as she glanced at her phone, waiting for a message from Elise.

"Oh, they'd like me to do that," said Rosalind as she stood up and paced, "let my guard down and allow The Shadow Phoenix's henchmen to work their mischief upon Otherworld. One of Darkar's cronies, that's what's making The Burned Ones stronger and smarter. I'll give Bloom one more day to rest, then we'll comb the forest and beyond for that minion."

"Yes, I'm sure Bloom is eager to get back to work," said Aisha, "shall I go see what's keeping Stella, Headmistress?"

At that Rosalind looked at Aisha suspiciously, "You know, there's something odd about you, Ms. Aisha, something too loyal about you."

"Why…what ever do you mean, Headmistress?" Aisha asked, sensing that whatever madness at work in Rosalind was now focusing on her, "of course I'm loyal, to you, to Alfea, to Andros and to Otherworld."

"Yes, that's just what a minion of The Shadow Phoenix would say," said Rosalind, "they're masters of deception, the lackeys of Darkar. It wouldn't surprise me if one of them were at work in Alfea disguised as a student. Tell me, where you always this eager to be Dowling's assistant before or after Beatrix slipped up?"

"What are you talking about?" Aisha asked as she clutched her phone, "wait, you mean Beatrix didn't…"

"Andreas instructed her to find me while keeping a low profile," said Rosalind, "but I'll bet you were just biding your time, waiting for the opportunity to get close to Dowling so you could find and take me out in my vulnerable state."

Before Aisha could react, Rosalind grabbed and twisted her arm, forcing Aisha to her knees, "that was your plan, wasn't it?! To assassinate me before I could be freed, right?!"

"You're crazy!" said Aisha as her eyes flashed blue, yet the pain of her twisted arm prevented her from concentrating on her powers.

"But you couldn't get to me because of the chaos caused by The Burned Ones," said Rosalind as she increased the pressure on Aisha's arm, "so you volunteered to be my assistant, then arranged for Bloom to be weakened in battle and Andreas distracted, so you could kill me! Like I killed Dowling!"

At that Aisha looked at Rosalind with astonishment and horror, "then it's true, you did kill her."

Rosalind then released and forced Aisha back, "oh, now I get it, you wanted me to confess what I did and then you'd tell the world and ruin my reputation. Clever, but not clever enough!"

Just then Rosalind's phone rang, "hold that thought," said Rosalind as she looked at the screen, "it's Luna, most likely inquiring if everything is ready for her arrival." She answered the call, only to be bombarded by a tirade of frantic shouting from Queen Luna.

Aisha, realizing that the distraction plan was in effect, checked her phone and frowned at the lack of any messages from Elise.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please!" said Rosalind sternly, "control yourself and tell me what's the matter!"

"I'll tell you what's the matter, you dried up husk of a Headmistress!" shouted Luna, "you let my daughter get kidnapped! That's the matter, you shriveled bitch!"

Aisha smiled to herself, mentally congratulating Stella for such a stellar performance, then stifled a giggle at the unintentional pun. She saw that Rosalind didn't see her emotional slip as the Headmistress of Alfea was still dealing with Luna.

"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Rosalind demanded, "Stella hasn't been kidnapped!" she glared at Aisha, all thoughts of spies and assassination forgotten, "you'd know if Stella was kidnapped, she's your suitemate after all, right?"

"I…I would know, I guess," said Aisha.

"You see, Your Majesty?" Rosalind asked, "my assistant would know, and she'd tell me."

"Oh, I should've known putting you back in charge of Alfea was a horrible idea!" said Luna, "first you endanger my daughter by pitting her against Burned Ones, as if that wasn't reason enough to have you sacked! But now you've allowed Stella to be abducted and held for ransom! By Blood Witches no less!"

At that Rosalind paled and almost dropped her phone in shock, before recomposing herself and responding, "Whatever made you think this is a kidnapping, Luna, is obviously a jape in highly poor taste! You and I know very well there are no Blood Witches in Solaria."

"Then what the fucking hell is this?!" Luna demanded.

Rosalind's phone chimed with a video attachment, which she opened. On the screen appeared Stella, bounded, bruised and bloody between Elise and Carmen, both wearing tasteful yet seductive outfits and elaborate eye makeup. The three of them stood in a dimly lit dungeon complete with chains and filth strewn about, while the sound of dripping water could be heard in the background.

"Hello, Queen Luna," said Carmen on the video, "I use your title most indifferently. You're probably wondering how your beloved daughter wound up this way, aren't you?"

"Mother! Don't give them anything!" shouted Stella, before crying out in pain as Carmen struck her across the face, then struck her again.

"Keep your big mouth shut if you don't want anything else, Princess!" spat Carmen. She then looked at the camera, "and you, Luna, will do exactly what we say," she then gestured towards Elise, who pulled out an athame, "or my silent friend here will start cutting."

From Rosalind's horrified expression, Aisha knew the production from last night was as convincing as our heroines hoped for while Terra, Ben, their Father and Chrissie Chesterton worked on the tunnel, Stella received a rather ghoulish makeover.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Stella asked Morgan as said Blood Witch mixed a red concoction, while Elise, Carmen, Bloom, Musa and Aisha, moved some of the common area's furniture

"Oh sure," said Morgan, "remember, my adopted parents were Hollywood makeup artists and they taught me the best recipes for fake blood."

She brought over a container of viscus red fluid, "it's rather simple; just water, corn syrup and food coloring in the right proportions. The secret lies with balancing blue and green coloring with the red so you get that perfect shade of red, and some corn starch for texture. And you want to know the best part?" she dipped her finger into the fake blood mixture and licked it, "it's edible."

"Though I wouldn't call it food," said Elise and Musa pushed a sofa to one side, "nowhere near as satisfying as the real thing."

"What's it like?" Bloom asked as she and Carmen, hung a blue drape on one of the walls, "using Blood Magic?"

"Probably the same way it feels using Fairy Magic for you," said Carmen, "then again, our magic uses a lot more passion."

"You mean darkness?" Musa sked as her eyes glowed. She grinned, "you let your guard down for a second there."

"Be glad I'm me and not one of my ancestors," said Carmen, "if my family tree is correct, one of my many-times Great Aunts, she murdered a Mind Fairy who got a glimpse of her inner thoughts. Of course, that particular Mind Fairy was a witch hunter and my many-times Great Aunt was running for her life."

"Our people endured countless years of persecution due to our misguided beliefs," said Elise, "centuries upon centuries of unnecessary death and destruction, all because of our faith in false gods."

Carmen then spat on the floor, "there's The False Ones for you!"

"Just who or what were The False Ones?" Stella asked.

"Oh, there were oodles of false pantheons our ancestors worshiped," said Morgan as she bade Stella to sit down, "it all depended on what brand of dark magic you were into. My ancestors worshiped gods of natural disasters."

"There were gods of natural disasters?" Bloom asked as she tried to remember what she read about Greek and Norse mythologies.

"There was a whole family of disaster gods and goddesses," said Morgan, "there was Dyvanka, Goddess of Hurricanes and Tornadoes, and the Earthquake Twins, Bobbodus and Bitamar. One did volcanoes, the other tsunamis."

"Which one was which?" Musa asked.

"I don't remember," said Morgan, "they were interchangeable. Now, Stella," she then opened an ornate makeup kit, "we'll start around your eyes. Just hold still and I'll give you a black eye you can tell your grandkids you won in a fight."

"How does one win a black eye?" Stella asked as Morgan applied the makeup.

"By giving as good as you got, if not better," said Elise, "my ancestors made it a point to give twice as much, they were so spiteful. They worshiped just one god, Vytanadak the Vindictive."

"Wow, you'd think a god of revenge would start with an R in his name," said Stella.

"Oh, it's worse than that," said Elise, "Vytanadak was also the god of revenge sex. My ancestors believed he would reward the most vindictive of revenge plots and betrayals with mind-shattering sexual ecstasy."

"I wish my ancestors worshiped the gods of sexual ecstasy," said Carmen, "would've made things less messy for my family."

"Why?" Bloom asked, "what false gods did your family worship?"

"I'd rather not talk about that, thank you very much," said Carmen in a stern tone that would abide no arguments.

"Okay, so, we'll talk about something else," said Bloom, "how did you three learn about your powers?"

Immediately, Carmen's harsh expression brightened, "now that's something I want to talk about. We already told you that we I met Morgan in the hospital after I got beaned that summer. Well, it was Patricia."

"Mrs. Walker was already scouring the Multiverse for talents for The Shadow Cadre," said Elise, "she knew that someday someone would have to stand up to Queen Luna's heartlessness."

"Assuming she had a heart to begin with," said Stella as she saw her reflecting, wincing at how real the bruising makeup looked, "wow, I either look like a domestic abuse victim or a boxing champion."

"You ain't seen nothing, babe," said Morgan, "when I'm done with you, you'll look like you went the distance with Apollo Creed. So, anyway, Patricia found Carmen and me and told us what we were."

"We were thirteen and scared shitless of what we could do," said Carmen, "especially when Patricia told us we needed to ingest blood to fuel out powers."

"I can imagine how scared you were," said Musa, "being told you were like vampires would terrify anyone."

"'Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike vampires,'" said Elise.

"Oh, that must've clarified things," said Musa.

"How hard was it learning your powers?" Aisha asked, "I'll bet you had more than a few accidents."

"Did any of you accidentally blind your best friends because your maternal figure was a raging totalitarian bitch?" Stella asked as Morgan worked on her lips.

"Oh, no, nothing like that," said Carmen, "unless you count accidentally obliterating fifty acres of pristine forestland with a miniature black hole."

"I practiced my healing powers on animals," said Morgan, frowning at unpleasant memories, "you do not want to hear what happened when I got it wrong."

"I accidentally caused an electromagnetic pulse that affected half a planet," said Elise.

"Was that before or after you fell on top of me while Carmen was making me float?" Morgan asked.

"Before," said Elise, "which is worse. Remember, I grew up on a Mars terraforming colony, so imagine how big a disaster it was when half the colony is rendered powerless, including backup systems." She then saw the shocked looks on Bloom, Aisha, Stella and Musa, "oh, don't look at me like I accidentally murdered half the colony. The tertiary systems and emergency respirators were unaffected, but it was a while before I tried anything like that again."

"So, yes, we all had mishaps learning our powers," said Carmen, "worse than flooding bathrooms, yes we know about that one, Aisha."

"We never did anything as personal as what happened with Ricki," said Morgan, "but yeah, we had a lot of regrettable mishaps."

"I accidentally torched my house and gave my stepmother third-degree burns," said Bloom, the memory of her first brush with Fire Magic still causing her inner turmoil.

"Okay, that tops accidental bunny explosions," said Morgan.

"Uh…well…so…" said Bloom as she tried to change the subject, "how did you learn your powers? I doubt there's a school for Blood Magic in Solaria."

"Not an official one, no," said Carmen.

"And nowhere as fancy and flamboyant as Alfea," said Morgan, "but we did have teachers."

"Mostly our craft was passed down orally from generation to generation," said Elise, "very few dared to write down our secrets for outsiders to discover and destroy. Only the strongest and most daring of Blood Witches dared write down their spells and enchantments on paper.

"He or she had to be strong enough to protect their writings, and protect the rest of us, especially after we abandoned The False Ones and reformed our practices. The last one who was that strong, she was so strong, wise and ballsy, she earned the title of Sorceress Supreme."

"Hyacinth, was her name," said Morgan, "and she was so ballsy, she thought she could singlehandedly heal the rift between Fairies and Reformed Blood Witches."

"What happened to her?" Bloom asked.

"She almost succeeded in her dream," said Morgan, "or at least that's what we were told. She actually managed to arrange a sit down with Queen Luna, but either she was killed or imprisoned, we don't know."

"One thing is for certain," said Elise, "Hyacinth would've never allowed Rosalind to destroy Aster Dell, not while she still drew breath."

"Hyacinth would've obliterated Rosalind," said Carmen coldly as she clenched her fists, a look of deep rage building on her face. Several pieces of furniture smashed into the ceiling, while a few more were crushed into kindling by their own enhanced density.

"Hey! Stop That!" Morgan shouted.

"Huh? Oh, oh!" exclaimed Carmen as she relaxed, dissipating the gravitational anomalies in the room, much to the relief of Bloom and the others.

"Sorry, it's just…" said an embarrassed Carmen, "I never had a chance to know Hyacinth or learn from her."

"Instead, we got the next best thing," said Morgan, "Patricia managed to salvage a few of Hyacinth's journals. She gave some of them to Carmen and I, and then to Elise after she dropped in."

"Yet there was only so much we could learn from books alone," said Elise, "we needed a true teacher if we were to come into our full potential."

"Which is why, about six months later," said Morgan, "Patricia found us a teacher; Hyacinth's best friend, lover and partner in grime, Ms. Esmerelda Griffin. If we had our own school, Ms. Griffin would be Headmistress without a doubt. I think you Winx would like her; she's tough but fair, always willing to give you the chance to improve yourself."

"But whatever powers that may be help you if you violate her cardinal rules," said Carmen, "her prime rule: Don't Get Caught!"

"Remember, we were stuck on Firstworld," said Elise, "surrounded by mortals who would react very badly if they learned their neighbors were witches who needed blood to fuel their powers."

"Yeah, I can imagine how badly my neighbors would react if they learned I could conjure fire," said Bloom.

"Okay, that should do it," said Morgan as she finished applying Stella's makeup.

"Well?" Stella asked as she turned around to face her friends, "how do I look?"

"Forget Apollo Creed," said Carmen as she and the others were shocked by how realistically beat up Stella looked, "you look like Clubber Lang and Ivan Drago had their way with you, and I mean it as a complement to Morgan's skills."

"Oh, I'd like to thank the Academy and all my fans and especially my fans!" said an overenthusiastic Morgan, "you like me! You really like me!"

"Okay, so now what?" Bloom asked.

"Now I do Carmen and Elise," said Morgan as she closed her makeup kit and opened another that she pulled out from subspace, "and mine while I'm at it."

"Our people, we have our own style," said Carmen as Morgan applied makeup around her eyes, "styles that represent who we are as witches, our covens, our families."

"And these styles," said Aisha, "do they have any effect on your powers? Do they make you stronger?"

"No, they just look wicked," said a grinning Morgan.

"OH MY GOD!" exclaimed Terra as she pointed at Stella, "wh-what happened?" she then collected herself, clutching at her pounding heart, "oh, sorry, for a moment, it looked as if…as if…"

"As if a muscle-bound actor beat Stella to a pulp?" Musa asked, she then looked at Morgan, "if it could nearly give Terra a coronary, imagine what it would do to Luna."

"It may not be enough," said Stella, "not if we truly want to freak out my mother and Rosalind."

"What else do you want?" Carmen asked as Morgan finished her makeup, then moved on to Elise.

"We truly need to convince my mother that my life, the future of Solaria, is in mortal danger," said Stella as she took off her Travel Ring, "any chance you know how to translocate something?"

"You mean a Sending?" Carmen asked, "if it's small enough, yes."

"Then send this to my mother as proof I've been kidnaped," said Stella, "after I smear some of my blood on it, that might just be enough to convince my mother that I'm in mortal danger, but just to be safe, for maximum effect, you need to hit me as hard as you can."

"No, I'm not hitting you for real," said Carmen, "we went over this when we rehearsed the script."

"It's a good script," said Morgan, "Carmen does all the talking while Elise threatens to peel your face off. The only physical contact is when Carmen fake slaps you to keep you from talking."

"Still not enough," said Stella, "My mother needs to be convinced, so you're going to have to convince her, so I give you permission to hit me as hard as you can, even if it mars my face in the process."

"But it's such a lovely face," said Carmen teasingly, "what if I give you a real back eye or a fat lip?"

"What's a few bumps and bruises that'll fade," said Stella, "compared to a lifetime shackled to the beast Cyril? I'm dead serious, Carmen. When we film the ransom video, I want you to hit me as hard as you can."

"You are serious," said an amazed Carmen, "Well, if you insist, which side would you prefer to be hit?"

"Just so long as you don't break my nose for real," said Stella, "I like my nose, thank you very much?"

"Let's be honest, Bloom, Aisha," said Musa, "do you really think this is going to work?"

"I hope so," said Bloom, "because it'd be a terrible waste of time and energy if it didn't."

"Especially with our lives at risk," said Aisha.

"Alright, everyone!" said Morgan as she finished her eye makeup, "we're ready to roll! Places, people! Places!"

"Just what are you demands you'll make to Queen Luna?" Terra asked as Carmen and Elise helped Stella into real chains. "And won't Luna know it's fake with the green background?"

"It's Chromakey," said Morgan as she pulled out her phone, "I've got a digital editing app here that'll make that green backdrop look like a dark, dank and dirty dungeon, just the place Luna would believe a coven of Blood Witches would hold her daughter for ransom.

"As for our demands, it's what we truly want: that Luna confesses her involvement in the Aster Dell genocide and allows the practice of Reformed Blood Witchcraft back into Solaria."

"You have one hour to decide, Queen Luna," said Carmen, "one hour to admit your crimes to the people of Solaria, or your precious daughter loses her face!"

Aisha, looking over the shoulder of the horrified Rosalind as, on the video, Elise grabbed Stella by the face and held her knife to Stella's forehead. "I'd like to see how she does on the marriage market without her best attribute!" shouted Carmen, then the video ended.

"Well, Rosalind?!" exclaimed Luna, "what are you going to do about this?!"

Aisha could only watch in astonishment as Rosalind hesitated for a few heartbeats, before regaining her composure, "this is obviously a prank, your Majesty, and one in extremely poor taste."

"It's no joke, Rosalind!" said Luna franticly as she held up something small and gold with some red on it, "this is my daughter's Travel Ring, with her blood on it! It materialized next to me after I received the ransom video! My daughter would never give up her ring without a fight!"

Aisha was forced to cover a brief chortle with coughing, for she knew Stella was all to glad to lend her ring to Bloom at the start of the schoolyear.

"This...this cannot be real, your grace," said Rosalind, "I would know if Stella had left Alfea in any way, shape or form. That video, the ring, it must all be part of an elaborate hoax."

"For your sake, it had better be, Rosalind," said Luna, "I'll be at Alfea in less than five minutes! If my daughter isn't there at the front lawn to greet me, consider your tenure revoked!"

With that the call ended. Rosalind sat at her desk, unmoving, while Aisha watched stilly, only daring to speak after several heartbeats, "uh…Headmistress?"

"I want eyes on Princess Stella," said Rosalind to Aisha, "I want her in my office right now!"

"Yes, Headmistress!" said Aisha, who then hurried out of the office. As soon as she cleared the outer reception room, she ran into none other than Biggs and Wedge, whom she grabbed by the arms, "Stella's missing! The Headmistress wants her found immediately!"

"Uh…" said a confused Biggs, "when you said the Headmistress wants Stella found immediately, did you mean 'now' now? Or as soon as possible?"

"She just wants her found," said Aisha as she thought of how to use Rosalind's lackeys' in her favor, "look, I'll check our suite to make sure Stella's not sick in bed or something, you two get everyone else to search Alfea from top to bottom." With that she hurried off to the Winx suite, smiling inwardly as she hoped her misdirection would keep unwanted intruders out of the way.

"You heard her," said Wedge to Biggs, "we gotta find Princess Stella before those Blood Witches carve her up like a cake!"

"I told you eavesdropping on Rosalind's private calls was a bad idea!" said Biggs as he took a listening device from his ear, "what if she finds out? We'll be the ones carved like cakes, that's what! Besides, Stella isn't even here if she's been kidnapped."

"We don't know that for sure," said Wedge, "for all we know, she and the kidnappers are still in Alfea, so we're going to do our duty and search the school."

"You do realize how much of Alfea we need to search?" Biggs asked, "'from top to bottom,' Aisha told us. That means from the roofs to the basements."

"Which is why we need to organize the whole student body of Alfea to search Alfea!" said Wedge, "come on! Princess Stella is counting on us!"

"And that, dear friend," said Francesca to Beatrix, "is how you're going to escape Alfea with the books of Dark Magic."

"This has to be the most insane, convoluted and asinine plan I've ever heard," said Beatrix, "did I mention it's insane? Just how will a live goat distract Rosalind? I'd get it if you wanted me to sacrifice the goat in order to invoke some dark power, even though I've never done anything like that before, but you want me to keep it alive?"

"I know, the individual aspects of the plan seem outlandish," said Francesca, "but when you consider the bigger picture, when you see the whole plan through a wide-angle lens, you'll see that you'll be able to get out of Alfea with the books and do so with a full twenty-four hours before Rosalind knows you're missing. I'll admit, though, getting a compact particle accelerator from Zenith won't be cheap."

"And where do you think I'll be able to get my hands on fresh Snozzberries this time of year?" Beatrix asked, "honestly, Francesca, have you ever busted anyone out of Alfea before?"

Just then came an insisting knocking on Beatrix's door, "now what?" she hissed to herself, then looked at the shadow of Francesca, "hide while I deal with whatever bullshit this is."

"You know where to find me," said Francesca as she merged with the other shadows in the room.

"Hang on!" said Beatrix as she went to the door, all the while the pounding got louder, "I'm coming, for fucks sake!"

She opened the door and saw Biggs and Wedge, "oh, it's you two, what do you want?"

"Princess Stella's been kidnapped!" said both boys, with Biggs speaking next, "Queen Luna received a ransom video from some Blood Witches and then forwarded it to the Headmistress!"

"She thinks it's a hoax but we're not taking any chances!" said Wedge, "the whole student body of Alfea is to search the school from top to bottom and find Princess Stella before Queen Luna gets here."

"Really," said an intrigued Beatrix as she saw a golden opportunity, "so, does this mean I'm ungrounded?"

"Well, I guess so," said Wedge, while Biggs looked just as confused, "the Headmistress didn't exactly say so, but this is an emergency, so, yes, you're ungrounded."

"Excellent," said a smiling Beatrix, "I'll search the library while you find gentlemen round up more searchers! Our beloved Princess is in danger!"

"Affirmative!" said both Biggs and Wedge, who then dashed off.

"Those two are such gullible gits," said Beatrix to herself, "I'll miss them when I leave." She then turned back to her room, grinning with wicked delight, "did you hear that? The spoiled bitch of Solaria got herself snatched by Blood Witches!"

"I did hear," said Francesca as her shadow materialized again, "though it doesn't make sense. Why would the covens act now after so long and so brazenly? As de facto Sorceress Supreme, Esmerelda Griffin wouldn't tip her hand so recklessly, no. Something else is going on."

"Don't you get it?!" Beatrix asked, "we can forget the fucking live goat, particle accelerator and Snozzberries! Fuck the rest of that shit! With all the confusion of everyone turning Alfea upside down to find Stella, I can just walk into the library, grab the books of dark magic and quietly take my leave."

"My dear friend, use your head!" said Francesca sharply, "this is obviously a fake kidnapping to distract Rosalind, but for what? I need to confer with my colleagues. In the meantime, I want you to go after those two dingbats and anyone else you can get under your thumb."

"Why should I grab old Tag and Bink there?" Beatrix asked, "and how can you be so sure this is a fake kidnapping?"

"I'm mostly sure," said Francesca, "if it turns out to be real, you have my most sincere apologies for wasting a golden opportunity to escape. But if I'm right, and I'm mostly positive I'm right, then we'll have a greater opportunity to seize, a chance to weaken if not destroy Bloom Peters before she can get too strong to deal with."

"I'm game for anything to hurt Bloom," said Beatrix, "but wouldn't killing her arouse Rosalind's suspicions?"

"If I'm right about what's really happening, then Rosalind may forgive you for Bloom's death," said Francesca, and for a moment, Beatrix could've sworn the shadow was smiling, "for in the heat of battle, accidents happen."

"How? How could someone kidnap Stella?" Dane asked as he and Riven hurried through the school corridors, "how could anyone get past Rosalind's protections? And what about Stella's new team of bodyguards?"

"There's a lot that doesn't make sense, mate," said Riven, "like, where did Sky skive off to this morning?"

"You don't suppose he kidnapped Stella, do you?" Dane asked, "you know, like a fake kidnapping so that he'll rescue Stella and they'll get back together?"

"Oh please," said Riven, "Sky's a romantic, but he's not that hopeless. And he wouldn't pull something like this when he's figuring out his feelings for Bloom."

"Speaking of which," said Dane, "where is Bloom? You'd think, as Stella's friend and roommate, Bloom would be all over the place looking for her. And what about Aisha, Musa and Terra?"

"You're quite right, my friend," said Riven as they exited the main building, "we have a mystery at Alfea, and since my mind is clear of weed fog, we have an opportunity to solve it, and endear ourselves to Rosalind in the process."

The two Specialists then saw Rosalind out on the front law, standing at attention, while Luna, accompanied by several Solarian soldiers and bodyguards, viciously admonished the Headmistress.

"Your Grace, please!" said Rosalind as Luna paused for breath between verbal assaults, "whatever has happened to Stella, I'm sure she is in no danger."

"Then how do you explain her blood on her ring which appeared in front of me this morning?!" Luna demanded, "Stella couldn't have sent it herself! It was a Blood Witch Sending, I'd recognize the foul taint of Blood Magic anywhere!" She then shoved Stella's Travel Ring into Rosalind's hand, "can't you feel it?! Or has your long exile dulled your wits as well as your senses!?"

At that Rosalind looked mad enough to spit, "my mind and powers are as sharp as ever, Your Grace! And yes, I do sense the trace of Blood Magic, but there is more to this than some wet-behind the ears Blood Witches out for revenge."

She then looked at her phone and made an annoyed face, "and I'd feel better about this if that damned Andreas would respond!"

"Oh photons! Don't tell me he's missing too!" lamented Luna, "you truly have fucked things up, Rosalind!"

"The situation is salvageable, Your Grace!" said Rosalind, "I just need more information, but for that, you need to contact the alleged kidnappers."

"I beg your pardon?!" exclaimed Luna, "you expect me to give in to these maniacs?! I will not, have never and never will, negotiate with those who violate the peace and prosperity of Solaria!"

"Even at the cost of Stella's life?" Rosalind asked, "don't get me wrong, Your Grace. The last thing either of us want is for the general public to know what happened sixteen years ago. However, in order to get to the bottom of this mystery, you might want to show a little leeway, at least until I can get some experts in to trace these so-called kidnappers."

"As a matter of fact," said Luna, "I took the liberty of calling in the best Trackers in the kingdom. They come highly recommended."

"Did you hear that?" Dane asked Riven, "Queen Luna's bringing in The Trackers. If anyone can find Stella, it's them."

"I hope so, my cool curious friend," said Riven, "and I hope Stella's really been kidnapped, because I do not want to be in Stella's shoes if this is fake."

"What is taking them so long?" Stella asked as she paced nervously in the common area of the Winx Suite, "Bloom should've charged up and convinced Sky to come by now. I knew I should've been the one to talk to him. We've always been close, I could've told Sky that his father and Rosalind were evil, he already knows how big a bitch my mother is."

"We've been over this, highness," said Carmen, "we can't risk you being seen."

"And we need you here for when your mother calls back to negotiate," said Elise, "which is why we still need you in character and makeup."

"Yes, about my makeup," said Stella as she rubbed at her eyes, "as spectacular an artist Morgan is, she couldn't've stuck around to reapply in case I had to wash it off? It itches!"

"Just hang on a little longer, Stella," said Musa, "we may not even have to stick around for your mother to call. I'll bet Terra's gonna come in and say the tunnel's finished right about now."

Just then Sam emerged from the tunnel, "We're gonna need more time."

"What are you talking about?!" Carmen asked, "you should be finished and linked up with the other tunnel by now!"

"Well, we've run into a couple of snags in the past few hours," said Sam, "such as a large iron deposit we had to go around. It's so much harder to dig through metal than stone and earth."

"Okay, I'll give you that one," said Carmen, "we would've run into the metal anyway."

"And with the accelerated digging," said Sam, "we needed to take extra precautions. Right now, my dad, Terra and Chrissie are bracing the tunnel so it doesn't collapse on us while we're running for our lives."

"Yes, we wouldn't want to be buried alive after all, would we?" Stella asked.

"I apologize for my snappish comments," said Carmen, "I forgot that anything that can go wrong in a plan can and will. I should get down there and help."

Just then Morgan's phone rang.

"Too late!" said Elise, "Stella, Carmen! Places!"

"But who's gonna hold the phone?" Stella asked as she, Carmen and Elise got in front of the green screen.

"I'll float the camera," said Carmen as she popped a blood concentrate. "Sam, you and Musa stand by the door in case Bloom, Sky and Morgan show up, and in a few minutes the others will start filling in for the escape."

"You can count on us!" said Sam as he and Musa hurried out of the way.

"Okay, let's do this," said Stella as Elise and Carmen chained her up while the phone levitated with the screen facing them, "let's do it live!"

With a pulse of a vein around Carmen's eyes, she answered the call. The screen then showed a glowering Rosalind and a frantic Luna.

"Ah, so gracious of you to respond so responsibly, Your Grace," said Carmen mockingly, "and, do my eyes deceive me? Is this not the esteemed Rosalind?"

"STELLA!" shouted Luna, "my daughter! Speak to me!"

"They…they stopped hurting me, Mother," said Stella in a downcast, submissive tone, then switched to a pleading expression, "but…they'll cut me if you don't give them what they want! They said they'll drink my blood and offer up my soul to their gods!"

At that Luna grabbed the phone, "LISTEN TO ME, YOU SOULLESS, BLOODSUCKING FREAKS! IF YOU LAY ONE MORE FINGER ON MY DAUGHTER, I'LL LOAD YOU INTO A SPACE CAPSUEL AND SHOOT YOU INTO THE SUN!"

"Your Grace!" shouted Rosalind as she grabbed the phone back, "control yourself! This is not the time to have a psychotic breakdown!"

"Easy for you to say!" Luna retorted, "your daughter isn't about to be tortured and her blood swallowed by freaks! Oh, wait, I forgot: YOU HAVE NO CHILDREN! So how would you know when it's not time to have a psychotic breakdown!?"

"And I thought my maternal unit was mental," Elise muttered to Carmen.

"What was that?" Rosalind asked suspiciously as she bade Luna sit down.

"My silent cohort was reminding me that time is a precious commodity," said Carmen, "and since Queen Luna is, obviously in no condition to negotiate for her daughter's release, we shall have to deal with you."

"On this we agree," said Rosalind, "but before we get down to securing Princess Stella's freedom, I need to verify a few things. Stella, are you alright?"

"Well," said Stella in the most miserable yet ironic tone she could muster, "aside from the obvious beating I've taken from these maniacs, I'm fine, Headmistress. How are you?"

"I've had better mornings," said Rosalind, "but I need to know, regardless of your noticeable mistreatment, have you otherwise been molested? Are you otherwise intact?"

"Of course, she isn't," said Luna as she stood up, "My daughter is far from a virgin, not after the way she and Sky of Eraklyon clung together!"

"What? No, no, Mother!" snapped Stella, "Sky and I have never had sex!"

"Don't lie to me, young lady!" snapped Luna, "I know how codependent the two of you are, how clingy you became after you blinded Ricki!"

"I did not have sex with Sky or anyone else, Mother!" said Stella, "and don't bring Ricki into this, it's not her fault I got snatched!"

"Then who's fault is it, then?!" Luna demanded.

Carmen shoved Stella roughly to the side, "it's your fault, Luna! You, Rosalind and that pig, Andreas! If you had just left my people well enough alone, we would've left your people alone! Instead, you ordered the destruction of Aster Dell!"

"And right we did!" said Rosalind, "it was choked full of blood-drinking, dark god-worshiping witches!"

"We don't practice ritual sacrifice anymore!" said Carmen, "we've long abandoned the false deities a new era of reason and accountability! If one of us harms a Fairy or an outsider, the offending witch is punished, by us!"

Elise then grabbed Stella by the hair and held her knife to Stella's right cheek, earning a squeak of terror from the blond Light Fairy.

"We believe in justice," said Carmen, "that the punishment should fit the crime! You ordered the death of men, women and children who were innocent of the crimes you accused us! If I had my way, I'd wipe an entire Fairy community off the map of Solaria. Instead, I'll just have to settle for destroying Solaria's future!"

"And whatever further harm you inflict on Stella," said Rosalind calmly and coldly, "I will enact upon you thrice fold. And when your twisted, festering organs you use for hearts finally stop and your eyes go dead, I promise you that the Hell you end up in will seem like Heaven after I'm finished with you."

"By then the bimbo here will be too ugly to marry anyone," said Carmen, "especially when we shave her head bald! Not even Viscount Cyril will want her without her best attribute." She then winked at Elise, giving her a planned cue.

"I've held my silence long enough," said Elise, "Luna and Rosalind, in one hour we will return Princess Stella from whence she came, but in what condition depends on you. Either you broadcast a live confession to your responsibility to the Aster Dell genocide, or we mutilate Stella beyond recognition."

This finally struck a chord with Luna as she looked on with defeated eyes, "it, it's not that simple. One does not simply arrange a spontaneous address of the kingdom in under an hour. Protocols must be followed. We must secure airtime for television, radio and online news outlets, broadcast equipment must be prepared, I must have my makeup and wardrobe experts rushed over so I look my best, and I need to prepare the best speech possible for such an announcement."

"You're the Queen of Solaria," said Carmen, "Make it happen!"

With a blink of a vein-pulsing eye, Carmen ended the call.

"And CUT!" said Elise as she and Carmen undid Stella's chains and helped her up, while Musa and Sam applauded with enthusiastic praise.

"Bravo! Yet another stellar performance!" said Musa.

"'Two thumbs up!'" said Sam, "'Fine Holliday Fun!'"

"You think so?" Elise asked as she wiped sweat from her brow, smearing her eye makeup, "I thought I was wooden."

"No, you were great," said Carmen.

"Are you kidding?" Elise asked, "I was this close to freezing up with it was my turn to speak. Admit it, Carmen, an actress, I am not."

"But you were good," said Carmen, "everyone, tell Elise how good she was. Stella, she was good, wasn't she?"

"Oh, she was good, alright," said Stella in a distant tone, "too good. Everyone, I think my mother is going to broadcast the truth."

"Wait, you mean it?" an astonished Carmen asked, "Queen Luna, your mother, the heartless monarch who authorized the destruction of Aster Dell, is going to confess her crimes to the world?"

"We may have just convinced her," said Musa as her eyes glowed while reading Stella's depressed emotions, "and I don't think that's a good thing."

"Of course, it's a good thing!" Carmen crowed, "it's one of the main goals of The Shadow Cadre, that Luna be held accountable for her crimes, and she'll probably order Andreas and Rosalind to confess too, if only to spare Stella's face!"

"You really are blind, Carmen," said Sam, "blinded by your thirst for vengeance."

"My mother would rather throw herself under the bus than lose her most precious commodity," said Stella, "that being my reproductive organs and my ability to attract a mate to fertilize said organs. To her, I'm nothing more than a breeding cow."

"Oh, no, no!" said Carmen, "no, that's not how it is. I'm sure your mom loves you very much."

"She sure has a unique way of showing it," said Stella.

Just then came two knocks at the door, followed by three, then one more.

"That's the code for the others," said Elise, "open the door if you please, Musa."

"Gladly," said Musa as she unlocked the door. In hurried Amanda, Travis, Simon and the Greenhill sisters.

"Are we ready to go?" Amanda asked after Musa closed and locked the door behind them, "it is total chaos out there!"

"Rosalind has everyone tearing Alfea apart to find you, Princess Stella," said Simon.

"Well, she won't," said Stella as she pulled out some makeup remover and began wiping her face with it, taking off the blood and bruises in order to mask the tears welling in her eyes, "I fully intend to be as far away from my mother as possible. I'd rather marry a commoner and live in quiet middle class than perpetuate my mother's heartlessness."

"You mean that, your highness?" Kate Greenhill asked, "give up being a princess and everything that goes with it?"

"Being a princess isn't worth it," said Stella as she handed the makeup remover to Elise, "not as long as my mother sees me as only a means to further the family line."

"That can't be, your highness," said Bethany, "your mother can't be that callous, and even if she is, then…well…anyway, where does that leave us? Your Royal Guardspersons. It'd be a downright shame to disband your Company after such a short tenure."

"Who said anything about disbanding the Company?" Stella asked, "if anything, I'll need you and the others more than ever once my mother figures I played her for a fool."

"Yes, I doubt Queen Luna will be in a forgiving mood," said Travis.

Just then came the coded knock at the door. Musa unlocked the door and in rushed Bloom, Sky and Morgan.

"What took you so long?" Carmen asked as Elise passed her the makeup remover.

"We had a little run-in with Sky's father," said Morgan, "Sky? These are my coven sisters, they're cool."

"Are we cool?" Carmen asked suspiciously as she looked Sky over, "are you cool with us Blood Witches?"

"If Bloom trusts you, so do I," said Sky.

"And he's cool with us leaving Alfea," said Bloom, "how's that going?"

"Delayed due to iron deposits in the tunnel path," said Sam, "I should get back down there and help."

"Well, the sooner, the better," said Bloom, "I'm really not looking forward to sticking around and fighting Andreas again."

"You had to fight Andreas?" Stella asked, "what happened?"

"My father," said Sky, "he kicked my ass."

"And mine," said Bloom, "and would've kept kicking them if Morgan hadn't showed up."

"You're welcome," said Morgan. She then looked at Stella, Elise and Carmen, "why'd you take off your makeup? Do you know how long it'll take me to fix you up again?"

"We made our point to Rosalind and Luna," said Carmen as she smiled smugly, "any minute now, Luna will go on the air and confess her crimes."

"Not if Rosalind is as smart as we fear she is," said Elise, "in retrospect, I believe we made a mistake."

"They made a mistake?" Luna asked.

"They did indeed, Your Grace," said Rosalind, "the talkative one making the demands, she kept threatening to mar your daughter's face and ruining her chances of finding a husband. Furthermore, she mentioned Viscount Cyril by name. Now, how could those Witches know you intended to have Stella marry Cyril?"

"They couldn't have," said Luna in a thoughtful tone with a spark of anger kindling beneath, "no one aside from you, a few trusted advisors and Countess Cassandra and Cyril knew. It was to be a surprise announcement. You were right, Rosalind, there is more going on than meets the eye."

"But what?" Rosalind asked, "that is where the mystery lies. My current postulation is that somehow, your daughter learned of her forthcoming engagement and decided to enact a sort of teenage rebellion. Yes, I am fairly certain this is nothing more than Stella's misguided attempt to grind your gears."

"Oh, she's grounded then, alright," said a relieved and outraged Luna, "oh, Just wait until I've gotten my hands on her! If Stella thinks I'm a monster, she doesn't know how monstrous I can get! I'll…I'll…I'll?"

"You'll what, your majesty?" Aisha asked as she stood at the office doorway with a man and a woman in their late 20's. She had long, dirty blond hair in a ponytail, he with short black hair. Both had medium skin tone and wore identical sunglasses and outdoors outfits. "Oh, the Solarian Trackers are here, Headmistress."

"Yes, thank you, Aisha," said Rosalind as she walked over to and shook hands with the man and woman, "John Baxter and Rebecca Covington, my, how you two have grown. The last I saw of you, you were just discovering your true potential."

"We've all come a long way, Lady Rosalind," said the man, John Baxter, "thanks to your guidance from back then, we have achieved our full potential." He then bowed to Luna, "fear not, Your Majesty, we'll find and rescue your daughter."

"And punish those who dared lay a finger on her," said the woman, Rebecca Covington.

"You will?" a slightly muddled Luna asked, "I mean, of course you will, you two are the best, and the sooner you find Stella, the sooner I can figure out how to punish her!"

"Punish her?" Rebecca Covington asked as she scratched her head.

"Apparently there's been a slight misunderstanding," said Rosalind.

"Stella wasn't kidnapped, she ran away," said Luna.

'Oh, Kraken Shit!' thought Aisha as she struggled to keep her face from betraying her tumultuous emotions.

"Yes, we believe Stella decided on a little adventure," said Rosalind, "one aimed at upsetting her mother."

"So that's what's going on?" John Baxter asked, "Lady Rosalind, I fear you've wasted our time."

"Our trade is capturing fugitives and rescuing kidnapping victims," said Rebecca Covington, "not rounding up runaway teens, no matter how prominent and esteemed their families are." She then bowed to Luna, "With all due respect, Your Majesty, my associate and I must refuse this assignment."

"You would refuse a request from your patron and monarch," said Luna, "even if I were to offer you thrice your standard wages? No, five…ten, I'll pay you ten times your going rate to bring back my daughter."

"You'd pay us ten-fold?" John Baxter asked, "wow, your daughter must really be in trouble."

"She made me look like a fool," said Luna, "and when she's brought before me, I'll…I'll…I cannot think of a suitable punishment. I've already arranged for her engagement to Viscount Cyril, whom Stella has made her views known time and again."

"If I may, Your Grace?" Rosalind asked, "it's obvious Stella is pulling this stunt to get out of her impending engagement, so why not make it final? When you make the announcement, say that the marriage will take place as soon as possible, such as, as soon as Stella is returned to you."

"HEADMISTRESS!" exclaimed Griselda as she stormed in past Aisha and the two Trackers, "I must protest!" she then hastily bowed to Luna, "I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but Stella is too immature to marry, in years and spirit!"

"Aren't you the one brought in to achieve that maturity in my daughter?" Luna asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I…that is…what I meant…" said Griselda, "I just need more time with her, that's all. I assure you, your grace, by her eighteenth birthday, Stella will be ready for marriage and all the responsibilities that go with the title of Crown Princess."

"Assuming she can be found," said Rebecca Covington, "which is why my associate and I are here. If Princess Stella is anywhere on Otherworld, we'll find her."

"That's a bold statement," said Griselda, "Otherworld is no small world. Blood Witches or not, kidnapping or not, finding Stella will prove to be quite the challenge."

"It'll be no challenge," said a groggy Andreas as he stumbled into the office.

"Great galloping griffins!" exclaimed Griselda.

"Dear Andreas, what happened?" an astonished Rosalind asked.

"Your prized student, that's what happened!" said Andreas as he slumped into a chair, "that little fire crotch Changeling corrupted my son into betraying me, and allying with Blood Witches of all people!"

"So, there are Blood Witches involved!" exclaimed Luna. She then glared at Rebecca Covington and John Baxter, "find my daughter! Now!"

"At once, your majesty!" said both Trackers as they bowed and left to get to work.

"Still convinced this just teenage rebellion?" Luna asked Rosalind, "that Earthling must be behind the whole conspiracy! She kidnaped Stella and colluded Sky into the abduction!"

"There was no abduction, dearest Luna," said Andreas, "I overhead Bloom and Sky talking about running away from Alfea," he looked at Rosalind, "apparently they never liked you in the first place. Anyway, I didn't hear all the details of their escape plan, but I do know that all of Bloom's roommates are involved."

"Isn't your assistant part of that quintet?" Luna asked Rosalind.

"She is," said Rosalind in a menacing tone, "what's more, Aisha is no longer in our presence," she then looked around the room, "neither is our deputy headmistress."

Aisha ran as hard as she could through the Alfea corridors, knowing full well she had minutes at best warn Bloom and the others, that it was now or never if they hoped to escape.

But then Aisha skidded to a halt as she realized she didn't have to run to warn her friends, not when she had her phone in her pocket the whole time. She began sending a warning text, when she heard someone running behind her. Ducking into an empty classroom, Aisha held her breath as she saw Griselda hurry past the doorway.

Letting lose a sigh of relief, Aisha resumed her typing.

"I always say you younglings spend too much time with your fingers on screens!"

Aisha let out a yelp of surprise as Griselda appeared next to her. Instinctively, the Water Fairy from Andros condensed the moisture in the air into a cudgel to deliver a drenching knockout blow, yet Griselda slapped Aisha on the face.

Her powers disrupted, Aisha collapsed to the floor, only to be soaked by her own failed spell, while her phone skidded to the other side of the room.

"I hope your sudden shower shocked some sense into you," said Griselda as she grabbed Aisha and hauled her to her feet, before roughly shoving her into a chair.

"I'm going to be perfectly frank, young lady," said Griselda in a ominous yet sincere tone, "you and your friends have no idea how far you're up a certain creek, without a paddle and a leaky canoe no less."

"Gosh, and I thought accidentally ruining the plumbing in my house was bad," said Aisha, only for Griselda to grab her by the face.

"I'm not fooling around, Aisha!" said the irate deputy headmistress, "you do not want to know what Rosalind will do to Ms. Peters and the others involved in this cockamamie jailbreak scheme, except for Stella. Her worst nightmare is about to come true."

She released Aisha and stepped back a few paces, "As for your Blood Witch friends, I don't know how they got involved, but they're as good as dead."

"For an experienced educator," said Aisha as she calculated how far a dash she had to make to get to her phone, "you're underestimating what Bloom and the others can do."

"And you underestimate how far Rosalind and Andreas will go to avenge an insult," said Rosalind, "I've known Rosalind to cripple people mind and body over a simple mar on her pride. As for Andreas, this one time he framed a friend for treason over a dirty joke at his expense."

"Must have been some dirty joke," said Aisha as she felt small traces of her powers returning. If she could just keep Griselda talking long enough, she could blindside the deputy headmistress and go warn the others.

"Which is why you need to tell me everything," said Griselda, "I need to put a stop to this teenage rebellion before it goes any further."

"Why should I?" Aisha asked.

"Because I'm your best chance at coming out of this mess with your mind, body and powers intact," said Griselda, "you may not believe it, but I only have your best interests at heart. Yours, Bloom's, Stella's and the others, especially Stella. The idea of her forced to marry and bed that creature Cyril makes my skin crawl."

"Well, if you feel that way," said Aisha, "why not help us escape? Why work with Rosalind and Andreas if you know how rotten they are? why help Luna?"

"I have my reasons," said Griselda, "now, you will tell me what I need to know so we can put an end to this madness."

"Or what?" Aisha asked as she focused on forming a small sphere of condensed water behind Griselda, "you'll hit me again?"

Quick as lightning, Griselda slapped Aisha again, knocking her to the floor and disrupting the water sphere.

"Yes, I will," said Griselda, "and that was just with my right hand."

Her eyes glowed as she held up her left hand, which also glowed, "you think you're uncomfortable now? Wait until you get a taste of this hand!"

At that Amanda Bell, who had been eavesdropping at the doorway, charged in and grabbed Griselda's left hand and bent it into a Half Nelson hold, "I don't think so!"

"Why, you insolent child!" snapped Griselda as she twisted out of the hold and slapped Amanda with her right hand, "I'll teach you not to touch a teacher at this school!"

"That really stings," said Amanda as she felt her face, "and this will hurt a lot more!" she then punched Griselda in the face, knocking the slap-happy teacher off her feet.

"You alright, Aisha?" Amanda as she helped said Water Fairy up.

"Nothing really hurt but my feelings," said Aisha as she looked at the unmoving Griselda, "but…she hit you with her right hand, how are you…?"

"I'm a Specialist, remember?" Amanda said, "no powers to drain. Come on, Terra estimates that we're less than twenty meters from the other tunnel."

"Yeah, the sooner we're out of Alfea," said Aisha as she glared contemptuously at the unconscious Griselda, "the better." With that they ran out of the classroom, unaware that they'd been seen in their flight.

"Holy hiccupping hippogriffs, mate!" said Biggs as he, Wedge and Beatrix looked into the classroom.

"Which one do you think took down old grizzly?" Wedge asked after checking Griselda's vitals, "I'd say Amanda, but you have to remember Aisha's physical prowess."

"Doesn't matter," said Beatrix, "what's important is that Bloom and her friends are almost finished digging their way out of Alfea."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Biggs asked, "let's go tell the Headmistress!"

"And get some help for grizzly here," said Wedge.

"No, leave her," said Beatrix, "she's obviously proven herself weak if one of the students took her out so easily." She then placed her hands on the shoulders of Biggs and Wedge and gave a smile that was both encouraging and seductive, "but we have the chance to prove ourselves to Rosalind. If we catch Bloom and her fellow escapees, then our stars shall surly rise."

"I always wanted to see my name in lights," said Wedge, "so, what's the plan?"

"And how are we gonna catch the escapees?" Biggs asked, "we don't know where they're digging the tunnel."

"No, we don't," said Beatrix thoughtfully, "but I know someone who can help find where they're going. Come boys, we must gather the faithful."

"Wow, you really know how to excavate a tunnel," said Bloom as she, Sky and Carmen walked down the well-illuminated tunnel with reinforced buttressing.

"It's just basic Alchemy," said Carmen, "turning something into something else, so long as you balance the equation."

"It's still good work," said Bloom as she admired the tunnel structure.

"Oh, and you're an expert on subterranean excavation?" Sky asked teasingly.

"I'm more of an open space girl," said Bloom, "I'll take the wind and sky any day."

"Would you mind not flirting until we're no longer in danger?" Elise asked as she hurried past our heroes.

"I was just making a joke," Bloom called after Elise.

"To her, that's flirting," said Carmen, "don't mind Elise, she just takes things way too serious when the heat is on. Other than that, she's alright."

"I'd hate to see her when she's not alright," said Sky, "question though; how are you keeping the air fresh down here?"

"Again, Alchemy," said Carmen as she indicated several blue spheres spaced every twenty feet of tunnel, "converting carbon dioxide into oxygen isn't that difficult. The hard part was tying off each node so they'd operate without further attention from me, Elise or Morgan."

"And you did all this in four days?" Sky asked.

"We would've finished it in seven," said Carmen, "had fate taken an unexpected twist. Ah, here we get to the rushed part."

By now the tunnel structure was less symmetric and the buttressing more haphazard.

"We're almost at the end of our end of the tunnel," said Carmen as they hurried, "I'll give credit to the Harvey clan," said Carmen, "they work fast, but…"

"But we prefer working with plans instead of soil and rocks," said a dust covered Terra as she found Bloom and the others, "and certainly not metal."

"You did get around the iron deposit, right?" Carmen asked.

"Of course we did," said Terra, "it's not like we're going around a mountain, but…"

"But we've gone off course from Mr. Carpenter's specifications," said an equally dusty Ben Harvey, "I fear we've overshot the other tunnel."

"I can just imagine Andrew's reaction," said Elise as she wiped grime from her eyes, "he's probably banging his head on a wall in frustration."

"Does he do that a lot?" Bloom asked.

"If he did," said Ben Harvey, "he'd be dead by now. I knew Andrew Carpenter, many, many years ago when I was a student at Alfea."

"Was he a classmate of yours, Dad?" Terra asked.

"He was a guest lecturer," said Ben Harvey, "he taught both Fairies and Specialists how to think outside the box. He was quite popular though he didn't revel in his popularity. He preferred to keep to himself after hours, especially when Rosalind was around."

"She must've really hurt him to make him hate her so," said Bloom.

"I wouldn't know," said Ben Harvey, "but what I do know is that they were both students at Alfea, long, long ago. My guess, they were sweethearts."

"They were?" Sky asked as he glared accusingly at the two Blood Witches.

"Hey, this is news to me, Pretty Boy," said Carmen.

"Andrew Carpenter has always struck me as an enigma within enigmas," said Elise, "Having only met him once in person, he seemed far, far older than his mild-mannered middle-aged appearance projected."

"And how sure are you that he's on the level?" Sky asked, "and this Patricia Walker, what's her stake in this?"

"Revenge, plain and simple," said Carmen, "isn't it obvious? Of course, it isn't obvious, I never told you guys who Patricia Walker really is."

"I know who she really is," said Ben Harvey, "Patricia Walker, née Dowling, is Farah Dowling's daughter."

At that Terra looked at her father accusingly, an expression Bloom recognized as one where her friend was understandably upset with her father keeping secrets. Yet before Terra could voice her indignation, the tunnel shook violently for a heartbeat, followed, by the sound of falling earth and stone.

"Oh, centaur crap!" exclaimed Elise, "is the tunnel collapsing?!"

"No, that came from up ahead!" said Ben Harvey.

"Oh My God! SAM!" shouted Terra.

Our heroes ran to the end of the tunnel, where the floor had caved into an apparent sinkhole.

"SAM! Can you hear me?!" shouted Ben Harvey as Bloom and the others switched on the flashlights in their phones.

"I…I'm alright, Dad!" Sam called from below. Our heroes focused their flashlights and found Terra's brother about twenty feet below, bruised and covered in dirty but otherwise unharmed, and sitting next to a tanned girl in her early 20's with long, light brown hair with blond highlights and emerald eyes, "I found the other tunnel, and guess who I fell on?"

"Cousin Flora?!" said a delighted Terra, "is that you?!"

"No, I'm a new species of Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller," said the girl, "of course it's me, silly! You guys must've deviated upward and we deviated downward."

"Hmm, I did feel slightly off-balanced as we rushed the last bit," said Elise. She then knelt down at the edge of the sinkhole and drew a small Alchemical circle, "Stand back, everyone!" she said as she cracked her knuckles. The veins around her eyes pulsed as she clapped her hands together, then touched the circle.

With a flash of Alchemical energy, a ladder had formed connecting the upper and lower tunnels. Bloom was the first to climb down, yet Terra reached the bottom first, the tunnel floor softening at her will, from which she bounced up and embraced her elder cousin.

"Oh, I've so much to tell you, Flora! So much has happened this year, and we're still in First Term! I can't wait to introduce you to my friends, and they're the best, really the best. Oh, there's Bloom. Bloom! Come meet my cousin!"

She then grabbed Bloom and pulled her over to Flora, clasping both girl's hands together and shaking them for them.

"I feel like I know you already," said Bloom as Terra kept shaking her and Flora's hands, "Terra talks about you all the time."

"I'm really not that special," said a slightly embarrassed Flora, "just a gifted amateur in Nature Magic."

"Oh, you're way more than an amateur!" said Terra, "did you know, Bloom, that one time Flora singlehandedly rejuvenated close to a thousand acres of Lynphian rainforest that was illegally logged?"

"Oh, you know it wasn't a thousand acres, Terra" said Flora, "and I wasn't alone."

Just then both Elise and Carmen cried out in pain, clutching their left ears in tandem.

"What is it?! What's wrong?!" Bloom asked.

"The protective wards we set up at the suite door," said Carmen, "someone uninvited is trying to get in, and they mean business. Rosalind must've figured out what we're doing!"

"We're out of time, Bloom Peters!" said Elise, "it's either go or stay and get caught!"

"Then let's go already!" said Bloom as she used her phone to send a mass text to her friends back in the Winx Suite.

GO NOW!

"Wow, the Headmistress is really pissed," said Riven as he, Dane and others loyal to the current Alfea regime, watch as Rosalind, a resonating aura of power around her, broke through the protective wards on the door to the Winx Suite.

"It's only a matter of time before Headmistress Rosalind gets through," said one of the loyal Specialists, "then we'll see what happens to those who go against the flow."

"Flow? What flow I wonder?" Riven asked, "The flow of power or the flow of water? Or perhaps the flow of though from one idea to another?"

"I hope your philosophical musings are part of your vaping withdrawal," said Dane, "or have you achieved a new stage of enlightenment?"

"I'm just fucking around," said Riven, "waiting for our chance, mate."

"Chance for what?" Dane asked.

"To not only prove where our loyalties are," said Riven, "but to show Sky that his little rebellion doesn't make him superior to me or anyone. This is a golden opportunity we have here, my friend and somewhat lover, and I'm gonna seize it with both hands."

"What about Andreas?" Dane asked as he indicated the impatiently pacing Specialist Headmaster, "you gonna seize him with both hands too?"

"Eh…he's not really my type," said Riven teasingly, "on the other hand," he glanced at Griselda, who was sporting a vivid bruise where Amanda punched her, "I wouldn't mind flirting with ol' grizzly there, just to see where things go."

"Wouldn't Beatrix be jealous of you messing around with a cougar?" Dane asked.

"Oh, Beatrix," said Riven, "you know, now that I'm thinking clearly again, I oughta patch things up with her, if only because we're so compatible."

Just then came the sound of breaking glass, followed by Rosalind smugly smiling, "One more to go, just one more ward to shatter."

"To think Blood Witches have desecrated the hallowed halls of Alfea, Headmistress," said Griselda, "who knows what malicious mischief they've worked on our school?" she suspiciously eyed Riven, Dane and the other students, "And who knows how many more Specialists and Fairies they've corrupted to the dark side?"

"Who cares who did what to who?!" Andreas asked, "I just want the little bitch who paralyzed me!"

"Patience, dearest Andreas," said Rosalind, "the intruders are not to be taken lightly. Truly these are talented dark ladies; amateurish yet sophisticated. They are strong and can become stronger."

"All the more reason to destroy them now before they realize their full potential!" said Griselda.

"No one is destroying anyone," said Luna as John and Rebecca stood next to them, "not until my daughter is safe." She then looked at the pair of Trackers, "you have my most sincere thanks for getting us this far."

"It was easy, your grace," said Rebecca, "especially with Princess Stella's taste in scented beauty products."

"And a distinct walk," said John, "no doubt from years of posture and grace lessons. Unfortunately, the trail stops at the door here. Those witchly wards cut us off."

At that came the sound of more breaking glass.

"The last ward," said Rosalind, "again, amateurish and sophisticated. How I'd love to dissect these witches before sending them to their hellish reward."

"My daughter first, then dissect the witches!" said Luna, "John! Rebecca!"

"Yes, your grace!" said both trackers as they stepped forward. John grabbed the door handle yet he couldn't turn it. "Unbelievable, it's locked," he said.

"As Deputy Headmistress and Dean of Discipline," said Griselda, "there's no door in Alfea that can keep me out!" With that her eyes glowed and she grabbed the doorknob and twisted it, yet it barely moved. She tried twisting it the other way, then tried pushing it in and pulling it out, all to no avail.

"Those disrespectful twerps!" said a frustrated Griselda, "they changed the lock! I don't have access!"

"OUT OF MY WAY!" bellowed Andreas. Griselda barely moved aside as Andreas charged the door like a mad bull. Upon impact, the door flew off its hinges and fell into the suite. Barely fazed by the crash, Andreas ran in, followed by Rosalind and Griselda, with Riven, Dane and the other loyal students jamming up at the doorframe.

"What was that?!" asked Even and Ellen Wallace as they stood at the top of the exit shaft in Stella's former second closet. The twins and Morgan were the last of the escapees left.

"Trouble," said Morgan in a serious tone, "you two get going, I'll slow those bozos down!"

The veins around her eyes pulsating, Morgan began casting shield spells on the door to the common area, just as Andreas noticed her.

"YOU!" shouted the enraged Andreas, "you're the witch bitch who paralyzed me!"

Smiling cheekily, Morgan gave Andreas the middle finger salute, before casting one last shield spell. Now more like a mad bull than before, Andreas charged at Morgan, only to slam into her shields, bounced off and landed hard on the floor.

"Had enough? Or you thirsty for more?" Morgan asked. She then saw Rosalind, who hit Morgan with such a hateful stare, the young Blood Witch flinched back a pace. Quickly recovering herself, Morgan flipped Rosalind off, before dashing for the escape tunnel.

She quickly made her way to the bottom and ran through the tunnel. Once there, Morgan clapped her hands together and activated a prepared Transmutation Circle, then ran through the tunnel and soon caught up with Evan and Ellen, all the while texting to Carmen.

"Well, Morgan's bought us some time," said Carmen as she read the message, "but not much…and…Oh Centaur Shit! She's activated the explosion circles! The tunnel's gonna start collapsing in a minute!"

"That broomhead!" exclaimed Elise, "we weren't supposed to trigger the self-destruct until everyone was safely out of the tunnel!"

"The plan changed, what else is new?" Bloom asked.

"The Princess definitely went this way, Your Majesty!" said John as he and Rebecca stood at the edge of the escape shaft.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Luna asked, "After her!"

The Tracker pair saluted and climbed into the shaft.

"To think, those girls did this under our noses," said Griselda as she and Rosalind reluctantly admired the tunnel shaft, "under my nose! I must be losing my touch, Headmistress, for I don't know if I should punish The Winx for destruction of school property, or give them awards for ingenuity."

"This was not the work of our wayward students, Griselda," said Rosalind as she felt the edge of the shaft, "nor was this Blood Magic. This was Alchemy."

"Alchemy?" Griselda asked, "but…we don't teach Alchemy at Alfea, so how…"

"Neither Bloom or her friends did this," said Rosalind, "it was those Blood Witches. Somehow they learned the art of Transmutation."

She then looked at the still dazed yet eager for blood, "I know how thirsty you are for revenge, Dearest Andreas, but your vendetta must wait. I want those Blood Witches alive for questioning."

"So do I, dear Rosalind," said Andreas, "for where there's one Blood Witch, there's got to be more."

Just then the floor shook violently for a heartbeat, followed by a bust of dust from the shaft.

Rosalind and the others were left coughing from the dust, when they heard more coughing from the shaft. John and Rebecca climbed out, both covered in dirt and a few scrapes and bruises.

"Forgive us, Your Majesty!" said Rebecca between gasped for air, "the tunnel, it collapsed!"

The floor shook again, only less violently than before.

"They must be demolishing it in staggers," said Griselda.

"Well, guess the trail's gone cold, then," said Riven, "so, now what, Headmistress?"

"The tunnel has to have an exit, doesn't it?" Rosalind asked.

"Well, we made it," said Flora Harvey as she showed Bloom and the others the exit shaft.

"And not a moment too soon," said Sam as he held a somewhat anxious Musa, "I don't think Musa likes it down here.

"I'm alright," said Musa, "I just need some air, that's all."

"Well, we're almost out," said Bloom, "just how far did we walk, anyway?"

"We're ten miles into the forest," said Flora, "from here some of the Shadow Cadre will escort us the rest of the way to a safe place."

"Just what is this safe place, cousin?" Sam asked, "And how did you get involved in this mess, anyway?"

"I'll tell you later," said Flora, "we'd better get topside, Helia and the others are waiting."

"Oh, you brought your boyfriend along for the ride?" Terra teased as Sam ushered Musa to the exit ladder

At that Flora blushed somewhat and smiled as she held up her right hand, "he's a bit more than my boyfriend."

"Oh, wow, that is a very nice engagement ring," said Stella as she grabbed Flora's hand and pulled it close to her eyes, "what is that…four carats! And cut to resemble a rose no less, now this is a statement of love."

"Oh my gosh!" exclaimed a delighted Terra, "Helia asked you to marry him?"

"Just last night!" said Flora, only to be glomped by Terra.

"Yes, yes, we're all happy for your cousin," said Carmen, "but can we celebrate once we're all out of the tunnel before it collapses in on us!?" she looked harshly at Morgan, who gave an apologetic smile.

"She's right, we need to get out of here," said Flora as She gently but firmly mushed Terra off, "I'll tell you all about it later."

Minutes later Boom, Sky, Stella, Musa, Aisha, Terra, Flora, the Blood Witch Trio and half of Stella's Company were aboveground in a large clearing in the forest, with Sam and Ben Harvey back down in the tunnel to make sure the rest of the escapees got out safely.

"Okay, we're out," said Bloom, "what next?"

"What next, Bloom?" Beatrix asked as she walked out from behind a tree, while Biggs and Wedge emerged from another, "you're going right back to Alfea where you belong!"

Before Bloom's eyes, about twenty male Specialist and Fairies had surrounded her and her friends. "Beatrix! How did you know we'd be her?"

"How?" Beatrix as she smiled sinisterly, "because I'm better than you, Bloom, and this'll prove it!"

…To Be Continued!