Part 7
Sky fell to the ground on his backside and looked up. Riven and Henry was standing above him with evil smirks. Sky growled. He'd tried to get to Riven but the result was this, being pushed back and then pushed so hard he fell.
"Didn' we tell you ta stay awoi from us", Henry asked. He was holding his arms crossed, as did Riven.
"Maybe he just doesn't understand a word we say", Riven said and they laughed and walked off.
"I hate them", Sky said as Helia and Nabu helped him up.
"We told you not to go there", Nabu said.
"We told you to play it cool", Helia said. "We've told you for several days now."
"I can't play it cool when Riven is right beside me working with the Wizards! I can't play it cool when we've been fighting him to protect the white circle! I can't play it cool when he injures out with no regret whatsoever!"
"It's not Riven's fault."
"I know that", Sky yelled. "That's why I am so frustrated! I must get to him! Maybe we can talk him into snapping out of it!"
"Haven't you realized by now that if you get close to Riven Duman won't be too far away?" Nabu asked.
"No…" Sky grumbled. Flora who'd stood beside them heard every word and looked at the beach where Duman was right now. She nodded and walked off with determination.
'Whot's 'appening ta me', Duman thought. 'After tha' day Roxy drove me crazy Oi've 'ad these strange thoughts running through mah 'ead and strange flashbacks. And thois body…' he looked at his hands. 'Oit feels so familiah but Oi've nevah seen thois guy before… and why did Riven yell all those thoings at me?'
"Excuse me", a voice said and Duman jumped high and spun around and saw Flora.
"Tha nature fairy", he said. "Whot do you want?"
"Just talk to you", she said kindly. "Why are you doing this?"
"Whoi am Oi doing whot?"
"Torturing us by taking Riven, trying to destroy the White Circle… hunting fairies." Duman looked at her and then out at the sea.
"We want the Whoite Circle that's whoi Riven's one of us, we want to destroy oit so the fairies won't escape. But you know that all ready."
"Yes I do…" she held out an apple to him.
"Whot's this?" he asked.
"An apple for you. My way of saying sorry."
"Whot are you sorry for?"
"Well for what Roxy did to you. I know she and Bloom regrets it something awful."
"Oit's because Oi 'urt their friends."
"No… well a bit of it. But Roxy felt your pain, confusion and fear."
"Oi don' need your pity."
"I do not pity you. I just don't like it when someone gets hurt that badly, enemy or friend." She moved closer, still holding the apple out. Duman looked at it wearily. He reached out and slowly took it and looked at the blood red color. Flora smiled.
"But you didn't answer my last question Henry", she said and he looked at her. "But you don't have to if you don't feel like it."
She turned and started to walk away.
"Thanks", it was barely above a whisper but she heard it and turned around. But Duman was gone. Flora smiled thinking that he can't be fully evil if he could say thank you to an enemy.
When Flora got into the bar she was met by the girls glaring at her with their arms crossed.
"What", she asked.
"Uh you were talking", Layla said.
"So?"
"To Duman!" Stella shrieked.
"I know", Flora said and walked past them.
"And you gave him an apple", Roxy said.
"I did", Flora sat down at a table.
"Flora are you insane", Bloom said. "He's the enemy you can't flirt with him."
"I wasn't flirting okay", Flora said.
"Then why did you do it", Tecna said.
"I told him I was sorry."
"Sorry", the others asked.
"For what we did to him."
The girls looked at each other and then sat down around the table.
"There's something more to this isn't it", Musa asked.
"Yes", Flora said and sighed. "I just can't believe that Henry was just an act on Duman's side."
"You think Henry was real", Bloom asked. "You think he was killed by the wizards?"
"No", Flora said. "I need Helia and Nabu." She looked around.
"Why", Layla asked.
"We were discussing it… Helia Nabu!" She waved them over.
"How did it go Flora", Nabu asked.
"He said thanks."
Nabu and Helia stared at her and then Helia smiled.
"See I told you he wasn't rotten straight through", he said and grinned at Nabu.
"Okay back up", Bloom said. "What's going on?"
Nabu opened his mouth, but at that moment Henry started to sing.
You always had the belief
The belief of a big world
Where lust and longing can grow strong
Where different thoughts live
Look around you, here is your world
The battle shall begin with you
You don't need to seek, you can begin with fighting your shadow
You only need to know, that the questions asked can give the answers
You need
You need
Your thoughts fly by
And life can be what it becomes
If you don't dare to look on yourself
What will happen with all our time
Look around you, here is your world
The battle shall begin with you
You don't need to seek, you can begin with fighting your shadow
You only need to know, that the questions asked can give the answers
Time is for the moment that is
And could we answer, what were we doing here
You don't need to seek, you can begin with fighting your shadow
You only need to know, that the questions asked can give the answers
You don't need-
Henry stopped singing and everyone looked at him in confusion. Henry's grip on the microphone was so hard his knuckles were white, his eyes wire wide and sweat broke out on his forehead. The bar started buzzing with questions.
"What's going on?"
"Is something wrong?"
"Is he okay?"
"Why did he stop?"
"Is this part of the show?"
Henry dropped to his knees and dropped the microphone and was holding his head groaning. Riven shot forward through the crowd and jumped onto the stage. He grabbed Henry's shoulders and shook him.
"Henry", he said. "Henry are you okay? Henry!"
"No… black circle… must… stop… not… you…" Henry groaned.
"What are you talking about?"
Henry didn't answer.
In his mind Duman was surrounded by darkness and mist and he was in a dark forest. But he could make out the shape of someone in the dark, someone wearing a cape.
"Stop this Duman", the shape said.
"Who are you", Duman growled.
"You must stop."
"Stop what?"
"Think of that boy."
"What boi, Riven?"
"And that nature fairy, she was sorry."
"Leave me alone!"
"No! The black circle will destroy you. It will destroy everything. You must stop. This is not you."
"Ge' out of moi 'ead!"
Riven shook his comrade carefully.
"Let's get him out of here", Claus said and climbed onto the stage and helped Riven move Henry into a room in the back where there was a sofa. They got Henry onto the sofa and Riven sat down beside him and took his hand. Claus left them to calm the guests. Riven made an attempt to get mental contact but nothing happened.
"Come on Duman", he said and the shape shifter turned into his normal self. "Wake up… come on man this isn't funny." Riven was worried. He knew the other wizards were starting to get weaker by the white circle. He was too occupied in his thoughts that he didn't notice the door creek open and Claus and Nabu entering.
"What the hell", Claus yelled as he recognized Duman. Riven flew up and twirled around.
"What is that wizard doing here", Claus demanded. "Where's Henry?"
"Henry never existed pathetic human", Riven spat and transformed into his new form.
"Riven", Claus exclaimed in shock. "Wha-what's going on?"
"Nothing for you to care about…" Riven raised his hand and negative energy flew at Claus but Nabu knocked him out of the way and avoided the energy at the same time.
"Guys!" Nabu yelled as Riven fired at him a few more times and the Winx and Roxy entered.
"Riven stop!" Musa yelled. "We don't want to hurt you!"
"You've already hurt me!" By now Riven was furious. His hand were balled into fists and he raised his hands over his hands and then pulled them down fast and hard and let his fits rest on his chest. "ARGH!" he screamed and the dark energy in the room exploded and everyone was either sent flying out the door, the windows or into the walls. The room started to burn too.
"Riven", Duman said and grabbed his younger friend. "Let's go."
"WHAT?"
"Look aroun' you."
Riven did and saw all his unconscious enemies and the fire was starting to spread.
"Everythoing's done. Let's go back to Ogron an' the othahs."
"You're right Duman."
Riven teleported away and Duman looked around. He saw Flora lay near the fire and walked over and put the apple beside her.
"Let's ge' roid of thois…" he mumbled and raised his hands. "Dark foire come to me… goive me an' my frien's your power…" The fire flew at him and into his hand and body. Duman wobbled a bit but regained his composure and held his hands outstretched.
"Oi'm your mastah obey me dark energy…" The fire vanished into his body and the dark energy pulsed around Duman and then calmed down. The wizard looked at Flora and saw her watch him.
"Thank you for saving our lives", she said.
"Oi was savoing mah own", he said. "That foire woill give me enough energy to share woith the othas." And he disappeared in the usual cloud. Flora smiled.
"No you didn't", she said. "You saved us… your way of saying thank you for caring." Then she passed out.
A few hours later the Winx, Roxy and the specialists were at Love and Pet and talking about the day.
"I can't believe Duman saved your lives", Brandon said.
"Believe it", Timmy said. "It's shown on the surveillance cameras."
"But why would he do something like that", Stella said. "He's our enemy!"
"Maybe he isn't completely evil", Flora said. The apple was on the table in front of her and she watched it sadly.
"Flora", Layla said. "You said you and Helia and Nabu were discussing this."
Flora looked at the boys and Nabu cleared his throat.
"I remembered something not too long ago about two duos of heroes that defeated some of the most powerful evil witches and dark fairies that ever existed", he said.
"Really", Bloom asked. "You think they can help?"
"Not really…" Nabu used his magic and they saw a blurry image of a planet. "This is the planet of Vicks. It doesn't exist anymore. But centuries ago it was one of the most peaceful planets in the entire magical dimension."
"That's why Guntla the dark fairy attacked it", Helia went on. Saladin had told him this story many times when Helia had judged all witches as bad and all fairies good. "She wanted all their magic, not much unlike Valtor and she was unbeatable… until they came."
"Who're they?" Brandon asked.
"Two wizards with incredible power", Flora said. She'd been told this story too by her grandmother who's family had once come from Vicks generations back. "One of them was strong and had control over earth. He could also cause enormous shockwaves and vibration in the earth or in the air by slamming his hands together or stomp his feet or just firing them."
"That sounds familiar", Sky grumbled.
"The other had dark powers… he could control dark fire, the sky and he absorbed anything thrown his way by Guntla and her evil minions."
Nabu moved his hands as he spoke:
"The description we've managed to gather over the magix net and through my old magical books and… uhum Tecna's copy of the Alphea library."
"You stole my hand computer", Tecna asked aghast.
"Borrowed", Helia said.
"And with Helia's talent in drawing we managed to get these pictures", Nabu went on and two faces morphed into view.
"Whoa!" Musa said. "That looks like Gantlos and Ogron."
"We think it's them", Flora said.
"But… why stop Guntla", Bloom asked.
"Isn't it obvious", Stella said. "She was a fairy and they're fairy hunters."
"That's not all", Flora went on. "There's another story of another duo destroying the witch Nemesisa."
"I remember that story", Timmy said. "A guy as fast as light and strong as a hundred men and a man who was everything defeated her and saved the world of Sparx."
"WHAT?" Bloom yelled.
"A long time before you were born Bloom", Nabu said. "Around the same time as Guntla was defeated. The battle against Nemesisa was witnessed by a great magician and he captured his memories in a painting. We downloaded a picture from the magix net… do these two look familiar?"
A painting appeared… a painting of Anagan and Duman.
"I can't believe those two defeated a witch", Brandon said. "To save a world I mean."
"That's why we think that the Black circle weren't always evil", Flora said.
"If it wasn't a plot of some sort", Tecna said.
"I still don't think Duman is completely evil", Helia said. "And the wizards care about each other we've seen it in action."
"So?" Stella said.
"Stella if someone is as rotten as Ogron and the wizards, wouldn't they try to appear like they wouldn't care about their own?"
"Gantlos' wrath when Duman got hurt", Nabu said.
"The worry Anagan showed when Bloom shot 'Henry'", Flora said.
"So I didn't imagine that", Bloom said and Flora shook her head.
"I saw it too."
"And lastly… Duman saving you from that fire… and thanking Flora."
"But if he isn't evil", Roxy said. "Does that mean it might have been Duman's good side I saw in his mind?"
"Probably", Nabu said.
"No", Stella said. "I don't believe it. Those wizards can't be trusted. Duman's 'kindness' was to get strength, pure egoistical."
"Stella-" Flora began but was cut off.
"I agree with Stella", Tecna said. "All these theories don't make sense."
"I agree", Timmy said.
"Me too", Bloom, Layla and Sky agreed.
"What do you think Musa", Flora asked.
"I think… I think they are evil. Only a complete rotten guy would do that to Riven and us."
Roxy looked around. "I don't know", she said.
"Me neither", Brandon said. "Let's see where this leads."
But unknown to them Ogron was standing in the shadows of the room, after Duman had given him the dark energy he'd collected from the fire he had told Ogron that the Winx thought he'd done that to save them. Ogron hurried off to make sure that it wasn't the case. He'd heard everything they said and decided to take action. He closed his eyes and cast a spell that would make the Winx and specialist forget that they thought the Wizards were kind and when the Winx and specialist woke the next morning… they didn't remember the kindness shown by any of the Wizards.
TBC Song used is another Nordman, I was listening to his music when this story popped into my head :P This song is called "Du behöver" = "You need"
BeBlessed - Thank you that warms my author heart :D
ashangel101010 - We'll see :)
THE FIRST FEMALE LYCAN - It's okay.
Shiary - Well you'll see what happens when we get there but I must admit... I hate that part too.