Pick on someone your own size

Hi, I know it's been ages since I have updated this story. More than a year, I think. ^^' But finally I am getting back on track. My apologies for the long wait. Enjoy the chapter! - QueenNothingness

This was spiraling out of control. And not just a little bit. Willow groaned as she prodded at the back of her head with numb fingers, the pain that was radiating from there close to unbearable.

She had been knocked out but a second, at least, that is what she assumed. The white noise that had seemed to fill her head made way for a bunch of warring voices, one clearly the angriest.

And she knew whose voice that was. Liatris.

Her friend had looked scared, confused, terrified was a better word for it. She'd never forget the horror that filled Liatris' expression when Willow had felt something strike her in the back of her head, her wings momentarily frozen in shock.

She remembered falling and falling... And Liatris' bloodcurling scream.

'Good, you are awake.' The silverblue haired girl turned her head to look at Tecna, whose face was set in a grim expression, her jaw set with worry. 'What is going on?' The fairy of silverlight asked, standing up and dusting herself of, only now seeing the rubyred barrier that crackled around her.

That kept her safe.

'Liatris, that is what is going on.' Layla offered, checking Willow over. 'And if you do not intervene, I fear what she will do.'

Willow's face changed, her eyebrow raising in confusion. 'What do you mean?' Only than did the voices above them take amplor, Liatris' furious voice clearly heard over the other two ones.

Bloom and...?

'Calm down?! You want me to calm down, Bloom?' Willow heard Liatris sneer, the clouds dissipating as her friend became visible, rubyred power seeping from her and crackling angrily around her.

'She attacks my best friend and almost kills her. She lets her fall for hundreds of feet without a care.' Liatris bristled, fists clenched, Bloom holding up her hands as she tried to keep the peace between Liatris and another girl.

A witch?

'A fall Willow would not have survived if I had not intervened. Not that you would care.' Liatris snapped again, and Willow can only imagine her best friend's lips curling back in disgust.

'You want me to calm down?! Oh, I will.' Liatris chuckled darkly, and that was both Willow's and the rest of the Winx' cue to fly up and try to intervene.

'Selena and I have a score to settle, Bloom.' Liatris said again, a dark laugh falling from her lips. Bloom's face became one of horror and worry as Selena's eyes went wide as saucers, her entire body radiating extreme fear.

Liatris cracked her fingers, her power crackling around and from her, all the stars on her body, the ones underneath her collarbone and the ones on her wrists, burning an angry, so angry rubyred.

'Oh, I will calm down. Once she has payed the price.'

And to think but a few days ago everything went fine. Bloom was MIA for a while, so were the Winx, but Liatris and Willow did not think too much of it. It was easy to forget, with all their classes, homework, the endless hours of trying to get their powers under control.

And as the weeks bled into months, the Winx, unbeknowst to Liatris involved in the Legendarium world and gaining yet another transformation, life seemed to go on normally at Alfea.

Yes, the Professors took some precautions, but nothing too radical, so it was easy to dive into the mundane flow of life at the magical school, their days filled with endless homework and tests.

It was on such an afternoon, that Liatris finally understood she was much more implicated than she thought.

'Winxology is starting again, apparently.' Lein offered to them that afternoon, the three girls sitting outside, studying for their History class. 'The Winx are back?' Willow asked, her confused expression crossing that of Liatris.

Their class had temporarily been suspended, as the Winx had other things to attend to, even though no one at the school, bar the teachers and headmistress, knew what that exactly meant.

'Well, if they are returning, I suppose that means the threat they are facing is currently under control. We haven't seen Cloud Tower in months either.' Willow hummed, looking up at the clouds, deep in thought.

Liatris shrugged, not too interested in her ex-best friend's current predicament.

'I guess we'll see.' With that the subject was closed, since they knew anything to do with Bloom was still a sore subject for Liatris, though she and the fairy of the Dragonflame were at least civil to each other.

And Cloud Tower not appearing?

Yeah, Willow had been wrong about that as well.

'I wish you had never mentioned it.' Lein chuckled, as they sat in the auditorium, Headmistress Faragonda giving them the rundown it had been witches who had attacked them.

Though the Winx had defeated them and the pixies were free now, so that was at least one good thing.

'I jinxed it, didn't I?' Liatris grinned at her best friend, patting her on the shoulder. 'I guess you did, but we would have had to anticipate the return of Cloud Tower sooner or later.' The fairy of silverlight gave her friend a thankful smile, not feeling the several gazes that were trained on her and Liatris.

'Liatris and Willow, can you come to the Headmistress' office, please?' Liatris and Willow shared a look, but did as asked, as both said goodbye to Lein and followed Griselda.

Liatris felt her hackles rise when not only all the Winx were there, but also a group of Specialists (including Etran and Iorias) and Paladins. Liatris' gave Etran a small wave, but the easygoing boy seemed grim and worried to say at the very least.

'What did we do?' Willow asked, meaning it in a joking way, but she could not stop herself from feeling chastisted. 'Liatris, do you remember someone named Selena?' Faragonda asked, going straight in.

Liatris stiffened, her face closing off. 'Yes, she used to be part of Bloom and mine's group of friends. After our....spat, Selena never spoke to me again.' Willow sighed as she saw Bloom also stiffen, Sky's gaze hardening and inching closer to Bloom protectively, but the others could see Liatris did not mean it as an insult or sneer.

She just stated it matter of factly, and Willow began to realize Liatris might have started to forgive Bloom. Maybe not yet entirely, but she was trying to make the effort at the very least. She could not stop a grin from appearing, giving her friend a squeeze to let her know she was there if needed and proud of her.

Seemed Bloom had not been the only one who had changed since the beginning of the year.

'It seems Selena is involved in this whole mess.' Faragonda clarified, Liatris sitting back in shock. 'Selena has magical powers?!' Flora answered affirmatively, Bloom also nodding in confirmation.

'She is the one who has this famous Legendarium book, isn't it?' Willow realised.

'Well, shit.' Liatris voiced everyone's thoughts in the room. 'That is really a mess.'

'And what does this have to do with me?'

Faragonda sighed as well, but Etran was the one who ran it down to them. 'Selena is looking for a source of power to free whatever is locked in the Legendarium. We thought she needed the Dragonflame but since it is an evil power...'

Liatris shook her head and let out a bitter laugh. 'You think she might be looking for a power of the same scale, but the dark and twisted version?'

Etran sighed but nodded. 'We fear she does.'

The fairy of the Dark Stars did not try to think what that meant, but from than on she was protected 24/7.

Etran, Iorias and Crain would take turns guarding them, to a point even Lein started to snap at them when they once more appeared at one of their classes.

'I get that you need to protect them but this is a whole new level of crazy, okay?' Lein snapped, the normal friendly girl clearly annoyed at the Specialists. 'I know this isn't exactly pleasant, Lein, but...'

A scream of fear made them look up, Cloud Tower appearing in the near vicinity of Alfea. 'Lein, get inside!' Crain ordered, the fairy wanting to respond but the look the boy gave her made her shut up.

'Now!'

Lein ran inside, Etran and Iorias herding Liatris and Willow to a hiding spot, but in the end, it did not matter.

It did not matter when the witches found them. It did not matter when they transformed and barely could hold their own against their enemies.

It certainly did not matter when Willow lost consciousness and fell hundreds of feet down, the bloodcurling scream Liatris let loose the only sign something went wrong.

It did not matter in this very moment, when Bloom tried to keep Liatris calm, the fairy of the Dark Stars feeling her power thrumming through her veins.

Liatris felt as if she could explode. The stars on her body were burning, burning so much it was almost unbearable. But it was not pain, oh no.

Liatris let out another dark chuckle, her mind clear though the world around her was about to explode in chaos. And yes, she would be the cause of it. Gladly.

Maybe the fairy of the Dark Stars was supposed to be a Dark Fairy. Maybe she was not supposed to serve the light.

The power that was thrumming inside her was not pain. Oh no, it certainly wasn't.

It was thirst. Thirst for anger, chaos, bloodlust, revenge. Wrath.

Revenge.

Wrath.

Liatris was thrumming with it, it seemed to seep from her pores, out into the world, crackling around her fists and herself and taking the form of an impenetrable barrier of chaos.

'Liatris, please! Think about what you are about to unleash.' Bloom begged. She begged.

And some dark twisted part of Liatris' soul loved it. She loved it.

'She should have thought about that before she attacked Willow.' Liatris bit out, snapping her head to Selena.

Who was visibly trembling in fear.

'I see it, you know. The fear. You almost reek of it.' Liatris chuckled darkly, the power simmering in her balled fists reaching a crescendo. Ready to errupt and explode into chaos.

'You wanted someone who could equal you.' Liatris spat, her fingers curling as the stars on her wrists burned even brighter.

'My mother always told me you need to pick someone your own size.' Liatris' vengeful smile widened when Selena almost whimpered.

'So show me what you got, Selena.' Liatris' smile widened even further, almost impossibly so, her power crackling and sizzling around her.

'And I will show you what the Fairy of the Dark Stars can do.'