We have been expecting you, Winx fairies," resounded the deep voice of the winged centaur guardian as soon as they disembarked from the ship.
"Is that why we weren't attacked this time? It was quite a relaxing journey, unlike the last time," said Tecna as she stepped out of the dimensional ship through the hatch.
"The High Council has already been informed of the situation by Headmistress Faragonda," the centaur replied, scrutinizing Amber critically. "We were also informed that a new fairy accompanies you."
"Oh... um..." Amber stuttered, but the centaur already stepped aside, saying, "You may pass."
The Winx exchanged confused glances but continued onward.
The entrance to the Golden Kingdom was at the foot of the Red Tower. It was a tiny wooden door inscribed with characters in a foreign language. Translated, it read that only pure beings with noble intentions could enter. In other words, the fairies had to shrink and purify themselves using their fairy dust to be able to enter.
"Darn, I forgot we need to shrink!" said Bloom.
"Well, that shouldn't be a problem, right? With our Believix powers, we haven't lost our fairy dust," replied Tecna.
"But what about Amber?" Flora asked, glancing at the new fairy.
"...I... I'll just stay here. I mean... I'd just be a burden to you anyway..." Amber said quietly.
"You're not. Can't we sprinkle her with our fairy dust?" Bloom asked the others."...I don't think so... Last time, the fairy dust only worked on us," Tecna said, looking at the young fairy. "Sorry, Amber."
"It's okay -" Amber began to say, when suddenly she felt something strange on her head. Something... liquid!
She turned around and saw the centaur guardian standing behind her with a bucket from which a golden liquid was dripping. "Do not worry, Winx fairies. Your friend will accompany you. The Council wishes it so."
Amber threw an angry glance at the centaur - but he seemed to be growing larger for some reason. The Winx also seemed to have shot up in height! Or... No... Was she herself shrinking?
"How convenient!" said Bloom. "Come on girls - WINX BELIEVIX!"
While the Winx used their fairy dust to shrink, they were unaware of what was happening in another part of the dimension...
Dakeria had discovered the Trix. It had been easy to find them. The three witches all wore the same dull white garments, with dark blue belts, blue metal gloves, and green glowing headbands - prisoner uniforms.
One of them, Icy, a witch with a sleek white braid and blue eyes, lay apathetically on the floor, and Dakeria couldn't blame her - one could only go mad or die of boredom here. Another witch, who Dakeria knew was named Darcy, with sleek brown hair and yellow falcon eyes, hung in a hammock staring at the ground. The third of the Trix, Stormy, a witch with dark blue hair that reminded Dakeria a bit of a cloud, was throwing one of the hidden speakers around and cursing loudly.
A slight smile crossed Dakeria's face - she enjoyed seeing them suffer - but this was not the right time for that. She stopped smiling and stepped forward.
Icy noticed her first. She looked at her for a moment, squinting briefly - perhaps to assess whether her mind was playing tricks on her.
Darcy had also noticed her by now, but she seemed unimpressed.
"Hey, look, a new projection!" Stormy shouted, throwing a speaker at Dakeria, who easily caught it and let it disintegrate in her hand with her dark power.
The Trix flinched.
"I'm real," Dakeria said coolly. "And I want to make you an offer, Trix. In return... I'll help you out of this... unfortunate situation."
Icy was the first to regain her composure and stood up. She looked at the stranger disdainfully, "Oh yeah? And what would that be?"
"Oh, don't listen to her, Icy!" Stormy said, annoyed.
"Exactly. Every time we've dealt with someone, it ended in disaster," Darcy agreed.
"Shut up, you airheads!" Icy snapped. Unlike her sisters, Icy immediately sensed that this creature before them exuded power... Was this even a human? And not least, she might be their ticket to freedom.
Dakeria looked at her approvingly. This Icy had at least a good sense. Or she was already planning to betray her. Both useful traits. Unlike her sisters, who were still giving her angry looks.
"So. You said you would get us out of here?" Icy continued, "At what cost?"
"What is the value of a soul?... A rhetorical question, of course... But I think the souls of the so-called Winx hold tremendous value for you... Am I right?"
Dakeria grinned as she saw the pure, unbridled, blank HATRED in the Trix's faces when she mentioned those fairies.
"What do we have to do?" Darcy asked, stepping beside Icy.
"I already said. Bring me the souls of the Winx. Especially the fairy who carries the Dragon Flame within her. That is my price," Dakeria said.
"BLOOM! That little pest!" Stormy growled.
Icy stepped closer and shook Dakeria's outstretched hand. "Alright."
A feeling of unease immediately spread within her as she touched her hand. It felt almost like making a pact with the devil.
Dakeria released her, and with a snap of her fingers, the Trix's prisoner garb transformed into their normal witch magical sensors seemed to detect this, as a shrill alarm sounded from the speakers and a portal opened, from which dozens of templar knights poured out.
"Prove to me that you are worth something," Dakeria instructed the Trix.
"That's too many..." Darcy began, but Stormy was already in her element.
"HURRICANE!" she shouted, and a thundering wall of dark clouds and raging lightning scattered the group of templar knights before them.
Darcy sighed, "Ugh... Alright... SINK INTO THE SHADOWS!"Darcy's illusion magic made it appear as if the ground was breaking apart - but the templar knights, who were already trained to see through illusions, continued running unimpeded.
"ICE WALL!" Icy's frost magic finally stopped the knights - if only briefly, as they did everything they could to break through to the Trix. Stormy gathered her strength for another attack, but Dakeria stopped her.
She stepped forward elegantly, raised a hand towards her opponents - who immediately fell to their knees one after another. Their eyes and mouths glowed with a strange light, and a greenish aura emanated from them, which Dakeria captured in her palm.
Shortly thereafter, the light in the templar knights' faces extinguished, leaving their eyes as empty black hollows. The knights fell to the ground.
Darcy stepped closer and examined one of them. She flinched and recoiled, "Th-they're dead!"
She looked at Dakeria in fear, who smiled contentedly and observed the souls in her hand.
If it was so easy for her to kill someone... Why did she need the Trix?
"Your powers are useful... But your fighting style is inefficient," Dakeria noted. "I will train you to become champions. Only then will you be able to stand against the Winx. Shall we?"
"Of course," said Icy. Her voice carried a hint of respect - but also something else, something that Darcy and Stormy found alarming: caution. And perhaps a certain measure of... fear.
Meanwhile...
After the four fairies had shrunk to the size of elves, they entered the Golden Kingdom. Amber had also transformed and looked enviously at the Winx. The Believix transformation was amazing! In contrast to her ridiculous fairy outfit.
Amber's wings were oval and white. Her strapless jumpsuit, boots, and short gloves were also white. Would she ever possess such strong powers?
Her dark thoughts were dispelled as they stepped through the door. Instead of a foyer, an endless ocean stretched across the floor, covered by a clear starry sky. A warm wave of positive energy washed over her face, erasing all worries.
She rose into the air with the Winx, flying towards a cloud.
"Incredible, isn't it?" Bloom said to her.
"Yes!"
"That's right, Bloom is here for the first time too," Tecna remembered.
"That's true. Back then, my Enchantix wasn't fully developed..." Bloom mused, and seeing Amber's surprised expression, she added, "I didn't achieve my Enchantix like the others. Instead of saving someone from my own world... I attained it solely through my will. That's why I had limited abilities and couldn't transform into a mini fairy, for example."
"Th-through your WILL?" Amber repeated in awe.
"You can achieve almost anything if you just want it," Flora smiled.
The Winx floated towards a golden cloud above them, and Amber followed them breathlessly.
Maybe she could do it too...!