Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club.

alenadira2, one of the big goals for this book was to delve into the history of the Magic Dimension. Due to the nature of Altivix historical figures tend to accumulate here, which means all sorts of forgotten knowledge is available first hand. Imagine if Perdi's brother were here. He'd get so wrapped up in research that he'd never leave!

On a different topic, I'm not sure a happy ending is even possible at this point. Nebula is dead, Elise is dead, Lora died off-screen (Trina's still alive though), Artis's parents are dead, Morgana lost her magic, and literally millions of other people are dead. Oh, and Sky died in between books one and two. Given the rules I have about resurrection, this isn't changing. At this point a bittersweet ending is the best possible outcome, and that's disregarding the fact that half the Magic Dimension wants the Classix's heads.

On a semi-related note, someone asked me which of my characters I would like to hang out with. My answer? None of them. I'm not stupid enough to want to be anywhere near people I put through this much grief. Okay, maybe Vivian. She doesn't want to kill me. Yet.

On with the story!

Luminé was waiting for them at the cave's entrance. "That was fast. How did it go?"

"They succeeded in breaking the seal, allowing me to restore the portal." Kobet said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to return to my home."

"We'll go with you." Dhalia said. "We need a place to rest until Amelia wakes up again." The exhausted fairy of magic lay in Reyva's arms, snoring lightly.

"Fine. You may stay in the guest house."

"Thank you."

"Let's go." They took to the air.

Perdi flew alongside Luminé as they flew back.

"Luminé? What was that place?"

"It's the exit from Altivix. What did you think it was?"

"Well, yes, but why was it glowing? And why did the cave try to talk us out of our mission?"

"It's the exit from Altivix. Am I not being clear?"

"Um, not really?"

Luminé turned in midair so that she was now flying backwards. She gave Perdi a rather odd look. "Surely you know about the flow of magic."

"Sure, but what's that have to do with this?"

"Everything!"

"I don't get it."

Luminé stared at Perdi for a long moment. "You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

"Okay, let me start over. Magic originates in Univix. It then flows through the other realms in sequence before finally ending up here. In a normal realm, that mountain would be where the magic flows out of the realm. However, here it just accumulates, building up over the years."

Perdi blinked several times. She should be used to having her view of the world overturned by now. After all, this was the third time in less than two days.

"I thought each realm had its own magic."

"No, the magic is all the same, but it is expressed differently in each realm. On Domino, it is expressed primarily through fire. On Andros, it's water, Linfea, plants, and Solaria the sun. The realms don't produce their own magic, they simply alter the magic that flows through them."

"But if magic flows through each realm..."

"Yes?"

"Then how was Earth cut off from magic?"

"I don't believe it was. The people might have been cut off from the magic, but the realm itself was likely unaffected. Magic must have continued to flow through it, even if no one could tap it."

"So what does all this magic do in Altivix?" Perdi asked, returning to her original question. "What does it have to do with the cave?"

"That cave is where most of the magic accumulates, both from the other realms and the magic Altivix drains from those of us who live here. The rocks themselves are so saturated with magic that they glow. This collection of magic is so huge that it's almost like a living thing. It doesn't think exactly, but it does operate on a certain kind of instinct."

"And what does that instinct tell it to do?"

"To keep everyone who comes to Altivix here. It can't attack you, but it can get inside your mind, expose the weakest part of you, and force you to face it." Luminé shuddered at some memory. "It will do whatever it can to break you into staying here."

"It didn't seem like it was trying all that hard."

"That's because you weren't planning on leaving just yet."

"Oh." Perdi glanced past Luminé's shoulder. "Oh!" She pointed.

A massive plume of smoke drifted up from the wreckage of the three buildings.

They landed at the edge of the devastation. Kobet immediately rushed forward, looking for his three charges. Meanwhile, Luminé's face went cold and stony.

"She's violated the truce. I'll have to warn Melivon. Sasha's gone to far this time."

"Um, Lady Luminé..." Dhalia said weakly, raising a hand.

"Not now girls." She started pacing, speaking to herself at speed. "Have to double the guard, organize a expedition..."

"Lady Luminé." Dhalia said, a bit more firmly.

"Can't you see that I'm busy?" Luminé snapped before going back to her monologue. "We can't let her get away with this, we have to-"

"Lady Luminé!" Dhalia shouted. "Listen to me! Sasha didn't do this!"

Luminé turned to Dhalia. "I am the second strongest person in all of Altivix. I couldn't have done this. The wards Kobet has put in place would take me days to dismantle. Sasha is the only one with this kind of power. It has to have been her."

"I'm telling you, it wasn't her!"

"You seem so certain about that." Luminé turned and scowled at Dhalia. "How do you know what Sasha did and didn't do?" She demanded.

"Well, I, uh..." Dhalia quailed under the glare Luminé bestowed upon her.

"I have a city to protect. You have ten seconds to explain to me how you know what Sasha has been up to."

"I, that is, we-"

"I'm waiting."

"Um-"

"Five seconds."

Dhalia stuttered to a stop as the seconds flew past.

"Alright then. You'll be coming back to Melivon with me for questioning. I take no chances with the safety of my city." She went to grab Dhalia.

"Stop!" Nyssa said. "Sasha couldn't have done this because I'm Sasha."

Luminé turned to face her. "I'm not in the mood for jokes child. My city is in danger. You will tell me the truth, and you will tell it to me now."

"I am Sasha."

"It's not funny."

"It's not supposed to be. It's the truth."

Luminé stared at her for a long moment. "Explain." The word was like solid block of ice, hard, cold, and utterly uncompromising.

"This could take some time."

"Then make it fast."

A/N: That's all for now. I'm sorry about the length, but real life is getting in the way right now. Hopefully, once things settle down a bit, I'll be able to spend more time on this.

Wow, Luminé is kind of scary when you threaten her city. And she's usually so easy-going. Hopefully she takes the news well.

That's it for now, sorry again about the length.