A/n: *SPOILER ALERT* Skip over this if you don't want my insensitive ass ruining season's eight premiere for you.

Rainbow, what have you done?

I check tumblr regularly for season eight spoilers, and what I find never ceases to amaze. For starters, Riven is returning (as expected. I'm actually glad he wasn't in cringeworthy season 7). The new transformation has officially been dubbed as 'Cosmix", which is way better than 'Starlix', I'll admit. The Winx are set to have a space adventure with the aid of some kind of chibi-like thing called Twinkle (Twinkly?) I honestly feel like season 8 is supposed to be similar to Sailor Moon's Infinity Arc but anyway—

What pisses me off is that Flora's cosmix has been retconed. In the first promos, her transformation was all pink with a pair of open-toe boots and a glittery purple headband—it was actually pretty cute. But now, Flora's cosmix is a basic pinkish top and a hideous green skirt that totally contrasts the style of Bloom's, Stella's, Musa's and Tecna's (the latter two's cosmix has just been unveiled, and it's actually pretty cute. I don't know how I feel about Tecna's though. Wasn't green originally Aisha's signature color?) And speaking of Aisha, her transformation was shown shortly before Musa's and Tecna's, and it's unsatisfactorily similar to Flora's; ultimately nothing special. I hope the fairy forms we've seen Aisha and Flora in so far are either prototypes, or the pre-cosmix transformation. It's bad enough both of them have been whitewashed—we don't need them having the ugliest transformations, too.

What riled me up the most, though, is the fact Valtor is making his comeback in the new season. What the hell, Rainbow? Why couldn't you just leave him be? Valtor in season 3 was a true badass—how the hell are we supposed to tolerate him in this new Ever After High-esque animation? (Speaking of EAH, I just recently published a crossover between it and Winx Club called Sisters in Flame. I hope you'll check it out!)

It's not that I hate season eight as a whole; I just hate how Rainbow is disgracing the cartoon we all fell in love with. I mean, c'mon! The girls' personal style is basically nonexistent at this point—and all their new faces look the same! I mean, at least we had some variation in Ever After High. For crying out loud, Musa's barely Japanese anymore! Season 8 is supposed to be the series' redemption after shit-awful season 7, but I'm just not seeing it; not at the rate the overall cartoon is de-evolving.

*SPOILERS/RANT OVER*

Sorry for updating so late. I've learned that with writing, like everything else, it's best not to rush your work; not if you want quality. I get the best feedback when I put more time into each chapter, like w/ the last one. It took me two freakin' months to rewrite chapter 29, but it earned me twelve favorites, which I find exceptional for a no-name author who belongs to such an unpopular fandom.

Well, here's the revamped chapter 30. A lot of you guys have been asking for it ever since I deleted the first edition, so I hope you enjoy! The best is yet to come~


(Third Person POV)

Alvaz's disgust was as infinite as the contiguous black stone.

He flapped his ebony, robust wings a few times, swatting away the miniscule pests that'd glued themselves to them ever since he warped into Obsidian, the colorless, forlorn world where the only sounds were woeful moans and wails. His wings were immediately relived of the nibbling sensations, a reprieve that would not last long. In a few minutes or so, the ilztzy, the soul-sucking, netherworld-borne insects charged with draining the detainees of their character and resolve, would inevitably come droning back, the instinct to feed trumping their initial fear. They'd evoked much antipathy in Alvaz during his extended stay in this vast void of barrenness.

Surveying all he'd left behind seven years ago, the warlock kept an even, unhurried stride as he journeyed through the ravine, undaunted by the grotesque black-glass formations protruding out of the dull, inorganic ground. Or the lost, long-gone travelers impaled to them. Far too often, an internally tormented prisoner would hurl themselves off a cliff and plummet to their violent, jagged death, deeming death a more suitable fate than enduring this grueling punishment any longer. A waste, if you asked Alvaz. Those faint-hearted, suicidal fools were better off in Obsidian, especially since their souls just ended up someplace worse. But then again, not everyone possessed Alvaz's stamina. When it came to psychological stability, he was superior to all. Lady Lamya had made sure of that; after all, what good was a fragile-minded lieutenant? All of her…conditioning had rendered Alvaz's psyche as unbreakable as steel, hence the reason he'd been able to survive this shithole for several millennia. An all-time record. No one in the whole history of this wretched place had ever lasted that long without succumbing to its poisonous effects. If the Champions were still around, Alvaz would've laughed in their face before spitting on it. It was their hope Obsidian would reduce him to a demoralized husk when they banished him, but ha! Jokes on them. Once Lady Lamya was back to her old malevolent, vibrant self, Alvaz would see to it that they all experienced this disconsolate shithole firsthand.

Alvaz wended his way down the road's treacherous meander, easily maneuvering around its perilous obstacles/ death traps. He knew all of Obsidian like the back of his hand; he could travel any path with his eyes closed while being fully aware of where he was going and what was in his way.

If it was up to him, he wouldn't have stepped foot in this gods-awful prison ever again. Nonetheless, a vital component of their plan lied here, and he was the only one qualified to fetch it.

Much to his begrudging advantage, this place hadn't changed a bit since his phenomenal escape nearly a decade ago. Apart from the increase of damned souls, everything was pretty much the same. It was kind of disappointing. You'd think by now the forces haunting Obsidian would come down from the gloomy heavens—in the thousands of years Alvaz inhabited these nightmarish lands, he'd never once seen even a trickle of sky peek through the rage-swollen ash clouds—to greet and bind him to the realm once more, or that one of his old inmates would crawl out of their miserable hole to come kick his ass for robbing them of their only chance of freedom. But no, nothing. The ancient gatekeeper hadn't been tasked with babysitting the prisoners, and it wasn't like Alvaz had any comrades left. After the end of First War at the start of time, the Champions, the then-rulers of the worlds, had exiled the Prince of Darkness's most notorious warlords to Obsidian while his second-rate underlings got sentenced to the Omega Dimension (a milder, icy version of Obsidian). Everyone Alvaz had gone in with was either lost, dead, or a conflicted, bodiless spirit. Good riddance. They were destined to waste away here anyway. Alvaz on other hand had vowed to prevail, even if it meant being chained to this godsforsaken dimension for several thousand years before his opportunity came.

He could still recall that glorious moment, the overpowering jubilation when the Rift appeared. He didn't know how or why but exactly seven years ago, whatever barricade that held Obsidian together and isolated it from the other dimensions temporarily split. Alvaz, by either a turn of fortune or Fate, had been nearby when he spotted a splinter in the sky, a chink in the clouds. He'd immediately known what it offered: freedom. His time had finally arrived and he reacted on instinct, still half-submerged in disbelief as he spread his wings and charged at that beckoning sliver of hope. The dark spirits that polluted the atmosphere had tried to rein him in, do everything in their power to keep him under alongside their vile existence, but he managed to overcome them and slip through the opening just as it was stitching itself back up. Shortly after, he landed on the Other Side, now-modern Magix, returning to the majestic world of colors, taste, weather, sensations, and civilization. Triumphant, he'd lifted his hands to the blue sky and roared. Though Alvaz had never been religious, he praised the dark god that day. After sleeping for days on end, wolfing down goliath portions of food, and bedding more than enough women to remind himself of what life was like pre-exile, he carefully gathered his resources and concocted a plan for revenge. This trip would complete the final piece of it, the sole reason the warlock had been willing to tolerate this hell one final time.

As he proceeded deeper into the gorge, he smirked to himself when he spotted a familiar figure perched on the stone structure ahead. Of course he was still sitting there. He'd been frozen in the same spot ever since the ghosts of those old hags dragged him here all those years ago. Alvaz assumed he'd been a king before crossing the border into these inescapable parts; his armor bore a royal crest, similar to dragons carved into the hilt of his regal sword. It hadn't taken him long to figure out which king.

"I thought I'd find you here," he purred to the disheveled man, pausing to inspect him as he mechanically beat his wings together, repelling the swarm of ilztzy that'd taken to them again.

The Nameless King didn't bat an eye at the newcomer of the ilztzy's ubiquitous presence. The pests didn't appear to be attracted to him. Of course they weren't; they were drawn to resilience the way mosquitoes were drawn to blood. Their sole task was to drink their victims dry of all positive energies, leaving nothing but the negative in their wake to really enhance the Obsidian experience. But when your soul was already wounded and disheartened beyond repair, they completely overlooked you.

"How's the wife?" drawled Alvaz, looking to the sword.

The Nameless King subconsciously rested a protective hand on its pommel, though he was still spaced out, staring out into nothingness with opaque eyes. Alvaz didn't expect anything less; he'd been in this same state, same position for nearly two decades. There really wasn't any need to. In Obsidian, the body was nulled, robbed of nearly all its natural functions, everything it meant to be alive. It did not experience hunger, exhaustion, or even lust (not that any of these cretins were even worth giving a second glance); the realm's dark matter-laced air was enough to sustain it.

When the dark-haired king refused to answer, Alvaz went on his way. No point in talking to that shell of a man. He was tethered to this realm like the broken animal he was.

The warlock quickly advanced through the drab landscape; it was only a matter of time before the dimension tried to claim him again. As soon as he retrieved what he needed, he'd warp back out before it was too late.

Eventually, the ravine ended in a cave. The cave.

Alvaz didn't think twice before he descended into its bowels, well aware that the absolute worst of the worst were imprisoned deep within them (it was somewhat of an insult that he didn't get banished there). He didn't heed their deafening silence as he progressed into a makeshift chamber of rocks and boulders. He came up to one of the slabs of iron that served as doors, using a spell to slide it out of place.

The being huddled in the corner slowly lifted their face to face him.

"Alvaz," they said, lips breaking into a triumphant smile.

The warlock's lips tugged up into a lazy grin. "Tell the wolves I'm home."


...

(Acadia's POV)

"Are you out of your godsdamned mind?"

My dream opened to that line.

Prior to this, my mental ears opened before my mental eyes and for a while, I just floated in the void that was my mind, enveloped in gloom and a chorus of voices. I didn't have a voice or even a body of my own, so for the longest I just drifted aimlessly in whatever direction my active mind steered me in. Through some unexplainable sense, I knew I was trapped in my own head and had a physical, slumbering body I could wake into, but was unaware of it at the same time. It was like I knew about my human being, but at the same time it didn't exist, didn't matter since I lacked access to it. For reasons I couldn't remember in this condition, I'd been disconnected from Physical Me until Mental Me released its grip on Subconscious Me.

The chorus of voices was memories, I realized. But only the audio, not the visuals, replayed in a dark corner of my mind. I could tell the loudest of the memories were the freshest; unlike majority of the others, the playback was smooth and undistorted. I was psychologically awake enough to discern some of the voices, and who they belonged to. One was Flora's, the other Candi's. The dominating one was thick, male, and incredibly sensual. I couldn't remember his name, or how'd he earned a top spot in my most recent memories in the first place. All I knew was that my echoic recollection of him provoked the slightest hint of hatred in this otherwise impassive state I was in.

Nonetheless, I quickly forgot about it as I slipped into some kind of dream state. At least I think it was a dream. Whatever plane of my psyche I was now plummeting into felt too unfamiliar to be another hallway of memories.

"Are you out of your godsdamned mind?"

I don't know whose voice was that or why the hell I was hearing it, but it involuntarily sucked me into a dream of some sort. Or a memory. Or a dream of a memory. Or a memory of a dream. I couldn't say for sure; when it came to the functions of the mind, the lines seemed to blur.

All I knew was that I went through some kind of a tunnel and the next thing I knew, I was standing in front of a door. A mahogany door.

I tried to turn my head to see where I was, but I couldn't. It was one of those dreams when you couldn't move your mental body—you just had to watch and wait it out.

A hand—my hand, I think. I couldn't see it that clearly—reached out and pushed the door ajar to eavesdrop on the heated conversation taking place on the other side. I—or whoever's eyes I was seeing through—was low to ground, so I all I could see through the opening was the back of a towering wingback chair, which was seated before a heavy oak desk. Thanks to my height, I could not see who was seated in the former, and who was seated behind the latter.

A hearth was cackling.

"Do not speak to me like that, husband," said a different, more composed voice. A woman. "It's already been decided."

"In case you've forgotten, wife, I have as much say in the matter as you, and I say this is bullshit," fumed the voice from earlier. A man. And from the sounds of it, he was majorly pissed. "Do you even hear yourself?"

"Calm yourself. You are being irrational," scolded a third voice that made something inside my form flutter.

Mom?

I tried to will my uncooperative legs forward, to get them to carry me inside so I could behold the face I'd come to miss these past few months, but they would not respond. I attempted to look down to see if I even had legs in this dream, but not even my head would obey. I was completely paralyzed. I would've cursed if I could. Speaking of cursing, the man was doing his fair share of it.

"Irrational my ass! You have no right to lecture me about my godsdamned temper when you're threatening to—"

"That is enough, both of you," cut in the woman who wasn't my mother, voice like a razor. "It's late. I don't have the patience or energy to further entertain your dispute. We will continue this discussion in the morning."

Someone broke something.

"Dammit, Gen! How can you be so—so heartless? What woman would willingly ship her own flesh and blood off to some bat-shit crazy Southside whore—"

"How dare you!" seethed the woman with Mom's voice, followed by the harsh scraping of chair legs against the floor and the sound of skin striking skin, a slap.

All hell must've broke loose next because a chair sailed past the door and violently crashed into the wall, ensued by wrathful shouts and shattering glass.

At this point, I felt myself slipping away. I tried to hold on to the dream by sheer force of will, but it was already fading away like wisps of smoke, I was already waking up…

...

My head felt like someone had poured cement inside—thick and churning.

Shadows and fragmented memories danced in my head as consciousness slowly came creeping back to me, as I became uncomfortably aware of the freezing, slick surface biting my skin.

Where the hell was I...?

Once I regained feeling in my hands, I planted them on the ground to catch something fuzzy between my fingers. Huh?

Peeling my tongue off the roof of my mouth and digging my nails into whatever material I lied on, I mustered some strength and heaved my upper half up off the floor, giving my new surroundings a weak once over through splintered vision.

The first things I beheld were stone and hair.

Startled, my blurry eyes devoured the whole scene at once.

I zeroed in on the mass of silvery-blue tresses spilt across the floor like a frozen river and traced it to the scalp of the girl passed out on the other side of the small space. My gaze raked up the length of her, from her silver high-tops to her belly-baring winter jacket to her usually cruel face that was now serene with unconsciousness—

Icy.

Not wanting to worsen my headache, I chose not to linger on her, eyes instead roaming over the tight space we occupied.

So much stone.

We were encircled by nothing but old, gray, mossy stone; floor, ceiling, walls. Save the wisps of stale straw strewn across the floor, the room was bare and reeked of cat piss. I fixed my eyes on the door; iron, arched, heavy, and reinforced with steel. The only light came from some kind of glowing orb anchored to the wall above it, its dim golden light casting creepy shadows along the walls. I then realized just how small and cramped the windowless room was; there was just barely enough space for me to stretch my legs out to their full length. It only took me a second to perceive the truth:

I—we were in a cell.

How the hell did I get here?

And just like magic, everything came flooding back to me: Candi's deception, Alvaz's beautiful face and immense power, Alice's and I's defeat. I remembered being beaten by that unnaturally handsome warlock, I remembered being swallowed up by his insanely powerful black magic. And the pain...

Just the memories of that unfathomable agony weighed my eyelids to the point I couldn't hold them open anymore, my legs to the point they felt like pillars of granite. I felt myself sinking back to the ground.

And then I gave in to the darkness.

...

I had no idea how much time passed while I was out; I just know I was in exact same place I had been before I fainted (the second time).

And so was Icy.

I wondered how she got here. Candi, who was proven to be acquainted with the Trix, must've sniffed her out as another sacrifice for the ritual. And if she was here, her sisters couldn't be far.

The witch was still out cold, lying across the stone of the floor with a deceptively peaceful face. I wondered long she'd—we'd be here. Wherever "here" was.

As I picked myself up and blinked away the film in my eyes, my first instinct was to get my phone to call for help and see what time, what day it was. However, right as I was reaching for my empty pocket, I had a flashback of me, Alice, and Flora handing our phones over to Candi.

Dammit. So calling for reinforcements was out of the question. I cursed myself for ever trusting that whore. When this was over, she was going to pay.

I shoved Candi out of my mind before temper triggered. She didn't matter right now. At the moment, the only thing that was important was breaking out of here. But first, I had to get my shit together.

With a throbbing head—I think I had a mild concussion— I braced myself against the wall, giving myself a moment to fully regain consciousness and some strength. Once I was lucid enough, I rose and while carefully avoiding Icy, took a few steps back—which wasn't far considering the size of this shithole—and prepared to hurl a Wondrous Wind spell straight at the door.

It took longer than usual to gather the energy in my hands, but there was force behind the spell when I hurled it squarely at the door. It should've blown it straight off its hinges, but something entirely different happened. Though the beam hit the iron at full speed, it didn't collide at full strength. Instead, it just…soaked into the iron. Like the mineral drunk it up.

The hell?

I tried again and got the same outcome. Tried again and the same thing occurred.

Why wasn't my damn magic working on this thing?!

My heartbeat accelerated as panic engulfed me. What was wrong with me? Clearly Alvaz and company hadn't harvested my mana yet—after all, I could still use magic. So what was the problem?

After about ten more unsuccessful attempts at breaking down the door, I faced up to the truth: my magic had weakened. I hadn't fully recovered from Alvaz's ambush, so my powers were currently inefficient. That or the cell was somehow immune to it. Either way, I wasn't getting out anytime soon.

I leaned against the wall and sunk to the ground, hopeless and defeated and somewhat dizzy. My mind was a cacophony of turmoil. Where the hell was this place? How long had I been out? Where the fuck were my friends? My throat constricted with fear as I thought reflected on those final moments before I hit my head. Had Flora made it to safety? Was she alright? That fear curdled to anger, and it knotted in my stomach. So help me, if that fucker laid a hand, a single finger on her I was going to have his head.

That brought me to Alice and Karel. Were they locked somewhere within this place (whatever, wherever that was) as well? I told myself they had to be. After all, I didn't see a reason why Alvaz would split us up and haul us off to separate locations. If he was the master of the Lamya zealots I doubted he'd waste time dividing the goods when he could just make use of them all under the same roof, especially since he were cloaking the victims—us with powerful spells. I was more than positive that Alice, Karel, Ahisa, Bishop, and all the other missing students were somewhere behind that door—I just needed a way to break it down. And once I did and regrouped with the others, we'd formula a plan to save ourselves. Somehow. Not gonna lie: our situation was painfully grim. Since Andelle and Violet hadn't been able to get past the cloaking charms, the same ones I knew for a fact now enchanted me and everyone else, we were on our own, especially since Tecna hadn't been able to record our capture. She had no clue where we'd been taken, and there was no way for her or any of them to find us, meaning our fate was ultimately in our hands. We and only we could get ourselves out of this mess.

But…how?

I pondered that fruitlessly.

How would we escape Alvaz and his cult? Let's say I did happen to miraculously reunite with the group and we managed to track down the rest of the victims (how many were there?) What then? No way could we just sneak out and slip through the zealot's fingers. The warlock was no doubt their muscle and considering his strength, he was our main obstacle. How did we expect to overcome it? In terms of power, Alvaz was definitely unparalleled and regardless of our numbers, no one stood a chance.

Bile boiled in my stomach at a realization: the bastard would come to fetch me—and Icy—soon. With the addition of us, Alice, and Karel to his resources for the ritual, there was a strong possibility the requirements for the spell had been met (I would assume gathering sacrifices was the last step since this unknown party had been working in the shadows for what sounded like weeks now). And once his group finished the last of the preparations, it would be time to reap the benefits of their hard work.

I had but a short time.

I felt myself slowly succumbing to the despair. Were these my final hours? Would I ever see the light of day again? Would my road end here, where no one would find me? W—

Oh god, my family.

They'd never see me again, never knew what became of—

I was wrenched out of my worries when Icy stirred on the other end of the cell. I didn't bother rising as she groaned and slowly embraced consciousness. "Wise and shine, sleepyhead," I announced as the witch peeled her face off the stone. She didn't even have to fully register our surroundings before her head snapped in my direction.

"Hi," I said.

I simply tilted my head to the right as an ice chip whistled across the tight space, shattering into tiny shards against the wall nearby my ear. "Missed," I said without batting an eye.

"Wh-what are you doing here? Where the hell am I?" stammered a disorientated Icy, nearly tripping as she tried to scramble to her feet.

"I can ask you the same," I said evenly. Though we were fated to be long-term enemies, Icy was presently my only ally. Fairy, witch, it didn't matter. In the end, it would take everyone's vigor to survive whatever was to come.

I watched carefully as the witch stood and braced herself against the wall, a nasty scowl creasing her face as she held her head and tried to recollect herself. "Rough day?" I guessed. When she didn't answer, my eyes wandered down to the dull brown that was stark against the pale-blue. "You have straw in your hair."

Icy's eyes shot down to her ponytail. Muttering, she untangled the piece from her hair. She had yet to fire an insult at me, and I couldn't decide if I was relived or unsettled.

A moment of silence passed, but I knew we were both anxious to question each other, hear each other's story. So I waited until Icy finally squared her shoulders and leveled a deadly calm stare at me. "Tell me, fairy. Why in the rotting underealm am I here?"

So I'm guessing Candi or whoever attacked her hadn't been as generous as Alvaz and elaborated. That complicated things. Where the hell did I even begin?

"What's the last thing you remember?" I asked as I sifted through yesterday's (today's? Heaven knows how much time had passed since Alvaz's ambush) memories, as I pieced together an explanation that didn't reveal any personal details. Icy only needed the key facts, so I'd omit the parts about Flora.

The crease between the witch's brows deepened as she thought back. "Darcy, Stormy, and I were on the road back to school when some winged bastard confronted us," she said, lips playing into a scowl at the memory.

Alvaz.

I didn't let my surprise show, but my mind was spinning. So Alvaz was the one who swept up the Trix? But didn't he say Candi—Candace had been in charge of finding eligible sacrifices with the aid of that Bloodhound thing? Either she pointed the warlock in the Trix's direction, or he'd targeted them randomly.

"Black hair, red eyes, dark tunic?" I said. She responded with a slow nod. "Yeah, that's Alvaz. He's the guy who assaulted me and my friends too. Speaking of him, do you happen to be acquainted with a Candace Burkett?"

The question earned me a suspicious once-over. Would she admit to one of her own being associated with a fairy? "I think Darcy knows someone by that name," she said at last.

"Well, be sure to thank Darcy the next you see her because it's partly her fault you're even in this mess," I said matter-of-factly. "Turns out Candace's an undercover agent for the cult that kidnapped us."

"What?" snapped Icy, growing visibly infuriated.

"Yeah. She's the one who siced the 'winged bastard' on you guys." Ever since that collaborate with Darcy to humiliate Musa, the squinty-eyed whore had probably kept a close eye on the witch and her sisters, waiting for the right time to make her move.

Icy stomped her foot. "Dammit! I told that fool not to get involved fairies. When I get out of here, I'm going to have that tree-kissing freak's ass—"

I leapt to my feet right as Icy chucked a wintery spell at the door. It proved useless, just like all my previous efforts. "What the—?"

"Yeah, magic doesn't work on it," I disclosed as the witch four more attempts at breaking the door down before kicking in stubbornly.

She gritted her teeth. "It must be made of elfin iron."

"Elfin iron?" I repeated, eyebrows shooting up in query.

Icy glared at me like I was insufferable. "You're more ignorant than I thought. How can you be a caster and not know about your main weakness?"

Weakness? Actually…that made sense. "So…Elfin iron is anti-magic," I deduced, more statement than question.

Icy gave an imperceptible nod. "Even sorcerers with godlike powers are rendered useless by it. That's why it's the rarest, most sought-after resource in all of the cosmos. It's nearly impossible to come by these days, especially with all the kings and queens stripping their planets of the mineral to accommodate their elite guards."

"That must mean we're up against powerful people if they were able to get their hands on something that scarce," I mused grimly.

Ice glinted above Icy's nails, reflecting the cruelty in her eyes as she growled, "Don't know, don't care. Whoever they are, they're going to have to answer to me." I highly doubted she could take Alvaz, but no way was I going to discourage her from trying. Whatever outcome of that battle would surely result in one less problem for us.

"We have to break out of here, first," I reminded with an eye roll. "So why don't you use that energy to come up with a solution to our little predicament? Considering the door is immune to magic, and the stones are too dense to blast through, we don't have that many—"

Icy huffed. "Gods, you really are a fool, aren't you? Must I tell you how to do everything?"

I stared at her cluelessly.

The witch facepalmed. "Use that melon-sized head of yours, fairy. Elfin iron is only resistant to spells and all things conjured magically. However, against natural, preexisting forces, it's just as susceptible as anything else."

I blinked, blank-faced.

A vein bulged in Icy's forehead. "Why did I have to get stuck with the moron?" she murmured to herself, pinching her forehead. Turning back to me, she snapped, "You're a wind fairy, aren't you? Just use your powers to compress whatever little air we have into a single surge and use it to blow down the door."

Oh.

Oh.

I would've kicked myself in the shin had not Icy been standing there to witness my humiliation.

How did I not think of that? It was so simple! But there was only one problem—

"Well? What the hell are you waiting for?" demanded Icy impatiently, "Hurry up and get us out of here. I've shared the same space with you for far too long."

I fidgeted, hating her guts for putting me on the spot. "I—um—the thing is—"

"What's the problem?" the witch hissed, taking a step closer to me. She studied me for a second before her irritation curdled to disgust. "No," she spat, "you can't be serious. You do know how to manipulate wind, don't you?"

My painful silence was answer enough.

The witch tipped her head back and expelled a harsh laugh. "This just keeps getting better and better," she said, though she didn't sound humored in the slightest. "You have to be the sorriest fairy I've ever met. How the hell did a weakling like you manage to get into Alfea if you can't even wield the element you've been bound to for almost two decades?"

I furiously held her gaze, though shame heated my cheeks. Deep down, I cursed myself for not putting more time into my affinity. I'd made the Winx my top priority and my near obsession had come back to bite me in the ass.

Icy was merciless. "Wait until Stormy hears this," she said with a scowl, "I can't believe you actually had the audacity to think you stood a chance against her. Unlike you, she has years of experience."

I forced myself to roll my eyes dramatically, to feign indifference though I was boiling inside. "Are you going to keep pointlessly running your mouth, or are you going to make yourself useful and help me think of a way out of here?"

"Oh, I already have a plan," sneered Icy, "and it's going to be very unpleasant for you."

I had the sense to summon a slim, almond-shaped shield around me as Icy spread her arms apart. Instantly, a cracker-thin layer of ice crystallized on the surface of my barrier. I looked around to notice something similar was occurring to the walls, limbs of hoarfrost branching toward the ceiling like mold. Suddenly, I understood her objective.

It wasn't long before the whole cell was iced-over. But Icy didn't stop decreasing the temperature. Thanks to her magic, the witch wasn't subject to the cold and didn't even flinch as the ice grew thicker and thicker, chunkier and denser, until mini-glaciers were forming in the corners and glasslike stalactites hung from the ceiling.

The best part about it, though, was the fact that even the elfin-iron door had frozen over. Logically, it would—Icy didn't conjure the ice; she just caused the temperature to decline, meaning this mini winter wonderland had formed as a natural phenomenon, not a magical one.

Once the door was completely encased in ice, Icy thrust both hands forward, as if she was pushing against the iron. To my begrudging amazement, the door rattled a few times before completely tearing off its hinges, slamming against the stone wall outside. She'd somehow used the natural ice to dislodge the door out of its frame!

Breathing misting the air, Icy just turned and smirked at me before proceeding toward the empty doorway.

Not daring to brave the treacherously slippery floor, I steered my little barrier outside after her and deactivated it in the narrow corridor in front of the ice cube that imprisoned the elfin iron.

I trailed Icy down the short hallway, which bled into a cavernous torchlit, rank-smelling chamber. The wet, pungent stench, I realized, was a product of the mold that'd grown in tangled veins across the across the walls and in the cracks in between the stones. The odor turned my stomach as my eyes drank up the rest of the scene, nausea gripping me. Slime seeped from the shattered rock of the low ceilings, dripping into groves in the damp floor while wisps of webbings wavered from the ceiling in a phantom draft. Dampness collected in the corners and one of them had a particularly large lump of webbing in which rat bones were knotted together. Each wall contained a gaping arched column that marked the start of a new corridor, and I craned my neck to see further into one of them. However, thanks to the shitty lighting and my vantage point, all I saw were thick, unpleasant shadows that seemed to whisper.

A dungeon.

I whispered with a shiver, "This must be the Lamya cult's hideout." Meaning they were all lurking down here somewhere. Suddenly, I was on very high alert.

Much to my horror and exasperation, Icy ignored me and made for one of the passageways. I reached out and seized her arm. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I hissed, hopefully low enough so she didn't detect the budding fear.

The witch growled a warning and wrenched herself free. "What do you think? I'm going to look for Darcy and Stormy, and then the three of us are going to wreak havoc on this place." A fool's move, but only a witch would put revenge before her own safety,

I refused to facially demonstrate the flash of panic that heated my insides. "You can't just waltz around this place, Icy. It's dangerous, but not nearly as much as the people it belongs to. That being said, we need to stick together—"

"Stick together?" repeated Icy, appalled. "Stick together? In case you've forgotten, I'm not your comrade and I don't do that fairy code bullshit. Our paths separate here whether you like it or not."

I couldn't believe this. "But—"

"What's wrong? Scared?" challenged Icy. "As expected of an Alfea fairy. It's almost sad how much they've deluded you and your classmates. They're always pumping that teamwork-sisterhood wyvernshit into your mushy heads, and it's made you all naïve and spineless. You've grown too dependent on each other and don't know how to cope with being alone, survive alone. You've grown so used to watching your buddies' back, you don't know how to watch your own." A muscle in her jaw feathered in the torchlight. "It's sickening. You're like sheep. Split up the flock and they all go haywire, like they can't think for themselves. That fatal weakness makes it's far too easy to divide and conquer. If you want to defeat a group of fairies, all you have to do is shut them off from each other and pick them off one by one. Like now. I honestly gave you too much credit. Out of your whole pitiful group, I figured you and that technofairy were the only ones who were self-sufficient. Turns out I was wrong considering you're practically begging me, a witch, to stay by you side since you don't have an entourage to protect you anymore."

That struck a nerve, and my demeanor went from distressed to defensive. I straightened my back and held the bitch's gaze, refusing to show further weakness. "As usual, you don't know what you're talking about. I lived on my own prior to attending Alfea." Technically not a lie since I lacked companionship my first few months on Magix. "I know how to look after myself."

Icy flashed her signature subzero smile. "Then consider this a trial. Let's see if you've managed to maintain those skills, or if you've grown too reliant on Stella and the others. Look for a way to get out of this dump and save your ass, or admit defeat and crawl into a hole somewhere until that warlock finds you—the choice is yours. Either way, this is where we part ways. Later."

And, leaving those words hanging between us, she gave a half-hearted wave and disappeared into the tunnel to the left. She left me standing there, jaw and fists clenched. I had too much pride to run after her, so I just watched as she vanished into the gloom.

Damn her. So she thought I was weak, huh? I'd show her.

Though my resolve had been strengthened, I was ultimately still afraid.

Now that I'd been abandoned in this unfamiliar place, the shadows and silence seemed to pulse steadily, like a heartbeat. My alarm must've heightened my senses because suddenly, the stones look glossier, more porous. My ears went hypersensitive and the dripping sounded obnoxiously loud. The giant, formidable archways looked like mammoth mouths, poised to swallow me whole. My insides twisted and for a second, I could not breathe.

What the hell was I supposed to do now?

I was screwed to hell, that much was obvious.

Who knew what kind of foul creatures roamed down here beside Alvaz. Guaranteed that this was their HQ, I was bound to run into an adversary sooner or later. And even if I managed to overcome them, there had to be at least a dozen more to back them up. I had no hope of—

No, calm down, calm down. Don't prove Icy right. I took a deep breath, struggling to steel myself. There was no point in scaring myself shitless. Regardless of the scope of situation, I was here and trapped here. I wasn't ignorant or selfish enough to hope to escape on my own, meaning the wisest course of action was to pinpoint my friends and the other missing college kids while evading capture. I would not be a coward and give Icy the satisfaction. I would not be a coward.

Thus, I turned to face the rightward tunnel, squared my shoulders, and marched into the unknown, my body penetrating the shadows.

Mercifully, this portion of the dungeon was as filthy as the one I'd left behind. Dust—only dust—caked the ancient smooth-stoned walls and the slick floor was clean of that slime from earlier and littered with the remains of dead roaches instead of the remains of dead rats. Burning torches in iron sconces lined either side of the corridor, splashing the walls with flickering light that exaggerated my shadow as I wended my way down the narrow path.

Though I kept my chin up, my body trembled slightly. Could you blame me for being frightened? I was confined within the bowels of enemy territory, without any sense of where I was going or who or what I'd discover. I had no idea what this labyrinth had in store for me, though I knew it wouldn't be pretty. After all, I'd read enough books and watched enough TV to know what dungeons meant. Any time a supporting character—like me— found themselves trapped in a labyrinthine environment such as this one, there was always some form of adversary lurking around the corner just waiting to pop out and assault the hero when he/she least expected it. Or, even worse, they stalked protagonist the whole time and didn't reveal their presence until their prey was cornered in a dead-end. I had trouble believing my case would be the exception—especially with that jackass Alvaz lying in wait somewhere—and it was sheer paranoia (or was it?) that led me to believe someone's or something's eyes were boring into my backside, monitoring my every motion. That unsettling, spine-chilling sense of foreboding made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle and had me glancing over my shoulder every few seconds. Every time I did, I swore I discerned faint movement in the shadows, but could never determine if it was real or just my eyes playing tricks on me. Just to play it safe, I strained my ears and kept my steps clipped and quiet. I'd be damned if some bastard jump me.

I needed to silence my mind as well so I could focus and determine my next move, but my thoughts were too jumbled. All things aside, I guess I was still confused, still in disbelief over all that had occurred.

One weekend.

That was all it'd taken for things to escalate to this.

Just two (three?) days ago when I had my training session in the woods I had no idea that in just a matter of hours, me and my friends would get dragged into the situation that was far more complicated than we ever suspected. That when we left school to set out on a mission the following day—yesterday, I think—some of us weren't going to make it back. This was what our concern had wrought. And you know the screwed-up part about it? The worst was yet to come. That much was certain. I could feel it in my bones, in the pulsing silence that had this passage in a chokehold—

Unexpectedly, a phantom draft kissed my neck, a whisper of wind urging me to turn around. I obeyed on instinct, craning my neck to peer over my shoulder—

Holy shit!

I didn't get a chance to fully register the newcomer's face before I was reeling back at a speed my brain didn't have time to comprehend, leading me to lose both my balance and footing.

I fell flat on my ass and as I scrambled to my feet to Shift, magic rallied to defend myself against whoever had come to drag me away to my doom, I froze in mid-movement when a voice said:

"Please, do not be alarmed. I come in peace."

It was light, feminine, ethereal, and certainly didn't belong to Alvaz.

Slowly, bracing myself, I lifted my chin to face the visitor.

I recognized them—her and the relief/shock overwhelmed me the point my legs slackened.

Daphne.

The translucent spirit hovered above the stone floor only feet away, her golden gown billowing around her and glowing with the illusion of fire. Tendrils of matching hair had escaped the elaborate updo the rest was styled in around her crown—the sacred Crown of the Crowned Princess of Domino, the sole symbol of what she had been and an heirloom, an honor, one she'd worn proudly even in death—falling around the masquerade, wing-like mask that covered most of that ghostly face.

Though my heartbeat roared in my ears like a freight train and I couldn't grasp the meaning behind her unexpected appearance, I swelled with an odd sense of respect and found myself bowing low.

Regardless of how much the storyline had been altered, one vital detail was written in stone: Daphne's sacrifice for the dimension, for her realm, for her sister. Because of her, the Ancestral Witches did not obtain the power they desired, the one they'd ripped apart a whole planter for. Because her story ended, another's was able to begin and her destiny would intertwine with many others.

The spirit acknowledged my token of respect. "Funny. I was sure you'd feign ignorance," she said gently.

I'd honestly considered that for a nanosecond but for some inexplicable reason, I got the impression she was as familiar with me as I with her.

"You know who I am," I said evenly, more statement that question.

"Yes. The Ethereal Fairies are not the only ones who've been keeping a close eye on you. Your arrival here was foreseen by forces beyond your understanding."

I flinched inwardly. Though I wasn't freaked out by Daphne herself, it was somewhat startling to know someone…knew. Knew I wasn't from here, didn't originate here, didn't' belong here. Mainly, it reminded with (with no small amount of dread) that I couldn't shutter the truth forever, though I'd hoped to. If my skipping over the 4th wall was really that important, it would have to come out eventually, and that was a tale that would be too taxing to tell.

"What do you want from me?" I asked finally. How did you find me? I wanted to add. And why'd you pick now of all times to appear?

"I came to entrust you with something sacred," said Daphne gravely, "something that will save all of your lives."

I perked up. Something that would save us the Lamya zealots? Before I could ask questions that "something" materialized in her hands. A simple yet beautiful gilded box with a golden winding key.

A music box.

"I came to entrust you with something sacred," said Daphne gravely, "something that will save all of your lives."

I perked up. Something that would save us the Lamya zealots? Before I could ask questions that "something" materialized in her hands. A simple yet beautiful gilded box with a golden winding key.

A music box.

I furrowed my brows, heart dropping. That was supposed to "save" us?

"I've held on to this since that dark day," said Daphne quietly, her voice taking on a faraway quality. "It's all I have left to remind myself of them and our once glorious kingdom. When I play it, it's like I'm transported back in time to when I was still…alive. It's like I'm back in my room listening to Mother's voice as she sings Bloom a lullaby across the hall."

The grief in her voice made my heart ache. I wasn't sure what to say, so I went with, "I'm sorry."

Daphne shook out of whatever daze she was in. "As much as it pains me to depart from it, this music box is not mine. It's Bloom. It was gifted to her upon her birth by our mother's dearest brother." Daphne flew over to me, gestured for me to hold out my hands. I obeyed, and she gently set the music box on my open palms.

"This is one the few surviving craftsmanship of Domino's royal family. It is priceless; do not lose it," warned Daphne, voice iron. I could only nod numbly, understanding the value and importance of the object. But why give it to me, not Bloom?

"What am I supposed to do with it?"

Daphne didn't say anything for a moment. "Play it for her when she's lost her way," she said at last, voice trembling. "Though she may not understand it, the melody will soothe and save her soul."

"Wait, so—"

Daphne turned her back to me abruptly, her phantom shirts flowing. "My time is up," she said, her form flickering. "I have to go. Safeguard that treasure until my sister is ready to accept the truth about herself."

And like that, the spirit winked out like a light, leaving me openmouthed and puzzled in her wake.

What the hell just happened?

I stared down at the music box in my grasp. I didn't understand what I was supposed to do with it. Just…hold on to it until Bloom wanted what was rightfully hers? Again, I didn't understand and didn't have time to. I had to get a move on before someone passed through these parts and caught me.

I made good use of a basic miniaturization spell I learned in my charms course, and shrunk the music box so it'd fit loosely in my pocket. Just as I was slipping it inside, a distant, linen-soft voice called my name from behind.

My whole being tensed. Who the—

"Acadia!"

Wait a second. I know that voice—

I spun around on my heels to find—

Praise the stars!

Much to my relief and gratitude, none other than Alice and Karel appeared side-by-side out of the shadows on the other end of the tunnel. My roommate lifted a hand in a wave.

It felt like I'd been relieved of a hundred pounds as I hurried over. I didn't care if doing so meant I "lost" my "trial." Screw what Icy said—there was safety in numbers. The witch and I hadn't been the only ones lucky to escape. Alice had most likely freed herself the same way Icy had, and sought out Karel shortly afterwards.

It took every ounce of pride and self-restraint not to burst into happy tears on the spot. "Guys!" I exclaimed, fighting the embarrassing urge to throw myself into my roommate's arms as I met the both of them. "You're alright!"

Alice cracked a small, gentle smile while Karel's face portrayed no emotion. "Greetings, friend. It's good to see you're well. We were just on our way to fetch you."

This was great! Now I wouldn't have to face whatever awaited alone. Heartened by my turn of fortune, I proceeded forward and motioned for them to follow. "C'mon. We need to find Ahisa before—"

"Wait."

I paused and turned around to see neither Alice nor Karel had made any attempt to pursue. And to make matters worse, the ice fairy looked…troubled. This only alarmed me more. I was witnessing a whole new side to my roommate; I'd never seen her conflicted.

"What's wrong?" I asked slowly, looking to Karel for some kind of clue about what was going on. Unfortunately, his face gave away nothing.

Alice winced. "I…have to tell you something. Remember when we all went to the Volreich sisters that day?"

I nodded. It'd just happened, what? Yesterday? Two, three days ago?

"And when I was overwhelmed with all those prophetic dreams?"

I met Alice's crystal eyes. I knew this was random and off-topic, but I'd never noticed how stunning her eyes were until now. A perfect blend of pale gray and icy blue with rings of white around the pupils, glowing with glacial brilliance. "What does this have to do with anything?"

Alice sighed. "When I awoke from my trance, I insisted that I couldn't recall any of my visions. But the thing is…that was a lie."

"What?"

Alice gave a stiff nod. "Yes. I actually remember everything my powers revealed to me."

"What?" I stupidly sputtered again.

"As you know, thanks to the power boost from the Volreich sisters, I was able to use my foresight gift again, and to a degree I never knew was possible. I had dozens of visions in a matter of seconds, some that were to take place in the distant future, others in a matter of hours. I…saw us meeting the Specialists and going to Steass. I saw us confronting and losing to Alvaz. I even saw the events taking place right now and a few set to unfold shortly."

Hold up, hold up.

WHAT?

For a second, my brain could not process what she'd just said. I didn't believe it—refused to. She was lying. She had to be. There was no way she'd let things turn out like this if she had any say in the matter. But still…

"How did I get out of my cell?" I asked, doubt mushrooming inside of me.

The light from one of the torches wavered, casting dramatic shadows on the smooth panes of Alice's face. "The witch you were imprisoned with broke you both free. You parted ways immediately after," she said dryly.

My eyes had to be bulging out of my head, I was that taken aback.

Nonononono—

Anger started to boil in the pit of my stomach.

"What the hell, Alice?"I exploded, not caring who was in earshot. "You're telling you knew all this shit was going to happen to us? Why didn't you just open your fucking mouth and say something?" My mind was literally roaring. I couldn't believe this.

Alice opened her mouth, but I cut her off. "So you already knew about Lamya and Candace's involvement with Alvaz?" I demanded. "That she'd deceive us and—"

"She who is not but appears to be so will lure them into the raven's trap," was what Alice had said in her trance.

Goosebumps rippled across my skin. Candace—one who'd appeared to be ally, but was just a self-serving, traitorous whore. And Alvaz, the warlock with raven wings, who'd used Candi to lure us into his snare.

Alice was telling the truth. She was completely aware of everything—

Without warning, I shot forward, reaching and seizing a fistful of Alice's shirt as I yanked her closer. "Whose side are you fucking on?" I demanded. "If you knew all this shit was going to happen why didn't you just open your fucking mouth back at Trillium Moon? You could've spared us from this bullshit." We could've easily gone to the police and settled everything that same day. Better yet, she could've warned us about the danger in Steass. But instead, she let us—she agreed to going there, knowing we'd encounter Candace and get our asses kicked by her bastard boss. "Why would you willingly let us get captured? Why would you willingly let us get dragged into this dangerous, complicated situation when you could've easily prevented it?"

I stole a glance at Karel to confirm he'd heard what I just heard, to see if he was equally as enraged. But the Specialist just stared back with cool, unfeeling eyes. Either Alice already broke the news to him, or he just didn't give a shit.

Alice flinched at my tone, but I didn't bother let go of her. And she didn't bother pull away. Instead, she held my wrathful stare. "That is the ultimate burden of a seer," she said, "the main reason I suppressed my visions for long: knowing what the futures has in store, regardless of how good or bad. Knowing the fate of themselves and their loved ones regardless of how peaceful or horrific. You're right; I could've told all the moment I awoke, but I didn't. Because this needed to happen."

I let go of her top with a shove, glaring fire and brimstone. The ice fairy straightened and continued, "I intentionally chose not to interfere with the events that were set to occur, because I had no right to. What will happen over the next few hours will rock the whole Magic Dimension and form the footholds of destiny for many individuals. It'll put them on the path they were meant to walk, which will ignite the beginning of endless change and trigger a whole new era."

I completely disregarded all of that. "Where the hell are we, Alice? Since you're apparently all-knowing now."

"We're under a forest on a planet far away from planet Magix."

"I said where are we, dammit." I was not in a good place right now. She would've been better off keeping her little secret to herself. Now I was going grill her until I could get some kind of clue as to what was going on here.

No answer.

I tried again. "Will we manage to overcome Alvaz and his cult and rescue everyone?"

Alice picked at a nonexistent speck of dust on her skirt. "I can't say."

Suddenly, I was very tired. ""Will you at least tell me how long we've been down here?"

Thankfully, my roommate nodded. "Not that much time has passed since Alvaz kidnapped us. It's the next day—around ten in the morning." If this was any other normal-ish day, I would've been on my way to second period.

Alright, so Alice was willing to elaborate on the more minor details. I could work with that, I guess. I had no choice. "Flora…Was she lucky enough to escape Alvaz?" I choked out, not sure if I wanted the answer.

Alice's pained expression was answer enough.

My throat and chest constricted.

No.

No.

I stumbled backwards, bracing myself against the stoned wall. Images of the scenario involuntarily flooded my mind. I imagined Flora running up those stairs as the rest of us fell. And then Alvaz jetting after her…

Did he blast her in the back? Or perhaps he let her get her hopes up and attacked right as she was about to make it into the clear. What if—oh god.

What if he carried her off to his private domain? Flora was very beautiful; Alvaz could've decided to use her for more personal matters—

"Don't panic. The nature fairy isn't in immediate danger. She's somewhere down here," informed Alice before I could start hyperventilating. "I can take you to her."

The weight in my chest lifted just a little. "Please," I breathed. The sooner we fetched her, the better. Between Icy, Alvaz, and who knows who else, I didn't want anyone beating us to her.

And so we set off.

We eventually reached the end of the corridor, where it branched into two more. Seriously, how big was this place? Alice, not discouraged in the slightest, simply chose the path to the right, her steps never faltering. I found myself glaring at her backside as Karel and I trailed close behind. I envied her confidence and utter lack of fear given the circumstances. But at the same time I was relived. If her demeanor was unalarmed, that almost certainly meant we wouldn't run into any…obstacles along the way.

My stomach started doing flip-flops the deeper we traveled down the passageway because, unlike the others, this one was aligned with doors. There weren't many—about a nine-foot gap in between each one—but at the same time, there were too many. Too many that could swing open at any given moment, revealing...well, I didn't know. That was the part that scared me. What, exactly, awaited on the other side of these doors? This was a dungeon, so I couldn't imagine anything pleasant. A torture chamber? A butchering block? I didn't know, and I prayed I never would.

There was a break in the wall up ahead and we passed through it, entering yet another hallway. I immediately knew something wasn't right.

There was screeching. And hissing.

It got louder and louder the further we proceeded down the path and by the time we arrived at the tall pair of bronze doors that marked the end of it, the noise was almost unbearable. Whatever was on the other side sounded atrocious….and was definitely trouble.

"What the hell is that?" I growled in a near whisper.

Karel grabbed one of the brass handles, gently and soundlessly easing one of the doors open just enough for him to peek inside. His whole body went rigid, which couldn't be a good sign. Now more curious than worried, I nudged him out of the way and took his place, daring to take a look. However, just as I was peering through the crack, some kind of black multi-legged creature happened to be creeping across the stone right in front of the doors, startling the absolute shit out of me. I leapt backwards, clapping a hand over my mouth to muffle the yelp escaping my lips. What the hell was that? My bugged eyes met Karel's in silent question.

"Familiars," he replied, jaw clenched.

Familiars? What kind of familiars look like that? I braved another look to find out.

The slim opening allowed me to see only a small portion of the chamber on the other side—and the creatures prowling it. A different one crawled past the doors every few seconds, giving me a chance to a get a good look at them. They were horrific; scaled, squat monsters, each about the size of a cat. Their bodies were batlike and buglike at the same time. While they had a set of bat wings, they had noses like mosquito and six furry legs like a tarantula. And the buzzing….In unison with the reverberation of their many legs clicking on the stone concurrently—a sound that reminded me of frozen French fries being dropped into hot popping grease—it was spine-chilling and nearly deafening.

Having seen enough, I slowly reclosed the door, being careful not to startle the little freaks. I turned to Alice. I must've looked as perplexed as I felt, because the ice fairy explained, "Shadowcrawlers. They're Alvaz's minions, extensions of his shadow magic. He stationed them there to guard to the holding cells inside. Flora's in one of them."

I frowned deeply. "So we have to get past those abominations in order to get to Flora." Dammit. Did I have enough mana for that? It was regenerating slower than normal—Alvaz's dark magic had done some damage. I looked to Alice, whose powers I would have to rely on since mine weren't enough. "Are you up for a little extermination?"

Alice made to reply, but Karel cut her off. "Leave it to me," he announced, "I will handle it."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "But Alvaz took your phantoblade," I pointed out, eyes drifting down to his waist. "How are you supposed to fight them? You don't have magic."

Karel didn't say anything. To prove me wrong, all he had to do was lift a balled fist. Veins of cerulean electricity pulsed and crackled around it. Thunder magic.

I gaped, dumbfounded. "No way! You had magic all this time? Why didn't you use it when we were fighting Alvaz? Maybe things would've…" I trailed off, recalling that streak of lightning that whizzed overhead before my lights went out. "Oh."

"My magic has almost completely restored itself," said Karel, "thus, it would be wiser and easier for me to annihilate the shadowcrawlers."

"Yeah, but it go faster if all three of us combined our powers—"

"No, that would be foolish," Karel cut into my argument, "it's unhealthy to exert your magic while your body is still recovering from mana depletion. Besides, the intensity of lighting magic fully depends on range. In confined spaces such as this, it can be lethal. If the three of us were to go in together, there's a high chance I'd accidentally strike one of you."

"Okay, good point. But still. Do you honestly think you can take on all those creatures?" I asked.

"Yes."And, without leaving room for doubt, Karel slipped inside the chamber, the door screeching shut behind them.

Immediately, the shadowcrawlers' buzzing turned into full-fledged shrieks as the Specialist began his assault on them, lighting relentlessly popping and sizzling. Hmm. He didn't waste time. I was starting to see why Flora liked him…

"Acadia."

I glared at Alice. "What?"

The ice fairy pinned me with those glacially unsure eyes. "Do you hate me?" Her voice was almost drowned out by the shadowcrawlers' intensifying cries. I hoped the racket didn't attract any unwanted attention.

"Yes." Unacceptably mean of me, I know, but I had the right to be, didn't I? This girl had singlehandedly deceived us all, and to a degree nearly as bad as Candace.

Alice sighed, leaning against the stone wall opposite of me. "I truly see why you're upset, but you need to understand. Just because I know what fragments of the future hold doesn't give me the right to alter them—at least, not significantly. That's why there are so few oracles; foresight is a deadly ability, but not nearly as much as the magicians who utilize it. Though it may not seem like it, there's tremendous power in having knowledge of what's yet to come. While some guard it responsibly, most use it to their advantage. Some even go as far as to try and manipulate the future themselves. There's actually a huge debate as to whether or not one truly can change the direction of the future. Half thinks it's possible, while the other believes it's set in stone regardless of how much you attempt to modify it."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked thinly.

"That's the whole reason I ultimately chose to keep you all in the dark about the Steass occurrences," went on Alice over the shadowcrawlers' howling. "I honestly wanted to tell inform you of everything, but I wasn't sure if that was the right decision. Major things were and still are set to ensue; things that will determine the progress of Destiny from here on out. I wasn't sure if revealing these events would only hinder them from occurring, or completely write them out of history and throw it off-course. That's why I chose to stay quiet. It was the safer option."

I stared at her stubbornly. "That's no excuse—"

Alice's right eyebrow quirked. "Isn't it? To be honest, I assumed you of all people would understand my burden. After all, you're in a situation similar to mine, aren't you?"

Alarmed poured into my heart like water from a pitcher. Still, I managed to keep my voice perfectly even as I asked, "What are you talking about?" She wasn't implying what I thought she was, was she? No, that was impossible. How the hell could she know? No one but me, Daphne, and the Ethereal Fairies were aware of the truth, so—

Right as Alice was making to respond, all went deadly silent on the other side of the doors. Seconds later, one of them groaned open and Karel appeared, saving my ass. "It's done," was all he said, stepping aside to make room for us to enter.

Taking this a much-appreciated opportunity to escape Alice's probing, I slipped inside first and beheld the chamber.

It was no different from the rest of the dungeon, with an eerie glow suffusing the medium-sized space.

Strewn across the stone were the now-deceased shadowcrawlers, their bodies shriveled and lifeless. Lying on their backsides like dead cockroaches, they were all withered and giving off wisps of smoke, their scales burned and blackened from the impact of Karel's lightning. He'd shown no mercy, and I almost felt bad for the little freaks. Almost. They must've been easy to exterminate, because the Specialist hadn't taken any physical damage I could see.

After inspecting him further, I took a good look around the chamber. It was bare and quite vast with several lanterns and elfin-iron doors lining the walls. Cells. There were so many. So why the hell had Alvaz thrown me and Icy into the same one? For his own sick amusement? "Which one is Flora in?" I asked anxiously. Alice pointed it out and after taking a moment to crack the metal lock with her ice, I seized the latch and heaved the door open.

Light flooded into the cell, revealing a terror-stricken, pale-faced Flora, who was huddled in the corner shaking like a leaf with eyes the size of saucers. Something in my chest cleaved open at how spooked she was, how helpless she looked. Like a deer caught in headlights.

"Flora?" I called my friend's name in the gentlest voice I could muster, taking a step into the eerie glow of the cell, which was completely identical to the one Icy and I had shared. Upon taking in and recognizing my face, the nature fairy cried out and sprung forward.

"Cadey, you're okay!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around me in an ursine hug, her body relaxing and melting into mine. And just like that, we were reunited. I squeezed her back, realizing just how much I needed this embrace and the glimmer of hope it gave me. That was one of the reasons I'd grown to love Flora so fiercely. She was like a ray of sunshine; no matter how bad of a situation we found ourselves in, Flora was always the one to chase the dark away and make things better. Even now, when the road ahead was looking so...depressing, I felt less afraid now that Flora was with me. It was almost enough to make me happy she'd gotten kidnapped after all.

"Yeah. What about you?" I asked when we finally pulled apart, studying her from head to toe. She looked untouched; no bruises or scratches, which was a good thing.

"I'm fine." Her face creased with relief. "You can't imagine how happy I am to—Karel!" She blindly bolted past me and out of the cell, nearly tripping over her own feet to get to the Specialist.

Karel turned and tensed at the sight of her outstretched arms, instinctively recoiling out of her reach. I cringed as Flora turned the color of ripe watermelon at the cold rejection. "K-Karel. I'm sor—happy you're okay," she stammered, unable to meet his eyes. He simply nodded and glanced away uncomfortably.

"Flora, I'm glad to see you're well," Alice spoke up to save the girl from the painfully awkward moment.

Flora, who apparently hadn't noticed the ice fairy until now, startled and then blushed. "Alice! Oh, um, yeah. Me too." Her face fell, taking on an almost-fearful expression. "Guys, where are we?" she asked quietly, her bottom lip quivering as she took a good, slow look around the chamber. Her face went ghostly white at the sight of the sizzling remains of the shadowcrawlers. "And what are those things?"

"Alvaz and friends' HQ," I responded with a sigh, "he dragged us all down here, and we're not the only ones. Candace pulled the Trix into this too."

Flora made to say something, but Karel interrupted. "Quickly, the other two," he said in Alice's direction, giving a barely perceptible nod toward the other cells. So the ice fairy had informed him of a few things on their way to retrieve me.

Other two? It was then I remembered Ahisa and Bishop Bornebolt. Could they be behind one of these doors?

"Which one?" I asked eagerly, gaze shifting between them. After Karel identified the correct one, I broke the lock with a simple charm—perhaps they should've made it out of elfin iron too.

When the spell proved successful, I wrenched the door ajar but before I had a chance to peer inside, a blurred figure pounced at me out of the darkness with a high-pitched battle cry. I released my own cry and reacted hastily, instinctively leaping out of the way as the person ended up sailing past me and colliding with the hard stone floor with a heavy thud.

"Godsdammit," he swore under his breath, rubbing his near-bald head as he sat up. His head snapped up to face me. "Hey, you're not that winged bastard," he said, more surprised than confused. I guess 'winged bastard' was Alvaz's unofficial dub.

I studied the guy closely. He had a Common Accent like the rest of his, with a hint of what we Earthlings would deem was a British accent peppered in. But nothing about him was proper. What initially caught my attention was his left arm, exposed by his tank-top. His sleeve of tattoos was fully on display, specifically the whorls of ink that started on his shoulder and swirled all the way down to his wrist. My eyes traveled up the rest of him. For starters, he had the biggest forehead I'd ever seen, with two identical rows of dots aligning the center, reminding me of Krillin from Dragon Ball. I beheld his hair next. It was this rich plum color that looked somewhat red, like rich wine, in the torches' eerie glow and was medium length—but only in the middle. While he had a ponytail in the center of his head, the rest was shaved shiny and smooth as a doorknob. To tie his look together, he had two metal nuts pierced into his upper-left ear, and a bolt through the lower-right one. Everything about this kid was in-your-face and I had a feeling he liked it that way.

That was when Karel stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Are you Bishop Bornebolt?"

Rising to his full height, the guy who I assumed to be Bishop narrowed his eyes as he assessed his fellow Specialist challengingly. "Who's asking?"

Karel started to answer, but was cut off by the harsh sound of iron scraping against stone; Alice freeing the other victim. "Do not be alarmed," she gently said to whoever was inside the cell, "we're here to help you." They emerged a few seconds later and I found myself staring at the beauty.

She was very tall—about two inches shorter than Karel, who was the tallest Specialist—with a light tan complexion and light teal hair that flowed down her back like a silky waterfall. She must've been on her way to a party when she got abducted. That would explain her perfume and attire, which consisted of gold jewelry—big hoop earrings, a bracelet, and a collar necklace with a midnight blue jeweled pendant at its center—a midnight blue strapless top and below knee, flared low-cut pants that clung to her steep slopes. Her eyelids were dusted with glittery shadow that matched her glossy honey-colored lips.

Her eyes, which were charcoaled with flecks of silver like stars against a night sky, slid across the chamber and her face scrunched up with confusion. "How did I...?"

"Get here?" I finished. "It's a long, painfully complicated story. But first, how about we go ahead and get introductions out of the way since it's obvious we're going to be stuck with each other? I'm Acadia Jones, freshman fairy from Alfea."

Flora, who'd timidly retreated behind me, gave a small wave. "I'm Flora, her classmate."

Alice flashed an effortless smile in an attempt to ease the tension. "Alice, also from Alfea." She introduced Karel since he made no effort to.

Bishop's eyes swelled. "I thought I recognized you from somewhere. You're one of Old Man Saladin's snooty grandkids." I couldn't help but snort at that. Of course Karel's reclusive nature would be misconceived as snobbishness, especially since he was the grandson of a legend. Or one of them since apparently, the old man had more than one attending his school, one of them being Helia.

"So you are Bishop Bornebolt from Red Fountain?" I asked.

His suspicious sidelong glance was answer enough. "What's it to ya?"

The teal-haired girl yawned. Her eyes were a bit puffy—she must've been in the middle of a nap before we showed up. "My name's Lucrezia Jaugstetter. I'm—" Yawn. "—a freshman at Cloud Tower." I failed to hide my surprise. She was a witch? I never would've suspected. She didn't dress like one, nor did she have that negative, bitchy vibe. She hadn't even scowled when we mentioned how we were fairies. The girl winced. "Is it a coincidence that we're all from Magix's main schools?" She gestured down at the floor. "And are those bugs?"

I matched her frown. "One: hardly. Two: no, they're familiars called shadowcrawlers. They were posted here to prevent you guys from escaping, so we took care of them."

Lucrezia's face darkened. "I couldn't have escaped even if I wanted to."

Both Bishop and Flora tensed. "Yes," the nature fairy said quietly, "I meant to say something earlier but when I first woke up, I tried to free myself but…my powers wouldn't work on the door. I tried every charm and attack I know, and all of them were ineffective. I thought about using my plant magic to break it down, but it's impossible for anything to grow past the stone…"

Lucrezia nodded solemnly. "I had a similar outcome. My metal magic should've allowed me to easily alter my door's iron composition, but I couldn't even tap into it."

As he kicked at one of the shadowcrawler's hollow caress, Bishop scowled, "At least you could use your magic. I can't even get mine to work anymore. I think it's because of this." He lifted his right wrist, displaying the thick metallic band chaffing it.

"Let me see that." Reaching out, Lucrezia touched her fingers to its dull surface. "It's the same thing with this. It feels like the real thing, but I can't' bend its properties."

"That's because it's a special type of iron. It's elfin—the kind that's completely resistant to all types of magic," informed Alice, sending a flurry of ice magic at one of the doors as a demonstration. The iron absorbed it harmlessly. "It was incorporated in our cells to keep us contained." She turned to Bishop, almost inquisitively. "In your case, it's to prevent you from even tapping into your power. You must have a remarkable gift if they went as far as to shut you off from it entirely."

Regardless of the circumstances, something like pride swelled in his face. "Sure do. Bet you can't guess what it is."

A beat didn't pass before Karel, who'd posted himself beside the entrance, easily said, "Shapeshifting."

Bishop's jaw dropped. "How'd you know?" he demanded, whirling around to face him. "Have you been keeping tabs on me or something?"

I took a whiff in his direction, and wrinkled my nose at the stench of smoke, sweat, and BO . "No, you just smell like an animal." But seriously, I could see why Alvaz would be cautious of such a power. As a shifter, all Bishop would have to do was take a bulky form and wreck some shit.

Bishop started to make a retort, but Lucrezia cut him off. "Since you guys obviously aren't as in the dark as we are, care to explain what exactly is going on?"

I decided to introduce the story the same way I had with Icy, and let the explanation expand from there. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Bishop's eyebrows furrowed as he thought back. "I was on my way from Element," he recalled, ignoring Karel's huff. "I was heading back to the bus stop when this jackass with wings met me on the road, completely popping out of nowhere. I thought I could take him—should've been able to take him, but the bastard was fast on his feet and jumped me. Next thing I knew, I was waking up in some shithole that smelled like cat piss. The prick stole my lighter and cigs—not to mention my phone and wallet."

"I'd been on my way to a friend's party," elaborated Lucrezia, her lips playing into a hint of a frown. "At their penthouse in Steass. When I got off at the Inner City subway station, some guy was already posted at my exit—like he'd been waiting for me. He cornered me and…you know the rest." She eyed with curiosity and something else. "What about you all? What's your story?"

Guess we did owe them that. "Simply put, one of our roommates disappeared in Steass a few days ago," explained Alice since I was shitty at summarizing stuff and Flora was acting more withdrawn than usual, "after a little more investigation, we discovered the same thing was occurring at other schools; that's how we knew about Bishop. We actually went to Steass in search of them both, but were compromised by a third party. That dark-haired winged warlock you both mentioned? His name is Alvaz, and he's been snatching students left and right." Which was a mystery in itself, especially since the bastard had explicitly blamed Candace for all the disappearances, when, in reality, it was he who did most of her dirty work. But if that was the case, why didn't she defend herself, call his bullshit? Unless her role in this was actually bigger than what Alvaz had made it out to be. What if she was more than just an expendable scout?

"For what purpose?" asked Lucrezia, shoulders tensing. "Why is this Alvaz abducting minors? What does he plan to do with us?"

It was my turn to stiffen. This was when things got tricky.

"Are any of you familiar with a Candace Burkett?" I asked, unsure of how to introduce the cult topic without bringing up her name.

"No," said Lucrezia as Bishop said, "Who the hell's that?"

"She's another one of our classmates," I said, biting back the disgust the sheer mention of her had invoked. "Turned out the bitch was an undercover agent for a cult hell-bent on reviving some dead hag. She deceived us and led Alvaz right to us. In order to fulfill their mission—" Though doing so was a pain in the ass, I recapped the situation to the best of my abilities.

By the time I was finished, Lucrezia was paler than Musa.

"You're bullshitting me," he said.

I made a point of looking over our surroundings and the deceased shadowcrawlers before raising an eyebrow at him. I think not.

He pressed his lips together. "Shit."

"So...what do we do now?" asked Flora, biting her lip.

"We sure as hell can't stay here," I said, folding my arms across his chest. "Not unless you plan on welcoming Alavz with open arms when he eventually comes slinking back here."

"Agreed. It's not wise to stay in one place for long," said Karel. He regarded Bishop and Lucrezia closely, coolly. "Do you trust us?" he asked quietly. Not a request, just an honest question.

While Lucrezia's face twisted with conflict as she took a moment to consider, Bishop just shrugged. "Do I have a choice?"

That must've convinced Lucrezia, because she nodded. Though there was a small trace of uncertainty in her eyes, she said, "Yes. Anything is better than sticking around here."

And just like that, we recruited two new teammates.

The accelerated progression of the story was somewhat frightening….

...

"This place is sick," breathed Bishop as we turned another corner.

I shot him a look. "This place is a prison," I spat lowly, "and shut up, or someone will hear you."

We'd gotten lost pretty fast; in just ten minutes (I think?), we'd wandered off into a whole new sector of this endless maze where blue-glowing lichen and violet-glowing moss cling to the ceiling. It was more creepy than beautiful, so I tried not to look at it. Flora, on the other hand, seemed intrigued by it, which I guess was a good thing since the distraction seemed to put a stop to her unabating quaking. Though regardless of how fascinated, she didn't stray from my side to go investigate; she was convinced someone would leap out of the shadows and pull her in if she so much as took a single step away from me. Honestly, that was fine with me.

"When it comes to bad vibes, this place somehow has Cloud Tower beat," muttered Lucrezia, shivering in discomfort.

Up ahead, Karel, who was leading our group, froze abruptly, whole body gong rigid. Everyone immediately froze in their tracks on high alert.

"K-Karel?" whimpered Flora.

Gone unnaturally still, Karel only raised a hand, commanding silence.

I strained my ears, listening for whatever had alerted him.

The silence pulsed in my ears until, finally, I heard a faint scuffle in the distance, like the light tread of shoes.

Someone was approaching.

Flora squeaked while Bishop, Lucrezia, and I shifted into defensive positions.

Alice remained calm.

As the footsteps neared, I realized they was a chorus of them, some short and rushed, others steady and clipped.

Multiple adversaries approaching.

I stared up ahead.

There were two different hallways up ahead and from the sounds of things, they were coming from the left.

As the footsteps drew nearer and I readied to attack, Karel visibly loosened up and before I could question the change in demeanor, the cause appeared at the end of the hall.

My legs nearly buckled when I held those five figures.

Sky, Brandon, and Bloom.

And…Darcy and Stormy?

As Flora flew forward to greet them and everyone started talking at once, I seized Alice's wrist and yanked her closer.

"Why didn't you tell me they got captured?" I hissed in her ear, mind reeling. How did that even happen? Their group had been nowhere near ours. They hadn't been in Alavz's range. "Did Tecna, Musa, and Stella…?"

Watching Flora and Bloom embrace, Alice said, "No. They're safe. They've already returned to Alfea, and are reporting everything to the headmistress." I guess that was somewhat of a relief.

Once everyone quieted down, it only took a moment to clear up the confusion. Turned out Sky, Brandon, and Bloom had seen the live feed of our confrontation with Alvaz. Being in closer proximity than Stella's group, they'd tried to rush to our rescue, but were unfortunately intercepted by Alvaz. Like us, they'd woken up in cells. Apparently, Daphne had visited Bloom before me and helped her escape. Afterwards, using the directions her ghostly sister had given her, Bloom managed to free Brandon and Sky and they met up with the Trix not long later. When Lucrezia, who surprisingly knew the other witches from school, asked how they winded up here, an aggravated Stormy gave a more infuriated version of the story Icy gave me. When I asked if either of them had seen Icy, they just shook their head. That obviously wasn't a good sign. Where had the ice witch wandered off to? I seemed to ponder that question more than her own sisters, which was a damn shame.

After I introduced Bishop and he, Brandon and Sky conversed for a few minutes, Darcy's attention pivoted to Karel, who hung back like an outcast. Putting two and two together, she drawled, "I'm sure Riven will be thrilled to hear he's already been replaced."

"An upgrade, if you ask me," I drawled right back, "I don't know why we didn't do it sooner."

Stormy gave Sky (Brandon) a sly sidelong glance. Unable to resist the lure of an insult, she said, "Where's that blond bird that's always squawking in your ear? Did she finally fly the coop for someone else? I heard her species is notorious for that."

Sky's (Brandon's) face was a portrait of indifference, although the witch had plainly called his love interest a slut. He even managed a lazy grin, contrasting the cold rage in his muddy eyes. "Bird? You mean like the one that's been glued to you and your sisters like a lovesick puppy?"

"This is no time to squabble," cut in Brandon (Sky) before the witch and squire could jump into a verbal sparring match. That's too bad. Had this been any another day, I would've paid good money to watch them go at each other's throats. "In case you both have forgotten, we're currently imprisoned deep in enemy territory."Grow the hell up, he didn't have to add.

Bloom nodded her agreement. "Brandon's right. We all need to put aside our differences and work together."

Stormy made a face like the redhead had suggested she swallow a cup of Knut's toenails. "Are you suggesting we work with you, our moral enemy? You can forget it. A real witch would never disgrace herself like that."

Lucrezia frowned slightly. "I don't mind fairies."

"Then you're not a real witch," snapped Stormy, voice tipped with a little too much passion.

I winced at her tone, while everyone else hissed shhhhh. "Are you trying to give away our position?" hissed Darcy.

Stormy rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. No one's probably even noticed we're gone."

Alice's face was a mask of frigid calm. "On the contrary. As Alvaz's familiars, the shadowcrawlers are mentally tied to him—a link we severed when we exterminated them. There's a strong possibility their master felt this undoing, and has already went to investigate. For all we know, he's currently rallying whatever forces he has to retrieve us. Or he could be tracking us down himself."This was a definite fact coming from the oracle. It was my hope we'd be able to stay under the radar a little while longer but…

"So in order words, we need to come up with a game plan and fast," said Bishop, "unless you want to end up with one of these." He held up his wrist for emphasis.

"Yes. The wristbands are what we need to avoid at all costs," I agreed grimly, "if one of those gets snapped on, you can say goodbye to your magic." And without magic, we'd never have a second shot at freedom once Alvaz stuffed us back in our cells. "This was the only opportunity we'll get, so we can't afford to squander it."

Lucrezia, like most of us, glared at Stormy pointedly. "Which means you'd better shape up or ship out."

"Preferably the last option," said Bishop in a not-so-discreet mutter. Brandon's nod was subtle.

Stormy gritted her teeth at her peer. "Watch who you're talking to, Jaugstetter.I can see to it that you never step foot in my school again." Mine, not ours. I had a feeling Icy, who considered herself Cloud Tower's queen bee, would kick Stormy's ass for such a bold, bigheaded statement.

Lucrezia's demeanor went from defensive to offensive. She blinked twice, as if stunned by the witch's audacity. "Was that a threat?"

I facepalmed as Brandon (Sky) got between the two while they sized one another up. "Not. Now," he said with a flash of teeth. "You two can have at it after we get our asses out of here."

The two Cloud Tower students had an intense stare-off, antagonism boiling between them, until Lucrezia wisely backed down, her face contorted with calm rage. Stormy just huffed haughtily, her expression a mirror image of Lucrezia's. Considering how aggressive the witch of storms was, something told me their showdown wouldn't be put off for long.

"We should take this somewhere less out in the open," suggested Sky (Brandon) evenly, all too aware of the tension rippling off us.

It was then I noticed just how much closer he'd inched over to Brandon (Sky). Of course; regardless of the ruse, their roles hadn't reversed. The real Brandon was still responsible for the real High Crowned Prince Sky's safety; that would always be the case. And during circumstances like this, Brandon had to be on his best guard. He'd already settled into that cold, calculating calm—I could see it in his muddy eyes. Could practically see the gears turning in his head as he registered our surroundings and coolly regarded Stormy, whose animosity and recklessness could prove to be a real hazard. And threat.

Flora, whose eyes had been paranoidly darting to and from the end of the hallway like Alvaz was going to stroll around the corner any minute, relaxed only a little. "Yes. It's not safe out here. It's only a matter of time before someone discovers us."

"Yeah, but where are we supposed to go?" asked Lucrezia, an agitated edge in her voice. From our situation or Stormy, I couldn't tell. "It's not like this is school where we can just slip into some private corner." None of this would've even been happening if we just would've kept our asses at school in the first place.

Bloom shrugged. "I guess we just poke our heads around until we find an empty room we can hang out in while we work out a plan."

"That doesn't sound like a good idea," I protested, "what if we see something we shouldn't?" I didn't let my mind stray too far into the possibilities.

"You mean like this?" called Bishop, bringing it to my attention that he'd silently wandered from the group to the far right end of the dead-ended corridor. Much to my horror, he'd managed to budge one of the two doors ajar and was now making to peer into the contents of the room.

"Bornebolt, you dumbass!" hissed Brandon (Sky) through his teeth, starting for the Specialist as he stuck his face inside.

He reeled back just as fast, hand flying up to shield his nose as his face mutated into something horrible. "Oh, godsdamn," he swore, backstepping rapidly like he was trying to get away from whatever scene he'd just beheld.

Curiosity sparked to life inside me like a gas-fueled wildfire, trumping my caution, and I found myself acting on it, rushing over to witness whatever it was that made him recoil so violently even if I ended up regretting it. The others followed suit, brushing aside their better judgment. Only Alice hung back, which should've been warning enough.

Sky (Brandon) made it over first and his reaction was nothing short of repulsed. One look had his head snapping in the other direction. "Ugh," he spat, "that is nasty."

This prompted Flora to freeze, her whole body stiffening and face sheeting white. "Wh-what is it?" she quivered, refusing to take another step forward in fear of what she'd behold.

That was when I smelt it.

The horrid stench that poisoned the air in the whole corridor, making everyone scrunch up their faces, making my stomach turn over. It was so bad, in fact, Karel actually froze in his tracks, like the odor had gripped him with its foul talons. There was a green tint to his cheeks.

"What the hell's that smell?" demanded Stormy.

I was about to find that out for myself. I joined the scene the same time as Brandon (Sky) and by the time we were taking a glimpse inside the room, the noisome funk had intensified by ten. We immediately discovered why.

The space was the size of a closet, completely bare save the single stone bench against the back wall and hole sunk into the ground. I squinted into the darkness, taking a closer look. Wait...was that...

What in HELL?

"Oh gods," moaned Lucrezia over my shoulder.

"We have found the shithole," announced Bishop, "I repeat: we have found the shithole."

"Correction: you found it," I snapped, whirling around to face him as Brandon (Sky) quickly shut the door to privy before anyone else could see. "You moron! Do you know how stupid that was? You can't just go around swinging open random-ass doors!" What if we'd walk in on a torture session or some shit? Or even worse: Alvaz actually taking a shit?

The Specialist completely dismissed my reprimand as a complaining Stormy circulated the air around us to flush out the waste smell. I ignored the pang of jealousy her effortless demonstration of air manipulation gave me. "How else do you expect us to find a way out of this dump?" he countered, "ask somebody? No, my method is way more effective. Speaking of which—" He spun around, settings his sights on the second door. "Let's see what's' behind Door Number Two!" Before anyone could react, he made a grab for the handle, pulled, and—

Everyone else took tentative steps back as the door groaned open to reveal—

A spacious, pillared chamber. Torches burned in rusted iron brackets—weird how they were lit all throughout the dungeon, yet I had yet to discover any signs of life—casting a dramatic glow on the walls of weaponry.

Holy crap.

This place was an armory, armor and weapon racks lining the walls and rusty and broken weapons littering the floor.

Bishop's face was the definition of smug as the other Specialists filed inside, inspecting the space from the floor up. A fancy assortment of knives and daggers with jeweled hilts and scabbards were anchored to the walls alongside intricate metal shields and breastplates fitted for ogres and trolls like trophies, flashy and on display in all their lethal glory. Fixed to the other wall from floor to ceiling were all types of hatchers, crossbows, rapiers, katanas, and other steely weapons I couldn't identify. A table centered the space, blades embedded deep in the wood. It was more than enough to make my breath caught. It was beautiful. Horrifyingly beautiful.

And just what we needed.

The corners of Sky's (Brandon's) mouth tugged upward. "A little old fashioned, but not bad," he admitted, folding his arms across his chest. "Not bad at all. Good work, Bornebolt."

Bishop flashed a lazily prideful grin as the rest of us entered. While Darcy and Stormy looked like they couldn't care less about our surroundings, Flora seemed very uneasy about the fashionable tools of death encircling us. Didn't blame her. Bloom, on the other hand, seemed just as fascinated as me.

Lucrezia was the last to come in, and she shut and sealed the door with several charms. "I locked and soundproofed it," she explained, ignoring Stormy's derisive eye roll. "And I synced some of my mana to its metal composition so I can see through it at all times. I'll know if anyone comes in range of us."

Brandon (Sky) gave her an appreciative nod as everyone fanned out across the armory. As Sky (Brandon) weighed one of the discarded knives in his hand and Bishop made to investigate the crates in the corner, Alice gave the room a thorough once-over. "This is quite the collection," she remarked, "I wonder how old it is."

Brandon (Sky) roamed over the leftward wall, selecting a curved dagger and drawing it from its jeweled scabbard. "I wonder how much of this is stolen," he scoffed, noting the regal insignia inscribed in the pommel as he turned it over in his hand.

"Speaking of stolen..." Bishop, who'd been rifling through the junk in the crates, arose grasping the hilts of deactivated phantoblades. "I found our gear!"

As the other guys gathered to retrieve their rightful weapons, I took a deep breath, bracing myself for an inevitable debate. "So what's our next move?"

"Our top priority should be finding an escape route," insisted Flora almost immediately, lowering herself onto the wooden bench.

Darcy snorted, criss-crossing her legs in a meditative position as she hovered a few feet off the ground. "Only a fairy would suggest something so cowardly," she said before closing her eyes and going silent.

"Yeah. I don't know about you losers, but I'm gonna find that Alvaz guy and fry him into oblivion," hissed Stormy through bared teeth, magenta lighting pulsing around her balled fists.

Bishop huffed. "Good luck with that, sweetheart."

I added, "If you, Darcy, and Icy couldn't beat him originally, what makes you think you have a chance now?"

"Speaking of Icy, what do you think happened to her?" asked Bloom lowly, "could she have...ran into trouble?"

"Knowing her, probably yes," sighed Lucrezia while neither Stormy nor Darcy spared a shred of emotion for their older sister. She blanched. "You don't suppose Alvaz already recaptured her for his spell, do you? For all we know, she could already be..."

"No," cut in Sky (Brandon) firmly as he reclipped his phantoblade to his belt. "Icy may be an insufferable bitch, but she's not weak. She'd rather go down fighting than let that bastard have his way with her."

"Still, she may be in serious danger," pointed out Brandon (Sky), "our first course of action should be tracking down her and all the other victims."

"Don't be a fool," Stormy spat and Karel said blandly at his heroically flawed suggestion.

Brandon (Sky) flinched.

Here we go.

As usual, Bloom came to Brandon's (Sky's) defense. "I think it's a good idea," she said matter-of-factly, giving her love interest a supportive glance.

"Then you're just as naive," said Karel mercilessly and stonily, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against a pillar. "That kind of wishful thinking will get you killed."

Bloom stiffened at his bluntness and annoyance crept into the edges of Brandon's (Sky's) face and tone. "What, so are you suggesting we just abandon them?" snapped Sky (Brandon), siding with his buddy as expected. "Have you forgotten your duty? We were trained for situations like this. As a Specialist—"

"This is not school, Prince," cut in Karel coolly, regarding his peer in a similar manner. "This is survival."

Flora looked like she was about to be sick.

Karel continued, "The number of abducted is unknown to us. It would be foolhardy and a waste of valuable time to search for what we have no knowledge of."

I spoke up.

"But my roommate is down here. Though I truly understand what you're saying, I won't turn my back on her." I looked at Alice pointedly. The ice fairy didn't give her input, and I had no idea what that meant. She'd obviously seen past these events in her dreams, but they did reveal the specifics? Would whatever decision we settled on here be for the better or worse? In what direction were we headed? Were we on the right track? Unfortunately, my roommate's face gave away nothing.

Stormy rolled her eyes at my sentiment. "We're not turning a blind eye to her or any of them," said Karel, "by ensuring our escape, we'd be acting in their best interests."

Brandon (Sky) started, but Lucrezia cut him off. "Oh, I see," she said. And then to us, "Think about it, guys. In a way, the fate of the others' are tied to us. We're all valuable assets, but the difference between us and them is that we're free—to an extent. If we manage to make a getaway, Alvaz and company won't have all the components to their reincarnation spell, meaning the other victims won't be in immediate danger. On the other hand, if we try to look for them and stick around longer than necessary, we risk getting recaptured. And if that happens..." No need to state the obvious.

Brandon (Sky) wasn't going to yield easily. "So you're saying we should just gamble their safety? We don't know what we're up against or who we're dealing with. For all we know, running away will only guarantee the others' fate. We should lay low for a while, scope out the area and see if we can gain some kind of advantage. That's more logical than blindly roaming around like lost sheep in hopes of stumbling upon some hidden, possibly nonexistent backdoor."

"Both of you are spineless morons," announced Stormy, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Is running away like frightened children your answer to everything? If you were smart, you'd be coming up with a strategy to combat the problem head-on."

Sky (Brandon) was clearly getting annoyed. "If you're so hell-bent on kicking Alvaz's ass, why are you still here?"

Stormy pinned him with stare. Would she admit to being a bit fearful herself? Of course not. "Why else? Because it's fun watching your group slowly but steadily tear itself apart," she smirked, "for you people to be such hard-core advocates of that teamwork bullshit, you butt heads a lot. That kind of hypocritical conflict is delicious, and I'm savoring every bit of it." She bared her teeth at the brunette. "And for the record, I still intend to reduce him to a pile of ashes. Maybe after I'm finished with him I'll come throttle you for being such a smartass."

This earned her a chilly grin. "I'll take you on any time, witch. Any time."

Mind you, while all of this was transpiring, Darcy was still channeling her mana and lost in her mind, completely disconnected from reality. Lucky.

Bishop, who'd up until now been more interested in the expensive blades, finally joined the heating discussion. "You're all looking at this the wrong way," he insisted, "if anything, we should lay a trap for the bastard. Draw him out of whatever miserable hole he's squatting in and cage him like the overgrown bird he is."

Flora made to question his solution, but was interrupted by Darcy's frustrated growl. "It's hopeless," she spat, finally opening her eyes. "I can't sense anything."

"Problem, Darcy?" I asked, somewhat thankful for the distraction.

She shot me a scathing glare, but explained anyway. "I've been trying to get a read on Icy's dark aura," she said, unfolding her legs and gently landing on the stone floor. "But I can't feel anything. Not even that overgrown bat's mana, which I should've been drawn to like a magnet. It's like this place is deserted."

I tensed. "So...what does that mean?" asked Flora quietly.

Darcy gave her an are you stupid? look. "It means they layered their cloaking charms a little too well; just trying to penetrate them gave me a headache. That's the handiwork of a master—no, a level beyond that."

"An even better reason to bail while we can," Lucrezia grimly said in support of Karel's suggestion. "We don't stand a chance against whatever powers are at work."

"I'm telling you, that's not a good idea," argued Brandon (Sky). Honestly, I thought his was equally as risky, but it wasn't like we had the luxury of options. "When Alvaz discovers we're not where he left us—if he hasn't already—he might take his anger out on his other prisoners. The longer they sit locked up in their cells, the more they're likely to receive an...unwelcomed gust." Good point, but—

Darcy's dark eyebrows shot up. "Wait, are you seriously telling me you fools still haven't decided on anything?" she hissed. "Do you realize how much precious time you've wasted? Who knows what's happened while you were all bickering like school children."

My heart sped up. "She's right. Enough arguing; let's just vote on what we should do and proceed from there."

The others exchanged glances and shrugged.

"Alright then. Let's make this quick," said Bloom, moving to the front of the room. "All in favor of confronting Alvaz directly, please raise your hand."

Only Stormy's head went up, and she didn't look too happy about it. She started to protest, but Bloom plowed ahead. "All in favor of devising a plan to ensnare Alvaz, please raise your hand."

Only Bishop raised his hand.

"Seriously?" he frowned, glancing between us. "You can't tell me it wouldn't be badass if we all combined our wits to outsmart the bad guy."

Sky (Brandon) allowed a hint of a smile. "Sorry man, but that only happens in movies." That whisper of a smile immediately vanished. This was when things got tense.

Bloom knew it too, because she took a deep breath, bracing herself. "All in favor of scouting out Icy and the other victims, raise your hand." I had a feeling she threw in Icy's name to gain extra support from Stormy and Darcy. Unfortunately for her, neither of them gave a shit about their ringleader considering they didn't vote in favor of Brandon's (Sky's) idea.

On the other hand, Brandon, Bloom, Sky, lifted a hand. After mulling it over for a moment, I joined them at the last second. I owed it to Ahisa. Even if I barely knew her, even if we rarely interacted with each other, I owed it to her. I glanced at Alice, expecting the same outcome. But the ice fairy's hands remained at her sides. Her eyes locked with me. Trust me, they seemed to say. Trust me.

My roommate's decision didn't slip by Brandon (Sky). "Don't you care about your roommate?" he asked, doing his best not to sound accusing.

"More than you know," replied Alice softly.

"All in favor of locating an escape route as our first act, please raise your hand."

Karel, Flora, Lucrezia, and Darcy, the latter surprising me.

"Really?" Stormy snapped at her sister. "You'll side with them, but not me? I thought you were above that."

The witch of darkness rolled her eyes. "My ideology hasn't changed, Stormy. I'm just not in a hurry to fight a battle I'm not completely prepared to fight. Alvaz will get his just dessert and then some, but now isn't the time. We're still recovering from his surprise attack."

Stormy snorted. "I'm fine. You just don't wanna admit you're weaker than me."

Before they could spring into an argument, Bloom made to announce a tie, but Alice broke it at the last second. "Finding an exit should be our prime concern. I agree that we should rescue the other abductees, but it'd be pointless to do so without securing an escape route first." I eyed Alice suspiciously and curiously. I was more than positive there was some kind of prophetic significance to her decision. What were her intentions? Had she chosen to flip the script and do us a favor by pointing us down the safe path, or was she still set firm in her beliefs and was just nudging us toward the "inevitable" future she'd beheld in her dreams? In what direction would her prescient choice steer us? Toward protection from Alvaz? Or perhaps she was aiming to lead us right into his evil clutches for the sake of a dramatic future that was/wasn't set in stone. I didn't know, and I didn't linger on it. I had to put my faith in the seer; regardless of her influence, I had to trust that she only wanted what was best for us.

A muscle feathered in Brandon's (Sky's) jaw, but he did not protest. I knew he wanted to aid the other hostages as soon as possible, but that would have to wait.

I was sure they were fine—for now. Alvaz wouldn't touch them until the big finale, one we could hopefully prevent.

Bloom didn't make a fuss either. "Okay, then it's settled," she announced, "we'll go with Karel's plan. Now we just need someone to lead the operation. Any volunteers?"

I expected her appeal to be met with silence. After all, a lot of us were strangers to one another and in situations like these, it was easier and less stressful to fall under someone else's leadership than take charge yourself.

Stormy, apparently, couldn't relate. Now that Icy was gone, there was nothing holding her back from the power she was convinced she deserved. Thus, she didn't hesitate to step forward, an aggressive, hungry gleam in her eyes. I fought the urge to wince. This was a true hypocrite right here. She was just talking shit about us a few minutes ago, and now she wanted to preside over us?

Thankfully, Brandon (Sky) came to our rescue and appeared at her right, with Karel and Bishop planted themselves on her left. Stormy didn't bother mask her irritation. "You might as well concede defeat," she snorted at Bishop, "you don't stand a chance. None of you do."

The shapeshifter just rolled his eyes and sniped, "Sure. It's not like we were trained for this at Red Fountain or anything." He had a point. Out of them all, Stormy was actually the least qualified to lead.

Stormy ignored his sarcasm and instead aimed her snark at Brandon (Sky). "What do you even think you're doing? Mundanes like you aren't worthy to be in command." Oh, so that's how Stormy viewed the magic-less. As inferior.

The only indication Brandon (Sky) even heeded her was his frown.

"Alright, since we have multiple candidates, we'll vote again," said Bloom, "All in favor of Brandon raise your hand."

Everyone apart from Darcy lifted a hand in some manner, myself included. Though I may not like his clichéd character, had to give him props for boldness.

"He's blond so he's gotta be trustworthy, right?" half-joked Lucrezia by way of explanation for her vote.

"All in favor of Bishop, raise your hand."

I think Flora only lifted hers to be nice.

I expected the shifter to make a scene about his clear defeat, but he just shoved his hands into his baggy pockets and broke away from the other candidates, muttering, "You guys are so lame."

"All in favor of Karel raise your hand."

He got the same number of votes as Brandon (Sky), most likely a result of that mature ambiance about him. Right as I was about to announce Stormy's turn, Darcy decided to raise her hand on behalf of Karel at the last second, breaking his tie with Brandon (Sky). Being the girlfriend of the blond's rival, she presumably didn't want to see him come out on top even if it meant doing him a huge favor by reliving him of the burden of being in charge.

Last one. "All in favor of Stormy raise your hand."

No one even stirred.

Oh no.

"What the hell?" the witch exploded, whirling around to face her CT peers. "You'd take a fairy smoocher over me?"

"Yes," her sister replied mercilessly.

Lucrezia shrugged unapologetically. "Sorry, Stormy. Nothing personal; it's just…when it comes to cooperating with people and using your head, you're kind of…inept." I couldn't have put it better myself.

The witch of storms bared her teeth, and I knew she was on the verge of a level-five tantrum. But I disregarded her nonetheless. "I guess this means you got the job, Karel," I said to the Specialist, who didn't bat an eye at his winning. A good thing, too. I found him the most suitable.

Sore-Loser Stormy's face mutated into something horrendous. "No," she spat, stubbornly stomping her foot. "No way am I yielding to Red Fountain scum."

"Well, you lost fair and square so you kind of have to," said Bloom matter-of-factly.

The witch of storms glowered at her. "Bullshit. That's not even how real leaders come into power. It's not about numbers." She set her stormy gaze on Karel. "No, it's about strength. Only the strongest are worthy of standing at the top."

Wait, was she honestly trying to pick a fight now? She was taking this wayyy too seriously, and for all the wrong reasons.

"Guess you better sit down then," drawled Sky (Brandon).

Stormy was too worked up to retort.

"Wait, weren't you just bad-mouthing us a few minutes ago?" I pointed out

The teal-haired Specialist met her glare unflinchingly. "Is that a challenge?" he asked coolly, unruffled by the witch's near murderous scowl.

I swear lighting cackled in Stormy's pupils are she sized up her opponent with a mixture of distaste and blatant interest. "You bet it is. You and I were destined to clash anyway." When Karel lifted an inquisitive eyebrow, she purred, "What, you thought I wouldn't catch on to the fact we share an element? I would know a thunder magician anywhere. The same eclectic energy pulses around us all. Ever since you showed up I've been wondering whose lightning is stronger—now's the perfect to find out."

Flora, who'd withered under the tension, revived and shot up. "Now wait a minute—"

Karel didn't even cast a glance at her, eyes locked with Stormy's as he pushed off the pillar. On cue, everyone stepped aside to give them room—well, everyone but Flora. "Stand back," Karel said in her direction. Flora started, but he cut her off. "Stand back, Flora."

Flora's face flushed, and I couldn't tell if it was from the cold order or the fact he'd finally addressed her by her name. Though the nature fairy looked troubled, she didn't voice her worries and wisely obeyed as Stormy and Karel took to separate ends of the room. It would be a lie if I said wasn't a little pumped up. We were about to get a firsthand demonstration of lighting magic! It was one of the many I had yet to witness directly. Even Bishop, who'd been kicking at the loose stones and complaining under his breath about his unpopularity, watched attentively as the two warmed up, flexing their fingers as they allowed sparks to pass between them and charge their muscles.

Darcy looked more or less disinterested as she joined us on the sidelines of the chamber. "Make this quick, Stormy," she said expectantly.

Stormy just flashed a confident grin, not breaking Karel's gaze. "Don't I always?"

Karel released a huff at that. "One strike, witch."

That was fine with Stormy. "Trust me—" she smirked, rallying her magic. "That's all I need!" Without warning, she thrust a hand forward and sent lines of magenta lightning raging toward Karel.

Karel had equally fast reflexes. Half a movement had his cerulean electricity blasting toward hers. They collided with a sizzling clap of thunder and a brilliant clash of colors. I felt the static charges cling to me, making the hairs on my arms and head raise.

The two sorcerers conjured their thunder in continuous streams, the respective veins pushing against each other.

Stormy added more force to hers and it began to overpower Karel's. She let out a wild, thrilled laugh. "Is that all you got? Pathetic!" She pushed harder, her lighting stretching longer.

"Karel!" yelped Flora as the Specialist was pushed back as a result, his boots scraping against the stone.

Stormy cackled like the arrogant bitch she relentlessly multiplied the intensity of her lightning over and over, shoving Karel closer and closer toward the wall his backside faced.

Bishop spat a curse. "He's gonna lose," he said, obviously not pleased with the idea of Stormy having reign over him. That made two of us.

"No," said Lucrezia and Brandon (Sky) at the same time. All heads turned to them. Even a bored Darcy had an are you blind? look on her face.

"Look at him," said Brandon (Sky) distantly, sky-blue eyes glued to the match. "Though Stormy is overwhelming him, he doesn't looked strained. It's like...he's not even trying." Sure enough, when I took a closer look, I discovered the prince was right; Karel's face didn't show any signs of struggle. Though the exchange appeared one-sided, Karel wasn't toiling to rival her magic like he should've been. In fact...he wasn't putting in much effort at all. His face was cold, yet even. Anticipating. This was intentional, I then realized. He was letting her have the upper hand, letting her think victory was hers.

At this point, Karel's back was mere inches from kissing the wall. While Stormy's lightning had to have gained at least a few feet in length, Karel's had shortened drastically, slowly but steadily being eaten away.

"It's over!" cackled Stormy, certain of her win. "Yield if you know what's best for you!" She roared with laughter. "This was just too easy!"

I couldn't explain it, but there was something different about Karel's face as he said, "Indeed."

And his eyes flashed golden.

Before anyone could register what was going on, Karel amplified the voltage of his thunder and it surged from his fingertips with newfound ferocity, completely splitting through Stormy's and raging straight for the bitch.

She didn't have time to retaliate and in the nanosecond it took me to blink, the golden electricity was colliding square with her chest. The exertion of the attack threw her backwards her backwards but before she could make a violent landing on her ass, she grabbed at a few snaps of wind and used them to catch and correct herself before falling to her knees in a spasming, steaming heap.

Darcy's jaw dropped and Sky (Brandon) just gave an evil chuckle.

"Well, that's that," said Lucrezia simply, using a spell to fix our frizzy, sticking-out-at-odd-angles hair.

Though he looked a tad bit concerned, Brandon (Sky) didn't dare approach Stormy as he called to her, "You alright?"

Stormy lifted her hand, murderous eyes fueled with hateful fire as Karel walked past her, his own eyes cooling to their normal blue. "We head out now," he announced, already falling into the role of commander. He gestured at the wall of weapons. "Take whatever you need. I'm sure we'll have a few run-ins."

"Dibs!" shouted Bishop and Sky (Brandon), rushing at the spread of weapons. They reminded me of kids at a candy store as they enthused over the wide selection.

"This is going to be a nightmare," groaned Darcy, facepalming as the two sprang into an argument after reaching for the same dagger.

Judging how at odds our dysfunctional, newly formed group was, I was honestly inclined to agree.

...

It was a miracle Stormy hadn't blown a fuse yet.

She was a brooding force behind me as we walked; I could practically feel that pent-up rage roiling inside her. I didn't know how she'd managed to leash it this long, but I knew it was only a matter of time before she exploded. Hopefully, there'd be some shadowcrawlers in her path when that happened.

Speaking of shadowcrawlers, where were they?

We had once again taken to the halls and were in search of them; taking into account how Alvaz had had some stationed around the cells, it could be assumed that their sole task was to guard only the significant sectors of the dungeon. Tracking them down would put us on the right path, but this place was empty as a graveyard all of a sudden.

I started to ask Karel, who was at the head of our group, if we were going in circles, but Bishop cut me off.

"Um, guys? You might wanna come see this..."

Everyone paused in the tracks and turned to find Bishop had fallen back and opened one of the two dramatic, towering bronze doors I thought we all agreed we wouldn't fuck with.

Firing a string of curses at the Specialist, I hurried over as he disappeared inside the new chamber, the others not far behind.

I followed him inside and when I zeroed in on the cause of his turmoil, I nearly shut down with fear.

This was an underground amphitheater.

And standing in the arena was none other than Icy and the Bloodhound.


Whew! I thought I'd never get this chapter finished. This has to be the longest chapter I've ever written; a fifth of a thousand words! I could've broken it down into two or three separate chapters, but that would've contradicted the outline I worked out a year ago. So I decided to mash up everything into one huge chapter to make up for the two months I've been MIA.

I cannot express how accomplished I feel right now. I've been grappling with these past two chapters for about 4-7 moths now. Originally, this whole arc was supposed to have been finished way back in the first quarter of the year, but now we're a little less than two months away from 2019. And honestly, I'm glad my plans were delayed. The initial ideas I had for this arc back in November 2017 don't hold a candle to the ones that have sprung into my mind over the course of the year. I am more patient, more creative, than I was last year and my mental improvements have drastically enhanced the plot of O Wondrous Wielder of the Winds. The completion of Revelations Part One and Two marks a major milestone in my overall fan-fic career, and I'm so excited to finally expand the story beyond them.

It might take me some time to post the next chapter. Unlike 29 and 30, I have to write 31 from scratch. Wish me luck….