Chapter Eighteen: "Lies, Threats, and Tensions"
"Bloom. . ."
"Bloom. . ."
"Bloom. . ."
A soft but warm voice was calling out to her. The tone was filled with undeniable love. It was utterly familiar to her, but she couldn't place her finger on it. But she was determined to follow the source of the voice.
"Bloom. . . I need to speak with you. . . come to me. . . come to Lake Roccaluce."
Her surroundings had shifted into that of a beautiful enchanted forest with a huge lake that glistened under the moonlight. Thousands of silver stars were scattered in the sky illuminating in the darkened night. It was a peaceful night. The redhead princess could only hear the faint sounds of crickets in a far off distance. Nighttime was utterly tranquil and soothing compared to daytime.
Bloom had gazed at the reflection in the lake. She was in her Enchantix form, fluttering. Bright golden light had flooded the night. The girl could sense the warmth spill all around her. She turned around to see a beautiful, translucent woman with a golden mask. Her golden dress flowing smoothly. Her crown glittering. Blond curls framed her face.
"Daphne?"
Bloom's smile had stretched across her face upon the sight of her beloved older sister. Her blue eyes were filled with absolute warmth and love. It was so good to see Daphne again. Bloom fluttered to Daphne—their hands reaching out towards each other.
"Bloom, my dear sweet sister, it's so good to see your face again." Daphne's eyes sparked with tenderness.
"And yours too!"
Bloom welcomed her sister with a tight hug, tears spilling from her eyes. She never wanted to let go of Daphne. Her only sister she had and in a way Bloom had felt so lucky and blessed to have a sibling to share all her moments with—even though it would be a brief talk—Bloom had savored every moment with Daphne. Daphne for her part, had always been fascinated to hear all about her little sister's day and she even gave Bloom helpful advice from time to time.
For a spilt-second, Bloom's eyebrows had knitted in confusion.
Daphne?
Her sister was contacting her?
How?
Bloom wasn't even in her accurate timeline with the rest of the Winx and Specialists. No. She was trapped in the timeline of their parents' young adult years who were respectively attending Alfea and Red-Fountain. Her older sister had mysterious ways of contacting her. Sometimes it had baffled Bloom to no end.
"Daphne? How is this possible? I'm not even—how? I don't even—" Bloom was racking her brains, but she couldn't find the right words. She was at loss.
"I know of your situation little sis, and I'm here to warn you." Daphne said solemnly, unsmiling. "I'm afraid, I don't have much time to explain everything in details."
"Warn me, of what exactly? What about the Winx? The Specialist? Sky?" Bloom had demanded, but something in the back of her mind had whispered to her that it wasn't going to be pleasant news. In fact, some kind of fear swelled within her chest. Bloom was highly worried over seeing the seriousness grow on Daphne's face.
"Don't worry about that Bloom. They know."
Know what? Bloom furrowed her brows. She was even more puzzled by Daphne's stern answer.
What did that imply?
The words itself seemed harsh, as if Daphne was trying to hide something or not telling her everything that was going on. But Bloom had the right to know what was going on especially concerning about her friends the Winx and Specialists. Upon seeing the pointed look Daphne was giving her, Bloom hadn't wanted to press any further on the matter. The girl had never seen Daphne being so solemn from before. This was definitely a new reaction from her.
"Listen to me little sis, things are about to get very, very dangerous for you."
Bloom could hear the distress in Daphne's frail voice.
The older princess was worried for her a great deal.
"I know. Things aren't exactly going well. . ." Bloom admitted to her sister truthfully.
Daphne stiffened in her place. How was she possibly going to explain it to her sister without breaking her heart? Without shattering the illusions that was wrapped all around her?
Daphne had cupped Bloom's face wholeheartedly, reassuring her that everything would be alright. All what she ever wanted to do was to shelter Bloom from the cold, barbaric world. To keep her safe for all eternity. She never had intended to shift all of her responsibilities onto Bloom. All what Daphne could possibly do was to give her younger sister comforting advice during difficult situations.
"You mustn't return Bloom at the moment." Daphne spoke sternly.
Bloom stared at her in horror. "What? What do you mean by that Daphne? I can't stay in—"
Daphne had given her sister a heartfelt smile. "If you return back Bloom, now, the timeline and everything will fall into pure chaos and destruction and the magical universe will be forever be unbalanced."
The redhead princess stayed silent trying to grasp at Daphne's words—what it had implied—Bloom had a terrible feeling lingering in the back of her mind. What kind of chaos would unleash upon the magical dimension if she returned back to her original timeline so suddenly?
Bloom already knew that her being in the past may had caused some form of alternation in the future. Just great. Now even more troubling news was heading her way.
"But Daphne—"
"Bloom, I don't have much time left, there's just one more thing. It's my mask. I want you to have it." Daphne had slide off the mask from her face and handed it to Bloom.
Bloom let out a sharp gasp.
"When you wear this mask, you'll be able to distinguish the traces of dark magic, Valtor's magic, and the Ancestral Witches' magic. You'll know what to do when the time comes." Bloom could tell that Daphne was fading away into darkness. Her heart had dropped significantly. She hated to see her older sister in such a state caused by the Ancestral Witches.
"Wait! Daphne!"
The girl fluttered to her sister and hugged her before managing to fade away in the darkness. Pain had soared through Bloom's heart. Tears were at the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill.
"Bloom I can't stay here much longer! My power is growing weak. I must return to the bottom depth of the lake to rest. . Remember one more thing little sis, you're never truly alone. . . ever."
Daphne.
Bloom's eyes had fluttered wide open and she had gasped for breath. Her fingers were clutching at the blankets. Sweats were sliding down her pale face. Her chest heaved. Her sister had somehow managed a way to communicate with her.
But how? How was that possible?
Nevermind that, but there was a new problem that rose to her concern now.
The redhead girl glanced down to see her blue enchantix bottle. It wasn't merely a dream. Daphne had given her a message once more—one that had sounded so important. Daphne had given her the mask that had powerful magic for her to use when the time was right. But what kind of magic was embedded into the magic? But when would that time be?
Dozens of questions had popped into her mind.
It was all so strange.
She had to speak to Marion about it. And maybe Oritel too.
The girl glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Right on cue, the maids had walked into her bedchambers. They had opened the curtains, allowing light and fresh air to spill into the room. A brand new day had awaited her. Bloom let out a soft sigh. Why had her life had to be frustrating?
Daphne had also wanted to warn her about something else too from the way Daphne glanced at her. It was beyond being worried. More importantly there was something fishy going on.
Why couldn't she be able to travel back to her own timeline?
Yet, Bloom had a deep feeling that there was something going on and it had to do with her.
Queen Leilani had mentioned that her paternal grandfather and father had arranged other plans for her. Had it meant that she had to stay here for the time being?
Even Daphne had implied it.
The young princess hadn't had enough time to dwell upon the deeper meaning behind Daphne's words as the maids had whisked Bloom off to dress her.
"Don't give me that look, young lady." Oritel snipped at her. "You will be checked out no matter how much you reason with me. You're not fine until I see your overall health with my own eyes."
Bloom rolled her blue eyes in annoyance.
Of course, her father had wanted her to be seen by the royal physician after last night's incident involving Issac spiking her drink. But after her goodnight's sleep, Bloom hadn't felt drained like yesterday. But then again, in her dream, she had been in her fairy form—Enchantix.
The princess could easily see the determination burn in her father's eyes.
It was obvious that he wasn't going to let her off the hook so easily this time.
Bloom had let out a sigh.
Daphne's words were echoing in the back of her mind. Oritel had to know. And so does Marion. She glanced at her father. It was the only way to know for sure. Bloom curled her lips.
"Dad, is there anything that you're trying to hide from me?"
Oritel had froze momentarily upon hearing those words escape his daughter's mouth. He appeared to be thrown off guard. Naturally, he was a man who always had his guard up—always so cautious of who he had surrounded himself with.
Prince Oritel hadn't discussed the prophecy in details especially with Bloom. He wanted to keep her away from it all. His daughter had endured so much in her short, young life, and adding a prophecy to it all. He didn't want to add any more burden on his daughter's shoulders.
Had Bloom gotten a tip of information from someone?
Or had she somehow eavesdropped over the conversation?
"What do you mean, sweetheart?" Oritel said cautiously. "Is something troubling you?"
Bloom's blue eyes shined with concern.
"Well, Daphne, she came into my dream last night. She was warning me about the danger that is yet to come and told me to not to return back anytime soon. She was very worried, Dad."
Oritel furrowed his brows. "Daphne? She—But how?"
Bloom smiled sadly.
"I'm not too sure. But she always appears in my dreams when I'm in distress or in a difficult situation. This time, it was different. I'd never seen such fear cross her face from before. She's always level-headed and calm. . . I'm afraid of what this could mean for me. Mum needs to know about it too."
Oritel was staggered by Bloom's words.
It had to do with the prophecy revolving around Bloom. Dragons. Even his older daughter Daphne was picking up on the pieces as well and trying to warn her sister. She was such a wise and clever girl. His heart ached tremendously upon knowing Daphne's tragic fate—a disembodied spirit who roamed at the depth of the lake. Oritel winced. He simply couldn't imagine that one day his child would become a bodiless spirit bounded to the depth of the lake for all eternity.
"You and Daphne are close, right?" Oritel asked curiously.
He, unlike Marion had no siblings, so he wasn't an expert in that department. He was an only child and so was his father before him and his paternal grandfather.
The prince had carefully watched Bloom's facial expression change from sadness to a delight—her blue eyes had lit up. She had a lopsided smile. "Ya we're very close. Daphne has always been there for me and I love her greatly. In a way, I feel really blessed to have an older sister who I can look up and get really good advice."
Bloom could see the spark of warmth fill her father's face. He seemed to be delighted upon hearing those words coming from her. Although, she could tell that his smile hadn't quite reached his eyes entirely. It was no doubt he was pondering over Daphne's fate. Unexpected coldness had washed over her.
Talking about Daphne, her older sister, who had managed to sacrifice herself in protecting her baby sister from the Ancestral Witches was never an easy subject. In fact, it was quite a sensitive topic. But Bloom was beyond determined to free Daphne from her curse. To save her. She had to find a way.
For a single moment, her smile had vanished, realizing that her words must've stung him to pieces.
Bloom shivered. She hadn't meant. . .the girl had felt a hand being placed on top of hers. A soft, comforting expression had crossed her father's face. "I'm glad you feel that way, darling."
Oritel had turned his attention onto the older man who was heading in his and Bloom's direction. The young princess watched as her father greeted the man. It was no doubt that Oritel had called the doctor late last night. Her father had been so overly dramatic about the situation. She was fine now.
There was no need for all of this.
Apparently, Oritel was a man who sticked to his words (fully and faithfully).
The man was somewhere in his early to mid-fifties, with a few wrinkle lines across his forehead, and cease around the corner of his eyes, the friendly laugh lines at the corners of his lips. His once dirty blond-hair was going silver at the side of his temples. The doctor had carried an airy vibe about him.
The young redhead princess had let out a heavy sigh, knowing that there was no point in arguing with her father. She had greeted the doctor with a pleasant smile.
Marion had been highly worried about Bloom ever since last night.
The complete nerve of that prick to do something foul to a fairy, to her own daughter. To render her magicless. He was utterly despicable.
Who in the hell did Issac think he was to claim her?
To tear her apart from Oritel by drugging her and her fiancé with a powerful memory spell by the means of drinking the tainted champagne. It was a no wonder why Aria had decided to offer them such a gesture last night. That creepy smile that adored her lips. The siblings had wanted to make sure the plan was falling into motion.
To her and Oritel to never have crossed paths with each other. That mere thought alone had sent cold chills down the back of her spine. It was horrible. To imagine that if Issac's plan had indeed succeeded, Marion swallowed hardly as the girl had tried to picture such a thought entering her mind. She flinched.
To be Issac's trophy wife was a pure nightmare. All what that man had ever cared about was rubbing things in Oritel's face and being so boastful about it. Men and their damned (huge) egos. Marion closed her eyes. Her hands had turned into fistful balls.
Issac was so selfish.
His sister was even worse.
Aria was greedy and wicked. So clever, manipulative, and downright cunning. She was incredibly dangerous when it came to placing her own needs above everyone else. How was she even a fairy was beyond her? How could Aria ever be such a leader possessing such malicious qualities? Her intentions weren't good or even ideal for being a future queen of any kind of realm.
The redhead girl peered through the window of her bedroom. The day wasn't entirely bright. The skies were covered by gray clouds. It looked like it was about to snow again. Her vividly emerald eyes had spotted a familiar black car that made its way to the front of the manor's driveway.
Marion had rushed downstairs hastily, nearly knocking into a few servants on the way. Her heart was beating against her chest rapidly. She had spotted her mother, Lassandra, opened the door revealing to be Bloom with Oritel in tow.
"Hello Oritel, Bloom! It's good to see you both." Lassandra smiled warmly. "Marion is—"
"I'm right here, Mum!" Marion chirped cheerfully. Her expression was lit as she greeted them.
Though it couldn't be the same for Oritel or Bloom. Marion could easily tell from Oritel's facial expression that he'd been scolding Bloom. They way Bloom had narrowed her eyes at her father had meant one thing: Bloom was irritated by him.
Had they disagreed about a particular issue?
Marion's thoughts were easily shattered once she heard Bloom's concerned voice. Even her blue eyes were filled with uneasiness—looking more troubled than ever. Clearly something was bothering Bloom.
Maybe Bloom had wanted to talk to her instead of Oritel about something private. Or a personal matter that could only be discussed between girls?
"Dad, there's no reason for extra guards. I'm going to be fine." Bloom had let out a puff in annoyance. The brown haired prince had seemed utterly skeptical with his daughter's words.
Bloom's gaze had met Marion's as if urging her to convince Oritel to drop his dramatic actions. The girl mumbled under her breath. "Please."
"You don't need to worry about a thing, Oritel." Marion's mother said softly to the prince. "Bloom is going to be fine here."
Bloom had turned her attention to her father, quirking an eyebrow at him. As irritated as Oritel was with his daughter, he had let out a heavy sigh in defeat. The man hadn't liked the idea at all not after what had happened to Bloom. It hadn't eased his inner soul.
But knowing Marion's family all to well, Bloom would definitely would be safe especially under Marion's supervision. Perhaps there was no reason for his dramatic worries over Bloom.
"I suppose she would be fine," Oritel just gave a smile, giving his daughter a quick kiss on the cheek before departing away.
Marion had led her daughter up to her own bedroom in order to talk in complete privacy without any prying eyes to overhear the conversation. Bloom had admired her mother's spacious bedroom. The balcony had a nice overview of the mountain hill. She could easily see the vast meadowy lands. Dozens of flowers of a variety of type was scattered all over—giving the area a stunning vibe—covered in a blanket of white snow.
The girl was finally relieved that her father had left her alone with Marion for the day. Apparently, Oritel's schedule was completely booked—having several royal meetings alongside his parents to discuss certain matters about the kingdom plus the ongoing threats caused by the Ancestral Witches. War matters.
Bloom couldn't help but sense the heavy shift looming over her shoulders—that her future nearly seemed to be bleak. Only if she truly knew the warning that Daphne had given her. To solve the puzzle. It was a unnerving feeling to not know the gravity of the situation.
"Bloom!" Marion snapped for the third time, trying to grab the girl's attention.
Bloom's thoughts had shattered upon hearing her mother's voice for the third time. The girl had been too distracted and unfocused on her surroundings. Bloom blinked her eyes. The heat had traveled up to her cheeks in embarrassment. "Sorry, just a little lost in thought." Bloom smiled sheepishly.
"I could tell," Marion mused. "But are you alright, sweetheart?"
"I'm fine, but I need to talk to you about something important, Mum."
Marion had never seen such a solemn expression cross her daughter's face from before. Bloom's expression had reminded her greatly of Oritel when he was in that certain mood. As of lately, Bloom in someways had kept reminding her of Oritel—due to inheriting his traits. His stubbornness. Recklessness. His determination. And his bravery. Although Bloom had somehow managed to inherit her cheeky remarks.
At that very moment, Marion had felt utterly blessed—knowing what would be in store in her future. To know that she would have two beautiful, strong, and kind-hearted daughters. To know that she and Oritel would create something so magnificent together. Astounding.
Marion's lips had twisted into a frown—worry shining in her emerald eyes. "What is it?"
Bloom bit her lips. Uncertainty filled her eyes. How was she suppose to talk to her mother about Daphne? After all, Marion had found out about Daphne's fate from Bloom's memories. It had made her stomach twist into a knot. That feeling had never faded away.
"Daphne, she came into my dream last night."
Marion came to a halt—pondering in Bloom's words. "She did? How?"
In a way, it had amused Bloom to see how her mother reacted similarly to her father. Curious and disturbed at the same time. There was a hint of faint sorrowness crossing her face. Marion had looked somewhat eager to hear the tale.
Bloom gave off a shrug. She filled her mother in on everything that Daphne told her, including giving her the golden mask that somehow contained some of Daphne's advanced magic—or so that's what Daphne had told her. Marion was deeply absorbed in Bloom's words.
Despite being preoccupied in her own thoughts—or how to interpret it to her daughter—had remained silent. Bloom's blue eyes had seemed to be large, pleading at her with worry. Marion wasn't even sure how to make out of it either or what it could mean for Bloom? It hadn't sounded reassuring.
Marion snapped out of her thoughts due to hearing Bloom's sharp voice.
"Dad knows something about it and he isn't telling me anything!" Bloom said frustratedly, pacing back and forth, all around her mother's bedroom. Why couldn't he tell her anything? Why was Oritel hiding things from her? "It's so annoying."
Unexpectedly, Bloom froze in her spot.
A brilliant idea had popped into her mind. The redhead princess had spun on her heel, giving Marion a huge grin. She approached her mother. A spark of delight shined in her eyes.
"Maybe you can find out from Dad yourself? I mean, after all, he wouldn't refuse you unlike me." Bloom said it with far more confidence than what she'd displayed earlier—in which she'd been lamenting over an hour.
"And what makes you say that, Bloom?" Marion inquired.
"Lets say I have an inkling of an idea." Bloom giggled.
"Don't you think that I've forgotten all about the incident that happened last night, young lady." Marion's tone of voice had hardened. "How could you pull off a plan like that? Just like what your uncle said: a foolish plan. You were so lucky that Lewis and Erendor appeared right on time."
She was still livid at Bloom for nearly jeopardizing her own life with that wretched man. Because of that Marion had hardly a goodnight's sleep. She had been fretting about Bloom's wellbeing especially after knowing that Issac had spiked her drink, which caused her magic to backfire.
Bloom had stiffened—though her entire face had grew hot, flustering. She had earned an earful lecture from her father this morning. Oritel had been outraged by her behavior.
The girl had hoped that this would be the last time to see her father in that type of mood. Anger hadn't suited Oritel well. In fact, her father had been utterly paranoid about the situation, hence why he wanted the guards to linger around Bloom at all times.
"Do you have any idea what kind of man Issac is? Or what he does to girls?"
Bloom founded herself trembling due to her mother's shrilly voice. Her throat had gone dry. No words of reassurance could ease Marion's temper. Apparently it hadn't settled well with Marion nor Oritel.
It was crystal clear that her parents had been greatly upset with her poor choice she'd made. Bloom hadn't meant to cause them any kind of distress, but to protect them. It had nearly ended up blowing up in her face. The princess had felt the cold chills brush her exposed skin as the goosebumps formed as her mother kept ranting to her in frustration.
In a way, Bloom couldn't blame her or Oritel for them to take extra measure to ensure that she was safe. Bloom watched as her mother had grabbed her hands into her own and given Bloom a soft squeeze of comfort.
"Oh sweetheart, I know you've done it for a valid reason, but to put your life in danger like that, it scares me and your father." Marion lifted Bloom's chin with the index of her finger.
"I know. I couldn't help but do something about it."
Bloom's eyes had traveled to a family photograph that was on the nightstand. The grin had widened across her face as picked up the photograph. Her mother had been a young child around the age of five or six. She had a toothy smile.
"Awe you look so adorable as a child! And you were quite chubby too!" Bloom teased, jokingly. The girl could easily see Marion's red beat face. It was amusing.
Marion could only roll her eyes at her daughter's comment.
Valtor hadn't seen, heard, nor had spoken to Bloom in days after the incident in the dark realm of Obsidian. In fact, he'd been reclining in his own little hideout on Domino, deep within the caverns that he essentially turned into his own little home, diverging a well thought out plan on his next motives.
Right now, things had been sputtering out in absolute mayhem and disaster due to the three Ancestral Witches plus Mandragora's dark magic, causing terror all across the universe. They were planning to sabotage the rest of the other realms in trying to obtain the powers of the mystical kingdoms to be under their full control.
Fury had burned inside his chest. He detested the Ancestral Witches for using him for their mere means of achieving absolute power and bringing ultimate chaos and destruction all across the universe.
Bloom's beautiful face had flashed before his eyes.
The way her long vibrant wavy hair had fell to her waist, her deep blue eyes that sparked with much life. Her cheerful, vibrant energy everytime she'd seen him as Remesu. Although, Bloom was now fully aware of his intentions and who he'd been masquerading as—as an innocent goodhearted wizard Remesu the entire time.
There was no doubt that Bloom would try to attack him outright for hurting her, for putting her friends in danger, and for tearing apart her dear family. He wasn't going to allow himself to fall for such a graceful fairy, well not at least in mushy-lovey-dovey kinda of sense.
He had another purpose about Bloom that would be utterly useful.
A great but wicked and perhaps a selfish plan at that.
If anything, Bloom was more alike him than any other magical being. She might even fall for his little white lie he'd displayed earlier. Luring her onto the greatest mystery of who her secret lover was. That silly little fairy would believe anything, especially if it came to such blissful romance. Who wouldn't be appealed by the idea of a mysterious lover?
The way her face flushed a bright red.
Confusion crossed her face.
The dark wizard felt the stir of her powerful Dragon Flame—no matter where she was or how far of a distance—it was the one and only connection he had with the girl. The downside of it was the fact that not only could he sense her essence, but Oritel's as well, which was a tad annoying.
Bloom was indeed a powerful fairy.
If anything, their magic was ancient—bookends—matching pieces of the greatest magic to ever exist in the Magical Dimension. The Dragon Flame. His was the darker aspect—tainted unlike Bloom's whose magic is pure, with no drop of sinister magic.
She would be such a great match of being his partner. Not only that, but together, they could accomplish everything. His goals in succeeding the Ancestral Witches. Stealing all the spells across the Magical Universe. Becoming one of the greatest wizards of all times the Magic Dimension had ever seen.
A crack of a grin appeared on his lips.
Bloom would be his one way or another and no one is going to stop him. Not Oritel. Not Marion. Not anyone. But first, Valtor would need her help in destroying the damned curse the Ancestral Witches had placed upon him—the demon aspect of him.
The real, monstrous, barbaric creature that laid deep within him—only to be unleashed when seriously provoked. Now that was a real, nasty problem that he needed to take care of and he would no longer be bound to the Ancestral Witches' command.
All what he needed to do was to find Bloom.
It was midday despite the gray clouds blocking the sun.
"This is one of my favorite places to be at, Bloom." Marion smiled. "I come out here alone, if I'm really stressed out or need some peace from the universe. It's even more beautiful in summer."
Bloom blinked her eyes.
This place was phenomenal. The vast meadows that was filled with a variety of flowers from the most common to the most rarest. What had made it even more ethereal was the white snow that had coated the area glistened, bringing out a magical vibe.
"I can see why. Something about here just feels peaceful." Bloom noted.
She could feel the serenity linger in the air.
The two fairies were walking down the path, admiring nature. Suddenly, Bloom's mind had thought of her roommate Flora. Oh, how amazed the fairy of nature would be by such a sight, considering that Domino was one of the most beautiful planet in the entire Magical Universe. Her heart ached tremendously. She had missed her friends—the Winx—a great deal.
"Is something wrong, sweetheart?" Marion asked, upon seeing faint traces of sadness shine in her daughter's eyes. Clearly, something was bothering Bloom. Was it the dream she had of Daphne that caused her spirit to be down?
Bloom had given her mother a weary sigh. "I miss my friends, Daphne, and everyone else. I don't understand why I can't go back or why Dad's not telling me anything! I'm just worried is all."
"Oh honey," Marion couldn't help but give her a sympathetic smile upon seeing the distressed look on Bloom's face. She held her daughter's hands in her own. She gazed at Bloom. Determination had sparked in her green eyes. "I promise you we'll figure this out."
The girl had let out a weary sigh. "I know."
But there was more to it than simply missing her friends and the specialists.
All of the sudden, the winds had become harsh and frosty.
"My, my, my don't you two look so warm and cozy." A voice had taunted.
The two girls had spun on their heels to their own horror to see the dark wizard, Valtor, himself with a grin on his lips. Marion had easily pushed her daughter back, her eyes narrowing at the man. Fury had burned within her. Flames had engulfed her hands.
"How dare you show your damned face, Valtor!" Marion growled. "After all the pain you caused my daughter—"
Valtor had interrupted Marion. "Look, I can understand why you're still pissed at me, but I'm not here to fight or to hurt you—"
The dark wizard had met with Marion's blazing fireball that had hit him in his lower region, sending the dark wizard flying back. He had let out a painful groan, clenching his jaw. He understood why Marion was utterly furious at him, but this time, he hadn't come to hurt them, well at least not intentionally.
But he needed Bloom's help in this particular case, since she had the purified Dragon Flame. And waltzing up to Oritel wasn't an option he had. Oritel would have his head beheaded. To be frank, Oritel was as much as a prick as Erendor. And too damn self-righteous, which had gotten on his nerves as of lately.
Marion hadn't believe a single word that came out of Valtor's mouth. "And why should I believe you?"
"Because I need Bloom's help, Marion." Valtor stood on his feet, brushing away the snow on his violet coat, annoyed. "Believe it or not this isn't something I resort to, especially asking a fairy for help."
Bloom's eyes had widened in genuine surprise as she approached her mother. Bloom and Marion had exchanged glances—both were baffled by Valtor's words.
"What? What help could you possibly want from me?"
"If this is some sort of trick—" Marion was cut off by Valtor. He rolled his eyes at her dramatic reaction. A look of disbelief rose across Marion's face. Bloom was so much alike her mother in ways he simply never imagined. Fairies were damned right annoying for asking several unnecessary questions.
He shook his head. "This isn't a trick. I promise you Marion that I'm being truthful."
"Oh right. Truthful. I didn't think you had an once of honesty in your bones," Bloom scoffed, giving off a dramatic puff.
Valtor threw a glare at Bloom. Though Bloom did have a major point. He hadn't any sort of honesty in his bones—at the very least they were on the right track about who they were dealing with.
But of course he wasn't about to let them off the hook so easily, not without securing the deal. They may reject his plea for help. He had to force Marion and Bloom to help him—whether they liked it or not—in his very cause of breaking the damned demon curse over him one way or another.
His pale blue eyes had ignited a bright amber.
The entire area had lit up—the warmth of the light had surrounded Marion and Bloom—as Valtor's wicked chuckle had echoed off in the distance. Once the light had diminished, Bloom had outright attacked him with her spell and snarled. "What did you do?!"
Valtor's lips had twisted into an annoying, sadistic, grin. "To ensure you'd help me to break my curse safely, I'd casted a spell over you and Marion, binding your own life forces with mine! And you will be experiencing the same pain that's being inflicted upon me on the two of you."
Marion had a horrifying expression on her face as if she hadn't believed Valtor's cruel words. Truly he was one hell of a sadistic wizard. She had lost all coloring on her face. She couldn't even blink her eyes. Too stunned.
Bloom was pissed off.
If she dare try to hurt the dark wizard, it would reflect back on her and her mother. She just knew he couldn't be honest without having some type of scheme up his sleeves. A bargain (more of an actual threat than an agreement).
Valtor was such a despicable, piece of arse. Bastard.
"Once you break the curse over me, sweetheart—" Valtor had emphasized to Bloom with an amused smile and continued on, "—the spell over you and Marion would be lifted. So if I were you two, I'd better get moving and find the solution to my predicament. Bloom knows exactly what I'm talking about."
Valtor had instantly flickered his finger and vanished into thin air, leaving the two fairies alone. How dare he demand of her in finding a way to break the wretched curse? It was his damned issues!
Marion turned her attention back on Bloom. "What kind of curse is he talking about?"
Bloom had shifted uncomfortably. It was pretty obvious that whatever Valtor had told (or had showed) Marion of her memories, he must've minus out certain details especially in their final battle. Valtor hadn't filled Marion in on his demonic form, allowing Bloom to be the one to share the story.
Her mother wasn't going to be too thrilled in discovering Valtor's curse.
She swallowed hardly.
"Valtor's uh. . . a half demon."
Marion's face had drained from all color.
She had lost the ability to utter a single word.
She hadn't even known this fact about Valtor. A sinister demon, a horrid creature of pure abomination?! Concern had—no it was way beyond just being worried, more likely frightened. And now hers and Bloom's life was intertwined with Valtor's to his own entertainment and knowing that he may just be invincible as ever.
"Mom? Say something? Anything?" Bloom hadn't liked the silence that had befallen Marion who appeared to be numbed by Valtor's cruel words.
"We have to tell Oritel."
Bloom was thunderstruck by her mother's words.
"What? If he knows what happened, Dad will most certainly lose his mind."
"And what do you suggest, young lady? Not telling him? Do you even know what kind of risk we're taking? We're gambling with our lives! That's extremely dangerous, Bloom. And now you're going to tell me exactly how the final battle between you and Valtor? He never revealed that information to me." Marion snapped angrily.
Bloom had paled considerably, and croaked out in a weak, but fearful voice. She hadn't expected Marion to question certain details about the final battle between her and Valtor.
"Why would you want to know that?"
"Because I'm your mother and I ought to know everything that had gone down between you and Valtor," Marion pressed her lips together.
Bloom shivered as snowflakes were starting to fall from the darkened clouds. Fearfulness had filled Bloom's blue eyes. Her throat was dry and scratchy. No words could come out of her mouth.
Author's Note
Happy Holidays everyone!
Oh wow! It's been nearly a month since I'd last posted! It looks like for now I'm going back to my regular schedule in updating every month or maybe twice a month, which depends on my spark of inspiration! Anyways, this chapter may seem like a filler, but it is needed in order to stir some drama and whatnot! Ohhh looks like Valtor is finally up to his good old tricks again! Hehehehe this is one of his slight, but yet, in trying to get close to Bloom!
mikan26: Ooohhhh thank you so much! Ya that last cliffhanger was a crime, lol! And Daphne somehow figured out where Bloom's located at and trying to give her a serious message! But I promise more good things is about to come! :DDD
I hope you had enjoyed this chapter!
Like always please leave your reviews and comments down below! I really do appreciate it and love to hear your thoughts about it!
Until Next Time!
