Stella wished she was dreaming.
The sounds of the battle were erupting everywhere around her, attacks coming from all the corners of the yard. She couldn't make out who was winning, but her gut feeling was telling her it wasn't the fairies.
Stella hissed as a spell grazed her elbow, leaving blood pouring to her palms. There was a trail of something green across the gash and she didn't have much time to think as her vision started to double.
All of the Winx were too far away to call for help and with each passing second she was getting more and more dizzy. Thinking it best to get herself on even ground, she flew downwards, managing to avoid arrows aimed her way. The wound wasn't hurting her, but given how disoriented she had become, she figured the green thing was probably some sort of poison.
Stella attempted a few steps, but her legs simply crisscrossed each other. She lost her footing after only a couple of seconds, but by extending her hands she managed to ease the fall. A cloud of dust rose and went into her face regardless, making her already bad vision even blurrier.
Faragonda had told them that Enchantix fairy dust can remove dark spells, so it wasn't crazy of her to wonder could it also be applied to poisons. The only thing she needed to do was reach it. But even lifting her head felt like something that would cause her too much effort. She wasn't sure if anyone had noticed her which meant she was lying on the floor, completely exposed.
A green light erupted from somewhere close, bright enough that even Stella could see it with her faulty vision. "Who do we have here?" a low-pitched voice snarled to her left.
Stella attempted to raise a hand and summon her sun, but it was of no use, her hand wouldn't budge. "A little of Carolia Nex poison and soon you will be as still as dead," the witch continued and Stella began to actually fear what could happen if she didn't get away.
"And they told us you Winx are an actual threat," the girl went on, getting closer with each step. Stella could discern her shape as the witch crouched next to her.
But before she could do anything else something shot at her from behind and she stumbled onto her side.
"Stella, can you hear me, are you awake?" the voice was warm and familiar and she couldn't have been more thankful to hear it. Stella shook her head as something light and almost ticklish spread over her injured elbow.
The sensation was warm and empowering and the effect was instant. Her vision cleared, eyes opening as she pulled herself up. And found the Princess of Andros offering her a hand.
"I thought you left," Stella said as she took the offer, bouncing back onto her feet. "I came back as soon as the word of the attack reached Andros. I wouldn't have left you," she said with a shrug. And even though she had come back to help them, Stella knew that it changed almost nothing regarding their connection to Bloom.
"We need to go help the others," she continued, looking Stella up and down. "I used my fairy dust to heal you, can you fly?" Stella gave her wings a try and felt utter relief when they lifted her into the air without any protest. Layla just nodded, turning her back to the blonde fairy, aiming for where Flora and Tecna were battling a group of witches.
They helped clear a part of the yard but the witches only kept coming. Stella had no time to even question where Bloom was and what Valtor had done to their school.
But then, just as suddenly as the battle began, the witches simply halted, all of them stopping their attacks, their bodies going completely still. One by one, they started to disappear, teleporting away.
No one knew why or how but the fight was over.
The students gathered at the entrance to the school, unsure of whether to stay on again or consider the threat gone. "Everyone," Griselda's voice boomed from behind and the attention went right to Alfea's head of discipline. "We are not sure what happened, but we ask all of you to split into groups and help deal with the damage."
Hours upon hours later Stella was exhausted, practically dragging her feet back into the calmness of their suite. The rest of the girls were already inside when she opened the door, each looking as tired as her. Layla sat in the chair next to Musa, deep in talk. They all greeted her as she walked a few steps to her room. As soon as she closed the door, some type of dark energy came over her.
Stella summoned a sphere of light into her hand, illuminating her room, but it was empty. Save for Kiko who was sleeping on the rug next to her bed. And a piece of paper which hadn't been there before. She came closer, still refusing to let her guard down. It could always be a trap of some sort.
But it was just paper, a letter, in the handwriting she immediately recognized as Bloom's. The dark energy must have remained from whenever her friend had been in the room. There was so much of it.
Stella took the letter and started to read.
Stella,
If you are reading this, the battle must be over which hopefully means you're safe. I can't tell you anything that would ease your mind about what I've been doing. The last known whereabouts of my parents are at the land called Obsidian and that is where I plan on going next. Faragonda knows something about it, she has known it for a while now and I plan on getting the answers out of her. It might not be what you want to hear, but I will do whatever it takes to save them. I am sure you can understand just wanting to have both of your parents with you.
I don't think we will see each other in a while if I succeed. But I want you to know that I am immensely grateful to you. Of all the people that I have met in this universe, none of them came even close to you. Thank you, for being there, even when I didn't deserve it. You showed me the most magical world and it doesn't even compare to the kindness of your friendship that I am so happy I got to have. And I hope that once in the future we get to have it again.
I love you, and I miss you.
Yours, Bloom
Stella's eyes were filled with tears by the time she reached the end. She just wanted to wrap her arms around her friend once more and make all the pain that had trapped her go away. She was grateful though, that despite everything that had been going on, Bloom still knew that she was there. That she will always be.
She placed the letter into the drawer of her nightstand, tip-toeing through the room so as not to wake the small rabbit. She waited until she was sure the Winx were off in their rooms before she went back into the shared space and out of the suite. There was one person who could give her the answers she wanted.
So she climbed the way to Faragonda's office and didn't give it a second thought before knocking on the door. I guess the Headmistress could also be in her own rooms, wherever those were, but Stella had a good feeling that it was not the case.
"Come in," the voice of the old fairy came from the inside so Stella inhaled deeply and went inside.
"Miss Stella, I was not expecting you." Faragonda sat in her desk chair, looking through a stack of papers on her desk that were probably documents regarding Valtor. And quite possibly, Bloom as well. The sun fairy managed a small smile in greeting.
"I came to ask you about something Bloom said today." The Headmistress stiffened, her hand going to her left temple, rubbing it as if in pain. "Apologies, my head isn't the greatest tonight. What were you saying?" Stella held her ground. "My parents used to tell me scary stories about a place called Obsidian. A cautionary tale of sorts," she started to explain, taking notice of Faragonda's reaction. But there was nothing on her face.
"Today you said that Bloom's parents may be in there. That you-never searched it," she continued and this time Faragonda flinched just a little, but enough for Stella to see it. "We were recovering from a war, we didn't want to risk anyone's life on a fool's errand." The way she said we told Stella pretty much all she needed. Most likely others weren't even aware of the possibility.
"Why didn't you ever tell her? Bloom deserved to have the entire truth-" Stella protested, but the Headmistress cut in: "Because I knew this would happen. She would want to get them out."
"If you had told her, Headmistress, she wouldn't be going to Valtor for answers," Stella practically snapped back. Faragonda continued to rub her temples, wincing every couple of seconds. "Are you feeling okay?" Stella asked when she didn't respond and her face kept twisting in agony, as if something was in her head.
Faragonda tried to stand up from her chair but had to grip the desk to keep standing. Stella moved closer, now growing concerned. "Headmistress, let me take you to the hos-" but before she could finish the sentence Faragonda's body fell forward and Stella had to catch her by the shoulders. The sun fairy sat her back in the chair, going to the office next to hers, finding Griselda cleaning it up.
"It's Miss Faragonda, she needs a doctor," Stella said from the door, keeping her voice clear but low so no passing students or staff could hear. They couldn't alarm everyone and just raise further panic. Griselda muttered a spell and a piece of paper folded before vanishing. Stella guessed that it was aimed at their nurse. Griselda entered Faragonda's office, checking up on her friend as they waited for a doctor.
Stella was shaken by the time she got back to the suite. Layla was sitting on the sofa when she came in, her expression going from worry to relief once she saw her. "I didn't think anyone was awake," the blonde fairy said as she entered and closed the door behind herself.
"I heard you leave so I just wanted to see if everything was alright." Stella could see the doubt on the princess' face.
"Faragonda wasn't well, so I waited with Griselda to see what was wrong. They say she was probably too exhausted from everything," she explained, studying Layla's reaction. But the other fairy only nodded, offering a small smile. "I will let you get rest then, I should too."
With that Layla stood up, going for the room that used to be hers. But Stella called after her because there was something she needed to get off her chest. The morphix fairy paused, waiting. "Thank you," Stella said and watched as the doors closed behind Layla's room.
"Why can't I just command Faragonda to come here with the key?" Bloom proposed the next day after her mind and body completely reset. She was still vary to be in Valtor's presence. The events from the last couple of days didn't make them friends. But currently, Bloom didn't particularly care what type of behaviour was going to get her what she wanted.
"Because no one would question a Headmistress of Alfea suddenly deciding to go by herself to Cloud Tower," Valtor answered and rolled his eyes. They have been going over her ideas for an hour and he shut down every single one. "Faragonda wasn't lying about something at least, Obsidian is a suicide mission," he said just sarcastically enough for it to get under her skin.
Bloom was about to cut in when he added: "Especially for a fairy without Enchantix." The fire fairy's interest got peeked while her spirit continued to sink. She had noticed the new transformations her friends seemed to gain and learned of its peculiar name but still knew nothing of how to obtain it. "How does a fairy get it anyway?"
Valtor rolled his eyes, enjoying that once again he held the information she wanted. He snapped his fingers, summoning an old-looking book whose pages were turning yellow from age. After taking his time flipping through it, he stopped somewhere near the end and showed it to her. There was a drawing of a fairy with wings that matched the ones of her friends. Valtor pointed to a set of ancient texts and recited: "Enchantix is known as the Final-Form in the educational course of all fairies. Once a fairy earns its power, they become a guardian of their homeworld." Bloom sighed, this told her nothing of how to get it except that she would get more powerful. She wasn't sure whether she even wanted more power, seeing as she couldn't control the amount she already had.
Sensing her curiosity Valtor turned the page and continued to read: "To obtain this final transformation, a fairy must undergo a great sacrifice by saving someone from their homeworld. Only then shall they be able to fully utilise the powers it comes with." He closed the book and it disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Valtor studied her as the thoughts piled up inside her head.
Save someone from her planet by sacrificing herself. It was right there, as clear for her as the wish to go to Obsidian. "Once I save my parents, I will get my Enchantix," the thrill in her voice couldn't go unnoticed. "That's it, isn't it?" she looked at him excitedly, but her face fell when she saw Valtor's expression. "It is not so easy Princess."
"But it makes perfect sense," she objected. "What greater sacrifice is there than going into Obsidian and saving my parents along with my kingdom? It will work," she said convincingly, but Valtor's face remained unchanged. "It will," she breathed.
"You may want to believe that, but I am telling you, it won't be as easy as you think. First, you would have to survive getting to your parents and then trying to save them," he explained but Bloom wasn't really listening, too lost in her thoughts. "It can work, I know it can," she said simply.
Valtor stood opposite of her, gripping her at the shoulders so much that Bloom winced. "If you want to be sent back to Omega so badly, I should have just let them catch you!" he said with a raised tone. Bloom stepped out of his grip, noticing the clear fury in his eyes. The fire fairy ignored the jab, remembering to ask something else she heard in Faragonda's memories, a name she didn't recognize.
"Who is Sibylla?"
Valtor's expression turned puzzled. "How do you know that name?" he said, still weighing how to best play this out. "Faragonda's memories. She said that someone named Sibylla was summoned after you were captured. Who is she?"
Valtor then returned to his usual smirk, seeming to be laughing to himself, remembering something. "I haven't heard that name in decades," he said before walking to Griffin's desk and sitting atop it. "She is the fairy of justice, a Major fairy." Bloom had no idea what that had meant either, but she didn't want to interrupt him.
"I encountered her a couple of times throughout my life on Domino," he began, closing his eyes as if that would help him recall the memory. Bloom listened carefully, trying to gather the new information while processing the known ones.
"I liked the planet like its essence was breathing life into me."
And yet you chose to destroy it, she thought and saw Valtor roll his eyes. He had read her thoughts just as she had planned. Despite it, Bloom was still surprised to hear any ounce of feeling from Valtor, it was a topic she never thought they would breach.
He looked at her briefly before continuing: "Your power, as well as mine, come from the same centre, the Dragon that resides on Domino."
Bloom cut in: "I know all that. You are a part of Domino as much as I am."
Valtor nodded in approval before beginning to talk again: "Sibylla came to visit me, and I always knew it was to observe my power. She wanted to make sure I wasn't going to attack the royal palace. So, for years she would monitor me so I had to work in secret. Until finally I became strong enough and she was too late to realize she was tricked." He finished with a disgusting smile on his lips which made Bloom want to punch him.
"But why would she come to Domino after the war?" she said instead, keeping her cool. She couldn't lose this, whatever it was with Valtor before she got everything she needed from him. "To assess the situation on your planet I assume. Justice could still be carried out. I was sent to Omega as punishment for your parents' disappearance. That was all that was there to settle."
Because Domino was frozen over and everyone on it was either dead or fled to other magical planets, was what he left out.
Bloom leaned on the wall and exhaled. That didn't help her much, other than knowing there was one more person who let her kingdom down. She stopped counting long ago just how many people had.
She was quiet for a while, before saying: "I want to see them, their capture." Valtor stood utterly still, not expecting it in the slightest. He considered his options. Let her into his head and show her there is no way for her to survive Obsidian or refuse her and wait until she inevitably tries to do it on her own. And as much as he wanted to see her pathetic attempt and scare her once again, he didn't want her digging through his head.
"Fine," he said and Bloom's eyes lit up for a moment. "But we do this on my terms. You only see what I allow you to see and you can't ask for anything else. Understood?" Bloom nodded and stepped toward the desk, offering her hand. Valtor took off one of his gloves and gripped her around the wrist. Bloom inhaled sharply as the connection was made and she was pulled inside the thick dark walls of his mind.
Unlike the fog and mess in Faragonda's, Valtor's head was entirely organized. He summoned the exact memory he needed in a second and waited for Bloom to make the first step.
After you, Princess echoed inside and Bloom didn't think twice before tapping the memory gently and falling into it.
Valtor stood next to the three Ancestral witches in the space completely enveloped in darkness with powerful energy vibrating throughout the entire horizon. "You have summoned me," the voice of Valtor said to the witches.
"The time has come. You better not disappoint us, boy," Belladonna hissed as she teleported them to the edge of a field, far enough from the great Domino palace so they would not see them coming until it was too late.
"We are taking care of the Princesses, you destroy the king and queen," Liliss repeated the plan which had her two sisters displeased. "You know what awaits you if you fail us, don't you Valtor?" Tharma said after Valtor only nodded. "I will not fail," the wizard said with a simple smile.
"How long until the Company of Light shows up as well?" he asked and saw the three witches exchange a knowing look between themselves. "Oh, no need for you to worry about them."
Valtor argued back which earned him a cold press against his mental shields. Belladonna was watching him, but he showed no reaction. "Will that be a problem?" she asked, her power curling around his mind like a snake. "Of course not," he replied, pushing her magic out. She smiled, pleased.
Before he could begin, Belladonna added: "And if you see the traitor Griffin, destroy her too." Valtor stiffened a little but regained his composure soon enough. "Understood," he said.
"Good," all three of them said and summoned their powers. Belladonna's body got encased in ice from all sides, Liliss blended into the darkness around her and Tharma's sparked with electricity.
They were ready. All it took was his first move and the battle would begin.
Valtor grinned viciously as he raised both of his hands and aimed them at the sky. Instantly, dark clouds dispersed, bolts of lightning erupting around them. Everywhere they struck fire began to burn, spreading quickly over the area. The Ancestral witches combined their attacks into one and sent it flying into the royal palace. Valtor watched as it collided with the magical shields, broke them and shattered the wall.
He didn't wait for them as he flew for the castle, witnessing the crowds already gathering around the palace. Screams were resonating throughout the yard and the inside walls. He called for his inner power, awakening the Dragon who quickly appeared at his side. Valtor only needed to point toward the target and the creature went flying at it. Windows cracked under the impact, showering everything in millions of glass shards.
He flew for the main entrance when the shouts started to hurt his ears. He saw a man clutch at his child, his wife a couple of feet behind them when a set of bricks collapsed on top of her. The father couldn't do anything as it erased his wife forever. The child began to cry loudly and the father fell to his knees.
Another pair were holding hands and running when he sent his Dragon at them. The beast curled around one of the women and turned her into a cloud of smoke as the other tried to defend herself with magic.
Valtor continued onward when he spotted the royals. Everyone was dressed from head to toe in battle armour. The teachers of the three schools at the back and Marion and Oritel in the front. Griffin didn't react when their eyes met across the yard.
"Your Majesties, what owes me the pleasure?" the wizard mocked as they took in the already crumbled ruins of their home. Marion looked at her husband and some kind of agreement was exchanged because the queen said: "Saladin and Faragonda go and help the people. Radius and Griffin, please get the girls. We will take care of him." It was a commanding voice, one of a true leader.
Faragonda, the old crone, stepped forward: "You can't go against him alone." Valtor, bored of doing nothing sent a fire line at Griffin, knocking her down to the ground.
"Listen to your pet Marion," he snarled at them.
The queen responded with a burst of white light that collided with Valtor's hand. He smiled at her, challenging her to do it again. Oritel raised his sword, sending a blast of flame in his direction, but this time Valtor moved out of the way and rewarded them with three separate attacks. One smashed into the castle's dome, and a new set of cries erupted from above. Second flew for Marion but she blocked it with a shield of fire, and the third Saladin blocked with his spear.
Marion tossed another look at her little group and this time they simply bowed before scattering throughout the castle. "We need to take him away from the palace," the king said and Valtor laughed at the idiocy. "You could have just said so," he said and before they could do anything, he snapped his fingers, letting the portal swallow all three of them up.
He knew his mothers would take care of the palace, but his task was the king and queen. They materialized on the same field where the attacks began. The palace stood in the distance, smoke rising from a couple of sides and screams still echoing. He awoke his power and the ground underneath them began to tremble, sparks of blue fire dancing around his fingertips. He sent the wave of it at them both, and Marion yelled as it hit her abdomen. Oritel was struck in the shoulder and Valtor noticed a pool of blood under his armour.
He didn't give them even a second to retaliate as he kept going, attack after attack. They managed to avoid multiple but Valtor wasn't slowing down. "I thought this was supposed to be hard," he teased.
Marion successfully summoned the Dragon with the help of Oritel's sword and it twisted itself around Valtor's torso. He saw Marion panting heavily, her forehead bathing in sweat while her husband held onto her for support, clutching the sword in his injured arm while the other was placed around Marion's shoulder. Marion had a burnt mark on her waist which was turning a nasty muddy colour.
"Tired yet?" he tossed at them, and Marion snarled at him. "Not even close," she stood straight and closed her eyes. He watched her body begin to glow as wings appeared at her back. He saw a similar transformation on Faragonda once, Enchantix. Oritel was at her side, his sword igniting in a crimson fire as if it responded to his wife's magic.
Her husband took her hand and squeezed.
"Wherever you go I go."
Valtor channelled Liliss' magic, sending darkness around them like a cacoon, the power he stole from some planet, draining their energy. He smirked at how easy it was until Marion's fire burned through it. He summoned ice around Oritel's torso and legs but his sword melted it away with ease. Lightning from Tharma struck behind them, knocking both to their sides. Marion quickly recovered, flying into the air, hands extended. He saw the Great Dragon, powerful and magnificent come to their aid.
Maybe they would be worthy opponents after all.
But then, as if she was hit with an invisible force, Marion's eyes went wide, body stilling and the creature evaporating. She fell to her knees and a painful scream cracked through the empty field. Oritel was by her side instantly, the same expression on his face.
Valtor was confused, he hadn't done anything.
"My Daphne," the sob broke from her. "My baby," she screamed again, her body starting violently shaking.
She was in the air again before he could react. She gave into it all, her sorrow and the pain that ripped through her heart, her agony that wished her to scream until her throat was raw, her tears that were burning on her skin as they fell. When she looked at him, Valtor knew it was over. Once she used her magic, it would be done.
So while the queen burned in the bright crimson rage of fire, he readied a counterspell. It would take him all his willpower, but it would put an end to the royals. It would be enough.
The Fire came at him the next second, burning around him from feet upwards. He pushed at his inner strength, the spell and a portal in one. Enough, it had to be enough. With his last ounce of energy, he sent it flying at Marion who was gripping Oritel's elbow.
A blast that followed could be seen and sensed for miles.
It was over.
History books would mark it as the shortest war in the dimension.
Valtor was defeated.
And the King and Queen of Domino were gone.