A/N: A note; my plan for this chapter got lost. So I had to replan it from memory! And I've been ill... And on holiday...
Also I'm considering rewriting this. Not yet, once I finished it just because I don't like what I wrote and rereading the author's notes... Just... I can't believe that I wrote some of the stuff that I did. So yeah, considering rewriting this as another story when I've finished it. What would you think about it?
I know I haven't updated as quickly as I said I would and that's because I don't seem to being much of what I've planned to do recently (I don't know why), also I can't stop reading fanfiction instead of writing. Although if anyone knows any good Harry/Ginny fanfictions, let me know. I've been searching for them and I can't seem to find any that I like the sound of because they mostly seem to be slash or multi- or very badly written. One of the best I've come across so far is Aspirations and Nothing to Fear so if anyone knows any others like them or with similar (independent, grey, evil or dark Harry/Ginny) could you tell me?
On to a different subject; I went to go see The Fault in Our Stars when it was out and I couldn't stop crying! I liked it and I've read the book now. Anyone else seen it?
Last thing, I think by the second season, it is widely known that Bloom was adopted. Also dialogue recognizable from the Carrie (2013) trailer, I obviously don't own. I had an idea for a flashback of the first time Darkar and Bloom meet... Would you want to see it? Also open to suggestions for the next chapter and later ones. Eoife is pronounced Eva... Irish name.
SHOUT OUT: PierceTheVeils story 'A New Reality', co-written with To die upon a kiss. It's awesome! Link: /s/10283114/1/A-New-Reality
'The descent beckons as the ascent beckoned.'
From The Descent by William Carlos Williams
'I was a pretty dark person to begin with. I have always been drawn to darkness.'
Anonymous
Bloom stared blankly at the letter in her hands. It felt like a ton of bricks... The quicker she opened it, the quicker she could read it, hide it. She could a deep breath and ripped it open.
Dear Hope,
It seems so strange to be writing this as I can feel you kicking. You can't wait to be in this world, can you? Writing this seems excessively paranoid but the Dragon asked me. She came to me in my dreams... It seems as though she's always been there for me. But now, she told me that there was a possibility that I and your father could die. I asked Gabriel; he said he hasn't seen anything, so with any luck, I can find myself laughing at my paranoia!
The next few lines were impossible to read; the words got shakier and shakier until Rosario's tears had fell onto the paper, smudging the ink. She couldn't make a word out. The lines after that had completely different handwriting.
Hope, your mother can't finish this. She's too upset. I don't blame her, she wanted to leave you this to tell you that she loves you – even when she can't anymore.
I'm going to get straight to the point. Don't trust Faragonda. I'm not sure what will be happening when you read this but she's trying to extend her influence to Shadowhaunt, to the darkest corners of the magical universe. Her own concepts of light and dark are extreme cookie-cutter stereotypes and she won't stop until everything is exactly how she wants it. I can't tell you who to trust because I'm not there but ... the people who you shouldn't trust; there will be warning signs.
I have two requests. The first, a friend, Amyria Oseman, went into Magix a few months back and we haven't heard from her since. Find out what happened to her. The second, I want you to learn as much as you can – learn any type of magic you think could help you survive. It's doesn't matter if it's dark or light. Magic is magic, the only difference is the user's intention. Anyone close to you decides to betray you or leave you because of that, don't bother trying to reason with them or make nice-ities with them again. They simply aren't worth it.
The extremists needs to be stopped.
We love you until the end of time.
Tears trailed down Bloom's face. Her father had tried to warn her! Her father had tried... She'd fulfil his last wishes. Christian would be the best to talk to. He'd help her, talk about it with her and not ask questions about every single thing, like Gabriel would. That was what she needed. Someone who understood how she felt and gave her the space to deal with it on her own. Now she just needed an excuse to escape the school grounds. As she thought, she slowly drifted to sleep.
When she woke the next morning, she couldn't remember drifting off and Flora was already up and out. Kiko was fast asleep alongside Lockette. Running a hand through her tangled mass of bed hair, she exited her dorm and tiredly wondered where everyone was. She found all five of them anxiously staring at the holo-screen projecting upwards from the common room table.
"What's up?" She asked.
"Didn't you watch the news last night?" Tecna questioned in reply, narrowing her eyes. The look made the hairs on the back of Bloom's neck prickle.
"No. I went straight to bed. Why?"
"Oh my god!" Stella cried dramatically, flailing her arms about. "It's awful! It's tragic! Completely horrifying-"
"They found a dead body in Magix last night." Musa cut in, moodily crossing her arms over her chest as she shot the blonde an annoyed look. "They're releasing the details now."
A recording of a back alley disappeared, replaced with a stern-faced news reporter.
"The coroner revealed the body to be that of Genie Patinson, awho had disappeared from the hospital the previous night. She was admitted due to injuries in an hover accident that had claimed the lives of her parents, her mental state was not suicidal or depressed so until further evidence is released, the police are treating the case as a homicide. The images about to be shown may be disturbing. Viewers are asked to view at their own discretion."
The news reader faded into those disturbing images. A bloody scene with blood splashed up the dark bricks, the girl's eyes were closed but her mouth was open in a silent scream. Sanguinary chest and face – the cause of death being an obvious slit throat. The claret had ran down but splashed upwards, the red jelly-like substance beneath the layers of skin was visible. Bloom was studying the photos with some kind of morbid fascination (definitely had been done in a hurry) when she saw Flora bolt to the bathroom. A few heartbeats later, loud retching sounds came from within.
It took them half an hour and a quick visit to the nurse to get Flora feeling better. As long as nobody mentioned Genie Patinson, she would be fine. At least Bloom hoped, she also prayed that Amaryl (who was currently sat in the back of Palladium's class, leaning backwards on her chair with her boots on the desk like she owned the place) didn't bring it up.
Thankfully, the class was uneventful and Bloom spent most of the time idly doodling spiked swirling shapes. As Palladium rambled on and on, she stared out of the window as her pen continued to loop and spike in different shapes. Should she really avoid telling Gabriel about the letter? But if she did, he'd only ask how she came across it and that would involve explaining Christian's involvement and he would constantly ask how she felt about the letter, how she felt about what her parents had written. She didn't want to talk about that. She knew how she felt, she didn't need to talk about it.
A shadow appeared over her. Her heart pounding, she looked up. Palladium looked concerned.
"Are you okay?" He asked, frowning.
"Yup. Totally cool." She answered, giving him a thumbs up.
"...Then you are aware that class finished five minutes ago and you're still sat here?"
What? She had no idea so much time had passed. Why didn't Flora or Stella or someone say anything? Bloom scrambled for her bag and tried to pick up as much as she could. Palladium picked notepad, studying it as she stuffed her pens inside her bag's pockets. He lowered it and gazed at her with a scrutiny that put her on edge.
"I didn't know you took runes." He said almost casually.
"Huh? I don't." She answered as Palladium have her the notepad back. It only hit her once she was in the hall (her notepad safely back in her bag). She felt like a moron. She'd been drawing runes all over her page and not even knowing it. Judging by the look on Palladium's face, those were runes that she'd never find in any textbook... So where had she seen them before?
Pondering it, she paid no attention to where she was walking and slammed straight into Ninfa. The dark-haired girl yelped loudly and her red-rimmed eyes widened as she saw her.
"Hi." Bloom greeted her hesitantly. "How are you doing?"
"F-fine." She gave a weak grin. A nearby window slammed shut.
"Are you sure? No one's giving you a hard time?"
"No... It's all good... Promise! What about you?"
"I'm fine. Mostly." She added quietly to herself. "I've found some new information about my birth parents and I have no idea who to talk about it with. The two people I was going to talk to both have good points and bad points when it comes to things like this." She elaborated with a sigh as they set off down the hall. Maybe her sharing information would help Ninfa to open up...
"What about your adopted parents?" Ninfa suggested with a frown.
Bloom could have slapped herself. "Right. Right." She said to avoid looking like an utter moron. "Are you sure you're okay? You seemed a bit edgy the other day."
"I'm cool. Seriously, one hundred percent."
They lapsed into silence for a moment.
"So why did you start a year late? I know you mentioned it the other night but-but I meant to ask." Bloom questioned.
"Because I got my application in too late. I got deferred for a year... And my mom didn't want me to come anyway. She wanted me to stay at home."
Ninfa's eyes kept shifting, telling Bloom that there was obviously more to the story but she bit her tongue and kept her burning curiosity to herself. Nearby, four locker doors sprang open and were violently slammed shut, seemingly of their own accord.
"And do you like it here?"
Ninfa smiled slightly in reply. "It's a lot different than at home but I like it. I mean, there are people who I don't get along with but when won't there be?"
Bloom paused. Ninfa always seemed so quiet and so alone... "...Ninfa, are any of the girls in your class nice to you?" She questioned in concern.
"Well, Alyx is sort of nice. She doesn't say any mean stuff to me... But the other girls, they think I'm weird. I don't want to be. I want to be normal... B-before..." She trailed off, looking away. Some of the nearby windows started to crack slightly but didn't shatter. Just the faint sound echoing in the empty hall. Bloom didn't push the subject.
"Why do they think you're weird?"
"Just because I'm different to them... I act different but... Do people really need a reason? I understood why people hated me at home. It was because of my power..."
Another sensitive subject. Professor Wizgiz was collecting his papers off the floor as they passed but as Ninfa trailed off, a non-existent gust of wind blew them everywhere. She chose a different question. "What about your dad? Does he think you're weird?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. He left before I was born..." She peered at her through her dark hair. "I know that look, I've seen it so many times on people here. Curiosity, right? My powers... They react violently to my emotions. A lot more than anyone else's and it's like I can't do anything or feel anything without them reacting. I thought it would get better if I came here but I think it's getting worse... And this is me." She said, pointing at one of the dorm doors, which sprang open. Another set of doors inside the room opened wide. Presumably the one's to her room. Ninfa grimaced. "Guess I'll see you later."
"Later. Oh? And for the record, I don't think you're weird." She called back. before starting to head to her own dorm to exchange her textbooks.
Faragonda didn't look up when there was a knock on her office door.
"Come in." She ordered, signing her signature on one of the documents from the school's board of governors' before turning to another one. This one from The Council. Not for the first time, she cursed their plan.
"Come in." She repeated, looking away from the documents. Flora opened the door.
"You wanted to see me, Ms Faragonda?" She asked timidly.
"Yes. It's about Bloom. Don't worry, it's nothing serious. I noticed Bloom wasn't in class. Is she okay?"
"She's fine. She just went home to see her parents, said that she felt stressed over everything... I-I'm sure she meant to tell you." Flora stammered out.
Faragonda smiled. She wished more of the girls were like Flora – a simple, sweet peasant girl who took everything at face value rather than the spoilt, bratty princesses and privileged who seemed to fill the halls. But what could Bloom have wanted to talk to her parents about? The only suggestions didn't bode well. She had to call The Council.
"Who are they?" Bloom asked, pointing to the girl's floating near Shadowhaunt's cavernous ceiling. They were sad-faced with a crown of black thorns on their heads. Knee length dresses with ragged, scraggy ends that were coloured a deep claret, like blood. From their knees to their bare-feet was the same claret. Their hair was wild and unkempt, the ends dripped red onto their red dresses.
"They're Vexi – spirits attracted to misery, woe, anger and hopelessness. Shadowhaunt has a high amount of criminals locked away in the castle. It's nearly all from them." Darkar explained as they walked through Shadowhaunt's capital town. It looked almost exactly like Magix, just darker and lit by the glowing crystals and large crackling fire-pits. The settlement was tucked away in a huge cavern behind the castle.
Everyone was going about their daily business – little kids playing hide and seek in the streets, people coming from and going to work, merchants yelling offers to the crowds. Then one of the house door's opened. At first it was a crack, then it was violently yanked open. A woman ran out. Her bushy strawberry blonde hair was a tangled mess, streaks of grey limply hanging down; her eyes were narrowed and red-rimmed. Her hands were claw-like and her shoulders shook. The woman's face was lined with age but something about her just seemed a little creepy, despite her apparent desperation.
She attempted to grab Darkar but police appeared instantly and stopped her.
"Where's my daughter?!" She half-screamed/half-sobbed at him. "What did you do with her?! WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?!"
Bloom stood, shocked. Her fingers trembled as the police dragged the howling woman away. She focused on the woman's face. There was something vaguely familiar about her but she couldn't put her finger on it or why because she'd never seen the woman before. She took a step forward, ready to run and help the woman. The woman who just wanted to find her daughter. She looked so distraught and helpless but before she took start running. Someone's hand grabbed her and rotated her... Darkar... They were walking down another street, away from the woman.
"So the letter?" He asked casually, as though that had never happened. She thought about bringing it up, her heart beating rapidly in anger, then thought better of it... It would be better for them to talk about it in private.
"My dad told me not to trust Faragonda, find out what happened to someone and he wanted me to make the world equal instead of this imbalance."
"Got any plans for that?"
"You're the diabolical mastermind, not me." She countered with a grin she couldn't quite feel. Her mind just kept replaying that image of that woman over and over.
"I'm sure we could think of something." He laughed, obviously not concerned but what had just happened.
"... Do you know a way of speaking with spirits?" Bloom asked, biting her lip.
"Depends. Who do you have in mind?"
"Daphne." She admitted. "She used to visit me in my dreams but I haven't seen her since I accused her of lying about Rosario."
"I'll see what I can do." He nodded. "Roccaluce, right?"
"Yup."
... Why was Daphne trapped in a cave in a lake? She never asked... But she was stopped from wondering by her phone ringing. The caller ID read: 'Blocked Number'.
"Hello?" She asked curiously.
"Hello Bloom."
The voice made her blood run cold. Faragonda.
"W-what's up? Is something wrong at school? Is it Flora?" She questioned rapidly, horrific images flashing in her brain.
"No. Flora's fine." The headmistress replied calmly. "Tell me, how are your adopted parents doing? Or maybe it should be how were they doing. I just went to see them and you weren't there. Imagine my surprise."
Before she could reply, the call cut off.
The spell dropped Bloom near her home and she heard the crackling before she saw the flames. The entire house was engulfed in a brilliant, roaring bonfire. She ran forward, her heart in her throat and the pounding of it was all she could hear. As soon as she got the fence, she couldn't go any further. She felt as though she'd ran headfirst into a brick wall before she was violently pushed back into the ground.
She cursed under her breath as she struggled to her shaking legs. They were about to give away at any second. She rang the fire department and told them. Then, overwhelmed, distraught and feeling useless, she began to sob. She couldn't do this. She couldn't do this! God, she was couldn't stop crying and now she began to wretch, waiting for herself to be sick. How many people had died around her? And now Vanessa and Mike were trapped in there and she couldn't do anything to help them! Unless there was some hope. Maybe the two of them went out, maybe Vanessa was still at work, maybe Mike was and he was on his way now!
Christian Darkar sighed to himself as he took in the sobbing woman Eiofe Zusak before him. Still wouldn't shut up, still demanding where her daughter was. He rubbed his temples. If she asked again...
"Where is-" She started but it turned to a shriek of pain as he stomped hard on her fingers that were sticking out from her cell.
"You don't deserve your daughter." He snarled, feeling the Shadows swirl around him.
"I love her." Zusak whispered as he pulled out his knife. This one was ceremonial. And as soon she saw it, she started to scream but she couldn't get away, the cell was too small and her fingers were still crushed under his boot.
Darkar bent down and inched his foot off of her appendages, grabbing her by the wrist and slicing down her forearm. The Shadows dove, feeding raviniously. Zusak began to sob harder.
"Please d-don't let-"
"Don't let them what?!" He demanded angrily. "Kill you?! Why shouldn't you? Your daughter will be upset at first but she'll get over it."
"Where is she?" She shrieked. He raised an eyebrow and smiled, reaching out with his other hand as the wound on her arm got deeper and deeper and the Shadows got darker and darker, draining the life from her. He caressed the woman's face gently.
"Why would you care? You're about to die."
Zusak began to sob violently. "I love her." She barely managed to croak out through her racking sobs.
"You have a funny way of showing it, don't you?" His smile turned condescending as he watched Eiofe Zusak slowly wither and die as the Shadows drank every drop of blood from her body. He would have to feed soon as well... It was so much easier when people (okay, Bloom) donated their blood and energy willingly... But the torture was always fun, right? Or was he simply too worried about everything to enjoy it... Or was he not enjoying it anymore... No, that was impossible.
Then his thoughts turned to Alfea and the possibility that most people there may have driven themselves insane waiting for an attack. That would be fun... And delicious, if he could his hands on of them. He imagined the sounds of the petrified, pleading screams and the intoxicating power of scarlet fairy blood. Darkar grinned.
When the fire fighters left, Bloom was numb. Angry but numb... Mike and Vanessa had been trapped inside... Her tears had long since dried up and she had puked behind a bush a few hours ago.
Fire burned through her, through every vein, rising from her feet to her itching palms. Faragonda would pay. Yes, she would pay and Bloom would make her feel as much pain as she had put her through. As much pain as she had put Mike and Vanessa through when they died. She would see her blood and hear her pleads but she still wouldn't stop. She wanted Faragonda dead.
A brilliant orange flame, a deep purple aura shimmering around it, burst into life and crackled in her palm as Bloom stared at the smouldering remains of her home.