- Edited -

The next few days in Magix were quite boring for Rhythma. Going back to Alfea might have been an option if not for the fact that it would take days to get there. So for the moment, she was stranded with Athena, Concorda - who joined her in the city - and her newest bonded pixie, Ninfea - who rushed to meet her upon hearing that Rhythma was in the city. She had three pixies with her, and only one left to bond with.

Now the young fairy and her three Pixies were walking alone through Magix, looking for a place to eat. It was around noon, so Rhythma asked where they should eat.

"I want to go to Hope's Yum Yum!" Athena announced, making Rhythma giggle. The name of that restaurant always made her chuckle. It was strange.

Concorda snorted. "No way! I want to eat at Snug 'n Warm Café!"

Ninfea pushed in between them. "But I want a salad!" She complained.

Rhythma smiled warmly at the three Pixies. "How about we go for pizza?" She asked. "Athena can get a pizza, Concorda can get a coffee, and Ninfea can have a salad."

"Fine." All three said simultaneously. Rhythma gave another smile before walking toward the interior of Magix, the Pixies following. The town was quiet at this hour - as not many people were out for lunch. Families preferred to stay home and eat together.

Once they started to walk again, Concorda and Ninfea began to argue again, so Rhythma tried to ease the tension. It wasn't too long before all three were screaming at each other. Athena then joined it, trying to split up the Pixies while getting Rhythma to back off.

And then Rhythma crashed into someone.

However, this time she managed to stay on her feet as the other fairy hit the ground.

"Bloom?" Upon seeing the redhead, Rhythma held out her hand and helped her to her feet. "What are you doing here?"

Bloom steadied herself and sighed, refusing to meet Rhythma's confused gaze.

"Tell me." The black-haired fairy commanded firmly.

Bloom paused, as though debating whether or not to comply, before rolling her eyes. "I'm leaving."

"Where to?"

"Earth." Her friend replied. At Rhythma's shocked face, she added. "I'm not cut out for Alfea. After the incident at Redfountain, I need some breathing space."

Rhythma scowled, but tried to speak in a friendly tone. "I won't try to stop you, Bloom." She said calmly, putting her hand on the fairy's shoulder. "But I will say that you're wrong."

Bloom gave her a sad look. "I don't know what to think anymore." She said. "I'll try to think about it. But right now, I need to go home."

"Then by all means," Rhythma stepped aside. "Go. But I'll be waiting for you to return." She smiled slightly. "You belong here, Bloom."

Her friend smiled warmly and passed by Rhythma before disappearing into an alleyway. The fairy watched her go, before turning around and heading back the way Bloom had just come.

"Come on, guys." She told the pixies, who had been hiding from Bloom. "Let's go get some pizza."

However, as Rhythma passed by a pillar, a hand shot out from behind it and grabbed the fairy's arm. Yanked backward by an insane amount of force, Rhythma couldn't even scream before her head slammed against the wall and sent a jolt through her entire body. Her head spun and her vision blurred for a moment. The fairy groaned and slumped to the ground.

"Hello, little fairy." Stormy's voice reached Rhythma's ears as the witch reached down and grabbed her by the roots of her hair. "I'm back."

Stormy's POV

With a grunt, Stormy pushed the fairy forward, sending her stumbling to her knees at the feet of Icy and Darcy. The Café was pretty much empty now, and those bystanders still there weren't even paying attention.

Icy stood up, eyes narrowed. "Where did you get her?" She demanded, walking toward the little wretch and crouching in front of her.

"Plucked her off the street." Stormy replied.

Darcy chuckled. "Lucky."

Icy put her finger under the fairy's chin and forced her to look up. "She was alone?"

"Of course not." Stormy snorted. She held out her hand, and a ball of lightning appeared - three of the stupid insects trapped inside. "I had to catch some bugs too."

The pixies screamed and held each other out of fear. Stormy smirked and let the ball vanish.

"But that's not all."

Both of her sisters looked up in surprise. "What is it?" Darcy asked.

Stormy grabbed the wretch by her hair and forced her to stand up. "Bloom's gone."

Icy and Darcy both widened their eyes, watching as Stormy sat down at another table and forced Rhythma's head down on the table.

"Just like that." The magenta witch said. "She said, 'Goodbye Magix' and she disappeared."

Icy stood up. "She left, huh?" There was a cruel tone to her voice. "So the little fairy has given up."

"She's gone home." Darcy snickered.

Icy pondered over the idea for a moment, her eyes on Rhythma. "Listen up, sisters." She finally said. "This is the opportunity we have been waiting for. Without her Winx friends, Bloom is even more vulnerable." She turned around and growled at the persistent duck that kept following her around. With a smirk, Icy blasted at it and completely encased the annoying animal in a block of ice. Then she smiled and walked over to Rhythma, still pressed against the table. "As for you, you're going to wish you'd never tried to escape us, little fairy."

She motioned to Stormy, who picked up one of the knives on the table and held it out to the ice witch. She felt the fairy tense underneath her and tightened her grip, making sure to keep her firmly on the table. At the extra tension on her scalp, the fairy gave a quiet wail and twisted, adding to her pain and squeaking once Stormy prevented her from moving out of the position. The witch was determined to put the fairy in as much pain as possible.

It shocked Stormy that the young fairy hadn't struggled very much after being caught. In fact, the only time she had fought back was when the witch had first grabbed her.

Icy smirked cruelly and and traced the knife lightly over the faded scar on the fairy's face, pondering on the mark. "I say we reopen this scar." She said at last, looking down at her victim. "What do you have to say about that?"

The fairy narrowed her eyes in defiance - something Stormy had never seen her do. "You underestimate me, witch." She spat out. "Do you really think I didn't set up a communication link with Faragonda?"

Icy's eyes widened at those words, and Stormy growled, grabbing another fistful of hair and bringing her head up. "That's a mistake, fairy." She growled, holding up her hand - now handling another ball of lightning. "Why don't you ever just cooperate?"

The fairy laughed, but it was a bitter, cold laugh. "After what you've done to me, I don't take chances anymore."

Stormy snarled and slammed the fairy's head back down onto the table, forcing a grunt from the victim's throat. Then she shoved a napkin in her mouth, silencing the fairy before any other sound could come out.

Icy stepped forward as Darcy put one hand on the fairy's head, holding her down. Stormy watched as Icy - with rage clear in her eyes - drew the knife swiftly across the fairy's cheek, forcing a muffled yelp from her mouth. "Shut up."

The fairy gritted her teeth, but complied.

"Now," Icy continued as she placed the knife once again over the scar. "Let's make things bloody."

And with that, she sliced downward, cutting open the faded wound and watching the blood run down the fairy's face. Stormy felt her jerk once, then go limp. Icy then started to brutally stab the unconscious girl, drawing so much blood that Stormy could actually see her victim going pale.

Once finished with her rage fit, Icy stepped back and watched the girl drop limply to the ground, the color drained almost completely from her face.

She raised her hand, readying herself for the final blow, when the door to the Café burst open and four people rushed in. The professors.

Cursing, Stormy leaped to her feet and teleported away from the restaurant with her sisters, leaving the soon-to-be-dead fairy on the ground. They didn't have to worry about her anymore. Icy had done what they should have done all those years ago.

Gardeina, here we come.

Griffin's POV (😈😈)

As she rushed into the Café followed by Faragonda, Saladin and Codatorta, Griffin only just caught a glimpse of her former students before they vanished. She scowled.

But they weren't her main concern.

What she was truly worried about was the young girl lying motionless on the floor of the Café, covered in blood and deathly pale. Already, one of the workers of the restaurant was at her side, trying to rouse her with no avail. It seemed unlikely that she was even still alive.

Faragonda dropped to her knees and began to shake her student, tears in her eyes. For once, Griffin couldn't scorn her for her weakness. She honestly felt close to tears herself. I had no idea my former students were capable of such cruelty. She thought as she took in the sight of the blood running from a deep gash on her face - as well as the multiple stab wounds on her torso.

She had a feeling that the fairy would never heal from this attack. The wounds were too severe.

As soon as Faragonda had contacted her that the fairy was in the hands of the Trix, Griffin knew she couldn't decline to come. This student - though not as powerful as the Legendary Dragon - was still the keeper of the purest magic in the universe - pixie magic. One could not get any more pure than a Pixie. Without the fairy, Pixies would start to lose their pure hearts. Without the Pixies, the Magic Dimension would crumble in on itself.

She kneeled down beside Faragonda and gently lifted the fairy's head. It hung limply - a sign that they were probably too late. Griffin shook her head sadly and lay the fairy back down on the ground, trying still to be gentle with her.

"We need to get her to a healer." Saladin said. His voice was hoarse with grief. "She might still make it." Then, under his breath, he added, "I hope she makes it."

Griffin narrowed her eyes, doubting his confidence. It was highly unlikely the fairy - already nearly dead from blood loss - would survive this fatal attack.

Faragonda shook her head. "Alfea is too far. She'll never make it." Her cheeks were stained with tears. "I can't lose her. I just got her back."

Codatorta sighed and stepped forward. "Our healers don't know anything about fairies." He admitted. "We are of no use. She'll die." His voice lowered. "I am sorry."

Griffin stood up, eyes closed. "Then I will take her to Cloudtower."

Faragonda gasped. "But -"

"No buts." Griffin interrupted. "It's her only chance." She looked down at the fairy. "She's already almost too gone to be saved. Let my witches try."

"She'll have a heart attack once she wakes up." Saladin said firmly. "The worst years of her life were at your school."

Griffin picked up the girl bridal style. "Listen to me, professors," she growled sternly. "Cloudtower is the closest and most advanced school with a healer. If anyone can save her - it's him." She paused. "And my school is not what she's afraid of. It's the Trix."

Faragonda closed her eyes. "How can we trust you?" She demanded. "Your students did this. How do I know you won't finish the job?"

Griffin scowled. "Do you accuse me of being dishonorable?" She snapped. "I may be a witch, but I am nothing like the Trix. I have my pride - all witches do - but my pride comes with honor. As long as she is in Cloudtower, no harm will fall upon this fairy."

Then, without waiting for a reply, Griffin turned around and stalked out of the Café - the girl still in her arms. This fairy had to live. Griffin would never forgive herself if she died.

A/N: Well that concludes that chapter.

If your were a fairy, what would be your origin?

Mine would be Spartan, Planet of Peace and War.

Please vote and comment!