Chapter Text
could you fade away just as quickly as you came?
you're a burnt bouquet, there's nothing left to say
hold me now, for a little bit
— Holding Absence, "Wilt"
*
Alfea, Magix
What is the difference between a witch and a fairy? read the heading on the board as Bloom entered the classroom.
Witches are evil, was her first thought as she sat down. Witches lie. Witches deceive.
In the six months that Bloom had been in the Magical Dimension, she’d learned many things very quickly. A lot about magic, its theory, and the many different facets of the dimension. About history, legends, and even some myths that were told here. And yet there was one thing she had learned so quickly and so strongly like no other.
Don't trust a witch.
She'd met so many witch students from Cloud Tower – whether in the café where she helped out, in Magix, or at a club she went to with her friends on the weekends. The city was always full of students from all three schools, so it was inevitable that they'd run into each other. Of course, there were witches who were friendlier, almost nice, but there were also witches who were anything but that.
Witches who were only out to cause chaos.
"Good morning, everyone," DuFour greeted them cheerfully, and everyone in the room slowly quieted down. Even Stella stopped chatting with Flora next to her. "I've already taught you that you always have to be able to assess your opponent before you confront them. Last semester, I tried to teach you this for lesser monsters and creatures. Now, we'll look at another potential opponent, this time of human nature. Can you think of anything to say about the question on the board?"
Musa snorted derisively, a row behind Bloom. "Witches are little beasts who take what they want. Without caring how others feel about it."
There was dislike and hostility in her words. Understandable, after everything she'd already been through with the witches from Cloud Tower. She'd barely admitted to herself that she had feelings for Riven when Darcy had already taken him from her. Then there’d been that chase in the middle of Magix after she'd seen the two of them. Musa really wasn't to be envied in that regard.
"Don't you think that's a bit harsh? At the end of the day, they're only human as well," Lolina replied hesitantly. As far as Bloom knew, she had a half-sister who went to Cloud Tower. So, it probably wasn't surprising how she felt about witches.
And she was right – even the witches had families and friends. Excluding their questionable actions, and their sometimes horrible personalities, each of them probably had someone they loved. For every one of their bad qualities, there had to be a good one; that was just how humans were. Witches certainly weren't above that.
Bloom rested her head on one hand and thought about the witches she knew. Something that turned out to be much more difficult than it was – yes, she knew many witches by name and appearance. But really, really knowing them beyond their superficialities? How many witches had she even exchanged a few words with, beyond respectful pleasantries?
Shilly, maybe. She and her friends were regulars at the White Horse and the only one who perceived Bloom as more than just a waitress. She'd chatted with her during one or two evening shifts, but never anything more in-depth than how work was going and the latest gossip from the three schools. Still, Bloom wouldn't claim to know Shilly.
Aside from her, there were only three witches she'd interacted with and spoken with before – albeit mostly involuntarily and unexpectedly. She wouldn't say she knew Icy, Darcy, or Stormy either. Although, she wasn't sure if there was really more to them. Perhaps it was arrogant and unfair to think so, but it didn't seem as if the three of them were capable of any feelings other than malicious joy.
Bloom flinched a little when she suddenly heard DuFour's bright voice again. Her mind had drifted so far that she hadn't listened to the rest of the discussion.
The professor leaned against the desk. "No witch is evil by nature, please remember that," she began, in a serious tone that startled Bloom slightly. "Think of Headmistress Griffin, for example. She's strong and proud, even if she comes across as very strict and intimidating. Sure, she likes to mess around, but she'd still do everything in her power to maintain peace in the Magical Dimension if necessary. Or think of the healer witches of Linphea."
DuFour was right about that. Even though Lady Griffin had given them a tremendous scare when they snuck into Cloud Tower at the beginning of the school year, she was fair and benevolent. It wasn't her fault that her students were the way they were.
And Mirta was nice, too, even though she was a witch. Bloom thought of her – of the pumpkin that sat on the table in their common room. The pumpkin Mirta had been transformed into, cursed by another witch through black magic.
Yes, not all witches were evil. Some might even be kind.
But Bloom claimed to know who was a kind witch and who wasn't.
*
Gloomy Wood Forest, Magix
Two weeks later
Icy wasn't a kind witch.
Bloom had realized that much from the moment they’d met in that dark alley in Magix.
There was something inherently frightening about Icy, even though she was only two years older than Bloom herself.
Whether it was her magic – so powerful the air immediately dropped a few degrees whenever she was around – or her cold, piercing, ice-blue eyes, which made every glance feel like they were boring into one’s soul – Bloom wasn't sure. Perhaps a combination of that and her mere appearance, which was intimidating enough.
Or maybe it was the subtle, deranged, and slightly unsettling grin on her lips.
Which was ultimately the reason Bloom took another step back, until she felt the first narrow branches of the tree press into her back.
She swallowed hard as Icy came even closer to her. There were only dense trees and bushes all around her – she didn't have much of a chance of running away. It wouldn't take three steps before she tripped over some root. And she couldn't get help either. Her cell phone was turned off and in her pants pocket – even if she tried, Icy would knock it out of her hand faster than Bloom could react.
She didn't want to fight. Icy might be alone as well, without her two sisters, but that didn't change the fact that she was stronger than Bloom. And who knew if Darcy and Stormy weren't close by? These witches were never far from each other.
All Bloom had wanted was a little walk alone to let her mind wander from yesterday's events. How dare Brand— or Sky, or who-the-fuck-ever – try to deceive her all this time? And then there was this Diaspro. Bloom still wasn't entirely convinced that she hadn't been a little trick played by the witch in front of her.
"Stop running away from me. I won't hurt you," Icy sang, and Bloom felt such a strong, cold shiver run down her spine, just from her voice, that she immediately got goosebumps. While standing in bright sunshine.
Not to mention that she didn't believe those words. Not with the way the witch was looking at her – like a predator that had finally found its prey after days of hunting. And especially not with the way her magic glinted, barely noticeable, on her hands. Not after everything that had happened.
For some reason, she and her sister were after her powers. Icy had mentioned something like that shortly before she had cursed Mirta. She'd also hinted at it during her attack in Alfea with that horrible nightmare monster.
Bloom shuddered a little at the thought that they had only Miss Faragonda to thank for getting out of that situation.
But, she didn't understand why she and her powers had become the target of the witches in the first place. What was so special about her powers that they wanted them at all costs?
She'd already discovered several times that her magic stemmed from fire, but surely that couldn't be all there was to it? Otherwise, an ice witch, her complete opposite, wouldn't have such a strong interest in it, would she?
Bloom was bitterly annoyed that she still knew so little about herself. Why wasn't Faragonda willing to tell her more when she obviously knew everything? It wasn't fair that she was preventing Bloom from finding out more about herself. What wasn’t being said couldn't have been that bad, could it?
"Bloooooom, just stay here. Nothing will happen to you," Icy crooned sweetly, and Bloom shrank back even further. She was slowly running out of escape options.
"I'm supposed to believe that? Then why are you following me? And where are the other two?"
"Not here. But not far away either. So don't even try to fight me."
"My friends are nearby," she lied quickly. "So the same goes for you."
Icy raised her eyebrows and grinned, and Bloom bit her cheek hard. Of course, she should have known that the witch would see through her lie immediately. Still, it didn't look like Icy was going to attack her, which at least reassured her a little.
And equally worried her, because then why was she here?!
"You're really not a good liar, you know that?"
Bloom gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes. "What do you want, Icy?!" she snarled. "My powers? Why? What's so special about them?!"
Something suddenly changed in the face of the witch before her. She paused, then frowned in irritation.
"You don't know," Icy stated dryly, yet somehow shocked. "Nobody told you."
Bloom didn't know how to respond. She couldn't tell if the witch was serious at all – whether she was just playing her little game again or whether she was genuinely surprised that she obviously didn't know what was so special about her powers. So, to be safe, she decided to tell the truth, because so far she hadn't managed to successfully lie to Icy.
"No."
"Not even your beloved headmistress?"
Bloom shook her head. "She said she’ll tell me when the time is right."
"And you believe that."
"More than you."
"But you still want to know, don't you? Why should you have to wait to know about yourself?"
She remained silent. It was so quiet between them that the chirping birds and the gentle rush of the wind through the treetops were so clearly audible that it bothered Bloom.
Just as it bothered her that Icy had hit a nerve. Because yes, she wanted to know. She wanted to know everything, and it pissed her off so incredibly much that Miss Faragonda had the nerve to keep her in the dark with all these questions about herself. Where did she even get the right not to tell her what concerned her?
And that look in her eyes when Bloom told her a few days after the mid-term break that her parents had revealed that they weren't actually her real parents. She had known, and she knew even more, and yet she had never said anything to her.
Whenever Faragonda said the right time would be, she didn't want to wait that long. She couldn't wait that long.
"Yes," Bloom finally breathed out quietly, and she knew it was wrong to give Icy such a big target. To reveal so much of herself that that damned witch could use for her own good.
Icy's smile didn’t seem genuine at all, but it was pretty, and it was all Bloom could base her hopes of finally learning more about herself on.
"I can tell you. Everything you want to know."
It would be a mistake, wouldn't it? One couldn't trust witches, especially not witches like her. Witches lied, witches deceived. Even if Icy spoke the truth, she'd surely have some ulterior motive that she could take advantage of. It was extremely unlikely and out of character for her to suddenly be so charitable, wasn't it?
But it was... the only chance she had. Faragonda would keep her waiting until Bloom died of old age if things continued the way they were. And she couldn't wait any longer. She just wanted to know. But—
"Why exactly should I believe you?"
Icy shrugged. "Do you want to know who you really are, or do you want to wait for your lovely headmistress to keep feeding you breadcrumbs?" she asked, and after Bloom remained silent instead of answering, she continued, "I won't just tell you, I'll show you. What happened and what once was. Consider it. And if you want to know, come to the abandoned house by the Black Lagoon in three days. I'll show you everything."
Why wasn't she surprised that, now that Lady Griffin had thrown them out of Cloud Tower, they’d settled into the old villa on the outskirts of town? Bloom shuddered as she thought back to that abandoned building and how incredibly creepy it had been.
She opened her mouth to say something else, but Icy had already disappeared. Without a single further word.
Bloom felt a strange sensation rising within her and plopped down inelegantly on the mossy ground. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes.
She couldn't do that, could she? She would be heading straight for her doom if she trusted a witch who had never meant well with her before. The others would immediately stop her by any means necessary; above all, they would never let her go alone. And Faragonda wouldn't allow it either. She would tell her not to rush into anything just to find out more about herself.
But that was exactly what she wanted.
She wanted to finally know why she was here. Why her father had found her in a burning building back then – because there had to be something behind it, right? And all those dreams about the nymph Daphne and that strange crown that Faragonda had shown her a few weeks ago.
Icy was her only chance to find out what she wanted.
Bloom sighed again.
The next three days would be hell.
*
“The Black Lagoon”, outskirts of Magix
Three days later
Despite all the doubts that had repeatedly surfaced over the past three days, she was now standing here; in front of the house that had been sold to them several months ago as the Black Lagoon.
It was still just as horrible and desolate. The huge tree had no leaves, the wooden beams of the bridge creaked with every step, and she almost felt as if she could hear the faintest whisper of distant voices in the wind. Bloom wrapped her arms tighter around herself as she walked toward the door of the house.
What had she been thinking? She was just walking into the same trap again, just like the time she’d come here with her friends to look for Stella. And all because she was so curious about her origins and her powers that she preferred to trust Icy rather than simply wait for Faragonda.
She was so incredibly stupid, and yet she couldn't help but knock on the door. Of course, just three seconds ago, she still could have turned around and simply forgotten the whole thing.
But she didn't. And she knew exactly why.
Icy opened the door, and there was a satisfied gleam in her eyes, one that told the logical part of Bloom that she should get out of there as quickly as possible.
It was just too bad that this logical part of her was also the quieter one. The desire to finally know everything and the desperation that no one else would obviously help her outweighed it far too much.
"I knew you would come," she said, gesturing for Bloom to enter.
Bloom took a step into the house and then gathered all her courage before pushing Icy a little against the door. Bloom's heart was pounding so hard and fast against her ribcage, while Icy just raised her eyebrows expectantly and grinned at her challengingly.
"None of your games. I want you to show me what you know, and then I'll disappear again. If you attack me, my friends will come immediately," she hissed threateningly.
Icy laughed softly. "Your friends don't know you're here," she said with nothing but absolute certainty.
And yes, damn it, she was right. Of course, Bloom hadn't told her friends anything, but Icy didn't need to know that. Bloom tried to keep a firm expression on her face.
"And why do you think that?"
"Because they wouldn't let you," Icy said quietly. "But don't worry, I don't plan on attacking you unless you give me a reason to. I promise."
Bloom stared at her for a long moment, searching for any sign in her eyes that she was plotting something and blatantly lying to her face. There was a familiar, ironically fiery light in her eyes that she'd grown accustomed to seeing from her by now, but that had nothing to do with this situation. This was how Icy always looked, every time Bloom had met her.
Then, she took a step back, giving Icy space to move away from the door and close it. She looked around the entrance hall, which was considerably tidier and more inviting than she remembered from the Black Lagoon incident. While she still wouldn't want to spend any more time there than she had to, it wasn't quite as creepy.
And it seemed they were completely alone again. Darcy didn't seem to be hiding in any of the shadows, and with Stormy, Bloom was sure she would be heard if she couldn't be seen. But the room was so quiet, except for her and Icy's footsteps, that it was impossible that anyone else was here.
She wasn't quite sure whether that should reassure her – after all, it meant Icy was alone and she had an even better chance of beating her than if there had been three of them – or not. Because even if her sisters weren't here, that didn't mean they couldn't still show up.
On a large dining table lay several thick books, a crystal ball, and a winter coat. Behind it was a small mobile of the Magical Dimension, slowly rotating on its axis.
Bloom momentarily forgot her discomfort about the situation she was in and walked toward the mobile. She had seen something like it before in one of the classrooms at Alfea, but no one had ever really explained to her how it was constructed or where they were.
Several colorful spheres of different sizes revolved around a large sphere, which presumably represented the sun – or at least the main sun. Stella claimed that Solaria, the planet she came from, had three suns. But even those, Bloom couldn't recognize in this mobile.
She heard Icy approaching from behind her.
"Are these all the planets in the dimension?" she asked, and she was sure it was the stupidest question for someone who had spent her entire life in this world.
But she hadn't. And Icy had said she would tell her everything.
"Mhm. This is Magix," she said, tapping a finger on a bright red sphere that was relatively central. "And this is Domino. That's where it all began, and that's where we're going." This time Icy pointed to a blue sphere, directly opposite Magix and surrounded by many, much smaller, spheres.
Bloom frowned. She had heard about Domino before. Everything there was supposed to be desolate and destroyed, even though it was the place where the Great Dragon had once settled. No one dared to go there anymore because there was simply nothing left. So why should it all have started there?
But she didn't ask, for Icy opened a portal next to her and then pressed the thick winter jacket into her hand.
"Put it on. You'll need it."
She gave the witch a questioning look, but then did as she was told, realizing she probably wouldn't get any further explanation. After zipping it up, she looked expectantly at Icy. She nodded for her to go ahead, and before Bloom could even tell her again that this better not be a trap, she was already on the other side of the portal.
Immediately, she knew why she needed the winter jacket. An icy wind whipped through her hair, and swirling snow limited her vision. For a moment, she could see nothing but snow and the gray-blue sky before Icy reappeared in her field of vision, looking as if she wasn't bothered by these weather conditions in the slightest.
Well, that was probably true. Bloom had never seen anyone so unfazed in a blizzard, dressed only in pants and a short-sleeved shirt. The wind blew through her hair, but it almost seemed as if her hair was mingling with the snow, so she wasn't quite sure where one began and the other ended.
Sure, she was in her element here, and Bloom had heard that magical beings always felt better in their surroundings when it resembled her magic. But she hadn't thought it would change someone so much. It was almost as if she had created this storm and it was just bending to her will.
Bloom knew it was probably a little rude to stare, but she'd never seen anything like it. That's why she flinched slightly when Icy looked at her, her eyes the exact same color as the sky. She looked as if she were one with her surroundings.
And she looked beautiful that way.
Bloom cleared her throat. "This is Domino? Why is it so cold here?"
Something flashed in Icy's eyes that set off alarm bells for Bloom, but the howling wind muffled their cries, and they were easily ignored.
She smiled slightly. "Everything in time, my dear. You have to be patient," she said, then nodded at something behind Bloom. "Come on, let's go in there. Before you freeze to death here."
Bloom snorted. How kind of her not to let her turn into an icicle in this blizzard. She'd probably rather like the honor of having Bloom freeze to death in a blizzard of her own creation.
Icy slowly walked ahead, and as Bloom turned to follow,, she saw something sticking out of the ground that looked like... old, snow-covered towers. A building that had probably been buried under snow for ages.
She was pretty sure from there that the entrance they were using wasn't the actual front door. Once inside, it was still terribly cold, but at least there was no wind, and she could actually see without all the snow. Bloom took the warm hood off her winter jacket and looked around.
They really must have been in some kind of tower, judging by the high ceiling and curved walls. And from the way the walls were decorated, they had to be in a castle. On Earth, she and her parents had often looked at old castles, but none of them came close to this small tower. Gold decorations and small crystals sparkled everywhere, and above them hung a huge, ornate, and probably incredibly expensive chandelier.
"Wow," Bloom exclaimed, and as she turned around, something clinked under her shoes. She'd stepped on a piece of glass, and from the looks of it, it probably wouldn't be the only one. Shards and broken pieces lay scattered all over the floor, some of them larger, so one could even make out their former shape.
"This is Domino's palace. Or at least it was," Icy said, while Bloom followed the trail of shards and saw a second chandelier a little further back. This one was lying on the floor and completely destroyed.
"What happened here?"
Icy grinned slightly, but chose not to answer her. "Do you know the legend of the Great Dragon?"
Bloom looked around the part of the tower they were in once more before following the witch, who had already set off – uncaring of the countless shards of glass on the floor. The corridor they entered next was also lavishly and beautifully decorated, but there were also sparkles of glass scattered everywhere. In contrast to the shine of the floor, the walls and ceiling looked as if they had been... burned.
"You mean the Great Dragon, who created the dimension? It supposedly settled on Domino and spread life," Bloom murmured to herself, and Icy made an approving, satisfied noise. "Do you think there's some truth to that?"
"Isn't there always some truth to legends?" Icy retorted, turning to her. "Whether it actually happened that way or not. Domino has always been one of the most important planets in the dimension. It's supposed to have been beautiful–green meadows everywhere, colorful flowers, everything full of magic. Maybe it was just a coincidence, or maybe it was the Great Dragon."
They walked down a staircase that seemed endless. The further they went, the more devastated it looked. There was even a bit of snow on some of the steps, and Bloom did her best not to slip. The walls still looked strangely scorched, and she didn't know if she was imagining it, but it still smelled faintly of smoke and fire.
At one point, Bloom looked at the wall next to her and her stomach twisted painfully. A dark stain, the shape and size of a person, adorned the bright green of the wall, and she was sure it was blood. She felt nauseous and quickly looked away.
Which didn't really help, because the next thing she saw in a corner were bones. The remains of a skeleton. And not just one, there were two next to each other.
What the hell had happened here?
Bloom felt disgusting goosebumps spread across her body and turned her gaze to Icy, who had also stopped and was looking in the direction of the skeletons.
Her face was completely devoid of anything. Then she looked at Bloom.
"I don't think it was the Dragon. It would never have allowed something like that."
Her voice was almost colder than the air, and Bloom shivered. But at the same time, there was a strange undertone, as if she were hinting at something, and Bloom hated that she didn't understand.
"What exactly happened here?" she asked, another attempt.
And again, Icy ignored her.
They had finally reached the end of the stairs. Things looked even worse here. There was ash everywhere, either mixed with a thin layer of snow or old, dried blood. More bones that had once belonged to people, and where the snow lay, there were even some bodies left.
Bloom squeezed her eyes shut and fought the urge to vomit. She thought she understood why Faragonda was so hesitant to tell her more. Whatever had happened, it wasn't pretty, and it was so much worse than anything she'd ever imagined it could be.
She flinched when she felt a cold hand on her shoulder and looked at Icy with wide eyes. Her expression and her eyes were so unreadable. Even when she tried to read something in her gaze, she couldn't.
And despite that, and the fact that she was still standing before a witch she'd been fighting ever since she'd set foot in the Magical Dimension, this gesture somehow calmed her.
It wasn't an offer to retreat, nor was it an expression of condolence or sympathy, but it grounded her a little.
She was there. And she wasn't going to leave.
Bloom kept her gaze fixed on Icy as she followed her further through the great hall at the foot of the stairs until they arrived in a room that was equally enormous, one even more lavishly and impressively decorated than all the others. However, there were no corpses to be seen here, apart from a few bones and blood-soaked snow, which calmed Bloom slightly.
"Domino's royal family has always been the most influential and powerful. You must know that the reason the legend of the Great Dragon is told is because the royal family has guarded the most powerful force in the entire dimension since the beginning of time. It is passed down from generation to generation. Without it, everything falls into imbalance and chaos," Icy said as Bloom walked through the room – or rather, hall.
It appeared to be the throne room of this palace. On a marble platform stood a throne made of pure gold, decorated with numerous red gemstones. At the head of the backrest, a dragon was carved from the gold, looking as if it were breathing fire at the ceiling. It looked beautiful, and Bloom immediately believed it belonged to the most influential royal house.
On the wall next to the throne, a number of pictures were lined up. As she approached them, she realized they were paintings – probably of former kings and queens. Bloom stopped in front of a picture, relatively centrally, depicting a woman with wheat-blonde hair and a crown. She was beautiful and had piercing golden eyes.
Icy stepped behind her. "That's Queen Ziranna. She was the last queen of the main bloodline, about 600 years ago. It's said that she did have a child, a son, but he never ascended to the throne because he disappeared without a trace. After he was declared dead and she also died, her younger brother became king."
Bloom briefly wanted to ask her how she knew that, just because she was looking at a portrait of some woman, but then she recognized a gilded plaque beneath the picture bearing the Queen's name, her lifetime and reign, and the caption "last regent of the main line". Still, she was a little impressed that Icy knew all this. Compared to Bloom, who had absolutely no clue, she seemed to have a vast knowledge of the history of the Magical Dimension and its legends.
"And that was possible with this power?" she asked, slowly moving down the row of paintings. "Did her son have this power, or did her brother inherit it?"
"I don't know exactly," Icy said, her voice so close that Bloom knew she was following her. "They say that a part of this power lies dormant in every family member, but it only emerges in those who sit on the throne. Or the last ones alive."
Bloom frowned in confusion at that strange undertone in her voice again. She couldn't make sense of it if she tried to imply something. She stopped again in front of the last picture in the row. It depicted a man with short, dark brown hair and an elaborate, heavy sword. He had a determined, yet warm look in his eyes.
Somehow, he seemed so eerily familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place it.
"King Oritel," Icy said at the same moment Bloom read the sign under the frame. "He was the last king."
If Bloom's calculations were correct, he had been crowned exactly 26 years ago. He must have been in his early thirties at the time. There was no end date engraved on either his lifetime or his reign. The note below contained only three words that meant absolutely nothing to her. "Company of Light." Whatever that was.
"No one will come after him, will they?" she asked, looking at Icy. "Aside from the fact that it's not... particularly nice here, there's no one left, is there?"
She didn't like the grin that spread across the witch's lips at all.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that. He had two children, two daughters."
Bloom raised an eyebrow. "Had. So they're dead."
Icy shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not," she said. "He gave the power, the Dragon Flame, to his elder daughter, the Crown Princess."
More and more questions arose in Bloom’s mind as she followed Icy again – out of the throne room, down some dark corridors, doing everything she could to avoid looking at what was on the floor. They arrived in front of a heavy-looking door, but Icy simply raised her hand, and the door opened with frightening ease.
Behind it, everything sparkled in all colors, and Bloom noticed that this was the only room so far that wasn't completely destroyed and devastated. Jewels and diamonds of every imaginable design shimmered. So this must be the royal treasury.
It didn't look like anyone had been here. Why was this the only place that was still intact? Whatever had happened here, and whoever had attacked this planet, couldn't have been after the riches and gold. There had to be another reason.
"The Dragon Flame is the most powerful force and purest form of magic in the entire dimension," Icy continued, as if reading her thoughts. "According to all the stories and legends, it's supposed to be able to heal and protect all living things from dark forces. The royal family has always done their best to protect it."
"But someone wanted to steal it, right?" Bloom then asked. "Who attacks such a powerful kingdom and then leaves the treasury completely untouched? Whoever did it was after something more powerful."
Icy grinned. "You’re finally starting to understand. I'm impressed," she shot back. "The Dragon Flame can be used for so much good. And yet also so much evil. So much chaos."
Something flashed in her crystal-clear eyes that made Bloom uneasy. That crazy sparkle was creepy and made her heart race. She had an uncomfortable feeling that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but she took a small step back from Icy anyway.
It calmed her down a little as they left the treasure chamber and went up another set of stairs. Here, at least she could run away and try to escape, should Icy change her mind, despite her promise not to attack her. In the chamber, she could have quickly locked the door and thus prevented any attempt at escape.
Nevertheless, that queasy, ever-worsening feeling remained in Bloom's stomach.
And it didn't get any better when they reached the top of the stairs and stood in front of a child's room.
"The Ancestral Witches recognized the potential of the Dragon Flame and wanted to possess it. Griffin once mentioned that there's a theory that the witches possessed a piece of the Dragon Flame and wanted to combine it with a second one. I don't know what this theory is based on, but the main thing is that the witches wanted the flame," Icy said as they entered the nursery. "So they attacked Domino."
Bloom stopped in front of a small wardrobe and opened it. A multitude of expensive-looking and colorful clothes beamed at her. The child who lived there must have been about eight or nine years old.
"They attacked the entire planet? Why, when everyone knew the Dragon Flame belonged to the royal family?" she asked, closing the wardrobe again.
Icy watched her, shrugging. "I don't know. Display of power. Chaos. Blackmail. Take your pick. They had a lot of powerful magicians with them, distracting the king and queen and their allies while they went after the crown princess."
Bloom stood in front of a small desk, on which laid some dusty papers and books. Carefully, yet far too curious, she picked up one of the books, written in a language she couldn't read. However, the content didn't matter, because she froze at the one word she could read and understand, written on the first page in purple ink.
Daphne.
The book fell from her hand in shock, and the noise was so impossibly loud, given the eerie silence of the palace. Bloom quickly turned to the witch behind her.
"Daphne is—"
"Was the Crown Princess, yes. She carried the Dragon Flame within her. And she died."
Bloom remained silent and looked at Icy for a long moment. She still maintained that stoic expression, but, slowly, her cold facade crumbled. A strange kind of joy lurked in her eyes, and Bloom felt increasingly sinister.
Something was still missing.
The most important part.
The second daughter.
Bloom opened her mouth to say something, but Icy was already leaving the room, only to go into the next one. She quickly followed her. It was a second nursery, but one for a baby.
"She may have died, but the Ancestral Witches never got their hands on the Dragon Flame, otherwise... everything would be different than it is now, wouldn't it? Something happened to the power."
Icy approached a crib and, smiling, ran her thumb over a sign attached to the frame. She didn't answer her question, and Bloom felt the uneasy feeling in her body worsen considerably.
Her knees were shaking a little, and she instinctively knew she was about to realise something bad, but she stepped up to the crib next to Icy and looked at the silver sign.
Her chest felt hot and cold at the same time when she read her name on it, and her heart beat so fast she thought it would burst out of her. She gripped the frame of this–her–cradle so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
This was the missing piece – she was the missing piece.
This enormous, fiery power that slumbered within her, which she had carried unknowingly throughout her entire life, was the Dragon Flame. The most powerful force in the entire Magical Dimension. That's why she’d had these inexplicable outbursts of power from which she could barely recover before the next one came.
She was the second, the younger daughter of King Oritel; she was the Princess of Domino. She was the sister of Daphne, the Crown Princess, the Nymph of Magix, the true guardian of the Dragon Flame.
This – this planet, this palace – this was her home. The king and queen, these were her parents.
The first three witches, considered the mothers of all witches. She couldn't remember their names; she hadn't paid that much attention in Griselda's class, but she could remember the three powers these witches had embodied.
Eternal, devastating, and powerful storms. Destructive, devouring, and terrible darkness.
And—
Bloom's heart skipped a beat as she turned to face Icy. The unhinged glint she'd seen in her eyes before only intensified, and a faint, almost evil smile spread across her lips. Her eyes widened, and before Bloom could step back and escape, Icy grabbed her wrist and trapped her in front of the crib.
"Daphne passed the power on to you. She protected you from our ancestors and took you away. Somewhere they wouldn't find you," Icy whispered in her ear, and Bloom could clearly hear the sickening joy in her voice. "The witches were so angry that they didn't get the Dragon Flame that they destroyed the entire planet. Including all its inhabitants. Your parents defeated them. It's too bad they aren’t able to witness you coming back all by yourself."
"Why are you telling me all this? What do you get out of it?" Bloom asked, trying to concentrate. Icy's grip on her wrist was strong, but if she pushed her aside, she could break free. And then she'd have to get away from her until she was far enough away to perform a safe teleport.
Her chances were slim – she wasn't good with teleportation spells yet, and it would take her a while to make a stable teleport. Icy had the advantage over her, not only because she knew how to use her magic better, but also because she was an ice witch on a planet with a perpetual blizzard, probably conjured up by her ancestor. And besides, she seemed to know her way around this palace for some reason.
Still, she had to try.
"Because you deserve the truth, don't you think? You weren't really going to wait for Faragonda to tell you about it, were you?" she laughed softly, and Bloom felt the adrenaline rising. She had to act now, otherwise it would be too late. "You're supposed to know what powers you have before they're taken away from you."
With a jerk, she pushed the witch away and pulled on the crib for more strength. Icy dug her nails into her wrist as she stumbled and eventually fell to the ground. Bloom stumbled a little as well, banging her knee painfully, but wasted no time getting back up.
Pain shot through her leg with every step she took, and each time her vision went black for a moment, but she made it. She was almost back in the hallway when she was yanked backward and then roughly shoved against the wall. A hand wrapped around her throat, not cutting off her air, but the grip was still threatening.
There was a splash of blood on Icy's forehead – she must have hit the frame of the crib–and her usually perfect ponytail had come undone. Her hair fell messily over her shoulders and her eyes flashed angrily.
Nevertheless, she smiled.
"That wasn't smart, Bloom."
Bloom narrowed her eyes. "You lied. You promised you wouldn't attack me," she hissed.
Icy let go of her neck and grabbed her chin instead. "And I didn't. You gave me a reason," she said. "It's not my fault that you're so naive, following me all this way like a lost puppy just because you're so curious. I thought you knew you shouldn't trust witches."
She grumbled and tried again to push the witch away, but this time Icy was prepared and only pressed her harder against the cold, wet wall. Her heart was beating so fast and heavily she couldn't concentrate on a single thought. If she couldn't get out of this grip, then there was no way she could escape.
"Then what do you want? My powers? Like the ancient witches? I won't give them to you," Bloom snarled, trying again to push Icy away.
Icy only responded with a raised eyebrow.
"Like our ancestors, yes. We will finish what they started. And whether you want to give them to me or not doesn't matter, princess. I always get what I want, and you won't be able to stop me."
She smiled and tilted her head slightly, and under other circumstances, Bloom might have called that smile pretty, but now it was just creepy and unsettling.
Before she could try to free herself again, Icy had closed her eyes, placed a hand under her collarbones, and was quietly muttering a spell to herself. Bloom's own eyes widened as a pain and coldness shot through her body like she'd never felt before. It felt as if a part of her was splitting off and being absorbed directly into Icy's hand.
She was still muttering words Bloom didn't understand, looking at her when Bloom whimpered. Her grin widened, and for the briefest of moments, her eyes turned white, her features became slightly older and sharper, her hair was messier and wavier, and Bloom flinched harshly.
As she withdrew her hand, the worst of the pain slowly subsiding, she felt so unspeakably empty. She felt so desolate, like she'd never felt before.
And incredibly weak.
Icy reached for her chin again, and her hand felt even colder than before. "Well done, Bloom. You gave me everything I wanted," she whispered, stroking her cheek almost gently, while Bloom felt herself growing tired and threatening to collapse. "Now rest."
The last thing she saw before her world was enveloped in darkness were Icy's cold eyes. Her knees buckled, and she expected her head to hit the ground.
But the impact never came.
*
Alfea, Magix
??? later
She felt like she'd been hit by a bus and a train simultaneously.
When she tried to open her eyes, a bright light blinded her, and she immediately squeezed them shut. Her head pounded and her body felt incredibly heavy. Bloom tried to turn a little so the light wouldn't hurt her eyes.
"Hey, I think she's awake."
That voice. She knew it.
That was—
"Flora, are you sure?"
Bloom felt a wave of relief rise within her as she looked into her friend's face. Flora gently stroked her head with a warm hand and smiled slightly.
"Hey, Bloom. How are you feeling?" she asked, her calm voice sounding pleasant to Bloom's ears, and she relaxed a little.
"Not too great," she murmured softly, wrapping the blanket – where the hell was she, anyway – tighter around herself. She was so bitterly cold.
Stella also entered her field of vision. "We've been so worried about you. Where the hell have you been?"
Flora shot her a stern look, and she’d sounded a little accusatory, but by now Bloom knew her well enough to know it was out of concern and she didn't mean it.
Bloom sat up slightly and looked around briefly. She was in her room in Alfea; it was broad daylight outside. How long had she been asleep?
When she left to go to Icy so she could tell her everything she wanted to know, it had been just before midnight. On Domino, she had no sense of time, no idea how long they'd been there, and no clue what had happened there.
She remembered the endless destruction in that palace; all the dead. The throne room, the treasury. Then they'd gone up into a tower and stood in the nursery that had belonged to Daphne. And then? What had happened then?
"I..." she began, not knowing what to say. She pulled the blanket tighter still.
Flora frowned and put her hand to Bloom’s forehead. "You're freezing. Did something happen?"
Bloom closed her eyes. She couldn't really tell them that she'd gotten involved with Icy and been alone with her on Domino, could she? They wouldn't... understand.
But the two of them looked so worried, even a little scared. She couldn't lie to them. Bloom swallowed deeply and then told her two closest friends. That she had met Icy on her walk in the forest after the show at Red Fountain. That she had offered to tell her more about her past. That she had agreed.
"And then... we went into another room. I... don't remember what was there or what happened afterward," she muttered to herself, and Flora sat down next to her to stroke her back. "How did I get back here?"
Bloom wasn't sure what reaction she had expected, but it certainly wasn't the confusion on Stella's face.
"You don't know that? We were hoping you would," she said, and Bloom frowned questioningly. "Musa and I came back here after breakfast, and something... crashed in your room, and suddenly... you were lying on the floor."
On the floor? Had she teleported back? But she couldn't have really done that, and wouldn't she have come in through the door if she'd come back from Domino with Icy?
Bloom raised a hand to run it through her hair, but as she took her arm out of the blanket, her eyes fell on a few deep, red welts on her wrist. Flora seemed to see this too and immediately snatched her arm, grip firm but gentle, stroking the injury.
And Bloom flinched violently – not from pain, but because there was suddenly a sharp stabbing in her skull as the memories flooded back and her breathing quickened.
The cradle. Her name on that cradle.
She was the Princess of Domino. She was the Keeper of the Dragon Flame.
Icy's hand on her wrist. Her cold breath on her ear as she confirmed her fears.
You're supposed to know what powers you have before they're taken away from you.
Her cool, cutting voice, dripping with malice. Bloom suppressed the urge to shake.
She'd pushed her away, hence the welts on her arm. She'd tried to run away, but because she'd also hurt herself, she hadn't gotten far before Icy caught her.
And then—
She had failed.
Bloom looked up, felt tears streaming down her cheeks, and saw shock and worry in Flora and Stella's eyes.
"I need to talk to Miss Faragonda."
*
Alfea, Magix
One hour later
"That's... terrible news," Griselda exclaimed, and Bloom had never heard her voice so fearful and stunned.
"If they manage to use the Dragon Flame correctly, then the entire Magical Dimension is in danger," Faragonda said quietly to herself. "We can only hope for the best. Griselda, please try to get in contact with Saladin and Griffin. And preferably with the mayor of Magix as well. We can't take any risks."
Griselda nodded, still a little shocked, but then hurried to leave the office. Bloom just listened to them, voices muffled as if speaking through thick wool, absentmindedly playing with her fingers.
The sun was still shining outside, but, far in the distance over the forest, dark storm clouds were gathering. She felt uneasy as she watched them.
Bloom turned her gaze away from the window and looked at her director instead when she heard Griselda close the door behind her.
"May I ask how the witches found you alone?" she asked. "That's not an accusation, Bloom, it's not your fault. But your friends told me you weren't there all night."
It's not your fault, echoed in her head.
No, but it is your fault, Faragonda, came next, but that wasn't her voice.
A shiver ran down Bloom's spine.
"I... met with Icy. Alone. I didn't tell the others," she stammered. "I finally wanted to know the truth. About me and my powers. Now I know everything."
She watched her headmistress's face closely as she spoke. Bloom didn't know where this wave of resentment came from, but she hoped Faragonda regretted not saying anything.
She knew it had been her own fault for trusting Icy.
But it would never have come to this if Faragonda had been honest.
*
Alfea, Magix
Four days later
Living without magic was horrible.
Just as horrible as those vile monsters formed by the pitch black raindrops were. As if these ants hadn’t been disgusting enough, they were now building up into huge creatures with eyes and limbs – and yet, somehow, no one really managed to destroy them.
Bloom hated it. This was her fault.
No matter what anyone else said.
She hit another one of those monsters with a bland stick – twisted the length through the soft back of that thing until it disintegrated into dozens of tiny ants.
Her heart was pounding painfully against her chest and she wiped a few beads of sweat from her forehead. Yet, there was a rush of relief surging through her. It might be laborious and exhausting but at the very least she was able to defend herself, even without her magic.
And that was so vital as well – regardless that the specialists from Red Fountain and their teachers were now fighting against the Army of Decay and the Trix alongside them at Alfea, Bloom couldn’t pray that someone would protect her.
She felt rage rising within her.
These damned witches had dared to completely destroy Red Fountain. With her Dragon Flame – with the power that they stole from her.
It made her sick.
And yet she knew that, at the end of the day, this was her fault. The fact was that she had run headfirst into her own demise without giving it any serious thought.
She had failed; there was nothing else to say.
She had thrown this dimension into chaos.
However, she swore that she would make this right again – that she would put an end to this dilemma. And that she would stop Icy, Darcy and Stormy.
She just didn’t know how yet.
*
Lake Roccaluce, Magix
One week later
She had failed for the moment, yes.
But that didn't mean everything was lost forever.
Bloom felt the warm magic as Daphne's hands brushed hers. The water around her glowed brightly, and she closed her eyes.
The Army of Decay seemed invincible, but it wasn't. The Red Fountain School and Magix were destroyed, but that wouldn't last forever.
The Trix – Icy – hadn't won yet.
And they wouldn't. Not as long as she could stop them.
Daphne held a crown in her hand. Silver, ornate, and decorated with purple stones. It was beautiful.
It's yours. It belongs to you.
It didn't matter if Domino was destroyed or not. This world, Magix, and Alfea weren't destroyed yet, and she wouldn't let it come to that.
After weeks, Bloom felt warmth – heat – rising within her again. The familiar feeling of magic, which she hadn't been able to perceive within herself for so long, flowed through her body.
The Dragon Flame was guarded by the royal family of Domino.
And as long as any of them were still alive, no one else would be able to fully possess it.
It’s yours. It belongs to you.
Daphne's warmth around her disappeared, the image of the crown disappeared.
She was no longer in the water; she was floating a few meters above the lake.
Carried by her wings.
*
Lake Roccaluce, Magix
Five hours later
The fight drained her.
Bloom felt that she was stronger than before – that it made a difference that she drew her strength from her self-confidence and her belief in herself. But she could just as easily sense that Icy was stronger.
Whether it was the spark of the Dragon Flame in her body or the rage so clearly written on her face, or perhaps even both, Bloom didn't know.
And it didn't matter. She had to win this fight at all costs.
She had to save her friends. Alfea. Magix. This entire world.
Sharp icicles collided with glowing fireballs, and several explosions shook the air around them.
Her eyes met Icy's.
"I've had enough of you," the witch hissed. "It's over."
Bloom's eyes widened in shock as the air around her suddenly became so freezing that she could see her breath and her eyes stung. She couldn't manage to dive down the path before huge sheets of ice encircled her.
Some of them had such sharp edges that she had to be careful not to get impaled.
An edge grazed her thigh. Bloom hissed in pain and saw blood dripping onto the ice beneath her. From outside, she heard Icy laughing.
It was so incredibly cold that her fingers ached as she moved them to cast a spell – only to then shield herself from the next ice spear.
"Did you think that little bit of magic would save you, Princess?"
She hated the way Icy said that word.
So mocking, so disrespectful.
Even though she knew exactly what had happened.
How many had died for her to be able to live.
Bloom felt the rage rising within her, like the fire around her, as she fixed her gaze on Icy through the ice. She shivered from the cold, but her cage began to melt and glow orange.
She saw the sudden uncertainty in the witch's eyes as the ice shattered in front of her. She barely managed to stay afloat against the oncoming shards of ice and the small firestorm Bloom sent her way.
She was weakening, it was obvious.
It was over. Almost.
Bloom didn't quite understand where this enormous power suddenly came from, but it felt as if the Dragon was guiding her. Amplifying her attacks and taking over the defense for her.
Icy attacked again several times, but other than a slight setback, Bloom was unaffected. The witch, on the other hand, seemed to be struggling more and more with herself and her magic – her hair was no longer perfectly coiffed, and small beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
She could end it here and now. She had more than enough power within her to simply kill Icy. That would be the end of it, wouldn't it?
But she paused.
She couldn't. She couldn't just take someone's life like that.
Especially not someone who was honest with her despite everything, when everyone else had lied to her.
She gave the Dragon control of her attack – but she was careful not to hurt Icy.
*
Alfea, Magix
Four hours later
The bandage on her thigh itched, and as the adrenaline slowly faded, the pain worsened. But it was okay.
It was over.
Bloom sat on the edge of the fountain, Mirta to her left and Flora to her right. Specialists, fairies, and witches were running around the schoolyard together, clearing away debris and dirt, sweeping the floor, or setting up tables for the party later.
The sun slowly set behind the treetops, coloring the sky a soft array of orange and pink. A light breeze blew through the air, and finally, finally, Bloom was able to enjoy a moment of absolute silence and peace.
For the first time in weeks.
Until the faint mutterings of Faragonda and Griffin pulled her from her peace.
"Where are they taking them?" Mirta asked quietly, also seeming to be watching the spectacle across from them. Six broad, powerful-looking men were holding Icy, Darcy, and Stormy in a strong grip, two per witch.
Stormy was complaining loudly that they should let her go. Darcy, on the other hand, was also babbling, but Bloom didn't understand what she was saying.
"Griselda said they are taking them to some kind of monastery. In the hope that they could help them there, I think," Flora said, and Mirta said something in response, but Bloom wasn't really listening. She was far too busy holding Icy's angry glare.
She remained silent as stone, even as the guards dragged her toward a portal, not once breaking eye contact with Bloom.
To an outsider, it was simply an angry look. Anger from her defeat and at Bloom for defeating her.
But Bloom knew it was more.
A silent promise flashed in her eyes.
She was still there. And she wasn't leaving.