Issue 22: Treason

Treason is the twenty-second issue of the Winx Club Comic Series.

Synopsis
The Shaab Stone Retrieval Mission was a total bust. Belizarius now has the Stone in his possession, all magic on Magix no longer works and Helia, who was tasked with leading the mission, is facing discrimination from every direction all because Riven did not want to follow his plans. Tension within Red Fountain continues to grow with Riven's constant instigation and, after Helia gets into a fight, Saladin has no choice but to have his grandson expelled. Flora tries desperately to keep in touch with her love but Helia continuously refuses help from everybody and he soon finds himself working for the enemy.

Plot
Bloom's diary repeats all the information given to him: that Helia is facing disgrace after the mission flopped, that magic on Magix no longer works and that this was all due to Riven being too rash and impulsive. It asks when and how all of this could have happened and Bloom tells her diary that it all happened last week. Her diary insists that Bloom does not update it enough and that she should not treat her diary in such a way. Bloom tells her diary that she already told it but her diary is still unsure about most of the details, like if Belizarius is not actually some wizard instead of a mere dealer. Bloom tells her diary, again, that Belizarius is just a dealer who is trying to come up with the best way to conduct his dealings and that he only found out about the power of the Shaab Stone by chance. She further explains that he was hoping to get Griffin and the Cloud Tower witches to use dark magic to increase his tradings but, now that he has the Shaab Stone, it will be a lot harder for Griffin to refuse. Lockette flies over to Bloom and tells her diary that all that is important to know about Belizarius is that he is an evil man, but her diary interrupts, insisting that Bloom was solely speaking to it. Lockette does not understand the diary until he gets frustrated. Bloom tells Lockette not to mind her diary and tells it that no one knows what will happen now that Belizarius has the Shaab Stone. Her diary suggest that she call up the Specialists, but Bloom tells it that they are also facing their own problems; especially Helia. Her diary remembers what it was told earlier and shouts that it was all Riven's fault but Bloom quiets it down, claiming that she does not want Musa to hear since she feels responsible. Her diary insists that everything will go back to normal but Bloom is not so sure and hopes that the failed Shaab Stone mission does not come between the boys. Meanwhile, at Red Fountain, Timmy tells the rest of the boys that Helia may have been noted with disapproval but said disapproval will not be documented on his personal data and, most importantly, he will still attend Red Fountain. Sky is relieved that Helia was not expelled but Riven cuts in, claiming that Helia would never have been expelled in the first place because he is Saladin's grandson. Riven further claims that all of this will blow over in a few days but Sky, Timmy and Brandon remind Riven that all of this is happening because of his impulsive behavior. Timmy tries to tell Riven that, if they had not made any mistakes then Helia would be fine but, before he can finish, Riven cuts in and insists that it should not be considered a crime for being courageous enough to actually try and take the Shaab Stone from Belizarius' men. He then tries to pass the blame onto Timmy and Timmy does not take too kindly to it. Sky tells them that fighting amongst themselves will not solve anything but, when Riven tells Timmy not to take it so seriously, Sky warns Riven by telling him that "things could go differently next time around." Brandon suggests that Timmy tell Flora that nothing bad has happened to Helia and Timmy agrees, calling Tecna as well as proposing they all meet up together at the White Horse. At Alfea, Tecna just gets off of the phone with Timmy and tells the rest of the Winx that they will be able to hang out with the boys on Sunday. Flora and Stella are excited by this news; Stella especially, as she even mentions that that their latest misadventure had gotten her depressed for a while. Bloom believes that everything will be easier to deal with once Sunday rolls around and Tecna goes over to ask Musa if she will be coming to hang out with them, too. Musa asks the girls if they really want her to come as she still feels responsible for being unable to convince Riven to stick to their plan. Tecna and Stella insist that it is not her fault, that Riven is too brash, and Flora chimes in, telling Musa that Riven will be able to see that she has his best interests at heart one day. She further tells Musa that, in the meantime, they have to put their friendship above all else. To make sure Flora really is not mad at her, Musa asks if she is sure she is not mad about what happened to Helia, to which Flora hugs her and tells her that she loves her. Musa tells Flora that she loves her too and the girls get ready for their weekend.

At Cloud Tower, Griffin tries to conjure up some sort of creature but it quickly dissolves. She tells Saladin and Faragonda that all of her knowledge pertaining to magic might as well be useless now that the Shaab Stone's influence is negating everyone's magic. Faragonda also tells Griffin and Saladin that she was unable to use magic at Alfea as well. Griffin laments over the fact that magic is fundamental to the universe's equilibrium and that, without magic, Magix is left vulnerable to any attack from outside. She claims that Belizarius has no idea what he has just done but Saladin believes that Belizarius knows fully well what the repercussions are and will still proceed to keep the Shaab Stone. Saladin then asks if Belizarius has come back to Cloud Tower for anything but Griffin responds by telling him that he has not. Griffin admits that, due to their circumstances, she may even have to give in the Belizarius' demands but Saladin assures her that they cannot give in to Belizarius' influences and that they will be able to get their hands on the Shaab Stone to destroy it. Meanwhile, in the outskirts of Magix, Belizarius boasts of his influence over everyone in Magix thanks to the Shaab Stone. As he marvels over the Shaab Stone's brilliance, Servidio comes into his office and tells him that they have a problem. He explains that one of Belizarius' "friends" is facing a lot of pressure from the headmasters of each of the magic schools and needs him to destroy the stone, adding that if the Fortress of Light Council were to get involved then his trading license could be revoked. However, Belizarius believes that now that he has the stone in his possession, no one will be able to deny him anything. He and Servidio lock up the Shaab Stone in a giant red safe and Belizarius declares that if anyone tries to take the stone from him, then he will have his men deal with them and laughs triumphantly. Finally the weekend arrives and the Winx are already waiting for the boys to arrive at the White Horse. Stella asks if they have to wait long but Tecna reassures her by telling her that she just called Timmy and he told her that they are on their way. Stella helps Bloom for a bit until Brandon greets her by the entrance as the rest of the Specialists arrive. They all greet each other until a witch from across the room points out Helia to her friends as "the man who let them rob the Shaab Stone." The witch further explains that Griffin is going hysterical over the whole ordeal and her friend claims that you can never trust a boy until her boyfriend cuts in to tell her that she should be careful about what she says. The girl's boyfriend then loudly announces that, if it were not for certain connections Helia had, then he would not even attend Red Fountain and would not have caused this to happen. Helia asks if the boy is talking about him but, despite Flora's attempts to get Helia to calm down, the boy further instigates a fight by referring to Helia as "the one who messed everything up." Helia claims that he does not have the "pleasure" of knowing the man calling him out and the man gets up and announces himself to be Horg: the biggest in his class. Flora tries to get Helia to back out before things get out of hand but Helia tells Horg that he should stay out of something he does not know the full story of and that, because he does not want to look like an idiot, should just be quiet. Horg tries to throw a punch at Helia and misses, only to have Helia grab Horg's arm and flip him onto the table he was sitting at with his friends. Sky tries to hold Helia back as Horg gets up to attack again, but Helia manages to kick Horg in the gut and knock him out cold. The police arrive and demand to know who started the fight, to which Helia proclaims that it was him. At Red Fountain, Saladin is enraged by Helia's recent behavior. Codatorta tries to explain what really happened but Saladin is more concerned with how the Fortress of Light Council will see him as a headmaster. Codatorta believes that it should not be taken as a serious offense but Saladin exclaims that personal preferences should not get in the way of the necessary actions that need to be done, telling him that they have already been too lenient with Helia already.

At Alfea, Flora learns that Saladin had Helia expelled from Red Fountain and panics. Tecna says that Timmy just told her the news and that the boys cannot seem to wrap their heads around Saladin's decision either. Stella thinks that Saladin must have been mad to have his own grandson expelled, but Bloom cuts in and explains that him being Saladin's grandson might be the reason why Saladin had him expelled in the first place. Musa asks what she means by this and Bloom further explains that just about everyone thinks that Saladin would do anything and everything to protect Helia because he is his grandson, so to prove that he did not hold any favoritism for Helia, he had to give Helia excessive punishment. Aisha chimes in, believing that Saladin was a fool to give into what the rumors have been saying as she tries to stop Flora from crying. Stella further adds that this is because Saladin was afraid of what the Fortress of Light Council would say about the situation and that Helia was unlucky enough to be at the center of the political issues. Musa asks where Helia is now and Tecna claims that he had already left Red Fountain and is already looking for a place to live in the city. Tecna suggests that they should stay by Helia's side to help until Flora leaps to her feet and announces that she will go looking for Helia. The girls try to stop Flora but she insists that she needs to do this. Aisha tries to come with but Bloom also insists that Flora needs to do this by herself and stops her. Flora gets on a bus and calls Sky, asking him if he knows where Helia could be. Sky tells her that Codatorta has been keeping a close eye on them, but that Helia mentioned something about the White Horse and thinks that he may be stopping there before continuing his search for a place to stay in Magix. Flora thanks Sky and gets off of the bus in front of the White Horse.

Flora runs in and asks Greta if Helia had recently come there, to which Greta tells her that he had come by to pay for the damages he had caused yesterday. Flora tells Greta that Helia is looking for a place to stay and asks Greta if she knows where he was headed. She tells Flora that she had recommended Helia to a friend that rents out cheap rooms but they are on the other side of the city. Although, she claims that Helia may still be at the pier and Flora rushes for the pier, thanking Greta as she makes her way there. Flora catches Helia as he is just about to leave and grabs his hand. Helia warns Flora that she should not be with him as, from what he has heard, he is considered to be a danger to anyone around him, but Flora claims that it is all just a misunderstanding. She tries to explain why but Helia cuts her off by telling her that Saladin told him in front of everyone attending Red Fountain that he believes Helia does not deserve to attend the school as he was expelled. Helia further rants about how if all his efforts are meaningless then it is himself who has decided to leave, and that he will find work elsewhere in Magix. Flora tries to reassure him by telling him that this is just a passing crisis but Helia shouts that he does not need anyone to prove what he is made of. Flora tries to tell him that she is here with him, but Helia emphasizes on what he told her: that he will accept help from no one, causing Flora to run off in tears. When she is out of view, a man in a heavy coat approaches Helia, claiming that he overheard his desire to look for a place to stay and a job in Magix. He tells Helia that the company he works at is working for more people and suggests that Helia look for work there. Helia agrees, so long as the conditions will work out for him and ends up in Belizarius' office. At his office, Belizarius tries to butter up Helia with compliments by claiming that it would be an honor to employ Saladin's grandson. He further claims that Helia is destined for great things and will even be hired as a collaborator instead of a mere employee. Helia claims that he is no longer interested in Magix and wants to have business with all of the other realms, asking if he could see one of Belizarius' shuttles. However, Belizarius believes that Helia would be more useful to him closeby rather than working in other realms. He talks about how, despite Helia being Saladin's successor, he was treated terribly by his grandfather, to which Helia agrees. Belizarius tries to make the deal sweeter by saying that he could help Helia avenge himself but he needs Helia to prove himself useful. Helia asks what he needs him to do and Belizarius tells him to make him a promising offer, only to have Helia claim that he is capable of making Griffin work with him. Belizarius tells him that is could work and Helia further explains that there is a secret document about Griffin being appointed to Cloud Tower that supposedly went against other applicants and works around the law. He claims that he overheard Saladin talking about it but Saladin is unaware that Helia heard him discussing about it, and Helia claims that all three headmasters own a copy of this secret document. However, he cannot gain access to Cloud Tower or Red Fountain but assures Belizarius that he can get his hands on Faragonda's copy of the document. Belizarius' interests are piqued and Helia asks if that would be enough to prove himself to be worthy. Belizarius agrees to this but is unsure how Helia will be able to get the documents from Alfea. Helia claims that he knows someone on the inside who can and will help him do it.

A few days later, Flora is woken up in the middle of the night by her cellphone vibrating. When she picks it up, she realizes that Helia is the one calling her. Helia tells her that he needs her and that he can explain himself. He tells her that he is hiding outside in the courtyard and that he needs Flora to sneak him into the building. Flora reluctantly agrees to help, sneaks out of her dorm without waking the other Winx and runs down the main hall, letting Helia into the building. Flora asks Helia what he needs to do here and Helia tells her that Belizarius is plotting against Saladin; that he purposely set up the fight at the White Horse in order to make Saladin look like an incompetent leader. He claims that he knows Faragonda received a document full of lies to make Saladin look bad. Flora asks who could have possibly sent the document and Helia tells her that they were sent by a corrupted official working for Belizarius. Flora suggests that Helia just ask Faragonda for the document but Helia explains that Belizarius can listen in on their conversations and that he needs to retrieve the fabricated document without anyone noticing him. Flora reminds Helia of what he said days earlier: that he would not accept help from anyone, including her. Helia claims that he was confused and apologizes, but Flora has him promise that what he is doing now will be for the good of everyone. Helia promises Flora and the two head up the stairwell. The two of them make it to the hallway just outside of Faragonda's office but they cannot get inside it because Knut is cleaning there. Flora has Helia stay behind as she goes to distract Knut by claiming that she has indigestions and cannot sleep. As Flora keeps Knut distracted, Helia sneaks past from behind Knut and into Faragonda's office. Some time later, Flora and Knut see each other off and Helia regroups with Flora, claiming that he took photographs of the document and put it away. The two of them then go looking for another exit.

A while later, Flora and Helia make it to a window where they cannot be seen. Flora assures Helia that he will be able to escape into the woods without being seen and wishes him good luck as he takes off. Flora is overcome with a sense of uneasiness and runs after him. However, Flora catches Helia climbing into a ship marked with the TradeMagix Co. logo: the same logo of Belizarius' company. Believing that Helia had used her, Flora takes it upon herself to stop him. She barely manages to transform, only being able to conjure up her wings, and sneaks onto the back of the ship as it heads to Belizarius' company headquarters.

At the TradeMagix Co. building, Belizarius is amazed by the document Helia retrieved and revels in the fact that he can now blackmail Griffin into working for him. Helia adds that he took pictures of other rather interesting documents that Faragonda had in her office, but before he is able to show Belizarius the photos, Lothar enters the office and claims that they have an unexpected guest: Flora. He explains that they found her hiding in the hangars and that she must have been following them all the way from Alfea. Flora is torn by Helia's betrayal but Helia explains that she should have stayed out of all of this. Belizarius asks if Helia knows Flora and apologizes, claiming that they cannot simply let Flora go now that she knows too much. He orders Lothar and his men to lock Flora up in the dungeons, but Helia cuts in by bringing Belizarius' attention to another one of the documents. Belizarius is immediately enraged as the documents contain plans for an attack on his headquarters for the Shaab Stone. Helia further explains that the attack will be a large-scale attack comprised of an army made up of all the students from the three magic colleges. Belizarius wonders why Lothar was unable to get that sort of information but all of the spy gear used by him and his men could not intercept information that is written on a letter. Belizarius announces that they will move the Shaab Stone and prepare their defenses for the oncoming attack, and orders Lothar and his men to lock up Flora, but Helia cuts in and suggests that he will watch over Flora. Flora tells Helia that she will never forgive him now that he has betrayed everyone and Belizarius has one of Lothar's men strap Flora to a chair. Lothar leaves to get the others ready for battle as Belizarius announces that he will open up the armored door, signalling that Helia turn around. Belizarius opens the large red safe and marvels at the Shaab Stones beauty, cackling at the negative side-effects the stone has on magical creatures such as fairies. Suddenly, Helia smashes the lock on the safe with a nearby trophy and throws the trophy at the only man stationed in the room, knocking him unconscious. As Belizarius scrambles to call for the rest of his men, Helia trips him and locks the only door leading into the office. He announces that "they" can come in now and, before Flora can process what is happening, Sky and Riven burst into the office through the large window on their hoverbikes. Helia claims that Flora was just "an unexpected guest," but tells her that Riven can give her a ride out of the building as Sky snatches the Shaab Stone. Lothar and his men manage to break down the office door but it is already too late: Helia and the boys have made off with the Shaab Stone.

As they are riding off, Flora realizes that Helia was never really a traitor, and Riven explains that the documents Helia stole were fakes needed for Helia to gain Belizarius' trust. He further explains that once Belizarius trusted Helia enough to open the safe with him in the room, Helia would give them the signal. Helia realizes that no one is coming after them, signifying that the mission was a success and they all head back home.

That morning, Flora tells the Winx of what happened and that they all regrouped in a ship with Brandon and Timmy to head off to Flame Mountain: the land of the dragons, dropping the Shaab Stone into a superheated crater where no one else will ever find it. Stella is ecstatic that they have been lifted from the negative effects of the Shaab Stone. Musa asks Flora if Helia told anybody of the plan, to which Flora explains that only the headmasters knew from the start and that Helia purposely started the fight at the White Horse, causing Saladin to pretend to expel Helia so Belizarius could fall into the trap. She further explains that the rest of the Specialists did not pick up on the plan until the very last minute and that Helia personally asked Riven to take part. Musa is relieved and asks if they are friends again, to which Flora tells her that they even shook hands to prove it, adding in that Helia has been reinstated into Red Fountain with high honors. Tecna asks what had become of Belizarius and Flora explains that he and all of his men fled the TradeMagix Co. building before anyone could bring him in for questioning, and that the whole building and all of the warehouses around it are completely abandoned. Stella excitedly asks Flora what became of her relationship with Helia. Flora tells her that it was rather embarrassing in the beginning as she had doubted Helia and believed that he really did betray everyone. Helia told her that he had to make it seem convincing enough so Belizarius would not be become suspicious of him, because he would end up in serious trouble if he got caught. Flora asked if she can be forgiven and if they can become friends again. Helia accepted her forgiveness and confessed that he wished for them to become more than friends. The two of them kissed as the sun rose from behind.

Spells Used
None.

Mistakes

 * When the Winx are talking about Helia's expulsion on page 20, Tecna tells the girls that he had already left Cloud Tower instead of Red Fountain. She further refers to Helia as "her" despite Helia being a man.
 * On page 23, Helia makes the same mistake by claiming that Saladin is the headmaster of Cloud Tower, when that is Griffin.

Debuts

 * Horg
 * Horg's Girlfriend

Characters

 * The Winx Club
 * Bloom
 * Stella
 * Musa
 * Flora
 * Tecna
 * Aisha
 * The Specialists
 * Sky
 * Timmy
 * Riven
 * Brandon
 * Helia
 * Enemies
 * Belizarius
 * Servidio
 * Belizarius' Men
 * Lothar
 * The Pixies
 * Lockette
 * Chatta
 * Alfea Staff
 * Faragonda
 * Knut
 * Red Fountain Staff
 * Saladin
 * Codatorta
 * Cloud Tower Staff
 * Griffin
 * Zarathustra
 * White Horse Staff
 * Greta
 * Humans
 * Horg
 * Horg's Girlfriend

Trivia

 * Flora and Helia officially become a couple by the end of this issue, though, in the animated series, the two confess their feelings for each other towards the end of the second season outside of Pixie Village.
 * This is also the first instance where Helia leaves Red Fountain, with the other being towards the end of Issue 35.
 * Unlike in Issue 35, Helia being expelled was all a part of the plan.