CELESTIA Page 11

  "You’re good?" I asked.

  It nodded its head and pressed it against mine. I smiled, raising my hand to pet him. He sat in front of me protectively staring at the Rhinroy that struggled to get up.

  "I can't fight. You need to go," I told the animal that upon closer inspection looked like a snow tiger. I sat on my knees, trying to push the animal away. I didn't know if this was a shifter or an actual animal, but I couldn't let an innocent animal sacrifice itself for me.

  He didn't move away, rising up on his paws and growling in the direction of the Rhinroy; the black strips on his white fur began to glow a turquoise blue.

  I looked over at the guys who were still fighting the oversized tendril, but they looked relieved to see the tiger. Is this Caio?

  The Rhinroy began to charge again, its movement was slower than before, but a blurred image crashed into it, knocking it even farther than the snow tiger had. I gawked at the flying Rhinroy that crashed into the forest; the surrounding trees toppled over. I stared as it struggled to get out from beneath the layer of trees, but it eventually stilled.

  I returned my gaze to see a Siberian tiger, its orange and white fur and glowing amber strips. It walked over to the snow tiger shifter that had stopped growling.

  The orange tiger reached us, standing in front of where I knelt. It lifted its paw up, patting my head ever so gently. Huh?

  I stared directly into the tiger's eyes, now noticing the slight gold tinge in his left eye versus his right eye that was a light orange.

  "Caio?" I asked. The tiger nodded its head, licking my cheek and nuzzling against the right side of my face. I laughed, wrapping my arms around him to hug him.

  "Where did you go? I'm so glad you're okay," I exclaimed, letting him go to look at the white tiger that sat quietly next to me, staring at the battle that was still going on.

  "Grr," he replied, butting his head into the white tiger.

  The snow tiger turned to stare at me, lifting his paw to pat my head like Caio did. I grinned, reaching out my arms for a hug.

  It walked into my embrace, allowing me to hug him. I knew we were in the midst of battle, but if I was gonna die, I might as well enjoy hugging two tigers. I could add it to my small list of accomplishments achieved in the hour before my death.

  I took a few calming breaths and turned to face the guys. The tendril was almost gone, Orion lifted his arms in the sky, creating a large sphere of what looked to be fire, electricity, and light magic. His lips were moving, but from this distance, I couldn't hear the incantation. The others moved back and hid behind him. Both tigers stood in front of me; their stripes glowed and a combined shield formed in front of us.

  Orion threw the orb of magic toward the tendril; a massive explosion erupted from the impact, shaking the earth below and sending a giant burst of wind everywhere.

  We waited in silence, the smoke that clouded our vision began to fade. The tendril was gone, its remnants of darkness faded into nothing.

  I sighed, letting my eyes close. I just needed five seconds to relax, maybe ten...or a whole damn day. Fur brushed against my face, forcing me to open my eyes. The white tiger sat in front of me, turning his head to stare at the guys who were sitting on the ground, looking just as spent as me.

  "Can I use you as a pillow, Caio's friend?" I asked.

  It nodded its head in approval. I laid on his body, feeling bad for making his pure white coat dirty from all the dust and probably blood from my wounds, but his soft fur looked so inviting.

  "Celestia! You okay?" Hunter called out.

  I was tired, my body ached and I almost died at least five times today, but I guess I could safely say I was ‘okay.’ I raised my hand up, giving him a thumbs up and dropping it back down. Moving hurt and breathing was becoming a little difficult.

  I wished Magnor was here to make me feel a better. He'd pat my head and give me an energy boost. Then he'd complain about how silly I was for always getting into an unbalanced state and giving me a lecture while helping me to my room. He'd put me to bed and wait till he thought I was asleep before kissing me on the forehead. I missed his kindness and it was thanks to him and my new team of guys that I'd made it this far.

  I was on the edge of sleep, opening my eyes slightly to stare at Caio who was nestled next to his friend and me. He lifted his head and began to growl, rising up on all fours while his orange and white hairs flared up.

  I noticed the ground began to shake, growing stronger and stronger with each passing second. I fought to lift my head, looking at the others who had various expressions of fear and panic.

  I followed their gaze to my left, moving away from the white tiger so he could prepare for whatever was approaching us. The sound of snapping trees echoed through the sky, while the ground continued to shake.

  My eyes grew wide and my jaw went slack, as I looked up to the twenty foot Forsaken that exited the forest. It roared into the night sky; its sludge-like body was wide compared to the previous one and its exterior looked thicker.

  "We can't do this," I whispered in defeat.

  The Forsaken turned what looked to be its head to the guys; red glowing orbs emerged from the darkness.

  "RUN!" I cried out to them, but I knew they couldn't. All of them were just as exhausted as I was. The two tigers charged forward; their stripes began to glow. The Forsaken turned its gaze to them, screeching in their direction. The force of the vibration blew them off their feet and back toward me. I outstretched my hand.

  "AIRANDORALA!" I ordered, summoning two circles of wind to catch them before they crashed into the ground. I was hit with a wave of dizziness and I tried not to vomit. I couldn't use any more magic in this form, but if I shifted, there would be serious consequences if I couldn't get help after.

  I hadn't shifted in months, and when I did the aftermath wasn't pretty. But if we even had a five percent chance of survival, it seemed shifting to my unicorn form was the only option.

  The tigers were submerged in bright light which made me close my eyes for a second. When the magic dimmed I opened my eyes to see two Caios. I blinked, my eyes trailing down their naked bodies. They turned around, giving me a front row seat to the best sets of abs I'd ever seen in real life. My eyes trailed lower and I swallowed, my face felt flushed. Damn...guess I can cross see naked men off my list.

  "Either I hit my head really hard or there's two of you? And as impressive as this view is, I would think neither of you wants to die naked," I pointed out, my eyes unable to choose which cock deserved more attention.

  "Twins, Dearest. And we'd rather not die, period," Caio's twin suggested, a grin on his exhausted face.

  "I'm glad you're enjoying the view, Celestia, but we need to run for it," Caio pointed out, snapping his fingers. Clothes materialized on his body; his twin also snapped his fingers to cloak his body with pants and jeans, matching his brother.

  "Right. Forsaken ready to kill us, run, too bad I can't walk," I pointed out, glancing at my legs. They were bruised up and I must have broken something cause all I could do was crawl.

  "GAREEEE!"

  We flinched, returning our attention to the Forsaken that had given us a moment. Black orbs began to materialize in the sky, hovering over the entire clearing. SHIT!

  "GUYS! Go help the others. Hurry!" I ordered.

  Caio was already moving toward Theo. Hunter and Orion had Finn, who looked barely conscious. Twin Two didn't budge, standing in front of me.

  "Sorry, Dearest. Not leaving you," he replied.

  "Ugh. I'm going to shift! You can't be near me," I argued.

  He looked over his shoulder to eye me carefully. His eyes widened. "Unicorn?" he asked.

  "How the— Oh fuck it. Seven-inches, get your ass over there and help your brother!" I snarled.

  He blinked, his cheeks grew red but he listened, running toward the guys.

  "You better not die, Dearest, and it's Cairus!" he called out.

  Cairus? Great, two hot twins in the mix and I may die from
this stupid Forsaken shit. Hope this doesn't go horribly wrong.

  I took a final look at the guys, the Forsaken already aiming his orbs at the group.

  "HEY FORSAKEN! Why don't you pick on someone your own size!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. It turned its head in my direction, its illuminated red orbs narrowed on my tiny frame. I side-glanced at the others; Caio and Cairus were helping Theo into the forest.

  I took a deep breath, standing up straight.

  This is my moment to prove myself. To prove that unicorns are real and we are far from kind to those who threaten the people we care about.

  I let go of my magic, closing my eyes to find the lock that secured the holy being within. I could envision the gold key unlocking the pink metallic lock to the small chest that sheltered the remainder of my unicorn essence. I allowed the shift to take over; my body was immersed in light.

  I will defeat this being of darkness. Only I can destroy it.

  ~ORION~

  We have to help her. Can't we do something?" Caio questioned.

  "Finn's passed out. I don't have enough magic to create any more arrows," Hunter confessed.

  "There's no way I can be any help. I'm close combat," Theo admitted.

  "Brother, we can't do anything. Not in this form," Cairus’ soft voice revealed.

  I didn't reply.

  I was too focused on the female a few feet away. She struggled to stand, her wounded legs, which had multiple cuts and bruises, trembled, yet she straightened her posture; her hands clenched.

  The Forsaken stared at her, giving me the impression it didn't know what she was plotting. I'd never seen a Forsaken, but I'd read the tales and legends. I knew the bigger they were, the more intelligent they became. It was as if they were an animal and with the growth in darkness, a sense of understanding was gained. But, it didn't mean they would let their prey go, even if it knew they were helpless and wouldn't cause them harm.

  "Orion?"

  I ignored Caio's call, continuing to gather my magic in my hands. I'd be damned if I’d watch this woman die. I didn't know her, but the moment my eyes locked on hers, I knew we were similar. We'd experienced similar events in our pasts and a part of me wanted to soothe her. To comfort her and let her realize how precious she was. If only I could introduce her to my kind. They would bow down to her and love her for who she was.

  She would never have to experience what she did growing up. Let alone think of ridding the world of her existence. I couldn't say much, compared to my teen years, having left my homeland to get stronger. But that decision led to years of suffering and hatred. I wasn't quiet because I wanted to be. It was a habit I'd developed for a number of reasons; my teen years contributed to most of it.

  My eyes widened at the shift of magic in the air; the others gasped as the wind began to brush past us and pooled around her feet. Her pink and purple locks began to glow a light gold as her hair whipped around; her body was engulfed in a bright light.

  The gold illumination blinded my vision, forcing me to close my eyes. I heard the Forsaken's loud screeches, but even its sound seemed muted.

  When the light dimmed, I opened my eyes. I blinked once, then twice, unsure if I was really witnessing the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen in my entire existence.

  A majestic unicorn stood where Celestia once was. Her pure white coat glowed while her long hair flew in the breeze that circled around her, gold, purple, and pink strands that matched her tail which swayed back and forth. Her horn was gold and began to blaze with light magic as she stomped her black hooves.

  The Forsaken let out an ear-piercing scream, sending the black orbs that floated in the sky crashing down— all of them aimed at Celestia.

  I took a step forward with the intention of helping her, but she let out a loud cry as she reared onto her back feet. A magic circle triple her size formed on the ground; orbs of light manifested from thin air and shot out to counter the approaching attack. They collided; the impact nullified one another. She stopped all the orbs with ease and little specks of gold glitter rained down on the clearing.

  The Forsaken shot out tendrils toward Celestia. She began to move; her speed was so swift my eyes struggled to keep up with the blurred image. In moments, she was in front of the Forsaken.

  "NEIGH!" The loud cry echoed through the clearing as three magic circles formed beneath her: gold, purple and pink. Another set of magic circles emerged above the Forsaken, growing larger and larger.

  Celestia turned around and began to move toward us, dodging the Forsaken’s attacks. She reached a few steps from where I stood, purple eyes locked onto mine. She looked away, standing in front of us in an effort to protect us. She stomped her hooves three times.

  The magic circles above the Forsaken began to shoot out thick strings that crashed into the ground below. I realized she was creating a cage around the darkness; the gold, pink and purple walls began to rise around it. The Forsaken tried to shatter the walls that continued to climb upward, thrashing its tendrils and tentacles against the thick barrier, but it was useless.

  The globe closed off completely, muting the Forsaken's cries and wails as it continued to try and escape the magic barricade.

  I tried to take a step forward, but Celestia looked at me, shaking her head and stomping her back left hoof. I nodded in understanding, staying in place.

  "There's another barrier," Cairus pointed out. He moved to stand next to me, pointing to the ground two steps away.

  I narrowed my eyes, noticing a glint of gold. She was able to create two barriers.

  "She's beautiful," Caio whispered, his voice filled with awe.

  "I can't believe they're actually real," Hunter confessed.

  "Me neither. But wow...I can see why she was advised not to shift. She'd be hunted for her power and grace," Theo acknowledged.

  I nodded. "Why do you think there are none left?" I questioned.

  I could feel the guys’ stares without looking in their direction, but that's all I would reveal. They didn't need to know how I had such information. Not yet, anyway.

  Our conversation was cut short at Celestia stomping her foot. Her colorful hair began to illuminate, floating lightly with magic. I could sense the growing power began to build within the barricade, growing stronger and stronger until the shot of light engulfed the Forsaken.

  I narrowed my eyes, hearing the others curse at the light that made my eyes sting, but I didn't want to miss this. The barricade began to fracture, light magic seeping through the cracks. We could hear the Forsaken's cries of agony, but they got smaller and smaller until there was nothing left.

  After two full minutes, the light dimmed and the barricade shattered, sprinkling gold, purple and pink glitter onto the clearing. The Forsaken was gone; the clearing looked as if nothing had happened. I tried to find the dead carcasses of the Rhinroy, but they were gone.

  "She healed the forest too," Caio pointed out.

  I looked around with the others, noticing the once broken trees were back in their original undamaged state.

  The barrier that protected us faded, allowing us to step forward. Celestia walked back, staring at us with curious eyes.

  "She doesn't recognize us?" Theo asked.

  "It's not that. We don't know what her perception of vision is like," I replied. My assumption was the color was heightened compared to the average human or animal. I took a step forward, raising my hands in a defensive manner.

  "I won't hurt you, Celestia. You can feel my intent," I cooed.

  She remained still, her eyes locked on mine. I tried not to get distracted by her gold horn, which glittered brightly. I took another cautious step, waiting for her to react, but she remained calm.

  I was glad the others remained quiet, watching me as I continued to take slow steps until I stood in front of her.

  Up close she was more dazzling, her purple eyes looked like a galaxy of colors, with hints of pinks and golds near her irises and her purple, pink, and gold mane was so clea
n that it made me second guess what I'd just witnessed. She looked like she'd walked out of a fairy tale rather than having just fought a Forsaken and annihilating it without getting her coat dirty.

  I reached my hand out to pet her ever so gently. She closed her eyes at my touch, allowing me to brush my hand along the side of her face. Once I knew she wouldn't run away, I continued the motion. She lowered her head, allowing me to press my forehead against hers.

  "You’re beautiful, Celestia," I whispered to her.

  She huffed, lifting her head and stomping her foot. I smiled softly, raising my hand up in defense.

  "I'm only pointing out the obvious. I never questioned your beauty."

  I heard the others chuckle. Celestia walked in front of me, looking back at where the Forsaken had stood.

  "Neigh." She stomped her foot over and over. I followed her gaze, noticing someone walking out from the forest. I conjured a ball of electricity, ready to attack if necessary, but Celestia shook her head, nudging my shoulder with her nose.

  "He's not evil?" I asked her.

  She looked at the man who had a smile on his face. She walked forward meeting the man halfway. He had long black hair with a few grey strands and appeared to be six-five. His silver eyes displayed a sense of love and kindness as he stared at Celestia who reached his side.

  "You did well, Celestia. You going to shift back anytime soon?" the man questioned.

  The others crowded around me; Hunter and Theo held Finn, who was still unconscious and stood to my right. Caio and Cairus came to stand on my left.

  She looked at us, stomping her hooves and shaking her head, walking around the man who grinned, chuckling softly.

  "Right. Forgot about that minor detail," he replied.

  "Wait...is that who I think it is?" Theo asked, looking stunned.

  I gave him a curious look.

  "Who?"

  "Master Magnor Rune. He's a legend," Theo replied.

  I frowned, the name sounded familiar, but I nodded in agreement and turned my attention back to Celestia.