Chapter Seven
When the three fairies appeared, Obsidian was waiting for them. Looking around they found themselves in a shop of some kind, with jars of differently-colored marbles filling shelves and countertops. What looked like tree roots formed braces for the walls and ceiling. The room was a dark green.
"Welcome to Trollzopolis," said Obdsidian, "We're going to have to wait until I hear from my students before I send you on. Would you like something to drink while we wait?" She sat down heavily.
"Are you okay, ma'am? asked Kimmy.
"Yes, just a bit tired," said Obsidian, "A portal spell over that distance is very hard. I have to add my own magic to the bead, and holding it open for very long is draining."
"So, where are we?" asked Ahisa. The dark-haired fairy was standing at the counter, looking in a jar of green spell beads.
"In my shop in the Trollzopolis Mall," answered Obsidian.
The fairies went over and looked out the glass doors into the bright and busy floor. Trolls with a rainbow and more of hair colors were going about their own business, and no one noticed them.
"Not much point in going shopping," said Amaryl, "All the clothes will be too small."
Ahisa grinned and smacked her friend on the shoulder.
"What's up there?" Kimmy asked Obsidian, pointing to a door at the top of stone stairs.
"My spell bead workshop," was the reply, "It's where I make them, and research new ones."
The fairy reached over and plucked a purple bead out of a jar, holding it up and looking through it. She could see something inside, like sand, or debris of some kind. From what the Winx girls had said about them, those must be the ingredients.
"I wish we fairies could use them. It would be nice to have another spell set on missions," she said.
"Perhaps... but the evolution of troll and fairy magic makes that impossible," said Obsidian.
"But what about witches?" asked Kimmy, turning to the old woman, "Their magic is different from ours."
"It's a difference in perception, rather than kind," was the answer. "No, witches can't use spell beads either."
"Well, at least we won't have to worry about Mirta using any on us," commented the dark-haired fairy.
"I hope they find her soon," said Amaryl, sadly.
Her friends came over and tried to comfort their friend.
wc/bffl wc/bffl wc/bffl
They reached the end of the park. Beyond it was a housing tract. The fence was high, and hopefully she hadn't gotten this far.
Sapphire pulled up to a stop and turned to the others. "We've covered this entire side of the park, and no sign of her." She checked her watch. "Time's getting short. We have to find her now."
"Maybe we should split up. We can cover more ground that way," offered Sapphire.
"And maybe let one of us will be attacked again?" said Onyx. "We need to stick together."
"So let's compromise and spread out just a bit more than we are," said Amethyst.
"The rule should be that we stay in sight of each other," put in Topaz.
"Makes sense to me," said Onyx. Topaz could occasionally be very practical.
"Okay, then, let's do it," said Ruby. She checked the time on her spell phone. "We've got less than three hours left."
"Wait a minute," said Sapphire, rummaging around in a compartment on her skoot. Finally she pulled out a dark blue spell bead.
"I know we decided not to use magic in case Mirta could sense it, but we're nearly out of time and options," she explained, "I've got a finding spell, and I think we should use it."
"I agree," said Amethyst.
"Me too," said Topaz.
"The benefits outweigh the risks this time," deadpanned Onyx.
Ruby's shoulders slumped a bit. "Yeah, you're right."
Sapphire's blue flower-shaped gem glowed, activating the spell bead.
"Instead of Simon, for a switch, show us where we'll find that witch!"
She threw the bead into the air, where the pink cloud coaliesced into a bright blue will-o-the-wisp. It hovered a second, then darted back and forth as if getting its bearings.
Then it took off to their left. They revved their skoots and followed.
wc/bffl wc/bffl wc/bffl
Mirta had crept along until she was out of sight of the food stands and the pedestrians in the park. She was carrying a box with the prepared burgers and drinks. She had decided to go back to the hill and stone table, since her enemies hadn't discovered it.
Glancing to her right when she heard the voices of adults and children, she saw something that reminded her of another personal need. A brick building stood there with two doors. Each had the universal symbol of "male" or "female", but both had an addition of hair atop the circle representing the head.
Stashing the food in a safe spot she used the transparency spell again and made her way to the building. When she got back she retrieved the box and put in a roll of toilet paper she had borrowed. Just in case.
Continuing her trip through the park she finally spotted the statue of a male troll in uniform that was near the fountain. Homing in on it she found the hill and quickly made her way back to the stone table on top. Stashing the food away she looked over at the fountain and saw the hovercycles were gone. Good, it meant those troll girls were somewhere else, looking for her. She was safe, at least for the moment.
wc/bffl wc/bffl wc/bffl
The ball of blue light leading them sometimes darted ahead, but was never out of sight. It's movements were quick over very short distances, but slow over longer ones.
"I can walk faster than that wisp is leading us," groused Onyx.
"Just don't let it out of your sight," said Ruby.
"It won't do that," said Sapphire, "Part of the spell is staying where the caster can see it."
"It's leading us back toward the statue," observed Onyx.
"I thought so," agreed Amethyst.
"Would she really come back here?" asked Topaz.
"where else can she go?" asked Ruby.
Topaz had no answer for that.
After a couple more minutes they found themselves right back where they had been when the adventure started. The floating blue ball hovered for a moment, then vanished with a flash and soft 'pop'. The spell's time limit had been reached. They all looked around, but saw no sign of the witch.
"So, where is she?" asked Topaz.
"How should I know?" asked Ruby, sharply. "Maybe she climbed the tree to find the portal she came through."
That made them all uneasy, and they looked up, trying to see if the tall redhead was up there, about to ambush them.
Mirta had been about to fall asleep, safe within her cubbyhole under the rock table when Ruby's words drifted up to her. She quickly crawled over to the bushes and cautiously peeked through.
Her enemies were back, standing at the foot of a tree, and for some reason looking up in it. Maybe they thought she had climbed it? She shook her head. No idea why they would think that...
This time there was a few seconds warning before the agony of another headache hit her. She fell, holding her head with her eyes closed, trying not to make a sound and give away her position. That worked for all of five seconds, then she gave a loud moan as she writhed.
Five sets of eyes immediately snapped over toward the hill.
"Did anyone check that hill?" asked Ruby, and got four variations of 'no'.
Another, louder, moan reached their ears.
"That's her," said Amethyst, "Ruby, call Obsidian. C'mon, guys!" She got off her skoot and ran toward the hill, the other three right after her.
Breaking through the bushes they found their quarry on the ground, holding her head.
"Mirta, it's me, Topaz," said the blond troll, "Don't be afraid, I want to help you."
"No, no, no, no..." moaned the half-witch, in agony.
"Mirta, listen to me," said Sapphire, "You're suffering from a spell gone wrong. There's help from coming from Alfea."
"I... won't... surrender..." she said gritting her teeth through the pain.
"Mirta, if you don't get help, you're going to die!" said Topaz, kneeling beside her.
"Liar..." said Mirta through clenched teeth.
"I'm not lying! I promised I wouldn't, remember!" said the troll. "Trust me! Please!" She reached over and rubbed her back.
Just then, Ruby joined the group. "Obsidian said some fairies were on the way."
"NO!" shouted Mirta, then grabbed her own head again. "AAAAGGHHHH!"