"Baltor, the realm of Perio has agreed to our deal and will ally with us." Ezra said, while he stood up and held up a signed contract. He was bulky for his size, and he had always worn black – his favorite color; and at that precise moment, he was wearing his new black assassin outfit Baltor had gotten for him. His long shoulder length fire-red hair was tied back into a slumped ponytail while an extra strand of hair hung by his fringe.

For a man, he had always thought his hair was overly long, until he came to acknowledge that Baltor's was twice his length. Like his new boss, Ezra was sent to Omega on charges of being behind numerous murders of some of the most important people in Magix. His years at the Omega Dimension had been almost unbearable, but his skills were paying off now. Baltor had chosen him to be his right hand man and a bright future lies ahead.

"How many times do I have to repeat that are too address me as Lord?" Baltor snapped, snatching the contract from his hands and scanning it with his eyes. Baltor was a fast reader, despite all the spell books he had read through out his living years. "Since I've officially married Bloom now, Sparx is mine. And with the power it held plus the throne, I should be address as King; not now but soon."

The room was intensely dark, despite the heavy weather outside, but all this will soon be gone. Baltor thought. He will make Sparx alive again, and filled with his people. Baltor looked at his subject; Ezra's astonishing skills during his days of crime had earned his attention. And Baltor always had places for people who were worth the title.

"Yes, Lord Baltor." Ezra kneeled down to show his respect, hiding a disgusted look. The man's blinded with vanity. He thought. After he'd said that, Baltor laughed hysterically. "Looks like they have also brought in the soldiers of Hink into our agreement."

"Congratulations, Bal.. Lord Baltor. Hink's soldiers are known to be strong and mighty. They'd all be under your commands and forever be loyal to you." he said forcefully.

Baltor slapped his left hand on his lap and laughed again. "This is better than I'd expected! As soon as the other realms agreed to our conditions, we can embark on our main project. We will succeed and soon the world would be ours!"

More likely like yours. Ezra thought. You wouldn't share power for nuts!

If Baltor had known what Ezra had said, he would've been furious. But he didn't. And that's all that matters. "How about our little 'deal' with King Janos?" Baltor sneered, knowing what himself had meant. Ezra did too.

"He hadn't been willing to put up with us, so we have to rough him up a little. But in the end he did – after he'd acknowledged that his wife and daughter were kidnapped." Ezra replied, bowing his head down lower.

"Good," Baltor nodded. "That'll teach him the consequences of not complying with us."

"What should we do now, Lord?" Ezra asked.

Without warning, Baltor bolted up from his comfortable royal chair. "Now all I need is the official stamp from Suvillia." He grabbed his coat, which was lying on the coffee table beside, and headed for the door. "Come Ezra, we have work to do."

"Yes..." Ezra said, his head still facing down, ran to his King.

"Now that I have Sparx, everything is possible!" Baltor roared from behind the closing ancient door.

The royal doors exploded as they flew toward King Suvillia, which missed his head by just a few centimeters. The King jumped in shock, his guards immediately ran to his aid but instantly flew away by some magic force, then Baltor, Ezra and three more convicts walked through the hole in the castle. "I would've knocked, but that just seems too polite – not my style." Baltor mocked.

King Suville backed up to his throne. "What are you doing here Baltor?"

Baltor's eyes were shut, but he seemed to know right where he was, and where he was walking. "We have a little contract to sign, King Suville."

"I don't make deals with criminals." The King sneered.

"You don't have a choice, my King." Baltor raised his hands and the palace began to rock violently; the ceiling shook as pieces of cement fell and pillars began to crack, the beautifully polished marble floor started to split in two as soldiers fell to their deaths, other were either badly bruised or covered with cuts by sharp pieces of falling cement.

It didn't take more then a moment for the King to notice the castle was collapsing. "No!"

Baltor dropped his hand and the violence stopped, "Do we have a deal now?" he asked as a piece of cement fell on his head, but he was far busier threatening the King than to bother with it.

"No" The King was determined while he glanced up at his once carefree palace now under attack.

"Bring in our guests Ezra, will you?" Baltor snapped his fingers as a woman and a pair of male twins, barely five, appeared at the broken entrance. King Suville gasped at the familiar faces, the faces of his family. Their hands were all bounded and his sons were crying.

"Suville, help!" his wife begged.

Gripping his staff heavy with defeat, King Suville spoke forcefully, "You win, Baltor."

"Isn't this easier?" Baltor smirked as he handed a parchment to the King before he reluctantly signed it with trembling hands. Ezra snapped his fingers and the ropes burned away letting the family run to their king.

After they'd obtained the signature, Baltor and Ezra left the king sitting numbly on his rotting throne, still trying to adapt to the truth that his palace was so easily attacked and he had been blackmailed. It was practically in ruins and it brought pleasure to the criminals. King Suville cursed and swore to get revenge on Baltor as he saw the insanity that was shown to his beloved kingdom.

Sniffing, Bloom picked up the ring and forced it onto her finger. It fitted easily but at that time, Bloom wanted to pluck it off and fling it out of the window where it would never be seen again; but she couldn't do that, her friends' life depended on it. So she just sat obediently waiting for Baltor's next orders.

Bloom...

Her ears pricked as the familiar voice filled her ears, "Who-o?"

Bloom, it's me … the spirit. I've come to help you.

"Yeah, and like last time I was nearly caught!" Bloom yelled to the mist that was slowly shaping into a woman, except for the two glowing golden eyes, her other features couldn't be determined.

It was meant to be that way, just follow you heart...

"Which would soon, be the main reason for my death." Bloom snapped, but she instantly let her sarcasm evaporate as she reached out to touch the misty figure. Her hand easily went through her body. "What are you? What's you name?"

The figure chuckled, Bloom, I am just a spirit, and my name is Belle.

"Belle..." Bloom repeated. "Where do you come from?"

That's nothing important you should know, Bloom. But you will soon know the purpose of me being here. And she began to fade.

"Wait! What should I do? You haven't told me anything!" But she was gone. Bloom jumped when the ancient television booted to life. Subsequently, it automatically switched to the news channel as the news caster reported the headlines of the day. "The police force reports that today, an attack happened at the Royal Palace of Suvillia. However, the enforcements arrived too late and the suspects were gone. King Suville was found alone with his family with hundreds of dead soldiers lying around them. After an interview with the King, it appears that he had just experience an increasingly unpleasant ordeal. But the King was willingly to cooperate and supplied us with useful information of the incident. It turned out that the infamous convict Baltor had been behind the attack and forced him to sign a contract regarding the authority of having control on certain foreign powers. Citizens are advised to stay at home often as we don't know what lies in the sick mind of this power-crazed convict."

This is horrible, Bloom thought. How could he do that? After she'd said that, the door bulged open and in walked Baltor and the convict she believed to be the main influence towards Baltor – Ezra.

"Who are you talking to?" Baltor asked sternly, walking towards her.

Bloom sank down into the bed, sitting as still as she could. "No one" she said, it was the truth. Belle doesn't count, does she?

"That's not what I've heard."

Bloom glanced at the opened doorway; she thought she saw a figure standing outside. Then she glared at Baltor, "You've had people spying on me?" her anger flared, Baltor had gone too far for not giving her privacy.

"I don't want anything to endanger my plans, Bloom. And that regards you." he sneered, but as the silence enveloped around them, he softened. "I repeat, who are you talking to?"

"I told you, no one" Bloom snapped.

Seeing that she was as stubborn as ever, Baltor saw no point of being nice with her anymore. "Listen, Bloom. I will only give this warning once. If you allow anyone or yourself to do something that will foil my plans, I guarantee you would regret the consequences."

Bloom crossed her arms and huffed, and then she locked her eyes on Baltor and spat, "Make me"

Baltor's angry slowly turned into a sneer as he walked ever closer to her. Bloom stiffened, but she kept her composure. He placed a hand on her cheek and ran it slowly down until it practically reached her breast, "We both understand what will happen if you do something against my orders, don't we?" he chuckled before Bloom slapped his hands off.

"I will only allow this once Bloom, if you hope Sky to be the first one who touches you, remember what I've said." Baltor sneered before reaching for the door. Bloom swallowed, "But… I don't like Sky anymore." but Baltor was already down the hallway.

"Stay away if you don't want to get hurt." Ezra advised her before closing the door.

Bloom yelled after him, "Shut up you creep!" but then his look caught her attention. Ezra used to be a cold man, the one who kills anyone who stood in his way. And all he ever was interested in was power. Did he just warn her out of kindness? She thought it sounded like it, but you just can't judge a book by its cover.

Bloom rolled her eyes again as the misty figure appeared. "Why do you always appear when the trouble is gone? You could've helped me when they were still here."

You weren't in any trouble. Besides, there's nothing I could do.

"What? Then why are you here?"

To guide and advice you.

"Then tell me..." but before she could finish her sentence, the spirit had answered her question.

Ezra? He is a formal criminal.

"Formal?"

Yes.

"And what role does he play?"

It would be against nature if I revealed the truth. But I can tell you he is a good man; he plays a role that will forever be in your memory.

Bloom's mind was refusing to believe. "But he's influencing Baltor to do evil! They've even gotten on the television now!"

Baltor is evil on his own. And you might be able to change his ways, just try your best. As for Ezra, he will change on his own, just wait and see. He will be a person very hard to be forgotten by you or Baltor.

Bloom was cross; Belle was giving her information of the future, but not in whole. "Could you just give me full answers? You're giving me riddles." but Belle was fading again, "Wait! Don't go so fast. Why do you do that all the time? Tell me what I should do!"

Free your friends Bloom, this time you will succeed...

And then she was gone and like last time, the door bulged open. Bloom stared at the partly opened door as though it was the doorway to hell. Should she do it? But Baltor said... No. She owed her friends their freedom, not only her friends but Faragonda, Griffin and also Saladin. Would it be worth it? Finally she made her choice.

Bloom gritted her teeth as she ran for the door, quickly making her way to the cellar of Sparx. Surprisingly, she could remember her way through the hallways. Bloom took another glance at Oritel's study room as she ran past it. I will find you one day, hopefully.

Unknown to her, Ezra was watching from a dark corner. I though I told you to stay away. But she clearly didn't listen. He had heard her talking to someone just now, but when she left the room, it was empty. Did the intruder escaped from the window? But her room was almost fifty meters from the ground, it was impossible. "Ezra!" he heard Baltor call before he quickly gathered the documents.

But something stopped him, he unchained the key from his belt and murmured a spell as it disappeared and soon will turn up at the place it was meant to be. I've helped you as much as I could. He steadied himself before making his way to Baltor's office. It's up to the girl to decide her own fate now.

"Girls!" Bloom woke them all up before banging on the bars. "Wake up, let's go!"

Stella yawned but was instantly wide awake. "Bloom! How did you escape?"

"Long story, let's go. You're free!" Bloom said as she hastily fitted the key in the hole and turned until it made a click. Then she worked on the other cells.

"Bloom, my goodness thank you, are you safe!" Faragonda exclaimed weakly.

"Quick, Miss F." Bloom said as she helped the old head mistress up and the other Winx helped Griffin and Saladin.

"Bloom, what about you?" Layla called back to her.

"I'll go with you, just help me with Miss F." Layla ran to her side and took over Faragonda.

I'm finally free! Bloom thought, but at that instant, a long rope of darkness like tentacles reached out and grabbed Layla. "Help!"

Out of desperation, Bloom struck a bolt of fire back into the darkness where she thought the darkness was coming from. She heard a groan from behind as Layla was released. The Winx quickly helped the elderly out of the castle as Bloom tried to follow after them but she felt something trip her footing before she fell and everything faded to darkness.

"Ouch!" Bloom groaned as she felt a sharp slap on her face. She could feel she was blindfolded, and her hands were tied behind her.

"Haven't I made myself clear?" Baltor's voice filled her ears as Bloom felt it crushed her every hope.

"Where are my friends?"

"Escaped, happy now?" he snapped, Bloom could feel heat of anger radiating from his body – which was no further than a few centimeters from her. His voice slowly turns into a soft, dangerous sneer as he added, "Haven't you forget the consequences of disobeying my orders?"

Bloom wanted to scream as she felt him begin to push her onto the bed, but a hand was over her mouth stiffing her screams. She could fell Baltor's shadow looming heavily above her.

Thunder roared and lighting crackled outside the old castle of Sparx, as if the weather was complying too Bloom's feelings at that precise moment. The sounds of muffled screams and clothing tearing were drowned out by heavy water droplets of a torrential rain that came shortly after.

Well, Blackout Day has been pretty dull, especially for me. But it's finally over! (or at least I think it is) I've been receiving quite a number of the PM regarding blackout day; and frankly, at first I thought it was worth participating. But after bringing the thought into serious consideration, I think I would agree that giving us constraints on writing would earn the condemnation of many readers. Some rules are stupid; but then again, each of them are made for a reason. So we must at least try to understand FanFic. Or at least, I'll make the first step.

.:~Lycory~:.