Fire and Ice - Riven | Fate: The Winx Saga

Chapter Four: Burned

Once I had changed out of my wet clothes I made my way back down to the orientation party since nobody was in our suite. When I got there, I immediately saw Riven with his back against one of the pillars, choking. Vines were wrapping tightly around his neck and he was struggling to breathe. Terra was stood in front of him and a boy I hadn't met before with dark skin was beside her. "Terra! What the hell are you doing?" I questioned as I ran over to them.
"Oh, come on, Eira. He deserves it and you know it." Terra told me. I looked at Riven's face and it was turning a mixture of red and purple.
"Terra, stop." I said. Terra sighed before raising her hands and the vines around Riven's neck loosened.
"You could've killed me you freak." Riven told her.
"Missed you too." Terra smiled as Riven walked off.

I ran off after him and frowned. "Are you okay?" I asked him. No answer. "Riv?"
"I'm fine, Eira!" The boy raised his voice. "Just come off it."
"You two used to be friends. What the hell was that?"
"I said come off it."
"Fine." I frowned before turning around and walking the other way. My hair was still wet from the pond and I could feel the water dripping down my back. I didn't understand how his mood could change so quickly sometimes.

I found myself walking back out of the party and I took a seat on the steps as I pulled out my phone. I began to look at the photos I had taken this summer. Many were with Riv but a majority of them were of me and Kenna. I could feel a lump forming in the back of my throat as I scrolled through them and it took a lot of courage to press delete on some of my favourite memories this summer. "Nice to see you're all dry." I looked up to see Sky standing in front of me.
"I didn't think you were gonna come back to this." I said.
"I wasn't, but, uh, someone has to keep Riv out of trouble."
"Tell me about it." I sighed. "When I walked in Terra had vines around his neck." Sky laughed quietly before sitting down next to me. "Tell me it gets easier."
"What do you mean?"
"I know you care for Stella, Sky." I told him. "Tell me it's get easier having to see her everyday but knowing the two of you broke up."
"What me and Stella had is nothing compared to you and Kenna."
"Earlier you asked why we broke up." I said, looking at the boy. "Kenna thinks that... I'm in love with someone else."
"And are you?" Sky asked me. I looked down at my fingers and frowned.
"No." I claimed. "At least I don't think so."
"Well, then, she's one of the crazy ones." Sky smiled. He then put his arm around me and pulled me closer to him as I laid my head on his shoulder.

We stayed like that for a few minutes. Neither of us said a word to each other until my phone buzzed. A text from Aisha. I read it and began to look around through the archways to see if I could see Bloom anywhere. I quickly texted her back before getting a reply. "I have to go." I told Sky. "Suite meeting." Sky nodded his head and I stood up before making my way upstairs.

***

"Your face looks so calm, yet you're racked with guilt." Musa was telling Stella as I entered the Winx suite.
"You're a mind fairy." Aisha said to Musa as Terra entered the room.
"A mind fairy? What's your connection? Memory-" Terra was cut off.
"Not a great time." Musa told her.
"Is everything okay?" I asked the girls.
"Not really." Aisha said. "Im looking for Bloom. For some reason, Stella's feeling guilty about it." I looked over at Stella who was just looking down at her phone.
"Could everyone safe the drama for drama club?" She asked us.
"Wasn't she talking to Sky?" Terra questioned.
"And?"
"And I know what happened to the last person who was talking to Sky. I was here last year remember?" Stella scoffed with a smirk.
"So? Eira talks to Sky all the time. You don't see me trying to get rid of her, do you?"
"You would if you could." I stated.
"Stella, where's Bloom?" Terra then asked the blonde.
"She was feeling homesick." Stella explained. "So I did a nice thing and I kept her my ring so that she could go back to the First World."
"I thought that ring only worked outside the barrier." I said.
"Yes. And there's a gateway in the old cemetery."
"But that's deep in the forest, Stella." Terra told the girl. "You know what's out there, right?"
"I can't believe you, Stella." I frowned as I headed towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Aisha asked me.
"To find Miss Dowling."

***

"You girls stay here." Farah said as she entered the gate way. I frowned as I looked at each of the girls standing beside me. It was dark out but it seemed much darker in the forest, especially when we knew what was out there. After a few moments, the gate opened and Bloom ran out, panting. Before the door closed again, I caught a glimpse of Miss Dowling fighting something that looked like a man but not quite human. A burned one.
"Bloom!" I exclaimed as I approached the girl.
"Are you okay?" Aisha asked her.
"Yeah." Bloom panted. "Yeah, yeah I think so. What the hell was that thing?"
"I'm pretty sure it's called a burned one." Terra told her.
"Huh?" Bloom questioned before looking at each of them. "Wait. Where... where's Stella?"
"She's at school." Aisha said. "Why?"
"That thing just took her ring." Bloom frowned.

***

We all entered the suite with frowns on our faces. Bloom, however, looked the most traumatised. "Farah will take care of the burned one, Bloom." I told the redhead.
"Farah?" She questioned.
"The headmistress."
"You're on a first name basis with the headteacher?" Aisha asked me.
"Yeah, she's my godmother." I said.
"Did not see that coming." Musa muttered. I ignored her and looked back at Bloom.
"She won't leave it in the first world." I told her.
"You don't have to worry about your parents." Aisha added. "They're safe."
"Thanks." Bloom said, forcing a smile before shutting herself in her room.
"On that note..." I began. "I'm gonna head to bed." I told the girls before going to my room which I shared with Stella. The only thing was... Stella wasn't there.