Fate The Winx Saga | Season 3 Episode 3 | Behind the Mask (2)

 

RISE OF DARKNESS

In the castle within the frozen forest, Bloom stood alongside her mother.

On a central table rested the Codex, catching the shadow's attention as he admired it. "At last, it has begun," he remarked. Two Codex's were present there, one from Lynphea and the other from the Realm of Darkness. Only three more pieces were needed to complete their collection.

Bloom sought clarity, asking why the Codex's were necessary. And asked them about the plan, she knew the plan was to get all five Codex's but she didn't know why.

Marion and Ogron exchanged glances before Ogron began to explain. He acknowledged Bloom's role in delivering the second piece of the Codex, earning her the right to know the complete plan.

"To create the most powerful artifact of the Otherworld, known as the 'Winter Star,' we require all five Codex pieces. It holds power opposite to that of the Dragon Flame, making it the strongest relic in our realm," Marion clarified.

Curious, Bloom inquired further about the purpose of the Winter Star. Ogron's response was unexpected: "To resurrect Valtor."

Surprised, Bloom questioned the possibility of resurrecting someone who supposedly died a thousand years ago.

Ogron corrected her, revealing that although Valtor was defeated, he didn't perish a millennium ago. Ogron recounted Valtor's history after the First Dominion, detailing his fall and capture at the hands of Solaria's king, Oritel. Oritel defeated Valtor but he did not kill him. Oritel's actions stripped Valtor of his powers, leaving him imprisoned with no magic. However, Valtor was prisoner of the Solarian king for only a small time, until Ogron rescued him and they went into hiding.

A turning point arrived when they discovered a spell to stop aging, enabling Valtor to survive the centuries. He became immortal. However, it was a life with no powers, his desperation for power led him down a dark path, he started to make magic on his own by sacrificing on Humans and Blood. He was experimenting with magic that resulted in the creation of blood witches. He was the first blood witch. Valtor's influence grew, drawing more fairies to his cause and forming an army of Blood Witches. His life ended at Aster Del, by the hands of Rosalind.

Although the shadow can resurrect Valtor as well but 'The Winter Star' could bring Valtor back, not just as a mere reanimation but with his original powers amplified a hundred times, he would be the most powerful fairy in the Otherworld.

Bloom, marked by Valtor's symbol, found herself intrigued, prepared to complete the task to resurrect Valtor, thus fulfilling the destiny set in motion by the mark upon her. Ready to give an ending to the story that started a thousand years ago.

ALFEA

Stella, Musa, and Aisha gathered near the barrier, waiting for Riven and Terra to join them for their journey to Melody.

"What is taking them so long?" Stella's frustration was evident.

Finally, Terra and Riven appeared.

"Finally," Stella exclaimed, her impatience turning into relief.

"Sorry, had to give Silva an excuse," Riven explained their delay.

As they approached the barrier, Musa went ahead and was first to try to go outside the barrier but she couldn't.

"What the hell, it's solid!" Musa exclaimed in surprise. Stella and Aisha approached as well. They couldn't pass through. The barrier was solid.

Everyone was confused when Headmaster Avalon appeared.

"Hello students," he greeted.

Terra inquired, "What's wrong with the barrier?"

"It's solid. No one is allowed to leave Alfea," Headmaster Avalon explained.

Stella questioned, "What? Why?"

The headmaster elaborated, "Instructed by Queen Luna, we're imposing curfews due to the dangers in the Otherworld. To leave, you'll need parental permission and follow a procedure."

Stella responded, "But that's crazy!"

Headmaster Avalon remained firm, "I'm sorry, but you'll have to follow the procedure. However, given that you're organizing the Back to Alfea party, you might want to stay here."

After his explanation, the headmaster left.

Riven asked, "What do we do now?"

Stella reassured them, "Don't worry, I have another idea."

Back at the winx suite, everyone gathered in the lounge, waiting for Stella to return from her room. She emerged with a mixture of fear and confusion.

"I can't find it," Stella confessed.

Musa inquired, "Can't find what?"

Stella's tension was evident as she explained, "When we went to Eraklyon, Prince Theron gave us the transportation cube of Eraklyon so we could come here. I hid it in my drawer, and now I can't find it."

Musa had a realization, "Wait, when I was alone in the suite, I heard a noise from your room. I think somebody took it."

Stella wondered, "Who would do such a thing?"

Terra's conclusion was grim, "So this means we really have no way out."

SHADOW'S MIND

"So, you guys have just been hiding in this cave ever since you arrived here," Aisha asked, seeking clarification.

"That's pretty much the situation," Beatrix replied. "You both should consider yourselves lucky that I found this hiding spot. Otherwise, we might not have survived. Did you notice all those skeletons in the forest? They're the remains of people the shadow controlled. He brought their souls here and kept them captive until they died, at least that's what I think."

"Well, that's definitely not reassuring," Aisha said, fear tinged her words. The urgency to escape this place was evident in their expressions.

The cave, though vast, wasn't boundless. Aisha rose and began to explore, eventually stopping in front of a wall. Sky noticed her abrupt pause against a wall and inquired about it. "What's wrong?", He asked.

"Nothing much, my powers they just gave me a feeling of 'water' behind this wall. There's something more here," Aisha explained.

Beatrix said. "What are you talking about? The cave ends there, there's nothing behind it."

"Wait a moment," Aisha responded, her focus on harnessing her water powers. Her powers allowed her to connect with water on the other side of wall, she used her powers and magnified the water sensation and then pulled it towards her, using it to break through the wall. The water was so much and with so much intensity that it easily broke the wall. Her intuition proved correct—the cave extended beyond the wall.

Beatrix's astonishment was noticeable.

Aisha took the lead, following the new passage she had revealed. Sky and Beatrix followed, their desperation for escape mingled with fear. Maybe they could find an escape from this new discovery.

Aisha suddenly hushed them, having detected a noise. Taking cover behind a rock, she surveyed the scene ahead. She saw three shadows, they were eating human flesh from dead bodies and drinking their blood. This awful sight shocked and disturbed Aisha, causing her terror to intensify. Luckily, she remained hidden, invisible to the shadows. Hiding behind a rock.

Seeing Aisha's reaction, Beatrix and Sky inquired about what she had witnessed. Aisha gestured for them to retreat quietly, a warning against alerting the shadows. However, as Beatrix stepped on a branch, the resulting noise caught the shadows' attention. They noticed Aisha's presence.

"Run!" Aisha shouted, the urgency evident. Beatrix and Sky caught sight of the pursuing shadows, which were distinctly different from the one they had encountered before. These shadows moved with a zombie-like gait, adding to their scary nature. They were walking like zombies but were not as slow as one would see in movies.

Aisha, Beatrix, and Sky dashed out of the caves, avoiding the forest due to its dangerous inhabitants. Sky voiced their uncertainty about their next move.

"Follow me," Beatrix commanded, leading the way onward. The trio's determination to escape the shadows' clutches pushed them forward.

ALFEA

Nightfall had draped Alfea in an enchanting glow, setting the scene for the "Back to Alfea" party. The main hall filled with vibrant decorations as music was been played, infusing the air with a festive spirit. The hall was alive with dancing and laughter. The DJ's beats resonated, guiding the rhythm of the night. A table with drinks and punches stood ready, inviting the attendees to indulge.

A unique theme adorned the event: Masquerade, everyone was given a mask at the time of their entry.

Stella and Musa stood in a quiet corner, taking in the spectacle with admiration. Dressed beautifully, Stella wore an ethereal blue gown, while Musa wore a striking dark red gown. Their masks, corresponding with their outfits, added a touch of mystique to their appearance.

"I'm still amazed at how you managed to pull all of this together in such a short time," Musa complimented, her admiration evident.

Stella chuckled, a twinkle in her eye. "Well, it's just my special skill, and of course, everyone pitched in, I couldn't have done it without all you guys."

Musa glanced around, feeling the need for refreshment. "I could use a drink. I'll be right back," she said before excusing herself. As she went to grab a drink, Riven suddenly came, catching Musa's attention. He seemed eager to speak, but Musa, being a mind fairy already felt that he was here to apologize, "Please, there's no need to apologize again," she interrupted, her voice gentle yet firm.

Before Riven could reply, something happened to Musa. Her eyes glowed as if she was channeling magic. Riven noticed.

Riven asked, curious. "What's the matter?"

Musa's eyes turned pink, an indication of her heightened focus on her magical abilities. "I'm sensing a strong sense of darkness from that direction," she said, gesturing toward the door.

As her magical sense sharpened, Musa was able to concentrate on the source of this darkness—an unfamiliar figure with red hair looking right towards Musa, wearing black attire and a striking red leather jacket. The person's black mask momentarily slipped, and Musa was taken aback—it was Bloom!

The realization struck her like lightning before the figure concealed her face again and slipped out of Alfea.

Barely comprehending the situation, Musa exclaimed, "Oh my god, it's Bloom." Suddenly Bloom put her mask back on and went outside. Musa's urgency compelled her to rush outside, with Riven following her. The party was huge, taking place both inside and outside.

EARTH

Terra was at the greenhouse. Her heart swelled with joy as her father, who had been away, stood by her side once more. He was back. Her happiness was beyond, and she was elegantly dressed in a light pink gown for the 'Back To Alfea' party. She and her father were working on something important.

Father and daughter shared a moment, their focus directed toward a joint task. A virtual presence, Flora, appeared on a screen before them. She was video chatting with them and helping them. Across the digital connection, she guided Terra and her father through the process. Their objective was clear: making a potion meant to cure someone possessed by a shadow. This is the reason why Harvey was back. Silva had called him after his last encounter with the shadow. Silva knew it wont be long before shadow starts controlling students so he insisted for Harvey to come back and work on making a potion to cure fairies from shadow's dark possession. Flora's involvement in this was due to her collaboration with Lady Griselda, working together with Harvey to bring the potion to life.

Although Terra was engaged in the potion-making process, she also working on a personal project. With skill and determination, she crafted a unique item – a pair of glasses designed to detect the presence of dark magic. This process was common knowledge among fairies. They mix a few magical chemicals and after a long process, they make a powder, then they pour that powder on something like glasses, afterwards those glasses can help one detect dark magic. Terra's motivation was straightforward, there was only one reason she was making this item: to use this invention to see if her and Grey's fears of Aisha are true or not, could she be possessed by the shadow, if she is then Terra must know in order to help her.

However, undoing the Shadows spell required an entirely different mixture, necessitating a diverse array of ingredients. Of utmost importance was the aid of light fairies in this process. Shadows thrived in darkness, its powers are of nothing but darkness. Light is the opposite to that. Darkness can undo Light spells and Light can undo Dark. So, it was necessary to have Light fairies, as their magic was one of the ingredients of this potion. Which is why there were already a few Light fairies sitting beside them and watching the process, waiting for their cue so they can be done with this and go back to the party. Kat was present as well, she was assisting Terra in making the glasses.

"Done," Terra exclaimed, her sense of achievement undeniable. Her father, his pride shining through, gazed at her with profound affection. With the task accomplished, Terra decided to go back to the party, to check whether the powder work or not and the test subject would be Aisha. Gently, she infused the powder into a pair of glasses and placed them on her face. Both Kat and Terra went back to the party to find Aisha.

LIGHT

Back at the lively party, everyone was enjoying themselves, and Stella was thrilled with how well the event was going. Just as she was considering heading for another drink, an unexpected turn of events unfolded. Someone swiftly took hold of her hand and guided her to a quieter spot, ensuring she couldn't call for assistance by covering her mouth.

Stella was taken aback, but her surprise quickly turned to relief as she recognized the person—it was Brandon. "Brandon, my goodness, what are you doing here?" she inquired, her initial confusion giving way to recognition.

However, the situation took a sharp twist when Brandon unexpectedly took out a knife and held it close to Stella's throat. His expression was charged with anger as he pressed for information. "Tell me exactly where my sister is," his voice seething with frustration.

Gathering her courage, Stella sought to clarify, even as the proximity of the knife was unsettling. "Brandon, you've misunderstood. It's not me—it's my mother. She's the one who took Isobel," she explained, her voice quivering under the tension.

Unfazed by her explanation, Brandon's urgency persisted. "I don't care who's responsible. Just tell me her location.". All Brandon cared about was getting back his sister.

Facing the gravity of the situation, Stella opted for transparency, despite her unease. "Isobel is... at Lynphea. My mother intends to use the abilities of the Lynpheans to find out more about Isobel's powers," she shared, her words rapid, the knife still a concern.

Brandon's scepticism was evident, yet he departed without further words, his agitation apparent. Stella felt a need to address something before he left. "Wait, Brandon, how long have you been at Alfea?"

Brandon's response was guarded, his tone indicating reluctance. "Why does that matter to you?"

Stella seized upon a significant revelation. "Our headmaster established a protective barrier around the college. Unauthorized entry or exit is restricted."

Brandon must have arrived before the barrier was fully implemented. However, Brandon didn't care what Stella said and decided to go out anyways, seeing for himself what she was talking about. Stella hesitated but decided to follow him. She thought he might require assistance in breaching the barrier, and she felt responsible for helping him considering everything that happened to his sister because of her. She still felt guilty, although it was her mother's fault but Stella thought she should have been more cautious when she asked for her mother's help, she should have known by now that her mother always has other motives. She would never just want to help her daughter.

MIND

Musa and Riven stepped outside. There stood Bloom, moving towards a empty place. Musa followed, ignoring Riven's attempt to stop her. Bloom was now in a secluded spot, with Sky present.

Musa approached. "Bloom, are you alright?" she asked.

"Sorry, Musa, but I'm in charge here," Bloom stated, her tone assertive. "Tell me where the Codex is."

"In Melody," Musa replied.

"No, I mean the one inside Alfea," Bloom clarified.

"There's a Codex in Alfea?" Musa was surprised by this revelation.

"Yes, and you'll tell me exactly where it is," Bloom demanded.

"But I don't know, honestly," Musa confessed.

"I'm aware you don't know, which is why I need you to find out. I'm heading to the party, and if I don't have the Codex location within an hour, I'll set the school on fire, friends included," Bloom warned.

"You wouldn't do that," Musa protested.

"Try me," Bloom retorted.

Riven attempted to reach out to Sky. But there was no point.

"Don't bother, this isn't Sky. Trust me, I'm disappointed too. This is just an empty shell," Bloom said.

"Oh, and before I leave, I would advice you to start your search by asking Silva, he knows more then you think", Bloom said and left with Sky. This is the reason why the shadow was after Silva and why he didn't want to possess Silva but wanted Silva to work with him willingly so he could tell the location of Alfean codex.

LITTLE STORM

Sky and Aisha trailed after Beatrix as she led them away from the dark forest and cave. After a while, they arrived at their destination—a tower that stood tall and imposing. Having spent more time in this place than Sky and Aisha, Beatrix was familiar with the tower. She had seen it a few times but never went inside. The three of them entered its confines, seeking refuge from the pursuing shadows. The cave they had left behind was no longer a secure sanctuary.

Once inside the tower, they shut the door tightly behind them, hoping to stave off any immediate threats. Overwhelmed by the recent events, Aisha exclaimed, "What in the world was that?"

Beatrix offered a thoughtful explanation, "They're likely servants of the shadow, strategically positioned to ensure that no one escapes this realm—or whatever this place is."

Determined to find a way out, Sky urged them, "We can't stay put. There must be something here that can help us. Let's search, everyone."

With a collective effort, they began scouring their surroundings. Aisha's disappointment was evident as she remarked, "There's literally nothing here."

Beatrix concurred, "Just a lot of dirt."

Amid the search, Sky sensed something amiss. Drawn by an intuition, he approached a stone that concealed a hidden passage. As he attempted to investigate further, a shadow materialized before him, prompting him to get back. Beatrix and Aisha quickly noticed his reaction. The shadow advanced, inching closer. Beatrix spotted a staircase, and without hesitation, they ascended, hoping to escape the relentless advance of the shadows. The shadows seemed to multiply, emerging from within the tower itself. They were hiding in the tower just like the caves.

Ascending the stairs in haste, Beatrix, Sky, and Aisha continued to run. Eventually, they reached a door, a gateway to the tower's roof. Stepping onto the roof, they sealed the door behind them, briefly feeling a sense of safety. However, this place offered no true safety. Gazing below, they saw a myriad of unearthly creatures gathering. Their safety and relief was short-lived as some shadows began to climb the tower from the outside, determined to reach the rooftop.