"Oh, thank goodness, the kids are back!" The familiar voice of Faragonda roused Rhythma as the world slowly faded back into existence. White spots turned black when color brightened the familiar view of Alfea's gates. "And Griffin and the students are with them. This is very good news."

Michael wrapped his arm firmly around Rhythma's waist to keep her upright as she took a shaky step forward. He looked to be concerned, but the young fairy shook him off and stepped toward the Headmistress of Alfea as Griffin did the same. Time seemed to slow as they stared one another down, and Rhythma feared that a fight might break out.

"Welcome to Alfea, Griffin." Faragonda said warmly. "I see that your students have followed you." Rhythma breathed a sigh of relief.

Griffin put her hand on Rhythma's shoulder, chuckling lightly. "Yes, but it was thanks to your students that we were able to escape from the clutches of those three, power-crazed witches."

"Well, you're here now," Faragonda smiled. "You can fill me in on the details later. Meanwhile, we'll do all we can to help."

The former Headwitchtress looked around at the battle-worn student of Alfea and Redfountain. "Seems to me that you're also in need of help." She remarked.

"Yes," Faragonda replied, smiling. "And it seems to me that I've just found the person who can help us."

Michael broke away from the group behind Rhythma and ran up to the other specialists with Brandon in tow. She listened to him greet his friends with laughter, and thought of her own friends she had left behind on her mission.

As though reading her thoughts, Humora grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her over to where Stella and the rest of the Winx were waiting. Flava and Statica immediately embraced Rhythma, while Lula hung back until they were finished. "Where have you been?" The sleep fairy demanded, tears in her eyes. "I thought you were dead!"

Rhythma had never seen her friend so upset. Lula was usually calm and collected, but never anxious. Not in front of her friends at least. She pulled the Fairy of Sleep into her arms and let her cry, despite being much shorter that her friend.

Flava sighed and joined the embrace with Statica and Humora.

"There, there," the Cooking Fairy soothed her. "Don't cry. She's alive. Everything's going to be okay."

Statica nodded. "Yeah." She said softly. "We wouldn't have let the Trix kill her if we had been there."

"And besides," Humora added, wrapping her arms around Rhythma's shoulders. "She's strong. I doubt she would have let the Trix torment her a second time."

Lula took a deep breath and pulled away from the group, looking with her blue eyes into Rhythma's heterogeneous ones. She relaxed. "Don't ever do that to me again." She whispered.

Rhythma smiled weakly.

"Where's Bloom?" Flora asked when the five of them came to stand beside Stella.

Musa and Tecna ran up as well. "Yeah, what happened to her?" Musa sounded worried.

Rhythma looked down as Humora wrapped her arms around her. Stella teared up.

"We don't know what happened to her, or Sky." She said sadly. "The last time we saw them was at Cloudtower. They were trying to hold the monsters at bay so we could all get away."

Rhythma lowered her head as she felt the tears fill her eyes once again. She didn't want to think that her friends hadn't made it out of Cloudtower alive, but the possibility was there that both had been apprehended and slaughtered by the Trix.

She blinked the tears away slowly. There was no time for sadness. If Bloom truly was dead, then Rhythma had to be ready to avenge her.

"Rhythma?"

The young fairy jumped at the sound of Faragonda's voice. The headmistress had come up behind her silently.

"Come with me to my office." She said. "We have matters to discuss."

Rhythma nodded and - with a wave to her friends - followed Alfea's headmistress into the school, noting in her head how the sky seemed to darken as she walked through the door.

They entered Faragonda's office, and it surprised Rhythma to see Griffin, Codatorta, and Saladin already there, waiting for her. As soon as she entered the room, however, she was overcome with a splitting headache, which she tried to block out when Faroganda looked back at her with a questionable stare.

Rhythma gave a weak smile and glanced around the office, her head throbbing as though someone were drilling a hole in her brain. The feeling was slightly familiar, but the young fairy couldn't quite place where she had felt such discomfort before.

Faragonda narrowed her eyes and walked back toward Rhythma, looking concerned. She put her hand under her student's chin, lifting her head so they could lock eyes.

"You must be tired," she finally said after the tense silence. Rhythma gave a short nod, feeling exhaustion pull at her eyes.

She pointed to her throat and shook her head, noting that she couldn't speak. Faragonda nodded and raised her hand in the young fairy's direction, sending a thin stream of magic toward her.

A moment later, Rhythma felt her throat tickle slightly, and she let out a ragged cough.

"Thank you, Headmistress," she croaked after finding her breath.

Faragonda smiled. "I should be the one thanking you, my dear," she responded. "You willingly put your own life on the line to sabotage Icy, Darcy and Stormy's plans. Tell me, what did you learn?"

"Not very much, I'm afraid." Rhythma said helplessly. "I believe that the Trix would sooner die than share their plans with me. All I found out is that they seem to be targeting the strongest fairy at Alfea."

Faragonda's eyes widened. "But that would be you, my dear." She said in an alarmed tone. "Besides Bloom - who doesn't even have her powers anymore."

Rhythma nodded. "I didn't tell them that," she responded in a light-hearted tone - the first she had mustered in days. "I made up a name and they seemed to believe that."

Griffin gave a sigh and crossed her arms. "I feel this is somehow my fault," she admitted at last. "Though I taught them nothing of what they know now, I did get them to hate Alfea, and that makes me just as guilty as them for the destruction that's been caused."

"Griffin, we all know that the power these girls possess doesn't correspond in any way to what you've been teaching at Cloudtower." Faragonda said sternly, openly ignoring the last part of Griffin's confession. "What worries me now is what has become of Bloom."

"And of Prince Sky." Codatorta sighed sadly. "He is by far my best student, and the fact that he has disappeared without a trace makes me fear the worst." His eyes snap up, looking more tired then ever. "However mustn't forget that Bloom possesses extraordinary powers."

"Yes, but they've been stolen from her." Faragonda responded.

"We all know what became of that, and yet I don't think Icy, Darcy and Stormy are satisfied." Griffin said, putting one hand on her chin as though deep in thought. "I'm afraid their next move will be absolutely ferocious."

As she spoke those devastating words, Rhythma heard a screech outside the window, and ran over to see that - much to her horror - the Army of Darkness was unleashing another attack on Alfea.

"No," she gasped when one monster grabbed Lula by the throat. "No way! Rhythma Magic Winx!"

Rhythma felt her world fade into colors as her large wings appeared on her back and the familiar tinge of magic transformed her completely into her fairy form.

"Teleport!" Rhythma snarled, disappearing and then reappearing outside.

She took a deep breath, feeling all of the anger toward the Trix bubble over, and launched herself into the air with a screech of pure rage. The cool night breeze brought tears to the young fairy's eyes once her body made contact with the monster trying to kill her friend.

"Sound Wave!" Rhythma sent an attack toward the monster, and it disintegrated into a bunch of disgusting insects. She looked at Lula. "Transform." The young fairy ordered briskly. "We need to get to the other Winx."

Lula took a deep breath and nodded, transforming into her light blue glittery dress complete with a blue flower in her hair and transparent wings shaped like clouds. Together, the two friends flew over to where the Winx were cornered by four claw-armed monsters and one buff monster.

Humora groaned. "No way,"

"They can come back to life?" Flava gasped. "We're so doomed now."

Rhythma landed beside them. "Don't talk like that." She snapped. "A soldier who doesn't think she can win has already lost fifty percent of the war. We can win this."

Statica - who was standing beside Flava - gave Rhythma a nod. "She's right. We have to at least try."

Lula immediately took action and sprang into the air with a shout. "Counting Sheep!"

The attack sent one of the smaller creatures to the ground in a writhing mass of worms. Stella flew up beside her. "Sunlit Shadows!"

Two more monsters down.

Rhythma turned to Humora and Statica. "Let's take down the big one!" She called, flying up with her two friends following.

Statica darted behind the monster and held out her arms. "Strike of Lightning!"

The attack had little effect on the monster, seeing as the gash closed up a moment after being formed. Frustrated, Rhythma turned to Humora. "Any ideas?"

The orange-haired fairy shook her head helplessly. The three girls hovered in front of the monster as it raised its fists above its head.

Rhythma growled. "Breath of the Books!"

This new assault managed to split the monster, but it reformed almost immediately.

"Watch out, girls," came the voice of Flava. "I have an idea."

The gray-haired cooking fairy flew by them and launched her attack at the monster. Once it disintegrated, she fired relentlessly at the mass of bugs trying to rebuild themselves.

Eventually they scattered, abandoning the idea of the buff creature and fleeing the scene of the fight.

Rhythma smiled at Flava. "Good idea!"

The cooking fairy beamed at the praise.

"Good heavens!" Rhythma heard Faragonda shout over the roaring monsters. "The power of those three witches is greater than I thought!"

The young fairy fired at one of the flying creatures, which fell to the ground near Michael. She tried to shout a warning to him over the screams of battle, but her efforts were in vain as he was grabbed from behind.

With a sigh, Rhythma flew over to him and blasted the monster, which promptly disintegrated again and released the poor boy. She turned to him. "Always keep alert," she said with a wink. "Do you think you're a cat, with nine lives to throw away?"

He was speechless.

"I saved you once," she spoke softly. "Don't make me save you again."

Rhythma turned and flew back toward Faragonda.

"They're almost defeated!" She reported.

The headmistress gave a sigh in relief.

Rhythma sat against the wall of Alfea, stroking Pip as he cuddled into her neck. For the first time since the beginning of the war, she felt somewhat at peace. To her, it was nice to have a moment where she wasn't being hit, attacked, or blasted at by monsters or the Trix. But she knew that the relaxation would end soon. The witches were not done with Alfea yet.

She opened her eyes when she felt a familiar presence come up beside her.

"You really want this war to end, don't you?"

Rhythma sighed, but kept her eyes forward. "How did you guess?"

"I can see it in your eyes." Michael said. "The longing in them. The pain."

Rhythma closed her eyes and lowered her head. "This was once the most beautiful place in the Magic Dimension, was it not?"

"It was."

"I once stood here," Rhythma sighed, opening her eyes to gaze wearily across the battlefield. "Close to this very spot, and watched perhaps a thousand lanterns glowing near the gates." She turned to face Michael, who stared wistfully at the ruin around them. "Each lantern represented a family. In time, I came to know all of them. They taught me about magic, and about this place, spoke to me of their beliefs and myths." Her eyes teared up as she remembered those days. "I think it was those people who bound me to this school. But all I see now is blood; I cannot see the stars, I cannot see those students holding their lanterns. Where is the place I loved?"

Michael sighed deeply, as though troubled. "It is still here." He said. "It has just . . . changed."

"It has changed out of all recognition." Rhythma responded. "And not for the better."

Michael put his hand on the side of her head, an action that caused Rhythma to instinctively flinch. But then she relaxed, telling herself that this boy was not Icy, and he would never hurt her.

The specialist leaned forward, his eyes never leaving hers. His forehead bumped hers. Rhythma closed her eyes, enjoying the moment of comfort she drew from this boy who had become like a brother to her.

She felt him shift slightly, and opened her eyes to see his eyes staring into hers once again. Michael rested his hand on the back of her head, drawing her closer to him. Rhythma's eyes widened. Their faces were inches apart.

And suddenly, there was a shout from the center of the courtyard. Michael pulled away, his face beat-red. The specialist stood up with a sigh. "It seems Faragonda wants to talk to us." He held out his hand. "Come on."

Rhythma took his hand and they walked to where the other students of the three schools were gathered. Her head was spinning. What had he been wanting to do? She was so confused.

Faragonda stepped forward. "Any minute now, we will have to face another attack." She said gravely. "The only way we'll be able to resist this time is by combining our powers."

Griffin let her gaze drift around the group of specialists, witches and fairies. "Keep in mind that the Trix are driven by hatred." She advised, just as more monsters flew into view, headed for the school. "They have no idea what the power of unity can achieve."

Rhythma gave a single nod to Michael and flew into the air just as the first monsters reached Alfea. She noticed Pip and Pepe run for the cover of the ground that Kiko was currently occupying. At least they're safe.

She turned back to the monsters once the Winx reached her side. Surrounded, the nine of them prepared to fight for their lives once again. Stella gave a growl of anger and used her scepter - once the sole target of the Trix - to transport the group behind the oncoming army. Rhythma watched the monsters all turn around.

"Uh," she glanced around. "Now what?"

Statica hurled a lightning bolt at the monster in front, and it disintegrated immediately after contact.

Musa gave a growl. Then, she dragged the Winx into a disco ball shield and blasted some energy waves at the monsters, which all exploded into a bunch of worms.

Rhythma nodded to Humora and Statica. "Come with me." She turned to Flava. "You stay up here and keep the sky monsters at bay. Can you handle that?"

Flava nodded. "You bet I can. Take care of yourself," she added suddenly. "Don't die. We just got you back."

Rhythma managed a weak smile at the Cooking Fairy before she dove after her friends into the battle on the ground. The sky monsters they had destroyed were now rebuilding themselves as ground monsters.

Rhythma blasted at them, and the worms had no time to attempt to rebuild before they were blown apart yet again.

That's when she noticed the destruction of one of the towers of Alfea. Her eyes widened in horror. But before she could act upon it, she heard Faragonda's voice carry across the battlefield.

"Citizens of Alfea," the headmistress cried. "The time has come. Let us unite and combine our power!"

"Students of Cloudtower," Griffin demanded. "Let us reveal the might of our magic!"

Rhythma turned to face the headmistresses, her eyes blazing, before giving every ounce of power inside her to the barrier that had been created. It took everything she had - her strength, her concentration - but she did it regardless.

All around her, Rhythma felt the fairies, witches, and even the Pixies - hidden from sight - do the same. And all around her, the monsters began to disappear due to the unity.

The barrier dispersed, the monsters all gone, leaving a bunch of exhausted fairies and witches in their wake.

Silence stretched out over the school, quiet and eerie, as though everyone were trying to figure out what had happened. It wasn't until that about thirty seconds had gone by that the specialists began to cheer.

They had won the battle.

A/N: I regret nothing. 😈😈😈

What is your favorite Winx Season?

Season 1 or season 6.

Enjoy! We have two chapters left!