'Oh, very nice job…' Neruman was practically vibrating as he twirled a lock of Stella's hair around his ethereal finger. 'A perfect little puppet. She'll get you into the Sun Spire…she'll do nicely.'
Some part of Ogron swelled with pride at the praise, while the rest of him tried to repress it. He didn't want to be this…grovelling at Neruman's feet for a scrap of recognition. He wasn't…he wasn't his dog…
'Well!' Neruman clapped his hands quickly, dragging his hands away from Stella's necklace. 'Let's get on with things, shall we? Shadows?' The sea of shadows quickly flocked to him, jumping up at his robe like adoring children, clamouring for his attention. 'Good…' Neruman tapped Stella's necklace, the jewels flashing with an ominous glow. 'Seal this in, would you?'
In one swift, surging motion, the shadows drowned Stella in darkness, wrapping over every part of her, binding her. Her eyes widened, even through the hypnosis, her gaze catching Ogron's, just for a moment. The fear was the same his own gaze had held every time Neruman had taken hold, and, involuntarily, he stepped forward, some part of him seeking to free her, to stop this…this madness! But one glance at Neruman had him frozen in place, barely daring to breathe lest he drew his master's attention.
The shadows slipped under Stella's skin, and the hold was complete. She was Neruman's now. A true puppet. As easily controlled as Ogron. A phenomenon that apparently amused Neruman greatly, as he burst into raucous, malicious laughter.
'Beautiful…truly beautiful! So tempting to do a dark colour scheme, steal Darkar's whole 'Dark Fairy Princess' thing, but she has to look normal, I suppose…'
Ogron swallowed back nausea at the dead, doll-like look in Stella's eyes as she stood blindly to attention, her only purpose now to fulfil her master's whims. Was this how he appeared, when Neruman puppeted him?
'And now for you three!'
Ogron almost screamed at the idea of undergoing that spell, but Neruman just rolled his eyes. 'Oh, please, as though I can be bothered to waste all that power on a dog I've already trained. Not when I'm already investing far too much energy, since you seem incapable of fighting exhaustion even the teensiest bit. It's pathetic, really, how much you're trembling.'
'Y-yes, my Lord…' Ogron mumbled, praying that this would all just end soon. Maybe the Solarian Royal Guard would do him a favour and run him through.
'Don't mumble at me!' Neruman sent him crashing into the wall with a gestured command to his shadows, and Ogron had to drag himself up with a groan.
'Ogron!' Gantlos snarled, stepping between him and Neruman. 'Stay away from him, you maniac!'
'Oh?' Neruman snickered at the show of defiance, as though it was some terribly funny skit he could kick back and watch. 'And what will you do if I don't?'
'I…' Gantlos faltered, looking away, helpless to think of any threat that could truly stand against a man that could make Ogron break his own neck if he so desired.
'Yep, that's what I thought, now stop standing around like a pale imitation of a guard dog and do as your delightfully quiet friend and stand here.' Apparently, waiting for the end of his own sentence was just too much for Neruman, as he yanked Ogron and Gantlos by the wrists halfway through, dragging them to stand in a circle around him with Anagan.
'Now, there is a very small chance this spell could come with a few side effects - headache, mild fatigue, nausea, blinding, all-consuming agony so profound you'll want to kill yourself here and now…but push on through!'
Ogron's eyes barely had time to widen before Neruman vanished, slipping into the rapidly-growing maelstrom of shadows whirling around them, their inky forms crackling with the very essence of this place, of the darkness, of the power of a man strong enough to stand among the most powerful wizards in the dimension.
The first contact was like static shock. A small, sharp jolt, making Ogron jerk his hand back. The next….the next was more akin to grabbing an overhead electrical cable.
Power flowed into him so fast, so electric, so painful. He couldn't think, couldn't stand, breathe…his body hit the floor, twitching and convulsing as his magic scrambled to find a way to contain this much power. It was so potent…he supposed it had to be, if they were to extinguish one of the strongest sources of light in the Magic Dimension, but…it hurt! Oh god, it hurt so much!
'Make…make it stop…' he groaned, the words broken and disjointed as he forced them out of his trembling lips. 'Make it stop!' His words trailed off into a keening scream as the transfer reached its crescendo, before it all fell away, leaving him gasping for air, feeling as though every last one of his organs had been cooked. His body thrummed with power, the hum of the magic so strong it exacerbated the perpetual throbbing in his skull.
For a minute, he just lay there. The only sounds the slow, gasping pants of him and his friends. He could pass out right now…fall asleep and never wake up. But his master lacked the compassion for such a mercy.
'Get up, you worthless creature!' A hand twisted into his hair, yanking him to his feet, but, exhausted and lost in pain, he refused to stand, swatting the hand away and collapsing back to his knees.
'I said get up, shadow puppet…' The warning in the words only registered when Ogron found himself getting to his feet by a will other than his own, his body fighting to tremble, forced to stand stock-still until Neruman slipped back into the corporeal world, smirking as Gantlos and Anagan dragged themselves upright.
'There we are. That wasn't so hard, was it?'
Ogron struggled to force words out, and, angered by the lack of response, Neruman nipped back into his shadow, gifting him a beautifully stinging new red mark blooming across his cheek.
'It wasn't hard, was it?'
'N-no, my Lord…'
'Good!' Neruman clapped his hands gleefully, spinning to beckon Stella nearer. 'Your brought low-ness…do be a good girl and come here.'
Robotically, Stella walked closer, stopping just short of Neruman. Ogron's skin crawled as Neruman ran a hand through her hair, toying with it like she was no more than a doll to be posed and petted to his pleasure.
'My dear, you are going to take my servants and get them into the Sun Spire. Teleport them into the palace, lay an illusion over them so they appear as guards, and do nothing to arouse suspicion. Understood?'
'Understood…Lord Neruman…' Her voice…the bubbly, sunshine quality that seeped through even into her fights was gone, eclipsed by the monotone of control.
'Good, good!' Neruman glanced back to Ogron, a sadistic grin twisting his lips. 'And, just so you know, fail today and the only mercy you'll receive will come when I finally end your miserable little life.' Shaking and petrified, Ogron could only find it in him to nod, stumbling to stand next to Stella as she summoned her staff, sickening visions of the punishments Neruman surely had in mind dancing mockingly through his head.
'Solaria!'
Before his legs had even steadied or his breathing had a chance to even out, Ogron found himself blinded by a burst of light, his body vanishing and reappearing, clad in different garb as he blinked at his new surroundings. Huge marble columns, like the angelic counterparts of the deformed decorating in Neruman's lair, towered about him, reflecting the golden rays that shone from the three suns in the sky. Solaria.
'Are you okay?' Anagan hurried over to him, his voice the only recognisable part of him, Stella's illusion cloaking his own features and clothing so he resembled a perfect stranger.
'Y-yes…' Ogron mumbled, rubbing his cheek. 'Fine…let's just get this over with…'
'I should have strangled that stupid shadow when I had the chance…' Gantlos growled as he watched Ogron flinch from the pain Neruman had foisted on him. 'Snapped his shrouded neck…'
'You know it wouldn't work…' Ogron sighed wearily, turning his attention to Stella. He had to get this power out of him…his body could barely handle it. 'Stella…take us to the spire. …Please.' He didn't know why he included the please. He certainly didn't need to. But something about watching her be puppeted made him want to…be more respectful. Pose orders as requests, as hollow a gesture as that was.
Stella nodded, walking far more naturally through the halls, her fairy form falling away until she was just in her concert outfit, the necklace a tad out of place, but less suspicious than her wandering around suited and booted for battle.
Ogron stumbled after her, trying to hold himself tall, in keeping with the face and armour he now sported. It wouldn't do for a royal guard to be slouching his way through the palace, after all.
As they walked, Ogron couldn't help but stare around in quiet awe. This place…this place was incredible. Every surface, every person, seemed to glow with that same reflected radiance, each servant or minister lighting up their own personal corner of their home world with the simple pride of being alive in such a stunning place. It was easy to see where Stella got her radiant disposition from; her home world glowed. After going from a warehouse to the sewers to a cave to ice to a cell, the whiplash from walking through a place in which light and freedom flowed from every surface was almost enough to stop him in his tracks.
He trailed to a halt as they passed a balcony, silken curtains ruffling in the playful breeze as it danced past, untethered and unbothered by the struggles of those it passed. The vista beyond stole his breath, whisking it away to the low, rolling peaks in the distance. To see the horizon…to remember that the world stretched on beyond the four walls of whatever room caged him in the present moment…truly beautiful.
'…Ogron?' Anagan paused, stepping back to join him in his rapturous staring. 'Ogron, we…we have to move on…'
'I don't want to…' The whisper was so faint, so utterly exhausted that it barely reached Anagan's ears. 'Anagan, I'm tired, I don't want to fight, I just want to go home, but we don't have one, just cells and wherever we can sleep for a few frozen hours…' He turned, slow and teary-eyed. 'When is it all over? If Neruman wins, if we succeed and Neruman wins…will it all be over?'
'I…' Anagan looked away, a war waging in his haunted eyes. 'I don't know. I'm sorry, I wish I could say yes…but I don't know.' He folded Ogron into his arms, letting him rest his throbbing head on his shoulder for a moment as they both breathed in the moment of peace. 'But somehow, some way, we'll get to the end. To our ending. And I'll be there, I'll be there for you. Promise.'
'You better be…' Ogron mumbled into his jacket, breathing in the familiar scent under all the dungeon grime and illusions. 'I don't think I can have an emotional release cry all on my own…'
'Come on.' Anagan took his hand, guiding him along the hallway. 'Otherwise we're leaving Gantlos and Stella alone, and that doesn't end well in the best of circumstances.'
A laugh teased at Ogron's throat, creeping up a few inches before giving up and dying, like all the others as he trailed after Anagan, refusing to drop his hand. Guards could hold hands, right? They were protecting royalty, their job was probably very stressful, of course they could hold hands… Besides, no force in this dimension was making him let go. He needed this almost as much as he needed a really long nap.
They caught up to Gantlos and Stella just outside the Sun Spire, Stella coming to a halt in front of the double doors practically heaving with guards. Looked like Solaria wasn't taking chances…
'Guards, let us through!' The command, sharp-edged and sudden, sounded out of place from Stella's lips, but Ogron supposed royalty just spoke like that, with an unmovable expectation that all would move to accommodate their every whim.
'But…Princess Stella…' began the guard captain, glancing to his subordinates with uncertainty. 'We…we have orders to guard the Spire and let nobody through…they come directly from your father.'
'And now you have orders to move aside, coming directly from me!' Her lips pursed, and she leaned closer, eyes flashing. 'With the number of times I've saved the dimension, do you really think delaying me when I'm in such an obvious hurry is a good idea, gentlemen?'
The guards exchanged glances, before parting like the Red Sea.
'Ugh, finally…' Stella strode through, aggressively beckoning the wizards. 'Come on, gentlemen!'
'Princess, if they-'
'Shut it.'
As soon as they were through, Stella slammed the doors shut with a flick of her finger, binding them shut with a few quick spells. But Ogron's attention could barely focus on her.
In the heart of the room, the Second Sun shone with a radiance far more potent that the rays shining down from the sky. Every inch of the room lived in constant, shimmering glory, not a shadow in sight. As the warmth of its rays flooded him, Ogron felt a fleeting sense of comfort in the light. This…this was as far from Neruman's domain as he could get. Here, where shadows were not just banished to the cracks and corners, but chased from the space entirely, their very existence forbidden.
No…no, not quite…his own still rested at his feet, hazy and almost golden, but still that same inky blot on his existence. The weight of his task settled back on his shoulders, and he stepped forwards. The light from the Sun became less protective and comforting and more aggressive the closer he stepped, but he pushed through, the illusions Stella had cast falling away.
'…You ready?'
In reply, Anagan and Gantlos took their places at his side, their fingertips brushing his as they formed up into the same convergence they'd channelled a hundred times, with one gaping, glaring difference. No longer did they form a circle, just a broken, battered line, held together by the grounding touch of the only people they had left.
As soon as the convergence began, Ogron felt Neruman's spell rush to the surface, raw and vicious, spilling from his skin in a tidal wave of dark power. He let out a pained gasp, his knees almost buckling underneath him as the Sun began to flicker hesitantly, as though unsure whether to acknowledge this new, malicious intruder. It beamed brighter in response, trying to fight back.
Wait…fight back? Could the Sun fight back? No…but someone else could…
Ogron glanced behind him, his heart sinking to see Stella locked in that same rigid, marionette position as before, but her eyes…her eyes blazed with a fierce determination, a certainty that said she was making this far harder than it had to be, her skin glowing softly against the shadows binding her in place.
The Sun should have been overwhelmed by now, but instead, they were locked in a ferocious tug of war between light and darkness, good and evil, and, for Ogron, survival and torture. He could feel the power slipping from him, constant waves that only served to dim the Sun a fraction, while Ogron could feel his body trembling, sweat pouring down his face as he struggled to keep it up. How much magic had Neruman transferred into him? It was barely enough…no…no, it wasn't enough. His own power started to flow after it, clinging to him like a child to its mother as Ogron had to pry it away from him and send it streaming into the infinite light.
Slowly, hesitantly, raging against the change, the light of the Sun began to dim, truly dim. Shadows crept into the corners, seeping across the floor, twisting and roiling as they finally began to conquer the one place in this castle they'd forever been denied. Faster and faster, like a plague, they encroached on every shining surface, white marble turning grey, gold losing its lustre, every shimmer and shine slain by the shadowy warlords.
The Sun seemed to wilt at this invasion, every sparkle lost a blow to its radiance, until it no longer beamed like the star it was, collapsing in on itself like a miserable, deflating balloon, shrinking and shrivelling, until finally, the shadows could creep onto the Sun itself. Golden light turned grey, then died, as the embers at the Sun's heart struggled and sparked to stay alight. A furious, determined grunt came from behind Ogron, and he knew Stella was fighting just as hard as they were, even through Neruman's dark bindings. It was impressive, really. Her power, her strength of will, both must greatly outweigh his if she was able to manage such a feat in this state. But he had no room to be awed at her skills. No, all he had liberty to do was grit his teeth in fury and fear, knowing that, so long as even one spark burned, the Sun would flare back to its former glory the moment this spell stopped. It was the way of the light, it always blazed bright after hardship, while the shadows crept back to their corners to await their next chance at the kill.
He began to feel dizzy; this much power was not only dangerous, but now bordering on the downright implausible. Even as his own power complemented Neruman's spell, a spell that was rapidly starting to run on fumes, he could see it wasn't enough. Seeing no other choice aside for torture and death for his failings, he drew on the power in his magical core itself. This magic went deeper than what he held at his fingertips. What lay under his skin. This was his very magical essence, the nigh-on inextinguishable core from which all his power flowed. It was what regenerated his magic, what made him strong, what made him more than a mere mortal. It was never to be drawn on, not in any but the most dire of circumstances, and, well, one couldn't find circumstances much more dire than this.
A sharp, painful throb radiated across his chest in time with his heartbeat as his inner power raged against the dying embers, nausea roiling through his stomach. Blood trickled from his nose, only adding to the lightheadedness that would surely land him on the floor, but he forced himself to push through.
Sensing the others' magic, it became apparent that they had reached the same conclusion as him: the only way they had a shot at this spell was to give it all they had, no matter how far it pushed them. Such a sacrifice seemed to be paying off, as Ogron watched the embers flicker out, like candles on a birthday cake. One. Two. Three.
Before he could reach four, watch the last few sparks of light left in this corner of the dimension melt away like springtime snow, the now-grim glass around the tower shattered in a storm, six very familiar, very determined, very, very angry fairies landing inside, eyes blazing as their gaze locked on the wizards, Stella behind them, sweat pouring down her face as she both raged against the possession and fought to keep the Second Sun burning with all her might.
'Stop the spell, wizards!' Bloom's order ricocheted off the walls, but Ogron didn't bother to respond. He simply lacked the focus or energy to turn and engage, especially as yet more of the power he simply didn't have had to go to create a shield around them, keeping the Winx at bay.
'Dragon Heart!'
'Double Eclipse!'
Bloom's mouth dropped open right along with Ogron's as Stella jumped between Bloom and the shield, confusion dancing in her gaze as she blocked the attack. Apparently Neruman was still pulling strings beyond his earlier command.
'Stella, you have to fight it!' Bloom cried desperately as Tecna threw up a shield against the subsequent onslaught from Neruman's new plaything.
'She is, Bloom!' Musa's eyes brimmed with pain as she watched Stella, no longer in control of her own body, her own choices. 'I can hear it in her heart song; she's struggling, but there's a dark cacophony blotting out her own melody!' She gritted her teeth, covering her ears. 'It's so loud…Bloom, it's so loud! Whatever the wizards and Neruman did to her, it's some seriously powerful magic!'
'We have to free Stella!'
Aisha's eyes widened as she glanced between Bloom and a rapidly-waning Ogron. 'But- Bloom! The wizards- if we leave them to this, then they'll-'
'Longer we talk, longer they have to extinguish the Sun!' Bloom snapped. 'Come on, girls! Fairy dust time! Roxy, you use the White Circle and try and weaken their spell, we'll join you as soon as Stella's safe!'
Roxy nodded, immediately initiating a devastating assault against Ogron's shield. He could feel her energy snarling through his body, shocking and shredding every nerve it could find, his vision blurring as he tried to stay focused. Not much longer…just a few more sparks, and all would go dark…dark forever… They wouldn't be able to rekindle it, not when it was truly dead… Then maybe, at last, Neruman would leave him alone…maybe…maybe even let him go. He just had to succeed!
'Enchantix, fairy dust!' The sound of a thousand tinkling bells assaulted Ogron's ears, and the Winx began tracing powerful runic symbols in the air, lit ablaze with the shimmering powder that granted them strength against darkness. The same darkness that bound Stella.
'No!' Gantlos barked, stomping his foot as hard as he could manage in his weakened state, trying to shake the girls to the floor. The attack did nothing but slow them by a few moments, and the wizards had to watch in horror as fairy dust rained down on Stella in a sweet shower of liberation.
Shadows writhed on her skin, digging in their tendrils to try and cling to her flesh, snapping and biting at her wings in fury as they were driven from her body, her magic, her eyes, her golden gaze clearing until she blinked up at the Winx in exhausted, but joyous, confusion.
'Girls…I'm sorry, I…' She stumbled forwards, de-transforming with a whimper as she collapsed into Bloom's arms, eyes fluttering as the final shadows melted away, leaving her almost asleep and struggling to find coherence.
'Stella, it's okay…we know Neruman had you under his control…' Bloom soothed, stroking her hair. 'It's not your fault…'
'The…the Sun…'
'We'll take care of the Sun, Stell…' Musa reassured her, already turning her attention to the wizards.
'No!' Stella struggled upright, staggering a few steps, much to Bloom's protestations. 'No, this is my kingdom. My Sun…' Her eyes glowed golden, a light spilling from her skin as bright as the Second Sun itself, forcing Ogron to squeeze his eyes shut. No…how was she so strong? So soon after hypnosis?!
His answer came in the form of the beams of light fighting through the windows, the gifts of light from the two other stars illuminating Solaria, their light, warmth and power flowing into Stella, feeding her magic with their light. Wings shimmered into being into a rainbow of sunbeams, refracted into wings, into her shining Enchantix form. Her staff materialised in her hands, half weapon, half crutch, its purposes as a crutch fading as her strength returned.
'Roxy…stand back.'
Roxy quickly hurried away as Stella spun her staff in the air, vanishing into a blur of light, so bright that even the Winx had to shield their eyes. The Second Sun stirred hopefully in response, and Ogron felt it once again begin to push back against his magic. His magic, that was fading away faster and faster.
'Ogron…' Anagan groaned, swaying on his feet as yet more energy poured from him into the rekindling embers. 'Ogron, we can't…we can't keep this up…if we keep going, we'll…drain our cores altogether…' Ogron winced, knowing how serious that would be. Draining a magical core could mean…it could be…he could…they could lose…
No matter. If they didn't push on, they'd lose their lives. They'd lost everything else, time to hit rock bottom.
The light in the Sun bubbled and boiled, searing out in a burst of furious power. Ogron tried to quell it, to force it back into submission, but, even as a migraine split his head in two from the exertion, the Sun didn't yield, refused to yield. With every dark spell hurled at it, it only glowed brighter, brighter, brighter, until Ogron's eyes were streaming to look at it, either from the light or fear, who could tell.
Stella let out a furious cry, channelling all her remaining power into the Sun, dropping to the ground in exhaustion as the Sun rose from the ashes, light exploding forth in a devastating burst of energy.
Ogron screamed as it seared his eyes, and in that moment, he felt it. Felt the last sparks leave his fingertips. He was drained. Well and truly drained.
But he didn't have time to care, a scream tearing its way from his lips as the light overtook him, blazing and searing across every inch of his skin, a comforting warmth to most turned devastating pain against him as the light took its vengeance. But…in the midst of the confusion, of tears spilling at the pain and the sounds of his friends' screams…he felt something lift. A sharp, hissing sizzle came from under him, and it was as though he'd shed a shroud, a weight evaporating from his shoulders that he hadn't even known he carried.
Through streaming eyes, he managed to squint down, breath catching in shock as he saw it. Dark tendrils squirmed and struggled away from his shadow, burned to ashes by the Sun's rays. For just a heartbeat, as he watched his shackles burn away, he felt something other than overwhelming, mind-numbing fear. Relief breezed through his mind, then merrily made its way to the horizon and out of sight, leaving him to the fear. And then… As the light blazed and his knees buckled, he met Stella's searing gaze, and for just a heartbeat, it softened. He couldn't think why…he couldn't think at all…
They failed.
There were a few seconds of silence as the realisation hit him. Blissful, blissful, silence as his mind struggled to comprehend what had just transpired. Tried to concoct some way out of this. But he had nothing. Nothing to keep the full understanding that they'd failed, and that they were all dead, from hitting him full-force. It stole his breath, but he barely noticed his lungs fighting to draw in air, just staring listlessly at the ground, not even registering the fresh burns painting his skin where the sunlight had charred him. They'd failed…they'd failed…they were good as dead.
Through his panic, he forced his eyes to try and focus through the tears, craning his neck round to try and see Gantlos and Anagan. Were they okay…?
Anagan lay sprawled on the ground, eyes fluttering as he struggled to push himself upright, his hair smoking slightly. Meanwhile, Gantlos was already staggering to his feet, stumbling hazily to stand between Ogron and Anagan and where the Winx were gathering around Stella. The princess was slowly getting to her feet, leaning heavily on Bloom and Flora, constantly being told to take it easy, go slow, she used a lot of power. They were distracted. But soon…soon they wouldn't be…they'd arrest them…they'd send them back to Omega! No! No, no, no! The thought of the ice once again creeping up him like a plague, sealing him in place, trapped forever in that frozen hellscape…no! His vision blurred as he tried to draw breath, scrambling to his feet, so unsteady he almost collapsed against Gantlos.
'C-come on…' he stammered, offering Anagan a hand. 'W-we have to…t-to get out of here…' Pulling Anagan up was a feat that almost expended all the strength he had left, but he couldn't go down, not now, not again, he couldn't go to Omega, he'd rather die, please, he'd rather die!
Anagan let out a low groan, fighting not to lean on Ogron as Ogron too swayed on his feet. 'Where do we…'
'I don't know,' Ogron muttered, hurrying for the way out. 'I don't know. G-Gantlos…can you…cave in the doors? It…it'll make it harder…harder for them to follow…'
Gantlos clapped his hands, but all that transpired was a brief, echoing slap. No magic. Not so much as a tremble. All the minimal colour drained from Gantlos's face, his legs shaking as he staggered backwards after Ogron and Anagan.
'It…it won't…it won't work…' he whispered, his voice shaking. 'It won't work…why…why won't it work?'
'We…we drained our powers…' Ogron mumbled, his voice thick with tears as he felt the cold emptiness under his skin, the distinct, painful lack of energy dancing at his fingertips. 'There's nothing left…'
'Guys, we have to go,' Anagan interjected, pulling them both out of the Sun Spire as they struggled to comprehend their newfound emptiness. 'We have to go!'
As they stumbled away, the Winx finally turned their attention away from Stella.
'Hey!' Roxy's voice echoed after them, sharp and furious. 'Oh, you guys are so not getting away!'
The anger in her voice sent shivers down Ogron's spine, a warning of the fate that awaited him. Ice…endless, endless ice…no…no, please! He sped up, ducking through a small door after Anagan and pulling it shut, breathing hard and praying the Winx wouldn't think to check here. Mostly because, as his rapid hyperventilating was informing him, this was in fact a dead end that was going to get them all caught, but so would trying to keep running, they got caught either way, they were doomed, they were dead, he couldn't breathe-
'Ogron!' Anagan seized his shoulders, looking past his panic and deep into his eyes. 'Ogron, you have to breathe.'
Ogron shook his head, fighting to focus. There was no way out of here…his magic had abandoned him…he was going back to Omega. He was going back to Omega. Tears spilled over once again as he stood, shaking, and Anagan visibly scrambled for any form of reassurance he could possible offer.
'There has to be a way out…' Gantlos muttered, staring around the room, squeezing his eyes shut and snapping them open in the obvious hopes that his tracking powers would activate and see their salvation. 'There has to be, dammit!'
'Well, guess what?' Ogron felt his spine crawl at the familiar voice, turning in slow, horrified silence to see Neruman's visage painted across the wall, leering forth from trembling, torchlit shadows. 'There is.'
Silence hung heavy for a few moments as Gantlos stepped protectively between Ogron and Neruman, but Neruman made no move.
'This was…quite truly disappointing…' Neruman sighed, shaking his head like berating a child. 'You had one job…'
Ogron awaited the inevitable physical retribution, but when none came, he cracked one eye open in surprise. Then he remembered, staring down at his shadow, now just a simple grey, rather than an inky darkness pulsing with Neruman's presence. The Sun…Stella's light…Neruman was burned out of his shadow. He…he couldn't control him anymore. However, what should have been a joyous revelation of liberty came as nothing more than a brief flicker of understanding, eclipsed by the knowledge they were likely only a few minutes from chains and ice. He couldn't…he couldn't go back…
'Lord Neruman…' he whispered, every syllable shaking as he forced it out. 'We…we are sorry…'
'Sorry doesn't restore my power!' Neruman snarled, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. 'I freed you to serve me, and you've been nothing but a waste of power!'
'I know…I know…' Neruman terrified him more than almost anything, but he chose him over Omega. He wouldn't go back there! 'My Lord…we…we can't escape this place on our own…please…the Winx are coming for us…please, I beg of you, get us out of here…'
'You think you have the right to demand anything from me, after all your failings?!' Neruman snarled, and Ogron shrank back in fear, while Gantlos and Anagan watched the interaction with growing concern. Then, Neruman paused, seeming to think something over. In the moment of hesitation, Ogron slipped past his friends, stumbling to Neruman's visage. He had to get out of here. Had to get Gantlos and Anagan out of here. Even as the last spectre of his pride was torn to shreds, he dropped to his knees, bowing his head and begging. Begging for salvation. He was now truly reduced to a slave at his master's feet, but he didn't care. He was weak, worthless, powerless, and all he had now was his complete and total submission to save him.
'Please…'
Gantlos watched with growing horror as Ogron dropped to his knees before Neruman, the act of submission sickening as he watched what little was left of the strong, prideful man he knew give up and die, leaving Ogron a pleading, shattered mess.
Neruman's lips curled with satisfaction at the beseeching, the same cruel smile that adorned his lips as he broke Ogron. 'You failed me.'
'I know…' Ogron whispered, his shoulders shaking.
'You owe me everything.'
'I know…'
'But…'
Ogron's eyes lit up with hope, while Gantlos's stomach just sank.
'I can show mercy. I will offer you salvation…' Neruman beckoned a shadowy finger, slipping to the side and summoning the shadows of the room to the wall, where they swirled together into the same vortex that had brought them here. It was meant to be a helping hand, a path to asylum, but…Neruman had sworn. They were dead if they failed. Torture and death. That was the fate he'd promised them. So then…
Ogron's eyes lit up, but as he started to move towards the portal, Gantlos surged forward and seized him by the shoulder, tugging him back and away from Neruman and all his empty promises.
'Wha- Gantlos! What the bloody hell are you doing, let me go!'
'Ogron, no!' Despite Ogron's furious, panicked struggles, Gantlos refused to let go. 'You can't listen to him! You know what he'll do to us, he told us himself!'
'Then why bother with the energy to save us?!' Ogron wriggled in Gantlos's grasp with more strength than should be possible from someone as weakened as him, and Gantlos's heart ached as he had to tighten his grip.
'Because he doesn't want us falling into the Winx's hands!' he snapped, tugging Ogron back, the other wizard's feet scrabbling on the floor. 'We know things that can hurt him, Ogron! He doesn't want us telling the Winx!'
Neruman's eyes narrowed, and one of the shadows broke away from the portal, creeping across the floor like a leech, slapping Gantlos away from Ogron and binding him down.
'Hush, Gantlos…' Neruman purred, his voice teetering on the edge of a snarl. 'I invested so much power in you, and you came so very close…you can be useful to me yet…death was more of a threat, I won't be that harsh…'
Ogron drifted closer to the syrupy whispers, his eyes glazing over as he let someone else take control. In a panic, Gantlos struggled furiously with his dark bindings, but before he could get free, someone else stopped Ogron in his path.
'Anagan, what are you doing?!' Ogron's voice cracked, his eyes brimming with tears as he tried to comprehend why his best friends were trying to condemn him to Omega.
'Saving you! Ogron, Gantlos is right, you can't trust Neruman, please! I know you think he's a better choice than Omega, but I watched him break you and you won't survive it, please, please listen to us!'
'I can't go back there, Anagan!' Ogron writhed in Anagan's hands, resorting to lashing out as best he could manage to stagger closer to the portal. 'You can't either, you know you can't, come back, please!' His voice trailed off, and his lip started to tremble. 'Anagan…Gantlos…please…'
Finally struggling out from his bindings, Gantlos dragged himself to his feet, firmly taking hold of Ogron's wrist. 'Ogron, no. Don't go back. I can't watch him break you, not again.'
'I can't go back to Omega…' Ogron's fury fell away, and he just looked lost and scared, a man set adrift by forces determined to shatter all that he was. 'I can't, I can't, I can't…'
'That's right, he can't,' Neruman snapped, seething as his slaves tried to keep his favourite toy from him. 'Gantlos, Anagan, if you feel like retaining the ability to walk, come back now.'
'You see?!' Gantlos burst out, gesturing at Neruman and the severely ominous threat he'd just issued. 'Ogron, we're not safe with him! Better the goddamn devil you know!'
'I…'
'Enough!' More shadows spilled from the wall, seizing and hurling Gantlos and Anagan aside like rag dolls. 'I know you'll follow him, so no need to drag you two through…' Neruman sighed, turning his focus back to Ogron, who just stared uncomprehendingly at his two best friends fighting to get to their feet. 'Ogron, come.' Once again, his voice turned soft, inviting, a safe space in a world that broke Ogron for sport. 'Come back, I promise your punishment will be over soon…it's me or endless, choking, madness-inducing ice…'
Ogron stiffened, whatever colour had been left draining from his face. His hands shook, eyes darting between Neruman and his friends.
'I'll bring them back too, don't worry, they're just worried, they'll calm down when they see how merciful I can truly be…come on, just a few steps…'
Ogron started to walk towards the portal, deafened to Gantlos and Anagan's furious shouts and soft pleas, his gaze focused solely on salvation. And yet, his salvation came bursting through the door a second later.
'Don't. Move.' Fire blazed at Bloom's fingertips, a poignant warning against disobeying her. Neruman had no respect for warnings.
'Ogron, come through, quickly!' he barked, and Ogron staggered closer, the shadows surging to block Bloom and allow Ogron a path of safety. Safety for Neruman. Safety to be able to execute the only people that could truly bring all he'd built crashing down.
'Stop!' Stella shoved past Bloom, staring at the scene in confusion and concern. 'Ogron, stop!'
Ogron ignored her, looking fearfully to Anagan, then Gantlos. 'Come on, we have to go!'
Gantlos narrowed his eyes, glowering at Neruman's satisfied, predatory smile as Ogron reached out towards the portal. An idea crystallised in his mind. A god-awful idea that would get them all sent back to Omega. An idea Ogron could truly hate him for. But an idea that kept Ogron alive. And that…that was all that mattered.
'Stella!'
Stella's eyes widened, snapping to him in an instant at his harsh, desperate bark.
'Destroy Neruman's apparition!' He was begging, but he didn't care. If Stella destroyed Neruman's form of communication, she'd destroy the portal. Ogron wouldn't be able to follow Neruman, and Neruman wouldn't be able to feed him his lies, not again.
'What?'
'What the hell?!' Bloom snapped, glowering at Gantlos with mistrust. 'Like she'd listen to anything you-'
Stella raised her sceptre, her eyes locked on Neruman's dark form, on the whispers spilling from his lips, poisoning Ogron's ear. Her eyes narrowed, then…softened? They softened as they landed on Ogron, his wide, scared eyes as he stepped towards his own abuser like a lifeline. Stella's gaze sparkled with sympathy, and her lips formed the words. 'Breaking Dawn.'
Gold, pink and purple swirled from her staff, striking Neruman in the heart of his shadow. A cry of rage echoed around the chamber, the shadow shrinking back, wavering as he tried to find respite from the light, but Stella's power was all-encompassing. Every nook and cranny of the room slowly filled with the same, soft light, the delicate colours decimating their enemies until Neruman shrank away to a wisp.
'You…will…regret…that…' he hissed at Gantlos, eyes burning with murder.
'Whatever, dude.' Stella spun her staff in her hands, hitting the last hint of Neruman with a comically small sunbeam, followed up with a self-indulgent blowing of the smoke from her sceptre. 'Buh-bye…'
As Bloom stared at Stella in confusion, Anagan scrambled to his feet, rushing to Ogron. As he reached him, Ogron dropped to his knees, staring at the wall in blank confusion.
'What…did you do?' he whispered, his voice emotionless for a heartbeat. 'What…did…you…do?'
Gantlos hesitantly knelt next to him, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder as he heard his breathing pick up.
'What did you do?!' Something shattered, and Ogron doubled over, his breaths coming in raw gasps as his hands knotted into his hair. 'No no no no no no…' The words barely made it out through choked, struggling breaths, and Gantlos felt guilt knot his insides. He glanced to Anagan, but for the moment he caught his eye before his friend turned his full attention to Ogron, he saw no anger, just…worry. And a quiet, quiet relief. Ogron was safe from Neruman.
There was the quiet clicking of heels, and Gantlos moved protectively in front of Ogron as Stella approached. Her presence, the sceptre still clutched in her grasp, reminded him. They'd protected Ogron from Neruman. But…just what had they condemned him to?