Magic and Martial Arts 2: Children of Domino

by AndrewK9000

It's the Winx's final year at Alfea, and curcumstances have conspired to allow Bloom to be the first to earn her Enchantix, but she can't control it. At the same time, old enemies thought dead have returned to join up with new enemies. Who will survive?

20. Chapter 20: A Dish Best Served Hot

Last time our heroes returned to Magix and used the collected items to restore Faragonda. But just as things were returning to normal at Alfea, tragedy struck. Layla's parents are forcing her to marry against her will. And as if to add insult to injury, the 'package' that Vicky deserved the last time on Andros had opened. The Omega Gate, the sealed portal to the insidious prison world had opened, spilling escaped inmates onto Andros. The escaped inmates were dealt with without too much trouble, but the real problem was The Gate itself.

An old rival of Tecna's informed our heroes that The Gate was about to explode, destroying Andros with it. Tecna then risked her life to save her friend/rival from home, putting herself in danger as she attempted to enter The Gate and repair the damage from the other side. Her willingness to sacrifice herself earned Tecna her Enchantix, resulting in the successful sealing of The Gate. But it came with a terrible price. 'Nuff said, on with the show!

Chapter 20: A Dish Best Served Hot

"How much longer until The Omega Gate explodes?" Stormy asked. She, her sisters, Toro, Kevin, Naz and four of their comrades from Xaldo sat in one of the larger, more comfortable dungeons of Cloud Tower, which Vicky had refurnished into an entertainment center. Various chairs and couches were situated around a large crystal ball, displaying the events unfolding on Andros.

"It shouldn't be too much longer," said Vicky as she and the others watched Bloom and her friends speak with Malcolm Douglas, "but when it does go, well, you won't be disappointed at all, little sister."

"Wish the audio for this show was better," said Naz. Indeed, due to the chaotic energies spewing from The Gate, magical viewing of the unfolding drama was proving highly difficult. When our anti-heroes first 'tuned in,' counting down to the destruction of The Gate, they were barely seeing anything at all, just static with random flashes of half-clarity, and in black and white to boot. Vicky had managed to focus the crystal ball's reception so they could see with near perfect clarity and with full color, but they had to sacrifice the sound quality so they only heard half of what was being said.

"I've done the best I've could," said Vicky, "either we see what's going on and not hear it, or hear what's going on and not see it."

"Next time we watch an impending disaster that we caused," said Icy, "let's make it one that we can actually watch, and see."

"I'm with you on that," said Stormy.

"Quiet!" hissed Darcy, "I nearly missed something."

"Missed what?" said one of Kevin and Naz's comrades from Xaldo. He was a warlock in his early 20's, with short, shaggy dark blue hair and narrow dark brown eyes. He stood at 6' even and wore yellow and blue wizards robes with red lines. He spoke in a thick accent and a slightly-broken vocabulary that hinted at a backwards upbringing. His name is Rolf.

"What glimmer of information has Darcy witch-person acquired from the doomed aquatic world?" Rolf asked.

"Something about what will happen when The Gate finally explodes," said Darcy, "something about ripping a hole in the fabric of time and space."

"How big a rip?" asked another of the comrades from Xaldo. This one was a human girl with shape shifting abilities, with mostly animal and monster transformations. She was in her early teens with shoulder length orange hair, naturally large lips, and eyes that shifted between pink and dark red, depending on her mood. She stood at 4'9 and wore a red shirt and yellow pants that shifted with the rest of her when she changed. Her name is Sara.

"I didn't catch that part," said Darcy, "but any rip in reality is dangerous. Get to close to one and you die a horrible death, or at least, are changed in mind and body beyond all recognition."

"So that's what Lady Zahidia want's us to stay away from Andros," said Naz, "I honestly didn't realize that she cared."

"She just doesn't want to waste any assets," said Kevin.

"I don't see what's what the big deal is," said a third comrade from Xaldo. This one, a dark martial artist like Toro and Kevin, age 17, but with a body type built more for speed and agility, was the strangest of the group with his abnormally large bald head and with one indigo eye slightly larger than the other. He wore a blue and white fighter's outfit. Yet the one abnormality that truly set him apart from the others from Xaldo was that he had a wooden 2X4 in his arms that had a pair of eyes and a mouth drawn on one side, and carried it around like it was a stuffed animal. The fighter is called Johnny, and his 'friend' is Plank.

"I don't see what's so bad about a hole in reality," said Johnny, who then held his wooden friend to his ear, "and neither does Plank."

"Well you can tell that oversized toothpick that even getting within spitting distance of a rift in time and space invites certain doom," said Darcy, "wait, why am I talking to someone who talks to a piece of wood?"

"You'll have to forgive Johnny," said the last of the comrades from Xaldo, a human with telekinesis and other mental abilities. He was also in his early teens, about the same age as Sara, with short light blond hair and large friendly blue eyes and large braces in his mouth that gave him a lisp. He gave off an aura that expressed gentleness, but underneath that kindness lay something dark and sinister. His name is Jimmy, although he prefers to be called James.

"He's a complete lunatic," said James, "in more ways than one."

"That's a bold statement," said Toro.

"Well he is," said Sara, "anyone who talks to an imaginary friend as long as Johnny has been has got to be crazy."

"I had an imaginary friend when I was little," said Stormy, "and that doesn't make me crazy," she then looked at Johnny, "although I do have to agree with you on the rest; he is nuts."

"You were right, Plank," said Johnny as he stood on his head and watched the crystal ball, "this is a better view."

"Where did you find these people?" Icy asked Vicky.

"I sometimes ask that myself," said Vicky.

"A better question would be 'where did Zahidia find them?'" said Darcy.

"I also ask that sometimes," said Vicky.

Just then the view on the crystal ball dissolved into static again.

"Oh come on!" snapped Kevin.

"It's the chaotic energy of the vortex," said Vicky, "the crystal ball should compensate for the influx any second now."

Half a minute went by and the crystal ball was still full of static. "Maybe I need to adjust the settings again," said Vicky.

"Maybe you need to get a better crystal ball," said Kevin.

"This one is fine," said Vicky as she walked over to the crystal and began adjusting the magic settings.

"We're missing all the drama!" complained Naz.

"Don't rush me," said Vicky, "I'm getting there. I just need to find the right frequency."

"I've got your frequency right here," said Kevin as he stood up and picked up the crystal ball and began shaking it.

"Put that down!" exclaimed Vicky, her eyes burning with black malice, "that's a very old and expensive piece of magical equipment that I bought. Break it and I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life!"

"Oh yeah?" Kevin asked in a daring tone, "what are you going to do?"

"I'll start by taking you apart, one bone at a time," said Vicky.

"She can do it," said Darcy, while Icy, Stormy and Toro nodded in agreement.

Realizing that Vicky was indeed serious about her threat, Kevin carefully set the crystal ball back into its place.

"There's a good boy," said Vicky as she gave Kevin a disarming smile. But then without warning, she punched him in the face, knocking him into the wall.

"Let that be a warning to you, Kevin," said Vicky, "I don't care how loyal you are to Zahidia and the new empire, but if you mess with my things again, you die."

"I think you broke him," said James as he and the others looked at Kevin's unmoving form.

"The angry fighter has yet to surrender his spirit to the underworld," said Rolf, "he will regain his conscious thoughts in due time."

"Still," said Sara, "that was pretty cool."

"It was," said Icy, while Stormy, Darcy and Toro nodded in agreement.

"I just don't like it when people touch my things without asking for permission," said Vicky.

It was then that Kevin got back to his feet, a look of utter contempt on his face as he glared at Vicky. He spat out a broken tooth into his hands, "bitch! I'll make you pay for that!!"

"Put it on my tab," said Vicky in a calm tone, "that's one part of yourself you've lost, care to try for two or more?"

Even though it was clear who the dominant one was, Kevin still glared angrily at Vicky before finally backing down.

"Now that we've taken care of that," said Vicky, "how's about I take care of our other problem." She then altered the settings on the crystal ball. It was another minute with the viewing globe full of static, before the picture finally resolved into full clarity, but now with full audio as well.

As fate would have it, the picture and audio came back on just as Tecna used the neck-pinch move on Malcolm, knocking him out.

"Why'd she do that?" Naz asked.

They then heard Tecna and the other Winx talk with Elise about Tecna going into the vortex to repair the damage to The Gate.

"She can't do that!" exclaimed Stormy, "can she?"

"I guess it's possible to repair the damage to The Gate from both sides," said Vicky, "still, we have nothing to worry about. The little smart girl will never survive the crossing; the vortex will rip her apart before she get anywhere near The Gate."

They saw Tecna and Timmy kiss several times before she took flight.

"I love you," said Timmy.

"I know," said Tecna.

"Don't they make a cute couple," said Sara in a tone that was full of mock innocence.

"Too bad poindexter there is about to have his heart broken," said Vicky, "trust me, Tecna is as good as dead."

But then our anti-heroes watched as Tecna kept pushing into the maelstrom and it pushing her back.

"She's tougher than she looks," said Kevin, "I'll give her that."

But then the image in the crystal ball was filled by a bright green light, and when it cleared, Tecna was in her Enchantix form.

"How did that happen!?" exclaimed James.

"That man she knocked out," said Darcy as she used one of Cloud Tower's smaller crystal balls to gather information, "he's from the same world as Tecna. She put her own life in danger to save his life," that last sentence was full of malice and disgust.

"Well that's just great!" spat Icy, "nearly all of The Winx have their Enchantix."

"Except for Bloom," said Stormy, "at least there's that."

"I wouldn't be so sure, little sister," said Vicky.

But then everyone hushed up as they watched Tecna penetrate through the vortex and entered The Gate. Elise then performed the repair spell, undoing the damage the package Vicky delivered inflicted to The Omega Gate. The vortex dissipated, and The Gate was sealed.

"What? No explosion?" Johnny asked while still standing on his head, "and here Plank and I were so excited to see something blow up."

"Oh shut up, you psycho-freak!!" spat Sara as she pushed Johnny over. He fell onto his back, but rolled into an upright sitting position, no worse for wear.

"Plank says it takes one to know one!" said Johnny though a overly joyful smile.

"I'll shove that pathetic piece of kindling up your ass if you don't shut up!!" exclaimed Sara as she lunged at Johnny, her body morphing into a chimerical creature that was a mix between a lion and a tiger.

"Catch me if you can!" said Johnny as he easily sidestepped the morphed Sara, her claws missing the fighter by half an inch. Johnny then fled the room, laughing like a monkey, while carrying Plank, and jumping all over the place to avoid the now rampaging Sara, who chassed after him.

"Those two little maniacs are going to wreck the place," said Vicky, "someone should stop them."

"Why not you?" Kevin asked, but then flinched as Vicky glared at him.

"I'll do it," said Icy as she stood up, "they're starting to get on my nerves."

Icy then phased through the school walls until she caught up with Sara and Johnny in the dinning hall; the later jumping from table to table, level to level, with the former always one second behind him. Sara, in her monster-form looked like she was angry enough to kill anyone on general purpose, while Johnny looked like he was having the time of his life.

Icy then took flight, stopping in the air above the middle of the room. She then froze every surface in the dinning hall, tables, chairs and the floor, causing Johnny and Sara to lose their footing and slip. Johnny fell off a table and skidded down a set of frozen stairs and landed in the middle of the ground level, while Sara tripped on a chair and also crashed down the frozen ground to the bottom level, the force of her landing causing her to revert back to her human shape.

"That sure was fun, Plank!" said Johnny, obviously not hurt, "let's do it again!!"

"Just you wait 'till I get my hands on the both of you!" exclaimed Sara, "you and your dipstick of an imaginary friend!"

Unfortunately neither of them got a chance to do anything, for Icy froze both Johnny and Sara in their tracks.

"You two need to chill out," said Icy.

"Oh, good one, little sister," said Vicky as she and the others entered the dinning hall.

"Was this really necessary?" James asked as he looked at the frozen form of Sara.

"They were causing trouble," said Icy, "and nobody causes trouble around here, unless I say so, or one of my sisters."

"You'd better believe it," said Darcy, "and don't worry, your girlfriend and baldy will be fine soon enough, assuming you can thaw them out before it's too late."

"What do you mean!?" said a frightened and angry looking James.

"Fear not, metal-mouth Jimmy," said Rolf, "Rolf shall thaw out your angry companion, and cue ball head Johnny."

"Does he always refer to himself in the third person?" Stormy asked

"Pretty much," said Naz, while Rolf conjured up a pair of fireballs and used them to melt the ice on Johnny and Sara. Both were cold and soaking wet, but very much alive.

"This is all your fault, Johnny!" said Sara, while James threw a blanket over her.

"When did we take a shower, Plank?" a confused Johnny asked.

"I'd like to see who in the empire thought it was a good idea to hire this idiot," said Toro.

"You and me both," said Darcy.

********

Since they got back from Andros, nearly all of The Winx had been crying at one point or another at the loss of Tecna. Even though there was no evidence that she was dead, or if they would ever find her again, Stella, Flora, Musa and Layla were distraught that their smart friend wasn't there and may never come back.

The others were affect by Tecna's absence as well, mostly Timmy and Elise. Elise had lost her friend and intellectual rival, and Timmy, he had lost the love of his life. But as soon as they were back on Magix the two brains pulled themselves together and began working on the solution to the problem.

The first step, repair the multi-dimensional transmitter so they could find out if Tecna was still alive. Once that was done, Riven reasoned, all they needed to do was go to Omega, grab Tecna and get out as fast as possible. That part would be harder. Not much was known to the general public about The Omega Prison Dimension except that it was very cold there, cold enough to keep its inmates in deep suspended animation.

Nobody really knew what kind of security the insidious prison had or even if it was possible for a ship to land on that horrible world, so a plan for getting into the prison, and getting out of course, would have to be made, but fist thing's first; find out of Tecna made it.

Carmen and the other Domino survivors were taking the loss of Tecna rather well, especially Payton, Mace and everyone else since they didn't know Tecna that well. But Carmen and Jake were both equally depressed at the loss, but both were as equally angry as Bloom was depressed, for Bloom was outraged that Tecna was taken away, and three guesses who Bloom was angry at.

Vicky, it all leads back to Vicky. The Mermaids and The Omega Gate on Andros; the attacks on Cloud Tower and Alfea, the demons on Guardia and The Endless Illusion, and the attack on Lynphea, it was all centered on Vicky. And even though there was no logical connection between them, Bloom knew that somehow, Vicky was connected with what happened at The Millennium Ball, as well as with what happened to Sky. And again, even though there was no proof, Bloom knew that Vicky was connected with her inability to control her Enchantix.

All six of The Winx had had their powers evolve to the highest level:

Bloom when she saved Carmen on Domino

Layla when she saved Ann on Andros

Stella when she saved Gaz during the Millennium Ball

Musa when she saved Galatea at Alfea

Flora when she saved Chris on Lynphea

Tecna when she saved Malcolm on Andros

Yet Bloom still couldn't control her Enchantix. She had been experimenting with her evolved powers in hopes that time had allowed her to control them, but to no avail. Aside from some new spells and a bit more energy than normal, Bloom was still unable to use her full Enchantix.

Bloom thought that she just wasn't trying hard enough. But then Faragonda's warnings kept coming back in her mind, saying that if she pushed herself too hard, the cost would be too high to pay.

Yet the problem of Bloom unable to use her Enchantix palled in comparison with the latest travesty in her life. But instead of succumbing to despair, Bloom's heart was filled with blazing resolve to do something about the cause of all the recent trouble.

"I'm going to Cloud Tower," said Bloom to the rest of The Winx, once Stella, Musa, Flora and Layla had stopped crying, "I'm going there to free the zombie witches and destroy Vicky, and possibly The Trix if I have the time."

"We're with you, Bloom, always" said Stella in a tone that matched her expression; grim determination. Musa and the others had the same expression as they nodded in agreement.

"We're with you as well," said Carmen as she and Mirta appeared out of nowhere.

"I didn't know you could become invisible," said Flora, "I thought that was Morgan's specialty."

"I can make myself invisible if I choose to," said Carmen, "I don't really like to, but I can."

"And I wasn't invisible," said Mirta, "I just used an illusion to make it so you didn't notice me."

"What about Elise?" Layla asked, "won't she want to be in on this?"

"Elise is still working on the transmitter thing," said Carmen, "but the last time I talked with her, she said that Timmy wanted to repair the device alone, so she'll join us when she'd gotten her equipment. I'll fill her in on the plan later. So, what is the plan?"

"And how are we going to get away from Alfea?" Musa asked, "Faragonda and Griselda isn't gonna let us walk away, especially Griselda, not after all that's happened."

"I know for a fact," said Flora, "that Faragonda, Griffin, and Saladin by the way, they'll all tell us not to risk our lives on a suicide mission."

"And Jake is definitely gonna want to be involved," said Layla, "as will everyone else."

"That'll make it worse," said Mirta, "it'll be really hard sneaking in so many people, and I'm dead sure the baddies will be waiting for a sneak attack. By now they'll have every underground tunnel blocked and every possible teleportation portal in and out of Cloud Tower watched."

"We're not going to sneak in," said Bloom as an idea began forming in her mind, "we're going to walk right up to the front door and walk in."

There was a few seconds of awkward silence as everyone looked at Bloom as if she had lost her mind.

Stella broke the silence, "Are you feeling alright, Bloom?"

"We're all feeling bad about Tecna," said Flora, "so maybe you need to take it easy for a while, pull yourself together."

"I'm perfectly fine," said Bloom in a confident tone, "I have a plan, and it's a good one."

"That remains to be seen," said Carmen in a concerned tone.

"It is," said Bloom, "and we've all our parts to play, even Mirta."

"Me?" Mirta asked.

"Your part will be the most important part," said Bloom, "here's my plan…"

…One Explained Plan Later…

"That is a good plan," said Mirta.

"It might just work," said Carmen.

"It might just," agreed Layla.

"But we'll still have to deal with Griselda," said Stella, "she's not gonna let us go on any more missions any time soon, especially me."

"She'll have to let us go," said Bloom.

"How?" Musa asked.

"I'm going to walk right up to her," said Bloom, "and tell Griselda that this is something that we have to do. I'll also tell her that she can punish us later when we come back, and we will come back, but nothing she, Faragonda or anyone else can say or do will be able to stop us. And if she still refuses, I'll…"

"You wouldn't!" said a shocked Flora.

"I'm angry enough right now to do a lot of things I wouldn't normally do," said Bloom, "even force a teacher out of my way. But that's just me talking. If you don't want to do this, girls, I'll understand."

"Are you kidding?" Musa asked, "of course we all want to do this."

"We do?" Stella asked, "oh, of course we do! Yes, let's go to Cloud Tower!"

"We can't go yet," said Carmen, "we've a lot of calls to make and coordinate this revenge."

"It's not revenge," said Bloom, "It's justice."

"Yes," said Carmen in an agreeing tone, "justice."

********

Over at Cloud Tower, Vicky and The Trix were in the potions lab, watching the newcomers from Xaldo as they attempted to brew up a batch of a rare poison, one that, they hoped, would prove devastatingly lethal to fairies. Kevin had been stirring the cauldron with a large wooden pole, but then Johnny had gotten Sara angry again, causing the shape sifter to chase after the insane fighter again, so Kevin and James chased after them, so now Toro was stirring the cauldron

"If this works," said Naz as she and Rolf added ingredients to the large cauldron over an indigo fire, "then those Alfea brats are already dead."

"The winged ones are unaware of their impending demise," said Rolf, "they shall writhe in eternal agony in the deepest circle of damnation!"

"You sure this will work?" Toro asked, "We've tried poisons before, and those Winx bitches always seem to find an antidote in time."

"The concoction has been in Rolf's family recipe tomes for generations; believe Rolf when he says that there is no antidote."

"That remains to be seen," said Toro as he continued to stir the cauldron. But then Rolf saw exactly what Toro was doing.

"Nincompoop!" exclaimed Rolf, "Rolf specifically instructed nylon-boy to stir the concoction to the left! Opposite the wise of the clock!"

"Clockwise, counterclockwise, what difference does it make?" Toro asked, "and I'll thank you not to associate me with anything involving nylon. My godfather, may he rot in hell forever, named me 'Pantyhose' Toro, but I've shed that name forever. I am Toro the Destroyer," he pointed the stirring pole at Rolf, "and don't you forget it!"

"I'd put that back in the cauldron," said Naz as she pointed at the pole, "we're not even halfway done with the potion. It needs to be constantly stirred, or it'll be ruined."

"I'll put it back when I'm good and ready," said Toro, "and I'll be ready when this hick of a wizard acknowledges me by my rightful name."

"Rolf commands nylon-boy to resume the agitation of the potion at once, or else suffer Rolf's wrath!"

"Nobody orders and threatens me!" said Toro as he threw the rod back into the cauldron, which Naz hastily grabbed and resumed stirring.

"Then permit Rolf to be the first!" the irate warlock then summoned a large fish and slapped Toro across the face with it, "Rolf spits on nylon-boy's honor!"

"You son of a bitch!!" spat Toro as he felt where the fish slapped him, "you are so f#ck$ng dead!!" The dark martial artist and the warlock glared at each other, each waiting for the chance to strike.

"Shouldn't we stop them?" James asked. He had managed to get Sara and Johnny to calm down, so the three of them and Kevin were back in the lab and watching the unfolding drama.

"And miss a great show?" Stormy asked, "no way, not when things are getting interesting."

"Don't count on it, little sister," said Vicky, "something always interrupts this kind of drama."

It was then that Vicky's phone rang, "see?" she asked as she pulled out her phone, "what did I tell you?" she accepted the call, "yes, Lady Zahidia, I can hear you clearly now."

"Looks like the communication interference has cleared up," said Naz. Kevin had resumed his post at the cauldron, so now Naz was sitting with The Trix, while Toro and Rolf continued to glare at each other.

"Wonder what Zahidia want's us to do now?" Icy asked, "I hope it's another Construct piece."

"It isn't," said Vicky to her sisters, then spoke back into her phone, "yes, Lady Zahidia, I'll tell all of them…yes, I know the empire would gladly accept new recruits of such high caliber…I'll send to Xaldo those who accept your generous offer. I live only to serve you, Lady Zahidia," she then hung up the phone.

"What was that about?" Darcy asked.

"Apparently we're about to receive some visitors," said Vicky, "visitors that Zahidia wish to invite to join the empire."

It was then that the doorbell rang. This seemed to snap Toro and Rolf out of their threatening starring contest. They both silently agreed to finish this altercation later.

"Our guests from Omega have arrived," said Vicky.

"Go see who it is, Toro," said Darcy in an ordering manner.

"Why do I always have to do the grunt work around here?" Toro asked in a complaining tone, "it's either snack duty, go look for Morgan, who is still missing, or stir the cauldron, and now I'm the doorman. Well not this time."

"Oh but you will," said Darcy.

"What makes you say that?" Toro asked.

"Because you just can't get enough of me," said Darcy in a seductive tone as she sensually ran her finger down Toro's chest, "and you'd do anything to please me, for when I'm pleased, you're pleased, if you know what I mean."

"I do know what you mean," said Toro in an equally seductive tone, "and I would do anything to please you." He headed for the hallway to the front door, "just so long as you remember who pleases who the most around here."

"I think I'm going to be sick," said Stormy in an disapproving tone.

"Oh give it a rest already," said Icy in an annoyed tone, "Vicky, what was that you said about Omega?"

"Well, apparently a handful of inmates managed to avoid capture or death on Andros," said Vicky, "and managed to get off the planet. According to Zahidia's sources, they all have exactly what the new empire is looking for in terms of new muscle."

"But how did Zahidia know that the fugitives would come here?" Stormy asked, "did her scryers predict it?"

"Would be nice if they did get one right for a change," said Vicky, "But I have a feeling that Zahidia has other methods of gathering information, in real time to say the least."

A few minutes later Toro brought in eight individuals that were clearly fugitives from The Omega Prison dimension; each escaped inmate more vile and despicable a villain than the last. Obviously they were what Zahidia had wanted, so Vicky began to explain Zahidia's offer to join the new R'lyeh empire.

As Vicky was delivering the empire's sales pitch, one of the escaped inmates had his eyes on Stormy. It took her a few minutes to realize that the middle-aged warlock, around 50 or so, with graying black hair and charcoal-black eyes, one of which was a glass eye, was looking at her like he knew her.

Naturally Stormy was annoyed that some stranger was ogling her, but then Stormy got a better look at the warlock, and immediately he seemed familiar. She did know him, though he looked much younger the last time she saw him, but he was still the same person on the inside.

"Trabon?" Stormy asked, "is it you?"

"It is, Stormy," said the warlock. It was Trabon, the warlock with abilities matching Stormy's that she befriended in The Shadow Riders.

"It is you!" said Stormy as she ran up to Trabon and embraced him, while he embraced her as well.

"When I head that you died on Jurai," said Trabon, "I had lost my will to live."

"Well I'm not dead anymore," said Stormy, "but what happened to you?"

"I got caught by the Galaxy Police," said Trabon, "they offered me a numbered sentence in Omega in exchange for information on The Shadow Riders. I thought I owed those bastards who ruined my life a rude awakening.

"When the leaders were killed on Salusa Secundus, and the dark magic that bound me to them died as well, time began to catch up with me. I was with The Shadow Riders for over 50 years. My time among them allowed me access to enchantments that allowed me to stay young, but those enchantments have broken. Despite being frozen alive in Omega for less than a year, my body has aged two decades, and it's only going to get worse."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," said Stormy in a determined tone. It was then that Stormy noticed that Icy, Darcy, Vicky and Toro were looking at her like she was a sideshow attraction.

"What?" Stormy asked, "what? I can be concerned for my friends."

"I didn't know you were capable of making friends," said Vicky.

"Well I have one," said Stormy, "and before you say anything, it is Trabon."

"I didn't recognize you there," said Toro as he shook Trabon's hand, "you've changed, man."

"He may look differently," said Darcy, "but he's still as bad as ever." Icy nodded in agreement. They got reacquainted with their comrade from before, treating him like a true friend, for it was Trabon who made The Trix and Toro realize that joining with The Shadow Riders was a mistake.

Then Trabon was formally introduced to Vicky as the elder sister of The Trix, "I had no idea they had a big sister," he said.

"I've been busy for a long time," said Vicky.

"But what are you doing here?" Stormy asked, "if you're a fugitive, why did you come to Cloud Tower?"

"I came for you," said Trabon to Stormy, "while we were arranging transport off of Andros, I had heard that you and your sister were alive, and that the three of you, and Toro, had taken up residence at Cloud Tower. I knew the risk, but I had to see you, Stormy, I just had to."

"We'll I'm glad you're obsessed with me," said Stormy as she hugged Trabon affectionately, "I missed you."

"Well look who's being disgusting now!" teased Darcy.

"Little Stormy has a heart after all," said Toro in a mocking tone.

"Oh shut up!" snapped Stormy, "I told you I like older men, and Trabon is just my type."

"He certainly is older," said Icy in an appraising tone.

"My body may be aging," said Trabon, "but my dark magic is as strong as ever."

"I'll take your word for it," said Vicky, "but if you're going to be Stormy's plaything, you can't look like that; old and used up. We'll have to do something about it."

"That's what I was going to say!" pouted Stormy, "nobody ever let's me say anything. Vicky, I need your phone."

"I'm way ahead of you, little sister," said Vicky as she handed her phone to Stormy, "just hit *279, it'll take you directly to the lunatic herself."

"You're the best big sister in the universe," said Stormy. She then glared at Darcy and Icy, "wish my other big sisters were as nice." With that she dialed the dumber, "hello, Diaspro? It's Stormy, I need a favor…"

Five minutes later Diaspro arrived at Cloud Tower and met with Stormy, Vicky and Trabon in the main hall. "So this is the famous school for witches," said Diaspro as she looked around in an appraising manner, "how quaint."

"Never mind about Cloud Tower's decor," said Stormy, "this is Trabon, he needs to look twenty years younger."

"Twenty five," said Trabon, "I know you like older men, Stormy, but I'd rather go back a bit further, back before the Shadow Rider leaders had my kidney ripped out."

"I wouldn't mind at all," said Stormy, "assuming Diaspro is up to the challenge."

"What do you want me to do?" Diaspro asked.

"We want you to fix Trabon's body so he'll regain his youth," said Vicky, "magic had kept him young, but that magic has failed, so now we're tackling the problem from a more scientific prospective."

"Can you do it?" Stormy asked.

"Of course I can do it," said Diaspro, "tweaking human DNA to restore youth is easily accomplished, especially if the one doing the tweaking is as great a genius such as myself. The real question should be 'what's in it for me?'"

"If you ever need someone killed," said Stormy, "just give me a call."

"I do want someone dead," said an irate sounding Diaspro, her madness mixing with her rising anger, "but not even you and your sisters combined could kill that bitch Bloom! So I don't think I'll be trusting you with any assassinations. No, I want something else."

"Name it and I'll do it!" said Stormy in a tone that betrayed her desperation. Vicky shot Stormy a look that warned her against getting in too deep, but Stormy wasn't listening.

"Now there's the problem," said Diaspro in a sly tone, "I don't really know what I want right now. So I'll restore your beau for you, Stormy, but in return, you'll owe me a favor." She summoned a contract, "by signing this document, you'll agree to perform one deed for me at a time and a place to be determined later. I may never have to call in this favor, but this way our transaction will be legal and binding."

"Can I talk with you for a minute, Stormy?" Vicky asked. She pulled Stormy aside, and once they were out of earshot, "are you stupid or something?!" she hissed.

"I am not stupid!" snapped Stormy in a hushed tone, "everybody says that, but I'm not!"

"Well you sure are acting stupid," said Vicky, "you do realize that once you put your name on that contract, Diaspro will own you."

"I know," said Stormy, "that's why I was going to, before I was so rudely interrupted, alter the contract so that instead of Diaspro owing me, I will own her. I was going to change the contract so that it would say that she would help Trabon for free, and should she ever ask me for a favor, I get to shave every hair off her body."

"Why my dear little Stormy," said Vicky as she smiled in admiration, "that's brilliant! A little simple and not really evil, but brilliant none the less."

"Just what are you ladies up to?" Trabon asked as he walked over, leaving Diaspro holding the contract as she looked at the paintings on the walls.

"Just making it so that we can be together," said Stormy, "without me owing Diaspro anything."

"Well don't let me stop you," said Trabon.

Stormy then got Diaspro's attention, "I'll do it, I'll sign your contract."

"And then I will restore your warlock to his former glory," said Diaspro, "I'm so glad we have this opportunity to do business." She summoned a pen and handed it and the contract to Stormy.

"You won't mind if I look at the fine print first," said Stormy, "just to see if it's all legal."

"Be my guest," said Diaspro, "it'll all perfectly legal and binding."

As Stormy pretended to read the small print on the contract, she silently cast a spell on the pen, specifically the ink in it. As soon as she wrote her name on the paper, the ink would alter the wording on the contract, changing it in her favor.

"Everything looks alright," said Stormy.

"Glad you approve," said Diaspro as she smiled, "now, you sign on the left, and then I'll counter-sign on the right, then I can get to work on Trabon." Yet behind her smile, Diaspro's mad mind was at work. She anticipated that Stormy would change the contract in her favor, so before hand, Diaspro had already enchanted the contract so that if Stormy tried to change it, it would change again, only this time not only would Stormy belong to Diaspro, but so would Trabon.

All this Stormy was unaware of as she placed the contract on a table to sign. Her pen was less than in inch from the paper, when fate intervened.

A loud chiming klaxon sounded through the halls of Cloud Tower, scaring the baddies, but also bringing Vicky to full alert.

"Someone's trying to get inside the castle through the underground tunnels!" said Vicky as she recognized the alarm-spell she had set up. Summoning a crystal ball to the room, she brought up an image of the tunnels linking Cloud Tower with Alfea and the rest of Magix. The image showed several individuals heading for the school, and at the lead was…

"Isn't that the fairy who gave you so much trouble before?" Trabon asked, "Bloom, that's her name."

"You don't have to remind me!" said Stormy. She cast a spell that alerted her sisters as to where she was. Seconds later Icy and Darcy appeared in the room.

"They're coming," said Vicky to her sisters as she showed Icy and Darcy the image on the crystal ball, "as I knew they eventually would."

"So," said Icy as she glared at the image of Bloom, "little miss Dragonfire thinks she and her friends can liberate Cloud Tower."

"We'll just see about that," said Darcy.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," said Vicky, "sisters, I think it's time we finished our fairy friends once and for all."

"Mind if I tag along?" Trabon asked, "I owe those disgusting Winx a 'favor' myself. The Phantom Renegade may have been the one who took my eye," he held his hand briefly over his glass eye, "but things would have turned out a lot differently if it weren't for those meddling fairies."

"Well this is your lucky day, Trabon," said Vicky, "You see that tall person near Bloom?" She pointed to the image in the crystal ball, "that's Jake Avatar, a survivor of Domino, and also the current incarnation of The Phantom Renegade."

"He's the Phantom Renegade!?" Darcy asked.

"What, you didn't figure it out for yourself?" Vicky asked, "and here I thought Stormy was the slow one, slow in the head that is."

"I'm right here," said Stormy as she glared at Vicky, but then her expression changed as she spoke to Trabon, "it was destiny that brought us back together. Today, we both shall have our revenge. Then we can truly be together."

"Yes," said Trabon as he glared menacingly at the image of Bloom and Jake, "together."

"No!" said Diaspro, "no, she's mine!"

"What are you talking about, you frigging lunatic?" Icy asked.

"Bloom!" said Diaspro, her madness rising to the occasion, "she ruined my life! She took everything from me! Well no more! Today I will kill her!!" With that she headed for the door.

"Hey!" shouted Stormy, "what about the contract!?"

"Fck it!" snapped Diaspro ran to the hallway, "this is personal!"

"Well that was rude of her," said Trabon.

"She is rude," said Stormy, "rude and crazy. Even crazier if she thinks she can have Bloom to kill."

"We'd better get everyone together," said Darcy, "this time we'll finish Bloom and her friends once and for all! Before that lunatic Diaspro spoils our glorious victory.""

"Today will be glorious!" said Icy, "the death of the last princess of Domino, and her allies!"

"Glorious indeed," said Vicky as they headed for the door, but Vicky paused at the doorway, "you go on ahead, I'll be right there." She went back to the table where the contract lay forgotten.

"My poor simple sister," sighed Vicky as she picked up the contract. She was about to fold it up and put it in her pocket, when she sensed something foul about it. She cast a spell that revealed the enchantment that Diaspro had set up, the one that would have enslaved Stormy and Trabon.

"She's more an evil genius than I've given her credit for," said Vicky to herself, "you're so sly, Diaspro." Vicky then removed Diaspro's enchantment as if it were the simplest of such magic, then installed an enchantment of her own, one that would leave Stormy and Trabon with no debt, and Diaspro a slave to Vicky.

"You are sly," said Vicky as she folded up the contract and put it in her jacket pocket, "but so am I." With that she left the room to join her sisters and the other baddies and prepare to ambush Bloom and her friends in the tunnels below.

********

Yet Bloom and the others weren't in the underground tunnels, although the baddies believed that they were. In truth, Bloom, along with Flora, Musa, Layla, Stella, Carmen, Elise and Mirta, were right were Bloom said they would be, walking right up to the front door of Cloud Tower, with Bloom and her fellow fairies already transformed.

The doors of Cloud Tower were flanked by a pair of gargoyles that acted as a security system. Carmen had told Bloom that any unwanted visitors to the school would be 'removed' by said security statues in a most unpleasant manner. Yet Bloom and the others weren't worried about that.

"This might actually work," said Stella.

"Of course it's going to work," said Musa, "It's Bloom's plan after all."

"I only came up with the plan," said Bloom, "Mirta is the one who deserves all the credit."

At this Mirta blushed, but smiled in appreciation, "It's no big deal," she said, "All I did was cast the spell."

The plan was simple and straightforward; before our heroes left Alfea, Mirta had set up an elaborate and very convincing illusion that would convince anyone watching the tunnels that Bloom and the others were in them. By the time Vicky and the other villains realized they'd been tricked, Bloom and her friends would be deep inside Cloud Tower. Once our heroes had secured their position, they would then call in Jake, Helia and the others, who were waiting just down the road from the school in a concealed position, to bring this whole mess to a conclusion.

Of course, the first thing they had to do was get past the front door, which would be no easy feat in itself. Carmen told everyone to stop fifteen paces from the security gargoyles.

"By now Vicky would have corrupted the guardian spirit of the front door," said Elise, "so as to keep out unwanted guests."

"We'll go first," said Carmen as she and Elise stood at the front of the group, "the spirit may still recognize us as Cloud Tower alumni, so then we'll have to convince it to let you all pass."

"You should stay with Bloom, Mirta," said Elise, "I mean no disrespect, but you've been hanging around Alfea to much, the guardian spirit won't recognize you anymore."

"I understand," said Mirta as she stood with Flora.

"Wish us luck," said Carmen.

"Good luck!" said Flora.

"You'll need it!" said Layla.

"I don't need luck," said Elise, "I was born lucky." She and Carmen cautiously approached the doors, the security gargoyles remaining stone quiet as they passed them and got within six feet of the front door.

Suddenly a large mass of dark purple energy appeared on the door, said energy condensing and shaping into a blank face, just eyes and a mouth. Yet this apparition, the guardian spirit no less, gave Bloom and her friends a bit of a fright.

Yet Carmen and Elise were ready for this.

"Who approaches these sacred halls of learning?" the guardian spirit asked.

"Two disciples of the dark arts," said Carmen in a clear and carrying tone.

"We return with purpose," said Elise, "and seek to leave with knowledge."

"And who are these others with you?" the guardian spirit asked, its eyes focusing on Bloom and the others, "what do they seek?"

"They seek as we seek," said Carmen, "for we have also come to cleanse this castle of a vile betrayal."

"Then you are all welcome," said the guardian spirit, "enter…" the image vanished from the doors, which opened.

"That went easier than I thought," said Elise, "I was sure Vicky had something set up."

"She may yet," said Carmen. She held her hand up to stop Bloom and the others, who were nearly at the doors themselves, "it still could be a trap."

With utmost caution, Carmen and Elise passed through the doorway into the hall. They advanced another ten paces without incident.

"It's all clear, as far as I can tell," said Elise as Bloom and the others entered the hall, "but I just can't believe that there's no trap."

"For someone who's so smart," said Carmen, "you are unwise in so many matters. Have you forgotten so easily? Cloud Tower is alive; this whole castle is one living entity with a mind and a heart. It's obvious that while Vicky may have taken possession of the body, the mind and the heart are still free and want to help us."

"By negating any trap that Vicky had set for us," said Elise, "of course! I'm ashamed that I've forgotten that the castle is alive."

"Well that's nice that Cloud Tower is alive," said Stella, "but now what?"

"Now we try to undo whatever damage Vicky and her cronies have done," said Elise.

"We also need to find and do whatever we can to free the students," said Carmen, "and find Morgan." To Bloom and the others, that sounded like that was most important to Carmen.

"We will find Morgan," said Bloom.

"Assuming she's still alive," said Musa.

"Well of course I'm still alive," said a very familiar voice that came out of nowhere, "if I weren't, then that would be a whole other situation, now would it, Musa?" Right in front of Bloom and Carmen appeared Morgan, looking very tired, in dire need of a shower and a change of clothes, but very much alive.

"Morgan?" Bloom asked, "is it really you?"

"Is there any other Morgan that you know?" said witch asked.

"It's her alright," said Flora.

But Elise and Carmen weren't so sure. They had every right to suspect that this was a trap of some sort that Vicky or one of her sisters had set up. There was one sure way to determine that this was the real Morgan.

"What's the one thing that I've told you that I've told no one else?" Elise asked.

"That you wish, when you're dead in your own proper time," said Morgan, "that you want your ashes to be scattered in the one place in the entire universe that you've ever been truly happy, the one place where you've truly been at peace; The Medusa Cascade."

Now it was Carmen's turn to ask a question that only Morgan could answer: "What was the first thing you said to me when we met?"

"I asked you, since you were wearing nothing but black, if you were going to a funeral," said Morgan as she smiled confidently, "or if you had just come from one. You replied that there would be one if I ever made fun of your attire again."

"It's her alright!!" exclaimed Carmen as she rushed forward and embraced her BFFL. "I never gave up hope! I knew that you were alive all the time!"

"I never gave up either," said Elise as she also hugged Morgan, the triad of righteous witches complete again.

"We never gave up hope," said Bloom, while Stella and the others nodded in agreement, though in truth some of them had their moments of doubt.

"Well I'm glad you cared," said Morgan, "but I was nearly used to the idea that I would be stuck in Cloud Tower, invisible nearly all the time, while the rest of you were mourning my passing to the other side."

"Never happen!" said Carmen, "we would have come back eventually."

"But what have you been doing all this time?" Elise asked.

"And how did you avoid getting caught?" Layla asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Morgan asked, "I've got invisibility powers! Not even that freak-a-ziod, Toro, he couldn't track me. I've been moving all over the school, watching Vicky and The Trix as they plotted horrible stuff, and I do mean horrible."

"How horrible?" Stella asked nervously.

"I'll tell you," said Morgan, "but first thing's first. Bloom, I've got something for you," she pulled out something from her pocket, "it's nothing mean, and it's not a joke, this is serious," she handed the object to Bloom, which turned out to be a pocket watch made of some kind of metal that Bloom couldn't identify.

"You finished it," said a suprised Carmen, "without us."

"Well I really didn't have all that much to do besides stay alive," said Morgan, "I'll tell you, that bitch Stormy, she really has it out for me."

"Well you did burn her body on Salusa Secundus," said Musa.

"I did do that," said Morgan, "anyway, Bloom, that's no ordinary watch. It automatically adjusts to whatever time zone you're in, on whatever planet you're on. And it also can tell you what time it is on any place on any planet, just by thinking about it."

"So this is what you were making for a graduation present," said Flora.

"It's nice," said Layla, "very nice."

"And handy," said Mirta.

"I don't know what to say," said an astonished and grateful Bloom.

"'Thank you' would be nice," said Morgan, "but we'll worry about that later. Come, you have to see what the baddies have been up to to believe it."

Bloom and the others followed Morgan to the room where the zombie witches lay inert on the tables and strapped into the connections to the energy draining device.

"Those monsters!" said a shocked and horrified Flora, "they're sucking the life from them!"

"We have to get these girls away from…from whatever this is," said Stella as she glared at the central machine where the energy was being collected.

"I wouldn't unhook my fellow witches just yet," said Elise as she pulled out her new PDA and Sonic Screwdriver and began scanning the devices, "we might accidentally kill them…hmmm…that's interesting. This foul device has the same dark magic signature as all the curses we've been encountering, they're from the same source."

"This is bigger than we thought," said Layla, "who's behind all of this?"

Bloom was about to inquire that very question, but first she felt that her friends would soon need assistance. She then cast the spell that would alert Jake, Helia and the others to come out of hiding and meet them inside Cloud Tower.

"Morgan," said Bloom once she finished the spell, "you've been in here all this time without Vicky and The Trix knowing you were here; did you hear anything about who Vicky is working for?"

"I…I really can't answer that," said Morgan hesitantly, "that's the problem of being invisible for extended periods of time. The first side effect from prolonged usage of invisibility is degrading of hearing. I'm fine now, but when I was invisible, which was whenever I was anywhere near the baddies, I could only hear half of what everyone was saying."

"Well that's a big help," said Musa.

"There were two names I did catch Vicky saying several times," said Morgan, "the first, I'm sure is someone's name, and the other is a place, at least I think it is; Zahidia and Xaldo."

"Zahidia," repeated Bloom.

"Xaldo," said Carmen.

"Never heard of either of them," said Musa.

"Me neither," said Layla, while Flora and Mirta shook their heads.

"I'm on it," said Elise as she used her PDA to perform a search engine.

"That can wait," said Bloom, "first thing, we need to help the witches. There's got to be a way to unhook them from this horrible machine."

"You'll never save them," said another familiar voice, yet where Morgan's was friendly and full of happiness, this one was rough and full of malice. Emerging from the shadows was none other than the traitor witch Lucy Yet it was the change in her overall appearance that shocked Bloom and the others, especially Mirta.

"Good Gods!" exclaimed Mirta, who looked and sounded like she wanted to strangle Lucy and embrace her at the same time, "Lucy, what's happened to you?"

"Like what they did to me?" Lucy asked as she stepped further into the gloomy light, revealing more of the results of the torture she suffered under The Trix and Toro, as well as her mangled ear, "That's right, I'm the big bad traitor, and this is my punishment. Well, aren't you going to do something to me?"

"Lucy," said Flora in a calming tone, "it's not too late to come back to our side. I'm sure that if you turn yourself in now, you'll be shown leniency."

"It was too late for me a long time ago," said Lucy, "I chose to condemn myself to a life of evil before I was 13, the day I joined the new empire."

"What new empire?" Carmen asked.

"The new empire that will cover the Magical Dimension and all of the universe in darkness," said Lucy, "oh…I said too much. Don't ask me anymore, 'cause I'm not talking."

"Oh you'll talk alright," said Carmen in a menacing tone, "Bloom, give me five minutes alone with this traitor, she'll talk then."

"Oh I'm afraid you losers won't have time to talk," said Lucy, "my comrades will see to that."

"I beg to differ," said Mirta, "your 'comrades' are busy chasing illusions down in the catacombs."

"I know they were," said Lucy in an all too confident tone, as if she had an ace up her sleeve, "but that was before I alerted them to your presence here; I sent them a psychic message just before I came into the room. They'll be back up here before any of your friends and allies outside can get here!" At this she started laughing maniacally.

"You bitch!!" exclaimed an outraged Mirta as she shot a full-power stunning spell at her former friend, knocking Lucy out onto the floor.

"We shouldn't be in here," said Bloom, "in such a confining space. We need to get back to the main hall and meet up with the others."

"You won't get any arguments from me," said Carmen, who, like everyone else, had no desire to fight their enemies at such close quarters.

They had just reach the main hallway, when Jake and the others came within sight of the open doors. But then the doors slammed right in their faces, cutting the others off from Bloom and her group.

"Now what?" Stella asked.

"Now," said Vicky as she materialized and grabbed Bloom by the arm, "we play!" with that they both vanished.

"What just happened?" a confused Morgan asked.

"That," said a voice that was somewhat familiar to our heroes, but they just couldn't remember, "was payback, or rather just the begging of it." From behind a column emerged Trabon, though Stella, Carmen and the others didn't recognize him.

"I know you little girls don't remember me," said Trabon, "so I'll summarize. I'm a friend of Stormy. She and the rest of her sisters are going to take care of Bloom once and for all, while I deal with the rest of you."

"I think we can handle one aging warlock," said Carmen.

"You know so little," said Trabon, "for someone as well-versed in the dark arts. With age comes a different kind of strength. My body may be catching up with time, but my powers are as strong as ever. Oh, and I won't be alone in this venture. Say hello to the gang…"

From various positions around the hall appeared Kevin, Naz, Sara, James, Rolf and Johnny, and Plank of course.

"Well, look what we have here," giggled Naz as she sat atop a decorative bookshelf, "fresh meat."

"They won't be so fresh for long," said Kevin in a vicious tone that matched his expression as he cracked his knuckles expectantly.

"Rolf intends to fry them with cucumbers and beets, with an asparagus pudding for desert."

"You're gross!" said Sara, "but I agree with the general idea, so I'm just going to rip these floozies to little pieces."

"Save one or two for me," said James, "so I can make her head explode."

"You're right, Plank!" said Johnny as he pointed at Stella, Musa, Flora and Layla, "they do look like bugs!"

"We don't look like bugs!" said a highly offended Stella, "and are talking to a piece of wood?"

"He is," said Naz and she hopped to the floor, "I'd say that you would eventually get used to him, but you won't live that long."

"I beg to differ," said Carmen, "It's you freak-a-zoids who are gonna die."

"Unless you choose to get out of our way," said Elise.

"Cloud Tower is our turf," said Morgan, "we witches are stronger here than anywhere else on Magix. I can tell that you creeps are not wanted here, so take a hike already!"

"But we like it here," said Sara in a tone that was dripping with mock innocence, "it's much nicer here than our other place on Xaldo."

"And just where is Xaldo?" Flora asked.

"The location isn't of any business of yours, tanned flower-girl," said Rolf.

"Never mind that!" said an increasingly frantic Stella, "where's Bloom!?"

"I really don't know," said Toro as he emerged from the shadows, "Darcy and the others planned to deal with Bloom by themselves, assuming that lunatic Diaspro doesn't find her way out of the tunnels and get to them first; she really want's to kill Bloom for some reason."

"That's Bloom for you," said Musa, "she's really great, but someone always wants to kill her. It's really not fair."

"All's fair in love and war," taunted Naz.

"As if you creeps were capable of love," said Layla.

"You'd be surprised at what people like us are capable of," said Trabon.

"As if you were people," said Stella, "decent people that is."

"Oh, good one!" said Morgan, "he so got burned, or, should I say, sunburned!"

At that Stella and the others laughed, Carmen laughing the loudest. "We really missed you, Morgan," said Carmen, "things just haven't been the same without you."

"Enough with the chitter-chatter!" snapped Rolf, "the fairies and their Wicca infidels have waited enough of Rolf's time!"

"He's right," said Toro, "let's get this party started already! You losers have so got to die!"

Just then the great doors shuttered as if something very large and heavy were banging against them from the outside. They shuttered again and again, before shattering at the hinges and falling to the floor, and there Jake stood with both hands extended outward.

"Wow!" said an awed Riven, "you are strong."

"Griffin is so gonna kill you when she finds out you broke her doors," said Kegan.

"I'll write Headmistress Griffin a check," said Jake as he and the others entered the hall.

"Who are these guys?" Trabon asked.

"You already know those three," said Toro as he pointed at Helia, Riven and Tatewaki, "but those guys," he pointed at Mace, Kegan, Payton, Jake and everyone else, "they're survivors of Domino that Bloom has been collecting."

"I honestly believe that Bloom was the last of her kind," said Trabon, "I guess the job The Ancestress Coven started still needs to be finished."

"Who is this asshole?" Rei asked.

"The only Shadow Rider with any sense of reason," said Jake, "or so I believed. I guess even I can make a mistake from time to time."

"Don't think I don't know who you are, Phantom Renegade!" snapped Trabon, "or whatever you're calling yourself now!"

"My name is and has always been Jake Avatar. And you, Trabon, aren't looking so well."

"I'm perfectly fine!!" exclaimed Trabon, "I just look old, that's all!"

"Never mind that," said Kurt, "where's Bloom?!"

"She's gone," said Stella.

"Vicky grabbed her and took Bloom," said Carmen, "to somewhere in the school. By now Bloom is fighting Vicky and The Trix all alone."

"Then there isn't much time to waste," said Jake, "Ms. Carmen, I suggest that you, Ms. Elise, and Ms. Morgan of course, glad to see you in one piece, go with The Winx, along with Sir Helia, Sir Riven Sir Tatewaki and Ms. Mirta, and find Princess Bloom."

"Consider it done, Jake," said Carmen, who was blushing with a little embarrassment, but still smiling.

"There's just one little problem with that," Naz, "you've got to deal with us first."

"I don't think so!" said Stella. She then unleashed an Enchantix enhanced sunburst that temporarily blinded the baddies, while leaving her friends unharmed.

"That won't hold them back for long," said Riven.

"Go!" insisted Kurt as he spun the cylinder on his revolver for luck, "we can handle these's morons."

"Just don't die," said Elise.

"Never happen!" said Mace confidently.

With that Stella, The Winx, along with Helia, Riven, Tatewaki, Carmen, Morgan, Elise and Mirta, headed further into the castle, leaving Jake and the other Domino survivors to contend with Naz and her group of baddies, who by now had regained their sight.

"You dorks are so going down!" snarled Kevin.

"Don't call me a dork," said Kegan, "And I won't call you a dipstick!" With that the two groups rushed at each other.

********

Bloom found herself in a room of Cloud Tower that she had never been before; a wide circular room with columns along the walls, about 300ft across and nearly 500ft to the ceiling. It was then that Bloom realized that Vicky was with her.

"Like it here?" Vicky asked, "This is the old spell-slinging room that they used in the old days, before holographic technology advanced. Back then young witches would practice hexes, jinxes and curses in here with plenty of room to move and fly around. Then they closed this room and build a modern holographic simulator room, much like the magical reality chamber you have at Alfea.

"This place we're in now, it lay forgotten for decades, until I found it when I was a student at Cloud Tower. It was kind of like my own personal sanctuary. But now it'll have a better use; the perfect place to finish our little game."

"What is it with you and games, Vicky?" Bloom asked, "your parents didn't give you enough attention when you were a little girl? So you had to provide your own sick entertainment?"

"I happen to like games because they're fun," said Vicky, "and before you ask, yes, your idea of fun and mine are totally different. And no, my parents did give me lots of attention. They even found the time to be with all of us, my sisters and I. Isn't that right, sisters?"

From behind the columns emerged Icy, Darcy and Stormy. Bloom found herself surrounded; Vicky to her front, Icy to the left, Stormy to the right, and Darcy to the rear.

"They did spend time with us," said Icy as she, Darcy and Stormy glared viciously at Bloom, "while they were still alive that is."

"Then The Ancestress Coven got them involved in their escapades," said Stormy.

"Dragooned is more like it," said Darcy, "those dried-up hags may be our direct foremothers, but we all hated them, even when us girls were small."

"But the old hags weren't to be argued with," said Vicky, "they provided our mom and dad, Lilith and Valtor, with incredible power, power to wreck unspeakable evil across The Magical Dimension. But the old hags wanted more, and so did our parents. The power given to them came with a price; the unquenchable desire for more.

"So they all set their sights on the greatest magical force in the known universe; The Dragonfire. You know what happened next, don't you, Bloom?"

"Like I'll ever forget," said Bloom as she tried to think of a way out of this mess, but nothing was coming. So she decided to keep her enemies talking, "your parents and The Ancestress Coven attacked Domino, slaughtering countless innocents and locking the whole planet in a cursed ice age.

"I escaped to Earth, thanks to my sisters' sacrifice, while Carmen and 99 other children were scattered across The Magical Dimension. Your ancestors and parents thought they could exterminate Domino and its people, Vicky. Well they were wrong!

"My people are returning home, and we're going to free Domino of the curse and restore our world to its former glory. And along the way, I'll find my parents, Oritel and Miriam."

"Oh I'm sure you'll find your mommy and daddy," said Vicky in a viciously teasing tone, "their bodies I mean, then you can give them a proper burial."

"What are you talking about?" Bloom asked, "my parents are alive. They're trapped somewhere in The Magical Dimension, but they're alive. The spirit of The Great Dragon told me so when I first visited Domino."

"Well the spirit of The Great Dragon is wrong!" snapped Vicky, "your parents are dead! Just like mine!"

"You're lying!!" exclaimed Bloom.

"No," said Vicky, "not about this. Let me tell you a little story. Nearly 18 years ago, while the 3 old hags were chasing your infant self and your then mortal sister Daphne, your parents and mine were fighting outside in the cold. The curse had already been placed on Domino, and the temperature was dropping fast."

"How do you know this?" Stormy asked.

"You three were at daycare at the time," said Vicky, "but I was at home with the housekeepers, watching via crystal ball. The Ancestress Coven wanted me to watch. They were disappointed with our parents on more than one occasion, and hoped that the four of us would be their true successors, with me as the leader but that's another story. Let's just say that they wanted me to watch and learn.

"Anyway, there on the freezing landscape of Domino was my parents, Valtor and Lilith, facing off against Bloom's parents, Oritel and Miriam. The wind was blowing loudly, so I couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was clear that both pairs had a lot of bad blood between them. Oh yes, Bloom, our two families have a long history. The battles you've had with my sisters, they're only a fraction of the violence our families have partaken over the centuries.

"I'm digressing again, forgive me. So there they were, your parents and mine, fighting, using every ounce of their magic to destroy each other. It turned out that both sides were equally powerful, but an even matched fight could go on only for so long before one side made a mistake.

"Both sides made mistakes at the same times. My parents and yours both found openings and launched devastating magic; Lilith at Miriam and vice versa, the same for Valtor and Oritel. All four curses found their marks, delivering fatal blows.

"I watched as your parents and mine fell to the ground, dieing, the memory of it burned into my mind forever and changed my life for the worst. Your mind would be fckd up if you saw your parents die, as would any child. But the only thing that made the memory of seeing my mom and dad dead bearable was the knowledge was that they killed their enemies as well, that Oritel and Miriam died first.

"That's right, Bloom! Your parents abandoned their mortal coil on Domino while their people were being slaughtered, their world becoming a giant ball of ice, and their daughters deserting their world, and they died first. Your parents are dead! Just like mine!"

"No!" Bloom said defiantly, "you're lying! I know you are!"

"How can you be sure of anything?" Vicky taunted.

"Don't try anymore games with me, Vicky!" said Bloom, "I can tell that you're lying, plain and simple."

"What are you talking about?" Vicky asked. She then looked at Icy, "what is she talking about?"

"I don't know," said Icy.

"You think you know me so well," said Bloom as she smiled confidently, "well I have a secret, and if you, Icy, and your sisters, haven't figured it out after all we've been through, well I guess that makes you a trio of idiots.

"One of the first aspects of my powers I discovered is the ability to see a person's true essence, their inner being, the soul you might say. It works best when the person I'm looking at is standing still, like what you've been doing for a while, Vicky.

"This ability of mine, not only can it tell me if a person is good or evil on the inside, it can also tell me if that person is lying or not telling the whole truth. You've been lying and telling only part of the truth."

"Now who's the liar?" taunted Stormy, "Vicky wouldn't do that, right? Right?"

Stormy, Darcy and Icy looked at Vicky, who could only glare daggers at Bloom.

"You were telling the truth about watching our respective parents fight," said Bloom, "that much is true. But when you got to the part about them killing each other, that's when the lies started. I'm guessing that at some point in the battle, the crystal ball connection to Domino failed, and you later found out that your mother and father were dead.

"So, no, Vicky, I won't be falling for any of your lies. My mother and father are alive somewhere. I'm going to defeat you and your sisters here, then I'm going to go help my friends, then I'm going to put things back the way they were here in Cloud Tower, then I'm going to fix whatever messes you caused among the worlds of The Magical Dimension, and then I'm going to find my parents and put Domino back to rights."

"The hell you will!!" exclaimed a very irate Vicky, "you're right about one thing, Bloom, the time for games is over. So here's a statement of truth; my sisters and I are going to fight you, and we're going to crush you into submission. But we won't kill you outright."

"We won't?" Stormy asked.

"Why aren't we killing her?" Darcy asked.

"Oh she will die, sisters," said Vicky, "but not until I've broken her spirit. We're going to keep the little princess here alive just enough for her to watch what we're going to do next."

"And what are we going to do next?" Icy asked, "you never talked about this part of the plan."

"You should have paid better attention," said Vicky, "we are going to torture and kill all of Bloom's friends and loved ones, one by one, and we're going to make Bloom watch it all. Then, when she's really alone in her heart, then we'll rip it out of her."

"Now this is a plan that I like!" said Stormy eagerly.

"I'm definitely going to enjoy it," said Darcy.

"Me to," said Icy.

"I'll admit it," said Bloom in a flat neutral tone, "it's a fitting plan for someone as foul and vile as you, Vicky."

"You're opinion, what little it matters, is noted," said Vicky, "but…"

"But…" interrupted Bloom, "you've forgotten one importing thing that will seriously ruin your plan."

"And what's that?" Vicky asked.

Bloom then looked at Vicky in the eyes; Bloom's eyes blazing with fire, Dragonfire to be exact, "threatening those I care about really makes me angry!!" With a bright flash of orange light, Bloom powered up to her Enchantix form.

"What the f#ck!?" exclaimed Stormy.

"When did you get your full powers?!" Icy demanded.

"I've had them for a while," said Bloom as she hovered above the floor, "and I've been saving them for a special occasion, like this." Forgive me, Ms. Faragonda, thought Bloom, I couldn't keep my promise.

"Zahidia isn't going to like this," said Vicky to herself, "she warned me not to let Bloom get her full powers."

"And who is Zahidia?" Bloom asked, "your boss?"

"No more talking!" said Vicky, "sisters, let's finish this!"

"I'll agree on that!" said Bloom as she prepared to face all four dark witches, "I'll burn you all!!"

********

"Bloom's not in the dinning hall," said Musa.

"She's not in the transfiguration classroom," said Helia.

"She's not in the lower dormitory," said Layla.

"She's not in the middle and upper dormitory either," said Carmen.

"And she's not in the kitchens," said Flora, "oh, Bloom, where are you?"

For the past several minutes our heroes had been franticly searching the many rooms and chambers of Cloud Tower for their missing friend. So far they had found no trace of Bloom, or even of the enemy witches for that matter.

It did help that Carmen had set up a communication spell that allowed The Winx and the Specialists to coordinate the search, allowing them to talk to each other from different parts of the school.

"She's not in the potion's lab," said Stella as she and Elise exited said room, "and I'm glad she isn't. That room has some of the most disgusting things I've ever seen."

"Well your potions lab has some revolting specimens as well," said Elise as they continued down the corridor.

"I never said I liked potions," said Stella. They came to a fork in the hallway, where they met up with Musa and Riven.

"This place is impossible!" said Musa, "there could be a hundred places that Vicky could have taken Bloom that we'd never be able to find."

"True," said Elise, "there are many hidden rooms and chambers in Cloud Tower that have been lost to the ages, with only written records proving their existence. For all we know, Vicky may have discovered one or two of those places and has taken Bloom there."

"Well that's just great!" said an exasperated Riven, "we may never find her."

"Don't say that!" exclaimed Stella, "of course we'll find Bloom, we have to."

"We can't give up just because it's harder than we thought," said Musa, "if we gave up every time life threw us a sour note, then all we would hear was bad sounds and we'd never get anything done."

"You're right," said Riven, "and that's a nice saying."

"It's one my mom liked," said Musa, "it's one of the good things I remember about her."

"I'm glad you have good memories about your mom, Musa," said Stella in an impatient tone, "now can we please get back to finding Bloom?"

"I never said to stop," said Musa as they checked the next door in the hallway, which turned out to be a closet full of blank scrolls. The next door was full of jars full of different colored ink.

"We use special ink for spell-scrolls," said Elise, "the darker the color, from white to black, the more powerful the spell."

"You mean you don't use black ink all the time?" Stella asked.

"Even witches like a little color in their lives," said Elise as she checked another supply closet, this one full of empty potions vials and beakers.

"Well obviously you do," said Riven in a sarcastic tone. He then came to a door marked with a large red circle, "what's in here?" he asked as he touched the door handle.

"No!!" exclaimed Elise, a look of terror on her face, "don't!!!"

Too late to stop, Riven opened the door. The room behind the door was completely black from very thick shadows, but from those shadows shot several red tentacles that grabbed Riven and yanked him back inside before he could react, the door slamming shut behind him.

"Riven!!" shouted Musa. She ran to the door and tried to open it, but the handle refused to budge. She and Stella then used every unlocking spell they knew, but to no avail.

"What was that thing?" Stella asked.

"I don't know," said a frantic Musa, "but it's got Riven."

"Never open the forbidden door," muttered Elise, "never ever open the forbidden door." It was as if she had just suffered a terrible psychological trauma.

"Elsie, do something!" snapped Musa.

Yet Elise kept saying the same words over and over again, "never open the forbidden door."

It was then that Flora, Helia and Mirta came around the corner towards them. "What happened?" Flora asked.

"This thing," said Stella, "I don't know what it was, it grabbed Riven and dragged him into that room, and now we can't open the door."

"That's the forbidden door," said Mirta, "I remember it from orientation day when I started at Cloud Tower. I remember that Ms. Griffin explicitly warned the new class to stay way from this door and to never, ever, ever open it, no matter what."

"Well apparently Riven did," said Helia.

"I tried to warn him," said Elise as she regained her senses, "but it was too late. Now the thing has him."

"What thing?" Flora asked.

"Never mind what it is," said a very frantic Musa, "how do we get Riven out of there?"

Just then the door shot open. From the shadow-filled room came the sound of a large creature spitting something out, and Riven shot out of the room and hit the opposite wall, the door slamming shut after him.

"Riven!" Musa exclaimed happily. She rushed to embrace him, but backed off at the last instant, for he was completely covered in purple slime of some sort. Other than that he was fine, a little shaken up at the recent ordeal and disgusted at the foul substance covering him, but fine.

"I'm alright," said Riven has he stood up and tried to get the slime off of him.

"What happened to you?" Helia asked.

"It was all so fast," said Riven, "that thing grabbed me, then it was all dark, and it smelled really bad. I think it tried to eat me, but I guess I didn't taste good, so it spat me out."

"Well I guess it does pay to have a sour disposition sometimes," said Stella. She and Flora used a cleansing spell that got the purple goop off of Riven and removed the stench. Once cleaned and fresh smelling again, then Musa embraced him.

"What was that thing that grabbed him?" Stella asked.

"It's a bit of a legend here at Cloud Tower," said Mirta, "nobody really knows the whole story. From what I heard, about 35 years ago, or was it 45? Anyway, that thing, a creature of indescribable terror, was the result of an experiment gone horribly wrong."

"The staff and upper-class students at the time tried every means to banish the creature," said Elise, "but nothing worked. Of course, there were dozens of eager young heroes over at Red fountain that would have gladly destroyed the creature, but you know us witches and our pride. So the thing was trapped in this room, and it has been marked forbidden since."

"Well you could have warned me," said Riven.

"I tried but it was too late," said Elise.

"What was too late?" Morgan asked as she walked up to them.

"Riven opened the forbidden door," said Elise.

"No kidding," said Morgan. She looked at Riven, "and the thing, it let you go?"

"No, it didn't," said Riven in a sarcastic tone, "that thing is digesting me as we speak, and you're talking to a ghost."

"Not too bad," said Morgan in an appraising tone, "the joke I mean. Consider yourself one lucky son of a bitch that the thing didn't want to eat you." She looked at Musa, "and you should be lucky that he is lucky"

"I know," said Musa as she clung adoring to Riven's arm.

Just then Carmen ran up to them, with Layla and Tatewaki right behind her.

"What happened?" Carmen asked, "I heard a commotion, like someone died."

"Someone nearly did," said Musa as she clung tighter to Riven. The full realization of what almost happened to him hit Riven, and he embraced Musa.

"Riven opened the forbidden door," said Morgan.

"What!?!" exclaimed Carmen. She then grabbed Riven by the shoulders, knocking Musa aside, "you never open the forbidden door! It's a horrible, horrible place in there, with a horrible, horrible thing inside!"

"I know," said Riven as he forced Carmen's hands off of him, "that creature tried to eat me."

"Really?" Carmen asked, her curiosity perked, "did you see what the thing looked like?"

"I was too busy trying to stay alive," said Riven, annoyed that Carmen was asking this of him, "so no, I didn't get a good look at it."

"All we saw were tentacles," said Elise, "and that was only for an instant as they grabbed Riven."

"Oh," said a slightly disappointed Carmen, "okay." She looked at the door, now seemingly innocent even with the red circle, "I would like to know what the creature is, mostly so I can know how to kill it."

"I wouldn't mind taking a crack at the thing," said Riven, "I don't appreciate being eaten."

"Aren't we forgetting something?" Stella asked, looking very annoyed that everyone had forgotten the important issue, "we still need to find Bloom!"

"We will," said Flora.

"But how?" Layla asked, "we've looked just about everywhere."

"Not everywhere," said Elise, "there is the possibility that Vicky took Bloom to a part of the school that only she would know about; a secret room that she rediscovered in her youth."

"Well how do we find that?" Helia asked.

"Of course!" exclaimed Carmen as she smiled eagerly, "I should have realized!"

"Realized what?" Musa asked.

"I've been so worked up that I forgotten," said Carmen, "the spell. The one that was put on me at the fall of Domino, the one that allows us survivors to recognize each other. I can use that to find Bloom. Just give me a second…"

Carmen closed her eyes and focused her magic. After a minute she opened her eyes, "the old training room, that's where Vicky took Bloom!" but then a look of frantic worry dawned on her face, "but we have to hurry, Bloom's in more danger than she realizes."

********

At the exact same instant that Carmen sensed that Bloom was in trouble, the same sensation was picked up by Jake, Kurt and the other Domino survivors as they battled Kevin and the Xaldo crew. The fight had moved outside the castle so the fighters could have more room to fight in.

Not that it made any difference to the villains from Xaldo. From almost the start of the battle, Jake and his fellow Domino survivors had control of the fight. Not only did they outnumber the baddies, they used superior fighting styles and had superior strategies that had Kevin and his crew backed against the wall.

But then the Domino survivors all sensed that Bloom was in trouble. This sensation that their princess was in danger caused them to be distracted enough for the tide to turn in the battle for the worst. The Xaldo villains took advantage of the distraction, clobbering nearly all of the Domino survivors. Before the heroes knew what happened, only Jake was left standing, the only one still in fighting condition that is.

The baddies, on the other hand, were all still at the top of their game, especially Trabon, who proved that the physical state of his body had nothing to do with the prowess of his dark magic.

"How fitting that you face us alone now," said Trabon to Jake, "for over two centuries The Phantom Renegade has been the stuff of nightmares for the more 'liberal' practitioners of the dark arts; the devil come to take us down to hell. It's fitting that you stand alone now. Isn't it tradition for The Phantom Renegade to stand alone?"

"Not any more," said Jake, "if I am to be the final incarnation of The Phantom Renegade, I would rather be so with those I care about at my sides. However, being as how the situation is at this time…"

Only Mace, Payton and Kurt were still conscious, while the others were completely out cold. Mace had two broken arms, while Payton had a broke leg, and Kurt was trussed up like a pig ready to be slow cooked over an open fire.

"Don't let them intimidate you, Jake!" shouted Kurt, "you're the strongest of us; you can take the bastards down!!"

"Insolent gun slinger! Rolf shall silence your meddling tongue!" the irate warlock then hit Kurt with a curse that temporarily deprived him of his voice.

"Now that we've taken care of that little annoyance," said Toro, "let's finish this."

"I get to break his arms!" said Sara, "I call them."

"Dibs on his legs!" said Kevin.

"Plank gets to bash his brains in!" said Johnny.

Jake prepared to face his doom, confident that no matter the outcome, he would at least take as many of the villains with him as he could. But then something happened that made Jake smile.

"I do believe that this battle will end," said Jake confidently, "but not the way you hope it would be."

"What are you talking about?" Kevin asked, "we've got you outnumbered and surrounded! You're crazy to think that you'll win, you're such a dork."

"I beg to differ," said Jake, "look up."

The baddies did look up, to see Griffin hovering above them, looking very angry, "you home wreckers have defiled Cloud Tower long enough!!" said the rightful headmistress, "so take a hike!!" She send a multiple-streamed curse at the baddies that grabbed Kevin, Naz and the rest of the Xaldo villains and hurled them into the forest.

"This is really bad," said Toro in a nervous tone at the sight of Griffin landing next to Jake.

"I've got a feeling that it's about to get worse," said Trabon.

"How right you are!" said Saladin as he appeared in front of Trabon and blasted the warlock with a surprise stunning spell.

Jake then took the initiative and attacked Toro, his palm barely touching the chest of the dark martial artist, but delivered enough force to send him slamming into the castle wall.

"Well done, young Jake," said Saladin.

"Thank you, Master Saladin," said Jake as he bowed in respect.

Faragonda then appeared and cast healing spells on Payton, Mace and the other survivors, while Jake untied Kurt, whom had his voice resorted as well.

"Just who were those people you were fighting?" Faragonda asked.

"Allies of The Trix," said Kegan as he picked up his staff.

"Speaking of the devils," said Payton, "we have to find Bloom, she's in terrible danger."

"I anticipated that she would be," said Faragonda.

"Vicky grabbed Bloom and took her somewhere in the school," said Mace, "Carmen and the others are looking for her."

"I to anticipated that," said Griffin, "and I have a distinct idea as to where they are."

"Why are you here, Ms. Griffin?" Kurt asked.

"Why else would I be here?" Griffin said, "to take back my school."

"And we're here to help," said Saladin, while Faragonda nodded in agreement.

********

Fighting her enemies while in her Enchantix was unlike anything Bloom had experienced before. As usual, The Trix, along with Vicky, were doing their very best to kill her. Yet now that she was using her full powers, it was like the witches were moving in slow motion, or maybe it was that Bloom was able to move much faster.

Either way, Bloom avoided and countered all of her enemies' attacks with startling, and also gratifying ease. At the same time, she attacked and knocked the witches down several times. They kept getting back up, but each time they were a little slower on the mark and their attacks had a little less force behind them, while Bloom was barely using a fraction of her full potential, and she knew it.

Within ten minutes of such hard fighting, Bloom knew she had all but won. The Trix were so winded they could barely hover, much less cast a curse. Even Vicky, who seemed so invincible before, looked like she had just ran a marathon. And as before at Alfea, Vicky was cut, one on her arm this time, and it was still bleeding.

As for Bloom, she wasn't even breathing hard; she felt like she could go on for hours. "I'm disappointed in you, Vicky," said Bloom, "after all your talk, you're just like your sisters; in the end, you're all full of hot air."

"Well you'd know all about hot air, Bloom," said Vicky. She was putting up a brave front for her sisters, yet she felt otherwise. Her augmented body was telling herself that she needed to stop fighting at once before she exhausted herself beyond the point of no return.

"This means nothing, Bloom!" snapped Icy, "we're still better than you!"

"You keep saying that, Icy," said Bloom, "it won't matter much longer. I've had it with you Trix; you and Vicky! This ends now!"

"Do you really think you can kill us?" Vicky asked.

"I know I can," said Bloom in a determined tone, "and don't say anything about my being capable of doing it, because I am!"

But then Bloom got hit by a blast of energy from behind. It didn't hurt her, but it broke her concentration, allowing Vicky and her sisters to get out of Bloom's line of fire.

"I hate you, Bloom!" shouted Diaspro as she stepped into the open and shot another blast at Bloom, "I hate you!!" she kept blasting Bloom, but now Bloom was ready.

"I don't have time to mess around with you, Diaspro," said Bloom as she blocked each blast. She then hit Diaspro with a stunning spell, then turned back to the business at hand.

"I've had it with all of you!" Bloom shouted, fully intending to incinerate every baddie in the room. But then she gasped loudly as her energy seemed to fail her. Just like on Domino, Bloom's powers failed, causing her to revert back to her normal attire. This time she was still conscious and could stand, barely, but she had little if any energy to defend herself in.

"Well now," said a surprised Vicky, her face twisted with vicious glee, "how the tables have turned. Now who's full of hot air?"

"What's going on?" Stormy asked.

"I don't know," said Icy, "but I'm not one who doesn't pass up a golden opportunity."

"Me neither," said Darcy, "sisters, I think it's time we finished this ourselves."

"No!!" spat Diaspro as she broke free of the stunning spell, "she's mine! I'm the one who will kill Bloom. Not you, me!"

"Oh shut up, you fck$ng psycho," said Vicky, "this is family business."

"We've been trying to destroy this loser longer than you have," said Icy, while Stormy and Darcy nodded in agreement, "so it's our show here."

"You can play with whatever's left of Bloom," said Stormy, "when we're done with her."

"She's mine I tell you!!" exclaimed Diaspro, her madness in full force, "she is the bane of my existence! If anyone has a right to destroy Bloom, it is me!!"

"Glad to know I'm so popular," said Bloom as she tried to regain control of her powers, yet the energy of her magic wouldn't come back. She knew it was still there, but it was like trying to push a 16 tone weight uphill.

"You can joke all you want, Bloom," said Vicky, "it's no matter. One way or another you will die today!"

"I beg to differ!" said a very angry Griffin as she, Carmen, Morgan and Elise teleported into the room. At the same time, Faragonda and Stella came through a door in the wall, followed by Flora and the rest of The Winx.

"You four!" spat Griffin as she pointed at Vicky and The Trix, "your days in Cloud Tower are over!!" Griffin grabbed Vicky, while Carmen grabbed Icy, Elise grabbed Darcy, and Morgan grabbed Stormy. They all teleported out of the room.

Realizing that the jig was up again, Diaspro teleported out herself.

Bloom nearly fell to the floor, but was caught by Stella and Musa.

"Just hang on, Bloom," said Musa, "you're going to be alright."

"I wish I felt alright," said Bloom, who was on the verge of passing out, "Ms. Faragonda…"

"I'm here, Bloom," said Faragonda as she held Bloom's hand.

"I used my Enchantix," said Bloom, her voice barely above a whisper, "I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise. I'm…sorry…"

"Bloom?" Stella said as Bloom's eyes closed and didn't open again, "Bloom!?"

"She's alright, Stella," said Flora, "just exhausted again."

"I'm sorry," whispered the unconscious Bloom, "I'm sorry…"

The end of chapter 20.

The Dragon Princess awakes to learn the events that occurred during her absence. Her teacher then sets her with a quest that can change her life. Elsewhere, the dark souls are on the verge of losing favor with their dark benefactors. As the Dragon Princess and her companions set out to see the knowledge, they encounter a strange yet wondrous group of travelers, an encounter that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

Next chapter; The Dragon Sage part 1

'for those with wings, fly to your dreams'