The Queen of Shadows - World of Winx rewrite S.1

Chapter 22: The Fall of the Queen

Tecna erected a vast worldwide globe shield around all of her friends. The second blast shattered her shield instantly. The Shaman's runes glowed intensely, conjuring one of those symbols — reminiscent of an octopus — on the ground and catching all of them by surprise.

"Girls! Are you all right?" Tecna inquired, scanning her surroundings and spotting her friends lying on the ground. She also noticed the crocodile man and the Shaman turning their backs on her, advancing towards Stella. Knowing Stella's magic wasn't functioning properly, Tecna knew she had to act.

"Firewall!" she exclaimed as a large wall of green grid materialized in front of their enemies, causing both to recoil with force. She quickly targeted the Shaman, causing him to drop his runes. The crocodile man, growling, rose from the ground and locked eyes with Tecna, his yellow gaze intense. He swung his hefty tail, nearly toppling the Shaman, before lunging toward her.

A blue aura enveloped him as vines sprouted from the ground and a massive water beam, resembling a colossal fist, struck him, sending him hurtling into the wall with a resounding crack. Tecna then slammed her fist into the ground, summoning two large green speakers, and amplified the volume, sending red sound waves directly at him. Roaring, he covered his ears and swung his tail, striking one of the speakers and filling the air with a distorted sound. Musa winced and collapsed, breathing heavily.

With a snap of her fingers, Tecna made the speakers vanish, observing Musa's relief. She then turned her attention to the struggling Shaman, who found himself ensnared by vines, his runes lying several meters away. Growling in frustration, he attempted to break free as Tecna enclosed him within a globe to immobilize him.

"Watch out! More shadow creatures are approaching from six o'clock!" Tecna warned Roxy, who had her back against a looming shadow on the wall. These shadows transformed into smaller versions of the creatures they typically fought, but they exhibited augmented powers, as per Tecna's analysis. Their powers were so potent that Tecna's limiter couldn't properly scan them, displaying only red and orange blinks across her entire Winx watch screen.

Flora and Roxy sprang into action, coordinating their attacks to repel the creatures and shield Musa and Aisha, who were now engaged in combat with the crocodile man, who seemed even stronger than before, his speed boosted by a powerful magical being. Employing new combat maneuvers, he aimed to incapacitate his opponents with his sharper, more efficient tail.

"We must retreat! We can't sustain this battle against the shadows indefinitely!" Flora exclaimed, panting, sweat glistening on her forehead.

"Tecna, do you have a plan to get us out of here?" Aisha queried, delivering a watery blow to the crocodile man, who retaliated by sending her and Musa crashing to the ground. Roxy unleashed golden butterflies, temporarily blinding him as he attempted to finish off Musa and Aisha.

"I'm working on it!" Tecna replied tersely.

"Your devices had better start working... this big guy is stronger than I remember," Aisha grimaced as Musa helped her up from the ground. Tecna rolled her eyes, refraining from correcting Aisha's terminology; she knew it was a device, not a gadget. But what would an Androain know? They were more attuned to water than technology.

Tecna calculated their options, attempting to devise a strategy to escape this chaotic scenario. She despised being outwitted by nature itself. The dark magic had disrupted all of their powers, and without Stella's solar abilities, their chances of overcoming this perilous situation were reduced to a mere seven percent. Tecna concluded that navigating this labyrinthine situation was akin to solving an unsolvable mathematical equation.

Stella stood beside a gap in the crystal wall, where Tecna sensed the presence of a magical being. She couldn't discern the origin of this potent energy, but her data indicated another entity with Dreamix-based powers. Perhaps this presence could assist them in understanding and harnessing their own Dreamix abilities. Tecna was still grappling with how to effectively utilize her 'new' powers. Due to her unfamiliarity with this foreign energy, she had struggled to master all of her spells. Something within her hinted that the Dreamix powers held deeper secrets yet to be unlocked.

A large display presented her with a silent plea for help. The calls sounded unnaturally distorted, lacking the usual sound waves of human speech. They resembled a glitchy music player rather than coherent communication. Tecna pondered if this might be a form of language she hadn't encountered before. She scoured her databases for any information on such unusual sound waves, hoping to identify the language.

As she awaited the software's analysis, the sounds of battle echoed in the background, with more shadow creatures emerging from the darkness. It seemed as though this entire ordeal had been orchestrated by the Queen to thwart them before they reached her stronghold. The World of Dreams appeared to be her dark dominion, shrouded in perpetual night.

The chaos intensified around Tecna as she began to hear whispers, cold and chilling, reminiscent of a malfunctioning computer attempting to communicate. They urged her to surrender, insisting that her devices couldn't save her. Grip tightening on her tablet, Tecna focused on her research, determined to decipher the enigmatic sound waves.

The World of Dreams seemed intent on playing mind games with her, blurring the lines between dreams and nightmares. She couldn't discern the truth, but she was certain that the whispers were another ploy by the Queen to seize control of the situation, manipulating her adversaries before delivering a final blow.

Despite her efforts, Tecna's searches yielded no results. The sound waves defied classification within her data programs, stumping even her most advanced translation spells.

"Musa, could you perhaps assist me in translating these sound waves?" Tecna asked, observing her friend dodging the crocodile man's attacks.

Musa nodded, and together with Aisha's cover, she approached Tecna's tablet. Musa tapped into her music powers, her eyes glowing red as she emitted sound waves reminiscent of electrons coursing through circuits.

"It sounds like a stormy day in a natural park, with windy noises and thunderstorms," Musa began.

"Of course!" Tecna interjected.

Confused, Musa raised an eyebrow.

"Um... Am I missing something?" she asked.

Tecna chuckled, feeling her logical faculties returning. She explained to Musa that the sound waves didn't resemble those of typical speech; rather, they seemed to emanate from a spiritual source in need of assistance. She suggested that only a few types of spirits could be nearby.

"It must be a nature spirit. Look at the crystal labyrinth—do you see the vines protecting it by climbing up the walls?" Tecna pointed out.

Musa nodded.

"You're probably right," she conceded. Another explosion diverted their attention, caused by the crocodile man activating one of the runes.

"I'll ask Flora to communicate with the spirit while you continue aiding Aisha," Tecna instructed. They parted ways after dropping their shield. Tecna conjured a digital pencil, drawing a net to capture several shadow creatures attempting to attack her, before heading towards Flora.

"Flora!" Tecna called out, placing a hand on her shoulder. "The labyrinth is a nature spirit... you need to speak to it. I received an urgent call for help through my digital device."

Flora blinked in surprise, scratching her neck.

"Are you sure? I can barely sense any life here in the World of Dreams," she queried.

"Yes, I'm confident in my analysis," Tecna affirmed. Flora nodded, closing her eyes as her customary green aura enveloped her. Vines sprouted from the ground, forming a protective cocoon around her that shielded her from the incoming blasts of shadow creatures.

"Let's provide cover while she attempts to communicate with the spirit," Tecna suggested to Roxy, who looked on in amazement at the cocoon.

***

Stella bent the bars with her hands, feeling the pain pulsating through her wrists. The dark magic, with its anti-light properties and suppression of magic, had drained her of energy. She climbed through the bars, utilizing her last remaining sun powers to break the chains restraining Odette. The Dreamix fairy immediately grasped onto her, pulling her into an embrace. Stella could hear quiet sobs of relief beside her as Odette rested her head on her shoulder.

"Th-thank you..." the Dreamix fairy whispered before releasing her hold.

Stella wiped away the sweat running down her face. She hadn't felt so drained in ages; it was as if she hadn't been close to sunlight for an eternity. She smiled warmly at Odette, hoping to lift her spirits, despite their ongoing plight.

"Are you able to transform so you can perhaps help us fight against the shadows?" Stella inquired.

"I-I can try... I used to be a Dreamix fairy of nature..." Odette replied, gazing down at her dirty, trembling hands. She closed her eyes, but nothing happened. Her broken wings fluttered, failing to lift her from the ground. Odette furrowed her brow, a mix of panic and concern evident on her face. "I-I cannot feel my powers. They seem suppressed because of the darkness..."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she wiped her face. Stella approached, gently grasping her shoulders to reassure her. "I'll protect you. I promise."

Odette locked eyes with her. In the reflection of Odette's blue eyes, Stella could see her own determination burning fiercely. It seemed to ignite a spark of hope within the fairy. Stella hoped her friends had found a way out of their predicament. Another Dreamix fairy could prove invaluable if they could help her regain her powers.

"Sun and Moon fairy, I cannot thank you enough for saving me from this dark place..." Odette smiled.

"Oh, it's Stella, by the way. But anyway, I'm glad I could help," Stella replied, returning the smile. "Knowing there are a few more Dreamix fairies around is reassuring."

"Yeah... If I ever regain my powers, I can offer you a few pointers," Odette remarked.

"That sounds great! Interestingly enough, before we even knew about the World of Dreams, I came up with the name 'Dreamix' for our newfound powers," Stella said, winking and allowing her thoughts to wander.

Odette chuckled. "It must have been fate. Or perhaps the second star to the right sent you a message from us, the last remaining Dreamix fairies, before the Queen seized control of this once peaceful realm..."

Stella wasn't sure what Odette meant by 'the second star to the right.' Whether it was an idiom for this realm or something else entirely. Before she could ask, a shadow emerged behind Odette, prompting Stella to blast it away. Her powers felt weak and sluggish, as if her light spheres weighed as heavy as rocks and moved at a fraction of their usual speed. The shadow creature vanished, and Stella grabbed Odette's hand, pulling her along while fending off incoming shadows.

Each blast grew weaker and weaker. Stella struggled to maintain the strength and brightness of her attacks to dispel the shadow creatures. Her gaze fixated on the large green vine cocoon in the center of the clearing, assuming it was some kind of spell cast by Flora.

Stella blasted another shadow creature as she rushed towards Musa and Aisha, who were locked in combat with the formidable crocodile man. As he swung his tail, Aisha created a morphix wrap to bind him while Musa unleashed a barrage of blasts. He was on the verge of striking Aisha with his hand when Stella intervened, using a weak sun spell to blind him. Though typically reserved for sunbathing, it proved effective against the light-sensitive lizard.

Musa smirked, turning her head towards Stella. "Fashionably late as usual, Princess?"

"Always. Didn't want to spoil the blinding surprise for our beloved crocodile man," Stella chuckled, winking with a warm smile. Musa rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face indicated she didn't mind the jest despite the dire circumstances.

"So, who's your new friend?" Aisha inquired as they struggled to restrain the crocodile man with morphix nets. Stella and Musa lent their assistance, but the creature remained resilient against their attacks.

"This is Odette. She's a Dreamix fairy," Stella explained, prompting an exchange of cautious glances between Musa and Aisha, who directed their attention to Odette. She offered a tentative smile as she recounted her story to them.

"That's awful... how could someone be so cruel..." Aisha's brow furrowed, her stormy blue eyes reflecting her indignation. Her clenched fists betrayed her determination to stop the Queen at all costs. Stella recognized the familiar resolve in Aisha, akin to Bloom's unwavering commitment in battle.

"Okay... let's—" Musa's words were cut short as a red beam struck her, sending her tumbling to the ground. A black rope encircled her body, crackling with red electricity, while another beam targeted them. Stella conjured a light shield, but it shattered upon impact, engulfing her in darkness and hurling her backwards into a tree. Gasping for breath, she fell to her knees, feeling the air escape her lungs.

Aisha rushed towards her, but a black chain ensnared her wrist, dragging her towards a cage crafted from shadows. Stella met Odette's horrified gaze, quickly ushering her to her feet. As she prepared to blast a shadow creature approaching Odette, a scream tore through the air. Odette's eyes turned from cyan blue to blood red, and a dark aura enveloped her as she clutched her head in agony.

"Odette?!" Stella exclaimed, flying towards her. She dispatched the shadow creature before turning her attention back to Odette, placing her hands on her shoulders. "What's happening?"

Odette remained silent, hyperventilating with eyes shut tight and sweat streaming down her forehead. Stella attempted to use her sun powers to dispel the dark magic but was met with failure. Odette pushed her away abruptly, causing Stella to stumble backward before collapsing to her knees.

"T-the Queen... I cannot..." Odette screamed in anguish.

"You have to fight the dark magic!" Stella urged, her eyes wide with concern. She was at a loss, unsure of how to help Odette. Should she use her magic on her? What if it worsened the situation? What if—

Before her eyes, Odette transformed into a towering shadow creature, its claws and teeth dripping with blood. Its horrifying grin sent a chill down Stella's spine, sapping the warmth from her body. She stood frozen in terror as Odette's eyes bore into her soul.

"Odette... I know the darkness may have consumed you... b-but you can fight the Queen's powers... think of the dreams you could make come true if you only..." Stella's words trailed off as Odette lunged forward, slashing with her claws. Stella dodged to the side, conjuring a shield to deflect the next attack, causing the shadow creature to recoil.

Odette flew towards the Shaman, shattering the vines from his wrists. He rose, retrieving his runes from the ground as his eyes emitted a sinister red glow, surrounded by a crimson mist.

"Girls, watch out! He's about to—" Stella's warning was cut short as a powerful force pushed her back. Roxy and Tecna were caught off guard, knocked to the ground, while cracks spiderwebbed across the ground and Flora's cocoon. The vibrant green hue faded to a lifeless gray, as if the cocoon itself was dying.

"Odette, do me a favor and end the light fairy!" the Shaman commanded, pointing towards Stella. He advanced towards Roxy and Tecna, his hands aglow with a menacing red light. "I'll handle these two."

Stella watched in horror as Odette's shadow flickered between her and Sofie, causing her to freeze. She had promised to help them both, yet she had failed them. She observed as the shadow launched its claws towards her, the movement seeming to occur in slow motion. In an instinctive reaction, Stella's hands shot up in front of her, emitting a blinding light that caused Odette's shadow to dissipate. All that remained was the echo of a whispered "I believe in you" as Odette's shadow form vanished.

Stella dropped to her knees in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her hands trembled violently as she tried to comprehend what had just transpired. What had she done?

***

Flora had learned that the Labyrinth was an integral part of the World of Dreams, detesting the Queen's mistreatment of nature and protecting itself by closing in on unknown enemies. She pleaded for help from the spirit, assuring it they meant no harm and were only there to save the World of Dreams from the Queen's tyranny. However, before they could communicate further, Flora felt a sharp pain spreading in her heart. The vines surrounding her turned gray and disintegrated into dust, causing her to collapse to the ground in agony. A cold blast struck her chest, sending her tumbling meters away, rolling in the mud.

As Flora struggled to regain her bearings, she witnessed the Shaman using his runes to battle Roxy and Tecna, who appeared exhausted and bruised. She pushed herself up, feeling dizzy and disoriented. The barrier they had created was shattered by some unknown magical force. Flora felt the pain of the surrounding plants, as if her own skin were burning and her veins boiling.

Vines attempted to reach for the Shaman from the cold gray ground, only to wither and die upon contact.

"P-please... we need your help," Flora pleaded trying to speak to the Spirit, which had remained silent.

"How can I trust that you are not deceiving me, and that you are not also my enemies?" the spirit questioned.

Flora took a deep breath. "Read my soul..."

She closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing as she awaited the spirit's judgment. Every heartbeat felt like a ticking clock, affirming her continued existence. Gradually, the ringing in her ears subsided, replaced by a blinding light before her. It was not Stella's light; instead, it was a blend of light green hues. In the center stood a tall woman, her hair resembling a crown of trees, her flowing dress reminiscent of a summer meadow, and her eyes as white as wood anemones.

The Shaman turned his gaze towards the woman, and the shadow creatures retreated in fear while the crocodile man fled up the tall crystal wall.

"Cowards! Where do you think you're going?!" the Shaman shouted, throwing one of his runes towards the spirit. However, the spirit erected a barrier of green glowing dust and flowers, causing the attack to rebound and send him flying.

"You wicked beings have no right to harm those who are part of nature," the spirit declared in a melodic, calming voice, its eyes tinged with a slight red hue.

The Shaman's eyes widened as green moss began to creep up his body, covering him in flora. Flowers blossomed on the moss, transforming his form entirely into one covered in green hues and flowers.

Flora rose from the ground, holding her injured arm. "Thank you, mighty Spirit of the World of Dreams, for your assistance."

She smiled towards the spirit, which nodded in acknowledgment. Though its facial expression remained neutral, Flora could discern a slight orange shade in its eyes, indicating calmness and relaxation. A green light spread across the clearing, dispelling all darkness and shadows. The grass sprouted from the once-gray ground, turning it lush and vibrant. A hole opened in the crystal labyrinth, offering an escape route.

"Go and save the World of Dreams, and save your friends," the spirit spoke in a monotone before disappearing.

"We will," Flora affirmed, exhaling deeply and feeling a sense of relief.

***

Aisha winced in pain as Flora healed her leg. She was surprised they had managed to escape the labyrinth, which had truly played with their minds. She glanced at Stella, who appeared unusually quiet compared to her usual self.

"We have to keep moving forward...we've already lost too much time in rescuing Bloom and the talents," Tecna informed the group.

"Why couldn't the Spirit have helped us fight the Queen as well?" Musa questioned.

"Because the Spirit has its limits and is weakened due to the darkness in this place. It has already suffered too much damage," Flora explained sadly.

"Then we have to brighten this place, right Stella?" Musa nudged Stella playfully, but Stella remained silent, her gaze fixed on the ground.

"Stella...it's not your fault," Aisha tried to reassure her. She had witnessed everything, including Stella having to defend herself against Odette's shadow form. Aisha couldn't imagine having to attack someone she had just met and promised to protect. But she knew that Stella had promised Odette one thing: to stop the Queen for good.

"It is...if I hadn't used my powers, she wouldn't have..." Stella's voice trailed off, cracks appearing in her voice as guilt weighed heavily on her.

"We don't know if they will be gone for good or if they somehow respawn," Stella continued, her uncertainty palpable.

Aisha looked to Tecna for any insights, but Tecna could only shake her head. "My data doesn't have enough sources for a certain answer. But considering they are shadows and light is their opposite, there's a chance Odette did not make it."

Before Flora could comment, the sound of a breaking branch drew everyone's attention. Musa, with her keen hearing, furrowed her brow in a mixture of concern and frustration. The footsteps grew louder, prompting Aisha to summon one of her Morphix sticks in preparation to defend her friends.

From the darkness emerged a hooded figure, blue eyes narrowing as they surveyed the group. The figure wielded a hook in their hand.

"Jim..." Musa muttered, her suspicion evident. Aisha quickly rose to her feet, ignoring the pain, standing close to Musa. They both regarded Jim with distrust, especially after his involvement in Bloom's disappearance.

Aisha anticipated Musa attacking him out of anger, but it was Stella who acted first. She tackled Jim to the ground, her hand crackling with a sun spell.

"Where did you take her?! You shady kidnapper!" Stella demanded, pinning him down with her arm. Jim struggled to speak, gasping for air as he tried to reach for his dropped hook, which Stella promptly tossed away. "Tell me, unless you never want to see the light again."

The Winx exchanged nervous glances, unsure if they should intervene. Aisha had rarely seen Stella this upset and furious, her usual demeanor replaced by an aggressive intensity.

"H-hey, let me explain..." Jim managed to gasp out.

Stella maintained her hold on him, her gaze unwavering.

"Why should we listen to you? Something tells me you're hiding something important from us," Musa stated, her arms crossed. "My powers can't read your heart, which is suspicious. It suggests you're hiding something."

"Maybe because I do it to protect myself from the Queen," Jim retorted.

Musa looked conflicted, her eyes faintly glowing red with the use of her powers.

"Okay, here's the deal," Stella interjected, shooting a sharp glare at Jim. "You lead us to the Queen and prove you're against her. Otherwise, you'll have no light left in you when I'm done with you."

"Um, Stella, you know violence has never worked?" Flora interjected. Stella sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Alright, I'm not great with words," Stella admitted. "If you turn out to be our enemy in the end, I'll come for you."

Jim nodded quickly as Stella released him. He rose slowly, still visibly shaken by Stella's intense demeanor. Aisha couldn't blame him; she too found Stella's aggressive side scary and hoped she won't make the Princess that furious again.

***

Jim led them through the forest, leading to a big ancient tree. Musa could hear the different miserable souls feeling trapped inside a cage. She narrowed her eyes toward the big yellow-orange cocoon-like structures hanging in the trees. They reminded her of honey drops she had once tasted on Earth. But she assumed they were not for eating and being sweet.

Inside the cocoons, she noticed the kidnapped talents sitting in a meditative state. She scanned them all and found the person she had yearned to save since day one. There she sat with her two pink earrings — Annabelle.

Musa thought this place was too quiet for being the main base for the Queen. Had they been running away when they knew they had failed to stop them in the labyrinth?

"This place is so calm and quiet... are you sure we are right, Jim?" Flora asked.

He opened his mouth to respond when a tentacle lunged toward him and grabbed him by the arm. He yelped in surprise and was yanked to the side. Aisha used her mystic wrap, grabbing him by his other wrist and trying to pull him back.

"I can see you've come back, Jim, to face my fury for trying to flee from my punishment," a cold voice, sounding a little like Annabelle, spoke. The tentacle let go of Jim, who was then yanked by the mystic wrap. He rolled on the ground, facing a tall woman now standing in front of him.

Musa recognized the woman, the same one who had tried to take her wings and tricked her into seeing her mother. The memories made her want to forget it. The pain, the sorrow of longing for a mother being close, and the voices trying to play in her mind.

"Is that who I think it is?" Aisha asked.

"Yes... The Queen of Shadows," Musa retorted.

"W-why does she sound like... Annabelle?" Flora gulped, fiddling nervously with her thumbs.

"Because... she's stolen her talent..." Tecna said. This explained everything. Why Annabelle looked so lifeless inside that cocoon. Without her beautiful voice, she did not know what she would do. Her dreams were slipping away from her. Musa knew they had to act fast before this became permanent and her connection to her Dreamix powers would fade away. She already could feel how her Dreamix powers had become less efficient in battles.

The Queen glanced at Jim, before staring at the group, looking disappointed and annoyed.

"I can see my minions failed to get rid of you in the labyrinth," she sighed, crossing her arms.

"You're not getting rid of the Winx that easily," Stella said, charging her palms with her sun energy.

"Once I've taken away your light... no one will ever be able to stop me," the Queen growled, staring into Stella's eyes, her gaze filled with disgust. Musa took her chance, slamming her fist into the ground, making it shake. The rest of the girls reacted, sending blasts and attacks towards the Queen. She was sent flying into the air, screaming in surprise.

"I think you might have forgotten about us," Musa grinned, flying up to the Queen, before using one of her bass boosts attacks. A red sound wave danced across the dark sky as the Queen was sent crashing into a tree. Flora wrapped vines around her body, tying her down. Aisha added a few morphix chains on her wrists.

"Oh, don't worry. I haven't forgotten about you annoying friends of the light fairy," the Queen cackled evilly. Before Musa had any time to react, she felt a tentacle with a hook grab her by her wrist. She saw the Queen start to glow orange and soon burst into flames. The vines and morphix burned up, turning black. "This was just an act all along. Everything is going according to plan."

Musa was yanked down from the sky. Her wings flapped, trying to move upwards. She tracked down the zombie pirate who had grabbed her with her powers and shot sound waves. From the shadows, she could hear someone growling, and the tentacle let go.

On the ground, she saw her friends fighting against the zombie pirates. Roxy got help from some crows, distracting and annoying some of the pirates, accompanied by Aisha. Tecna trapped those zombie pirates they had defeated, while Flora and Stella fought against the incoming forces of shadow creatures.

Musa groaned, feeling how her muscles needed rest. They had been fighting for who knows how long? She tried to find the Queen, but she had disappeared from the tree. Musa closed her eyes, trying to locate the Queen's position.

***

Roxy had never fought this much before. The power flowing through her veins was almost overwhelming. The lack of animals in this world made things more difficult, giving it the atmosphere of a desert with a lack of life. This place reminded her of a movie, but she couldn't place which one out of all she had seen over the years.

At least she had found a connection to some birds similar to crows. They looked like they were straight out of a horror movie, with their red eyes, sharp beaks adorned with small, visible teeth, and feathers that were not as smooth-looking, almost as if they had taken a bath in mud. But these little creatures were very friendly, she had noticed, and helpful.

"To our right!" Aisha exclaimed.

"Tiger spirit!" Roxy created a barrier in the shape of a symbol resembling a tiger paw, blocking the hook. Then the sound of a tiger roaring echoed through the treetops, hitting the zombie pirate. A scratch mark from a claw appeared across his chest. He trembled backwards, wincing in pain, as Roxy then pinned him down on the ground with two gigantic eagle claws on his wrists.

"Nice one, Roxy!" Aisha said.

"Thanks," Roxy replied.

Further away, Roxy noticed blue glowing sticky ropes—or was it spiderweb—growing between two trunks. A short man with a round belly, wearing a blue woollen beanie, a white t-shirt with red stripes, blue jeans, and brown boots stood in the shadows, grinning ear to ear. His hand glowed dark blue, and on the tree trunk, a symbol of an octopus appeared.

"Hey, Aisha," Roxy said, pointing at the man. Aisha narrowed her eyes in the direction. "I think that's a trap of some sort. Like a spiderweb..."

Roxy saw Stella fighting with Flora in the distance as they separated. Stella flew backwards, not noticing the "blue spiderweb." Her body got stuck in the sticky web, and she struggled to use her wings. She was caught in the nest. The short man walked out from the darkness and faced her, teasing her that pirates could also do magic.

"If that's some sort of spiderweb... isn't it sensitive to water?" Aisha asked.

Roxy nodded in confirmation. Aisha smirked to herself. They flew slowly a little bit closer, standing behind a tree. Aisha's hand glowed light blue as she manipulated water from a nearby lake. She shaped the water molecules into a fist, sending it towards Stella and the man. It drenched both in water, and they let out a yelp. Stella coughed a few times, her hair hanging in her face, and her wings hanging heavily behind her back. She spat out water on the ground, removing her hair from her face.

Stella shot a glare at Aisha, who snickered and made the peace sign with her hand.

"Aisha... why in the Magical Dimension did you have to drench me in water?" Stella groaned. Roxy could already feel a weak heat radiating from Stella as she dried herself up.

"I thought you needed the same treatment as Lorelei," Aisha teased.

"Oh stars... don't even remind me of her..." Stella said, flopping onto her back and floating up into the sky. Aisha helped her up from the ground once she was dry. Roxy heard the man grunt on the ground, still looking dazed after being hit with the water. She waved her hand, trapping him in a real spiderweb to prevent him from moving.

She clapped her hands, satisfied, smiling to herself. One more down. They all went back to fighting the rest of the zombie pirates and shadow creatures.

***

Flora could feel the big tree's heart beating. It was slow and filled with sorrow. She felt bad for it; it was probably used by the Queen and treated very badly, just like the rest of this world. Sometimes she could hear the Spirit alerting her of incoming attacks.

Hooks had grabbed Tecna by all her limbs in the air, trying to pull her down. Flora grabbed the zombie pirates with big vines, then blew them away with an autumn spell. A spiral of fallen leaves from the tree blasted them and sent them flying up in the air. They let go of Tecna and her limbs.

Flora then dropped the zombie pirates on the ground, trapping them in small cages of vines. Tecna secured them with an extra technological globe. Flora assumed even a little bit of technology could work with nature as well.

A strong wind pushed her back. Flora had to catch herself in the air, her wings fluttering against the wind. A large tornado, dragging with dust, leaves, and branches, tried to pull her inside. She felt the strength of the power trying to drain her energy. Her friends screamed as it pulled them inside. Flora grabbed onto one of the strong trees, holding herself tightly to avoid being pulled inside.

She watched in horror as her friends were pulled into the tornado without moving. This reminded her of those days they had fought against Stormy and her electrical tornado. She felt a warm hand placed on her shoulder, making her turn in surprise and raise her hand in a defensive mode. It was Musa, who put her hands up in the air.

"It's just me," she said.

Flora exhaled, putting down her hand. She bit her bottom lip, trying to come up with a plan to get rid of the tornado.

"We have to find the source of this magic," Flora said, pointing at the tornado.

"I'll use my echolocation powers," Musa said, clutching her head and closing her eyes to focus. After a few seconds, she pointed behind a tree. Flora looked at the crocodile man who held one of the Shaman's rune stones. She was about to use a vine to grab the rune and stop him when Musa gently grabbed her wrist.

"Wait... I have a better idea. Be ready to capture the rune in a flower," Musa suggested. Flora nodded, moving closer within range of the crocodile man. She crouched on the ground, putting her hands down on the ground.

Musa blew silent sound waves, causing the rune to fall out of the crocodile's hand without him noticing it. Flora dug her fingers into the ground, feeling the earth's power flow through her and connecting her to the root system. A big pink lotus captured the rune stone and broke it. The tornado slowed down and soon disappeared.

Musa encased the crocodile man inside an orb, with large speakers pointing at him. She clapped her hands and a bass sound played. When he roared, the sound became louder, as if it used his own sound against him. Flora assumed Musa must have figured out a new method to defeat him more easily. He fell down exhausted on the ground, not stirring.

"Well done, Musa," Flora smiled.

"Yes, good teamwork," Musa smiled back. She glanced at the crocodile man, looking satisfied. "He won't wake up for a while."

***

Stella blinked, feeling the urge to vomit. She hadn't expected to be stuck inside a tornado, tossed around like a rag doll. Her head was spinning, and the world seemed to blur for a moment. Suddenly, she felt someone nudge her in the side.

"Hey, Stella, can you hear me?" a voice asked. She nodded weakly, trying to focus on the person standing in front of her. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three," Stella replied, gaining her footing. She could now see more clearly that Tecna was scanning her body, probably checking her condition. Her pink hair, with a few darker shades of purple, looked messy, reminding her of Riven's spiky hair. She chuckled to herself at the thought of the fashion disaster.

"But you might need to borrow a mirror after this mission," Stella teased.

Tecna rolled her eyes, fixing her hair with a snap of her fingers. "And there's our Stella. I guess you're fine, then."

Stella helped Aisha and Roxy up from the ground when she heard the Queen chuckle behind them. Behind her stood an ocean of shadows lined up, as if ready for war.

"Uh... I hope you have enough energy left to take down this army," Aisha said, slowly backing away.

"I hope so too," Stella chuckled nervously. She hadn't expected more shadow creatures to arrive, especially not a whole army of them. Some of the shadows rose behind the Queen as her eyes glowed red. Her voice sounded like that of a demon, filled with anger.

"My minions are useless, I see... I guess I have to take care of you all myself," the Queen growled, commanding the army of shadow creatures to attack. One by one, they attacked. All of the Winx gathered together, blasting them one by one. Stella finished them off with her light. They stood close, backs against each other in a circle.

"I can perhaps project and boost your light range with a digital blank surface, similar to what's often used on solar panels," Tecna suggested. "But you'll have to channel all your energy into that spell for it to be as effective as possible."

Stella wasn't very certain if she should risk draining herself out. Last time she did that... she had lost Odette due to that mistake. But what other choices did they have?

"Okay..." Stella finally agreed. While her friends covered her, she closed her eyes, focusing all her warmth and light into her heart. She searched for her inner power from Solaria's three suns. It felt like a boiling pit inside her, the maximum power she had ever used at once. She concentrated her powers on the blank white surfaces Tecna had conjured. Numbers flashed on the white screens, resembling a computer game.

"Girls, cover your eyes!" Stella exclaimed as she prepared to use her powers.

In the blink of an eye, everything turned into a white void. It was like a massive explosion, akin to when an asteroid strikes the ground and releases its energy. Stella watched in amazement at how bright everything was, feeling her powers stronger than ever, despite not having been in the sun for a while. Seconds later, the white void faded, and all of her friends removed their hands from their eyes, looking around. The army of shadow creatures had dissolved away.

"Well, that was easier than I thought..." Tecna muttered.

The Queen stumbled backwards, growling in anger. Her hands glowed red and orange, and dark smoke emanated from her palms as the place soon became engulfed in flames. It was like being inside a fiery pit of raging flames. Aisha swiftly tried to cool down the place, but she couldn't manage to extinguish the growing flames.

"The flames are a mixture of dark magic and fire magic..." Aisha furrowed, struggling to keep the flames at bay.

"The Queen must have taken Bloom's firepower..." Tecna said, her eyes widened. "This has boosted the Queen's powers beyond her own limits."

The Queen retrieved a small golden bell from her pocket and rang it, sending out a melody that sounded like a lullaby. Stella noticed Musa clutching her head and losing her grip in the air while flying. Aisha quickly caught her. The Queen adeptly dodged their attacks, almost fighting like Yu. Then she retaliated with orange flames, knocking her friends down. Stella created a shield, deflecting one of the Queen's shadow attacks. A gust of wind broke one of Tecna's shields, knocking her down.

Stella charged at the Queen in anger. She had promised Bloom that she would never let anyone reach her flame. But she had failed to keep her promises... again. Her fist of light punched the Queen right in the chest, making her scream in pain. She fell to the ground, dropping her bell. The fire disappeared around them, and steam rose up into the air, filling it with heat and dampness each time they took a breath. Stella furrowed her brow, staring into the Queen's brown eyes.

"Where is Bloom?!" she demanded an answer.

Instead of receiving an answer, the Queen started to cackle and grinned ear to ear. Stella didn't understand what was so funny. The cackling drove her mad, intensifying her desire for an answer.

"Oh my... so many emotions. Listen, fairy, she's gone for good," the Queen smirked. This caught Stella off guard, fearing the worst. How could someone do that to her best friend? She was about to deliver the final blow when someone painfully grabbed her by her wings. It felt like claws digging into them. She let out a yelp and was pulled backwards, hitting the ground with a thud, wincing in pain.

"I'm glad you could join me, my friend," the Queen said, brushing off her black dress. "Make sure to give me those beautiful wings for my collection."

The word "collection" sent chills down Stella's spine. This Queen had the same cruel mindset as the Trix and the ancestral witches combined. What if they were back, or had this Queen of Shadows taken inspiration from them?

"I don't need any of these talents and powers anyway," the Queen continued. "Start with her."

Stella felt sharp nails dig into her neck from behind, lifting her up from the ground. She struggled against the iron grip, gasping for air. Her body screamed in agony as a searing sensation spread through her, as though someone were burning her skin with fire. The person shifted their grip and turned her around so Stella could see who it was. When she realized who it was, her heart dropped, and a coldness spread through her body. She stared into the yellow-glowing dragon eyes, seeing her own face reflected inside them. Stella could sense the fear on her own face. The grin on the person's face triggered memories within Stella. Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought. She was back...

"D-Dark Bloom..." Stella stammered.


----- 

Authors note:

Yay! Part one is done. Part two of the final battle will hopefully come out next month. I have a lot of school work that needs to be finished. Wish me luck! But as promised, here was a chapter focusing mostly on the action and wrapping up the finale of this season. Don't worry, I still have much more stored for this story/rewrite.

See you in the next chapter!