Next Stage:
"What! I don't believe it!" Professor Saladin exclaimed. Ms. Faragonda had just finished reciting the battle she had just had with the Winx Club.
"I'm afraid it's true Professor," she replied.
"Tell me more about this Seal Of Oricalcos you mentioned."
"All I know is that it's one of the oldest magical forces in existence. Somehow Bloom found a book that detailed how to summon it. I can't imagine how a book like that wasn't detected."
"Indeed, but I think our main task now is to find a way to break whatever control the Oricalcos Seal had over your girls," Saladin suggested.
"Indeed. I suggest we contact Professor Griffin at Cloud Tower. If we act together we may be able to stop the girls before they corrupt every girl at Alfea."
They were already too late for that. At Alfea, the Winx Club had called for another assembly, this time to discuss what they would do now that Alfea was theirs.
"I say we go after Red Fountain and the boys," one fairy suggested.
"Well I believe we should go after Cloud Tower and the witches," another proposed.
More suggestions were thrown out. Suddenly Bloom stood up and called for silence.
"All of your ideas have merit, but for now I think we should stay right here," she said. An instant uproar fallowed. Bloom silenced it with a glare. "Most of you haven't even used your powers yet. We should train first before we make our next move. Besides, why not force our enemies to come to us. Alfea is already being transformed into a fortress by my magic. Soon no one will be able to reach us here, and if we force the other schools to attack us it'll be even easier to defeat them." There was a murmur of agreement. "Now, let's get to work! We've already converted most of the school into training grounds. All Dark Angels will begin mastering their new powers immediately. Techna and any other fairies with Tech powers will begin setting up defenses for when Red Fountain and Cloud Tower launch their attack."
After that the meeting broke up. Stella caught up to Bloom outside the Winx girls dorm.
"So Bloom, how long do you think it'll take for everyone to learn their new powers?"
"I'm not sure. Each Dark Angel will learn at their own pace. How are your powers coming along?" Bloom asked.
"Couldn't be better. I've mastered my new sun powers, and check this out," Stella said, summoning her Solaria Staff. Only now it was black with the symbol of the Oricalcos at the tipand a Topaz gem in the center. "It happened when I was training. Pretty cool right?"
"Yeah! So, what can it do?"
"It amplifies my attacks and I can use it to control light, watch," Stella waved the staff and the hallway was plunged into shadow.
"Awesome Stella, now watch this," Bloom said as she summoned her own staff. It was the same as Stella's with the exception on a ruby in the center of the Oricalcos symbol.
"Hey, when did you get a staff?"
"I took of from Ms. Grizelda in the battle. She didn't need it anymore," Bloom said with amusement in her voice.
"Cool, so now what are we gonna do?"
"I thought I'd pay a visit to the training grounds. Feel like joining me?" Bloom asked.
"Sure, I don't have anything else to do."
The training grounds occupied most of the open grounds of Alfea and the battle arena. Everywhere Dark Angels, as Bloom had named the evolved fairies, were honing their skills. Fireballs, Dark blasts of lightning and everything in between were flying everywhere.
"Techna and her crew sure did a great job," Stella commented. Bloom had instructed Techna, Wendy and anyone they needed to set up the training areas to prepare the girls for when the first counter-attack came.
"So Bloom, I take it you are satisfied with the training grounds?" Techna said as she appeared from behind the girls. Stella jumped and Bloom laughed.
"How did you do that?" Bloom asked. Techna unclasped a small device from her belt.
"A personal camouflage unit. I came up with the idea just a few hours ago. A good deal of my Oricalcos power appears to have gone towards making me more inventive. I have already begun making more of them."
"Excellent work Techna. So tell me, how are the girls progressing in their training?"
"Very well. Most of them have mastered their basic powers. We are now working on combination attacks, such as mixing fire and wind attacks."
"Good idea, so how are the defenses coming along?"
"They are progressing. We have several shields set up that will block enemies from entering Alfea, and we have five stun weapons to assist us in battle."
"Great work, I'm very proud of you Techna," Bloom complimented. "Well, I think I'm going to do some training myself," Bloom stated and walked off.
"So, you want us to help you control your pixies because you couldn't?" Professor Griffin asked. "Why should we help you?"
Professor Saladin and Ms. Faragonda had agreed that they would need the resources of both Red Fountain and Cloud Tower to be able to take on Bloom and the Winx Club.
"Because if we don't cooperate, Bloom and the girls will take us down one at a time. If we unite we stand a much better chance."
"I hate to agree, but she's right Professor Griffin," Icy said as she and the other Senior Witches entered the room. "The power Bloom displayed when we fought her was beyond anything any of us have ever seen before. I think we should take their offer. Once we take Bloom and her pixie friends down we can go back to feuding." Ms. Griffin was silent for a long moment.
"Oh all right. We'll go along with this. But don't think for a moment this means we're anything close to... friends," Griffin stated.
"Red Fountain stands with you as well. Our boys will do whatever they can," Professor Saladin promised.
"So, when do we attack?" Griffin asked.
"As soon as we're ready," Ms. Faragonda replied.
"Bloom, one of my spy drones reports that Ms. Faragonda and Professor Saladin have formed an alliance with Cloud Tower. They will likely attack us very soon," Techna reported. She had created numerous tiny spy drones to scout around the realm and tell the Dark Angels what was happening.
"Well then, I think we should get ready. Have all Dark Angels prepare for battle!" Bloom ordered. Techna went back to work creating more camouflage units, while everyone else got ready for what would probable turn out to be an easy battle. With their powers, no one could stand against them!
"Stand ready boys! This fight will be the hardest you have ever fought," Tortadora stated. "Not only will your opponents be extremely powerful, they will be people you know. You must remember they are your enemies! You must stay focused. When we break the hold the Oricalcos has on them they'll be just fine. Now gather your gear and be at the launch bay in thirty minutes, dismissed!"
"Do you think we have a chance?" Professor Saladin asked, coming up behind him.
"I think our boys will make us proud. They're some of the best I've ever seen. We'll give those fairies a fight they won't soon forget."
At Cloud Tower, the witches were preparing to battle the fairies, but they had another reason for helping Red Fountain. "When you get inside Alfea, I want you to search for anything that tells about this Oricalcos. If we can secure its power, Cloud Tower will be the most powerful school in the universe! Now go, and don't disappoint me!"
A few days later, the combined forces of Red Fountain and Cloud Tower marched on Alfea. The boys rode on levi-bikes and the Witches flew, walked or rode brooms. Alfea soon loomed in the distance, but it was not the same school. It was now black and shrouded in an unnatural fog. Coldness seemed to radiate from it. Shimmering green energy glowed from points along the outer wall.
"Is that Alfea?" Saladin asked. He couldn't believe it was the same school. It seemed more like a darker version of Cloud Tower.
"I'm afraid it is Professor. Bloom must have used the power of the Oricalcos to change it. We must be careful, who knows what else Bloom has planned for us," Ms. Faragonda replied.
"Well, this place doesn't look too bad. It might even pass for a witch school," Professor Griffin said. "Let's get this over with shall we. We'll all attack together and overwhelm them. Let's go!" She shouted, and the witches raced forward.
"Wait! Oh blast, go and back them up," Tortadora ordered, and the boys raced forward.
"Bloom, their coming in fast," Techna reported. It had been Bloom's idea to create the fog. It would make their positions less visible.
"Have the cannons open fire," she ordered. This was looking to be one entertaining battle. "This is going to be fun."
What will happen now? Will Alfea be retaken or will the Dark Angels emerge victorious, and if they do what will they go after next? Find out on the next exciting chapter of Dark Winx!