Chapter 19 - Death's Hand Closes

It took Bloom moments to register what it was that was actually going on. "Bloom!" Vanessa screamed again, her pain ringing in her tone. Baltor held her adoptive mother by the wrists, his hands aglow with Dragon Fire. Vanessa looked like she'd been to hell and back; burns ran up her arms and legs, parts of her clothing had been torn and burnt, and tears streamed down her face as she let out agonized screams. Bloom fought the urge to rush Baltor.

Baltor dropped his hold on Vanessa then and she collapsed on the tarmac. He gave Bloom the slyest of grins, light dancing in his amber eyes. "If I'd known that this was all it took to slow the great Princess of Domino, I'd have done it last time."

"Mom!" Bloom blurted. Vanessa didn't move. "Damn you Baltor!"

"That you have!" Baltor laughed and held up a Dragon blast above Vanessa. "Surrender to your true self, Bloom! Admit to what you actually are! I'll spare your adopted mother…"

"Where's my father!?" Bloom shouted. A sudden onslaught of emotions and thoughts bombarded her mind. Fear, worry, pain, anguish, and sadness fought over her, making her dizzy. She couldn't believe what was happening was actually happening. She fought to keep her mind open enough that she could move at the opportune moment. "What the hell have you done to him!?"

"Oh Bloom…" Baltor gave a loud laugh like she was the stupidest person in the universe. "It's not what I've done to him! It's what you're doing to him!"

Bloom held her head in her hands in hopes to ease the spinning sensation. Everything was beyond her control, nothing was working right. She was here facing down Baltor, she was there hurting her father… "Don't hurt her!" she cried out pathetically.

"The terms , Princess. Agree to my terms, surrender to your dark side and be my pawn…" Baltor looked so triumphant standing over poor, mortal Vanessa, as though defeating her was his greatest accomplishment to date. "Come on now, Bloom!"

"I…I…" Bloom closed her eyes tight to fight the tears and shut out the world. How much more could she handle? She was just exhausted and abused :mentally, physically, and emotionally. She couldn't keep up with it all. "Mom!"

Another familiar voice answered her instead. "Bloom?!"

Bloom opened her eyes and turned to see Miriam and Oritel coming through a portal, Daphne tailing them. Miriam's gaze went from her to where Baltor stood over the motionless Vanessa. "Oh my gods…" she gasped, putting her hand over her mouth. "Vanessa…"

"Baltor! You've reached an all-time low you cowardly bastard!" Oritel cussed. His brown eyes looked bright orange with fire as he addressed Baltor. "Attacking a mundane, helpless human?! Have you no sense of rectitude!?"

"And you're one to talk about integrity, Oritel! Everything you've done to the child you swore to protect proves you're a hypocrite!" Baltor returned his focus to Bloom. "The clock is ticking, Bloom! What will it be? Will you accept your destiny and go along with your true self to take the universe by fiery storm? Or will you force me to destroy the woman who raised and loved you no matter what or who you were?" he smiled as his questions hit home with Bloom. "Well?"

Bloom looked at her mom on the ground. She hadn't moved once since Baltor had dropped his hold on her. She lay curled in the fetal position, her eyes closed, mouth set in a grimace. Memories ran through Bloom's mind. Memories of her admitting everything to her parents. Despite all the enormity and seeming absurdity, Mike and Vanessa had willingly accepted her for everything she was. Fairy, Princess of Domino, Leader of the Company of Light… none of the titles made her any more or less than what she was to them. Mike and Vanessa still saw her as their little baby girl through it all. She was Bloom, their daughter. Not a pawn. Not a villain. Just the good person they raised her to be.

Suddenly Bloom understood herself. Mike and Vanessa had made her a strong independent girl, but she'd allowed the universe to burden her with fear of failure: failure to be their princess, failure to be their fairy, failure to be their princess... But failure or not, Mike and Vanessa had always would always love her. And she couldn't repay their loving her for her by letting Baltor destroy them. She looked up at Baltor, who was still smirking. "You win… I'm yours…"

"Bloom!" Daphne ran for her but Oritel grabbed her. Bloom gave her an apologetic look and started walking toward Baltor. It was over. Evil had finally won her over. "Bloom! Stop… someone stop her!" Daphne screamed. "Sky! Stella! Father let me go! Layla!? Nabu!? Mathias… Mathias?"

Before anyone could react, a dark force erupted from the shadows next to Baltor, throwing him off balance. Baltor yelped and stumbled, and Bloom flew into action. She was upon Baltor in seconds, hands flaring with flames. She threw down as much angry, fiery force as she could muster, but Baltor grabbed her by the wrist and flipped her over, using her momentum to slam her into the pavement. Bloom felt something crack in her arm and stifled a yelp. Flames that weren't her own raced up her arm and seared her flesh, making her scream. "AAGHH!"

"A shame… you and I would've done well together I'm sure. My ambition and your power…" Baltor was over her glaring down at her. He pressed a boot against her windpipe, cutting off her breath. "I'll have to settle for the other you. Not as powerful, but at least she's a lot more impressionable."

Bloom's vision kept fading and flashing as she struggled for air. Baltor still had hold of her arm, his strong fingers still tight and hot with fire. But she could barely register the pain from the burning. Instead she found her life shifting through her mind quickly. It wasn't in the form of pictures and visions like every movie and book described. There was this rush of sounds and thoughts as her mind struggled to create an organized and singular thought. But above it all she could still hear Baltor's cruel laugh, mocking her…

Then his laugh ceased…

"Bloom! Stop… someone stop her!" Daphne was screaming and pleading. Hearing her practically tore at Mathias' heartstrings. He wanted more than anything to do something. But to reveal himself? Revealing himself would mean breaking Daphne's gentle heart… hurting her beyond anything that had hurt her before. He didn't want her to suffer that…

But she was suffering now, watching her precious little sister turn herself over to Baltor's wrath. And as he saw it, that pain was by far worse than any heartbreak he could inflict on her. Daphne's love for him just couldn't compare to the love she had for the sister she'd sacrificed herself for. He had to do something…

He stepped out of the shadows and made his way toward Baltor, approaching him from behind. Nobody noticed him and Daphne was still screaming. Perhaps he could attack without being seen?

Daphne sobbed as her father held her back. "Sky! Stella! Father let me go! Layla!? Nabu!? Mathias… Mathias?" Daphne's brown eyes had caught sight of him and Mathias felt his heart drop as he saw the sudden hope and hurt in them. He worked hard to ignore her and focused hard on transposing himself. There was a surge of dark energy in him and he coalesced next to the unsuspecting Baltor, throwing the wizard off-balance. He landed in a crouch, feeling the energy begin seeping from him.

When he looked up, Bloom had moved, quickly and catlike, to attack the distracted Baltor. He watched as she tried to slash down on Baltor with her hand flaring with fire energy. But Baltor was faster and snatched her arm before the attack got close. He managed to vault the young girl over him and drop her to the concrete. The girl landed hard on her back and grimaced in pain. Baltor summoned flames to the fingers still holding Bloom's arm and Bloom screamed a scream that echoed through Mathias' mind.

"A shame… you and I would've done well together I'm sure. My ambition and your power…" Baltor then pressed his boot to Bloom's neck to cut her air off. He obviously had no intention of using her now. "I'll have to settle for the other you. Not as powerful, but at least she's a lot more impressionable."

Mathias struggled to his feet, trying to hang on to his energies. Bloom thrashed against Baltor's hold on her. Baltor only pressed down harder, a madly, dogged look reflected in his eyes. Bloom's body fell limp and her wide blue eyes became unfocused. Mathias finally felt his body respond to his commands and he launched himself at Baltor. The two of them went tumbling across the asphalt, grappling with one another. Mathias finally threw Baltor off of him and the man crashed into ground several feet away. Mathias then scrambled to his feet and tore a necklace from around his neck. He poured all his energies into it and glared at Baltor. "Death has claimed you as his, Baltor… by the powers that work to balance the universe you shall return to Death."

A dark vortex erupted from beneath Baltor and began to drag him downward. Electricity snapped in the air and darkness clouded the skies. Baltor roared and struggled against the vortex's power. "No!"

"Yes… yes, Baltor! Return…" Mathias watched as Baltor shouted at him, throwing a number of horrible curses toward him. Eventually his yells ceased as the vortex swallowed him whole. "Give back to death what Dark Bloom dared take." Mathias murmured. The vortex then began to close and Mathias felt the last dregs of his magical energy leaving. He fell to his knees, dropping the necklace and gasping.

"Mathias!" Daphne cried. Suddenly she was there holding him. She felt so warm and smelled so sweet that vivid memories of him and her together were triggered in his mind. "You're… you're…"

Mathias could only wheeze in response. He was about to attempt speaking to her when a cry cut him off.

"Bloom!"

Mathias turned and saw Bloom still lying where Baltor had her pinned. Her gaze still stared blankly toward the skies and her body lay limp. She looked like a battered rag doll. "No!" he pulled out of Daphne's grasp and stumbled over to the limp girl. The blonde guy who'd shouted her name fell to her other side and pushed the hair out of her face. "Bloom?" Mathias grabbed her wrist and felt for her pulse. He panicked because he felt none. "Bloom! Not now! Death can't claim you while you've still got work to do! We made a deal!"

"Bloom?" The blonde guy's eyes were filled with tears as he took her other hand. "Come back to me…"