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Chapter - 1: Cliche Sad Origin Backstory?
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A blinding light fills my vision as a deafening roar explodes in my ears. The noise is so intense it almost drowns out the sensation of cold biting into my skin, seeping deep into my bones—and I could admit, it wasn't a pleasant feeling.
Only then do I notice the frozen landscape around me, as my sight slowly begins to focus on what lies before me.
So… where the hell did I end up?
Was I abducted by aliens or something?
The only thing I remember is something breaking while another force violently pulls me away, dragging me without warning.
For an instant, I glimpse what looks like a tear in the void—a dark, unstable portal—and with a sharp jolt, I'm thrown through it.
The passage was wide enough to swallow me whole, but the pressure is suffocating. My body screams in pain at the brutal treatment.
It's as if I've been ripped out of reality itself...
I can't do anything—not even move a finger—which almost gives me a panic attack because I think I've gone blind, but soon I realize I'm trapped in some kind of prison of ice that blocks every movement.
Yet, the worst part isn't the pain. It's the awareness that something is wrong—terribly wrong. Staring at my reflection in the ice, the truth hits me like a punch to the gut:
This is definitely not my body...
The face staring back at me is that of a young man, maybe just over twenty, with sharp features and long black hair falling over his shoulders.
Two horns sprout from his head, as if they were a natural extension of his body: they start with the same pale color as his skin, gradually darkening into a warmer tone, the shade of deep red wine.
From the icy reflection, two red eyes—intense, unnatural—stare back at me with a deep, unsettling gaze, as if trying to understand whether the creature before them was truly me.
What the hell happened to me? My lungs burned, and I realized I still had emotions. That simple fact made me happier than I wanted to admit:
I was still myself.
But that didn't stop the panic flooding my nervous system. And as if that weren't enough, my mind wasn't filled only with my own memories anymore.
Now there were others—foreign memories that didn't belong to me, yet were vivid and intertwined with mine as if they had always been part of me.
In those memories, I saw familiar faces that made my heart race, places from worlds I'd never seen or visited, battles I'd never fought, and desires that weren't mine—all swirling together in a vortex that dragged me deeper and deeper.
Honestly, every memory blended with my own, and I couldn't tell where I ended and they began.
Perhaps this was the legacy of what I had become: an Osmosian. Yes, the same alien species from Ben 10, to be clear. It didn't take long to realize it—after all, I'd been a big fan of the show.
A race once capable of absorbing anything they touched—matter, energy, even the abilities and memories of other beings—until they eventually lost themselves completely to madness.
At least, that was the case beforeOmniverse decided to rewrite everything. In that version, the planet Osmos V never existed, and Kevin wasn't an alien anymore, just a mutant.
Even Aggregor, his old enemy from Ultimate Alien, had been reduced to little more than his imperfect clone, while everything about his father and the Osmosian race turned out to be a lie: false memories implanted by a man named Servantis, capable of manipulating the minds of others.
Really? That only made the show's plot holes worse.
And yet, thinking about all that nonsense somehow managed to calm me down. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing—maybe it was resignation—but at least I felt a faint sense of control, enough to explore those new memories more deeply.
In them, my story began on Osmos V—a relatively young planet compared to its neighboring worlds, suspended between two suns that bathed its surface in constant light.
I couldn't forget the endless hills stretching to the horizon, the transparent atmosphere free of thick clouds, and the sky—a seamless, pure blue.
Massive structures rose toward the heavens, designed to withstand local gravity and capture sunlight efficiently, harmonizing with their surroundings.
Our technology couldn't compare to that of more advanced worlds, but that didn't stop us from living well. We had learned to harness alternative energy sources to power our cities.
My parents tried to hide our gift, or at least keep it under control. Osmosians are a powerful yet feared race; our ability to absorb whatever we touch is a double-edged sword.
The laws were harsh toward those who used that power recklessly. Many tried to ignore the gift altogether, since anyone who gave in to their hunger was inevitably consumed by it.
At first, mine was simple curiosity.
I touched to learn. I assimilated to understand.
I just wanted to understand the world around me—and protect those I loved.
But then… they came.
The only thing I could think of was hatred, especially when I remembered their devices—the Scarabs. Just hearing the name filled me with rage.
They were nothing more than technological parasites—artificial creatures capable of merging with living beings, turning them into weapons for their masters. They implanted themselves in the most influential individuals on each planet, corrupting their minds until they were fully enslaved to their conquerors' will.
There could be no beings more despicable—driven solely by greed, domination, and the pleasure of subjugating all life.
That's when everything changed.
That gift, which I had been forbidden to use at any cost, suddenly became a necessity—or rather, the only means of survival.
From a simple desire to help, I began to absorb solid materials, gradually coating myself with their properties. At first, it seemed enough, but soon I realized survival demanded more. Much more.
I had to absorb endlessly, until my very existence began to change.
And every time I consumed new matter, a surge of power coursed through me, igniting every fiber of my being—as if I were reborn with each breath: stronger, more alive, more invincible.
It was like breathing again after staying too long underwater.
A sensation of absolute freedom.
And, like all forbidden freedoms, it became addictive.
Soon, it wasn't enough to touch an object or absorb one power at a time.
I wanted more.
I wanted everything.
Their abilities, their energy—even their memories...
And each time I absorbed a new power, a corrupted voice within me grew louder, whispering to take everything I found, to never stop.
My mind began to fracture, slipping under the weight of all those stolen lives, as the line between me and what I consumed grew thinner and thinner.
The only constant in all of this was my hunger—it grew endlessly, voracious and insatiable, devouring every fragment of my will, dragging me deeper into a vortex from which escape seemed impossible.
Right and wrong no longer mattered.
I only wanted to fill the void inside me.
Eventually, my actions across hundreds of worlds became too great for the Guardians of the Universe to ignore.
To put it simply—they sent the entire Green Lantern Corps after me.
The battle that followed was long and devastating. Each clash lit the cosmic void with green flares, blinding explosions, and a rain of lifeless bodies piling beneath me.
But despite all my strength, they eventually overwhelmed me.
They captured me.
Chained me with bindings forged specifically for beings like me and left me to rot until my power began to fade. They waited patiently for my resistance to break, until I was weak enough to ensure that, wherever they exiled me, I'd never stand a chance of returning.
I still remember the light of the portal that opened before me—a swirling orange vortex of immense gravitational force, sucking everything nearby like an unstoppable black hole.
The Null Void.
A dimension from which no one has ever returned. An eternal abyss, known throughout the universe as the prison of the most dangerous creatures and interdimensional criminals.
The last words I heard before being swallowed by the light were: "Let's hope no one ever remembers you."
Then, a blinding flash—and I was falling into a frozen world, lifeless and still, unable even to move.
Weakness consumed me until the cold won, and my body froze solid, motionless in the ice.
It's ironic, when I think about it.
I'd spent my existence absorbing everything I could touch—only to end up trapped in a place where there was nothing left to take or make my own.
Just me.
And my hunger.
A hunger that never dies.
Even now... I can still feel it.
Honestly, I couldn't help but laugh as those memories resurfaced. Maybe I laughed out of despair—or maybe because, deep down, I knew this story wasn't over yet.
If I were the author of this tale, I certainly wouldn't have started in a dark DC-like universe.
I would've gone with something lighter—maybe a classic isekai fantasy harem.
After all, this didn't look like the Null Void at all. Whatever this place was, it didn't resemble anything I remembered from Ben 10.
But in the end, none of that mattered—I was still trapped, a prisoner in a world I didn't recognize.
My first thought, naturally, was how to escape. Maybe I could try breaking the ice, or using my powers—if only I could still feel them.
But every attempt was useless, and my mind began to falter in the silence. Time crawled by, and the only thing I could do was accept—or perhaps embrace—those new memories, desperately trying to hold on to enough of myself to remain me.
With a bit of "luck," if I could truly harness the power of this new body, freedom might not be so far away. And then, yes, I would discover what the future had in store for me.
Or at least, that's what I thought—until I heard female voices, unfamiliar to me, echoing through the ice.
Their words were faint and distorted, but clear enough to catch my attention. I tried to answer, to call out, but nothing worked—until, suddenly, a wave of heat began spreading around me, slowly melting the ice that held me prisoner.
Within seconds, the ice shattered, and I fell forward—finally free. I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with fresh, biting air.
I had no idea how much time had passed, but every breath felt new, almost painful—yet undeniably real. Proof that this wasn't a dream. Everything I was experiencing was terrifyingly real.
I rose slowly, staring at the three women before me. They looked strangely familiar—more than I wanted to admit. After a few seconds, I finally recognized them… and froze, speechless, as the reality of what I was seeing hit me full force.
What the hell was I doing in the Winx universe?
Their eyes were fixed on me, but before I could say a word—before I could process the shock of actually seeing them—something pushed me hard from behind.
I stumbled forward but managed to stay on my feet, just in time to see three enormous white serpents slithering toward me menacingly.
From behind me, I heard a voice say, "Sorry, buddy—it's you or us." If I'd still been my old human self, I'd probably have been furious at such a move.
But now, in a way, I understood. They had to survive too, even if it meant doing things that would've once seemed horrifying to me.
I didn't feel fear; instead, a boiling hunger surged inside me—a feral hunger my body had built up during all that time trapped in the ice.
I prepared to face the gigantic ice serpents, watching them closely as they moved with surprising speed for creatures whose massive bodies dwarfed trucks.
The air around me grew colder as they advanced, an icy energy filling the atmosphere with an overwhelming aura of menace.
They didn't look like creatures to underestimate. Unfortunately for them, I was the worst possible opponent. From what I could sense, their bodies were made entirely of energy.
And what could be better for a weak, starving Osmosian?
Simple… energy.
The snakes wasted no more time and attacked me with what seemed like a freezing breath, clearly wanting to deal with me quickly and turn their attention to the other prisoners, causing too much disturbance in their home.
The view around me filled with ice and snow, and the biting cold pierced my skin. I knew clearly that if I didn't act quickly, I would be overwhelmed.
So, instead of yielding, I used my "gift" to absorb that icy energy, focusing it within me to invigorate my body. I immediately felt the cold transform into a source of power, pure energy flowing through my veins, strengthening me.
My initial weakness quickly turned into a sensation of power coursing through every muscle, a feeling of pure euphoria washing over me.
"Thanks for the meal," I murmured, feeling the power grow inside me. A wide smile appeared on my lips as I affirmed my next intentions. "Let me return the favor."
I felt my strength increase as I assimilated their breath into my body, and when I had reinforced myself enough, concentrating all my will, I expelled the energy I had absorbed, transforming it into destructive force.
The snakes trembled, unable to resist the energy destroying them from within. Their icy bodies shattered into a shower of sparkling crystals, leaving me standing, slightly invigorated and victorious.
The three women watched me with a mixture of surprise, admiration, and slight fear for the power I had just demonstrated. I couldn't blame them — after all, even I would have hesitated in front of something I couldn't fully explain.
And, truthfully, I wasn't at all surprised by their reaction. In a sense, I already knew their personalities, even if not in detail: I remembered enough of the series to know who they were, before I stopped following it when it had become too repetitive.
After all, they were witches — and in their world, strength was the only thing worthy of respect, as they admired power above all else, and I had just given them a taste.
I must admit, however, that I was still quite shaken by the idea of really ending up in this universe, and worse, right in the Omega Dimension — an interdimensional prison used to confine the worst criminals of the Magic Dimension, a vast collection of worlds governed by magical and arcane laws.
It wasn't a single planet, but a network of realities where magic replaced physics, and where personal power decided who ruled and who was annihilated.
In short, it was the perfect place to find myself, especially for someone like me. But I had to be careful not to become what I once was again, or else even this universe would be doomed.
Above all, I needed to figure out exactly what to do with the three girls in front of me. In reality, they didn't seem like a threat at all, especially dressed in that ridiculous way in such a cold environment, barely covering anything.
At least, though, they were a joy to behold for my eyes.
I sensed energy in their clothing — I didn't even have any idea if it was truly enchanted, but it was more likely that it was their magical power preventing them from instantly turning into blocks of ice.
I stepped toward them with a smile on my lips, aware of my renewed strength. As I moved, I observed my surroundings with curiosity since the desolate, icy land stretched before my eyes, wrapped in absolute silence.
Honestly, I would have wanted to sweep everything away and change that place once and for all, but I restrained myself from acting impulsively.
The air was dense and cold, sharply penetrating my nostrils and lungs. My eyes scrutinized every detail, looking for any sign of danger or life.
I felt my inner energy pulse, countering the cold enveloping me, while my senses remained vigilant, ready to react to any threat that might appear before me.
"Good job, friend," commented the woman with hair soft as clouds, with a smile that betrayed clear appreciation for my actions. "Whatever you did."
They probably behaved that way hoping I wouldn't remember how, shortly after my awakening, they had pushed me — or they were just trying to avoid that, if my memory returned, I might decide to take revenge.
"Thank you," I murmured, raising my gaze to them. "They were beings composed primarily of energy, so it wasn't too difficult to deal with them." A half-confident smile formed on my face, more out of habit than real satisfaction.
Honestly, I should have been furious with them. They had used me as bait to buy time and escape. But those fragments of memories now resurfacing in my mind made me understand that they had had no choice.
It was the only way to survive.
And, deep down, I understood them.
Meanwhile, I felt every joint in my body creak as a new energy slowly began to flow through me like a fire rekindled after centuries of ashes.
A sigh of satisfaction escaped my lips, heavy but liberating.
"Is your body completely numb? How long have you been here?" asked one of them, her face marked by genuine curiosity that contrasted with the desolation around us.
After checking that my body hadn't sustained serious damage, I turned fully toward her. "I have no idea," I admitted, accompanying the words with a shrug. "At some point, I simply stopped counting. There's nothing here that allows you to measure time, and, honestly, after a while, you even stop wanting to."
"Oh," she replied, in a tone of disappointment. "It all seems very boring." She paused, watching the other girls nod in agreement.
Amused, I responded with a half-smile: "Not really, I have much to think about." My voice sounded rougher than expected, with a bitter echo not just from my new memories, but also from the body I was in.
After a moment of silence, one of the girls, curious, asked: "Thinking about what?" Her expression was cute, almost naive, but in her eyes shone genuine interest.
"Ah… many things," I replied, letting my gaze drift into the distance. "First of all, about reclaiming every scrap of power that was torn from me after being thrown into this forgotten world, then I just have to take back what rightfully belongs to me." The words came out colder than I had anticipated, but I didn't regret them.
The three girls exchanged a knowing smile, and their apparent leader spoke with a tone that left no room for doubt about her intentions. "Well… it seems we have similar goals."
"Perhaps," I replied, studying them calmly. "But before talking about alliances or anything else, I'd say we start with introductions. I'm Maxwell. Whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" I decided on my old human name.
It was still too early to trust them — I knew that well. In a world like this, a single hint of weakness was enough to overturn any balance.
And I, more than anyone else, couldn't afford that.
"Icy."
"Darcy."
"Stormy."
They were exactly the strange names I remembered and fit perfectly, considering the powers each of them used. Furthermore, it seemed that my memories of the show hadn't been distorted in any way, fortunately.
I clearly remember that as a child I loved the Trix more than the Winx, and that's exactly why I think they should have been sidelined already for a few seasons: giving them a break would have preserved their impact.
They deserve much more than being constantly defeated and humiliated, considering that every time a new villain appears after the fourth season, they're treated like mere cannon fodder for the Winx, defeated in one or two episodes at most.
I was honestly tired of seeing them as recycled lackeys, but they had great potential quality in the right hands, given how fierce they were and never gave up, even after being defeated multiple times.
It's truly a remarkable quality.
And let's talk about how sexy they are?
Their style, while always remaining the same, is simply fascinating: gothic, dark, sensual. The Winx, in comparison, are so overly accessorized that they almost seem kitsch.
And I could confirm my version, since I had them right in front of my eyes.
Icy had silver hair tied up in a high ponytail, secured with a dark aqua green ribbon. Even though her bangs were pulled back, some rebellious curls lazily fell over her shoulders, gently brushing her skin.
Her blue eyes were made even more intense by the eyeshadow that emphasized their depth. She wore a blue tank top that touched her navel, showing a hint of skin, paired with a skirt that highlighted her curves and a diamond-studded belt that sparkled with every movement.
I couldn't help but remember that she was one of my first childhood crushes along with Shego; I adore how she's truly a boss and not just because she's the eldest. I think she's really good at handling herself, in terms of combat, decision-making, and the way she carries herself.
The middle sister, Darcy, was a young woman with fair, radiant skin, with long brown hair that sensually caressed her legs down to her knees.
Her bangs, a lighter shade, fell gently to her waist, framing her cute face and dark golden eyes while she wore lilac eyeshadow that accentuated her seductive gaze and purple lipstick that made her lips really good for pleasure.
Her outfit included a lilac top that left her navel exposed, paired with a purple choker that emphasized her delicate neck, with purple bell-bottom pants with small slits above the ankles revealing an intriguing lilac band, while the black pointed heels elongated her figure.
The youngest sister, Stormy, was a woman with pale, soft skin, with aqua green eyes that shone with mischief. Her dark purple, cloud-shaped curly hair framed her face with a wild aura like a wild animal.
Her lightning-shaped lavender bangs boldly fell over her shoulders. She wore a short brown top that showed off her skin, with a black choker around her neck that accentuated her sensuality.
As if that weren't enough, the shiny brown miniskirt paired with lavender panties accentuated her long, slender legs. On her feet, she wore brown platform sandals with high heels that gave her a provocative walk.
They were definitely three attractive women, and I could feel my gothic fetish starting to awaken, which honestly didn't bother me at all, and the nerdy, horny teenager in me is also thinking about finding a way to, I can't deny it.
But I'm not going to fall into that trap. This is real life, and I could die at any moment, so I have to take it seriously. Right now, I was too weak to think with my dick.
"Maxwell, what do you say about leaving this ice cream stand together?" asked Icy, recalling my previous words. She thought that if I knew an exit, they could benefit from it.
"Sounds like a great idea," I replied, earning a smile from her. I didn't really care either way now that I finally had a way out.
Without hesitation, I took command and began moving in a specific direction. The three young witches accompanying me followed, recognizing me as the strongest and most reliable point of reference in that crucial moment.
I placed myself at the head of the group, proceeding north — or at least, what passed for "north" in that dimension. The three witches followed me without protest, acknowledging, even if they would never admit it openly, that at the moment I was the only fixed point in the midst of this unknown world.
As we moved silently through that unstable landscape, I finally decided to break the ice. "How long have you been here?" I asked, without turning around.
My voice echoed lightly in the heavy air of the Omega Dimension, as if the world itself struggled to carry sound.
For a moment, no one answered. Then Darcy spoke, in a low tone laden with bitterness. "A few months… at least, we think." She paused, clenching her fists. "Hard to say here."
Stormy huffed, kicking a stone that dissolved into nothing. "And all this thanks to our 'adorable' fairy colleagues and their perfect headmistress Faragonda!" she spat the name as if it were poison. "Those idiots could have intervened earlier instead of letting us rot in this dimensional hole!"
Icy crossed her arms, her voice colder but sharp. "Not just them. Even Griffin, our headmistress, didn't lift a finger. She said it wasn't worth risking another war to save us. And now look where we are." She shook her head, her icy blue eyes full of anger. "Abandoned by everyone. As always."
I remained silent for a moment, observing them closely. There was frustration in their voices, but also something deeper: an ancient pain, from those who had learned not to trust anyone.
"I understand," I finally said, my voice quieter, almost a murmur. "Being forgotten hurts more than being defeated." The words came out spontaneously, perhaps because I knew all too well what it meant.
Icy shot me a quick glance, almost assessing whether to believe me or not. Then she looked away, feigning indifference. "Yeah," she said softly. "And when we return, someone will have to remember us. One way or another."
"Oh, believe me," added Stormy with a grin, "if I manage to step out of this hell, I'll make sure they remember us forever, one way or another."
As I watched Darcy and Stormy, I realized how much they were struggling to adapt to this hostile environment. Unlike Icy, their magic wasn't made to withstand such conditions.
She, with her innate affinity for ice, seemed almost invigorated by the freezing air, while the other two struggled to move.
I decided to intervene.
Fortunately, I had already faced worse environments, and within me was a power I hadn't used in a long time — something I had absorbed from a member of the Pyronite race, better known as Heatblast, one of the original alien forms of the Omnitrix.
An alien originating from the planet Pyros, a world characterized by extremely high temperatures and intense volcanic activity, possesses the power of pyrokinesis, which allows him to create, control, and manipulate fire in multiple forms.
Well, I could go on, but the concept was clear.
I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and focus.
Suddenly I feel something different: in front of me, a sea of stars opens up, thousands of lights in the dark. Most are extinguished, as if dead, cold and empty.
Only a few truly shine, large and intense, almost alive, ready to respond to my desire.
Finally, I chose one in particular and felt its blazing energy flow through my veins, and my right arm began to change. My skin transformed into magma and molten rock.
A reddish light spread around me, breaking part of the ice surrounding us. "Is this all I can do right now?" I thought. It wasn't extraordinary, but it was enough: it was clear how weak I still was.
I wasn't a cosmic being, but I already surpassed by far the average street kid. And, in a sense, I felt almost relieved: being able to do even this was a step forward, especially considering that many of my powers no longer responded, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't activate them.
It would take time… a lot of time, before returning to my former days of glory. Not that I was in a rush: that kind of power isn't easily regained, especially if I didn't want to risk losing my mind again, succumbing to the lust for power.
"What's this?" asked Icy with interest, approaching to take a look at my arm. Her curiosity didn't surprise me, since I remembered well how much of a nerd she was.
"A power I absorbed from someone," I replied. "It might help, since you two don't have a magical affinity with ice; we could be more susceptible to this environment, so I'd like to avoid unpleasant situations."
Stormy raised an eyebrow. "Well, now it's definitely useful. Better you than freezing to death."
"Stay close to me," I said in a calm but firm tone. "As long as I keep this power active, the heat should keep us safe."
The three of them instinctively drew closer. Icy remained a step behind, proud as always, but did not protest. The cold was still fierce, but around us the air vibrated with warmth, creating a fragile survival bubble in the heart of this icy dimension.
"So it's really powerful…" added Darcy, with a hint of excitement in her voice. She approached me with sinuous movements, her eyes sparkling with desire.
"Relax, girl, now is not the time to try to get into his pants," intervened Icy with mild irritation, trying to bring Darcy back to reality.
Darcy pouted adorably, visibly disappointed to have her seductive moment interrupted. Not that her attempt would have really worked on me, but her expression and the little offended look still had a certain charm, making the scene amusing.
I ignored their playful remarks. "Stay close to me, this way the heat from my power will keep you safe," I said, trying to maintain concentration in case of further attacks.
The cold around us was no joke, but the magical heat of my power created a protective area. The two immediately drew closer, following my advice.
Darcy seemed even more fascinated by me, while the other appeared slightly more relaxed despite the situation.
"But who exactly are you?" asked Stormy, looking at me with a curious gaze. "Someone with a power like yours should be well known, yet your name appears nowhere." Her sisters also seemed visibly curious, so interested were they.
"Because I don't come from the Magic Dimension," I explained. "This power is part of my race, so it's no surprise that you know nothing about it here."
"That doesn't change the fact that you have quite an impressive power," observed Icy, with a slight smile. "No wonder they threw you into this dimension to rot."
Her comment stirred a mix of emotions in me. "Well, ambition and power aren't always welcomed warmly," I replied with a chuckle.
Icy, Stormy, and Darcy echoed my joke with cute smiles.
During my journey through this icy land, I strengthened my power by absorbing the energy of the people trapped in blocks of ice, while also trying to appease — or perhaps satisfy — my osmosian hunger.
Reflecting on memories tied to this body, I realized how much time I had spent trying to correct the flaws of my race, constantly struggling not to be consumed by the innate arrogance that defines us.
And yet, like many before me, I eventually fell into that fatal vice that seems to mark our species.
I did not hesitate to act, considering that, from what I remembered, these were the worst criminals in the universe.
As if that weren't enough, the plaques listing their names and the crimes committed were a clear warning: all of this was enough to justify my action.
I was certainly no saint, but even for me there were unbreachable limits; some atrocities were simply unforgivable, and nothing could make me turn away.
All that absorption of magical power transformed my old weakened body into one undoubtedly much stronger, which wasn't bad at all for someone who had just awakened from captivity.
These criminals had spread terror across multiple worlds, leaving a trail of destruction and fear. And without my intervention, they would have surely found a way to escape their prisons and resume their nefarious activities, threatening the peace and safety of many other dimensions.
"It must be here somewhere," I murmured impatiently. I looked around, always vigilant of my surroundings, trying to locate the magical power I sought in this icy land.
"What are you looking for?" asked Darcy, her voice sweet and seductive as she walked beside me. Unlike her sisters, it seemed she had opted for a more assertive approach toward me.
I had no reason to lie; after all, I wanted a lasting relationship with them since they could prove far more useful than one might expect.
"There's a prisoner in this world who possesses something I absolutely need. It's crucial for me because it will give me the best chance to regain the strength I once had," I said, without beating around the bush.
"Is it really that important to you? You already seem very powerful, considering how you handled those ice snakes even though you had just emerged from your imprisonment," Darcy asked, a mix of curiosity and interest in her voice.
I replied after a few seconds of reflection. "Without it, I seriously doubt I have even a remote chance of returning to my original state anytime soon. Even if I seem powerful now, what you've seen is only a fraction of what I was."
Darcy nodded slowly, her gaze reflecting an understanding of the gravity of my situation. She didn't ask further questions as we continued to survey the surrounding area together.
"Hey, look at this!" exclaimed Icy, pointing at something not too far from our position.
Stormy noticed something shiny and picked up the plaque from the ground, reading aloud: "Valtor?" She read it again. "Wow, that guy was sentenced to eternity. He must have done something really bad."
My typical luck hadn't abandoned me.
It didn't take long for me to find the man. He was frozen in a block of ice like most of the others, but even weakened, I could sense a burning ember inside him that would never die out.
"Yes, he must have been someone important in this universe, but unfortunately for him, he possesses something I need," I said, stepping forward.
Honestly, the idea of putting him at my service crossed my mind. However, having sought alliances in the past, I had learned not to trust anyone: using someone could be more a risk than an advantage.
People were always ready to stab you in the back without remorse. It was better for me to get what I wanted quickly and close the deal without compromises or unnecessary risks.
"I'm sorry, friend… really," I murmured, my tone betraying more hunger than remorse, "But I'm too hungry to stop now." The man in front of me was immobilized, but I could see his pupils contract in one last, futile gesture of resistance as I brought my hand closer to his icy prison.
At the mere touch, the ice trembled, crackling under my hand. I felt the energy particles flow, the strands of his power vibrating like taut strings.
And then I began to absorb.
All of his energy was drawn away, piece by piece, until only a warm core remained, a small blue light burning inside him.
I recognized it immediately: It was the fragment of the Dragon Flame, an ancient and primordial force that had created the entire magic dimension.
When I touched it, that flame exploded and poured into me. I felt the fire flow through my body, burning every part of me, yet at the same time giving me new strength.
The ice shattered all around me, while a blue glow enveloped me.
Now that flame was no longer his.
It belonged to me.
Not only perhaps because his soul had been forged by a fragment of the Dragon Flame, I had managed to absorb all of his immense magical knowledge accumulated over time.
Meanwhile, the block of ice imprisoning Valtor shattered into a thousand pieces, letting his lifeless body fall to the ground. The impact produced a dull thud, and for a moment, everything remained still.
Then, slowly, Valtor's body began to crumble, turning into fine dust. After a few seconds, all that remained was ash, scattered here and there like a memory of his existence.
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A/N: A rewrite of one of my old stories due to the Winx reboot, I hope you enjoy it!
On the other hand, if you want to see something specific in the next chapters, or even just have some good advice for the story as a whole, I am always willing to read a comment if it is constructive criticism.
If you see any mistakes, I would be grateful if you would point them out to me, so that I can correct them when I have some spare time, and make the story as complete as possible for myself and especially for you.
To facilitate a clearer understanding, I've retained pictures of the respective characters. Your feedback is always valued, and if you have any suggestions for the upcoming chapter, please feel free to comment—I'll be sure to respond as usual.
Please leave a review if you like the story.