Maledictio Verae Tenebrarum
[The Curse of True Darkness]
Chapter 5
Far above the skies of the city of Magix, two dark witches in similar witching outfits were loudly arguing, while a third was coolly watching on. They were too far for the citizens milling about below them to notice or hear the women, so there was nothing holding them back from being as loud, vulgar and violent as they wanted.
"I don't understand why we had to leave Andros! It was the perfect hideout!" Stormy yelled at her older sisters.
"You can't be serious, it smelled of nothing but the sea and rotting fish and everything was always damp! It was the worst." Darcy yelled right back.
"Both of you are right, will you stop arguing?" Icy coldly added while inspecting her manicure.
"Shut up Icy! It was nice! Nobody bothered us and nobody could find us!"
"It was always meant to be temporary Stormy." Icy replied.
"Why do you always get so attached to our hideouts?" Darcy asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I dunno! Maybe its because we've never had a place to call our own?" Stormed bit back, venom in her voice. "Maybe I just want a permanent place of our own one day. Is that so much to ask?!"
"Unfortunately that is a tall order Stormy my dear." Valtor stepped out of a dark swirling portal which sucked shut behind him and floated near the witches.
"Why?"
"We are wanted witches Stormy! When will you get that through you thick skull?" Darcy yelled at her with crossed arms.
"Darcy." Icy's chilling voice cut through the noise and the witch of illusions immediately fell silent. "One day we will Stormy, but that time is not now."
"I know." Stormy obediently replied to her eldest sister whose eyes were glowing white with her power over ice. The argument clearly annoying her. Both sisters dropped the issue for now.
"How did your search go Valtor?" The ice witch asked the dark wizard.
"I believe we can make use of Cloud Tower."
"That's not exactly a subtle hiding place." Icy replied.
"I heard that the Headmistress of Cloud Tower is a redeemed witch called Griffen. If she is the same Griffen from my past, then I have unfinished business with that traitor." Valtor was almost beaming with his glee at the idea of getting revenge after the last seventeen years of imprisonment.
"Well that sounds like fun!" Stormy chimed in with a relaxed expression.
"Fair warning, Griffen is allies with Faragonda – the Headmistress of Alfea and Saladin – the Headmaster of Red Fountain. We'll be in their cross-hairs if we attack the school." Icy coolly added once Stormy's piercing laughter calmed down.
"Really now? Then she is definitely the same woman I remember. The three of them are the reason I was in Omega in the first place!"
"Isn't it risky to get their attention then V?" Darcy asked from beside him as she wound her long, elegant fingers around his arm.
Valtor responded to her touch with an affectionate smile in her direction before turning to address the group, "Faragonda and Saladin were never able to defeat me with their power alone, in the past it was only when Griffen betrayed me that they defeated me. When Faragonda comes to save her old friend and her school, we will teach that old woman the true meaning of fear. With you ladies by my side, I will be unstoppable."
"Alright, when should we attack?" Icy asked.
"Lets wait for nightfall. Darcy's illusions are stronger in the dark. I intend to have her sneak us in so I can have a good long chat with Griffen. I have a spell for you ladies to use on the remaining witches in the tower. I'm sure they will be no problem for you to deal with?"
"Pfft, of course. None of them could ever beat us in the past!" Stormed chimed in with a smirk.
"Lets go eat something first." Darcy suggested as she disguised the four of them as ordinary citizens and they flew down near a random restaurant.
Night fell swiftly while the four disguised dark creatures filled themselves up with food, drink and lively conversation. They spelled the waiters and left the restaurant without paying and found a discrete alley way to transform back to their true forms. After shaking off Darcy's illusion they flew up into the sky and made their way to Cloud Tower.
A piercing screech echoed around the dark forest as the last of a group of large rodent-like creatures fell to the muddy ground with a loud splatter. The ground which was slick with the blood of the deceased creatures glistened eerily in the moonlight.
A soft sigh left the dry and cracked lips of a young woman. She ran her bloodied hands through her tangled and dirty hair, removing the remains of one of the rodent creatures which had exploded far too close to her face for comfort. Her shining blue eyes scanned the remains of the battlefield one last time as a cloud moved to obscure the moonlight. Turning away from the carnage, she moved deeper into the dark, eerie forest as a light mist started to settle in around her.
The blood covered woman was clearly Bloom, but the dark expression on her face would have been entirely alien to her former companions. The recent battle and free use of her dark magic invigorated her, but it also exposed something deep within her psyche that she hadn't noticed before. The was some kind of hunger in her body. Every time she learned some new magic or mastered a new method the feeling became more subdued, but it had been a long time since the last time she absorbed a book or tome.
The weeks spent in the dark forest had been useful as practical training for her, but she hadn't eaten any real food or taken a bath since she first stepped foot there. Bloom longed for civilisation and the warmth of a shower.
Her sharp blue gaze honed in on the twisting spires of the school for witches that loomed over the dark forest in the distance. Although she had failed to be initiated into the school as a student, maybe she could bribe a current student to steal some books for her instead and maybe let her secretly use their showers. The thought solidified in her mind and her destination was set. Once again her feet turned to the dark school and she hoped this time she would be able to reach her goal without anything getting in her way.
The clouds obscuring the moon grew darker and more ominous as Darcy cast an illusion spell on her body. When she was done disguising herself as an ordinary Cloud Tower student with dull brown eyes and even duller hair, a soft patter of rain started falling. It wasn't heavy enough to make much noise as it hit the ground, but it soaked her companions hair and clothing sure enough. They didn't mind the weather and Darcy left for her mission.
Infiltrating the school was child's play for her sophisticated illusion spells. None of the students or even the teachers held as high a mastery over illusions and trickery as she did. Darcy was born to be the master of this magic and she spent every waking moment refining her craft.
Disabling the Cloud Tower defences was a simple affair when coupled with her power to make everything appear as normal. She took it a step further and made the students and teachers think it was later in the evening than it appeared. Before long every student, teacher and aide were safely in their beds and asleep.
Darcy approached a dark window and opened it, allowing the soft rain to enter and lightly patter on her real face and hair as she dropped her illusion spell. She pointed towards the sky and shot a small fireworks spell to signal her sisters and Valtor that her job was done. It was small enough that it made no sound or smell. With her task complete she went downstairs to open the front gate for their arrival.
The two witches and wizard appeared without fanfare and silently entered the school. No words were exchanged between them as they moved to execute the second part of their plan. Icy, Darcy and Stormy elegantly flew down to the dorm levels, lightly landing on their heeled boots without a sound.
The three of them silently summoned their magic to use a spell taught to them by Valtor. He called it a servitude spell and it was similar in nature to what he did to the creatures of Andros, except it would not transform the subject into monsters, nor would it seal their magic. The spell silently extended outwards from the Trix and softly settled over each witch, teacher and staff member of the dark school. There was a slight struggle from the stronger teachers, but soon enough everyone was enchanted under the magic. Although the Trix were the ones who cast the spell, the controller and owner of the servitude contract was Valtor. A 'V' mark silently appeared on each person's neck in the same location as all his other minions.
Once the spell was safely completed, Stormy let out a loud sigh and wiped the non-existent sweat from her forehead. "That was stressful. I don't know how you do all that sneaking around Darcy."
The cat eyed woman merely shrugged and replied, "it comes naturally to me."
"Well I'm pooped, I'm gonna take a nap." Stormy announced and moved towards their old dorm rooms from when they were students there in the past. She opened the common room and immediately draped herself over one of the couches. Content for the moment.
"I'll go check on Valtor, you should get some rest as well Darcy." Icy offered.
"I'll do that, I think it will be nice to relax for a minute." Darcy walked off and followed their youngest sister into the common room she occupied to slouch against a different couch and close her eyes.
Icy nodded and floated back upstairs to the same level where Griffen's office was. The doors were sealed shut and no sounds leaked from the room. Icy couldn't feel any magic leaking from the room and she leaned against the railing in front of the doors, looking down the many levels of the dark castle. If Valtor needed their help, he could ask. Whatever business he had with Griffen was clearly his own personal affair and there was no reason for Icy to get involved. So she simply waited for him to finish.
Before long the doors loudly swung open and Valtor walked out of the room with a satisfied smirk on his face. There was a small blood stain on the bottom of his vest which Icy promptly removed with a swish of her wrist and a cleaning spell. He nodded to her when he noticed her actions.
"How did it go?" Icy asked as she leaned against the railing with her back and elbows, facing him. Her long hair and cape draped over the iron railing and floated over the edge elegantly.
"I had a very good time and Griffen did not," he replied with a smirk. Icy nodded and he added, "I felt the three of you complete your task. Where are your sisters?"
"They are resting downstairs in the dorm." Icy replied with a shrug.
"Come, we must prepare for our next move."
Valtor turned and walked down the stairs with Icy's heels softly clicking behind him. They descended slowly, to give the other women more time to rest or to allow Valtor more time to think, it didn't matter.
"Can I ask what you did with Griffen after you were done?" Icy suddenly asked when they were more than halfway to the bottom.
"I have imprisoned her in her office for now." Valtor's tone of voice was amused, still pleased with his earlier actions.
"Do you have any further plans for her?"
"Is there something you want from her Icy?" he suddenly stopped and looked up at the tall witch who was on a higher step than him.
"I just like to know the plan."
"Fair enough." Valtor replied and they continued their walk. "I don't want to repeat myself, so I will tell you with your sisters."
Icy nodded and they continued down the final few flights of stairs in silence. Darcy was waiting for them at the bottom. Her arms were crossed and she looked annoyed, but as soon as her cat-like eyes glimpsed Valtor's handsome visage, her expression brightened and she hopped upto him. As soon as she was close enough he snaked his arm around her waist and crashed his lips down on hers. Darcy melted into his touch and reciprocated the feeling. Pleased at the attention and his happy mood.
Icy merely rolled her eyes and walked away looking for her youngest sister. She was sitting on the edge of a couch with her arms crossed and an angry pout plastered on her cute face. Icy sighed and pat her sister's frizzy hair.
"Hey! You'll wreck my hair!" Stormy protested and sat up straight while reaching for her tresses, pulling the hair this way and that, putting it back how she liked it. Icy smiled from the wall she leaned against, but didn't reply.
Darcy and Valtor walked in, joined at the hip and Stormy flashed her sister a glare, but kept her mouth shut for once. Darcy was in too much of a good mood to say anything, already choosing to forget their most recent argument.
"Now that we're all here, lets discuss on next move." Valtor started, "I have imprisoned Griffen in her office for now, but I wonder if there is a more suitable location."
"There's dungeons at the bottom level of the castle." Stormy offered.
"Perfect. That's Griffen sorted for now. I was thinking it might be a good time to show Faragonda and Saladin how much of a threat we are."
"You want to attack?" Icy asked coolly.
"The best way to learn an enemy's defences is to see them in action."
"I dunno about this…" Stormy leaned her head on her hand with a worried expression. Darcy shot her a glare.
"Will we be using the witches?" Icy asked before another argument could start.
"Yes of course. There are entirely too many fairies for us to take on our own." Valtor replied with a small shrug.
"We could take them!" Stormy shot up, suddenly angry at being doubted.
"Patience Stormy, there is no reason for us to dirty our own hands so early." Valtor chucked.
"Should I make it seem like our numbers are bigger?" Darcy asked.
"I don't think that's a good idea. Faragonda knows how many students are enrolled here." Icy replied with a shake of her head.
"It would sow confusion, no?"
"No, I agree with Icy. I would rather Faragonda knew that we have kidnapped and ensnared every single one of her allies' students. It would stress her out much more." Valtor let out a light chuckle.
"When should we attack?"
"Why not now?" Valtor asked.
"I'll go wake the students then." Darcy replied and left Valtor's side to rally their minions.
The path to Cloud Tower was unexpectedly easy to find in the dark, even with the moonlight hidden by dark storm clouds. Stones ensorcelled to glow lightly in the dark lined the path through the dark forest just enough for Bloom's blue eyes to see.
Soon the shadow of the school was close enough to see through the canopy of trees. The path split in two as she exited the forest. One path leading to the school's ominous front gates and another leading away in an unknown direction. A chill settled in the red-head's spine as she glanced up at the eerily dark school, but she attributed it to the cold rain that had long ago soaked her hair, clothes and bag.
Taking a deep breath, she willed her feet forward. Towards the dark school surround by eerie mist. Towards knowledge.
Towards power.
Towards the unexpected.
Four figures exited the front gate, their features shrouded in the mist. A large group of people milled about behind them and Bloom wondered if the school was holding some kind of event. She kept moving forward until the four figures became visible.
Three were intimately familiar to her, the sisters of the Trix. The fourth member of their party was someone she did not know. A tall, elegantly dressed man with long, strawberry blond hair, high cheekbones and thin grey eyes that radiated confidence and power. Something inside her magic-core felt drawn to him, but she pushed the feeling aside and warily looked over the more familiar women of the group.
Three sets of eyes were locked onto her. Three sets of hands already glowed with familiar power and a loud, cold voice echoed around her, "what the hell are you doing here Bloom?"
She glanced at the storm witch who asked the question, unsure how to answer at first. Stormy twitched her fingers, ready to fire her lightning magic and Bloom reacted immediately. Sharp blue eyes filled with magic flashed at Stormy's lips and a choked gasp left her throat in response. The witch grasped at her neck as hacking coughs racked her body. Blood splashed on the ground from her open mouth, staining the ground and her lips a deadly red.
"Stormy!" Darcy was immediately at her side casting healing magic in shock.
Icy's gaze was locked on Bloom's face as she conjured and threw her ice spell at Bloom's tense form. However Bloom swatted the magic away like an annoying fly. Fire briefly flashed as instantly melted the ice that covered her hands and fingers from touching the spell. Her eyes were filled with completely alien emotions that Icy didn't recognise on her nemesis at first. Anger was familiar, the vengeance and desire for bloody murder hidden behind the anger was not.
"What an odd young woman." Valtor commented as he took in Bloom's form. Her clothing was ripped, bloody and filthy. Her thick red hair flowed out behind her, but it too was filthy with blood and the muck of battle. Clearly she had spent an extended period of time fighting in the dark woods.
"Valtor…" Icy placed her hand on his shoulder and tried to get his attention. "Let me deal with her."
"No, I think I'd like to speak with her Icy." He stepped away from Icy's touch, putting distance between them. He wanted to show the unfamiliar woman that he was not a threat.
"No!" Stormy choked out as Darcy tried to shush her sister so she could finish healing her throat. "She's...the leader of the...Winx!"
"Is that so?" Valtor purred, "now, why would a decorated light fairy be using such dark magic with such a high degree of mastery? Hmm?"
Bloom flinched slightly at his words, letting the implication wash over her, but she had done too many things and committed too far on this path to turn back now. The red-head didn't reply, merely summoning her fire magic in one hand and readying the dark rending spell in the other. Clearly she was proficient enough in dual magic casting to be able to prepare and use two spells at once. The idea that her nemesis was practising the witch magic method shocked Icy to her core more than she liked to admit.
"Why are you here and what do you want?" Icy similarly prepared two ice spells in each hand as she took in her nemesis' battle ready visage.
Bloom glanced at the school behind them, "I just want access to the library and take a shower. I have no interest in any of you or what you are doing."
"What...makes you think...we believe you!" Stormy choked out.
"Want me to make that worse?" Blue eye flashed and Stormy flinched as Bloom twitched her fingers with the rending spell at the ready.
"That wont be necessary." Valtor stepped in front of Stormy, blocking Bloom's viscous gaze. His movement to protect the witch was surprising enough that the fire fairy hesitated and didn't fire her spell at him.
The group started at each other in silence for a moment while they evaluated each other.
"Look, I wont get in your way if you don't get in mine. Deal?" Bloom shrugged and made eye contact with Valtor. Something deep inside him fluttered in response to her piercing gaze. He hid a gulp and nodded towards her. Bloom cautiously cancelled her spells, all the while eyeing Valtor and the Trix. When none of them reacted to her movements she took a wide berth and ran around them towards the dark school, desperate for a shower and a meal.
"Valtor…" Icy started. He ignored her and cast a potent healing spell at Stormy, instantly knitting the flesh of her throat back together again.
"Let me at her!" Stormy wanted revenge, but Valtor's hard grip on her shoulder stopped the young woman from doing as she wished.
"You will not interfere with her research. That was the deal." Valtor's eyes flashed passionately.
"Why would you do that V? Bloom is our enemy, I can't even count the amount of plans she has foiled over the past two years." Darcy finally spoke up after Valtor did what she could not for Stormy.
Valtor replied with a smile, but no words.
Stormy snorted and crossed her arms, but no longer resisted Valtor. Darcy pouted and moved to embrace Valtor, who kissed her forehead affectionately with a smile. Icy's stomach was filled with shards of glass. Any time Bloom appeared it was a sign that their plans were about to go awry and they would be imprisoned again. She hoped she was wrong.
The four of them left after glancing back at the dark school, eager to enact their attack on Alphea while it was still dark.
Meanwhile Bloom was stripping her ruined clothes from her cold and damp body, ready for a hot shower to remove the filth of the forest. She was not quick, savouring the first warmth she had felt in weeks. It took multiple washes until her hair was finally untangled and smooth, but all the time she spent in the steamy environment was entirely worth it.
After she was clean and her hair was finally silky smooth, she started rummaging through different dorm room wardrobes dressed in nothing but her underwear. The clothes she had arrived in were ruined beyond repair, as was the rest of the garments she hastily packed from her room on Earth.
It was time to change her image anyways, she was sick of being looked at like a fairy. When Stormy called her the leader of the Winx, her throat filled with bile. It was both an expected and unexpected reaction. She held mixed feelings about her time at Alfea and as part of the Winx. While it was valuable to gain real experience in battle, she constantly felt as if she was being pulled along a per-determined path. No choice she made mattered and at the end of the day she would be forced to follow the path set for her before her birth.
Keeper of the Dragon Fire. Leader of the Winx. The titles felt like shackles binding her down and suffocating her. When Lord Darkar cursed her and turned her into a dark fairy, for the first time she felt free from her bindings. Free to do and take whatever she wanted. It felt glorious. Now having chosen her own path forward, she was able to look back on that day and see the truth. Lord Darkar had never been her enemy, he was her liberator.
Faragonda and Alfea were her warden and prison, but it was also the place where she learned to control her powers and gained valuable information about her past. If she had never gone to Alfea, the information about her noble status would have remained a secret know only to her sister, Daphne. Now that she did know, Bloom could do something with that status.
After spending some time browsing the clothing of the witches, she was able to find something suitable that fit her. A pair of laced up black platform boots, black jeans that hugged her ass and a white t-shirt. There was the picture of an anatomical heart being stabbed with a silver dagger and bleeding printed on the front. She tied up her long red hair and braided it into a plait, to keep it out of her face while she read in the library. On her way downstairs she found an abandoned purple jacket hanging over the stair railing and she took it with her in case it grew cold later on.
The fire fairy grabbed what was left of her supplies and shoved them in a backpack shaped like a stained glass church. The backpack was such a unique design that she couldn't resist taking it and hopped along happily to the downstairs library she was mildly familiar with. Stealing someone else's clothing and items should have bothered her, but it didn't. The fact that it didn't bother her should have made her worry, but it didn't. All that was on her mind was the desire to learn and a hunger for power that she didn't know existed within her.
The musky smell of old books immediately assaulted her senses when she opened the creaky wooden door to the large underground room. Bloom flicked the light on and found a comfortable spot to leave her things while she started browsing the room for a good place to start reading.
Time passed slowly as the redhead made herself comfortable on the old musty furniture in the room and read until her eyes grew bleary. When the words started merging together on the page, she put the book down and practised all she read. This cycle continued until noises from upstairs alerted her to the return of the witches. Uncomfortable at the idea that she would be living together with her former enemies, she didn't leave the room to greet them. Nobody came downstairs to find her either.
Eventually Bloom was broken out of her focus by the grumbling noises her stomach was making. Once her physical hunger grew too large to bear, she abandoned her things and the current book she was studying to venture upstairs in search of food.
The tantalising smell of meat, vegetables and noodles wafted into her face as soon as she climbed the stairs leading upto the main landing of the dorm level. The Trix and Valtor had arranged a series of mismatched couches around a large low coffee table in the middle of the dorm level. The table itself was laden with all kinds of glistening dishes. Steam rose and danced around the meat, vegetables glistened in the light and noodles were slurped and disappeared into Stormy's open maw.
Bloom gulped and stared at the table of food until the group noticed her.
"Come eat." Valtor invited her, much to Darcy and Stormy's dismay. Icy eyed the red-head in her unfamiliar clothing as she walked closer and handed her a bowl full of noodles. Valtor magicked a fork into his hand from the kitchen and handed it to her. Grasping the silver utensil from the handsome man and the bowl of food from the ice witch, Bloom dug into the food like a ravenous beast. The red-head only stopped to add more meat or vegetables to her bowl before she continued to shovel more food into her mouth.
Satisfied for the first time in weeks, Bloom sighed and sat back on the couch with a content expression and her relaxed hands on her slightly bloated belly.
"Who knew you were a glutton." Stormy remarked harshly from the other side of the table with a snort and continued to eat her food.
"You would be too if you had nothing to eat but roots, mushrooms and wild game for weeks."
"Did you only start learning that dark spell a few weeks ago?" Valtor asked, suddenly interested.
"No, its been a few months since the first time I cast that spell." Bloom replied after thinking about the time since she first stole the rending spell page from the forbidden section in the Alfea library.
"That is still a fast time frame to learn such an advanced spell." Darcy glared at her lover for praising the fairy, but he wasn't paying attention to her face.
"Anyone could become adept at using a spell if they had a limited amount available to them. In my case I only had access to two dark spells for a long time. The only other resource I had was a book called Dark Witch Fundamentals. Which I stole from the forbidden section at Alfea." Bloom shrugged, unimpressed with his flattery. "I also spent a week refining my control on Earth."
"Earth?"
"It's the planet of pure humans." Icy replied coolly. "Why would you go there?"
"Earth is covered in a magnetic field that dampens and suppresses magic. Humans born there have no affinity for magic to the point that they are resistant to most forms of low and even some medium level magic. It was the perfect place to fine tune my control." Bloom replied. She liked being able to talk about her choices with an experience wizard. Maybe she could learn something from him.
"What a novel idea." Valtor replied thoughtfully. "What was the other dark spell you learnt? I've already seen you use the rending spell."
Stormy filched when he mentioned the spell Bloom had cast at her earlier and looked away, ashamed at her body's reaction.
"Why would I tell you that?" Bloom smirked and Valtor nodded, satisfied for the moment. "Excuse me, I have more studying to do."
Bloom left without another word for the downstairs library she had claimed as her domain.
"I hate her." Stormy pouted and crossed her arms.
"Well, why don't you confront her then?" Valtor asked.
"You mean fight her?" Her eyebrow shot up and a smile split her face.
"It would be useful to know what she is capable of and the fight would be good practice for you."
"What if she uses that spell again?" Stormy asked, suddenly anxious.
"Surely you know how to defend yourself?" Valtor asked with mirth in his eyes. "The only reason you fell victim so easily last time, was because you were not expecting it from her. However now...you know what she might be capable of."
"You're right. She wont get the best of me so easily this time."
"Off you go then, but don't destroy the books. She will need them." Stormy did as he asked and followed the red-head downstairs to fight her and see how much she had learned.
"Why did you do that V?" Darcy asked softly, dissatisfied with his actions.
"Clearly he wants to recruit her." Icy's ice cold voice drifted over. Her voice was always cold, but this time she seemed unimpressed by Valtor's idea.
"You can't be serious…" Darcy's face instantly paled at the idea and her stomach did flip flops.
"Usually when light fairies turn dark, one of two things happen. They either die, or they become much more powerful than before." Valtor's face was aglow with the idea of making a powerful dark fairy into his ally. "Imagine Faragonda's face when we show what has become of the leader of the Winx."
"Hmm." Icy thought about it and realised it was an exciting prospect. If she could slap Bloom's former allies in the face with the news that she had turned into a dark fairy. How exquisite would their expression's be? It also wouldn't hurt to have more power on their side. If they played their cards right Bloom would be a really terrifying ally just by virtue of her noble status alone. Icy couldn't remember the last time a royal fairy had turned dark.
"What about us?" Darcy asked pointing to Icy, herself and Valtor. "Do we just sit around here, waiting for Faragonda's retaliation?"
"I expect it will take the fairies a while to figure out how to turn Faragonda back into a person. My transformation curse was quite powerful if I do say so myself." Valtor was practically gleaming with joy at his handiwork.
"They will find a solution, they always do." Icy replied with slight annoyance.
"Yes, well I expect they will. I'm sure they will go to Linphea to find a solution."
"Hmm that's Flora's home world, I wonder if she has any family there?" Darcy wondered aloud with a sadistic grin on her face. Icy's eyes flashed in response with a similar emotion, relishing the idea of causing their enemies pain.
"Take Stormy with you, I want her to get practical experience using her harpy magic against someone she is actually allowed to kill."
"So we can't kill Bloom?" Darcy frowns.
"Of course not dear."
"Lets leave him alone with his experiment for today, clearly he wants to show her some magic himself or something."
"Are you serious V?" Darcy's jealousy was clear is her tone of voice. He silenced her with a passionate kiss which left her breathless.
"You are the only one for me, don't let jealousy ruin your beautiful face dear. As Icy aptly put it, think of Bloom as my experiment." He smirked at her and she pouted, but she agreed to do as he wanted.
After taking the rest of the night to sleep, the Trix left to find what remained of the Winx on Linphea.
Linphea was the most lush and beautifully green planet in the Magic Dimension. Plants and animals from every species were cultivated there, even some that were extinct on other planets and realms. The Linpheans felt it was their duty to serve and protect nature. Of course Flora and her family felt the same.
The Winx materialised on the lush planet that smelled of forests, flowers and fresh spring water all at once. The bright blue sky of spring greeted them and the birds flew about in the sky happily tweeting their joyous songs.
"Wow, I've never seen so many varieties of plants in once place outside of your bedroom!" Musa jokingly commented as she eyed all the different flora surrounding them. However her attempt to lighten the mood didn't work as she only gained a slight smile from Flora before the nature fairy led the way to her family home.
"Flora!" A youthful sing-song voice greeted the group as they walked towards a wooden, classical, fantasy house built around a huge tree in the middle. A young girl who looked almost identical to flora ran out and hugged the nature fairy around the waist with her small arms.
Flora bent down and embraced the mini version of her with a smile, "its so good to see you Miele."
"This must be your younger sister." Tecna commented matter-of-factly from behind the pair.
"That's right," Flora let her sister go and stood back upright, "everyone meet Miele, my sweet younger sister."
"Its nice to meet you young lady." Aisha stepped up and shook the girl's small hand. "Are your parents home?"
The young girl nodded and ran back to the house with a bright smile on her face. The Winx followed her into the house where Flora and Miele's parents were waiting for them expectantly. "When we heard what happened from you, we rushed with the research Flora."
"Thank you for doing this so speedily." Aisha thanked them with a bow and the pair quickly had Aisha stand back upright for fear of making someone so noble bow her head. They knew who all of Flora's friends were through their daughter's letters and messages.
"I have the information here, you are looking for the Tears of the Willow. This is a powerful type of magic that can turn back a certain amount of time of anyone who touches the water." Flora's mother handed over a picture of the tree and a map.
"Be careful not to touch the water as it will turn you into children and be quick. The longer Lady Faragonda is left in her cursed state, the less likely the Tears will be able to turn back her time." Flora's father added after his wife was finished with her explanation.
Aisha gratefully took both the picture of the tree and the map and promised to do as they were asked. She handed the information to Tecna who immediately imputed the co-ordinates into her device. After taking a moment to compile the information, the device beeped and showed a GPS-type location map for them to follow.
The group of five fairies left the wooden house after saying their thanks and farewells. It was imperative that they saved Headmistress Faragonda as quickly as possible. They quickly transformed into their fairy forms and flew off towards their destination. Aisha and Stella were faster than the rest of the group with their more powerful wings, but they did not rush ahead.
Reaching the extinct volcano where the magical willow of time grew, the group slowly flew down to the entrance. The area was eerily silent as they walked into the damp cave leading into the centre of the dead volcano.
Suddenly, the sound of a stone hitting the ground, a thud and a small yell echoed out around the group from behind them. The five fairies instantly conjured shields and spells, ready for any conflict when a small girl stepped out of the shadows with tears in her eyes and a bruised knee.
"Miele! What are you doing here?" Flora immediately dropped her guard and ran forward to gently hold her sister's hand.
"She scared me." Stella sighed with a relieved expression.
"Me too," Musa whispered behind.
"Come, we must collect the tears before time runs out." Tecna commanded as she pointed at a countdown on her device.
"Its OK, go. I will take my sister home."
"No! I want to help!"
"Miele…" Flora started up with all kinds of reasons ready on her tongue to send her sister home, when Aisha put her hand on her shoulder. Flora looked up at the fairy of waves and noticed she was making a shushing motion on her lips while looking ahead of them. Flora understood and stood up after quietly telling her sister to keep quiet.
"Keep going." Aisha whispered to the team and they gingerly pressed forward until the tunnel they were in opened up into the central area of the extinct volcano. In the centre of the volcano was a ginormous willow tree which towered above them, almost blocking out the sunlight from the mouth of the volcano. The cavern was filled to the brim with glistening, pure water, the Tears of the Willow. A path of stone crossed the water to the middle of the pool where the willow serenely waited.
The view would have been perfect if not for three familiar women waiting with familiar sadistic smirks on their beautiful faces.
"The Trix…" Musa sucked in her breath and stepped back to help Flora shield Miele from their view.
"Its too late, we've already seen your tiny companion." Darcy commented from across the stone bridge while observing her elegant nails. With a flick of the wrist, darkness descended on them as she cast an illusion spell obscuring their vision.
"Enough!" Stella commanded with a stomp as light magic emanated out from her foot, cracking the spell and breaking it. Stella motioned to herself and Aisha, the only Enchantix fairies of the group, "just the two of us will be enough to stop you."
Aisha nodded and Tecna moved back to join her companions in protecting Miele from the dark witches and their cruel magic.
"I doubt that." Icy commented coolly as Stormy stepped in front of her.
The storm witch's eyes and the air around her body was sparking with blue electricity. She cracked her neck before opening her mouth to let out a word in a language that none of them could understand. As soon as the sound left her lips, a blue rune appeared in the air in front of her and a circle formed around the rune. More tiny runes wrote themselves into existence around the circle slowly.
Aisha and Stella didn't just wait, they conjured a powerful convergence shield in front of themselves, ready for Stormy's unfamiliar magical onslaught. Tecna, Musa and Flora conjured a shield bubble around themselves and Flora's tiny, crying sister, who was afraid of the witches.
When Stormy's summoning circle finally finished writing itself it turned into a swirling blue portal. A clawed, feathered hand reached out from the middle of the portal and gripped the edge of it. Blue lightning sparked around the creature and hit the convergence shield as a Blue Lightning Harpy pulled itself out of the portal and into this dimension.
"Summoning Magic!" Tecna yelled from behind the Enchantix fairies with shock. "This is new, she could not do this before!"
Aisha and Stella could only grunt in response as their shield was assaulted from every direction by blue lightning. A total of three Blue Lightning Harpies crawled themselves out of Stormy's portal and into their world. The magic was powerful indeed, but the Enchantix shield held as Stella and Aisha continuously poured magic into it.
At least that was the case until Icy and Darcy joined in on the assault and added their most powerful offensive magic to the Harpies' attacks. The wall was quickly destroyed and the Enchantix fairies were flung away, smacking into the wall of the cavern and injuring their wings. However that wasn't enough to stop the fairies.
Aisha and Stella immediately got to their feet and with Musa and Tecna's help they were able to hold off the witches and the summoned creatures. They were even able to push them back when they converged their offensive magic. However the group had yet to notice, the pivotal member of this fight, the summoner herself, was not engaging them.
Stormy flew herself over to Flora, who was hugging her sister with her eyes closed, hiding inside the barrier magic. After smirking to herself, the storm witch threw a bolt of lightning at the shield which instantly shattered, drawing the attention of Tecna and Musa. They quickly realised their mistake and turned to help their friend, but the pair were too late. Stormy threw another bolt of blue lightning at the sisters which would fry them both.
Realising the danger of the attack, Flora quickly pushed her sister away from her and back into the tunnel they had walked in from while yelling "run!", but in doing so had sacrificed her only opportunity to defend herself.
The lightning hit her right shoulder and tore down her arm and body, following the water in her small frame until it exited from her fingertips to exit into the ground. A blood curdling scream tore its way from her throat while the pain of the attack made her blank out while standing. Flora's shoulder was black and bloodied where the lightning had entered her body. A long and winding lightning shaped wound had wound down her arm and fingers where the spell had torn her flesh open as it searched for an escape. Her mind was burned white and she felt like she was dying.
Stormy let out a truly evil cackle as she relished in her victory. Icy and Darcy felt renewed in their assault as Stormy joined their attack on the other fairies.
The Winx barely had a chance to process what happened when a blinding green light filled the cavern and basically halted the fight. The warm green light slowly dissipated, revealing that the summoned harpies had been banished back where they came from.
Inside the light of transformation Flora's wings grew huge and resembled green and pink butterfly wings. Small green gemstones appeared on the wings and hung off the edges. Her hair grew longer and was tied back from her face with small braids into two small buns. The rest of her long hair flowed freely behind the buns. A mostly pink dress appeared on her body hanging from her neck like an elegant flower. The bodice was decorated with pink, blue and green stripes and a hot pink flower laid in the centre. Light pink sparkly arm length gloves appeared over her arms and blue threads wrapped around her naked feet. A single pink gemstone appeared where the blue threads wrapped around her toes. Finally a silver and pink tiara appeared on her head.
When the light of transformation finally cleared and everyone could see where it came from, a green spell shot out towards the witches who were instantly ensnared by roots and vines.
Flora had gained her Enchantix by protecting her sister with her life, much to the witch's dismay.
"Lets get out of here Icy. Fighting three of them is asking a lot." Darcy whispered to her sister. Icy nodded while she used her ice powers to slice the roots and vines holding them. She conjured a portal behind them and the three witches instantly stepped through, vanishing from sight before the Winx could react.
"Flora! You're okay!" Musa yelled up at her as she slowly floated down from the top of the cavern.
"Quickly collect the Tears, there isn't much time." The nature fairy said while hiding her injured arm with shame.
Tecna quickly procured a potion bottle and collected the waters, careful not to touch it. Once she was finished she showed the bottle to the others. Stella quickly healed Aisha's wings and her own with a surge of warm healing magic before the group took flight. They picked up Miele outside the volcano, where she had escaped after being told to run by Flora.
"Sis!" Miele yelled out as she transformed into her fledgling fairy form to fly alongside her. She almost screamed when she noticed her sister's arm, but Flora had expected her reaction and covered her sister's mouth with her uninjured hand. The young girl understood and nodded her head. When Flora was sure Miele wouldn't make a fuss and distract the group from their goal, she released the younger girl.
The pain in her arm made Flora want to faint, but she pushed through until they made it back home. As soon as the group landed and Miele ran into her parent's open arms, Flora did in fact, faint.
Cloud Tower was not a peaceful or quiet place after Bloom moved in. Spells of lightning and fire assaulted the dark purple ensorcelled bricks of almost every room in the castle as Bloom and Stormy fought over and over again.
Every morning a fight started with neither woman coming out the other end as the victor or loser. The pair took a break to lick their wounds, eat breakfast and learn new magic. Lunch rolled around and left peacefully as both women made plans for their afternoon clash. A second confrontation rung out around the school in the afternoon, helping them both digest their food with the exercise.
Dinner was eaten with light conversation as both women talked to Valtor about their progress in the fight. He was both pleased and amused by the rivalry he had fanned beneath them. He gave both of them equal pointers which both women absorbed in their own unique ways. After cleaning up dinner both women retreated to their own corners of the castle to reflect on the day, study some more or sleep.
Darcy and Icy benefited from the fighting in an unexpected way as the constant clashes between the two women left both them and the castle riddled with wounds. The ice and illusion witches were therefore able to practice and refine their healing and repairing magic.
Within a few weeks, Bloom and Stormy were both more adept at their respective magic. The fighting was a valuable experience for the fire fairy who had never directly fought another intelligent magical being with the witch magic method and the new dark magic she had learned. Stormy had also solidified her control over her harpy summons and learned fine tune control of her lightning magic from watching how Bloom controlled her fire.
"I never knew fighting could be so much fun." Bloom joked one afternoon over dinner as she glanced at her rival.
"About time you realised that." Stormy replied with a laugh.
"In the past, there was always something annoying in the background pushing me. Some stupid reason I couldn't just let go and enjoy myself."
"As yes. Those pesky hero motivations, yes?" Valtor asked with a smirk.
"Disgusting." Icy commented and Bloom blushed, suddenly ashamed of her past.
"I didn't have a choice." Bloom replied so softly, they almost couldn't hear her. "My whole life was per-determined and laid out before me."
"You're here now." The illusion witch shrugged in response.
"Good point dear." Valtor replied and rewarded her with a kiss on her cheek. She beamed up at him through her food.
Darcy was still unsure about the fire fairy and wanted to test her. While it was true she was there and learning dark magic. For all they knew she was playing them all. Faragonda could have sent her to them as a trick. Its what she would have done and so she couldn't trust Bloom's words, no matter how much dark magic she cast.
"By the way, did Stormy tell you what she did to Flora the other day?" Darcy smoothly asked with a smirk on her face.
"What?" Bloom asked with wide eyes, surprised to be hearing the name of her former roommate all of a sudden.
"Go on Stormy, tell her."
Stormy pursed her lips and scratched her cheek. As sadistic as she was, she had built a rapport with Bloom over their many training sessions and suddenly found herself unable to speak the words. She opened and closed her mouth like a fish, entirely lost how to proceed.
"Oh dear, she seemed to be tongue tided. Its okay sis, I can show her." Darcy stood up on her long legs and left Valtor's side to slide in next to Bloom with a sadistic smirk plastered on her face. She placed her elegant hand in front of Bloom's face and waited for the red-head to nod. After she did, the illusion witch closed the fire fairy's blue eyes with her fingers and inserted the memory into her mind.
The memory of their battle with the Winx played out across Bloom's mind and Darcy sadistically let the moment Stormy had almost killed Flora play out multiple times until Bloom's body twitched next to her. After she felt like the fire fairy had enough, she released her from the spell and sat back with a satisfied expression.
Bloom's movements were so fast, none of them expected it. She straddled the illusion witch's lap with one hand harshly around her throat and the other outstretched over her head with the rending spell ready to go at a moment's notice.
"Make a move and she loses an eye." Bloom's raspy voice echoed around the room as the other two witches and Valtor made a move to get up. They stopped in their tracks.
"Did you get some sick enjoyment from that Darcy?" Bloom asked with a smirk as she loosened her grip on her neck ever so slightly so the illusion witch could reply.
"I did."
Bloom's grip re-tightened and she edged the rending spell ever closer to her face while letting out a breath like a savage beast on the edge. After taking a moment to enjoy Darcy's expression change from arrogance and pleasure to worry and slight panic. A truly eerie and frightening smile split Bloom's face as she watched Darcy's expression change.
"I understand." Bloom replied as she let the illusion witch go and removed herself from her lap. Darcy gingerly got to her feet and ran to Valtor's embrace, hiding her ashamed face in his chest.
"She didn't die." Stormy commented with a sigh as she plopped back down on her couch.
"Pardon?"
"Flora? She gained Enchantix form and survived my spell. Stupid fairies are like cockroaches." Stormy mumbled the last part under her breath.
"I don't care about that." Bloom replied as her expression settled into one of boredom.
"Then why did you do that?" Darcy asked with anger on her beautiful face.
"I wanted to see what it was like." Bloom replied with a sadistic smirk. "To see your pretty face twist in fear or panic."
Icy let out a laugh for the first time in a long time at Bloom's reply which sounded so much like Darcy's personality.
"What the hell Icy, don't laugh!" Darcy pouted at her older sister.
"Darcy dear, she merely did what you did." Valtor replied with a smile and a kiss on her forehead.
"Ugh, yeah fine, whatever." Darcy groaned, not used to receiving her own treatment back.
"Heh, its nice to see you taken down a peg for once." Stormy smirked and moved to sit next to Bloom, giving the fire fairy a nudge of approval.
"I can't believe I'm being ganged up on like this." Darcy sighed, upset with the situation, but accepting that it was a consequence of her own actions.
After spending a little while longer on light conversation, or sharing magical pointers with each other. The unlikely group split up to head to their respective haunts in the dark castle, either turning in for the night or to study or train.
To be continued in chapter 6...