Born to Die (Winx Club x Oc)

Chapter 16.

I looked around in confusion, finding myself alone in a complete void of darkness. Everything around me was cloaked in shadows as the air hung heavy with an oppressive silence, broken only by the faint echo of my own breaths, shallow and ragged. With each hesitant step I took, the ground beneath me seemed to shake, as if the ground was very alive and breathing.

"Hello?!" I called out, unsure if I wanted a reply back or not. I don't know what would scare me most, if someone was here with me or if I was all alone here in this void of darkness. I ventured deeper into the abyss, my heart hammering in my chest. And then, from the darkness, I felt watched and as I looked around I made eye contact with the piercing red eyes I feared the most.

My worst nightmare.

Normally I felt the comfort of someone inside of me, watching over me as I soon found out it was the legendary Dragon. But now it was like I was all alone, being watched by the evil eyes that were fixated on me with hunger that sent shivers down my spine. I held my hand out, in hopes of casting a single spell to defend myself somehow when I didn't feel the familiar warmth of my magic, something I felt empty without.

I was alone.

I tried to run, my legs moving on their own accord but it was as if my legs were stuck to the ground. Panic surged through my veins, overwhelming me as the eyes drew nearer as if knives were trying to kill me. Just as it seemed like all hope was lost, I felt my nightmare fading.

At long last, it felt like I emerged from the depths of my nightmare, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I blinked back the remnants of my tears. I found myself in the warmth of my bed and felt two arms wrapped around me, pulling me in the comfort of a hug, and with trembling hands, I held onto them.

"Alethea? What is going on?" I heard Stella ask softly, worry clear from her tone as I heard footsteps near us.

"Alethea.." Flora ran to my side along with the others, I opened my mouth, trying to form the words but nothing came out.

I couldn't breathe.

Tears streamed down my face,

"She's hyperventilating." I heard murmurs around me but I drowned them all out.

Breathe in, breathe out.

"It was just a nightmare." I mumbled to myself. "But it felt so real, so.. suffocating."

Flora reached out a comforting hand, squeezing my shoulder reassuringly. "You're safe now, Alethea. We're here for you." With gentle encouragement, I motioned for my friends to join me, where we huddled together, a comforting friendship against the darkness and I felt a sense of peace wash over me until I had the courage to speak up about how I felt.

"There was something hovering over me." I confessed as I hugged my pillow close. "Tearing at my mind, it felt so real."

After all, I could never be able to forget such negative energy.

Tecna laid a comforting hand on my shoulder, looking just as worried as the others. "Sounds like you need a calming spell and a warm cup of milk."

"She'll be fine." Musa gave my hand a gentle squeeze before standing up. "Try to get back to sleep and wake us up if something happens."

Saying that, they went back to their own rooms as Stella went back to bed across from mine. Even as I tried to fall asleep, thinking it might be a dream, I couldn't ignore the growing sense of unease gnawing at my soul about the nightmare I had. It felt like someone was pressing down on me, draining my strength and vitality.

Is it wrong for me to be so on edge?

Suddenly, I heard ragged gasps from the bed across from mine. My eyes snapped open and I looked to see Stella, breathing heavily, I wasted no time and ran to her side when she let out a loud scream, already hearing the others enter our room.