Hello everyone! I know I have been away lastly, but now here I am! As usual thoughts are in italics and I write this for fun and entertainment, the Winx don't belong to me. If I buy them one day, there will be BLOOD!

Ahem, sorry… anyway, see you later, enjoy^^

Chapter eight: The power of darkness

The door was barely holding under the restless attacks. Layla was doing what she could, but even with her morphix it wouldn't last long.

"Those things are going to destroy the door! What are we going to do?"

"Stay calm Stella, I won't let them touch you."

"Oh Brandon, my hero!"

"While those two are busy not thinking about a solution, do you have an idea Sky?"

"Yeah I think. Tecna, can you find an alternative route? And don't be sarcastic please Riven."

"Yes Sky, between my data and Layla's memories, I managed to find a way out of this trap."

The door cracked, and a sticky tongue went through the hole. Layla blasted it with a beam of her magic, but it was quickly replaced. Matt smiled.

"I think Riven and I should stay behind to stop them, they can't use their number in this subterranean gallery."

Bloom looked at the young boy, surprised.

"But you're just two! You can't –"

"They are right Bloom, we came to save the pixies, and we can't afford to stay here. We will meet you later guys!"

"Of course! Now move, we will deal with those ridiculous lizards."

The rest of the group, after a last look at the two specialists, followed Tecna and Layla, going deeper in Shadowhaunt.

Riven grinned.

"Twenty bucks I kill more monsters than you."

"Ah! I'll finish them before you can get started. I wonder if they will give some loot?"

"Dude, we are not in a video game ya know?"

Before his friend could answer, the door and the morphix finally broke and the monsters entered. Matt smiled again, the rush of adrenalin going through his veins.

"Great, took them long enough! TO BATTLE!"

Meanwhile, Lord Darkar was sitting on his throne, using a sphere of vision to spy on the intruders, a cruel smirk on his face.

"So you chose to stay behind… as I expected. You didn't realize I can summon my minions everywhere in my territory… but I don't want this mission to be your last, not yet. Your friends, however, are useless to me."

The evil entity turned its attention to the rest of the intruders.

"Fairies… So pitiful, so weak, so self-righteous. You will all die here, when and where I command it. You will learn the truth: you are not prepared. But today is not the day darkness will devour you, I will teach you despair first."

Focusing his power, the dark phoenix summoned more minions and sent them to the group. Soon, Bloom and the others were fighting waves of monsters. It would keep them busy for a while.

The dark lord rose, his mind already on the next step of his plan.

"TRIX! Come, your master commands you!"

The three young women quickly answered the call, kneeling down before the phoenix. His aura of pure darkness, the cold hate in his gaze was fascinating them. Icy managed to find her voice.

"You called master, and we have answered. What do you want?"

"Find as many informations as you can on the Codex. See but do not be seen, and failure is not an option, especially if power if what you desire. Now go!"

The witches acknowledged and left, leaving Lord Darkar alone. The evil lord stood here for a moment, thoughtful. If his plan was a success, he would become the most powerful being the world had even seen, and he would be able to set his real plan in motion. He focused once more, and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, Bloom's fire was destroying yet another monster. The light of Stella repelled a creature,and Layla finished it with a morphix spell. The redhead looked at her friends, they were holding out, but it could become a problem soon if the monsters didn't stop coming out of nowhere.

"Tecna, do you know a shortcut? We can't keep fighting like that!"

"Take the next passage on the right!"

The group followed her instruction, Sky and Brandon going first. Monsters tried to stop them, but were defeated with some thrusts of the boys' swords. They kept running for ten minutes, until Stella stopped.

"Please stop! I need… to catch… my breath!"

"Alright, quick break everyone!"

The girls went back to their normal state, and the specialists sat down on the ground.

"I hope Riven and Matt are ok, I can't help but to think we abandoned them."

Sky put his hand on Bloom's shoulder.

"They knew the risks, and those two are really though. I mean they spend more time in the training room that the rest of us combined! We will look for them once the pixies are safe, I promise you Bloom."

The young fairy looked at him with her beautiful blue eyes.

"Thank you Sky."

She put her head on his shoulder, finding comfort in his presence. On their side, Layla and Tecna were checking the virtual map.

"This passage is shorter, but I'm pretty sure Darkar sent monsters, so I'd say we take this one."

"I think you are right Layla, it will take more time but if Darkar posted guards on the two ways, there is a chance we will meet less enemies on this one. Statistically this is the best choice."

Stella was pale, and Brandon was worried.

"Hey Stella, how do you feel?"

"Not very well Brandon. It's because of this place; it's too dark for me."

A few minutes later the group was moving again, but this time no monster came from the shadows to attack them. The path overhung a subterranean river and Tecna informed her friends that they were almost there.

Sadly a part of the way was unstable and started to dislocate, falling in the river below. Before anyone could do anything, Brandon pushed Stella out of the way and fell with the rocks.

"BRANDON!"

Stella immediately jumped into the river, the safety of her boyfriend overwhelming all other concerns.

The others stopped, unsure of what to do.

"We must save them!" Bloom was crying while the rest of the group was too shocked to say anything. Sky looked at the river.

"The current is strong here; they will be far from us. There is nothing we can do!'

"Whoa dude, I didn't know you could punch like that!"

"Hey, they started, we ended. And I killed more than you!"

"No you didn't!"

Riven and Matt were catching up the others after their battle against the monsters. For a moment, the two boys thought it would be the end, but the monsters suddenly vanished, leaving the young heroes exhausted but alive.

"I can't wait to tell Sky, he will be so mad just because I'm better than him!"

"You really like to poke him right?"

Before Riven had the chance to answer, the ground under him started to melt, and it swallowed him. Matt tried to save him but it was useless. The specialist disappeared before his eyes.

"Riven! RIVEN!"

"He cannot hear you."

Matt turned around and his heart missed a beating. A crushing sensation at the level of his chest prevented him from breathing normally.

"Darkar."

"Hello traveler."

And I cut here. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, see you next time^^