Appetite for Destruction

Chapter 5

Now that they know who's really behind the mysterious disappearance of Musa and Aisha's magic, it's up to the remaining fairies to find a solution. However, other than the Dracula myth, Bloom isn't sure about a vampire's weaknesses. She was more interested in fairies, sirens, nymphs, all the colorful magical creatures, not ghouls or the undead.
They get quickly changed into some casual autumn wear and head out of the loft. Aisha and Musa are left with the Specialists at the loft so Timmy and Nabu can analyze their mana, if they have any, and check the fang marks while Bloom, Stella, Flora and Tecna head to Gardenia's library. It was closed for Halloween Eve and Halloween so it would be just them. Tecna isn't sure about the morality of this but Bloom reassures they'll just borrow the book until this madness is over, and Stella would rather want the solution to be quick.

She opens the big oak door and inside there's soft candlelight and the bloodmoon illuminating the room. Stella groans at the thousands of books present and they were only at the entrance. "Ugh...are we going to have to read all of those? Why can't we look it up online?"
"I tried but all the results were 50 different vampire romance novels." Tecna replies, "Don't worry, Stella, I have my super precise detector with me. Besides they ARE separated in sections, remember?"
"Well, it's still a lot of books," Stella says, rolling her eyes.
"I think I remember where it was," Bloom chimes in. They follow her through rows and rows of bookshelves, dodging the crooked ladders as some crows and bats echo outside. Flora looks up to one of the bats hanging on the chandelier and calls out to it. He hisses with glowing red eyes before flying outside.
"The bats in Gardenia aren't as friendly as they look.", she comments.
"You're implying they look nice and that's a big fat lie," Stella replies. "Anyways Tecna, found the book?"
"Yep. On the third shelf of this one," she replies, tapping the ladder on the bookshelf. Bloom thanks her and climbs up the ladder which creaks her steps. She runs her fingers against the books, grabbing the one Tecna points to. Bloom opens it, blowing out the dust which makes the others cough and sneeze as she flicks through the pages.
"Powers...ooh, girls watch out for any hypnosis beams..." They all nod and Bloom continues. "Blah blah...heightened senses...night vision...ooh vampire origins. Lord Dracula, vampire king and the first ever vampire. If he bites another person they become a vampire and thus inherit Dracula's powers and weaknesses. Remedies don't work."
"Ok, so what's the weaknesses?" Tecna asks.
"There are a couple of them," Bloom starts, "Firstly is garlic, pretty iconic if you ask me. Then there's holy water which also works on demons, silver bullets, and a stake to the heart."
"Wait, as in..." Flora lingers. Bloom shrugs while biting her lip at the implication.
"Anyways, we should get all those items and find that vampiric wizard."
"Ironic to find a tracker, wouldn't you say?"
The girls gasp and look over to a corner with a looming shadow of the vagabond. Gantlos steps out, his elven ears and sharp claws becoming more prominent.

"Oh hey..." Stella starts, "um...nice costume?"
"Not a costume!" Gantlos snarls, "And it seems you figured out what happened already..."
"Ok let's not make this difficult now," Flora starts, "Give us back Musa and Aisha's powers before we have to, say, beat you and keep you locked up okay?"
"Hmm, no. Besides, I'm not done," Gantlos growls. One of his hands starts glowing purple and blue magic as he raises it up, lifting a dozen books with him.
"How about we exchange books, Winx?"
"NOPE-" Bloom snaps before closing the vampire book shut. Gantlos throws the books at them in a rapid-fire manner, Tecna saving them in the nick of time thanks to her green webs shielding them.
"What's the plan?", she asks.
"It'd be too risky to fight up close and my dragon flame can burn the library. You guys distract Gantlos and I'll get out of here with the book.", Bloom replied. After the book storm is over, Flora, Stella and Tecna transform in their Believix form in a flutter of sparkles and Tecna releases the shield.

"We could use something to set the Halloween spirit," Flora giggles, blowing some flowers on the wooden floor and spouting some sentient pumpkin monsters. Their faces twist into glowing eyes and a grin and their vines stretch into a skeletal shape. The two of them run over to the vampire, but Gantlos scoffs and he starts wrestling them.
"Now Bloom! Run!" Flora tells her. Bloom nods and goes to the main door but Gantlos quickly snaps a spell to lock it. Bloom bangs on the magical barrier but shocks herself. "Dammit!" She glaces over at another area in the library and heads over there.
The pumpkin creatures try to restrain Gantlos but his sharp talons rip through their limbs with ease and he tears one of their heads right off. The girls gasp as the pumpkins' bodies go limb and the faint golden glow dims into nothingness. Gantlos chuckles as he prepares to throw the head. "Hope you like pumpkin purée!", he laughs before throwing the pumpkin at Flora at full-speed. It hits her and she almost crashes into the wall, covered in pumpkin seeds and goop.

"Gross..." Flora whines as she cleans herself up.
"Hey! Stop right there!" Stella shouts as Gantlos runs away from them. "Come on and fight us!"
He stops in his tracks, "You're not worth it." He runs again.
"Oh no, he's going for Bloom's dragon flame!" Tecna states. "Static sphere!" Tecna shoots a beam of multiple electric lights and traps Gantlos in a cage. He growls, glowing purple magic before punching the cage and getting out of it. The girls go after him and fly up. Stella almost hits the chandelier, which gives her an idea.
"Hey emo Van Helsing!", she calls out. Surprisingly, he turns around with an annoyed glance at Stella.
"Don't you think this room is too dark?", she starts, "Cover your eyes girls!" Stella summons a luminous ball of magic and it shines through in a million lights, she holds it close to the chandelier which reflects it and beams like the Northern star. Gantlos screams as he shields his eyes like Flora and Tecna.
"AAGH! YOU AND YOUR STUPID SUNLIGHT!", he snaps at Stella before using a spell to blend into the shadows, becoming one with them. Once the lights clear, Stella panics as neither she nor the others can find Gantlos.
"Oh god, where did he go?!" Tecna stutters. "And where's Bloom?!"