Chapter 4: The False Specialist
New Training
The acquisition of the Dragon Fireball skill was a game-changer. Elias had gone from being a defenseless background extra to a fledgling spellcaster in a matter of days. He found an isolated, abandoned training yard near the border of Alfea and Red Fountain to practice.
He focused his newfound 50 MP, channeling the volatile, hot energy from his core—the energy stolen from Bloom.
"Dragon Fireball, Lvl 1," he muttered, extending his hand.
A ball of sickly orange flame, roughly the size of a tennis ball, sputtered into existence. It was smoky, unstable, and weak, but it hit a discarded training dummy with enough force to scorch the wood.
[SKILL TEST: DRAGON FIREBALL Lvl 1]
* Damage Dealt: 15 (Low)
* MP Cost: 50 (High)
* Conclusion: Highly inefficient. Must increase Mana Control level to reduce cost and raise efficiency.
"Great," Elias sighed. "One decent shot, and I'm out of power. This is going to be a long six days."
He spent the next two days obsessively managing his resources. He used his remaining 100 XP to level up Mana Control to Lvl 2, reducing the MP cost of the Fireball to a more manageable 35. He also bought two more units of Pocket Sand (Coarse Grade) for 20 SP just in case. The System was demanding constant, immediate preparation.
The Winx Club's First Mission
Elias had been careful to maintain his cover at Alfea, offering "tactical consultations" to the burgeoning Winx Club. Stella, now trying to fit in, had organized a trip to Magix to shop and—more importantly—to get Bloom into town.
Bloom, Elias, Stella, and Flora were walking near the main fountain, the site of the troll battle, when the familiar red alert flashed across Elias's vision.
[MAIN QUEST: THE WITCHES' ARRIVAL]
Description: The Trix—Icy, Darcy, and Stormy—will arrive in Magix within the hour, seeking out the power of the Dragon Flame. They will target Stella and the new, unknown fairy.
Objective 1: Protect Bloom. The Trix must not capture Bloom or confirm her identity as the Flame's wielder.
Objective 2: Initiate Synchronization. Achieve skin-to-skin contact with Bloom during a high-stress moment.
Reward (Success): 500 XP, 250 SP, 1 Dragon Flame Fragment.
Penalty (Failure): Bloom is captured. System corruption accelerates. GAME OVER.
Time Limit: 40 Minutes.
Elias felt a cold dread settle in his stomach. The Trix were not trolls; they were deadly, professional villains. A Lvl 2 caster with one fireball wasn't going to cut it. He needed a stress moment, and he needed it now.
"Stella," Elias called out, his voice sharp and urgent. "Look at the sky, above the bookstore."
Stella stopped her conversation with Flora and squinted. "What is it, Elias? Just a cloud—"
She stopped. The cloud wasn't a cloud. It was a churning, dark vortex of violet and blue energy, descending rapidly.
"Witches," Stella breathed, transforming in a brilliant flash of light. "Let's go, girls!"
Flora, caught off guard, stumbled into a nearby alcove to transform. Bloom froze, her eyes wide with fear, not yet fully controlling her magic.
"Bloom, focus!" Elias shouted, grabbing her shoulder. "Get to cover! You can't fight them yet!"
Three figures emerged from the portal, landing with a crushing impact that cracked the pavement. Icy, Darcy, and Stormy.
"Well, well, well," Icy sneered, her eyes locking onto Stella. "The little sun-fairy brought friends. And what is this? A Red Fountain grunt? Pathetic."
The Desperate Move
Stella immediately engaged Icy, trying to draw their attention away from Bloom. The sheer power of the Trix's magic sent icy blasts and dark currents tearing through the plaza.
Bloom was still paralyzed by fear and the sheer, overwhelming power radiating from the villains. Elias saw his chance.
A chaotic surge of purple lightning shot past them, narrowly missing Bloom. Elias reacted instantly, tackling her behind a pillar, shielding her body with his own.
"Bloom, listen to me," he gasped, the impact rattling his weak ribs. "I'm going to ground your magic again. It's the only way to shield you from their chaos. Give me your hand!"
Bloom, utterly terrified and barely comprehending, instinctively stretched out her hand. "Okay! Just make it stop!"
Elias clasped his hand over hers.
[DRAGON FLAME SYNCHRONIZATION Lvl 1 ACTIVATED!]
[WARNING: EXTREME STRESS ENVIRONMENT! DRAINING 0.2% OF TARGET'S LATENT DRAGON FLAME FOR SYSTEM STABILIZATION.]
[...DRAIN COMPLETE. MP MAX INCREASED: 50 \rightarrow 90]
[DRAGON FLAME FRAGMENT ACQUIRED! (TOTAL: 2)]
The transfer was rougher this time. Bloom cried out, a confused mixture of pain and terror on her face. Her hand glowed bright orange for a second, then faded.
Elias pulled his hand away, his own core hot with the stolen energy. "It's working! Just breathe, Bloom! Now, focus on that feeling. Let the fear go and feel the power surge!"
Bloom didn't question it. She looked at her hand, then at the massive ice blast Icy was prepping for Stella. In a flash of pure, terrified determination, she finally tapped into her power.
"Magic Winx!"
A brilliant, pulsing column of light erupted around Bloom. When it faded, she was wearing the beautiful, standard-issue pink and blue fairy uniform. Bloom was transformed.
Icy paused, her eyes narrowing. "What is this? Another fairy?"
"Bloom!" Stella cried, elated. "You did it!"
Elias scrambled back, already cycling through the shop. He had 250 SP and a new Dragon Flame Fragment. He had to spend it.
He instantly purchased the Dragon Energy Shield Lvl 1 (Cost: 25 MP, 1 Fragment).
[SKILL ACQUIRED: DRAGON ENERGY SHIELD Lvl 1]
"Icy, Darcy, Stormy!" Bloom roared, her voice ringing with new power. "Get away from my friends!" She launched her first, full-power Dragon Fire blast.
The fight was on. The Trix were momentarily stunned by the sudden arrival of the new Fairy of the Dragon Flame. Elias took his cue.
He rushed forward, activating his new shield, which manifested as a small, flickering orange barrier around his forearm. It wasn't meant to stop an Icy blast, but it was perfect for surviving the chaotic fallout.
"I'm covering the rear!" Elias yelled, charging his Fireball. He launched his Lvl 2, 35-MP Fireball at Stormy's head—a tiny orange ping compared to Bloom's massive blast, but enough to annoy her.
"Out of the way, Specialist!" Stormy shrieked, batting the projectile away with a burst of wind.
Elias grinned, ducking behind another pillar. He was out of MP, but he had done his part. The plot had stabilized, and he had survived the Trix's first attack.
[QUEST ACCOMPLISHED: THE WITCHES' ARRIVAL]
[Reward: 500 XP, 250 SP, 1 Dragon Flame Fragment]
[Total Fragments: 2/10]
As the Winx Club—now fully formed—forced the Trix into a tactical retreat, Elias leaned against the pillar, his chest heaving, his core humming with twice the amount of stolen, powerful magic. He was level 3, armed with a shield, and he now had 500 SP and 8 more days to repeat the synchronization process eight more times.
He had to get closer to Bloom, and he had to do it without making her suspicious of his "stabilizing flux."
How will Elias get close enough to Bloom to steal power eight more times? He needs a better, more permanent excuse for physical contact.
* The Training Partner Excuse: Claim his "Specialist magnetic shield" is necessary to teach Bloom how to control the power of the Dragon Flame, requiring constant, close-contact coaching sessions.
* The Injury Excuse: Feign another, severe injury, forcing Bloom to use her latent healing energy (or touch him in sympathy) to trigger the Synchronization.
* The Shared Secret Excuse: Tell Bloom a partial truth: that his non-magical body has an ancient connection to the Dragon Flame and that touching her is the only way to avoid a magical "system crash" that will hurt them both.