A few moments later Griffin arrived in a cloud of black smoke.
Flora was on the floor, her face hidden in her hands, her shoulders wincingin in silence. At her side, Aisha sat with eyes closed, as if listening. Tecna's gaze was lowered on the display of his tablet, which she typed furiously, but occasionally her sad eyes rose on the silhouettes of the two statues, incredulous. Musa’s touch was also incredulous, her fingers brushing with hesitation the raised arms of the two women: Faragonda’s, extended towards them, and Griselda’s, widened as if to embrace the principal.
Stella could not look away from the greedy expression of their mentor.
- Faragonda would never do such a thing. She wasn’t herself. That woman is not Faragonda...
Her words echoed in Bloom's mind and she desperately clung to it. When the witch appeared they all turned in her direction, hopeful.
The woman stared at the two statues for a moment that seemed endless to them, an impassive expression on the greenish face, then she sighed and something in her seemed to crack.
- Oh, Griselda ...
Her voice was barely audible, even in that feverish silence. Bloom approached her cautiously.
- Headmistress Griffin, we...
- You will come with me immediately, no questions asked.
She looked around suspiciously then murmured something, quickly moved her hands and everything vanished in a cloud of black smoke.
When the Winx opened their eyes, coughing for the smoke, they found themselves in an unknown room. A wall was almost completely occupied by a large fireplace, the floor was covered with a thick dark purple carpet and a dozen of padded armchairs filled the room.
- Take a seat...- murmured the witch, letting herself sink into one of the small armchairs. The girls obeyed and Bloom chose the chair closest to the principal.
- I'll get you something hot... - she added, snapping her fingers. A few moments later each of the fairies found herself holding a cup of steaming chamomile with honey, and the atmosphere relaxed a bit.
- Bloom. What happened?
The fairy was focused on the warm feeling in her hands. She suddenly realized that all of them had reversed the transformation, out of shock.
- Faragonda summoned us, she said she hadn’t seen us for a while... Sometimes she does that when we don't stop and say hello for a long time. Griselda said she wasn’t well but when we saw her she was... happy, bright, joyful.
- She smiled at us - added Aisha inbetween sips - she asked us how we were, she listened to our stories.
- Then she asked us for our powers! - Tecna intervened - She said that the fairies of Alfea are weak and that discovering what made us develop our power could help them developing theirs. But she wanted them all.
- All your powers... - the principal murmured.
- But she had a different appearance when we transformed- began Flora - she seemed weak, aged, and around her there was like the ghost of another woman.
- What was she like, Bloom?
- She looked younger than Faragonda, with long black hair, they floated like she was underwater. I didn't see the color of the eyes but her face was covered with black spirals. And Griselda knew her. She called her... Talena, or something like that.
- Taleia.
Musa stood up and approached Griffin's chair.
- And Griselda asked us to tell you that she was sorry she couldn't stand longer, headmistress. She said we had five days. What did she mean?
All the girls' eyes were fixed on the principal.
- The more enemies you defeat – she began, sadly - the more the Universe tries to balance things by sending new ones against you. It is a law that cannot be changed, we’ve all had to face it. And this enemy... comes from far away.
.
A few moments later Griffin arrived in a cloud of black smoke.
.
