Dreamworks Rise of the Guardians x Winx Club Crossover

Chapter 43: The Ethereal Interpreter P2

Flashback History Piece for Melody Realm 
On Melody, in the city of Suono 
Week before Winx Club Season 4 Episode 1. 

The Elvish Interpreter woman was also the Fairy of Fluff and a best friend of Nabu's mother. All through the year, she would depart from Elvira, her home, and move to one realm for just one day, offering her interpretation classes, bringing and gifting her light into the darkened lives of the oppressed. Wherever she traveled, white light continued to follow her every step of her journey, never lagging behind as it never should. This year, she came to Melody, the second most populated city of Suono, into a very spacious treehouse at the heart of the city where many fireflies nestled in the treetop leaves, attracted to the white light that never left her side. It was no ordinary treehouse, and the spiral rooms around it were no ordinary rooms. Unlike the Fairies of Solaria, who had outer world sunshine clarity with their light powers, Alluria's most difficult task was to bring her light into the darkness of the inner self of other people. She was the most empathetic elven Muse one could hope to meet.

"Hey, Alice," her mother's voice drifted softly from the dim confines of her study, a place typically steeped in the relentless pursuit of ancient tales. It was an unusual moment, for she was a historian scribe, a keeper of narratives who rarely paused to breathe. "You and your sister, Cymbal, have been summoned to meet the Interpreter, a traveler from the ethereal realms, who graces Melody today. She tarries only for a fleeting twenty-four hours. Having woven her words for two young souls, she has now chosen you both to converse within the sanctuary of her treehouse. Here is her letter, and a map to guide your steps."

Alice, the Fairy of White Noises, approached, her heart quickening as she accepted the delicate parchment. As she unfolded the papers, the map unfurled like a whisper of the unknown.

"This trail, Mother... it is fraught with peril," Alice murmured, her brow creased with concern. The map's jagged edges hinted at challenges lurking in the shadows, promising both risk and revelation.

"If trials were absent, the wisdom of the Interpreter's words wouldn't feel earned, Alice," her mother replied, her voice imbued with a rich sincerity that felt almost tangible. "Remember, dear heart, that guidance lies not far from you and your sister. You must embark on this journey together; the light of the Interpreter's insights will illuminate your path like stars scattered across the night sky."

With a resolute nod, Alice recognized the gravity hidden in her mother's words. This journey, a tapestry woven with danger and discovery, was one she and Cymbal must undertake alone.

"Very well, Mother. I shall protect Cymbal," Alice declared, her voice steady, an oath woven with patience and self-discipline.

She left her home unburdened by possessions, trusting the journey would provide for them. Tying her wild curls, the hue of sunlit tangelos, into a loose ponytail, Alice grasped her little sister's free arm. Cymbal, a sprightly spirit with hair the color of rich earth, held tightly to a small cache of provisions, their lifeline in the wild.

Hand in hand, they stepped into the embrace of the world beyond, two sisters bound by purpose, ready to weave their own story amidst the whispers of the mysterious trail ahead.

Meanwhile, in the present moment, Bloom approached Electra as she emerged from her meditation, the air still shimmering with the remnants of her serene focus. "Tecna and Aisha need us in the simulation test; we've got a magical hijacker," Bloom said decisively, urgency threading through her voice. "A Shame Influencer is attacking our students."

The word "shame" echoed in the hollow of the room, and Electra's eyes widened, a flicker of realization igniting within her. Bloom was taken aback by the intensity of her response.

"Shame?!" Electra gasped, the tremor in her voice betraying the turmoil within. The thought of facing a villain who would unearth her deepest insecurities sent a wave of dread coursing through her. The mask she had so carefully maintained began to crack, the haunting memory of Centopian surfacing. It had been there, raw and jagged, when she caught sight of Panthea's scorn toward her General Garggonna, a mirror reflecting her own mother, Aria's relentless pressure. The burden to never succumb to defeat had sculpted a facade that was now crumbling, revealing the unwanted identity birthed from her fear of loss.

With a grip of determination, Electra recalled how both she and Valtor, alongside Panthea, had all loathed the concept of losing. Ogron had exposed a fissure within her carefully crafted shame screen, knocking away an eighth of its layers. The disconcerting parallels between her actions and those of her late adversary, Valtor, gnawed at her, a painful echo of recognition.

"Come on!" Electra urged, pulling Bloom into the holographic room where Tecna awaited, her fingers dancing over the interface as she scanned them into the simulation. As they stepped in, Zammeria, cloaked in shadows, sensed their presence. Malice dripped from her demeanor, her arrogance palpable as she exuded an air of disdain.

"Mirage 5, go attack Alice in her trial!" Zammeria ordered with a venomous hiss, and the illusion vanished, a silent threat already set in motion. "I guess it's time to test the mettle of your Winx teachers," she added, her voice dripping with insidious glee.

"NO!" Marzia protested, the Fairy of Playfulness struggling against the circumstances around them.

"Enough of your complaining!" Zammeria sneered, gathering a pulsing sphere of crimson dark energy. "Whirlwind of Woes!"

With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed the chaotic storm, a tempest of dark red energy spiraling outward. Shadows swirled ominously, disorienting anyone caught within as they felt their hopes dampen and their resolve waver.

Emerging from the shadows, Zammeria stood waiting in front of the students' cages with a calculated smirk for the two Winx. She bent low, hands pressed against the earth, channeling her sinister magic. "Charmed Catastrophe!" she declared. Instantly, the ground shuddered, transforming the environment into utter chaos.

Suddenly, the terrain itself appeared to warp. Thick, gnarled roots shot up from the ground, snaking across their paths and creating a maze of obstacles. Jagged rocks jutted out threateningly, tripping and hindering their movements. Larger boulders tumbled down from unseen heights, blocking vital paths and forcing them to navigate around dangerous debris. Zammeria cackled at their struggle, confident in her traps.

"No! We need to reach our students!" Bloom shouted, trying to push aside a massive stone blocking their way.

"Stay focused!" Electra replied, her heart racing as she maneuvered around sharp roots that threatened to snag her feet. "We must work together to find a way through this madness!"

"What a delightful mess!" Zammeria crooned, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes as she watched them struggle. "Let's see how well you truly perform against despair and shame! You'll have to save your precious students without relying on your magic!"

Her laughter echoed through the disarray, a chilling promise of the trials that lay ahead as Bloom and Electra braced themselves for the physical challenges ahead, determined to rescue their students amidst the chaos.

To be continued. . .