Antor's Antique Store - 30th September 2005
"No! I'm not paying these extra fees," Antor reprimands staunchly shaking his finger at the delivery man who tries to extort him with ridiculous fees. "I may be old but I'm not senile and I will not be bullied."
Kaneki keeps a close eye on the dispute as he unloads the last box from the back of the truck. This could get nasty pretty quickly and he wants to ensure Antor would not be harmed. Eventually, the delivery guy gets fed up and gives up, speeding away in his truck immediately after Antor gives his signature.
"Nothing better be broken," Antor warns just as the truck turns a corner. "People these days," Antor huffs before walking back into his shop with his head held high.
"I already started unpacking," Kaneki responds as he slices through the tape with a box cutter.
"And your pixies?" Antor inquires as he joins.
"Sitting by the register. Not allowed to move even a millimetre," Kaneki jerks his head to the sulking pixies who were doing exactly as told.
"Why can't we help?" Faith pouts with his face held in both hands.
"Because you break everything you touch," Kaneki explains then quickly lists everything that the duo has broken.
"No, we don't!" Faith snaps only to knock over a picture frame thus proving his point. Kaneki shakes his head but walks around the counter to pick up the frame. It was of Zephyrine with a bluebird with 2 pink scars on his left-wing. The same bird he saw in his dreams a few nights ago.
"Hey, Antor, about this bird," Kaneki trails off as he places the photo back on the counter.
"Oh, that's Kerborg," Antor informs after depositing a box onto the counter. "Zephyrine rescued him from a bunch of boys who thought it'd be fun to shoot down a flock of birds. Poor bugger, none of his friends survived."
"What happened to him?"
"I don't know," Antor admits sadly. "I'd like to think that he flew off before the attack but that's just wishful thinking. He loved Zephyrine and Argulus. Didn't leave even when his wing healed up."
"I see," Kaneki replies, sparing a final glance to the photo. 'What a shame. He's probably a lot nicer than Hetare.'
The next few hours are left with small talk, the occasional laugh and the shuffling of feet until they were done.
"Here you go," Kaneki hands Antor a glass of water, the elder man collapsed at the register with hands pushing his back to straighten his spleen.
"Thank you. Boy, I must be getting old if a little inventory knocks the wind out of me," Antor huffs, dabbing the sweat on his brow with a handkerchief.
"You really should be taking it easy," Kaneki advises never once stopping in his job of reorganising the store. "You're not exactly virile and if anything happens there's no one to help you if you get injured or need an ambulance."
"I'm not that old, son," Antor huffs but the twitching corners of his mouth prove otherwise.
"Not what I mean," Kaneki snorts and puts his hands up in the air before taking some boxes of the previously displayed items into the back. The bell rings just as he enters the back. He could hear Antor chatting amicably to a young woman, and while suspicious that a woman presumably within Kaneki's age range is interested in antiquities, he drowns out their voices though notes that her voice sounds eerily familiar.
With a slam of the door, she's already left by the time he comes out.
"That lady was mean," Faith complains while Glim shies away behind him. "She bats Glim away when she bumped into her and called her a 'stupid brat' so Antor shooed her away."
That explains the slam from earlier. She clearly wasn't impressed with being dismissed.
"She was asking about you," Antor speaks up. "Wanted to know more the 'pretty boy' working here?" Antor chuckles but Kaneki didn't find it funny at all especially what he quoted.
Kaneki stills, eyes widening. "She called me pretty boy? Which way did she go?" Antor points to an alley on the other side of the road. He darts out the doors and across the road, ignoring the screeching and honking of cars that swerve to avoid him. He took whatever twist and turn came his way before finally coming to a halt.
"God da-," Kaneki, unable to finish his curse, slams his fist into the wall once he realised that he lost her trail. A couple more times did he smash his fist into the wall before kicking some metal bins far off.
He knew that voice. He knew that f*cking voice! It was Darcy. Had to be. She's the only one who calls him pretty boy. Why didn't he realise it sooner? Why was she there? Are her sisters with her? Is she following him? For how long? Why didn't he notice her sooner?
Kaneki returns to Antor's store where the old man began to fuss over him.
"What was that all about? You gave us quite the scare. Nearly gave me a heart attack," Antor scolds.
"Sorry, didn't mean to," Kaneki apologises.
"Why'd you run off like that? Is it to do with the young woman from earlier?"
"Nothing for you to worry about... just me overreacting," Kaneki assures. "I should head back to Alfea. Professor Avalon wants to see me later on."
"Okay, I've kept you long enough. Thank you for the help," Antor concedes upon realising that he would get nothing out from Kaneki.
"See you Antor," Faith waves along with Glim.
The Lake
"Hello, Professor," Kaneki greets strolling to Avalon who was staring at the stone slab situated once again in the lake. Why it had appeared again, Kaneki did not know.
"Thank you for meeting me out here, Kaneki," Avalon greets. "The reason for the reoccurrence of the stone is because you were supposed to partake in the test but Livy had forgotten to inform you to meet with your group."
"You mean the Winx?"
"No. You were to do the assignment with Amaryl, Elidyr, Mirta and Charlotte," Avalon corrects.
"So what do you need me to do?"
"Just focus all your magic in a spell and try to destroy the slab with a single spell," Avalon requests.
"Why? That wasn't the original plan. The whole point was for the girls to learn not to ignore the importance of the new lesson plan."
"That's the main reason but I must examine each of your abilities myself so that I know what to do to help you achieve your full potential. Some may need more help than others."
Kaneki nods, that makes sense.
"Now, each group of 5 had to destroy within the allocated time but what the girls didn't know was that I had cast a spell on the stone to absorb a fraction of their powers and transfer it to me so I could canvass their skills and magical ability as well as understanding what their powers are so please show me what you got."
No need to transform, Kaneki simply raises his right hand and draws out all his magic into a single spell. Avalon reminds him to use all his magic to strengthen the spell. The sphere in his hand sparks red lightning before he hurls it at the slab as the words leave his lips. "Chaos Bomb."
A powerful blast of wind threw rocks and branches miles away and mountains of water fly through the air each time the rubble smashes into the lake with a thundering crash, drenching those within proximity. A huge explosion of dust surrounds the area leaving everyone and everything living in blind.
"Sorry... about that... professor," Kaneki spluttered, coughing into his hand as his sight begins to clear.
"Don't worry," Avalon assures before his face brightens in glee at the destruction before him. "I can't believe it! You destroyed the block in one attack!"
"Is that good?" Kaneki questions, pushing his wet bangs out his eyes.
"It's amazing," Avalon assures, nodding his head enthusiastically. "All the other students were nowhere near in shattering the monolith, well, except for Bloom. The stone was created so that no one would be able to break it but the raw magical ability you have... amazing."
From his blazer pocket, Avalon takes out a piece of paper with a golden inscription on the border. Within the paper appears a snake eating its tail.
Kaneki scrutinises the symbols, "What does that mean?"
"The snake eating its own tail refers to Ouroboros and he symbolises the cyclic nature of the universe; creation out of destruction, life out of death which is what your powers are. The Fairy of Destruction and Rebirth. Astonishing abilities for an astonishing young man."
Kaneki continues to attentively listen as Avalon marvelled over his powers but a part of him is troubled that his magic powers are focused on destruction. He knows that he shouldn't be so surprised but that doesn't make it any better. He doesn't want to be known as the guy who destroys everything he touches.
"I kept you for long enough. Why don't you head back and change? I doubt you will get sick but best not to stay in those wet clothes."
"Okay, Professor," Kaneki agrees, taking his leave and once he was far enough from the lake, he spoke up. "Faith in a few minutes I want you to find a reason to suddenly dart to the right," Kaneki requests in a hushed tone.
"Why?"
"I wanna confirm something," Kaneki responds.
"Bunnies!" Faith gasps gleefully before zooming to the right. Kaneki rushes after him into the trees with a cry of his name.
"No," a mysterious figure hisses as she chases after him unknowingly letting down her camouflage. Not even a minute later did she find her herself pinned up against a tree with an arm crushed against her throat cutting off major airflow.
"Why are you following me?" Kaneki demands. "Answer me!" Kaneki yells pushing his arm harder when she stays silent.
"I'll tell you! I'll tell you!" Darcy whimpers tapping his arm in desperation for some air. Kaneki eases up a little but does not let her down. "Lord Darkar wanted me to keep tabs on you. Said you're a valuable ally. I don't see it though so you must be some hell of a sleeper cell."
"I'm not undercover," Kaneki rebuts. "Your master is a delusional megalomaniac with a weird obsession for me joining him. Like that'll ever happen."
"Show him some respect! Lord Darkar is the most powerful being in existence. He could wipe out Magix with just a lift of his finger."
"Then why hasn't he?"
"What?"
"You speak as if Darkar's some kind of god but he's been up and running for about a month, maybe more, yet I haven't seen hide nor hair of him in the news. What's he been doing since his awakening?"
When Darcy looks away, Kaneki smirks.
"He just sits on his throne, brooding, right? While you and your sisters do all the work. Some dark lord," Kaneki scoffs. "Can't make your complaints known though 'cause I'm taking you in."
"Sorry that can't happen," Darcy casts Cerebrum Daze and Kaneki finds himself with a pounding headache like someone was playing a boom box at max volume in his head.
Instinctively, Kaneki releases Darcy and claps both hands over his ears with a strangled cry. The headache lasts only for a few seconds but that's all Darcy needed to escape.
"Son of a-" Kaneki kicks at a tree sending it crashing into the ground. He had her! He let her go over a silly little headache? Stupid! She couldn't have gotten far unless she can teleport. He could find her but Avalon comes out from the bushes and stops him from doing that.
"Kaneki, wait," Avalon pleads using all his strength to hold Kaneki back. "You can't go after Darcy. You don't know what she's capable of."
"I can handle myself."
"That's not the point. We must inform Faragonda of Darcy's appearance. This isn't the time to pick a fight."
"Fine," Kaneki relents before coming to a startling realisation. "Professor Avalon, I didn't take the path towards Alfea nor to the clearing so how did you know I was here?"
"Well, I heard all the commotion," Avalon stammers not expecting the implication.
"What commotion? I took Darcy down without trouble," Kaneki counters taking a step back from Avalon who did not like this. He seizes Kaneki's upper arm to prevent the distance from growing between them.
"Kaneki, my boy, please listen to me. That doesn't matter right now. You need to trust me," Avalon's voice becomes soporific and Kaneki finds his will to fight diminishing. Unbeknownst to Kaneki was the cardinal flash of the pendant under his shirt. "You have to go back to Alfea. You have no reason to worry, I shall inform Faragonda of Darcy's arrival. I shall take care of everything."
"... Sure," Kaneki capitulates no longer showing any suspicion towards the professor much to Faith's bewilderment.
"But Kenny-" Faith starts but is shot down by Kaneki.
"It doesn't matter Faith, not while the Trix are out there near Alfea," Kaneki explains then walks off abruptly ending the conversation but Faith was nothing if not annoyingly obstinate and there no way he's going to let this go.
Avalon's Office - Late at Night
"Couldn't we get expelled for this?" Musa hisses standing guard as Tecna attempts to pick the lock on the door.
"Only if we get caught," Tecna shoots back before successfully unlocking Avalon's office. "Come on," Tecna urges.
Musa follows Tecna after doing a final sweep of the hallway ensuring that no one was watching.
"So what are we looking for?" Musa queries watching Tecna rummage through the desk.
"It is to my understanding that Professor Avalon did a dissertation on each student who partook in Faragonda's experiment."
"Everyone?"
"You didn't think it was just us, did you?"
"Kinda. That seems to be how it is."
"All second years do the test. Different places, different times, different tests but all leading to the same result."
"Kaneki did his earlier today with Professor Avalon at the Lake. That's what the explosion was this afternoon."
"Kaneki did that?" Musa remembers hearing an explosion and the whiny complaints from drenched students who were taking a walk.
"Found it," Tecna cheers in a hushed voice holding up a piece of paper as if it were a national treasure. Quickly, she snaps a pic before placing it back where she found it.
"Let's go," Musa urges sticking her head out the door first to check if the coast was clear. "What was that even? What did we risk our heads for?" Musa asks when she and Tecna safely arrived in their room.
"Kaneki's dissertation. I wanna know what his powers are and the profile Avalon wrote on him," Tecna refuses to tear her gaze away from her phone as she scrutinises every word carefully to ensure she didn't miss a single scrap of potential info on Kaneki. "Kaneki's power is destruction?"
"That's not good," Musa adds under her breath. "What should we do?"
"We tell the others," Tecna states while mentally promising to bring Kaneki down.
Darkar's Castle
"Darcy, you're back," Icy greets with a curt nod as soon as she notices her sister.
"You done with your mission?" Stormy adds moving away from the pillar she was leaning against.
"I believe I've gathered enough intel. Where's Lord Darkar?" Darcy discreetly tugs at her choker to cover the purple hue forming on her alabaster skin.
"Where do you think?" Stormy snorts. "Brooding on his throne since you left."
Kaneki's words echo in Darcy's head making her snarl much to the bafflement of the youngest sister who wisely chooses not to question her. Darcy shoves her anger aside and strolls into the throne room to find the Dark Lord scrupulously watching over the Lightrock Monastery on his orb.
"Master, I have returned," Darcy kneels with her head bowed.
"And?" Darkar questions impatiently.
"And he found me and attacked me," Darcy snaps. "Shoved me against a tree with an arm pinned against my throat. Master, I'm having trouble in believing that guy is actually on our side."
"He may dress dark and act like it but there's no way he's on our side," Stormy adds rubbing the sickly hue on her abdomen from when Kaneki smashed his leg in.
Darkar remains silent, taking in all complaints without so much as twitching.
"He's powerful. I saw first hand of his magical ability and it would be beneficial to have him on our side, but personally, I don't think he's gonna join." As much as Darcy wanted to keep her gaze to the ground to avoid the undeniable fury that would be on Darkar's face but she kept her head held high for a clean getaway. Wouldn't be able to escape if she can't see what he would do. "He's too attached to that old man at the antique store on Empyrea anyway."
The last part unwittingly grabs Darkar's attention and he couldn't stop but blurt out, "Fairlock?"
"Yeah, that's the place," Darcy confirms left in disbelief that he knew the place.
The silence was suffocating to the point where the Trix were wishing to be dismissed immediately.
"Leave him," Darkar finally commands. "It's time to commence our offence. Lightrock Monastery. By now the Lords of the Templar should be informed of my awakening and they will try once again to defeat me especially now I have you three under my wing."
"So what's the plan?" Icy inquires.
"Lightrock has over 750 criminals within its walls. All of whom you three will help in escaping."
"Why? You gonna recruit them?" Stormy raises a brow.
"No. They'll be scattered on different planets across the Magic Dimension, this will distract the armies on each planet thus drawing attention away from myself and you three."
"That makes sense. Everyone would be far more worried over dangerous criminals in their neighbourhoods than elsewhere," Darcy summarises before pointing out a flaw. "There's one problem though; most of those criminals are amid rehabilitation. They're not gonna be much of a threat."
Darkar chuckles lowly, "Lightrock is hypocrisy. It drains away all negative emotions that the prisoners experience and incarcerates it deep in the system which is why Darcy shall override the computers. All those raw, unadulterated emotions flooding in all at once shall pan to our benefit."
"What about Stormy and I?"
"The both of you will handle the monks. Leave no one alive. I will be dealing with the Lords of Templar myself," Darkar commands with a deep rumble before dismissing them thus leaving himself to ponder alone. 'I shouldn't have spared that man all those years ago. Who knew he would be this troublesome? Can't kill him now, it'll just set my King against me.' Having only a single choice left, he summons his most trusted companion, "Kerborg, you know of Antor. Watch him closely."
I am so sorry for the lateness of this chapter. When the summer started, I lost my inspiration and had writer's block so I began to watch Supernatural, Lucifer and now Walking Dead to pass the time.
I'm back but can't promise for the next chapter to be done in a month. I estimate the next chapter is 3x as long by my plan not including any decisions to separate the work into extra chapters. Hopefully, it'll be up before the New Year.