- Edited -
Rhythma breathed heavily. Sweat dripped down her face while blood streamed from the countless wounds that marked her now-exhausted body.
Icy laughed cruelly and bashed her knee once more into the fairy's stomach. Again, Rhythma screamed with all the breath she had - which wasn't much considering her predicament.
She would have run if she could. If Darcy and Stormy were not holding her up, she would have - or maybe she was too weak to do that. Perhaps she would have just fallen to the ground with a grunt and waited to be knocked out.
There was no reason behind this sudden beating. The Trix just wanted something to laugh about now that Stella's ring was in their possession, and whoop dee do, she happened to be the perfect punching bag. She wished now more than ever that she had never gone into that kitchen. Then maybe this wouldn't be happening.
If not for the two witches holding her, Rhythma would have curled into a ball and tried to shield herself from each blow Icy gave. But her arms were held tightly around the shoulders of the two. And now - as blood dripped from her mouth - she knew that it was almost over. She would be able to sleep - even if sleep came with a hit to the head.
They've never beaten me this relentlessly before, she thought, her mind going fuzzy from blood loss. Icy delivered one more blow to her gut before stepping back, a wicked grin on her face. Rhythma met the cruel icy-blue eyes with her own exhausted one and gave a choked groan.
"Darcy, dear," the ice witch said menacingly without breaking their stare. "Would you like a go?"
Darcy shook her head. "I'd rather not have her blood all over my shoes, thank you."
"Fair enough," Icy conceded. "What about you, Stormy?" She drew her gaze over to the frizzy-haired witch who held Rhythma's left arm.
The magenta witch gave a cruel grin. "Of course."
Rhythma whimpered. Stormy was the worst of them all.
Icy walked forward and took Rhythma's arm from Stormy, grunting under the limp weight. Stormy took her position in front of Rhythma, her smile wide and cruel.
Without another word, the witch landed a hard punch to Rhythma's face, sending her head flying back with a sickening crunch. The fairy groaned again as her head dropped down once more. It was all she could do, as she had no breath left to scream. Icy stiffened against her.
"Stormy," the ice witch snapped. "Please be a little bit more careful." Her gaze drifted to Rhythma, who had slumped down once again, staring blankly at the floor. "Don't break her neck."
"Fine." Stormy grunted, before landing another punch to Rhythma's jaw. Pain flared through the fairy's face, but she couldn't do anything but let out yet another groan.
Then, the storm witch landed a punch to her windpipe, but this time, Rhythma barely reacted. Her throat burned from the sudden change in oxygen.
Icy frowned. "Alright. I think that's enough." Her voice held actual concern.
Stormy huffed in annoyance. "What? Why?" It was clear that she had wanted more time to torture the fairy.
Darcy turned to face her, letting Rhythma slump to the ground with a whimper. "She's nearly dead." The dark witch said, putting two fingers to her neck for confirmation.
"Stormy," Icy turned to her sister as she, too, released Rhythma. "Taze her until she passes out."
Rhythma dropped fully to the ground and lay there, waiting for the witch to say something.
The magenta witch stepped toward Rhythma's half-conscious form and crouched down, her fingers charged with electricity. "With pleasure." And with that, she pressed her hand to the fairy's neck and released all of her power.
Rhythma felt agonizing pain for a moment and jerked up with a grunt - as her vocal cords were worn out from all of her screaming. Icy shot some ice at her and froze her arms to the floor - preventing her from moving. Stormy paused for a moment, watching her victim struggle against the frozen restraints, and then she pressed her hand to Rhythma's stomach.
She pulsed.
Through the tears and blood, Rhythma caught a glimpse of Darcy's worried gaze before her entire world fell out of place and darkness slammed over her vision.
Rhythma woke to an explosion. She sat upright in her bed, fighting back a scream as her entire body protested. Looking around, she saw that the witches were laying on the floor, with Stella's ring on the ground a little bit away from herself.
"Oh, my nose!" Darcy groaned, sitting up.
Stormy struggled to a sitting position. "We need to cast a Safety Shift spell immediately." She advised.
"My pretty nose!" Darcy squealed again.
As Icy got into her hands and knees, Knut appeared from his closet. "Hey," he said in a sleepy voice. "What's up?"
"We shall be as we once were," Stormy grunted, exhausted as she cast the spell. "There was no explosion. No explosion."
Knut seemed confused for a moment before he yawned and turned back to the closet. "I'm going back to bed."
Rhythma walked toward them - well, more like limped, since her entire body seemed to be on fire.
"It cannot be!" Icy growled, not noticing her. "No, it can't be!"
That's when Stormy caught a glimpse of Rhythma and smiled. "Come here," she ordered firmly.
Rhythma walked over to her and waited.
Stormy grabbed her arm and yanked Rhythma into a laying position. The fairy didn't resist and lay down beside the storm witch, shuddering as she felt her hand on her back.
Not even a second later, Stormy dug her nails into a tender spot and pulsed.
She let out a groan and went completely limp, giving Stormy the satisfaction of control. As Rhythma lay there with her head in Stormy's lap, she felt the magenta witch's hand run smoothly through her hair. Rhythma didn't have enough energy to even try to pull away, so she just closed her eyes, tears in her eyes and fear causing her breath to come in short, ragged gasps.
"Stupid ring," the ice witch continued, winking evilly at Rhythma before turning to the artifact. "Where is all your energy? Where are you hiding it?"
Darcy rubbed her nose. "Stella's ring might be very powerful,"
"But get real," Stormy cut her off sharply, digging her nails sharply into the side of Rhythma's head, making the girl squeak and try to pull away. "There's no way this little thing could hold the power of the Dragon. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out." She gripped Rhythma's hair tightly and forced a cry of pain from her mouth. The fairy stopped trying to get away.
"BE QUIET!" Icy roared, startling Rhythma and making Stormy dig her nails in deeper. "After all I've been through to get my hands on this ring, I won't be talked to like that." She narrowed her eyes and picked up the ring. "Stupid fairies, this ring is useless!" She threw it across the room. "But nothing can deter us from reaching our ultimate goal. The Dragon's Flame will be ours even if we must start the whole search over again."
Pepe waddled over to where the ice witch was laying.
Icy groaned in exasperation.
Rhythma stood beside Icy as they watched Knut sweep the floor to their room. Pipsqueak was on her shoulder.
"They make a mess and I gotta clean it up," the ogre muttered. "I tell you, a bomb or an explosion would have made less of a mess."
"Is there a problem, Knut?" Icy demanded, walking up behind the ogre.
Knut chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "No, no. Just thinking about getting you a present."
Icy narrowed her eyes. "Finish the clean-up and then follow us." She snapped, grabbing Rhythma's arm harshly and making her squeal at the sudden, violent contact. "We'll be out in the woods."
Rhythma followed Icy and missed what Darcy said to Knut as they left the room. Once the witch released her arm, Rhythma noticed that the tight grip had turned her wrist red. She whimpered and clutched it lightly.
Icy turned to glare already. "Shut up. I can do much worse if you like." Her voice told Rhythma that she was not in a merciful mood. Those moods scared the fairy the most - as she was normally tortured until her body gave up and she passed out.
Rhythma shook her head and looked away, giving Icy a chance to seize her arm once again in an even tighter grip than before. Rhythma held in a squeak and followed, her wrist burning.
The ice witch dragged her to a mirror and brushed it lightly with her hand. The mirror slid back to reveal a tunnel.
Stormy shoved Rhythma roughly to get her moving, grumbling about how useless Knut was. Rhythma pretended not to hear her and walked after Icy into the tunnel - which was lit only with torches. She wondered if Icy would ever use one on her. Probably one day.
The fairy was limping badly as she followed the two witches down to the tunnels where they stopped.
"Knut!" Darcy yelled.
There was a muffled reply. Rhythma grunted and stepped a little farther back, but that made Icy grip her wrist even tighter. The fairy yelped and looked at Icy, who returned her pained stare with her own hostile one. "Am I hurting you, little fairy?" She tightened her grip, her gaze daring Rhythma to say something.
The fairy bit her lip, but a pained wail still managed to escape. She looked at Icy and shook her head. It doesn't hurt. It doesn't hurt. Her brain tried to convince her.
Icy glared at the tunnel. "Knut!"
They waited.
Nothing. Rhythma glanced at Icy nervously.
"Where's that stupid, ugly ogre of yours?" Icy demanded to Darcy, crossing her arms and releasing Rhythma. "And why do we always have to wait for him?"
The fairy gasped and staggered a few paces away from Icy, who sent a scowl in her direction. That's when Stormy grabbed her shirt and held her firmly in place just in case Icy wanted to punish her.
Darcy shook her head. "Knut!"
Finally, the ogre appeared in the tunnel, breathless. Stormy rolled her eyes. "At last." She tugged on Rhythma's shirt, forcing the collar of it around her neck to tighten and cut off her air supply.
Rhythma caught Icy's eye for a moment before the witch began to speak. "We need to figure out what to do about that stupid ring."
"What can we do?" Darcy demanded. "It clearly doesn't hold the power of the Dragon Flame."
"Maybe not," Icy muttered. "But something does. We have to find out what so we can take it."
Stormy raised a brow. "But what is it?" She pulled Rhythma in front of her and gripped her shoulders to hold her in place. Then she sent a powerful jolt through the fairy's body, making her unintentionally scream and disturb the silence.
Darcy smirked. "Having fun, little wretch?"
Rhythma could only nod her head at Darcy's question unless she wanted more pain.
"That's the hard part," Icy sighed, answering Stormy. "We might have to go to Alfea and find out what exactly holds the power."
"When?"
"Soon," Icy's eyes glittered as she approached Rhythma with a smirk. "Very soon."
Rhythma felt Icy tense as soon as they entered the dormroom once more. She turned her narrowed blue eyes on the four behind her.
"Someone has been here."
At once, Darcy and Stormy darted further into the room, intent on finding a clue. Pepe and Pipsqueak waddled over to Knut and sat by him, watching the Trix search the room.
Something caught Rhythma's eye. She turned her head slightly and saw it.
Caught on Icy's bed, she could see a strand of golden hair.
Rhythma walked over and picked it up before turning to see if Icy was nearby.
She was.
The fairy walked over to the ice witch and cleared her throat. Icy turned to face her with a scowl. Rhythma cowered back and whimpered, suddenly afraid that the witch would hit her.
Icy grabbed her by the front of the shirt and brought their faces so close, that Rhythma could feel the breath on her forehead.
"What is it, little fairy?" The voice held annoyance. "Want another beating?" She laughed. "I can arrange that."
Rhythma whimpered and shook her head, causing Icy to narrow her eyes and bring her knee into the fairy's stomach. Rhythma screamed as Icy dropped her and stood over her, ready to strike.
"You answer yes to questions like that," Icy snarled. "Do you understand?"
Rhythma nodded.
That's when Icy noticed the strand of hair in Rhythma's hand. She bent over and picked it up, narrowing her eyes even more.
"Fairies." With a scowl Icy pressed her foot onto Rhythma's stomach, pinning her to the ground and driving the breath from her gut. "I should have known. They came for the ring."
Rhythma squeaked in pain as Icy drove her foot deeper into her stomach. But the witch didn't take any notice. Her ice-blue eyes were filled with malice as she watched Rhythma struggle underneath her. It was as if the witch had no idea what she was doing. And if she did, she didn't care.
"Go over to my bed and wait over there, wretch." Icy promptly released her by stepping back. Rhythma stood, eyes wide, and limped over to Icy's bed. She crouched down next to it and closed her eyes, hearing Icy's footsteps approach her. Another beating. I think that makes five today.
It was in that moment, Rhythma knew she had a long night ahead of her. Because now that she knew who had broken into the dormroom, Icy was beyond angry now.
She was fuming.
And Rhythma had to take the hits. She always did.
"Turn and face me." Icy snapped, shockingly close to Rhythma's ear. She whimpered and did as she was told, standing and turning to face her mistress. "Good." Icy smiled. "Now go walk until the bed is between us."
Again, Rhythma complied.
Not like she had a choice.
Icy smirked, and Rhythma noticed that Darcy and Stormy had appeared in the doorway, watching the situation curiously.
"Hey, Stormy." Icy said. "Bring me that bottle of boiling oil."
Rhythma's eyes widened and she began to shake violently. She knew what Icy was going to do. The witch saw her fear and chucked. "This is going to be fun." A moment later, Stormy was handing the bottle of oil to Icy. "Now," the ice witch said. "Hold out your arm, little fairy."
Knowing that there was no other choice, Rhythma shakily brought her arm forward toward Icy, who smirked cruelly and grabbed it.
"Darcy. Hold her in place so she doesn't run."
The dark witch came forward and gripped Rhythma's shoulders tightly, forcing the fairy to her knees again. Rhythma whimpered again and pressed her forehead to the mattress. There was nothing she could do. She was completely helpless.
Searing pain flared up Rhythma's arm. She shrieked, noticing that Icy was still smirking as Rhythma shook unsteadily. Darcy grabbed her chin from where she was behind the fairy, refusing to let her put her head down again.
"Keep your head up, little fairy." Darcy sneered, jerking her chin upward to cause more pain. "And watch what Icy does."
Rhythma screamed.
Icy dripped the entire bottle of oil on her wrist, drop by drop, scalding it.
They did this for the rest of the night, laughing at her screams.