Posted January 2, 2022.
CHAPTER 15: THE PHOENIX OF THE PARTHENON
On the Matter of the Realm of Greece
Fay once existed in the realm of Greece. Throughout my studies, I have found that the fairies once thrived during pagan times, especially during the Golden Age of Athens. Unfortunately, humanity proved to be their downfall.
When Prometheus created humanity, all of the gods looked upon these new creatures with interest. The pride and joy of Prometheus they were, fashioned in the image of the gods themselves.
Unfortunately, they also had the flaws of the gods. They fell to terrible vices, such as greed, anger, jealousy, hatred – all of those which were destructive and hateful. Still they interacted peacefully with the fairies – at least, until the Roman Empire took over.
Once the Roman Empire conquered Greece, the Greek fay were weakened. No longer did they thrive off of the symbiotic relationship with their human counterparts. Slowly, they retreated out of humanity's way, and were eventually forgotten.
– From the Book of Fay
Athens, Greece
It had been over a week since they'd defeated the Wizards at Newgrange; it was now the day after the New Year. They'd spent the week at Baston's farm, doing research on the fairies. During that time, they'd come up with an important discovery.
"Everyone, look at this," Flora had suddenly said one day the previous week, when she was reading the Book of Fay. "I found something important."
"What?" Immediately, Stella stood around the desk; the other Winx, Roxy, and the Pixies crowded around with her. "What is it?"
"It's about the Black Circle," Flora answered. "Not only is it the symbol of power for the High Faerie Queen; it is also a link between the human world and the realm of the fay."
"But we know that already, don't we?" Tune pointed out. "That old lady at the stone circle told us that. We can use it to gain the Sight and see the fairy world as it once was, before it was defeated by the Wizards of the White Circle."
"There's more to it than that, though," Flora answered. "Roxy, do you have the Circle with you?"
Roxy nodded, handing it over. Flora took the Circle from her, pointing at the six black oval-shapes.
"These ovals on the Black Circle aren't just there for decoration," she said. "Within each oval-shape, there is an eye – a jewel that is meant to sit in its center. Each jewel is from one of the Seven Ancient Realms of the fairies."
"The what now?" Stella asked, confused.
"As a link to the fairies' power, the Black Circle is connected to the Faerie Queendoms as well," Flora answered. "There are many, many fairy realms, as many as there are human civilizations. However, there as seven main queendoms, and six of them own an eye that sits right inside the Black Circle."
"So the Black Circle commandeers the power of seven different realms," Bloom mused. "Where are those jewels now?"
"The author states that, just before each realm was taken over by darkness, the High Faerie Queen removed each eye and sent it to each realm for safekeeping," Flora explained. "Each guardian hid each eye in a special place. They disguised themselves in various different forms, so the Wizards wouldn't get to them."
"So that means some of the fay are still around?" Roxy asked, looking thunderstruck.
"Correct," Flora answered. "It states, in the first chapter itself, that while the war on the fay occurred, many disguised themselves as other animals so they wouldn't be locked away. Many of the fay still live on in-disguise."
"What are the Seven Ancient Realms?" Bloom asked.
"Greece, Egypt, China, Persia, Maya, India, and Paradise," Flora explained. "Paradise is the place where the fairies first landed, when they descended from heaven to earth. It's also the place where the fairies are trapped."
"So if we find all the eyes of the Black Circle, we'll be able to enter Paradise to free the fay!" Roxy realized.
"Exactly," Flora answered her, smiling. "This is our next mission."
"Woo-hoo!" Chatta cheered. "Let's do this!"
"So I guess it's safe to say I'm not going home anytime soon?" Roxy asked dryly.
"You got it," Musa smiled at her. "First, we're gonna free your people."
And now they were flying over Greece, sitting quietly and uncovering information. Bloom turned towards the Pixies, her eyes narrowed.
"There's one thing I wasn't able to figure out," she said. "When you went to see the Gallizenae, what did they tell you?"
Stella gasped. They had completely forgotten that the Pixies had gone to Sein Island to discover more about the fay. Digit flew up to them, her eyes dancing.
"I have it recorded on my phone," she said. Playing back the words, the women listened in silence, taking it in.
When it was over, Bloom frowned. "So the first part is pretty obvious," she said. "We're the six heroines referenced in the third line. The seventh is Roxy."
"'Child of light and child of dark'," Stella said aloud, frowning. "What does that mean?"
"It's probably referring to Roxy again," Tecna answered. "That would make the most logical sense."
"But how am I a child of light and dark at the same time?" Roxy groaned. "This doesn't make any sense."
"I mean, the first part of the prophecy makes complete sense," Layla answered. "It's basically saying that when humans are at their darkest point, the seven of us will rise to save Earth. 'The unlikely ark' is basically the helicopter."
"But what does that mean 'to oak or to holly, the world must fall?" Bloom asked. "'Yin and yang'? What the heck is that?"
"Beats me," Musa answered, scratching her head.
"We'll continue working on it," Flora said. "Right now, we should just enjoy what we have." She pointed out the window.
Stella followed her gaze and gasped. Below the clouds, the city of Athens loomed ahead of them, a huge hill towering above. Ruins sat atop the hill, of something that looked like a temple. Surrounding the hill were residential and commercial buildings, as well as an open-space that appeared to be a market.
"That's the agora," Bloom explained, "sort of like the downtown in every city-state of ancient Greece. The acropolis is the hill at the center of the city. At its top is the Parthenon, a temple devoted to the Greek goddess Athena, for whom the city-state is named."
"Hmm," Stella said, unimpressed. Athens was nice and all, but it was nothing in comparison to the architecture of Helios, capital of Solaria. "Let's see what the Black Circle has to say." She pulled it off her left wrist.
Over the two weeks they'd spent in Ireland, Digit had discovered a way to shrink and expand the Black Circle. Similarly to the Ring of Solaria, many of these magical objects could shrink into smaller items, usually in the form of jewelry. Once magically deactivated, the Black Circle became a bracelet. It also became small enough for the Pixies to look through it; in its regular size, the Black Circle was quite heavy for them to hold. Expanding it, she gazed through the Circle.
She gasped. Through the eyes of the Black Circle, she could see lush greenery and flourishing vineyards, with many, many people tending to them. The city's construction had a far more rustic feel to it, with houses built of stone, wood, and clay. The streets were unpaved, but they still looked beautiful, with wild grasses growing in-between the stones. The agora was bustling with people, and the markets were teeming with figs, olives, and much more produce.
She stared at the acropolis, which had now fully come to life. The Parthenon was made of exquisite marble, and shimmered under the gaze of the sun. It illuminated an elaborate frieze on the top, a triangle with mini-statues of goddesses, mortals, and beasts.
"Hey, let me see." Flora reached over and grabbed the Black Circle. She gasped in amazement. "Oh, that's just so beautiful!"
"The city's still pretty spectacular," Tecna said, gazing down. "It's just not the same as it was before. Athens was in its Golden Age long ago, no doubt."
"Did you know that this place was the birthplace of Earthian democracy?" Bloom asked. "Before Athens, no such system had existed. Can you imagine?"
"Yeah," said Stella sheepishly, raising an eyebrow. The truth was, she had absolutely no idea.
Sometimes she felt slightly insecure when it came to her friends. They were all so smart, and had studied a lot when they were in Alfea, and before they'd come here. She, on the other hand, had no idea how to write a speech, much less be a good historian. Her eyes narrowed in sadness as she gazed down.
She was going to be queen of Solaria someday – and yet, she didn't know enough at all. Her father often scolded her for her lack of historical knowledge, her clear lack of interest in politics. Part of being a good queen was being a good diplomat, he said, something that she needed to learn.
"You had your fun at Alfea," he had told her. "Now welcome to real life. You're going to have to learn responsibility now."
"So," Tecna said, waking her from her thoughts, "from what we know, the fay love nature. Maybe an artifact is hidden there. We need to go to a place where history has made its mark, but also where the fay would be." She tapped on the screen of her phone. "According to this thing, there're plenty of places we could visit that are filled with natural spaces. We could visit the National Garden and take a look there."
"That'd be so beautiful!" Flora exclaimed. "I'd love to see all the plants and everything!"
"It's winter, Flora," Layla pointed out. "How many plants are there going to be exactly?"
"It doesn't matter," Flora answered. "Personally, I think gardens look wonderful in the winter."
"We need to go to a place where there're going to be fay, not just gardens," Bloom pointed out. "What about Pnyx? It was once the place where the Athenian Democratic Assembly met."
"Are there going to be fay there, though?" Flora asked. "I'm not sure how much nature that place has."
"Why don't we go to Filopappos Hill?" Stella suggested.
There was a silence, then Flora stared at her. "What's that?"
"According to legend, it used to be the home of the Nine Muses," Stella said, reading from the phone. "It could be a perfect place to go. Weren't the Muses some kind of art goddesses or something?"
"How about we split up?" Musa suggested. "Stella, Flora, Tecna, and I can go to Filopappos. Bloom, Layla, and Roxy, you guys can go to Pnyx. Whaddya think?"
"Good idea," Bloom agreed. "Tecna, drop us off at Pnyx, don't you?"
Thirty minutes later, they were at the hill. The women stared around in amazement, stunned by the beauty of Filopappou. "This is so beautiful!" Flora declared, taking photos.
"There're so many monuments of Greek history in this area," Tecna added. "There's Socrates's prison, the Shrine of the Muses, and the Acropolis just nearby. We need to see all of them!"
"I hate to break to you, Tec, but we're not tourists here," Musa said dryly. "We're supposed to be looking for the fay!"
"Yeah!" Chatta shouted. She was wearing a ridiculous, oversized beige coat, and held a magnifying glass to her face. "Detective Chatta to the rescue!"
"Chatta, how many clothes did you pack?" Tune groaned. "You had to choose the most unladylike of them all, didn't you?"
Stella wasn't paying any attention. An eagle was soaring through the sky, letting out a caw as it extended its luminous white wings. She stared, mesmerized by its beauty.
"Stella!" Tecna called crossly. "This isn't the time to admire the wildlife!"
But there was something so majestic about the bird that Stella couldn't stop staring. Suddenly, she was seized by a desire to see the bird in its true form, to see what it was hiding. She pulled the Black Circle off her hand, transforming it into its full form.
"What're you doing?" Flora called.
Stella gazed through the Circle and let out a gasp of amazement. I can't believe it… What she saw ahead of her was no ordinary bird. Its plumage was a fierce red-and-gold, shining brilliantly amid the sun. Its legs were covered in golden scales, and rose-gold talons were at the bottom. Its eyes were a striking blue, the color of sapphires and the sky.
"A phoenix," she breathed, in awe.
"Stella?" Tecna had run up to her. "What do you see? What do you" –
She cut off as the phoenix cawed in alarm, no doubt noticing them. In fear, he flew off, straight into the sky.
"Look at what you've done!" Stella said crossly. "You scared him!"
Digit let out a sigh. "Well then, we'd better catch up with the others and find out what's going on."
"Great," Roxy muttered, "nothing's here. Can we go back now?"
The women and Artu were at Pnyx. As far as they could see, it was just the ruins of some old meeting-place in Greece. There was nothing special about it.
"I know you want to go back home to Gardenia, Roxy," Bloom said, "but you can't. Even though the winter solstice has passed, the Wizards will try to take your magic at the summer solstice. We have to keep you safe until then."
"And then the next solstice, and then the one after that?" Roxy rolled her eyes. "You can't keep me away from home forever."
"No," Layla agreed, "but we can try."
"I don't sense any fay around here," Lockette said. "I think Roxy's right. We should just go back."
"See?" Roxy added. "Even the Pixies agree with me." Cherie nodded her assent.
"Lockette meant we should go back to the helicopter, not to Gardenia," Layla answered, "so nice try." She pulled out her phone. "I'll text Tecna."
As they waited, Roxy's thoughts drifted to that of the winter solstice. She remembered how Krithi had come up to her, asking if she was okay. That girl had quite some nerve, talking to Roxy so sweetly when she had almost been the cause of her demise. She clenched her fists, wishing more than anything, that she could give Krithi a good punch in the face.
But she wasn't there with her. Letting out a sigh, she gazed to the ground, her eyes closed and her facial muscles relaxing the anger.
Just then, something occurred to Roxy. Looking over at Bloom, she asked, "Um, what's going on with your boyfriends?"
"Why do you ask?" Bloom sounded startled.
"I wouldn't want anything to happen to the rest of your Alien Squad," Roxy said, rather irritably. "Seriously, where are they? What happened to them?"
"We haven't heard anything about them." Bloom looked nervously down. "I don't know if they were arrested by the Gardenia Police, and if so, if they managed to get out. Tecna's been trying to look up information about them, but to no avail." She sighed. "Right now, you're more important. We have to look out for you first."
"They're not all boyfriends, by the way," Layla added. "Flora has a girlfriend – Mirta. She was there with them."
Roxy stared at her in surprise. "What?" she gasped, completely taken aback.
Now that she thought about it, she remembered seeing a woman with those men – but at the time, she'd thought less about her gender and more about the Wizards who wanted to kill her. "Flora's gay?"
"Is there a problem with that?" Bloom asked, her eyes narrowed.
For once, Roxy was at an absolute loss for words. How can they be so free about something that's so wrong? Being gay was something completely abnormal. For some horrible, ungodly reason, she'd been labeled as gay her entire life. And yet, Flora and Mirta were so open about it – they didn't even bother to hide. She had no idea how to react to it.
So, she just did what she did best – rolling her eyes.
"Please," she snorted. "She could be dating her plant, for all I care." She frowned, something suddenly coming to mind. "Who's Musa's boyfriend – or girlfriend – or whoever?"
Layla and Bloom exchanged an uncomfortable look. "Well," Bloom began.
"He's not here," Layla said flatly. "They broke up a few months ago. She's here alone."
"And she didn't even bother to tell me?" Roxy couldn't help but feel hurt. She'd thought Musa was a closer friend than that. "Well, what's his name?"
"Riven," Bloom answered, looking surprised. "Why?"
"I don't like being kept in the dark about my friends," Roxy snapped back. "Musa's my friend, and I want to know how she's" –
"Roxy!" A voice called behind her. Roxy immediately spun around, and stared in surprise.
Musa, Stella, Flora, and Tecna were walking towards them, holding the Black Circle. They were looking confused, clearly not expecting to walk into Roxy's aggression.
"What's going on?" Stella asked.
"Nothing," Roxy said shortly, staring up at Musa, who looked the most confused of them all. She lowered her head.
"We saw a member of the fay," Tecna said. Bloom's eyes widened, and she stared at Tecna. "What?"
"Yes," said Flora. "It was a phoenix, disguised as an eagle. We weren't able to follow it, because it was far too fast – but we know it's around here."
"But I don't understand!" Layla said in confusion. "How is it that we found one?"
"The Black Circle shows us the way things once were," Bloom answered. "There must've been fay here long ago. Instead of birds, phoenixes probably roamed the lands."
"It's like how we saw the Parthenon," Tecna added. "Just because we saw it in its former glory doesn't change the fact that it lies in ruins. Same with the phoenixes – they exist no more."
"So, what do we do now?" Roxy muttered. "What was the point of coming here, then?"
"We need to find a connection between Greek history and its fay," Bloom answered. "That will bring us to understand what happened to the fay, and why and how they were captured."
"I think we should go to the Parthenon," Musa said. "The fay are just as spiritual as we are. It might give us some clues as to what to find."
"Good idea," Bloom agreed. "Tecna?"
Tecna pulled out her phone. "Here," she said, pointing to the map. "We need to get on a bus up to the Acropolis, and buy tickets."
"Alright then," Bloom said, "let's go."
Of course, no one bothers to ask my opinion. Roxy followed behind the women, her eyes narrowed. What are we supposed to do? She let out a sigh.
They couldn't all travel on the same bus. There were only five remaining spaces, and the bus-conductor wasn't too happy to see Artu. One look in his eyes, and Musa knew that he wasn't going to allow Artu on the bus.
"Okay," Bloom said, "I guess we'd better get off, then." She began to climb off.
"No," Musa said. "You guys and the Pixies stay on the bus – it'll be quicker that way. Roxy and I will find a dog-friendly bus."
"All right," sighed Bloom. Layla cast Musa a look as the bus zoomed away.
Musa sighed, standing next to Roxy at the bus-stop. The pink-haired girl seemed uncharacteristically quiet, staring down at the ground.
Is there something wrong? "Are you all right?" she asked.
Roxy didn't answer for a few seconds. Then quite suddenly, she whispered, "Who's Riven?"
Musa stopped, standing still immediately. A harsh feeling came over her chest, and she felt as if the oxygen had been squeezed out of her lungs. She knew that, under her makeup, her cheeks had gone extraordinarily white.
"What do you know about him?" she asked, very slowly.
"Bloom told me about him," Roxy answered.
Musa clenched her fists. I'm going to have to have a talk with her soon… She glared furiously at Roxy, who, uncharacteristically alarmed, took a step back.
"He is no one," she said quietly yet deliberately, her voice cutting through the air. "Do you hear me? He means nothing to me. Don't ever bring his name up ever again."
"Why not?" Roxy demanded. "From the sound of it, he seems like a real jerk. Why did you ever let him push you around? Why did you" –
"Enough!" Musa exploded. People around on the street stopped and stared, but she ignored them. "I came to Earth to be away from him, and I well-intend to continue that way! So shut up and" –
"Hey, wait a minute!" someone shouted from the street. "That looks like the girl who's been kidnapped!"
Musa did a double-take and stared around. A group of people were staring at them, their eyes narrowed. She grabbed Roxy's hand, pulling her forward.
"RUN!"
The bus drew to a stop at the Acropolis. The women got out, and Tecna gazed at her phone, frowning.
"I'm not sure where Musa and Roxy are," she said. "They seem to be in the same location as each other."
"If you ask me, it's kinda stalkerish that you developed that program," Stella remarked. Tecna had created a program to track each member of the Winx Club, as well as Roxy, on her phone. It wouldn't be all that helpful if she went missing, of course, but it was useful for finding other people.
"Wait," Tecna gasped. "They're moving extraordinarily fast now! What's going on?"
Exactly at that moment, Stella heard sirens. Police-cars were zooming down the road, shooting straight in the opposite direction of which they'd just travelled.
"We have to help them!" Bloom cried.
"Bloom and I will go and find them," Layla said. "The rest of you, get up to the Acropolis! That's the only way!"
"Let's go!" Stella shouted. The women ran up the Acropolis, each on their way.
Roxy gasped as she was pulled alongside Musa, Artu running behind them. She could hear police-sirens sounding behind them, and knew that they were close.
"What're we gonna do?" she gasped.
"We improvise, that's what!" Musa pulled her forward.
Roxy stared. There was a two-seater motorcycle, and a couple was walking towards it, holding hands. Just before the two could reach the motorbike, Musa launched onto it, throwing Roxy and Artu behind her.
"Hey!" the man shouted.
"Sorry!" Musa yelled, flooring the engine. Artu jumped onto Roxy's lap just in-time before the bike zoomed down the alleyway. Roxy clutched onto Artu and Musa at the same time, her eyes wide with horror.
She had never felt this out-of-control. It was worse than falling off a horse at full-gallop, more nauseating than the scariest roller. "I'm gonna be sick!" she managed to yell as Artu howled in horror. "Do you even know how to ride this thing?"
"I rocked at the Hoverbike last year!" she shouted back, making a sharp left that almost threw Roxy off the bike. "We crashed a wedding last year with those babies. I got this!" She stared at the dashboard nervously. "Although – these controls are a bit different" –
She heard a shout in front of them in Greek. A group of police were standing in front of them, their eyes narrowed. One man pointed a Taser at Musa.
But she swerved the motorcycle just in time. Crashing past the police-cars, she yelled, "Do ya know how to make this thing fly?"
"Are you kidding me?" Roxy screamed. "What do you think this is, the Jetsons? Well, I got news for you – I'm not Elroy!" If she'd ever doubted that Musa was an alien, now she was absolutely certain. "Why don't you just stop the thing and get us out of here?"
"I – don't – know – how!" Musa was staring ahead at the main street in alarm.
The motorcycle crashed past the street-traffic, zooming on the road. Roxy winced as Musa jetted into the left-side of the road, a car nearly crashing into her. She swerved to the right just in time, looking horrified.
"You're on the wrong side of the road!" Roxy yelled at her. "You're making things way harder, you – WHY ARE YOU DRIVING ON THE SIDEWALK?"
"I'm trying to reach that building!" Musa shouted back. "There's gotta be some gravitational-settings on these things so we can shoot up that wall. The police can't catch us there."
Roxy would've facepalmed if she wasn't clinging on for dear life. The cars on the street swerved to the side, letting them jet down the road. The police continued their chase, shouting at them from behind.
"Don't make this worse for yourselves!" an English-speaking policeman shouted. "You will be charged with escaping arrest if you resist!"
Roxy knew that Musa didn't understand a word of what he'd just said. "We have to get outta here!" she gasped frantically.
"I'm on it!" Musa shouted back. Hitting the accelerator at full-speed, she swerved off the road and into the forest.
Roxy, Artu, and Musa screamed as they burst into the forest, animals and birds flying away in alarm. Behind, she could hear the police pursuing them, but their cars were no match for the forest. She clutched onto Artu and Musa tightly, fear pounding in her heart.
"If we die here, I'll kill you!" she shouted as Musa rammed them into the forest. Roxy hung on tightly, praying for dear life that she didn't fall –
BOOM. The motorbike tripped on a tree-root, and Musa lost her balance. The three of them went flying off the bike, feet-first into a bush. The wind was knocked out of Roxy. For a moment, she couldn't breathe. Then she got up slowly, staring at herself.
Miraculously, she was fine. Except for a few scratches and cuts where the brambles had torn at her skin, she was okay. Artu was also fine, though he was not too happy.
She looked up at Musa, who hadn't seemed to have been quite as fortunate. Her whole face, arms, and legs were covered with scratches, and her left hand was bruised. She glared at Musa, her eyes narrow.
"Don't ever do that again," she snarled.
"Don't worry," Musa said wryly, "I wasn't planning to. Getting chased by Spacely with Elroy and Astro on my back was not what I had in mind."
And suddenly, they were both laughing. Laughing, because of the hilarity of the situation, Musa's absurd confusion, and just the craziness of it all.
Roxy hadn't laughed like this in ages. She hadn't laughed since she was a little kid, listening to stories and jokes from her father. She had forgotten how joyful it was to let out that exaltation, to share this fun with friends. Wiping her eyes, she asked, "You watched the Jetsons, too?"
"Yeah," Musa grinned. "My mom used to love watching Earthian programs, and so she downloaded some old – what're they called? – cartoons from the Realm Wide Web. The technology was totally outdated, but it was amusing enough to watch after I came back from school."
"Er… okay." Roxy decided to let slide that Musa called the Jetsons' technology "outdated". She frowned, gazing around the forest.
"Musa!" A voice called. "Are you alright?"
Roxy looked up. Bloom and Layla were running towards them, worry in their eyes. "You took quite a fall," Layla winced, looking at Musa.
"Do you have any idea how fast you were going?" Bloom demanded. "Earthian motorcycles aren't supposed to go that fast! You could've easily died!"
To Roxy's great astonishment, Musa shrugged. "We easily went twice that speed on the hoverbikes at Red Fountain."
"That was in the air," Bloom pointed out, "and we had radars." She sighed. "Let's go."
"We're meeting the others at the Parthenon," Layla added. "We were supposed to go with them, but we heard the news that you guys were on a motorbike, and Tecna sent us to find you. Come on, let's go."
Roxy followed Musa, Bloom, and Layla. They were about to exit the grove when suddenly, Artu barked. She stared at him, and he signaled to her in alarm.
"What's going on now?" Layla asked crossly.
In response, Artu ran in the opposite direction. Roxy stared at him in bewilderment, and broke into a run after him.
"What's going on?" Bloom demanded.
"I think he's found something!" she shouted back. "Come on, let's go!"
The women broke into a run, straight after Artu. Ahead of them, Roxy caught a whiff of faintly smoky air, and thought she knew what was going on. All she could do was pray that it wasn't anything too severe.
The climb was long as they headed up the hill, panting. At last they reached the top. Stella stared around, amazed, as she stared up at the citadel.
They were standing in front of the Dionysus Theater. Ahead of them was the Sanctuary of Artemis, Sanctuary of Zeus, and Sanctuary of Asclepius. Right in the center of the Acropolis stood the Parthenon, the impressive ruins towering over everyone else.
She hoped that Musa, Roxy, and the others were okay. Hopefully they'd all gotten together and were now heading to the Parthenon. We have to hope they're okay – not arrested, at the least… If their friends were arrested, they'd have zero recourses to help them. Sighing, she gazed around.
"There's no one here," Flora said in surprise.
"That's because it's off-season," Tecna answered. "No one comes here in the dead of winter." She frowned, looking at her phone. "He went into the Parthenon" –
A man's voice filled the air, clearly barking at them. Frowning, Stella looked up and saw a cross man, his arms folded.
"Er"… The women looked at each other; they didn't understand a word of the language he was speaking. Stella walked up to him and smiled.
"Pardon us, sir," she said, in Italian. The man blinked and stared up at them in surprise. "We were just looking to get into the Parthenon. Can you let us in?"
She crossed her fingers, hoping that he understood. A second later, he answered, in raspy Italian, "Not without ticket."
"How much does it cost?" Tecna asked.
The man pointed to the sign, written in two different languages. Stella could only make out the numbers 10, 20, and 30 on the top. Seeing that they were still confused, he let out a sigh. "It cost 30 euros each to get into Parthenon."
"Okay," Tecna fished into her bag, looking for change. She passed him 90 euros.
"Take map," he said, thrusting it into Stella's hands. "Bye, pretty girl."
Stella's cheeks flushed as she walked away. I don't think snookums would be too happy with that. Chatta grinned.
"Well, I'm happy that our admission was free!" she cheered. "Being tiny does have its advantages, after all!"
"Pixies, be quiet," Tecna commanded. They reached the Parthenon, staring up at the ancient temple.
It was a lot more impressive up-close. The ruins were majestic, standing strong and tall as they walked inside. Stella pulled out the Black Circle as they walked inside, holding it to her eyes.
She gasped in astonishment. In front of her, the fluted columns stood impressively, fuller and whiter than she could imagine. In the center of the room was a giant statue of Athena Parthenos, her body made of ivory and dress made of gold. Her austere face shined brilliantly, with a gold crown atop her head. A gold spear stood at her shoulder and gold wheel was in her left hand. In her right hand, she held a gold statue of Nike, the goddess of victory. On the ivory base below her feet was a relief of the birth of Pandora, done in gold. The other women and the Pixies stopped, staring through the Black Circle in astonishment.
"Wow," Amore breathed.
"Look!" Stella pointed up to the sky. The phoenix was flying in the air, circling around the room. He landed on the statue of Nike, his brilliant red plumage glowing. His sapphire eyes stared down at the women, gazing at them with great wisdom and strength.
Suddenly, a great respect overtook Stella. She bowed her head, staring up at the phoenix as he stared into her eyes. Sapphire met amber, and she felt nothing but goodness and strength pass through her, the power of ancient wisdom.
She took a step forward towards the statue, kneeling on the ground. The phoenix stared at her, his eyes intelligent. And then, she heard him speak.
"Greetings, young fairies. Welcome to the sacred abode of Athena."
The Grape Inn loomed ahead of them as they ran. Roxy stared, trying to quell her beating heart as they stared forward. She let out a gasp of horror.
The hotel was now burning to the ground. Firefighters were at the scene, but they were helpless against the huge volley of flames. People were outside, shouting in disbelief and fear.
She could see that no firefighters could've entered the hotel yet; the fire was far too strong. As it was, there were several people that had to be stuck inside.
"But how are we going to put out the fire?" Musa gasped. "The human firefighters aren't able to do anything! What can we do?"
"There're people in there," Bloom answered, "and we have to save them. That is our first priority. Then, we'll worry about putting it out." Pushing people aside, they ran into the building, drawing their weapons.
Roxy shouted as smoke entered her lungs, and fought the urge to choke. Behind, she could hear people's gasps.
"It's the international kidnappers!"
"Their hostage is with them, too!"
"What's going on?"
The smoke thickened, and Roxy felt it entering her lungs. Next to her, Musa and Artu were also choking. I wish I could do something… She felt helpless, collapsing to the ground.
"Musa! Get your shield!" Bloom shouted. She had drawn hers, a fiery-red color that seemed to blend into the fire itself. Layla had drawn her purple shield, too, and was protecting herself and Artu against the smoke. Musa took out her own pink shield, covering her face, and pulling Roxy next to her.
The shield redirected the smoke away from their lungs, and she sighed in relief. Artu stopped coughing as well. Musa gazed down at her, a motherly fierceness in her eyes.
"I won't let anything happen to you," she declared, leading them forward.
The heat seared Roxy's arms as she ran forward, staring up. Remind me again why we're here – A burning plank shot down, only narrowly missing her head, and she screamed.
"If you fairies are so powerful, why can't you use magic?" she snapped at Bloom.
"For the millionth time!" Bloom hissed. "We don't have our powers!"
"Then we should get out of here!" Roxy snapped. "Get out and save ourselves, so that nothing happens! This building is a lost-cause anyways" –
Layla stared at Roxy, fury in her eyes. "How could you say that?" she snarled. "We have to save this building! Or else, we'll never be able to" –
"Stop arguing!" Musa shouted. "Do you hear that?"
Roxy frowned. She thought she could hear a child's wail, one that was high-pitched and terrified. Bloom's eyes widened.
"Let's go!" she shouted.
The women ran down the corridor of smoke, rushing into a room. Roxy's eyes went wide as she saw what was ahead of her.
And so she did. A couple was huddled on the floor, calling out for help, and their little girl was howling in fear. Suddenly, the cries diminished as she stared up at the women.
"Quick!" Bloom ran towards the couple. "We'll get you out of" –
A plank fell from the top of the ceiling, falling straight towards the family. They screamed, running to the side. The child was tossed to the ground.
Roxy stared in horror as the flames divided them, separating parents and child apart. The woman let out a cry, calling out to her child.
Roxy turned to look at the child. She couldn't have been more than five or six years old, and was cowering against the wall in fear. She gasped herself, staring in alarm.
This child has been injured. She had been hurt, beaten by the bully flames. A great fury rose in her, and she knew immediately that she would not let this happen.
Suddenly, a great strength rose in her body. Almost instinctively, naturally, she knew what to do. Without anyone telling her what to do, she ran forward.
"Roxy!" Musa shouted. "What are you doing?"
But she was ready, more ready than she'd ever been before. Power rose in her eyes as she lifted her hands.
"Bird's lift!" she shouted. A bubble enveloped the girl, and she stared around in disbelief. She levitated her in the air, grunting at the effort it took to lift a person – even a small child – into the air.
Come on – I can't lose my concentration… The girl flew over the fire, and she pulled and pulled. Eventually, she landed safely on the ground. The mother ran up to the child, her eyes wide.
"You saved her!" she shouted.
"Roxy!" gasped Musa, looking awed. "That was brilliant! You" –
"Quick!" Bloom yelled. "Let's get out of here!"
They ran down the corridor, the mother carrying the child, Musa, Layla, and Bloom leading the parents. Roxy hung behind. Musa pointed to a ladder in front of them.
"That's the fire-escape," she said. "I'm sure there'll be firefighters there. Go!"
"Thank you," the man breathed. They both headed straight towards it, climbing down.
Roxy gazed around at the women, breathing a sigh of relief. "Okay," she said. "So whaddya say we get out of" –
"No," Layla said, shooting her a warning look. "We can't leave just yet. We have to find out what's going on here, and put that fire out!"
"But we can't!" Roxy shouted frantically. I can't! "I don't want to bring Artu into danger!" She cast her dog a protective look.
"We're going to need you, Roxy," Musa said, more gently. "You just used your power to save that girl – that takes courage. You're the only one of us with powers now, and you're going to have to make use of them. Please, come with us. We need you."
Roxy couldn't believe it. They need me? When was the last time she'd ever been needed in her life? She stared into Musa's eyes, trying to find the lie within.
But she could see none. The woman seemed to truly believe that she could help them all. With a sigh, she nodded.
"All right," she said. "Stick with me, Artu." The women and the dog headed into the fire, trying to figure out its source.
Stella stared up at the phoenix. The creature's mouth didn't move, and he clearly spoke a different language – ancient Greek, to be precise. Nonetheless, she could understand exactly what he said, at every single moment.
"Great phoenix," Tune whispered, in awe. "Are you here to aid us on our journey?"
"Indeed," the phoenix answered. "You have come to the right place. The Hellas jewel of the Black Circle is here – and I am its guardian." His eyes glowed. "Now, why do you seek it?"
"We need it to liberate the fairies," Tecna said. "We must have it, so we can travel to their prison and free them into the world."
"Hmm," the phoenix said, surveying them with sharp eyes. "Is that all?"
Stella wanted to say yes. She wanted to say that their intentions were completely selfless, that they had no other motives to save the world. But suddenly, under the blue eyes of the phoenix, she found that she could not say that word.
"No," she admitted. The others turned to stare to her. "That's not the only reason why I'm here. I'm here to prove myself, too."
"What are you talking about?" Flora asked in surprise. "Stella, what are you saying?"
"You see," the phoenix answered, "I am a truth-revealer. Whenever you speak in front of me, you cannot speak anything but the truth. Everyone, from the humblest beggar to the vainest of kings, is revealed for who he is."
"I think I've read about you," Tecna said slowly, "in the Book of Fay. You're a salamander – meaning your power is derived from fire. When your time comes, you immolate yourself; your son, your reincarnate, is born from the ashes. Is that correct?"
"That is indeed correct," the phoenix nodded. "My time is coming soon; I can sense it. However, I cannot move on until I have fulfilled my duty." He sighed.
"Will you please help us, then?" Stella whispered. It somehow felt wrong to ask so much of this great creature, but she knew that she had no choice; if she didn't ask, the world would fall. "Will you help us find the first jewel?"
Rather than answering her question, the phoenix spoke. "Do you know the story of Pandora's Box?"
"No," Stella admitted.
"The creator of humanity, Prometheus, gave humanity the power of fire, which was once only reserved for the gods," the phoenix said. "They set fire to the world, transforming nature and altering the landscape so that they could set up their own civilization. Their powers scared much of the wildlife and diminished the power of the fay. Humanity became intelligent, far too intelligent for its own good. And as a result, it needed to be punished.
"So Zeus created the first human woman, by the name of Pandora. He sent her off to Epimetheus, Prometheus's brother, to be married. He also gave her a jar, which he warned her to never open. However, curiosity overtook her, and she opened it. Out flew horrible creatures, vultures which preyed on humanity's worst vices: misery, sadness, rage, greed, jealousy, illness, and hatred. Humanity would now forever be plagued with these vices, tormented over and over again."
"That's horrible!" Stella exclaimed. The Helian gods she'd learned of, in her childhood, would never do such a thing. "What kind of a god was he, anyways?"
"Horrible or not, that is what he chose to do," the phoenix said. "In his eyes, humanity was growing too arrogant and befuddled for its own good. It seemed better to kill them all off."
"But humanity didn't die," Tecna pointed out.
"You're right," the phoenix agreed. "For once all the evils were released into the world, Pandora slammed the jar shut, keeping the final creature shut inside: Hope. Rather than being released into the world and eaten by the other evils, it remained safely inside. It is thanks to her quick thinking and heroic actions that Hope still exists in the world. And it is with that I will entrust your task."
"Task?" Flora asked in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Your job is to find Hope," the phoenix said. "If you bring her back to me intact, then I will grant you the jewel." His eyes glowed. "Now, you have some searching to do."
"Something's wrong," Bloom gasped as they ran down the corridor. "This isn't a normal fire."
"Ya think?" Musa muttered sarcastically as the flames blazed on, burning with a furious intensity she'd only felt once before: that day when she'd saved Galatea in Alfea, earning her Enchantix.
But those flames were made of enchanted electricity, she thought. This fire is even worse. It's made of something that shouldn't be –
"Look!" Layla cried, pointing in front.
In the hotel's courtyard, a wall of flames was in front of two teenage boys. One of them had a hose of water in his hands. The other turned it on, and he pointed it at the flames, the full-force of water pouring out.
The fire still burned.
"What's going on?" Roxy gasped. "How is this possible?"
"We were just experimenting!" the boy with the hose wailed. "We didn't mean for this to happen! Honest!"
"You have got to be kidding me." Layla ground her teeth in frustration. "What did you do?"
"We were trying to make Greek fire!" the second boy shouted. "We thought we could find the long-lost formula ourselves!"
"Well, you found it," Bloom said grumpily. "Congratulations."
"What exactly is Greek fire, anyways?" Layla asked.
"It was an incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine Empire," Roxy answered. "It burned even on water, and was used to take down enemy-ships. To this day, the formula remains a mystery."
Musa stared at her. "I thought you hated history."
"I don't," Roxy answered grumpily. "I just don't like helicopters."
"Um, hello!" one of the boys shouted. "A little help here, please? We're about to be eaten up!"
Musa looked over at the others in horror. "What do we do?"
"Don't look at me," Roxy declared. "Just 'cause I'm a fairy doesn't mean I can prevent idiocy."
The smoke was getting stronger and stronger. Musa lifted her shield, as did Layla and Bloom. She grabbed Roxy and Artu.
"We're all going in," she shouted. "Ready? Three – two – one!"
"I don't believe this," Tecna muttered as they walked around the Acropolis. "Find Hope? She could be anywhere! How are we supposed to find Pandora's Box?"
Stella stared down the side of the Acropolis. Lush greenery grew below, beautiful trees and ancient ruins. The world ahead of them loomed vast and immense, the great megapolis stretching as far as the eye could see. Tecna's right – she could be anywhere –
"And what were you saying inside the Parthenon?" Flora added. "You were saying something about proving yourself. What did that mean?"
"Yeah," Amore added, looking concerned. "What was that all about?"
Stella stiffened. I don't want to tell them… Tecna stared at her too, looking just as confused.
"Why do you need to prove yourself?" she asked. "You've proved yourself so many times – we all have. What need is there for you to tell everyone who you are?"
"Maybe to people like my father, who don't think I know anything," Stella muttered. "I don't know any history, any ancient cultures – nothing. Everyone thinks I'm an idiot."
Flora and Tecna exchanged a glance. "Right," said Tecna. "So, who was the one who broke the spell on Sky and sacrificed herself to save her father? The one who got us into Realix in sophomore year? Oh yeah, and let's not forget, the one who brought Bloom to Magix, and saved her life on multiple occasions? Yeah, definitely not you."
"But everyone thinks I'm shallow!" Stella protested. "They think that I only like fashion and shopping, and nothing else! Okay – those are two of my biggest loves, but everyone doesn't have to villainize it all the time!"
"Stella, listen," Flora said, gently, "we love you for who you are. Why should it matter how much information you know, or how much history you know? What matters is that you have a heart – a big one. Darkness has never known a place in your soul! Sure, you can be shallow at times, but you are one of the most selfless people I know."
"You really think so?" Stella breathed, amazed.
"Of course!" Flora looked at her as if she was crazy. "How could we think anything otherwise? You're awesome, Stella – truly one of the best friends we could ask for!"
"And you're a great bonded-fairy," Amore added. "We have so much fun matchmaking together! I haven't forgotten how you saved me from Darkar, either. That was just amazing!"
Stella gazed up at the Parthenon, which stared majestically back at her. She let out a sigh.
"Before I met you guys," she admitted, "I used to think that dresses and suitors were the only things to being a princess. I didn't have a strict upbringing like Layla – my dad kinda spoiled me and the maids all adored my looks. But when I came to Alfea, I realized how important my role was, how important it was for me to help the world. And I felt – proud to be friends with you all." Her eyes glowed. "And now that I've seen humanity, I want to help it more than ever. I want to free them from Pandora's curse and liberate them from greed. I want to free creatures like the phoenix, bringing Earth back its ancient magic and glory. And I'm going to do it not just because I want to prove myself, but also because I want to save humanity. I'm going to bring it all back!"
"You will," Flora agreed, linking hands with her. "We all will. But you don't need to change who you are for that, Stella. You're perfect the way you are – you don't need to become a great logician to save the world."
"Besides," Tecna said, in a mock-hurt tone, "you're forgetting that's my job. Are you trying to usurp me already? I don't die easily, Stella. Just ask Cyros."
They all laughed, the tension leaving the air. Stella felt her body glow, her entire being lighting up with happiness as the sun shined down on them. Suddenly, she felt a solar energy burn over her, filling her from the core.
She entered a yellow cocoon, staring around in confusion. Where am I? Solar energy, as well as the power of fire, burned inside of her. Yellow sparkles covered her body, and she stared down.
She was wearing an orange top and skirt, with fuchsia feathers on her clothes and head. A turquoise jewel appeared on her breast and forehead, and her fairy-dust choker reappeared at her throat. A new transformation… unbelievable… Star-shaped wings unfurled at her back, tiny, yet incredibly strong. She knew this new transformation was far stronger than anything she'd ever known. Letting out a whoop of joy, she stared around as the cocoon disappeared, and she came back to light. Staring around, she saw the stunned faces of her friends in front of her, who gasped in amazement.
"You got your Etherix!" Lockette cheered. "Way to go!" Stella grinned at her friends, grabbing them in a hug.
Suddenly, the Parthenon glowed radiantly, with the power of the sun. She gasped in surprise, turning to her friends. "Quick, let's go inside!"
They all ran into the building, staring through the Black Circle. The phoenix stood before them, a smile on his face. He nodded to Stella.
"Well done," he said. "You have found Hope."
"What?" Digit said in surprise. "But we didn't find Pandora's Box!"
"An interesting quandary," the phoenix responded. "Maybe that is because Pandora's Box does not exist."
The women and the Pixies gasped. "You mean"… Stella whispered.
"I mean that there is no such thing," the phoenix said calmly. "You see, the story of Pandora has origins far beyond Hesiod, the poet who immortalized her tale. In his story, Pandora means "all-gifts", because Zeus gave her all gifts possible in order to disguise her as humanity's hope. However, Pandora can also be translated as "all-giving", because that's who she truly was. In the Greek pantheon, she an earth-goddess, and worked alongside Prometheus to bring humanity to life. There was no box, no evil spirits. She is not the only goddess who suffered this fate in the Greek pantheon; Hekate too went from omnipotent goddess to vile sorceress."
"So it was a patriarchal trap!" gasped Tecna. "It was a way for men to exert power over women, blaming them for all the evils in the world!"
"Well, we don't know for sure that this was Hesiod's intention," the phoenix responded, "but it certainly was adapted that way. This was the beginning of the degradation of the fay, the destruction of their matriarchal roots."
"So part of bringing the fay back is going back to those pagan times, and removing the cruelty that women have faced throughout history," Stella realized.
"Exactly," the phoenix answered. "That is what you must do."
"But that still doesn't answer one question," Stella pointed out. "How'd I get my Etherix? Did I prove myself to nature?"
"You certainly did," the phoenix said. "When you declared that you would help the earth regenerate, I gave the power of flame to you, knowing that you were a worthy host. You now have the strength of the flames, and some of my power burns in your heart."
Seeing the women's confused expressions, the phoenix continued on. "There are four types of fay – Undines, Gnomes, Sylphs, and Salamanders. Each of them corresponds to water, earth, air, and fire, respectively. I am a Salamander, and I hold dominion over the flames, a power-source not unlike yours. And so, I have passed to you my power, in the form of Etherix. I trust you will be able to use it well."
"Thank you," Stella whispered, gazing up at the wise phoenix. I have my magic back – I can't believe it… Tears of happiness flowed down her cheeks as she felt the power she'd once held course through her veins. The phoenix smiled, curling his wings.
"Now, I believe my mission is over. It is time for me to move on to the next life, to be born anew in the ashes. But before I do"… He flew over to the statue of Athena, flying into her crown.
Stella stared as he drew out a shimmering garnet, one the color of blood. It gleamed magnificently as he bestowed it upon her, gesturing to the Black Circle. Breathlessly, she held it in front of him, watching as he placed it into one of the ovals.
The Black Circle gleamed red, brighter than she'd ever seen it. Staring up at the phoenix, she whispered, "This is the best gift you could give any of us."
"You have truly brought me Hope," the phoenix answered. "It is because of your spirit that I entrust you with the future of the fay and humanity alike. Now, let me settle down." He sat on the statue of Nike.
Stella watched as he relaxed on his bed of myrrh, sage, and cinnamon, closing his eyes. A peaceful slumber came atop the bird, one that she had never seen before. Then, quite suddenly, the nest burst into flame.
She expected the smoke to smother them, or the fire to burn the statue, but neither happened. Instead, the smoke smelled sweet and soothing, like a mother's voice while singing her child a lullaby. The sight of the red flames, licking the red-gold plumage of the majestic bird, was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. Tears came to her eyes as she watched the trusting phoenix die, the light dying out of his wise eyes as he decayed under the flame's watch.
Then he was no more. All that was left on Nike's wings was a pile of black ashes. For a long time, none of them spoke, too stunned and awed by the fantastic natural phenomenon they had just witnessed.
"It was his time," Flora finally spoke. "And now, we are here to take his place."
Stella frowned, sensing something in the wind. Within her new magic, she thought she could feel a fire, far away – and not the good kind. She focused on her energy, closing her eyes.
In her mind's eye, she saw a fire, one that was bringing untold devastation to a hotel. Her eyes shot open, and she stared at Tecna and Flora.
"There's a fire nearby!" she shouted.
"Oh no!" Lockette cried. "I can sense Bloom and the others in that area! We have to save them!"
"How will we get here?" Piff gasped.
"Leave it to me," Stella answered. She lifted her hands. "Phoenix's flight!"
Immediately, a yellow aura surrounded Tecna and Flora. They lifted into the air, and she levitated them high. "Let's go!" She led them into the sky, flying as high as they could. "Lockette, can you sense it now?"
"That way!" Lockette pointed to the north. "Follow my wand!" Stella carried them into the air, following the Pixie's directions.
As they flew, she hoped they would find their friends. That everything would be alright, and they would be safe. That thought sent her going as they flew over the ancient city, to a hotel not far away.
Roxy screamed as she burst through the flames, between the three women. In her arms, Artu howled with pain. She hid under the cover of the three women's shields, desperately searching for safety.
She could see the boys in front of her. If it wasn't for their stupidity, I'd feel sorry for them… They finally reached the end of the flames, and stared around.
"What do we do?" Layla gasped.
"Layla, you take one of them through," Bloom said, "and I'll bring the other. Musa, take Roxy back through" –
"No way am I walking through those flames!" one of the boys shouted. "That's not happening!"
"You're the ones who started this whole thing!" Roxy yelled back. "You don't get a say! You idiots, you" –
The boy froze, staring at her. In a strangled voice, he asked, "Are you the kid they – kidnapped?"
"Unfortunately," Roxy grumbled. Bloom frowned at him, her eyes narrowed.
"Listen," she said, "we don't have time for this. We've gotta get you through" –
"Kidnappers!" the boy yowled. "We're cornered by murderesses on all sides!"
"For the love of Marinus!" Layla yelled. "If we wanted to kill you, we'd have done so already!"
"Or we wouldn't have bothered," Musa added. "The fire woulda finished ya off."
"We're not going with you!" the second boy wailed. "You're gonna kill us!"
"We're not here to hurt any of you," Bloom declared. "Listen, kid. We're fairies. We're here to save you from the fire!"
The boys stared at her, their mouths agape. Roxy watched them, her eyes narrowed. They gasped, seeing them all in a new light.
And then they burst out laughing.
"Fairies!" one of them hooted. "That's a good one!"
"We are!" Musa shouted angrily. "What's with you humans?"
"You're not doing a great job!" Roxy hissed as the fire crept closer. "Look, can we" –
"Really?" the boy laughed. "Then where are your wings?"
Suddenly, a brilliant jet of light illuminated the air. Staring up, Roxy saw Stella holding the Black Circle, in a fairy-outfit. Flora was levitated in the air next to her, sparkles around her body. Flora landed on the ground, and Stella lifted the Circle in the air. Bloom stared at Stella and gasped in joy.
"You did it!" she yelled. "You got your Etherix!"
"I… don't… believe"… The first boy made a choking noise. The second one smacked himself in the head.
"It's just a dream," he whispered. "A hallucination by the fire!"
"Does that look like a dream to you?" Musa pointed up.
Roxy stared up. Stella was in the air, holding the Black Circle above her head. The fire of the hotel swirled in the air, surrounding her like a tornado. Red, yellow, white, and blue – they swirled around Stella, filling her with incredible power. They swirled up to the Black Circle, collecting in a cone.
She stared as the fire disappeared, as bit by bit, it was leached from the building. Letting out a whoop of joy, she watched as all the smoke, and every sign of fire was gone.
"Stella, that was amazing!" Bloom cried. "You did it! I can't believe it!"
"I think we can all breathe easier knowing it's really possible that we'll get our powers back," Musa added.
Stella flew down, facing the two boys. They gasped in fear as she held her finger to them, shaking her head.
"Listen to me," she snapped. "You're gonna turn yourselves into the police, and admit what you did. And then you're gonna put in a good word for fairykind. You got that? And if you don't" – A threatening blaze of light appeared in her hands, and the boys whimpered. "I'll be watching."
"Thanks," Flora added sweetly.
A sound called behind them. "Ladies, come out with your hands up!"
Roxy turned around. The police were aiming guns at them, and she gasped in fear, her hands instinctively going up. She saw the other women staring at them in alarm. Stella looked up and gasped.
"Oh, look!" she shouted, pointing. "Our ride's here!"
And it was. The helicopter flew above the skies, with Tecna inside. The police's eyes narrowed, and they pointed their guns at the helicopter.
"Sorry, guys!" Stella shouted, calling on the power of the sun. "Supernova!"
Roxy gasped as a blinding flash covered her eyes, and she closed them immediately. It burned into her gaze, and she let out a shout. The police shouted too, dropping their weapons in alarm.
She felt her feet lifting off the ground, straight up into the helicopter. Two-by-two, Stella levitated them each into the helicopter, where Tecna was waiting. The people below let out a shout as they stared at the Winx.
"They're escaping!"
"Get them!"
Tecna floored the engine. The sunlight disappearing from Roxy's eyes, she stared as they flew down the skies. The Greek town soon disappeared out of sight.
"That was some amazing work!" Flora gasped, looking at Stella with awe.
"I know!" Stella grinned. "I just felt so powerful and everything! I felt the sun and the fire and everything inside of me! It was just so awesome!"
"Roxy learned something new today, too," Musa added. "She was able to use her magic without the Black Circle's help." She looked over at the fairy, and stared in surprise.
Her pink hair had fallen over her face, and she looked downcast. Surprised, Musa walked up to her, asking, "What's up?"
Roxy didn't answer. She was stroking Artu, who yipped in excitement, but Musa could see the sadness in her eyes.
"You don't need to be sad anymore," Stella said. "You've got awesome powers, girl – just look at what you did out there! You're incredible!"
"But what if I don't want to be?" Roxy suddenly demanded, standing up. "What if I don't want to be special? I don't want to be a fairy, or have any kind of magical powers. I just want to be a normal girl, with a normal life! What am I going to do?" She sat down.
"I'll tell you what you're going to do," Musa answered. "You're gonna learn how to build up those powers real strong, and you're going to take those Wizards down! You'll do it, Roxy. You're strong, and you have a special gift."
"I just want to go home," Roxy whispered. "Even my dad was tolerable in comparison to this. I don't want to be a fairy, okay? I just want to live a normal life."
"One doesn't rule out the other," Flora said. "You can be a fairy and have a responsibility to the world, and still live a full life. Once we liberate the fay, you'll have no reason to hide anymore."
"And you don't have to be scared," Musa added. "We'll always be with you – even when this is all over. You have no reason to fear anymore."
She knew that she would never let Roxy be hurt. No matter what happened in the world, no matter what troubles they faced, Roxy would always be safe within their midst.
Next chapter:
– The Winx go to Egypt.
– Roxy encounters the Wizards again.
– Tecna has to solve a riddle.
