บท 27: The Familiars
They started their journey again, this time they moved as one unit, silently traveling through the abyss until they made it to there destination. Ariana looked up and felt a chill run down her spine as she faced the silhouette of a house.
"Do not be afraid. You may be still young and have much to learn but you have the heart, will and courage to overcome any obstacle." Hadria said as she grabbed hold of Ariana's right hand and held it tightly.
"Find Gautam Waldemar when you have gained some basic knowledge and some strength. He will need some persuading but I believe you can do it. Do not let you perseverance waiver, do not let his words hurt or deter you. I have faith in you little one." Blamore said as he placed his hand onto Ariana's left shoulder. "Child of man, there are many forces after your life. Some are wanting to destroy you, others are wanting to use you and ... another that is even a challenge for us to discover. Be weary of those who want to get close to you, be patient with yourself, trust in your instincts and most importantly stay alive." Duana said as she grabbed Ariana's left hand and held it as tightly as she could.
Claec groaned as she appeared before her. "You must not disappoint me solid! We are declaring you worthy enough so you must never think you aren't! Do you understand?!" He said as he waved a dark finger in her face. Ariana blinked a few times and gave Claec a heartwarming smile. "Like I really care if you understand or not!" He said as he moved behind Hadria and placed his hand on her right shoulder. "You must not give up for everyone's sake." He mumbled as he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze.
Alderman coughed as he appeared in front of Ariana. "Little one, we can not meet again until you have passed Gautam Waldemar test." He said as he raised his hand and wrapped it gently around her neck. Ariana calmly accept the gesture and with a strong gaze matched looks with Adelram. "Heh, little one you do not disappoint... we swear to you that we will reveal all we know about you and your past. We swear to unveil the plots of those who wish to control you, we swear to protect you even when you think you are alone. We five, soldiers of the mighty King Ingamar, bless you with our mark and recognize you as worthy."
Ariana felt heat run through her veins as the abyss before her started to part, allowing an invasion of bright light to engulf her. The next breathe she took she realized she was in the solid realm. She looked at the house and felt her heart rate pick up. "Are you okay?" Cayden asked and he started to let her go. When she didn't answer he grabbed her, turned her body slightly towards him and cupped her face with his hands. "Are you okay?" He whispered as he slowly raised her head, their eyes locked and she felt her whole body relax. "Ya."
"Good." He said as he exhaled, he looked at her face and gently brushed his thumb across her cheek. "I..." He started to say but then swallowed back his words as he gently let her face go. "Stay close." He said as he took a few steps in front of her. Ariana reached out and pinched a small part of his shirt. Cayden looked back and Ariana's body started to tremble. Cayden reached out and covered her hand with his own hand. "It'll be fine." He whispered but Ariana didn't calm down. She let go of his shirt and inhaled sharply.
She raised her head and steadied her gaze. She wasn't sure why Rin chose this place to hide but she wasn't going to run. She took her first step forward, swallowed back her anxiety and pushed herself forward. Only stopping an inch from the door. She raised her hand and pushed open the door. She let out a small laugh as she walked into the house. Everything still looked the same, as if frozen in time from that night. Ariana picked up her pace and rushed towards the door leading to the backyard. The words the familiars said to her echoing within her head.
She pushed open the door and froze. Outside was Rin sitting on the same stump, surrounded by overgrown grass and wildflower. She looked completely absent-minded as bags of food laid around her feet. Ariana's eyes grew wide and she started to breathe erratically. "Rinera Bloom!" She shouted with a bitter tone. Rin's dull eyes suddenly brightened and she quickly turned to face Ariana. "You knew didn't you!" Ariana hissed as her face started to darken. "I'm sorry?" Rin said as she started to stand up, hair swaying from side to side as fear struck her eyes.
"You know who I am!" Ariana shouted as she snapped her mouth open and close, with every word she said. "You played me for a fool, a dimwit and for what?! Revenge?" Rin tried to take a step forward but saw the madness in Ariana's eyes. It caused her to flinch and take a step back in retreat. "It all makes sense... you didn't want people to know that you failed your duties as a ninja guard, you didn't want people to know that you gave up on me! That you left me for dead!" She started to shout at Rin while Rin looked positively mortified.
"No it's not true! I searched for -?!" Rin started to say but a mad grin spread across Ariana's face. "Truth, fiction, make believe and more vicious lies! Who cares as long as the end result was your freedom! Can you really convince me that you didn't want this life your living now? You abandoned your duties as a guard for what love? Peace? Your own life?! You know nothing! You are nothing! Now prepare to die!" She screamed and Cayden could no longer stand still, he tried to pull Ariana back into the house but failed. Ariana pushed him back with so much force that his body lodge itself into the wall behind him, knocking him out.
Ariana started to take large strides forward as the wind around her started to pick up, creating a vortex that started to lift her up into the air. "You planned to kill me." She said as a lowercase delta symbol started to glow an eerie pinkish purple on the left side of her collar bone. "Ariana, what have you done?" Rin whispered under her breath as her eyes grew wide. She could feel herself being pushed back by the air, she planted her feet firmly and looked up at Ariana. Suddenly Rin's body pulsed, she wasn't sure what was happening but a great deal of pain coursed through her veins. She dropped to one knee and wrapped her arms around her abdomen.
"Ha... haha... hahaha! You will never escape me!" She laughed maniacally as her shadow beneath her started to wildly bubble upwards from the ground. Ariana's face became twisted with anger and disgust. "It's too late to run, you must pay for what you have done." She said as she raised her arms, her shadow shot upwards and turned into multiple pieces of ribbon. Waiting behind her like a group of snakes reading themselves for an attack. Rin's body pulsed again, causing her to cough hard. She covered her mouth with her hand just as blood started to spill out of her mouth.
"DIE!!!" She yelled and the ribbons shot forward. Rin closed her eyes waiting for death to come. She heard the impact and something animalistic howl in pain. Rin opened her eyes and was surrounded by the dark ribbons, her body was no longer in pain and she couldn't understand why she hadn't died. She looked up at Ariana and saw her breathing heavily, she turned her head around and gasped as she saw two shadow boars and a male human pierced with the ribbons. The boars were screwed but the male only had his ankle pierced through.
"Your friend got away but I will not be so merciful with you!" She shouted as her body started to produce light blue sparks. "You tried to kill my big sister Rin. Tell your Master that I will not tolerate any shadows coming after my people. This is his only warning!" She said before her gaze became murderous and blue lighting followed along the ribbons. The boars and male started to holler in pain. The boars disintegrate while the male dropped onto the ground.
Ariana dropped her arms and the ribbons retracted. Her shadow calmed down and was now back to its original form. The wind died down and she slowly landed back onto the ground. She collapsed as she started to breathe heavily. Sweat dripped of her face as her knees gave way. "Are you okay Rin?" Ariana asked weakly. Rin wasn't sure what had happened and she started to stand up when she noticed the fear that entered Ariana's eyes. She turned around and saw that the male familiar had started to get up.
It's mouth opened and closed as if saying something. It grinned as it reached into its coat. Rin sensed something was off and quickly reached for the side of her boot. She pulled out a long silver needle as her eyes turned from green to red. She rushed forward and her needle started to glow red as she swung it towards the familiar's neck. The familiar pulled out a black orb with a pink storm inside. Ariana felt her heart stop, every fiber in her being yelled danger and Rin was too close to the familiar. "Rin watch out!" She yelled but the familiar had already raised the orb high and threw it downwards to the ground as Rin slashed it's throat.
Suddenly Ariana was scooped up, she had no time to care for herself as she tried to break out of Cayden's embrace. "Nooooo!" She screamed as he dashed back towards the house. They had just made it in when a powerful force struck Cayden's back and sent him flying again. He protected Ariana's body from the blast but obtained a giant wound on his back. Ariana struggled as she broke free from his embrace. Tears rolled down her face as she inspected his raw back.
"Cayden, I'm so sorry! I tried to keep you out of it yet you still got hurt!" She cried as she gingerly touched his back. Cayden tried his best not to wince but he couldn't help it as he left out a sharp breath through his clenched teeth. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" She kept crying as the white haze started to lift. There were still pink embers floating in the air as she started to stand. "Rin can patch you up, you'll be okay. Don't worry big sister Rin is amazing and the three of us can go home." Cayden swallowed back the words he wanted to say after seeing her grief filled face.
Ariana turned around and faced the backyard. "Rin!" She shouted and waited. "Rin!" She tried shouting again but still heard nothing. "Cayden it's okay, Rin is fine. She's strong and amazing, she would have avoided that blast." She said as she clutched the door frame. Cayden hide his face and let a few tears escape as he imagined the worst. "Rin!" Ariana shouted desperately and then held her breathe as she strained her ears. "I'm here..." A faint voice called back. "Rin!" Ariana yelled with relief as she rushed out. She looked around but the haze was still lifting. "Rin! I can't find you!" She yelled again. "Cayden is really hurt! Rin, I need your help!"
'Over here!' A familiar voice called out. Ariana moved towards the voice until she ran into a giant purple orb. "Rin?" She said as she reached out to touch the orb. "I'm here." Rin answered. The moment Ariana touched the orb it shrunk itself into a small gel like ball. The ball started to bounce around in the air as it tried to reform itself. Once it did, it turn to face her. "Loralei!" She shouted as she reached out to hug her chibi fish. 'Master did I do a good job?' Loralei asked as her face was being rubbed by Ariana's cheeks. "You did an outstanding job of protecting Rin!"
'Master you can't leave us behind again!' Duko cried.
'You scared us disappearing like that!' Aroha shouted as she furiously flapped her tiny wings to disperse the haze faster.
'Do you not want us anymore?' Adonis asked as he floated towards her with watery, wiggling eyes. "Of course I still want you!" She cried as pulled Adonis into her embrace.
'Don't leave us behind again!' Davita said with a pout. "No I won't I swear I won't leave you behind again. 'Good! We can't have you running around having fun without us.' Rahul said with as he landed on top of her head. While Vasu stared towards the house. "Vasu..." Ariana started to say but Vasu knew exactly what she was going to ask. 'Not too much.' He said before he floated towards the house. Ariana let out a sigh of relief.
"Ariana... are you talking to the Lumas?" Rin asked as she cautiously approached the group. "Of course she is! Just like she talked to my familiars and my own shadow... what are you?!" Deagan asked as he stomped over towards them. Rin stepped infront of Ariana starring him down as he slowed his pace to a stop. "Don't get so hostile, I just want to know if my family is in any danger because of this brat!" He said as he pointed towards Ariana. "Isn't your family always putting themselves in danger?" Rin asked as she raised an eyebrow.
"Look gorgeous, we get to pick and choose what kind of missions we get to go in and this..." Deagan said as he raised his arms and made a show of his surroundings. "This is not what we signed up for." Rin started to laugh. "Really?! Deagan who are you trying to fool? Everyone knows very well what they signed up for when they saw her unleash just a burst of her power outside of the City. What's the real reason your asking about her now? Was it your shadows that were sent to kill us?" Rin asked darkly as she waved her arm in front of her. "This is the damage they did not Ariana."
Deagan clicked his tongue as he averted his gaze and Ariana reached out and hugged Rin's arm. "No! He had nothing to do with this! It was someone named Odysseus Yaalon. The man said for the rise and glory of Odysseus Yaalon." No one said a word until Cayden stumbled out with Vasu. Ariana quickly let go of Rin and started running towards him but Deagan caught her arm. "Are you sure?" He said as his face darkened. Ariana tried to pull away but Deagan yanked her closer. "What do you think your doing?!" Cayden yelled as stumbled forward but Deagan refused to acknowledge his question. "Are you sure the familiar said Odysseus?!" He yelled.
Ariana nodded with tears in her eyes. Rin could not take the scene any longer and she threw a silver needle at Deagan's chest. He was able to catch it in between his fingers then he let Ariana go. He tossed aside the needle and looked at Rin. "I'm going back to the brothel to make a report.... keep 'her' safe." He said bitterly as he nodded towards her then turned around and left.
Ariana didn't want to waste any more time and rushed towards Cayden who was breathing with some difficulty. "Vasu, is it bad?" She asked as she looked Cayden over. 'He'll survive.' He answered as he landed on her left shoulder. "Rin, can you help me please?' Rin walked up to the two and saw the horrific state of Cayden's back. "He needs treatment right away. Get on." She said as she turned and kneeled. Cayden leaned onto her back and Rin picked him up with ease. As they started to head back Rin chewed on her bottom lip. "Go ahead and ask me." Ariana said as she looked straight ahead while the Lumas frolicked around.
"Why did you scare me?" Rin said with a pitiful look. Ariana sighed as her shoulders sagged. "I was trying to get the familiars that were attacking your shadow to leave. I was hoping that if they found out you were nothing to me and that I was planning to kill you they wouldn't hurt you and leave." Rin took a peak at Ariana's face and sighed. "So you didn't mean any of it?" She asked. Ariana hugged herself as if she was cold. "Who am I?" She whispered and Rin stopped walking. "Does it matter?" Cayden asked as he watched Ariana closely.
Ariana looked down as she stepped beside Rin. "Am I monster?" Rin shook her head before she started walking again. "I can only tell you what I know... as for the rest you may need to dig around yourself... Ariana, it's best that you don't know until your strong enough to protect yourself and the ones you love." Ariana nodded her head in acceptance. "I promise, I will listen and do whatever you want, just tell me who I am."
"Alright... Cayden and I will tell you what we know tonight.
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