Thunderclouds


A dark wave of energy raced through the air across the lands and forest towards Magix.

"And that's why you don-" Votzaak looked to the sky and abruptly stopped admonishing the new recruits.

"Grandmaster?" They looked at each other.

Nerrocean felt it a few seconds later. Piercingly a deep steeple bell resounded in everyone's ears. "Cloud Tower recall?"

"Total recall…" Votzaak squinted his eyes he could see the first Witches rise into the air and immediately dart towards Cloud Tower like daisies popping up everywhere they were joined by even elderly Witches yet they mostly just flew in random directions.

"Did we miss a holiday?" Nerrocean asked perplexed. All of Magix had been mostly quiet today.

"Nope…" Votzaak stared at the scene.

"Any loose black magic users broke out in other kingdoms?" One of the recruits asked if it was an awkward experience to see hundreds of Witches up in the air and scatter into the winds like an exodus without warning.

"No… we should have been contacted if Cloud Tower reacts to such a threat. Isn't most of the staff at that conference in Domino?" Nerrocean looked to Votzaak. 'Why would they use their alarm system today of all days? Nothing's going on…' He looked over his back. "You, go check that out and report back." He ordered sternly the new recruits.

"But, Master… Councillor Nerrocean…" one stuttered "…that's Council Guard jurisdiction. Is it not?" They just had botched an exhausting training mission. "Isn't it more probable that some student found the button and played a prank or something?"

"You don't just find the button, it's an artefact spell…if any girl rang it as a prank she would never get out of Cloud Tower's walls… But he is right, Councillor. This is Council Guard jurisdiction. I'll snatch me one and see if they know something," Votzaak vanished and reappeared outside the window and dashed off towards the retreating Witches.

Nerrocean activated his panel, "Go wake the guards. Tell them to send a squad to check it out." He scrolled through the names and call up Griffin or whoever was holding the fort right now. Yet he only was greeted with silence.

"What are you saying?! Blade got attacked?" Birdy shook her head, "That's nonsense."

Sienna stared at the photo on Alyssa's phone, "Why? Why would anyone do such a thing?" She mumbled to herself over and over.

"What was that bell for?" Amber was super confused.

Serina shook her head, "Why? Because they hate us! We were foolish to think this would ever work!"

Marble dryly commented, "Total Recall…Zarathustra must have…" She seemed concerned.

"But that would mean…" Steela stared at all of her classmates horrified.

Alyssa sighed deeply, "That means something really, REALLY bad happened."

"What's that supposed to mean? She looks …" Dahlia was lost for words.

Nebula ground her teeth, "You don't ring that bell for someone being simply hurt, am I right?"

"What happened to her?!" Snow panicked.

Rise didn't understand anything anymore, "But you agreed to work with William and he with you, why would he!? I'll blast him sky-high!" Rise was ready to go.

"Wasn't him…" Dusk sighed. "I should have - damn it."

"What do you mean it wasn't him?" Tasu tried to make sense of everything. "She was with their station today. If she wasn't there then…How did you even find her? She was running missions alone today…"

Gilliana bit her lip, "We got a system, since the hearing, police was getting bolder … one Witch spotted her as she tried to help out in a raid and got arrested."

"One Witch?! Who? We need answers!" Dahlia stomped her foot angrily. "Stop stonewalling us! WE are her FRIENDS, CLASSMATES!"

Breeze sighed deeply, "So, are we…"

Volcano glanced to Misery who stood there at the railing and gazed at Magix City, she had not said a word since the Fairies had arrived, "The name is irrelevant. The Witch couldn't even go inside the station… the system is just to contact and get an extraction team, you'd have more luck talking to that team."

Tasu had noticed the side glance, "You can't be serious!" She stampeded towards Misery. "How could you leave her?! Why didn't you break her out?! Surely, she wasn't teleported into the police car! IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME WITH YOU!" forcefully she turned Misery around.

"What?" Polarissa was totally confused now just like everyone else, 'They know each other?'

"I…" Misery looked into Tasu's eyes.

"Save it, you left her! Abandoned her, have you no honour or morals at all!?" Tasu grabbed her tightly at her dress.

"HEY! LET HER GO!" Gilliana pulled Tasu away, "Without her Blade would still be lying in that cell! She'd be dead! Who are you to judge her!?" She defended her roommate. "Pompous moth!"

"Ohh, you!" Tessa was ready to join the fray.

"ENOUGH!" Professor Zarathustra had reached them.

A portal opened and Ediltrude with Blade in her arms stepped out followed by Griffin, Blade whimpering in her arms wrapped in a blanket burying deeper into her. She was scared. Everyone stared in complete silence at her.

"Blade…" Nebula stepped towards them yet Ediltrude didn't give them a second glance and carried her inside.

"Stay out of our way, she needs medical attention. Did you sound the bell?" Griffin asked directly.

"Of course," Professor Zarathustra nodded. "Did they…" Griffin didn't even have to answer the question. Her Face had everything written on it. "I'll …" She flared up dark magic.

"Go HOME or stay out of our way, NONE of you goes back into that city or approaches that station, IS THAT CLEAR!?" The Headmistress growled menacingly at the girls, Witches and Fairies alike.

A knock at the door as the light got turned on, "Eques Iolas!" Another Council guard stepped in with a Division Hunter. "You got a mission."

"What?" Iolas rose, "We're not even on duty… you have plenty of teams to check that bell ring out…" Going to Cloud Tower was a pleasure everyone in the Order tried to avoid. Griffin was hard to deal with and always grumpy if light magic users showed up.

"Yes, but your team is the most rested," another Eques started off.

Ararel yawned, "We barely have slept three hours…do it yourself."

"But Councillor Nerrocean wants it solved asap… and your team knows this year's Witches best. We would never get as much information out of them as you," an amused undertone from their fellow Eques.

Deadpanned Iolas stared at them and turned around to sleep again, "Go yourselves…"

"Ahh, but we need to prepare defences and the forces if something bad is happening," Another Eques teased. "You ARE our best team. If one is to come back alive in case of danger it's your team."

"…" Virion shook his head and stood up, "Lazy bunch… we all know it's just a stupid prank…"

"Well, the Councillor wants answers fast, if you are the BEST team surely you are the FASTEST as well," the Hunter Division recruit chuckled.

"Exactly, we'll hold the fort, you just said you had three hours of sleep so more than any of us," The first Eques smirked.

"…" Ilrune simply made himself ready, "You owe us…"

"Ah, don't be like that, aren't they like your little sheep, you had so much to do with them. I heard you even sent an escort after one of those Witches. You don't need to pretend with us, you like them," The second Eques smirked. "We're counting on you."

"Yeah, yeah…guys, we're going for a stroll," Iolas gave the order. Before everyone would waste more time with senseless shoving around the job. "Oh, and you guys, will fight in the frontlines if there is trouble so better prepare your squad to relieve us then," He piercingly glared at the young Division Hunter. He would take teasing from his order mates, but surely not from some green-behind-the-ears recruit. "So, get your team ready."

"EH? Why? That's Council jurisdiction …"

"Cloud Tower is notoriously known to be taken over by BLACK magic users, cleaning that up is YOUR JOB," Iolas answered sternly. "We'll check, you fight Griffin." He said as he watched the recruit go pale when he stepped past him.

Ediltrude laid Blade down on the examination table in their infirmary. "Breathe Blade, you are safe. All is fine. You are safe here. No guys around, I promise." Yet Blade under pain simply curled up on the table and hid beneath the blanket. 'How could…she's just, we were past this, this should have been a new beginning…and they…they…' Ediltrude closed her eyes in sorrow and breathed in deeply to focus. "Blade, listen, you need to lay straightened out. I first have to cast a spell to locate all the injuries. Internal and external," with a soft voice she explained. And first drew the runes into the air instead of her body. She wanted to minimise touching her as much as possible even if this took longer. They had no idea that Blade had managed to fend off all, who wanted to get into her pants successfully. 'At least the healers managed to give her some pain killers, that buys us more time now…'

Blade had a hard time breathing let alone relaxing or lying stretched out with next to no clothes still intact. It felt uncomfortable even if she was covered by a blanket. Whatever progress she made to follow the instructions she quickly reversed again.

Griffin entered the infirmary through a hole in the wall. "Sealed the exits, you won't be disturbed," she said calmly to Ediltrude. "Blade, I'll approach you, is that okay? I would like to help?" She waited. Waited. "Blade, I need an answer. I will stay away otherwise. This is YOUR decision," She spoke so softly and patiently. 'AGAIN! AGAIN! THEY… I'll burn them all to the ground and…' Griffin clenched her fists. 'Oh Blade, how can this be the reward for… you just wanted a better future… and… I should have… I'm so sorry…' Quickly she wiped away a tear. "Blade?"

Blade nodded pained in agreement. She coughed hard again and stared at her bloodied hand. 'What happened… how did I get here, Red Fountain… did he come back?! After…' She couldn't remember. "Stay aw-" She coughed hard again as Griffin was closing in she felt boxed again and somehow this triggered her more than she was used to.

Griffin stopped. "Of course, if that's what you want." She looked to Ediltrude who was nearly done weaving the spell. 'She's bleeding internally…we can't wait forever. That she's still awake… her body is under so much stress…'

Blade couldn't relax her breath was still shortened. She turned under the blanket and faced Griffin, anger rising inside, that Officer really would have, if she hadn't. 'Stupid, just stupid! What was I thinking!? She warned me! She…' Blade squinted her eyes, "You must…" Blade coughed hard again. Griffin was about to make a step but she stopped herself. "…be pleased…" Blade whispered tormented her sight began to blur again.

"Pleased?" Griffin on edge watched as Blade tried so hard to stay awake beside her system screaming for a break.

Blade chuckled plagued, "…you said it…" her chin wobbled as endless streams of tears ran down her face, now she had the time to let her feelings out, she didn't have to fight to protect herself anymore. "How's…" She shivered and started to panic again as bits and pieces of memories from both police cells popped into her head without order. Everything was so foggy, "…How's that…for not…knowing," The words got stuck in her throat as another stinging pain rushed through her chest. "how the world works…" she muttered in pain as she tensed up.

The Headmistress wide-eyed stared at her student, "Blade, I never wanted…how can you… I…" Griffin was lost for words. 'How can she think that!? I- I never wanted… I just wanted her to be safe! I should never have stopped…why did I let her go alone on missions?!'

"Blade, I'll approach again, I have finished the spell, this is a rune coat. I'll have to place it on your chest and from there it will spread throughout and highlight all your injuries from bruises to internal bleeding. I know you are scared but we have to continue. Please, straighten out… that will make it quicker. I want to be as efficient as possible. So, you can rest. May I?" She very slowly stepped towards the examination table to not startle her.

Blade shook her head, she wanted to be left alone, but the pain kept increasing. Ediltrude waited patiently.

"Blade, please, let us help you. Do you rather want to go back to Red Fountain?" Griffin's voice was still shaky. 'What did I do to make her think that?! What did I…' She nearly was as pale as Blade, but the girl didn't answer her under her irregular heavy breathing and crying.

"Blade. I have to remove the blanket so I can apply the spell, we can't wait any longer. Otherwise, you'll pass out and then I cannot ask your permission. In that case, I'll just have to do my job. We can't let you die," Ediltrude still spoke ever so softly. "Is that what you rather want? I can get a potion to-"

"No," shakenly and uncomfortably Blade pushed away the blanket all her instincts told her to protect herself. Her breath sped up. She didn't want to lie exposed there nearly naked in front of those women. But no way in Magix, would she go back to Red Fountain, "Just do it…" She squinted her eyes so hard together it hurt.

"It'll feel warm briefly where ever there is an injury, nothing else will happen though," Ediltrude reached out with the spell, "I'll touch your skin in three…" She could have gone straight for the lungs since they obviously were the worst part. Yet that would require much more contact and she wanted her to ease into the procedures. With her healing skills, there was no way she would die on her table. Ediltrude was mostly concerned about her mental scars since they only could guess what had happened and they knew of horrible stories from the past.

Blade felt a rush of heat in her chest and it flooded her system. Embarrassed she squeaked, "NO STOP, GO AWAY!" The rune circles appeared throughout, her chest, head, face, stomach, and arms, a bright glow from beneath her back, but what had spooked Blade was the warm feeling at her leg, that had been broken. She remembered the whisper in her ear, 'The only thing you're useful for…' She flared up her own dark magic besides nearly having next to none her body was exhausted after all. Promptly both women stepped back to give her the space she demanded. 'MAKE THEM GO AWAY; KEEP THEM OUT! NO! KEEP THEM ALL OUT!' Blade freaked as in reflex she called upon nature to protect her. She was frantic and vomited as her stomach turned upside down. Just by thinking about what could have been.

Pale as ghosts the two Witches looked at each other, barely kept their own breaths and suppressed their gags, their fears festered by the second. "Blade, you are safe here. No one will touch you against your will, I promise…" Griffin conjured up a new blanket that was as soft as silk and glided down on her body. Suddenly the Headmistress was spooked as the floor and the room lit up. Massive amounts of magic were pulsating through the Tower's veins.

"What's going on?" Ediltrude had never seen the Tower behave like that. She could feel a magic burst empowering her setting her ablaze as the Tower shared its magic, boosting them without warning, but they both could sense that that wasn't just the case with them but all Witches at Cloud Tower.

Zarathustra had a hard time keeping the girls at bay and leaving for Magix City as all of the Witches burst into dark magic flames. "What's going on!?" The professor looked around trying to grasp what was happening. She felt the power up as well.

The Fairies eyes widened, "THOSE BASTARDS!" Nebula thundered. "HOW COULD THEY!"

"I'll skin them alive!" The ever so gently Snow hissed.

"I'll burn them to the ground," Amber growled as from her as well as from the other classmates dark magic rose.

"Guys?" Alyssa asked skittishly. The young Sorceresses were completely lost and took a step back. They could feel the dark magic convergence growing and the veins of Cloud Tower burning and glowing.

Zarathustra stared at the Fairies, "But it never does... What is it telling you? Girls, hey!" She flared up magic unsure what the girls would do next. She only had seen this once then Faragonda had come to wake the school with Griffin from its hibernation after Domino's fall.

The dark wave subsided from the Fairies. Tessa stared at her hands, "No way…" She sparked up her lightning in her hands. "I can use my full magic powers here…"

Even Nebula could feel it and she already had made a deal, now the tower gave them free rein in its domain. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes, Blade…and she felt…" Birdy shivered, she still felt a lingering feeling of that pain, fear, despair, that outcry for help.

"That's it…I'll call my army and…" Dusk and the others couldn't connect like the Fairies, but that raging dark magic sensation was not so hard to understand, it was straightforward.

"You will do no such thing. You can't attack Magix! It'll be war. None of you can," She looked sternly at the Fairy princesses.

"But, we can't just do nothing!" Steela balled her fists, "They got to pay!"

"Yeah, I'll tare them to pieces…" Kitty amassed magic to transform.

"STAY!" Zarathustra used the boost to quickly ground them all. "You can't. She doesn't want that spread to the skies, you go there, the whole planet will know, she'll never get rid of…"

"I WON'T DO NOTHING!" Snow lost it a bit, she was not used to feeling so much anger, she was shy and always searched inwards but the Tower clearly pointed her towards Magix.

"Then do it from here, in a way not the whole world knows why!" Zarathustra admonished the Fairies, "Gotta be smart about such things." She herself wanted nothing more than to simply fly there and obliterate them.

Tessa gazed upwards, where the lightning struck even more than usual since the bell, "I've got an idea…there is a fun ritual from Storma that will scare the shit out of them. It's used for festivals normally I am sure we can adapt that. Who's up for the storm of the century?" She grinned eagerly.

"I'm in," Polarissa stepped forward, "What do ya need?"; "So, do I"; "I'm in!"; "Let's do this!"

Tessa placed her hand on the ground connecting with Cloud Tower shortly, it listened. "Take your positions," Tessa rose while the Cloud Tower formed and shifted the platform's position and shape raising them towards the sky.

"For crying out loud, you can't just all leave!" Daphne admonished Wizgiz, Palladium and Avalon who just had been let in by her again. "What were you thinking!? Leaving without a word…What is even going on?" She was super pissed.

"My apologies, it was an emergency. Blade…" Avalon bowed deeply.

"So, truly Blade?! Curses," Daphne looked to the ground distraught.

Palladium sighed, "Where is her class? We can't have them run around, that'll only cause trouble."

"You don't say. You left me alone with the school they already ran off with that Witc-Sorceress from Cloud Tower!" Daphne growled tensely.

"You let them go?" Wizgiz looked to Avalon, "We got to find them before they storm Magix City."

"I had to. What else was I supposed to do? With you, three, all gone. Where is Blade anyway? I thought you went there to bring her back or something," Daphne crossed her arms pissed.

"Ediltrude is healing her in Cloud Tower. You can relax Daphne, she'll-" Avalon tried to calm her down.

"Have you seen the amounts of Witch- Sor…ahh… Witches run back to the Tower!? Woods are full of them and the students are scared. They don't know what's going on, they woke as the bell rang and then the skies were full of them," She pointed towards the mess hall where a few braver Fairies spied outside to see where Daphne had gone. "They all flew right over us, I couldn't have defended this school alon-" She trembled. This reminded her too much of Domino and the day she had lost her body and dear sister.

Wizgiz sighed, "You are not alone anymore Daphne you are safe. I am truly sorry we left you without a warning." He hopped towards her and took her hand and held it tight.

"Woah…" Palladium felt dizzy and stumbled.

"Palladium what's wrong?" Avalon held tight onto his shoulder.

Palladium looked towards Cloud Tower, "Can't you feel that? It's…Calcei ala!" He flew up into the air like a drunk bumblebee to look over Alfea's walls and the tree lines. "By the Great Dragon… AVALON, have you ever seen that? Is that Black Magic induced!?" He looked down but Avalon was gone "Avalon?"

"Behind you…" Avalon sighed he held on to his vest so Palladium wouldn't fall. The ground tremored slightly and irregularly as the other Professors balanced out. Massive roots had risen around Cloud Tower, like a sky-high hedge with thorns as big as trees, yet moving and twirling creeping around. "No…but that's…" He focused from this far away he normally would never be able to pick up an aura, but Cloud Tower was like a lighthouse in the dark brimming with magic. Suddenly a bolt of gigantic lightning flashed across the sky and from its thunder the air vibrated as the shockwave hit Alfea's dome.

Iolas and his team had been left alone by the wandering Witches in the forest. They scattered like scared chickens once they could detect them. A tingle; quickly his team countered the dark magic surge that was racing towards them with the help of their armour. Yet four of his team members collapsed they had been too slow somehow. "Virion!" Iolas stopped the group.

'Defence formation!' Ararel commanded the rest but the psi-link was down, "Defence formation! Zhoron! Zhoron?"

"What was that...?" Eroan tried to rise again.

Sarlen held his head, "Did you feel that…" He still felt sick.

Keryth blinked, "Was that dark magic?"

Iolas had scanned the area but there definitely was no one around, "Who is blinding our senses?" His four voice-of-nature-duty comrades which Zhoron was part of had collapsed within the same second and were just coming to. The rest of the squad was on high alert and fine. "Virion?"

"I'm checking, give me a second…" He flared some magic up to check Zhoron out first. He seemed to have the hardest time coming to as without warning the ground cracked beneath their feet and roots lashed out upwards with growing thorns that could pierce dragon scales, sharp and pointy.

"Calei ala!" Everyone quickly scrambled and helped the still dizzy comrades.

"What in Magix…" Iolas had never seen this in all his hundreds of years as a guard for the Council. "Cloud Tower…" He stared at the Tower still off in the far. It had transformed in some sort of fortress strong enough to hold off a siege. Quickly he summoned his thunderbird, "To Councillor Nerrocean, requesting back-up, bring the Hunters!" He sent the bird off from his arm and like an arrow, it shot away back to Magix in a white streak of energy.

"Zhoron, hey, wake up," Virion gave him a rub on his sternum. "Something blasted his link…nothing serious…" He exchanged a look with Ararel who was holding him up in the air.

"Hmmm," Zhoron squinted his eyes hard and held his forehead, "Blade…stop… stop screaming…you are safe…" he mumbled unrelated, he was out of it.

"Blade?" Daeleth was totally confused now. "What's she got to do with this?"

Thallan frowned, "But she finished her mission hours ago, she should be back at Alfea."

Iolas looked to Cloud Tower, "Zhoron, what's up with Blade? Hey, talk to me," He had flown to Virion, Ararel and him.

Zhoron raised his hand and flared up some magic, "Obsidione claude…" a rune blinked up and passed through him. "Ah, shit…" He shook his head, "Much better… so loud…" he rubbed his nose bridge.

"Talk to me…" Iolas keenly asked again.

"She's scared shitless. Cloud Tower boosted her and it tried to boost all…all she calls allies or something like it…. We're just at the edge of its range. We had voice of nature active…but our armour counters…"

"EH, guys… not to disrupt the lesson, but…" Haldir pointed towards the spire of Cloud Tower. All of them could feel it and not a second later they were blinded by a bolt of gigantic lightning and pushed back by its thunder shockwave.

"It's a convergence spell…light and dark…" Avalon could see it clearly now.

Wizgiz had transformed yet again into the falcon and was ready to go, "So huge… you don't think Griffin and Faragonda will attack Magix City do you?"

"No, Griffin will be plenty busy with Blade…" Avalon clenched his fists. "The Tower…Blade… Palladium you don't think?"

"Too early to say, but Blade can connect to nature, by the looks of that Griffin has lost control of it… or Griffin finally snapped, but that would be unlike her. Blade wasn't in any life-threatening danger the healer had said so. Only reason for Griffin would be if…" Palladium looked to Avalon wide-eyed, "Did the police do something to…" he gazed at Avalon, who looked intensely towards the Cloud Tower, "Avalon, you read her aura what did they do!? You must know, tell me."

"Speculations won't help anyone…I only saw her for a few seconds, but…nothing good, to what extent I can't tell," he was using all his training to stay calm and composed.

Palladium's gaze grew dark he turned towards Magix City, "Ethral street, was it?" Yet he got held back by Avalon. "Let me go." He glared back at his friend.

"You stay. Don't make it worse. We know nothing concrete and blurting it out into the streets will make everything worse for her in the long run." Avalon admonished his friend. "You are in no condition or mindset to deal with any of this. Keep the other students safe with Daphne. This Thunderstorm is growing rapidly it will hit us soon if that keeps up. Wizgiz, let's go we have to stop whoever is casting that spell." He let go of Palladium, who still was frustrated unable to do anything for their student.

"Well, then let's talk it over with the Councillor," Votzaak waved his hand and teleported back into Nerrocean's office with a Cloud Tower first year.

"No, no, no!" The girl had no chance and suddenly found herself in the Council Headquarters unable to use her magic. She went pale as she looked around there were Council Guard, Black Magic Hunters and the probably mightiest merman she had ever seen. "I saw nothing!" She blurted out.

Nerrocean sighed deeply, "Councillor Votzaak, please refrain from kidnapping children, who stand under my protection…." He eyed her closely, 'She's scared…wonderful…well, Votzaak has that effect on people.'

'Councillor, ey? He's playing that card?' Votzaak grinned at him, "My deepest apology Councillor Nerrocean. As Councillor of Zenith, I saw it as my duty to provide you with the best intel." As Councillors Nerrocean was higher in rank since they were on Magix. Yet in the Order Nerrocean was only the Master and not the Grandmaster. It was a fun game they sometimes played to entertain themselves.

"Dear child, if you have any information I'd be grateful if you…" Nerrocean rubbed his nose bridge.

The young Witch had stumbled backwards right into a Council Guard and had scared herself, "Don't hurt me!" She flinched and cowered as her magic wouldn't respond and instead got zapped slightly.

"No one's going to hurt you… you are at the Council. We are officials, we protect people," The Elf kneeled yet promptly earned a slap in the face from her.

"No one will ever believe in that story again! Tell that to the Witch you mauled!" She hissed at him.

"Mauled? Not this again…." Votzaak sighed deeply. "Which one?" It nearly had been fifty years since he had heard of such a report.

"So, you can destroy evidence?! I'd rather die!" The girl hissed pretending to be tough, it cost her everything and still, she was shaking heavily. 'Like I'll ever betray Blade after what they did!'

"It's Blade…" One of the Black Hunters simply stated.

"What?! I didn't say that!" The girl glared at him as she rose to face off with the psychic. 'He's psychic! Shit!' Out of the blue, a white light raced towards them and passed through the window, without shattering it. And with a bit of crackling the bird unfolded its wings.

"To Councillor Nerrocean, requesting backup, bring the Hunters!" It echoed from its beak. It definitely was Iolas.

"That escalated quickly," Grandmaster Votzaak turned around and opened a portal, "I'll make the Division ready and teleport there directly. You take the stand-bys from Magix," He ordered Nerrocean and stepped through.

Nerrocean shook his head, "That dark Fairy of all people… wonderful…" He looked to the Council Guards. "Be ready to back up. We'll try with our dark magic users first," Then a giant thunder echoed throughout the city. "What the!?" They looked outside; the storm of the century was brewing. "Keep the streets to the schools closed, call Red Fountain. And get me, Griffin, on the line!" He stood up and moved passed his desk.

"And what are we to do with the young Lady here?" The Council Guard asked.

"Take care of her…" Nerrocean watched as she went utterly pale and her legs gave in the Elf caught her though, "…and give her some cookies and milk? SERIOUSLY?! Chill. Again, we are the Council…" He had no time for this, "Oh, and contact William's station, I want to know what they heard," Nerrocean left.

Zarathustra watched in astonishment and was unsure what to do now. The Tower had been so kind to raise the platform closer to the clouds and the girls had enhanced the security system with their spells. Tessa some more lightning, Breeze her wind magic, water magic in abundance, others simply infused magic through the ritual runes they used from Storma. Yet what had Zarathustra so baffled wasn't the layering of spells it was the fact that those single actions somehow had reached a balance, unannounced the runes had glowed up brightly and the twenty students had managed to get themselves one massive convergence spell, utterly focused, raging inside, their emotions and wills filled the clouds. Zarathustra's ears still rang from the gigantic lightning, "Woah, stop!" She approached the magic circle yet the girls didn't react. "I said stop! You'll blow yourselves into smithereens if you lose balance! This is dangerous!" But they wouldn't listen, or couldn't? They were in a trance-like state and venting their frustration. "Those maggots…shit…" She already could see that the storm covered so much of the forest and had already sent lightning down to the lake edges. It was growing towards Magix mostly yet they weren't perfect in controlling it so it also drifted off in the direction of Alfea as well. "What should I do!?" Zarathustra would have loved to join on the one hand but if someone would lose concentration that thing could blow up in their faces.

"Wow…" Some students had come outside to look.

"Get inside! NOW!" Zarathustra had to herd the sheep flocking to the scene. "Griffin where are you!? What's taking so long…?"

Wizgiz and Avalon raced towards Cloud Tower, "That storm's growing…" Wizgiz cawed to Avalon on his back. Zig-zagging through the massive lightning strikes hitting the ground against the harsh winds, rain and hail. 'That's one supercell storm right there… if that hits Magix…'

"I can see that…" Avalon focused intensely on reading the Aura of that spell, "Definitely, light dark convergence… But Faragonda isn't doing it, who in Magix…" he bit his lip, 'Our students can't do light and dark convergence. Is it Blade? But she's wounded…the Tower and her maybe…no…not enough light magic… so it is our class?' They were still too far out to get a clear read.

"Oh shit!" Wizgiz felt the brunt first as dark magic was trying to infuse his system. "Avalon, cut your magic!" He transformed back promptly he wouldn't be able to converge with something like that so quickly if at all.

"Woah," Avalon felt sickish as the dark magic hit him too. Now both of them were falling towards the ground as they tried to counter the dark magic and get it out of their system. "This is going to be close!" Avalon already braced for impact on the tree tops just beneath him. As suddenly they got caught and their rescuers' skit over the wet ground with them.

"Move it, under the shield!" Thallan let go of Wizgiz and looked back to Avalon, Dealeth and Tolith.

Iolas, Ararel and Virion were currently converging themselves to protect the squad from the lightning strikes.

"Thanks, you're lifesavers," Wizgiz puffed and flared up lots of light magic to get the dark out of his system.

"Haldir, Sarlen, swap with Iolas…we gotta talk," Ilrune ordered the two paladins.

Iolas let his arm sink shortly after, "Not the weather I call safe for flying…you should know better" He shook his head as he gazed at the Professors, "Do you know anything about Blade? Her condition? She's losing it. Zhoron can't connect to her to calm her down, not from here and that storm is only growing. What happened? Where is Griffin?"

"Slowly there, youngster," Wizgiz tried to get a word in.

"Not that much younger than you…" Iolas rolled his eyes at the Leprechaun. "So?"

"Blade… doesn't have the power for such a storm," Avalon crossed his arms. "But you should know better than that."

Iolas sighed, "Sorry, sorry, for the comment, can we please focus on a solution."

"Blade was taken to Cloud Tower by Griffin. Ediltrude is healing her right now, at least that was the plan," Avalon refocused.

"Healed? From what? The Tower is going nuts, just look at those roots flailing around, did Griffin lose control of the Tower?" Ilrune pointed towards it.

The two professors looked at each other, "Blade got attacked…" Wizgiz answered reluctantly.

Iolas stared at the two, "Gentlemen, come on, we have to get this resolved. Hunters are already on their way. We can't just stand by. Blade got hurt more than once, that's not enough reason for Cloud Tower to go insane. She can take a punch or two."

Avalon ground his teeth, "Four eyes, off records?"

Iolas frowned, "Okay…" They stepped to the side.

"Say, did you have problems with voice of nature?" Wizgiz asked the other Guards.

They nodded, "Yeah, we stopped using it."

"Hmm, so it wasn't just Palladium…" Wizgiz mumbled to himself.

"Palladium, isn't he at Alfea?" Ilrune asked waiting on the other two. 'What's so damn important that they won't tell us…all?'

"Yes, he is, his connection is strong to this region, that uproar even if from the Witches' territory was so strong he got woozy. You should tell the Hunters not to resort to it until the Tower has calmed down," Wizgiz reminded them, they seemed still a bit rattled to him.

"Right… Keryth," Ilrune nodded to his fellow Paladin. "Think you can fly us all through that storm if we shield you? We need to get to whoever is using that convergence spell. Is Faragonda back?"

"Not that I know, she's on conference. We think it's Blade's class… they weren't so happy and left with a fellow Witch for Cloud Tower and yes if your shield is strong enough I can, that lightning strike is denser the closer we get," Wizgiz pondered.

Ilrune sighed deeply, "Why would you let them…"

"Let's move it, people," Iolas and Avalon stepped back to the group, their leader's face had darkened quite a bit. "Zhoron once there you'll go with Avalon follow his lead until then don't contact Blade."

"What? Okay…" Zhoron was confused that his leader revoked the prior order.

Votzaak had given his orders, "And have some teams on stand-by for me to teleport them. We need to be flexible." With that, he cast his own teleportation spell. Not a second later he hovered right above Cloud Tower rain and wind blowing into his face. He spotted Zarathustra who seemed a bit lost for words and without options and the good twenty students who were converging this massive onslaught of lightning and thunder. "Professor!" He called out to her. "What's the meaning of this?!" He flew down towards her. 'Impressive convergence, don't see that all the centuries and from students no less, ha.'

"Councillor Votzaak!? They just layered and then converg- WATCH OUT!" She pointed behind him.

"Wall of Darkness," Votzaak evaded the roots that attacked, the Tower had spotted his presence and identified him as a threat. "Oh, you…" The roots shot their thorns at him, "Ho, ho! You are asking for it! Fireball!" Votzaak obliterated them. "Now this is exciting! HA!" He exclaimed with a wide grin and dashed upwards. Luckily, he could not sense any black magic anywhere, which would make everything much easier.

Cloud Tower sent its roots after him unrelentingly.

Votzaak moved around sly as a fox and evaded most or blasted them away, "TALK! Blade and the Police what happened?" He commanded Zarathustra who flew up as well trying to calm the Tower down.

"Not sure, Griffin's still at it with Ediltrude, I have my hands full here," Zarathustra stonewalled him a bit.

"Not the time to play Witch!" He hissed at her. "Spit it out, did Shadion?!"

"No! It's just the old bull crap again. If you know of the police you can figu-" Zarathustra just saw the shadow behind her. She was in the way of a root desperately trying to squash Votzaak.

"Wall of darkness!" Votzaak shielded her in time yet he had to stop for it to aim the spell. "SHIT!" He spread his arms wide to infuse his shield with more magic as he got seized. He was ready to teleport out yet the damn Tower simply hurled him in his shield off into the distance.

"Great…" Zarathustra could only watch.

Wizgiz saw a dark ball racing towards him and evaded quickly, "What was that?! Are they firing-"

"Was that the Grandmaster Votzaak!?" Ararel looked shocked at his buddies.

"He'll be fine! Professor hurry it up! We need to reach the Tower so we can drop the shield," Iolas shortly stopped infusing the shield they were too slow and instead gave a magic boost to Wizgiz, "Hurry!"

The already enlarged lightning wings grew even more, "Hold on tight!" Wizgiz had steadily flown higher and now he was ready for a direct dive.

Even with the shield it was hard to keep on top. There had been a few close calls and the shield had to take some punches but finally, they reached Cloud Tower, and they easily were let past by the roots. And all jumped off at the bridge leading to the platform where Zarathustra was keenly watching the students.

"What's going on?" Wizgiz raced towards her, while Avalon and Zhoron made their way inside the Tower. Iolas and the rest rushed up to the students, yet all weren't sure what to do just yet.

"They layered on a ritual spell from Storma and somehow managed to turn it into a convergence spell," Professor Zarathustra explained, "How can this be possible? They never worked together… they barely know convergence, they are second years. Not to mention that we do not teach a lot of convergence at Cloud Tower…"

Wizgiz gazed at the students, pain and anger written on their faces. "They got one damn good focus…"

Iolas stepped towards them as the rest of his team spread out around them, "If they lose focus they'll blast themselves off the platform. We can't stop them we're not enough people…we would need to cast cancel twenty times simultaneously."

"Large-scale magic block?" Wizgiz asked reluctantly.

"No, they have different resistances… If we hit them too hard we'll hurt them," Zarathustra protested vehemently.

"…" Iolas sighed, "Are they actually trying to attack Magix? Or are they just…well…how to put this – unable to control what they created?" He crossed his arms.

"What?!" Wizgiz couldn't believe what he was hearing, "You are not considering attacking them, are you!?"

Iolas deadpan stared at the Leprechaun, "I am a Council Guard, working for the Council of Magix, we don't just go and attack students, but we can't just pretend nothing is happening. Plus, if it is an attack, well… then our course of action is clear. So, be happy I ask and don't just shoot like the police…I get it okay, but personal feelings aside," Iolas pressed his hand into his hip. "Will you watch them kill hundreds or thousands of innocents in the city? Because they are angry at a few? Rightfully so granted. Yet, the Council can't let this stand. If you oppose us I'll be forced to arrest you too, you know." He tried to reason with the Professor. This was no time to fight amongst each other.

Wizgiz growled, "No, of course not…But we still have time. They are just hurting, you should have heard Blade's screams."

"Time is the one thing we currently don't have. If the people in the city panic, this school is history, it will be shut down merely cause the people will demand it. Not to mention all those enemies Griffin has made in Court. Are you in all honesty telling me you want us to wait? If your judgment is that much clouded maybe you should sit this one out you are too close to this, Professor Wizgiz," Iolas wouldn't have it. Yet it showed that he didn't like either option and was desperately trying to come up with a better plan for all.

Palladium prepared to reinforce the dome that storm was coming in fast as without warning a black ball crashed right into the dome shattering it and leaving a hole behind and the dome collapsed shortly after.

"Ahhh, I hate kids who can't watch their own backs…" Votzaak dusted off his hunter tunic.

"Councillor Votzaak?" Palladium still a bit sickish stumbled towards him.

"Great another one," Votzaak sighed deeply, "Sit down before you break a leg, Professor. I don't have the time to deal with you…" He was ready to leave again.

"Wait, please, any news from Cloud Tower? What's going on?" Palladium caught up to him eying the clouds up above.

Votzaak let his head hang, "Do I look like a scout to you? …Nothing changed. Your students are going nuts with convergence blasting half the forest to smithereens. Blade is riling up the tower; for some reason, the stupid elf guard gets through but I don't. Hunters are on the way. And Griffin is hiding away and Saladin and Faragonda apparently are on a tea party instead of taking care of this!" He complained a bit snappy.

A bolt of lightning shot down from the sky and synched the ground. "Not good," Palladium quickly raised the dome again infusing magic into the runes.

"You don't say... those kids have no idea how to properly control that storm or they simply don't care." Votzaak looked upwards as the lightning strikes hammered down again and the shield fluctuated, "Well, keep the rest of your brats out of my way." He rose into the sky again and dashed away, but just as he had left the dome it collapsed again. "For crying out loud…" He turned around infused the system with his own magic and raised a new one.

"Thank you, Councillor…" Professor Palladium relaxed a bit his magic was nearly depleted. "But I'm not sure that will hold in the long run…"

Votzaak tapped on the gate of Alfea and some dark magic runes lit up. Palladium had never seen those before.

"What's going on?" Daphne came running out of the cafeteria. "A dark magic dome!?" She looked baffled at the sky. "Councillor? Nabu!?"

"Hey there," Nabu greeted her as he stepped out of the portal with some other Hunters. "Orders?" He turned to his Grandmaster.

"Light Magic users keep order in this chicken den and let the other Witches in. Dark magic users, keep that shield stable!"

"Yes, Grandmaster!" They answered in unison.

Votzaak dashed away as Nabu fired a signal flare outside above the tree lines and went back to Daphne and Palladium, "When was the last time you had Witches in school? When Aisha was studying here? Prepare for a lot and lock up the library. We don't know who will be up for mischief or simply taking cover from the storm."

"You can't seriously consider disrupting the spell!" Wizgiz and Zarathustra complained heavily as they were held back by Eroan and Haldir.

Iolas sighed, "I am sorry but that storm will hit the city and we are out of options they are not even listening they can't because they entranced themselves. 'Damn it, Cloud Tower is not letting anyone else through…' He could see the Hunters struggle to get passed the roots under Nerrocean's command and those who had managed to come closer had been booted off just like Votzaak. This indeed was a fortress. Iolas turned around to his squad "This has to end now…"

Votzaak teleported right in front of them, "Hello," He touched the Tower yet was greeted with a zap. "Fine…you want it your way, Fireball!" he blasted away the root coming for him and grabbed Iolas's hand and infused magic and hammered it to the ground, "Voice of nature convergence, please."

Startled Iolas followed suit as he already saw the next root prepare to crush him. He closed his eyes, "Voice of nature." It was weird yet through him the Cloud Tower at least listened to Votzaak. Iolas's heart was pounding he could feel the roots closing in and then they suddenly stopped short before strangling them and retracted.

"Great, now that that's done, Discordia! Get your ass out here," Votzaak demanded and after a few seconds, the Pixi flew down. "Keep it calm, Guardian Pixi…" He was so pissed at her.

Discordia crossed her arms insulted, "What do you think I was trying to do?! Brat," she hissed back.

"You…" Votzaak glared at her.

"What did you think would happen!? Blade's the first Dark Fairy to inhabit Cloud Tower in thousands of years. Of course, it will rather die than lose her!" Discordia wouldn't have it and watched as Votzaak gave the signal to retreat to the Hunters.

"The Tower is home to the Witches, even if they were allies… it is totally overreacting," Votzaak glared at the Pixi, yet she refocused on connecting to Cloud Tower and still its rage.

"Grandmaster Votzaak what are we to do with the students…" Iolas asked as he approached them. "We can't let them…" He didn't like either option.

Wizgiz stared at Votzaak half pleading and half threatening him, "You can't attack them! They are just kids hurting! They are innocent!"

"Chill, all of you, brats," Votzaak closed his eyes as he turned towards the students focusing, "Hmmm," He looked into the distance towards Magi City. "Just let them exhaust themselves. Be ready to shield them.

"But…" Iolas stared at him in disbelief.

Votzaak smirked, "They are not strong enough to reach the city neither is it their goal. That spell is to scare the shit out of the police obviously. Can't you feel their intention? The lightning is only focusing on places where no one is standing. The reason people get blasted is because we rush through the field. Let them vent. I'll link up and take over the storm one by one, once the first one goes down. Easy. Problem is the Tower, why don't you use your elven magic to calm nature for once and stop wasting time," without another word he positioned himself behind Marble.