More Tension
The next few days at Alfea passed in a blur of classes, awkward silences, and tightly controlled bursts of magic. Every class was a test, every interaction with the other students a reminder of how not to reveal who they truly were. They had to play their part, be the students they once were — should have been — if they were ever going to find a way to navigate this warped timeline.
Stella found herself dreading the classes more and more. The walls of Alfea felt like they were closing in on her with each passing day, her powers stretching against the invisible leash she kept them on. She could feel her star pulsing, weak and distant, and it made her stomach twist. She was supposed to be a beacon, a force to be reckoned with, yet here she was, forced to shrink back into a version of herself that was barely a shadow of what she’d once been.
As the group walked down the hall toward their next class, a strange sense of unease settled over them.
“I’m starting to think we’re being watched,” Aisha murmured, her gaze flicking toward the windows as she spoke. Her natural instinct was to always be aware of her surroundings, but today, it felt off. The sunlight filtering through the glass seemed darker, the air heavier, as if something was pressing against them.
“You’re not wrong,” Tecna agreed. She tapped the side of her tablet. “There’s something in the school’s magical energy. It’s. . .twisted, like it’s been tampered with.”
“What are you talking about?” Bloom asked, glancing around nervously. “Tampered with? By who?”
“I don’t know yet, but it feels like someone is manipulating the flow of magic through the school,” Tecna said, her eyes scanning her device for any trace of interference. “If we’re not careful, it could affect us.”
Flora stepped forward, her usual calm demeanor tainted with concern. “I’ve felt it too. There’s something in the plants, something unnatural. Like someone’s draining the life force from them. The balance is. . .wrong.”
“Maybe it’s the Ancestors,” Musa said darkly, crossing her arms. “Maybe they’ve been following us since the war. Maybe they found a way to make us go back to the past, to weaken us.”
“Could be,” Stella said, her voice tight as she fought the growing anxiety. “But we don’t know what’s really going on yet. We can’t afford to jump to conclusions.”
“I don’t know if it’s the Ancestors,” Aisha said thoughtfully, her eyes narrowed. “But whoever or whatever it is, it’s dangerous. And it’s watching us.”
As they rounded the corner, a group of students passed by, laughing and chatting about the upcoming school events. A few of them waved at the Winx, but the familiar faces only made Stella feel more distant. She couldn’t shake the feeling that they didn’t belong here, not anymore. Not in these bodies, not in this version of Alfea.
As they entered the classroom, the teacher — who they all recognized, but now saw in a completely different light — was already at the front, giving instructions. She greeted them with a warm smile, but there was a sharpness behind her eyes that none of them missed.
“You’re late,” she said, her voice clipped. “Take your seats.”
The Winx sat down, exchanging uneasy glances. The teacher started the lesson with a standard spellcasting exercise. Nothing too complicated, just a basic levitation spell. But Stella could feel it: the tension in the air. This wasn’t just a simple class — it was a test. A test they didn’t even know they were taking.
The Winx held their breaths as the teacher turned to them.
“Stella,” she called, her eyes glinting with something unreadable. “You first.”
Stella’s breath hitched in her throat. She forced herself to stand, but her legs felt unsteady as if the weight of everything was pushing down on her. She raised her hands in front of her, knowing that any moment now, her powers would lash out if she wasn’t careful.
She focused. It was supposed to be just a simple levitation spell — something basic. But the moment she started to pull the magic from the sun, moon, and stars, she felt her entire body hum with energy. The room’s temperature shifted, growing warmer, as if the power she was drawing from the stars was threatening to fill the entire classroom.
Stella’s breath quickened. She could feel her star, her true star, burning in her chest, urging her to unleash its power. But she couldn’t. Not here. Not in this timeline.
Her hands shook as the magic swirled around her, the faint glow of sunlight and moonlight flickering in the air. She forced herself to pull the magic back in, to reign it in. It wasn’t easy, and for a split second, she feared she’d lose control. But the moment passed, and the power settled down.
The object she was supposed to lift — a small wooden orb — rose into the air, just barely. It was weak, barely moving.
The teacher didn’t seem to notice the faint flicker of panic in Stella’s eyes. She nodded, though there was an almost disappointed glint in her expression. “Good. Just. . .a little more focus next time.”
Stella didn’t say anything. She returned to her seat quickly, feeling the weight of everyone’s eyes on her. She could hear their thoughts swirling in her head — Was that it? She’s supposed to be stronger than that, right?
But she wasn’t. She couldn’t be — not here. Not in this body. She wasn’t the general she once was, not yet.
As the rest of the class continued, Stella caught glimpses of her friends. Flora’s gaze was concerned, Aisha’s face tight with suppressed worry, and Bloom’s brow furrowed, the weight of their shared trauma still hanging heavy in the air.
After what felt like hours, the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the class. The Winx quickly gathered their things, making their way out of the classroom, but the weight of what had just happened still hung over them.
“Are you okay?” Bloom asked Stella softly as they walked down the hall.
Stella nodded, though the unease in her chest remained. “Yeah. But something’s wrong here. Something’s really wrong.”
“And it’s not just the classes,” Flora added, her voice strained. “The school — Alfea — it feels different. Like it’s. . .alive, in a way. But twisted.”
“We need to figure out what’s going on,” Aisha said, her voice grim. “Before things get worse.”
The Winx walked in silence for a few moments, all of them feeling the growing sense of tension and unease that seemed to pulse through the halls of Alfea. They had to get answers. And they had to do it fast.
Because the longer they stayed here, the harder it was becoming to tell where the past ended — and where their future would begin.