Surprise! Two chapters in one day!

I got just a little bit excited since we're coming to the middlish of the story YAY. Wow I can't believe I've stayed with this story for so long I'm amazed at myself for getting here without dying halfway lolol

I think I owe it to all of Winx Club Fanfiction to finish at least ONE story.

BUT BE WARNED this chapter is an actual rollercoaster i beg thee to be wary, I was a LITTLE unhinged when writing this, like fresh out of submitting an assignment that took me 3 sleepless nights kind of unhinged. If not for societal implications, I might be one more submission away from being a homicidal maniac like High Commander Brandon Silver.

Stella didn't leave her room that evening, not even for dinner despite Digit asking repeatedly to bring her food to her room, she declined. She didn't feel like eating, not after what had resurfaced that morning.

The stream had triggered a memory, or at least a fragment of one she didn't know she had deep within her mind, but only part of it. Which meant most of her memories from that night were wiped due to the trauma of it all. Or by someone.

Memory magic was archaic, a type of spell like that would require an immense amount of skill and power. It was unlikely anyone in the kingdom, at least in this century, was capable of using it.

She'd spent the afternoon on her bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to make sense of it all, to piece together whatever else that memory might have held. But questions only seemed to multiply. How did she end up by the stream, and how come she never noticed that stream before?

Her gaze drifted to the night beyond her closed balcony, where the moon cast a gentle light onto the floor of her prison chamber. Her memories seem to be triggered by the environment she had put herself into.

Maybe seeing the stream at night might make the memory go on for a bit longer.

She rose and grabbed a coat from the closet, heading for the door. The moment she threw it open, a broad figure blocked her path. The scent of iron and pine filled her senses, a familiar, grounding smell that brought irritation simmering to her surface. Her eyes flicked upward, glaring at the High Commander's face, cool and unreadable, his gaze seeming to pierce right through her.

His blank eyes involuntarily trailed down her body, noticing the coat that was clenched in her grip, "Where do you think you're going, princess?" He asked in a steely tone, and Stella clenched her jaw, refusing to let him see the nerves that tensed her shoulders.

"None of your business, high commander," She could barely hide the venom in her voice despite trying to appear emotionless. His eyes darkened at her tone with a glimmer of amusement, as if he relished the way she spat the title back at him, "What do you want?"

He stepped back, unfazed at the clear hatred in her eyes, "You're coming with me, princess," He told her, gesturing to the hallway leading out as if feigning politeness.

"Where are we going?"

He scoffed, "You're in no position to be asking that, princess," He shot back in a snarky, "Let's go," He told her coldly, before turning on his heel to lead the way. His black cape flowed behind him, attached to his chest with the same green stone that seemed to power his energy sword, attached to his waist sheath as usual.

Stella walked behind him furtively as he walked to the black ship sitting idly in the courtyard. She stopped at the pillar closest to the ship resting over the gravel in the Sun palace grounds as Brandon Silver continued to the walkway that had been extended for their boarding.

Her eyes flickered up at the size of the battleship, bearing the Drakari emblem on the hull in comparison to the sleek white ship she had seen from her balcony the last couple of weeks. She knew that was the High Commander's ship; it bore his family's coat of arms on the roof. But this ship was different. She's seen these many, although in the older model.

They were Drakari fleet ships, usually attacking in masses to take out other military forces.

Brandon stopped at the foot of the walkway. His gaze turned to meet hers, "What are you waiting for? A formal invitation?" He mocked and she glared at him in turn. Her whole body felt uneasy seeing the ship.

The last time she saw one of these fleet ships, she lost someone important to her.

Despite his ambiguity about where they were going, she didn't have much of a choice in resisting him. She was his prisoner and if he felt like it, he could use any force necessary to get her to obey him.

She stalked towards the walkway and climbed the ramp, holding her head high, though her eyes flashed defiance. His dark eyes watched her intently and continued to follow closely behind her as the drawbridge retracted behind them.

Inside, the battleship was brighter than she'd expected.

The soldiers greeted them the moment they boarded. "Commander," They bowed in unison as Brandon Silver walked into the bridge behind the apprehensive former princess of Solaria.

Before she could take another step, he reached out from behind her and seized her hand, his cold, gloved fingers locking with hers. "What—" she began, but the emotionless look on his face silenced her.

"The implant won't let you leave the palace without mine," he said dismissively, his tone void of any concern. Beneath her feet, the floor hummed as the ship lifted off, tilting slightly as it gained speed, soaring towards the atmosphere of former Solaria.

As the battleship broke through the stratosphere, High Commander Silver quickly jerked his hand away. It was as if her touch had burned him as he walked ahead of her, leaving Stella fazed at what had just occurred. She glanced around warily at the soldiers stationed along the walls, all in the midnight-black uniforms of Drakar's forces, their weapons at their sides.

Yet she was still unaware of where they were headed.

Many of the Drakari soldiers did not know who Princess Stella of Solaria was, at least aside from the Commander's platoons and former Solarian officials who sided with Andreas, many just knew her as the lieutenant of the Rebellion imprisoned by the High Commander.

Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the appearance and weapons of the soldiers on the bridge. No one she recognised. Timmy wasn't manning the controls like she expected, and Riven wasn't aboard the ship either, which she didn't know if she was thankful or not for.

Her mind raced, wondering why they were headed out without his usual assailants.

"Where are we going?" She asked again as he walked ahead of her, towards the control bay. He didn't respond but she could feel the shift in the atmosphere around her turn heavy. The cold look on the high commander's face told her this wasn't just some field trip he was taking her, it made her stomach pit anxiously.

He stood a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest as he stared back at her intently, "To Linphea,"

Her heart pounded, and she forced her expression to remain neutral. "Why Linphea?" she pressed, though her palms were clammy with dread.

He tilted his head, a slight smirk pulling at his lips. "It seems I'm your only trigger to activate the sceptre—or rather, two things about me are," he said, counting on his fingers with slow precision. "One: your intent to kill me."

At the mention, every soldier in the room turned their weapons on her, rifles aimed at her head. Her pulse quickened, though she forced herself not to move.

He continued, a glint of dark satisfaction in his eyes. "And two: your need to protect something you care about against me." His voice lowered, icy and unfeeling.

The ship's trajectory had shifted, the view of Linphea's lush Verdentia Grove now visible through the windows—a forest she knew well, thick with towering trees, ancient and untouched. It was located away from civilisation, in a wide and lush forest that covered most of the planet.

These new Drakari ships were faster and more powerful, being able to cross the galaxy in minutes in comparison to the older models or even Rebellion ships. They barely had time to escape their speed during the attack on the base camp.

The blood drained from her face as the ship magically cut right through the entwined trees, multiple other fleet fighter jets following behind as her heart hammered in her ears. The Kingdom of Linphea was a peaceful planet; its neutrality in the order Andreas created meant it did not fight against or for Drakar. Verdentia Grove was amongst the uninhabited parts of the planet that worked under no governing law. It was for the flora and the fauna that was abundant in Linphea.

She had only been to Linphea a few times, even to outsiders this grove was extremely difficult to navigate unless they knew where they were going.

Or more precisely, what they were looking for.

Her mouth went dry as she realized where they were headed.

"Sir, Linphea's rebellion outpost has been located - 5 miles east," One of the soldiers manning the control hub spoke up and Stella's stomach pitted at the look on the High Commander's face.

How? How did he find it? It was well hidden dammit! No one should know where Linphea camp was! Noah made sure it was well protected!

Her eyes darted at the several rifles and weapons pointed in her direction as the soldiers on the bridge had point-blank range right at her head if Brandon Silver commanded it.

"No," She breathed, panic breaking through her calm façade, "No, you don't have to do this,"

Brandon's steely eyes trailed down the coat in her hands, training intently on the black curse mark that was tattooed on her inner arm. The mark did not glow.

He wasn't a threat to her yet.

He responded with no emotion, "I've been given clear orders from the High Lord to destroy the Linphea outpost,"

"No," she whispered, her voice cracking. Her eyes darted to the view of the forest looming closer, she could practically see the outpost a few miles ahead, "They're not soldiers. They're healers. They don't pose a threat."

His eyes remained on the mark, despite her pleading and fear in her honey hazel eyes, it did not react. She wasn't going to transform. She didn't see him as a threat yet.

"This is war, princess, the weak don't get to survive," High Commander Silver's gaze was as unflinching as ever. Stella's eyes widened as she registered his brutal words, a reflection of his monster of a father in the vision she had seen a couple of nights back.

There was no saving him, he was the monster his father made him to be.

His attention shifted to the forest beyond the windows, to the distant lights that marked the camp hidden deep within the grove. His voice cut through her pleading, as unyielding as steel.

"Fire at will,"

Sigh, I wasn't joking.

Linphea Arc is one of my favourite arcs I have ever written hehe, (Yes I've written the next chapter already lol) It's emotional hell.

And it's perfect! I just don't know how bad I want the murder and bloodshed to be in this arc...? I've started to watch Criminal Minds and the psychosis is at an all-time high ᕕ(⌐■_■)ᕗ

In conclusion, you may be screwed ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

Lots of love,

Star