Chapter 7 – Astrid

"YOU'LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID UNTIL NOW! SHOW YOURSELF AND FACE ME IF YOU DARE, DIALA!"

"Well,…" Diala sighed from her room, looking at the nature fairy from the crystal ball. "This might be the first time I see her like this. I finally found her weakness after all. I hate being that horrible, but she leaves me no other choices."

"I know, Miss Diala." The pink-haired woman was still in the same position, her arms behind her back. "But… May I ask something quite private?"

Diala looked up at her. She didn't look either annoyed or bored. She just whispered her answer. "Yes, you can, Sophie."

"Is it because you've been banished from the village that you want to kill her? Is it only for revenge?"

Diala didn't show any emotion. She just looked down again, her eyes slowly shutting down. Sophie just read her mind: Flora might have been able to stay in the village while she wasn't; this wasn't why she wanted to kill her. Flora had something more in her: something that needed to be destroyed. Diala had felt that the day Michelle had found her on the forest. She felt something in her that reminded her about the man who stole everything from her with a single spell. Because of him, she had lost everything: her parents, her friends, and before all, her daughter. Since that day, every human was a threat for her.

But Flora was a different threat.

"No, it is not." Diala finally sighed.

"I'm sorry if I bought sad memories to you…" Sophie whispered with guiltiness in her soft voice.

"It's fine." Diala stood up. For the first time, her bad smile didn't come, while she tried keeping a neutral expression. "It's been years since I had any feeling."

While she said that, the image of this tall man surrounded by lightning with a frightening smirk couldn't help coming back on her mind.

"Flora? You came back?"

A crying and angry Flora turned around to see a silhouette walking towards her, ready to attack her. But this soft voice only belonged to one person: her white hair turned on a braid was falling on her bare purple shoulders, while her black eyes were staring at her, and her smile disappeared when she saw the tears running down on the nature fairy's cheeks.

"A-Astrid?"

Astrid's facial expression changed from a happy to a concerned one. Flora was still crying, even if she seemed to have calmed down a little. The healer took a few steps towards her.

"Flora, what happened?"

Without thinking, Flora didn't reflect and went to her knees right in front of her. "Please! Astrid, save him, please! I'm begging you! I'm willing to do anything for you to save him!"

Astrid didn't understand at first, but quickly saw Helia's body lying on the floor, with blood still running down from the wound created on his back because of the arrow.

"This arrow is poisoned…" Flora added, her voice falling down in the same time as her tears. "Please Astrid! Mother hasn't come back with Alissa yet… H-He's going to die…"

Astrid smiled softly. "Don't worry, Flora. I'll heal him." With that being said, she knelt down next to Helia's body and placed her hands on his back. Flora stood behind her, wiping her tears away.

Astrid's hands freed a white light, while a magic circle created above Helia's wound. Astrid was murmuring words Flora couldn't understand. These words echoed in the air like a soft melody which reminded her of Musa's voice. It was relaxing, sweet, and pleasant. Even if Flora wasn't the one being healed, it strangely made her feel better to her something like this. She was like mesmerized by this song. She felt even better when she saw the wound in her boyfriend's back disappear slowly.

Hearing Helia's breathe made her smile in relief. Astrid stood up and smiled at Flora. "He will be okay. All the poison leaved his body. Now, he just need to rest."

Flora's eyes started to be full of tears again. But this time, thanks to joy. "Thank you so much, Astrid." She knelt down and took her boyfriend head into her arms again. "Thanks goodness… I couldn't bear the idea of losing you, Helia…"

Astrid smiled softly. "I'm glad you're back, Flora."

"I'm sorry that I left without telling you." The nature fairy looked up. "But I didn't want any of you to be hurt by Diala."

"So, Diala is behind everything, right…" Diala seemed to be thinking for a moment. Flora nodded.

"We came here because of something else, in fact… We needed to see you, Astrid, for the sake of Magix."

"Waow, this library is a hundred times bigger than the Alfea's one!" Stella commented while she took a sit on a pillow between Musa and Layla.

Just after Helia being healed, Alissa and Michelle came back and took him to a sort of infirmary, while Flora went to search for the other Winx. After briefs introductions, and after she reassured them about Helia's health, Astrid asked them to follow her: she brought them to a library made up with thousands of ancient books. The Winx looked quite amazed by this, and couldn't help remembering the library of Alfea, which wasn't as big as this one. The sun was at this moment setting, so the place was illuminated with candles surrounded by pink roses.

Astrid asked them to sit on pillows on the floors. Tecna was still at the infirmary, so when Musa went to see her while she was still asleep; she made sure to bring the prophecy book with her.

"A half of these books had been written centuries ago." Astrid told them. "I read them all."

Stella looked more amazed than the others Winx by this confession: she was one of the persons whom reading was like being tortured.

"So," Astrid started after drinking her tea. "Flora told me that you wanted to talk to me about something important."

They nodded. Stella was the one who started talking. "A few days ago, two friends of us had been touched by a virus. They hadn't slept or ate in days, and when we found them, they were as pale as a dead and a sort of purple poison was going out of their mouths. And when we went to the hospital to check on them, the doctor told us that the first one touched by the virus was three weeks ago."

"So, we went to our library to found something about it, and we found a book about you, and we thought that you could help us to figure out what happens, Astrid." Layla finished.

Astrid seemed to think for a moment. She had closed her eyes, and was breathing slowly. "Did you find anything else about this?"

Musa handed her the prophecy book. "Actually, yes. We are not sure about this, but we think that this prophecy (Musa showed her the good page) is related to it. Our friend Tecna thinks that this virus is called Astronomia, and that it will be fully released tomorrow."

Astrid read it a few times silently.

When the sun of Friday 10th March 2014 will shine, Astronomia will be released, and while the future city of Magix will see its people killed, everybody will have to run away from lightning and fire. Will she be able to save everybody? – 10th March 1914

"So, he wrote a prophecy about that, well…" Astrid muttered to herself, so slowly that the girls thought it was a formula. She quickly closed the book, and looked up at the girls.

"Well, I will tell you this." The healer breathed deeply, before starting. "Firstly, I think you're right: the virus and the prophecy are strongly linked. But, actually, you're wrong on another point: Astronomia isn't the name of the virus at all."

"So, is there any hope to stop this virus and save Magix, Astrid?" Flora asked.

"Actually, there is. The last sentence tells it. The virus is only a warning. There is a hope to save Magix: this hope is called Astronomia."

While the girls looked shocked, Flora remembered what Helia told her this morning.

"Then, nothing. I just see blood everywhere; I heard someone panting hardly, and then, a man voice screaming "Astronomia.""

"The lightning and fire refers to a man: his name was Gaël. Behind his good looking body was hidden a monster. He lived only in order to destroy. Destruction was always what he needed. Without any doubt, he might be the most powerful wizard in the whole universe." Astrid looked down. "A hundred years ago, he attacked our village; without any reason. He used fire to destroy the houses, and lightening to kill anyone who found his way. I don't know how many deaths we had to face, but it was unbelievable." Astrid continued.

The Winx were shocked. A monster like this was really alive in their world?

"But, thankfully, he had been frozen not long after this, when he was about to kill the royal family of the planet Gaia. The princess of this planet managed to froze him before everyone was killed. But the queen died, and since this day, no one had ever heard about what became neither of the planet, nor the royal family."

"So, Astronomia might be the one who would save Magix from Gaël?"

Astrid nodded. "Astronomia isn't a threat at all. It has never been." She then looked through the high window, where only the sun setting was visible. "Tomorrow will come soon. I think you really should rest. This will be a hard day."

Stella raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

The healer stood up. "I can't tell you. But you don't have to think about it right now. The answers will come sooner than you think." Stella, Musa, Layla and Flora get up. While the others went out of the library, Flora walked towards Astrid.

"Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome, Flora." The healer smiled softly at her. "I used my magic on your friend the technology fairy and your boyfriend: they might be awake right now. Why don't you go see them before sleeping?"

Flora nodded before turning around. "I'll do. Thank you again, Astrid."

Astrid smiled to herself while Flora crossed the door. "Good night, dear. You'll need it."

Flora went to see Tecna first. Since the others were already there with Timmy, the poor fairy seemed even more tired. The specialist was holding her hand, while Stella had jumped around her neck with a huge smile. With the expression on her face, Flora knew that the Tecna they all knew was still the same: an annoyed appearance, but an unlimited joy of being with her loved ones inside.

She was glad that what happened didn't affect her.

After sharing a hug with her, Flora went to the room aside: Helia was sitting up on the bed, bandages all around his bare chest. The guys were surrounding Helia while talking to him, but when they saw the nature fairy, they quickly went out –Flora quickly caught the playful smiles on Brandon and Riven's faces while they went out-. But before Roy could leave, Flora whispered to him to go to talk to Layla, which made him nod. Once he was out, she was left alone with her boyfriend.

Flora didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to talk to him, how to react with him – maybe because tears frightened to fall again. Seeing him again at this moment made her remember the sight of him lying down, an arrow stuck on his back, with blood all around him. She managed to don't look at him in the eyes, while he was staring at her with concerned eyes.

"Flora, come here." He said, maybe after seeing her embarrassment.

Just after he was the first one to speak, Flora couldn't resist: she sat on the bed next to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, while he held her close to him. Flora could feel his hot breathe on her neck, and the heat of his body all over her. The room was silent, but Flora didn't care: feeling him close to her, with his arms around her, was enough. She couldn't help crying. Her shoulders went up and down while she tried her best not to let him know she was crying. But she couldn't hide anything from him.

"Hey." He took her shoulders and looked at her in the eyes, while he used his thumbs to wipe the tears away. "It's okay now. I'm okay, I'm not dead."

"I-it's not that." Flora looked down to her shaking hands. "I-I thought I'd lost you Helia. I was so scared w-when I saw you-"

"But I'm alright now." Helia took her chin in his hand. By looking at him, Flora still saw that pale face he had since a few days. "I'm alright Flora. And I swear I'll never leave you."

Flora went on the same position they had before: her arms around his neck, his arms around her whole body; making her remember he was here, with her. "I know Helia. I-I'm so sorry…"

"For what?" He laughed a little in disbelief. Why was she apologizing?

"N-nothing." Flora buried her head on his neck, smelling his scent that always made her happy no matter the situation she was in, while he was still stroking her hair. After taking a deep breathe, the nature fairy whispered. "I'm so glad you're alive, Helia. The idea of losing you was too much for me."

Helia smiled to himself. "You'll never loose me Flora." He took her shoulders in his hands again, and took her face delicately. "Seeing you crying like this makes me feel guilty like never; I promised to myself that I wouldn't make you cry ever again. I don't want to see you sad Flora, because you mean everything to me." Helia brushed some bangs that had fallen in front of her face. "The last thing I want to see, Flora, is your tears. Because I -…"

Strangely, the specialist stopped and looked away. The nature fairy could see a small blush forming on his pale cheeks. For the first time since he'd been hurt, Flora smiled. She remembered very well how hard it was for him to tell his feelings. She knew he felt the same way about her than she felt about him. So, why not helping him with that? She didn't have to fear the fact of telling him her feelings, after all.

"I love you."

Helia's eyes grew wider, as if he was trying to understand what Flora just said.

Flora smiled to herself. He's really shy?

Helia, after a moment, finally grinned and put his forehead against hers, and Flora could hear him let out a small happily laugh. "I love you, my love."

Flora closed her eyes. He just called her "My love". It really felt good to hear him call her like that. It was the first time he used a romantic nickname for her. "I think we need to catch up from this morning, right…?"

"Oh yes." Helia leant down and stole her lips on a kiss that quickly made her melt, like always. It had the same passion, but at the same time, felt different; Flora felt like it would be one of their last kiss. She wiped away this feeling and put her hands on his back, leaning closer and closer to him.

It felt so good to still have him by her side.

"They're cute, aren't they?" Michelle was looking at the couple thought the window, with Nassima and Astrid.

"I'm glad he survived." Nassima whispered. "Flora was right; he's a good person. I'm happy she found someone who will treat her well."

"So you became friend with him?" Michelle teased.

"What?" Her head snapped up. "I'm not the one who came to see him an hour ago!"

"You're right." Michelle giggled. A few seconds passed until she whispered something. "He told me he knew he would be hurt." Nassima looked up at her mother. "He told me that when Flora was hugging him, he saw something in the woods. He knew that no one could arrest it, so he tried to distract her and make her believe that he didn't see it coming." Michelle laughed a little. "He said that she would have sulked for days if he survived if she knew that he protected her at the risk of his life. That's what she would have really done before. She didn't change."

"You're right." Nassima smiled softly.

Astrid was looking serious, in the contrary of the others. Something was still bothering her. She had to do something.

I think it's time for a little talk, Diala.

Well, well... Helia is safe!

The plot is increasing! :D This chapter contains revelations! The next one will too, but no as much as the two after!

I hope you liked this chapter! And thanks for reading my story! :) Reviews?