Chapter Text
Winx: The Heirs of Chaos
Chapter 1: The Mud
Hard, nearly frozen rain berated the windows of Cloud Tower. The ground rumbled, the air seethed, hissing in and out of the mossy, overgrown, and crumbling walls of the academy. The fortitude of Cloud Tower was in question; still, it felt very much alive.
I stood--partially hidden-- behind a wallowing willow and on the moor that bravely faced the school. I pulled my cloak around my shoulders, feeling the chill of the wet, cool, early-Autumn night seep in. I examined the building, wondering where I might find a way in.
I knew I had to face him, but I knew not why. And, I had to see him before he saw me. Valtor. The name rang in my head like a siren.
I had so many questions. Who is he? Why does he feel so familiar? And why on Earth was he doing such horrific, evil things?
Certainly, Valtor was at the Solarian Princess Soiree. He was there before it started, in that staircase, and then, he was there during, when we danced. I shivered, disgusted at the memory. It felt like he knew me.
Valtor was the gentleman who asked me to dance, who made gentle small talk, and who was graceful when I stepped on his feet. The soiree was our first unofficial meeting. At least, before Andros.
My stomach was in knots, and heat rose to my throat. Poor Layla, I thought, gritting my teeth. I saw her ghastly, glassy, and unseeing eyes flash through my memory. Sharp fury left my hands in the form of sputtering sparks.
Valtor knew me. Or, maybe I knew him. Although it didn’t make any sense, I could feel it—or something—in my gut that told me it was true. It didn’t matter, I decided. All that mattered was that I remembered who he was: an evil, dangerous, and beckoning force with which to be reckoned.
I found a way in. There was an unprotected entrance near the base of the building, hidden by vines. Quietly, I whispered,
“Erunt motus.” The vines sorrowfully bowed away. In these moments, I was thankful for Flora. Then, I bit my lip, feeling my heart in my throat. Maybe, I thought, I shouldn’t have come alone.
It was too late to think about that now, I told myself. Exhaling shakily, I wiggled at the doorknob. Locked. I sighed, taking a step back. The mud slushed and cushioned my boots. I raised my arms, held my hands open, and focused on the door.
“Aperi ianuam.” It creaked open, and I quietly stepped inside.
