Destiny: The Winx Saga {Parallel storyline}

Chapter 2: Magic Class

{Millie}

A sign on the third period classroom door directed us to the field behind school. I stood at the edge of a large patch of grass under the September sun, looking around nervously. This field wasn't used for anything, and no one bothered to find a purpose for it. Specialists didn't train here, sports weren't played here, kids didn't even smoke out here. No one ever came out here because it was surrounded on three sides by the forest. And you weren't supposed to go into the forest.

I wasn't really sure why – but it was a feeling I had, one we all shared. It was a warning that lived inside us, put there by our parents who knew from experience what the forest hid. Only 16 years ago our town, Hreya, was a very different place. The realm, Dyamond, was ruled by a dark magic, and all manner of evil beings thrived. Monsters that only existed in nightmares and bedtime stories multiplied in abundance to terrorize our homes.

For all the good in our world there is equal evil, according to the natural law of equilibrium. Equilibrium is the grounding force that rules Magic. And physics, as Aura is always reminding me. The darkness that once covered the realm receded back into the depths of the forests some 16 years ago, when I was just learning to crawl. But the darkness was never far, itching to take back the land it once ruled.

It felt ominous standing in that clearing. Everyone could feel it. Paya, to my left, was huddled close nervously. Even Danny standing to my right had nothing to say. It was all too quiet as we eyed the edge of the forest that creeped in. Straggling trees created a seemingly gradual blend of the forest with the clearing's edge. I couldn't quite tell where one ended and the other began.

"I'm glad you all made it to our new classroom." I jumped about a foot in the air at the voice that came from nowhere. The class whipped around towards our new teacher who appeared by the door behind us.

She looked to be nearing 40 with curly black hair, and a full head shorter than me. She smiled as she passed by to take her place at the apex of the clearing. It must have been on purpose that she positioned herself between us, the students, and the forest. She was the barrier that protected us from what lurked within.

"Hello everyone! And welcome to your first day of Magic Class!" she projected her voice across the clearing, beaming. "I am Mrs. Maze, and this will be our classroom for the rest of the year. No need to fear, this will soon feel like a second home to you." Her smile was full and joyful. I'd never seen a teacher so happy to be at school before. They usually looked about as excited as me, which meant thinly hiding their misery.

"This is your 11th year, so lessons will be more intense, and more detailed. In the past you focused on control. You learnt to control your emotions and magic to avoid injury and destruction. I hope you have all mastered this moving forward." Well, I certainly had. I had wonderful control. So much so that I never used my magic. Not once in the last 5 years.

Mrs. Maze began to bounce before the class, heading from one side of the clearing to the other. With every step she took her eyes locked onto a different student.

"In this class we are going to move past standard ways of thinking. You know control, but I am going to teach you how to exercise a practiced mind."

Mrs. Maze's gaze locked onto mine. "What do I mean by a practiced mind? I mean controlled manipulation. I want you to unlock new ways of manipulating your elemental magic that you didn't know existed within your ability."

As Ms. Maze looked at me, I wondered if she knew that I was limited with my magic to one thing, and one thing only. And that's why I never used it.

And then she looked away, locking eyes with another student. "We will isolate your magical control to explore how your element can be manipulated on a large and small scale. Think big picture, class! Isn't this exciting!" Her voice increased in pitch at the end, sounding like a dolphin call.