Silence.

It was unbelievably deafening and suffocating.

All everyone could do was stare and gape. It was so utterly incredible.

Gwen gawked at the three, her mind trying to grasp at what she was witnessing and that small spark of recognition that she had felt when she had first met Leo had her thinking. True, she had thought Leo familiar but damn this was just too uncanny. The facial features, the hair even how they walked were the same. But this resemblance did not only stop at Sky and Leo but extended to Skylar as well though not as pronounced. The pair and King gave the other identical looks of shock as neither seemed ready to break their gazes. Gwen felt the flap open silently as Jaydon followed them in and she felt him tense up.

"What the hell..." he breathed in amazement eyes wide. This seemed to break Stella's stupor as she tentatively approached the three.

"Sky" she whispered placing a hand on his arm, squeezing it lightly. He jumped slightly at the contact all the while taking a deep breath regaining what little composure he had left. Everyone seemed to come back to their senses as several held breaths were released and a slight rustling as everyone tried to shake off the tension.

"Well, I do believe we have much to discuss" Sky said quickly in as he gestured further into the depths of the tent. The twins simply bowed their heads and Skylar led the way as everyone began to move leaving Gwen and Jaydon behind. A thousand thoughts ran through Gwen's mind faster than she could process them. Memories of Leo, everything strange and mysterious about his past came to light, why hadn't she thought of this earlier? Even his mannerisms and his posture, looks, she compared it all to her Uncle.

Again and again she found just how much she had missed. She was so confused to the point of digging the heel of her hand into her temple in an attempt to slow down her mind. How could this bring such confusing thoughts into her head, she wasn't even making any sense. She had first believed that they were even related but that was absurd there was no connection between Leo and his sister to High King Sky.

A hand to her shoulder brought her back to the present as she found that Jaydon was standing over her with concern written on his face. She gave him a reassuring smile reaching up on her tip-toes to pat him on the head. He waved her off with a chuckle and turned to follow the rest of them into the tent.

Following quietly she leaned to the side as she walked looking past Jaydon's broad shoulders to find everyone in their seats and were prepared to begin. A broad smile split across her face as she saw Leo's attention was not on the meeting but towards them with his neck craned slightly and she knew he was trying to find her. When he spotted her his furrowed brows smoothed and he sent her a dazzling smile. She giggled like a little girl but managed to turn it into a quiet cough when Jaydon gave her a weird look but it couldn't wipe that smile from her face. Gwen let her mind wander back to the trio. But her eyes caught sight of Miranda and Malik, perfectly serene as they watched proceedings. Her eyes widened as she thought back to the introductions. While everyone had been brought to utter shock and speechlessness those two had been perfectly calm as if...they had been expecting it. This made her even more confused as her gaze narrowed down on the tall dark-skinned man. As if feeling her eyes burning a hole through his skull Malik glanced at her with interest. His small smile widened while her suspicions grew.

They knew something.

And she was going to figure it out.

Brandon watched the proceedings with keen eyes. He could feel everyone's restraint and tension it was almost suffocating but still the meeting and all involved continued as if nothing had happened. But he couldn't help but catch Gwen's pointed stares. Something had her unnerved and the direction of her gaze gave him a big clue as to what it was. The dark-skinned vampire had a knowing smirk plastered across his face as if enjoying a personal joke. Shaking his head he let his mind wander back to the issue at hand.

"You cannot expect to be able to take Baltor by day, you'll find yourself outnumbered and overwhelmed" the young prince announced. Brandon raised an eyebrow at the tone, it sounded so experienced and old yet it rang with authority. This was one young man who obviously got his way no matter what the situation was. Sky was also troubled by the Prince; Brandon could see it in the High Kings posture and expression. No one else seemed to notice, not that they would. Sky had become very adept at hiding his emotions since he ascended to the universal throne and being the one who had known him the longest, Brandon was the only one still able to read his old friend. Sky was silent as he watched the Prince appraisingly, eyebrows slightly lifted.

"We have no other choice, Baltor's beasts grow stronger at night" Sky turned his back on the vampire, holding his hand to his forehead, "and already this darkness in the sky gives him the advantage, even during the day." He took to his throne where his gaze returned to their guests.

Brandon smiled recognising this position. It was a message, a very subtle one at that. It said: I am King, this is my tent and I am very much in charge. Prince Leo gazed at the High King the very same way Sky had moments before, but eventually tilted his head slightly to Sky. He got the message loud and clear.

"What my brother means to say is that we cannot aid you during the day but obviously he has not taken into account the darkened sky" the Princess had finally spoken and had taken steps to place herself in front of her twin, obviously taking over.

"It's not certain though, that it will hold during the battle." She began to step slowly towards the throne head held high. Sky watched her thoughtfully but suddenly they narrowed as if something about her had caught his eye.

"Is something the matter?" she asked quickly obviously taken aback and unsettled by his intensity. Sky's gaze softened and he gave her a small smile.

"I apologize, you just reminded me of someone I used to know..." his voice trailed off as he spoke but his eyes remained on the female vampire. There was an awkward silence as Skylar's fidgeting expressed her discomfort but they were once again interrupted by an unexpected guest. A man wearing Sky's crest rushed into the tent shouting as he went.

"She's here! Baltor's daughter has arrived!" he cried, the young man's face was white with terror and his face and hands were stained with blood. At the same time a horn blared, the signal for war. Everyone was spurred into action as they reached for weapons or bursting into fairy form as fairy dust filled the room.

Brandon was no different, his phantoblade in hand and Stella in her Enchantix beside him. In a blink of an eye the vampires were gone in a cloud of black smoke and for a moment he envied their ability. He watched as his friends ran or flew towards the entrance and he spared but a worried glance at his son before following them out.

Jaydon caught his father's worried look and his own anxiety levels shot through the roof.

Could this girl be so powerful as to have even the powerful Winx fearful?

Jaydon truly didn't want an answer. He bolted after his parents his imaginations running rampant.

What powers could she wield? One of the most powerful magics of the realms?

The camp outside was utter mayhem. Men were running and shouting as soldiers followed orders and fairies took to the skies in a haze of fairy dust and bright flashes of colour. Pushing through the crowds Jaydon kept an eye on his parents and the royals. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he thought about the battle that was about to commence. He'd been in skirmishes and raids but never in battles of this magnitude. These were not over mere outposts and supplies. No, the following battles would decide the fate of all the Magical Realms and their people.

Eventually things were coming together as men gathered in formation and the initial shock began to wear out and Jaydon found it a lot easier to navigate his way. After losing them for only a few seconds he came to halt beside his father and his Uncle. He stood at the edge of the camp where men had assembled. It was an amazing sight, their army was a mix of the Realms colours and the numbers were massive. But across the wide plain that was spread out before him, rested an even larger one. Line upon line of dark blue armoured men stood in front of them. Their size seemed endless; it made Jaydon feel impossibly small.

There was movement at his side and out of the corner of his eye he saw the Death Dealers take their spot at the front of the army. Leo and Skylar stood at the head, their cool gazes swept over the enemy with barely any interest. He turned his gaze behind him where Gwen stood. Her Enchantix glittered and shone as light of any kind seemed to bounce off her. But her eye caught his and they shared a dark thought.

This was not going to end well.

"Quite the gathering you have, little king!" a feminie voice echoed over the deathly silence.

Instantly everyone's attention was diverted upwards for hovering above her army was Frostia herself. She was a frightening creature to behold as the very sight of her had several of their own men take a couple steps back. She was dressed in armour of a deeper, darker shade of blue than her men. It seemed moulded to her form which was amazingly shaped. She was a stunning beauty, with pale skin and the brightest of blue eyes. Her light brown hair blew about her face only adding to her appearance.

But for all her natural beauty Jaydon could see the madness within. It was in the way she held herself, an air of self-importance bordering on the need to move. As if to kill at a moment's thought. But it was her eyes and face that gave her away. Those icy blues were hardened and cold but with a spark of insanity and intensity that sent shivers down his back. While her angelic face was contorted by her malicious smirk and her dark aura. He was brought back from his thoughts by movement at his side as Sky moved forward.

"We will play no games Frostia, we know what you are here for so let us get on with it!" his voice was strong and clear and had somehow echoed across the empty plain. Her smirk only grew larger and more sinister.

"Do you now? Are you sure you know exactly what I am here for?" she laughed as she spoke, slowly floating closer towards them. But then in the blink of an eye she disappeared only to appear directly in front of Sky. So close they were almost touching and before anyone could even move she leant close to his ear.

"If you did, you would not be so eager to begin" she breathed in a whisper, loud enough for Jaydon to know that it was not meant for Sky's ears alone. At that moment her icy gaze locked with his and the look in her eye made the blood drain from his face. Whatever she wanted had something to do with him.

With a cry Sky drew his sword and swung at Frostia but she disappeared again. A feral growl came from Jaydon's right and he spared a glance. To his surprise Skylar was being restrained by her brother and she fought against him, thrashing about. Her eyes had gone wild and her fangs were bared for all to see. As Jaydon was distracted by her violent reaction he didn't realise till the last second that Frostia had reappeared right in front of him.

It was as if in slow motion as he turned his head to find her so close their noses were almost touching. Her eyes had him paralysed and it felt as if time did not matter, nothing else did. He knew in the back his mind that he had to kill her and that this was a spell he had to snap out of. But his thoughts weren't coherent; all he could think of was the feel of her hands on his face as they almost lovingly caressed him.

Next moment her lips were on his and it felt so utterly wrong to him. She was so very cold and it was as if his nightmare was coming true. The icy feeling grew from where her lips touched him seeping into his throat and across his face. It was a burning pain as it spread, but numbed as it passed. He was falling, embracing the cold as nothingness had a grip on him.

Suddenly he was ripped back to reality as everything around him was brought back into focus. He stumbled back and was caught by several hands. In shock he raised his hand to his cheek and lips to find them icy to the touch. What the hell just happened?

"How dare you touch me? YOU DISGUSTING BEAST!"

Frostia's screech brought his attention back to what was happening. It was his father and Riven's son, Dominique who held him but it was the person who was crouched protectively in front of him that really caught his eye.

Skylar had gone feral, utterly and totally wild. Her fingers were curled so they were almost claw-like and her fangs had grown and were bared aggressively. Her eyes, they had lightened till they had become frightening icy blue but lighter than Frostia. The witch herself laid on the ground several metres away glaring at Skylar but looking slightly dazed.

Then it clicked, Skylar had thrown her off him!

This realisation sparked a small amount of hope in him but was replaced with fear, she wasn't supposed to be risking her life for him, that was his job. He shook off the hands holding him and staggered forward but again was held. This time it was Leo and his gaze had never left his sister. Jaydon was about to tell him off before Skylar suddenly stalked forward. Without hesitation she lifted Frostia up by her throat, clean off the ground, her feet hovering at least a foot off the ground.

"How dare you touch him" Skylar snarled, her grip visibly tightening. Frostia winced slightly but her glare intensified.

"Unlucky for you, I was already annoyed, but now?" she continued, slowly bringing Frostia closer so they were nose to nose.

"I'm bloody PISSED OFF!" she all but screamed in her face before throwing her away with a yell. Frostia flew across several metres at an incredible speed and showed no sign of stopping. Skylar disappeared as she smoked out, she reappeared directly above Frostia and without a moment's hesitation she brought her heel down and smashed it onto the witch's stomach, making her plummet to the ground. And hit the ground she did, with a force that created a crater and had their audience stumbling back. Skylar dropped nimbly into the crater, towering above Frostia. She landed a bone-crunching punch to her face before Frostia brought her leg up in a kick that was reinforced with magic which sent Skylar flying backwards.

"No-humph!" Jaydon began to leap forward in an attempt to go to her aid by Leo caught him about the waist which knocked the air out him.

"Don't even think about!" he stated before he started to drag a struggling Jaydon back, not that he was having much difficulty, super vampire strength and all. "The way she is now she'd probably attack even you if you got between them"

"What the hell is she doing? Why is she defending me?" Jaydon had stopped struggling and had tried to walk backwards with Leo but was stumbling as Leo was walking at a faster pace and still had a grip on him, yanking him in the process.

"It's her instinct" was his simply reply and finally came to a halt letting Jaydon go. The others had followed them including the soldiers. They knew better than to get involved. Jaydon just gaped as he watched the battle unfold. It was all a blur as both moved at a supernatural speed and their kicks and punches were far too quick for the human eye to see.

"Instinct?" Jaydon couldn't comprehend it; it was her instinct to protect him? He had caught a glimpse of what that instinct did to her and it was damn right scary. Leo sighed and took pity on him.

"You remember when Hepaysis attacked Gwen? How I reacted?"

Jaydon vaguely remembered back when they reached the Vampiric Dimension. That crazy blonde had attacked Gwen so quickly Jaydon hadn't even had a chance to move. But in a blink of an eye Leo had her by the throat, killing intent dripping off him in waves, all in a matter of seconds. It had been the first time he'd seen a vampire let loose. At that moment Frostia screamed out a curse and sent a stream of searing blue fire at Skylar who smoked out of the way only to smoke in behind the witch, grab her hair and swing Frostia over her head and slamming her back on the ground, snarling the whole time. Jaydon nodded weakly not taking his eyes off the girl he loved, he wasn't quite sure it was even her anymore.

"That was but a taste of what I would have done. When the ones we love are threatened, especially our mates, we lose all control we have over our vampire side, it's our nature" Leo explained slowly and Jaydon knew his mind was half on the battle. But what he said had Jaydon snap to attention.

"Love? Mate?"

"You are completely dense aren't you?" Leo smiled mockingly, showing his gleaming fangs, "and Gwen said you were intelligent."

Jaydon scowled but Skylar's pained scream splitting through the air had him struggling against Leo again as he rushed forward. Frostia had landed a hit with enchanted flame across Skylar's side burning through the leather. Skylar hissed in pain as she fell to her knee gripping her injured side. Seeing her advantage Frostia sped forward and threw down her fist aiming for Skylar's face. But the vampire simply gripped the witch's wrist that broke with a loud SNAP, Frostia squealed in pain but was cut off by Skylar single-handedly flinging her to the side.

"I will tear you to shreds! I will bloody rip out your pathetic excuse for a heart and stuff it down you fucking throat! YOU ARE DEAD!" Skylar ranted at the top of her lungs, her words echoed across the plain making everyone cringe at the malice and the determination that ruled her voice.

Jaydon was taken aback to say the least, this was a side of her he had never witnessed. He looked at Leo who was stunned.

"I have never seen her get this angry...her rage has never lasted this long..." Leo was muttering now probably not even aware that Jaydon was listening.

Jaydon could only watch anxiously as Skylar stormed her way over to Frostia who was struggling to push herself up. Skylar landed a kick to her side, forcing her to lay flat on her back. But as Skylar reached down to grab her throat magical blue fire erupted from the witch. Skylar was blown backwards, off her feet, by the force of the blow and landed in a smoking heap a yard or two away. Jaydon panicked and rushed forward and Leo didn't stop him. He glanced back to see the Prince's eyes had grown unfocused and empty. This made Jaydon stop in his tracks, even though it wrenched at his heart. Something was terribly wrong.

"There was no way you could have beaten me you piece of filth" Frostia had taken to her feet still surrounded by her magic. She was gloating as she stood over the fallen Skylar. But the Princess was not done yet. Jaydon watched with a hopeful heart as Skylar pushed herself up with shaking limbs. But as she stood straight Jaydon saw the shaking was not from pain or exhaustion.

It was from her fury.

It had over taken her as her entire torso heaved with her anger, her form shaking head to foot. Jaydon took a tentative step back. Oh yes, something was very much wrong.

He looked back at Leo who as if knowing that he was watching him, came back to himself. But his reaction was not what Jaydon thought it would be.

"GET BACK! GET BACK NOW!" he yelled as his face became panic-stricken. Everyone seemed to understand the urgency as the rushed back. As they did a magical shield was raised. It spanned the length of the entire army and reached high into the sky.

And it was purple.

Jaydon again looked back at Leo to find his hands raised and his eyes were focused directly in front of him, all concentration had gone into his shield. He had raised it just in time for at that exact moment Skylar simply exploded.

It was the only way to describe it as purple flames erupted from her and they spread outwards and upwards reaching across nearly the entire plain. Leo's shield protected their side from the deadly assault but their enemies had no such protection. The flames all but obliterated the entire army in a single moment, their dying cries echoing across the burning plain.

But Jaydon could hear another two screams, one in utter agony and the other in terror. He watched with wide eyes as the form of Frostia disappear into ash as the flame consumed her all the while screeching to high heaven as the fear of death came upon.

And then she was gone. Dead and finished, never to come after him again. Any and all thoughts of happiness over the obvious victory were drowned out by the sound of Skylar's agony. He saw her through her brother's shield though the sight was blurred. But what he could see broke his heart.

She was on her knees with her entire torso thrown backwards and her arms flung out to the sides. Her entire body shook with the force of the magical power she was exerting.

And she was screaming bloody murder. They were agonising and harsh cried as they tore at her throat, painful and relentless. His knees felt weak as his helplessness ripped him from the inside out, and they fell out beneath him. He barely noticed as he hit the ground, Skylar was all he thought of.

Through the haze of the shield and the flame Jaydon noticed another figure appear beside Skylar. The black mist surrounding them gave it away as a vampire. His eyes narrowed as he noticed another feature.

Red hair...the Queen!

He watched as she leant towards her daughter, placing her hands on Skylar's face. At her touch Jaydon stared as Skylars' rigid posture loosened and the force of the blast slowly began to die off. Jaydon scrambled to his feet and ran till he was a hairs breath away from the shield. He had to get to her. The fire receded as if she were drawing it back to her body till it was but a small bubble around herself and her mother.

The blurred form of the Queen placed a small kiss on her daughter's forehead before smoking out. Just as that happened the flame disappeared leaving all it had touched as blackened ash. Skylar went limp and crumbled to the ground, unmoving. As soon as Leo's shield dropped Jaydon shot forward. He covered the ground in no time and slid to his knees right beside her.

"Skylar? Can you hear me?" he whispered as he gently rolled her over into his lap. Her eyes were closed and she was feverish as she breathed deeply and shakily.

"Jaydon? I killed her..." her voice was barely loud enough for him and she lifted a hand in search of him.

"I know, you got her real good" He pulled her into his arms and rested his forehead on hers. Her dainty hand clutched at his shirt and she snuggled into his arms. He barely noticed as others came up behind him as he continued to whisper sweet nothings into her ear and pressing his lips anywhere he could on her beautiful face.

"Didn't...like her...kissing...you..." she mumbled into his chest as her body calmed and her breathing evened out.

He ignored the chuckles and sniggers behind him and simply smiled.

"I think you made that quite clear sweetheart"

Well would you look at that, I finished it. I hope is wasn't too long, I didn't notice its size till I finished it. I hope you enjoy it, I was really looking forward to writing this chapter since it was one of the scenes I had in my head when I started this story. So please read and review and tell me what you think!

Chiao!

Double-trouble-no1 XD