CELESTIA Page 10

  "ELECTRONA DUAL SLASH!" I chanted; the blades grew hot as electricity surged up the silver metal. I slashed outward, my arms outstretched which released the X shaped attack. It crashed into the middle Rhinroy who cried out, its electrocuted body falling to the side. I landed softly on the ground, using my air magic to cushion the impact. I got into my fighting stance, blinking my eyes to clear my blurry vision. Damn. These swords take way too much energy.

  My legs shook and my labored breaths made me wonder about how long I had till I reached an unbalanced state.

  The two Rhinroys made their way toward me. I braced myself, ready to attack when a large fireball crashed into them, sending them flying back into the forest. I blinked before slowly turning to my left to see Hunter, an arrow notched in the bow in ready position. He was breathing hard; his shoulders moved up and down while sweat dripped down the side of his face.

  He noticed my gaze, lowering his bow and walking toward me. I took a calming breath in an attempt to slow my rapid breathing. I called off my magic, giving a second for the dual swords that glowed a bright pink and purple to dim before placing them back into their scabbards.

  Arielle landed in the nearest tree, extinguishing her flames.

  "You okay? You're pale," Hunter questioned, worry etched on his handsome features.

  I smiled. "And you're sweaty and out of breath. Shouldn't I be asking you if you’re okay, Hunter?" I used his name even though he hadn't personally introduced himself.

  "Are you an alter ego or something?" he asked.

  "Sia Rainbow. I'm the other half of Celestia. A pleasure to meet ya," I greeted.

  "Hunter...you already know who I am," he realized.

  "Somewhat. I can recall through Celestia's memories, but it's not like I'm sitting with a bag of imaginary popcorn, listening to your conversations. Just think of it as a fast forward play by play and I pick out the information I need to know. Like this is a stupid examination and that Celestia thinks you guys are a cute bunch of shifters. Oh, and I guess your names are somewhat important," I explained with a shrug.

  "Intriguing. Is this a unicorn thing?" he asked.

  "Who knows? They don't have a unicorn shifter manual available in Versa. Maybe in another dimension," I sighed dramatically.

  Hunter nodded, still staring at me with a concerned expression. "Let's go back. You don't look well." He began to walk ahead.

  "I'm rather beautiful, thank you very much," I called out. I heard him grunt, making me giggle. Phoenixes do have short tempers. He's hotter when mad, hmm.

  I looked back around the quiet clearing, still feeling a sense of unease. I let my hand run through my tresses. I felt exhausted and the exam wasn't even over yet. I need a damn nap.

  I glanced at the ground beneath me, noticing the slightest tremble. Huh?

  A scream escaped me as I put my arms up, casting a shield around me; black tentacles shot out of the ground. My body shivered as fear crept through me at the over ten-foot tall blob of darkness slithering toward me.

  "Forsaken? Fuck!" I wanted to pull my swords out, but my body wavered. My knees buckled and I collapsed to the floor.

  "Dammit. Not the fucking time, unbalanced body!" I cursed. I glanced at the beads on my wrist, debating if I should switch and wake Celestia up, but this was the worst possible situation to leave her in. At least if I got out of the path of this forbidden monster she'd have a higher survival rate.

  I fought to my feet, biting my lip and ignoring the wave of nausea that hit me. The black tendrils attached to the black blob shot out toward me.

  "GROUNDA SHIELANDO!" I screamed, lifting my hands to block the attack. The impact pushed me back and out of the way of the black tentacles that shot out to attack me. I stumbled to my feet, creating shield after shield to block the ongoing attacks.

  I clenched my teeth, anger flowing through me. I could feel my magic boil as my eyes stung with power. I took a deep breath, lifting my right leg up.

  "Stillsandra!" I commanded, stomping my foot to the ground. The ground cracked, rainbow light peeking out of the crack that emerged; the ground crumbled around the beast. It began to sink into the ground. It made a chilling sound; the eerie noise made my ears hurt, but I fought the urge to cover them with my hands, already focused on the next spell.

  "VINEASO!" I chanted; purple and pink vines wrapped around the Forsaken, emerging from the broken ground. I took a large inhale, lifting my hand up to my lips. Windasleep!

  I blew out slowly; the spell I mentally chanted took effect as the wind carried the glittered dust above the gigantic beast, spreading it around its oversized frame. It screamed and thrashed, but the vines kept it in place and the ground secured its lower half. I continued to blow the sleep-inducing dust until I had no more air left in my lungs.

  The black blob of darkness stilled, its cries still echoed in the sky. Why is there a Forsaken here? There's no way they would have allowed one to be a part of this exam. It's almost impossible to defeat them.

  I tried to think, but my mind was fuzzy from the heavy use of magic. I glanced at my wrist, noticing my hand tremble. I can't last any longer or we'll both be in trouble. I sighed, making the decision to switch out. I took the pink and white bracelet off my left wrist, sliding it onto my right.

  I felt drowsy, my eyelids became heavy as darkness began to cloud my vision. I fell forward, hearing someone call my name, but I didn't fight the pull, my consciousness descending into darkness.

  Good luck, Celestia.

  ~CELESTIA~

  Celestia? Sia? Can you hear me?"

  I stirred awake, the immense worry leaking off the familiar voice helped me fight the darkness. I felt weird, juggling between feeling weak and having a sense of renewed strength thrum through me.

  I was finally able to open my eyes, glancing up to see Hunter's dark orange ones; relief blossomed on his handsome features.

  "Welcome back, Celestia," he greeted.

  I gave him a confused look. "Huh? Wait. Why are we in the air? Did I fly during my sleep?" I asked, feeling delirious.

  Hunter grinned. "Nope. We're kinda in a tight situation and I can't have you passed out on the ground. Sia did a good job stalling," Hunter replied.

  I blinked, remaining silent for at least ten seconds until Sia’s name sunk in.

  "SIA! Wait. No. Hold on, time out. Weren't you guys supposed to wake me up? And what do you mean stalling? Stall wh—"

  "EERRREEEEEIP."

  I flinched, slamming my hands against my ears to block the high-pitched sound. Hunter cringed, flying higher up.

  "What the flying fuck is that?" I exclaimed, my hands still on my ears.

  "Forsaken. I don't know how it got in here. Every exam area is closed off and scouted multiple times," Hunter grumbled, a scowl on his face.

  I looked down to see the hideous monster. My eyes grew wide at the scene; the Forsaken had a dark glow around its sludge-like body, tendrils and tentacles slashing at the ground. I looked to my right to see the remainder of our team avoiding the Forsaken’s attacks, countering them with their own magic spells.

  "We have to go help them," I demanded.

  "Sia could barely stand when we arrived before she passed out and you’re still pale, Celestia," Hunter accused.

  "So? They're gonna get hurt!" I countered.

  "And so could you," he replied.

  I groaned. "I'll be fine. I'm not some weakling. Let me fight," I argued.

  He glared at me, looking unsure as to what decision to make.

  I crossed my arms over my chest. "Let me down or I'll sprinkle pretty rainbow dust and put you to sleep for the rest of this exam," I threatened.

  "You’re not scary with that face, Cutie Pie," Hunter muttered, but he spread his blazing wings.

  "Wait till you see pissed off Cutie Pie. Then we’ll see if you think I'm still cute," I argued.

  He grinned at my retort, but it vanished the moment we touched the ground. Orion rushed over to us.

  "We have to
go full out if we want to have a chance against this thing. Celestia, you okay?" he explained before giving me a sympathetic look.

  I nodded while Hunter lowered me down so I could stand.

  "So much for waking up from a nap," I replied, giving him a playful grin.

  "We were all asleep. We all woke up from a loud sound and that's when Hunter showed up saying you were fighting off a Forsaken. We arrived right before you passed out," Orion explained.

  "Guys! A little help?" Finn called out, jumping to the side to avoid a tentacle that slammed into the spot where he previously stood.

  Hunter and Orion exchanged looks, both of them looked down at me. I rolled my eyes.

  "This is NOT the time. Go help Finn, Theo, and Caio! I'll be fine and can defend myself," I retaliated.

  They were silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

  "Be careful." Orion brushed his palm against my cheek.

  I gave him a smile. "I'll be fine," I reassured him.

  "Lovers," Hunter mumbled, patting my shoulder gently.

  "You’re just jealous she likes me more." Orion winked, making his way to help Theo who was using a short blade to slice through the tendrils that attacked him.

  "You know, for a guy who's always shy and quiet, you've been all talkative and confident since meeting Celestia," Hunter called out, giving me a final pat before heading to help Finn.

  I looked for Caio, but couldn't see his ginger hair. I was debating on how to be most helpful in this situation.

  I'd researched a lot about Forsaken over the years thanks to Magnor. He had to know every detail about the beings of chaos and darkness, having helped on a few missions to wipe out a large mass of them a few times when I was younger. I closed my eyes, needing a few moments to recall the conversation I'd had about them with Magnor.

  "How do you beat a Forsaken, Magnor?" I asked, lowering the ancient book onto my lap, afraid if I placed it on the ground it would somehow crumble into dust. It was one of the oldest books that talked about the first appearances of the Forsaken and how they grew and attempted to take over our lands for years until they were vanquished.

  "You need to engulf them with enough power to reach their core. The strongest element against them is their counterpart, light, but any element can destroy them if it's enough to shatter their core," Magnor explained from his desk, turning the page to the book he was reading.

  "If it's as simple as that, why can only a few people achieve it? Or why does it take a group of high-rank magicians and shifters to beat just one?" I questioned.

  "Because it has fast rejuvenating properties. The core can be in sight and within a minute the darkness will begin to rebuild around it, shielding it once more. It takes an onslaught of attacks and once the core is exposed, it needs to be submerged in magic. Once shattered, the rejuvenating process cancels out and the Forsaken dies," Magnor finished.

  "That sounds tiring," I replied, returning to read my book.

  "It is. But with a team, it's easier than on your own," Magnor concluded.

  I opened my eyes, analyzing where everyone was.

  "Guys! We have to aim our magic all at once to break down the dark sludge around it. Once it's broken down we need to attack its core," I yelled.

  "How are we going to do that with these damn tendrils?" Hunter asked, letting go of an arrow that sliced through three of said tendrils that had tried to attack Orion who was casting various spells.

  I was tempted to watch the different magic circles that formed beneath him, waves of fire, water and ice fighting off multiple tendrils and tentacles left and right, but we didn't have much time. I could tell the guys were tired and we needed as much combined energy as possible.

  "I'll take care of them! Just regroup and start reserving as much magic as you can!" I instructed. They nodded in agreement, jumping off the ground to avoid the current set of attacks and making their way to where I stood.

  I pulled out my dual swords, making a silent plea for their assistance. In seconds, they began to glow; the rune markings began to light a vibrant gold. I steadied my breathing and allowed the wind to begin to pool around my feet.

  "Holy shit. Celestia knows how to sword dance?" Theo asked, sounding impressed.

  "Is that the term? She used it earlier on a group of Rhinroys," Hunter revealed.

  I tuned them out, needing a few moments of concentration. I could hear the slams of tendrils, but I assumed the guys had created some type of shield to protect us from harm.

  Again, I envisioned the Forsaken and all the tendrils and tentacles. The magic pulsed into my swords, and I felt the increased heat and power surround me.

  "Wow," I heard a few of the guys say in hushed tones.

  I had no idea how I currently looked, but from the power that continued to pool into the swords, I knew I was ready to give this a shot. I opened my eyes, darting forward. I let the power take control, slashing through each tendril and tentacle with ease. The Forsaken's cries were louder than before, but they didn't affect me. I was in a trance of power and I wouldn't allow anything to distract me.

  I could sense Arielle nearby, noticing incoming fireballs that took down tendrils that tried to attack me. Slash— Dodge— Upward Slash— Twirling Slice.

  I kept going, everything a blur as I moved faster. The tendrils and tentacles had been conquered, but the power that pulsed through me was not satisfied. It wanted more. It deserved to destroy the being that dared disturb its master.

  I didn't stop till I heard Arielle's loud screeches. I jumped a few feet back, scanning the damage I had caused. I gawked at the sparkling cube shape diamond that twirled above what used to be the Forsaken’s top half.

  The guys didn't need me to instruct them; they shot out heavy blasts of magic. Hunter sent out waves of fire, Finn was shooting various vines and wind attacks and Orion easily sent shards of ice from one hand while the other shot bolts of electricity.

  I quickly returned my swords to their scabbards, using what little magic I had left to send a stream of light magic directly at the core. Arielle flew above, blasting a stream of blue fire.

  The core began to crack, little by little from the attacks that came from all sides.

  "Just a bit more," I whispered, feeling dizzy. I bit my lip to help myself focus. We heard a loud crack; the diamond core shattered into little black pieces. The remainder of the body began to fade and the rejuvenating tendrils and tentacles dropped to the floor.

  None of us moved, waiting for something to happen.

  "Is it over?" Finn asked weakly.

  They all looked exhausted, especially Finn and Hunter. Theo was hunched over, trying to catch his breath while Orion was out of breath, but looked the least affected otherwise. Arielle landed on my shoulder, reverting to her smaller form. I sighed, falling to my knees. Ugh, I feel like shit.

  "Shit. Celestia you—" Theo began, but was cut off; the ground shook and tendrils shot out from the crumbled floor. They intertwined with one another, arching through the air and coming straight at me.

  "CELESTIA!" The guys yelled.

  I raised my hands up, casting a shield. The impact was far too strong and sent me flying. I crashed straight into a tree, gasping in pain from the air being knocked out of me. I fell to the ground, struggling to move. Ow. Didn't we kill it?

  I lifted my head, narrowing my eyes to focus my blurred vision. The guys were running toward me, but the joined tendrils slammed into the ground before them, blocking the path.

  "Arielle?" I called out. I could sense she was in pain and that only spiked my anxiety and fear for my familiar.

  "Bru. Bru," she whimpered.

  "Sorry, Arielle. I know you don't like when I unsummon you, but I can't afford for you to get seriously hurt," I called out.

  At this rate, I knew I'd need to shift sooner or later, especially if this Forsaken was still alive and kicking.

  "Bru..." she replied.

  I could sense the fear of leaving me grow, leaving my heart in tu
rmoil, but I couldn't lose Arielle. Unsummoning her would send her to where I kept her medallion in my luggage.

  At least, if I died here, Magnor would be able to free her and she'd have a chance at life. I wouldn't let her die because of me.

  "I love you, Arielle. If I make it out of this, I'll resummon you, alright? If...not, Magnor will find you. Make sure he's not lonely without me, okay?" I choked, blinking back tears.

  "Bru! Bru-Reeee," she cried.

  I closed my eyes, saying the incantation to unsummon her. Her little whimpers faded. I sighed, struggling to my hands and knees.

  I looked back at the scene before me; Theo was on top of a tendril slashing its exterior with his hand blade while Finn had his hands outstretched, calling for more vines to hold it down. Hunter was shooting flaming arrows that arched in the air and exploded upon impact and Orion was shooting thunderbolts at the spots Hunter's arrows missed.

  I have to help them.

  I began to crawl my way out of the forest, re-entering the clearing. Orion's eyes locked on mine; his purple eyes widened with fear. Oh god, please don't tell me there's something else.

  "GAREEEEEEE."

  "Great. Just fucking great. The universe fucking hates me!" I complained, turning my head to the sound that came from my left. One Rhinroy stood a few feet away from me, stomping its foot over and over as it prepared to charge. Fuck!

  It charged forward. I heard Orion call my name, but I couldn't pull my eyes away from the charging beast, its sharp horns ready to pierce through me.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for my death. I'm sorry, Magnor.

  "ROAR!"

  My eyes snapped open in time to see a large white tiger tackle the Rhinroy, sending it flying. The white tiger ran back to me, stopping only inches from me. I trembled in fear, unsure if it was going to attack me. Its bright blue eyes stared at me curiously. It took three cautious steps, its face right above mine.

  I closed my eyes, tears rolling down my cheeks. I survive Rhinroys, a Forsaken, but get eaten by a tiger?

  I felt something lick my cheek, prompting me to open my eyes. The tiger continued to lick my cheek, before moving to the other one. It took me a second to realize he was trying to wipe my tears away.