Category: Winx Club

Rating: T

Couples: none

Warnings: Major AU

Chapter: 12

Copyright: © characters and places by Iginio; © Plot and OC by me

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The men's dark-blue eyes stared into the bronze one of their father. Vandia was intently studying her brothers, while Faragonda seemed to wait for something. Bloom however was getting increasingly restless.

"You killed more people than any other." Vo'id spoke up. "Countless races ended because of your doing."

"I was a proud idiot." Lysdon answered him. "I wish to make amends."

"Amends?" The great dragon echoed, before snorting in disdain. "How can you make amends if there is no one to make them to? Do you have any idea of the extent of what you did?"

"It is hard not to." Finally the son couldn't stand to meet his parent's eye.

"Indeed. And you haven't even told these children about that." Vo'id laid back down. "I wonder if they would still be as willing to have me forgive you after they know."

"They are certainly amongst the most forgiving people I have met." Skyggon defended his brother. "Besides, what will it change? What has been done has been done. The Past is the Past, father."

"Perhaps." The golden dragon looked at the group of youngsters. "Maybe you should ask them about that. Bloom certainly didn't leave her parents in the 'past', did she?"

"Vo'id." Faragonda warned. "We both know that that is completely different." For a moment it seemed that he was about to argue with her, before simply turning away. "These are children, as you yourself said. Mind your words."

"They are not young enough to run blind through these worlds, Faragonda." His bronze eye bore into those of the fairies. "Why do we not ask them what they want? The truth or a web of ignorance?"

Five people of incredible power now turned to the young fairies, the weight of their gazes enough to make Bloom seek silent support with Sky.

"What is your choice?" Vandia asked from where she was sitting. "My brother's story or ignorance?"

"People say 'Ignorance is bliss'." Bloom began. "But curiosity can be a virtue. We want to know."

"But only what he is willing to tell us." Layla finished.

"I once told you already I claimed more lives than my brother." Lysdon spoke up. "I destroyed much. What do you think became of what the planets once were? Andros, for example, once was a desert-planet. A race of… giant scorpions you could call them, ruled there. I… I destroyed that race and their entire civilization. My fire melted their sand, and the magic in it turned the desert-planet into the planet of oceans you know today."

The other four were now watching him with interest: Skyggon and Faragonda with something like pride in their eyes and Vandia and Vo'id with amazement.

"Or Domino, for that matter. Not only did I doom it by taking it as my resting-place… I ruined it." A shuddering sigh escaped his lips. "Such beauty, ruined because it did not fit my definition of it."

"But everyone says after you took it as your resting-place, Domino became the most beautiful kingdom of all." Bloom countered.

"But a great wonder of it was lost." Lysdon glanced at his brother. "Its' magnificent phoenix-population was destroyed in a matter of years."

"Phoenixes?" Tecna asked. "I never before heard of Phoenixes on Domino."

"Ah, but they were there." Faragonda smiled sadly. "But then along came the Great Dragon, and in honor of him the humans living on the planet hunted the phoenixes into extinction."

"Why would he have caused that?" Brandon didn't quite understand.

"Before I came, the Phoenix was a holy animal." Lysdon bit his lip. "But then along came I with the entire mythology worked out."

Skyggon rustled his wings at that, making the young ones realize. Lysdon's brother had become Lord Darkar, and he had been called the Shadow phoenix.

"And I could probably continue like this for a few days." Lysdon now talked more to the ground than anything else. Skyggon rested his hand on his twin's shoulder, offering silent support. "In the end, I was more evil than my brother."

"But you are making amends now." Vandia softly said. "Father, perhaps a second chance is in order?" She looked up at the massive dragon.

His face had become unreadable as he fixed his second son with his bronze eye.

"Your mother…" His young voice sounded heavy and filled with grief. "She suffered greatly from your actions. I am willing to give you another chance if, and only if, she is willing."

"Mother has not visited in Ages, father." Vandia pointed out an obvious flaw with that plan. "She left shortly after I reached my majority."

"She visits at times." Vo'id sighed. "And I know how to contact her. Our next meeting would have been at the end of the week, Sunday-midday to be precise. I will make this deal with you: you will go there in my stead. Take whoever you want. I will contact your mother and tell her you'll be the one there and that the choice to come is hers. If she comes, she has forgiven you or at the very least is willing to do so. If she does not come, she does not forgive you."

The great dragon rested his head on his forelegs. "Now leave me. I have grown tired."

"Come, girls. We should not infringe upon his hospitality." Faragonda gestured outside. "I will teleport us to my home."