I am a thousand years old. A wizard. The lord of Evil. That could be enough, yet I'm so much more.
I look into the mirror and feel the urge to smile. It's more of a smirk when it escapes me. I've never had a thing for love or positivity but right now my dark and cold heart is filled with something similar to joy. It could be the excitement. It's the same feeling I get when I see someone struggle and beg for their life between my two palms. The same feeling that darkness gives me. Shadows. Seventeen years. I've been waiting for this moment for seventeen years. Almost eighteen. It's a shame that one person deserved so much attention and dedication from me. If it wouldn't be for my benefits I wouldn't waste a second for that person. For her. Nobody deserves my attention. Not longer than needed. Not longer than I want. Not seventeen years.
I take a deep breath and concentrate on my body. I love the feeling of being weightless, blending out my surroundings and going wherever I want whenever I want. I'm powerful. The most powerful and strong wizard that the magic dimensions have ever seen. Will see...
The gust of wind that blows through my hair tells me that I arrived. I open my eyes and there I am. Alfea. I've never liked this place. It is too positive, colorful, bright and good but she is here so I have to be here too. I can feel her presence. I always did and I know she does too. Wherever I went, she was always in the back of my head, her energy was all over my body. We were like two magnets who felt each other's tension, even from different dimensions. She doesn't know me but she will. She won't get rid of me. I can already feel the power of her fire. It is so hot that I'm almost scared she could burn me with just a glance. I will do anything to receive that glance from her. It's worth more than the thousand years I've spent with living.
Faragonda won't tolerate me for a second. She will do anything to beat me and send me off her precious little school that's filled with little, weak fairies. I know that she will sense my presence the second I enter the building. She wouldn't stand a chance against me but there is no need to announce myself in a way that would ruin the years of preparation. Everything would have been for nothing, if I would just walk in. I need to be more patient and observe. I've waited seventeen years. A few months more won't hurt me.
Bloom
"If you don't wake up right now I will throw a tantrum! You can't go to the ball in this cheap fabric that you call pajama!" I am awake, I can hear Stella but I'm too tired to open my eyes or stand up. All she did last night was talking about how excited she is about the ball and all the presents she will receive from the visitors and her father. Her father and this whole event mean a lot to her. That's why I sit up. I don't want to get on her nerves on such an important day. The less she gets mad, the better for all of us. We have to support her and act right. The girls must already be ready. Other than me. I always take the most time to get ready or wake up. I'm a sleepyhead and she knows that. Unfortunately she has no mercy and won't give me five more minutes. That's why I do her the favor and get up. "I will take a big nap after this all is over and don't you dare to stop me from it." I am serious. I need some rest after the endless weeks of fighting demons. She smiles and walks towards the large dressing room that every bedroom in this palace has. "After we survive this you can do whatever you want but as soon as you got your rest I will show you Solaria. You can't say no to that." She comes back with the dress she picked for me. It's blue and shiny, so elegant and perfect for me. With a lot of tulle. She knows exactly what I like and what fits me the most. Her sense of fashion is immaculate, the best and I trust her with every styling and makeover she does to me.
I slide my fingers over the soft fabric and get goosebumps but it's not because of the mesmerizing shimmer and quality of the dress. There is something else. I can feel this strong and dark energy around me. It's like a second layer of skin that I can't get rid of and I don't know where it's coming from. As if there's a shadow that's walking around me all the time. I can't even tell if it's a bad or a good feeling. It's powerful and makes me feel like my powers are stronger than usually but I feel like they would get out of control if I would use them. I didn't tell the girls about it because I don't want them to worry. Especially not when I don't even know where it's coming from. I don't want to manifest bad things and chaos. Today is Stella's day and I don't want to ruin that.
"I bet sky is already dying to see you in this dress. Or what's under that dress." She winks at me and I have to roll my eyes. "That poor man has only seen you in your fairy clothes for too long because of all the adventures we've gone through in the last weeks." She adds and she is right. I miss spending time with him like a normal teenager in a normal dimension. The only time we get to see each other is when we have to fight monsters, ugly creatures or the Trix. I can't wait to see him later. The only thing I want and need right now is a really big hug of him. Dancing with him at the ball in this palace will make up the past weeks of struggling and being apart.
I giggle. "He is. He is a lot more sensitive, jealous and aggressive since we got less time to spend together. It's really annoying him." Whenever I told him that I can't come to see him because miss Faragonda has tasks for us he would get really upset. I could relate because I missed him too but he is getting really impatient and it kind of starts to bother me because this behavior doesn't suit him at all.
I hear Stella giggle. "Oh, is he turning into a bad boy? I think I know what he wants." She raises her eyebrows and catches me off guard with that move. My cheeks turn pink immediately because I know very well what she means and that is embarrassing for me. "Oh my god, stop." I beg, wishing I could bury myself in the bed because this is a sensitive topic for me.
Sky and I didn't get intimate yet because I wasn't ready. I'm still not. I love him. A lot. He is my soulmate, the love of my life, the only one who I can see my future with but I'm not ready for intimate things yet. It's embarrassing to me and I don't know how to act when it comes to that. I want to wait until I'm really ready instead of being pushed to it or rushing it. He accepts and respects that I need time but I know that all he wants to do is show me his love in a different way. All my friends have already have done it and they're so experienced while I can't go further than French kissing and petting. It's not a problem to me since I like to take my time but I feel like Sky is getting more and more impatient.
"Okay, okay. I will leave you alone now. We'll be waiting for you in the ballroom. Hurry!" I'm glad she notices that I'm not comfortable with speaking about it and leaves the room.
I sigh and put on the dress. It fits perfectly, although it's a little too long because it covers my beautiful high heels. After doing my hair and makeup and looking at myself in the mirror one last time I walk down the big stairs that lead to the ballroom. On the way I notice that the dress is way too long so I have to lift it a little bit to see the stairs and my feet. I can barely see where I'm stepping so I'm going slow.
Stella would murder me if I would slip ad fall now. There's no chance I'm ruining this dress or my hair or anything else about my look. Everything has to be flawless for her tonight and I will give my best for it.
Unfortunately my last step fails at the end of the stairs and the bottom of my high heels slip on the polished marble ground. My heart skips a beat. No. I gasp and prepare myself to land on the cold marble with my face but someone grabs me. Two hands grab my arms and I freeze in the air. I hold my breath. Not because I'm surprised and relieved that I didn't fall. I feel some type of electricity run through my whole body and shiver when the feeling that I've been carrying around with me for a while gets stronger. It explodes inside me. That second skin layer feels like my own skin now. A burst of energy, power and magic inside me. My whole body is standing in flames. Not literally.
As soon as I am sure that my face won't collide with the floor and I can stand on my feet on these way too high, high heels that Stella chose for me, I get myself back together. The person already let my arm go but it feels like the hands are still there. His touch is burning like acid on my skin. The grip... it left marks. Permanent marks. Marks that nobody can see because they are transparent. Only I can feel them.
I turn around, ignoring my high blood pressure. It can't be just anybody because nobody would make me feel this way with just a simple touch. It felt like an exchange of energy. No. It was a feeling that brought chaos. There is a storm of fire inside me that I can't control. Something that could mess up all my emotions and feelings. My whole nervous system. There's chaos in my head.
I turn around.
A man. Long, blonde hair. Significant, angular face and big, blue eyes. Just like mine... I am so intimidated by the way he looks straight into my eyes without blinking for a moment that I'm at a loss of words. For a second I get scared that he can hear my heartbeat because it's so loud. Although I am wearing high heels, he is much taller than me. His wide shoulders make me feel like I'm being guarded. I try to ignore his scent because it is mesmerizing. It reminds me of cigars, wood and chocolate. He makes me think of a warm, wood house in a forest. Similar to home.
His long coat makes him look like a villain and his white shirt has no wrinkles. He is neat and noble. I can't tell what he is or which dimension he is from and I am afraid to ask. At the same time I feel like I already know him. It's like I've already seen him somewhere. Does he know me? He looks like he does. But from where? Does Stella know him? Someone here must know him because how else would he be able to get here?
The small smirk on the corner of his lips makes me feel like he can read my thoughts and that makes me feel uncomfortable. Is he enjoying my nervousness? It seems like that. He is scaring me. One of us needs to say something because I feel like I'm paralyzed.
It's been him. All this time. It must've been him because I can feel it. The cause of this energy that I felt around me from time to time came from him. It's stronger than ever now. I've never felt this powerful and I can't believe that he is the cause. I will not accept that because it seems illogical to me. It's impossible. There's no chance this stranger has something to do with me. I would know. It has to be something else.
Something in me wants to thank him for saving me from falling and just leave. Then there's this other side that wants to stay and figure out what it is with him because that's what I need to do. Will I be able to sleep if I don't figure out who he is and what this connection is? Even looking at him makes me shiver. I've never seen someone like him before. He's different than the people here. He doesn't fit in.
Sky and the girls are already waiting for me so I need to leave. That's why I want to move but he is faster than me. He just walks past me without saying a word. I couldn't even thank him. I couldn't speak and he probably found that disrespectful. I need to get myself back together.
I grab the fabric of my dress and quickly walk towards the ballroom. I can feel my hands burning so I let the fabric go. Stella wouldn't forgive me if I would show up with a burned dress.
"Wow, Bloom, you look so beautiful! I'm in love with your dress!" Stella looks at me as if she hasn't seen me in this dress before. She chose it and made sure I try it on multiple times before wearing it today.
I try to smile. I already promised myself I wouldn't ruin this for Stella but I can't stop thinking about the situation from earlier. His hands are still on me.
"I bet Sky's eyes will fall out!" Musa says and I notice how my cheeks get warm. "Thank you but I can give that back. You all look beautiful." I say but my mind wanders back to the end of the stairs.
The moment earlier only lasted a few seconds but it felt like forever. It isn't going to let me go.
"There he is!" Flora points at someone behind me and for a second my heart stops because for some reason I think that the tall man is back. I'm already paranoid or maybe that's what I really want. He is mysterious and I want to know more about him and what this energy means because his smirk told me he felt it too and he knows more than me.
But it's Sky who's coming towards us. Luckily. I exhale and walk towards him to meet him in the middle. I am so relieved because he is here. I didn't think that I would need him this much right now. It feels good to be in his arms after that little encounter. Am I exaggerating? I hope so. I don't want that man to stay in my mind. I want to forget about him and the tension I felt because I'm not ready for another adventure right now.
Maybe I should ask miss Faragonda about it.
"You are unbelievably beautiful, Bloom. This dress... your hair. I'm really lucky." He places his hands on my waist and I smile. This time it is a honest smile and that man is gone. I'm back with Sky. Exactly where I belong. The familiar warm feeling creeps up inside me and makes me feel comfortable. My hands are resting on his shoulders as we start to dance to the music that's playing softly. The ballroom of the palace of Stella's father is so beautiful that I can barely concentrate on Sky during the dance. The white curtains that are hanging from the high ceiling, the ancient art that is hanging on the walls, the chandeliers and the marble ground are perfect. Sky is dancing with me while Stella, who winks at me, is dancing with Brandon. I roll my eyes.
Sky's hand on my waist pulls me closer. I gasp and he wipes my hair out of my face with his other hands. His gentle touches are so calming and exciting. He loves to tease me.
"I missed this." He whispers, leaning his forehead against mine. Butterflies fill my belly. I close my eyes and feel the moment. "I missed being alone with you." I laugh because of that comment. "Sky, we're not alone." The most important citizens from Solaria, royal families from other dimensions and friends of them are here too. "Oh, really? I didn't notice." His sarcasm makes me laugh. He always makes me laugh. "Seriously. I want to be alone with you. Right now. Tonight. Tomorrow morning."His raspy voice makes me shiver. I open my eyes. He does the same and slowly backs off so he can look at my face and watch my reaction. I start to frown because I know exactly what he means but try to hide how this topic stresses me. I don't feel like talking about it. Especially now that Stella already annoyed me with it.
I don't know who I am. I don't know my parents. I don't know where they are or if they're even alive. My sister is lost. I can only see her in my dreams and at rare times. My whole existence and identity is a joke. I feel like I could be blown away by a simple whistle. I'm not ready to hand me over. Not in my purest form. No matter how much I love Sky, I'm not ready. It's hard to explain that I sometimes feel strange and lost in my body, my own skin but I hope he will understand.
I just wrap my arms around his neck and lean my head against his chest so I don't have to say anything about it. I want to leave it without a comment.
So I keep dancing with him. I am about to close my eyes again when I notice someone staring at me.
That man.
He is standing next to a group of people. My mind drifts away. I look away. I can't stand his intimating glance that I can feel deep in my bones. He is the fuel for my fire. I know that. That's why I lean my head against Sky's chest, hoping I can hide behind his body.
Valtor
I enter the palace with quick steps. My legs and feet are faster than my mind. I can't control them or what's going on inside me.
I've been observing her for so long. I've waited almost eighteen years, just for her powers to develop to the maximum, so I could finally fulfill my plans.
Then I touched her.
And forgot about everything I ever wanted.
Now everything inside me is upside down. I hate this feeling and I want to get rid of it but I have to see and confront her more often from now on. I will touch her more and speak to her. I need to clear my mind for that. Otherwise it will be difficult for me to concentrate.
"Already back home? Seems like your plans with little Bloom didn't work out, huh?" Icy laughs. I hate her laugh and I hate her voice but she is good to use. Stormy and Darcy are just as annoying as her but at least she is attractive. Besides that, this palace is my home. They are only being tolerated by me until I am done with them.
"Shut up." I pour myself a drink in my glass and don't look at her while she comes closer. Her presence is like a cold pressure that you can always feel.
"These little girls are getting on my nerves and you are being too slow. We could have already destroyed them with our powers that we collected and combined but we can't because of you. Maybe we should start going on our own." She is talking too much. Saying the wrong things. Provoking and testing me.
I turn around to her with a quick move and look down at her. She smirks, glad that I finally look at her. She wants my attention and thinks that betraying me will help but it's something else that bothers me. Something else that caught my attention. I can see that she is satisfied, now that she got my attention but only until I tightly grab her face and walk towards her, forcing her to walk backwards. "Listen to me, you little whore..." She isn't amused by my tight grip and the way I talk to her. She is as prideful as me. Maybe even more. Her ego is bigger than her heart that is made of ice but I will melt it. She won't be cold enough anymore to freeze anything.
"I don't care about these little girls. Do whatever you want with them. You, Stormy, Darcy, go and do what you have to do but Bloom..." I can feel the goosebumps all over my body when I say her name.
"You leave her to me. If you touch her, I will cut your hands off and you won't be able to use your powers or do any other shit ever again. Do you understand?" It's not a thread, it's a warning. I'm serious. I'm ready to cut her hands off, if she lays hands on her. I could lock her into a lost dimension but she would find a way out. As stubborn as she is.
She nods and I let her go roughly. I turn back to my drink and chug it.
"Ugh, there's no need to be so rude! What is wrong with you?" She leaves the room and I take a deep breath.
That is the right question. What is wrong with me?
It was just overwhelming to touch her and see her look at me like a scared deer.
Her eyes. They consumed me.
I felt like I looked into my own eyes.
She is only seventeen. So close to become eighteen. She seems so fragile and small but she isn't. She is carrying the power of the dragon who created this universe inside her heart.
I don't love her. That's not what this feeling is about. It's not even similar to that.
No. That's a lie.
I love her. I hate her. I love her. I hate her.
No. I've been waiting for years to destroy her. The princess of Domino. I took her home, her planet, her dimension and her parents. Now it's her turn. Not even a piece of dust will be left of her and her family. I will cut the bloodline off and fulfill my prophecy. That's what I'm here for. Revenge. Not love. I will not fight her, I will wait until she wants to fight me. She will cause war. Not me.
Bloom
A week later we are back in Alfea. I missed my room and the campus. Most importantly... I need to see miss Faragonda.
"Hey, Bloom, where are you going? We just arrived?" Tecna asks. "I need to ask miss Faragonda something. I'll be right back!" I literally run to her office, not minding how tired I am from the traveling. This needs to get done now.
I knock on her door and walk in as soon as she tells me to. She isn't alone. She is sitting with a man. "Hello, Bloom. Welcome back! How was Solaria?" She asks, as happy as always. She is our sunshine and our source of motivation and positivity. Without her, things would go downhill and we would be lost. It's such a blessing to have such a wise woman as a mentor, professor and friend. She's also one of the most important people in my life.
I swallow. "It was really good. We had a good time and... am I bothering?" I ask because I feel like I'm interrupting something. "I'm glad to hear that and no, you aren't. Let me introduce you to professor Avalon. He is here to help students like you to work on your powers and you will take classes with him from tomorrow on." She says and professor Avalon smiles at me. I smile back. He seems like a young but experienced and disciplined professor.
Students like me...
Who are struggling because they barely come forward and never are as far and as good as their friends. Untalented.
"Welcome to Alfea, I can't wait to practice with you." I nod into his direction and he nods back. "The pleasure is mine, Bloom.", he says. He is nice and I'm not receiving any bad energy from him. Other than from another people...
"Is there anything you want to say?" Miss Faragonda asks in the right moment and I change my mind. I will not ask her about him yet. Maybe I will get over it and maybe the feeling that I still carry around will fade as well. It's not the time now. Maybe I'll stop feeling his energy around me.
"No, I just wanted to say hello. I'll go back to the others. Nice to meet you, professor Avalon." I wave and leave her office before she can stop me.