"There is a way to do things without wasting so much mana, Cleo." The cloaked man said as he stepped into the remains of the skull as if it was nothing but everyday trash. "We missed one Antoine!" Shouted Cleo as she pointed towards the sky. Ariana moved her gaze upwards and caught sight of purple and golden coloured flames shot upwards into the sky. The flames danced withe one another as it slowly rose into the sky, taking form as the seconds went by.
Two tigers, one purple with golden stripes and the other golden with purple stripes. They looked at eachother as they stalked one another in the sky. "Cleo, grab the girl now! We need to to leave!" Antoine shouted he took a step back.
"Sh*t!" Antoine yelled, he pulled his hood down and Ariana could finally see the face of her potential abductor. A slightly tanned young man with black eyes and light pink hair looked at the sky with horror. "Antoine don't be such a drama queen we can take on the pansy that set off a distress flare." Cleo said as she raised her cloaked arm, an olive coloured hand appeared from within the cloak. "Ka wela claiohm" She said as she delicately shook her hand. A bright green flame engulfed her hand while two bright, orange circles glowed within the shadow of the hooded cloak.
"Let them come! I'm starved for a good fight!" She screeched with laughter as her fingers started to extend and merge together. Soon her hand turned into a long sword while the green flame slowly turned into a liquid and ran down the center of it. She slashed the air a few times and a green flame quickly chased after the sword.
"You idiot! We don't have time. Po ele ele oharra!" Antoine shouted as he raised his indigo glowing hand. The dark bindings started to disintegrate, he quickly moved towards Ariana and Cayden. Cleo started laughing hysterically as she jumped above Antoine trailing flames as she brought up her hand sword. "Brian!" Lady Zula shouted as she struggled trying to get her lower half of her body free from the ground. Ariana looked up and saw that Brian had pulled out his duel swords and was closing in on an aerial attack. That is, until Cleo blocked his attack on Antoine, midair.
"Old man you got some power in your strike." Cleo laughed as she pushed him back and landed gracefully back on the ground. Brian had backflipped off her sword and flinched after he landed. He looked at his right hand and noticed that there were scorch marks. "You must still be in your training pants little girl if you can only do this much." He answered with a smirk. "Whatever old man you did -?!" Cleo started to say but dropped to one knee when she took a step forward. "What the f*ck did you do to me?!" She hissed as her body started to tremble. "Cleo!" Antoine shouted But she pointed her sword hand to Cayden and Ariana. "Moron, remember our mission!"
Antoine gulped and clenched his fists before he moved his gaze back to his captives. Cayden was able to start standing up as the bindings became thinner. "No you don't! Makani aparteko!" He shouted as he leaped forward. Cayden barely jumped away in time as an invisible force split their horse in half.
Ariana's eyes became wide with fear as her face paled. When Cayden landed four feet behind the horse he quickly covered her eyes. "I'm not going to let her go." He said coldly as he glared at Antoine. "Now why would you say something like that?" Cleo asked loudly as she took a shaky step towards Lady Zula and pointed her sword hands at her. "See, if she doesn't come with us, this 'person' over here gets to taste my blade."
Ariana pushed Cayden away with everything she had as panic settled into her mind. Cayden tried to tighten his grip but Ariana struggled to get free, toppling both of them towards the ground. Cayden refused to let her have her way and crossed his as over her chest, pulling her closer towards his chest. "Don't hurt my mom!" She shrieked as she clawed one hand into the air and one into the earth. "I'll do what you want! Just don't hurt my mom!"
Cleo pulled down her hood to reveal her sinister smile. She was had solid black eyes, no pupil could be seen, dark pink, curly hair she had tied into twin tails on the back of her head and a massive scar across her nose. "Anything?" She said as she licked the top of her lips. "Yes anything! Please don't hurt her!" Ariana responded as tears ran down her face. "Don't bargain with these people, Ariana! My life is not worth you selling yourself!" Lady Zula proclaimed as she carefully watched Antoine move back a few steps away from everyone.
Cleo brought her hand up to her cheek as she blushed. "That face! I can't get enough of that face! I'll tell you what princess... I will not hurt your mother." Ariana stopped moving, her face started to beam with hope as she looked at Cleo. "I will end her misery with one strike!" Cleo shouted in hysteria as she raised her arm into the air, eyes glued to Ariana. Cleo smile became wide and crooked, as she started to breath erratically, sweat rolling down her temples from anticipation.
Ariana could not hide the shear tear that took over her body. She paled instantly and her eyes bulged as she watched everything happen before her in slow motion. A trail of green flames following the hand sword as it moved downwards, her mother's face as she watched her doom coming, Brian rushing forward to try and stop this mad woman. "MOM!!!!!" She screamed with desperation.
"Wai barrera!" A female voice shouted as a rush of water quickly encased Lady Zula. Cleo quickly changed the direction of her swing and brought it forward, only successful blocking one of Brian's swords as the other lodged itself into her thigh. "Ahhh!" She screamed as she looked downwards and saw that the blade actually pierced through her thigh and dark greenish black liquid trickled down the sword and hit the ground. Antoine rushed to Cleo and stood behind her as he faced the incoming assualt. "Honua ezkutua!" He shouted as the earth raised up and formed a towering wall just in time as she arrows, battle axes and spells were cast.
"Makani bultzada." Antoine said as he raised his hand and turned to face Brian. Brian was sent flying backwards with his swords still within his grasp. The sword stuck in Cleo's leg was pulled out too fast and the strange coloured blood squirted forward, staining the earth in front of her as it rained down. "Cleo we need to leave!" Antoine shouted as pulled her into his embrace. Cleo started losing colour in her face but she refused to leave. "I need the girl!" She hissed as she took a ridiculously shaky step forward. Ariana was certain that Cleo was ready to topple over but her attention was diverted to the sound of the earth breaking behind Cleo and Antoine.
"Cleo don't be stupid my wall will not hold much longer!" Antoine shouted as raised his hand into the air. "I will not be a coward like you and abandon the mission!" She yelled with disgust as saliva started to pour out of her mouth and sweat broke out over her whole body. "I know Cleo... Ka'enekaumaha baloia." Antoine said and suddenly a massive force pushed downwards within a 2 meter radius.
Ariana and Cayden collapsed onto the ground. She found it hard to breath as she tried to pry herself off the ground. "Antoine disperse this now!" Cleo shouted as she tried to keep herself up. The earth around them started to crack but Ariana placed both palms onto the earth and was able to pushed half her body upwards. She saw that Cleo dug her hand sword into the ground and one knee up as the rest of her body collapsed. Antoine looked horrified as he watched Ariana lift up body and meet his gaze.
"I'm sorry Cleo just bare with it. Auka ka'enekaumaha!" He said as he raised both glowing hands. Cleo's leg and arm snapped under the pressure and she yelled a blood curdling cry. The earth wall crumbled to dust and Ariana could see a group of people on the edge of the attack. A small girl dress in a white and gold jacket. She wore a white beret and was holding an intertwined wooden staff with a glowing gem on top of it. It looked like she was saying something as Seeley, Clawdean, Sammie, Roy, Rin, the woman of the brothel and an unknown group stood around her. A little past the wall were men and women scattered around like old dolls as their bodies pressed against the ground.
Ariana heard a cracking sound and saw the remains of the horse break under the pressure, Brian started to yell in agony, the barrier around Lady Zula started to loose its shape under the pressure and her mother was starting to cry in pain. She turned her head slowly and looked behind her. Cayden was trying his best to not press down on her. He gritted his teeth as sweat rolled down his face, he couldn't hold himself up anymore and collapsed with a pained expression as air escaped his lungs.
Something within Ariana snapped, she couldn't let Antoine's attack go on any longer. The people she loved were in pain, there were others who were innocent, others who were armed and ready to fight them but they could easily get hurt and she didn't want to see more blood shed. Her eyes started to glow white and a light blue flame started to encircle her and Cayden. The gravity within the flame dispelled whatever Antoine did and Cayden was able to roll off of Ariana and onto his back.
Ariana slowly rose as wind started to pick up around her, fanning her flames higher. Her hair became undone and started to wildly come to life. She felt a surge of power running through her veins as she brought up her palms to look at them. "Luma!" She shouted and all seven colours of Luma appeared. However they were not the cute chibis she had seen before. It seemed that out of the flames 7 beasts came forward, standing tall as the gazed upon their master.
Each one was magnificently beautiful and towered over her. Her pink Luma was now a pink topaz stag, orange was now a cintrine lion's mane jellyfish that floated through the sky, blue was now a sapphire phoenix with massive wings, purple was now an amethyst mermaid who swam through the air. She looked to her right and smiled mischievously at her new Luma. There stood a ruby tiger, a jade, flying dragon and a golden beryl wolf, waiting to hear her command. "Save my family!" She shouted and the Luma rushed outwards.
Antoine and Cleo could not believe their eyes. Antoine quickly sliced his arms downwards as he shouted "Uxatu!" He quickly collected Cleo into his arm and raised another arm and started to draw something with his finger. A strange indigo drawing appeared before him. "Leku-?!" Was all he could say before a beautiful tentacle wrapped itself around Cleo's leg and arrows lodged into Antoine's back. "Ahhh! It burns!" Cleo shrieked before she passed out. Antoine panicked. "Lekuz." He said as he coughed up blood. The both disappeared into thin air and the only thing left behind was a tentacle holding onto Cleo's dissolving leg.
The Luma didn't know what to do anymore and started to become estranged, guarding Ariana from anyone wanting to get close. Ariana could feel herself slipping into madness from the power. She tossed her head back as a wicked smile spread across her face. "It's not enough, not enough! The Luma require -?! Ugh!" Cayden had wrapped his arms around Ariana. "They don't need anything but love, your love for your family gave them the strength to evolve. Please calm yourself down and come back to me." He whispered into her ear.
Ariana's eyes lost its light, she slowly brought up her arm and swiped the air. The blue flames were instantly extinguished. The Luma turned and started to run back towards Ariana. She brought her arms up, spread them wide open as tears ran down her face. "I'm so sorry." She cried as the Luma started to shrink back into their chibi form. They collided into Ariana's chest, she wrapped her arms around the collection of chibis and cuddled them as she repeatedly apologized.
"I don't think they will leave you now." Cayden said as he snuggled up to Ariana's cheek. She felt her body temperature rise as a layer of mist coated her eyes. "Cayden, can you let me go please? You're too warm." Ariana complained as she squeezed her chibis. "That's strange I don't think I'm - Ariana you have a fever! Hey look at me! Ariana! Do pass out, please don't pass out!" He cried as he turned her body around and made her face him. Ariana could barely focus and started to lose her grip on the Lumas. Cayden brought his hand and started to brush back her bangs. "No, no, no! Stay with me please!" Cayden begged as he placed a hand onto her cheek but Ariana could feel herself going limp.
"Help! Please someone come help!" He yelled but Ariana never stopped watching his panicked face. She raised her hand and overlapped it with his. "I'm sorry...." She whispered as she lost her strength. He hand suddenly became ice cold and fell down as her eyes closed. "No! Brian! Brian something is wrong!" He kept yelling as tears poured out. He gently laid her down onto the ground and started to rub her hands, trying to bring the warmth back.
A young girl in a white and gold jacket came running up to them. She had bright purple eyes, pale yellow hair, slightly pointed ears and a white beret sitting on top of her head. She cared an intertwined wooden staff with a bright red rock that seemed to have liquid fire constantly churning inside of it, was dragging Sammie along towards them.
"Caralee, I think she just witnessed an awakening." Sammie said breathlessly as he plopped onto his knees next to the girl. He quickly check over her vitals and shook his head. "We're gonna lose her at this rate. It was too much for body, we weren't prepared." Caralee brought up both her arms and staff and started to concentrate. "Ka wai, ka honua, ka ahi a me ka makani bildu eta sendatu." She chanted as sweat started to roll down her face.
A magic circle appeared underneath Cayden and Ariana, the circle lit up into four parts, blue, tan, green and red before turning completely gold. Cayden could feel Ariana's warm return to her hands and he quickly brought her body up into his arms. Embracing her as tightly as he could without suffocating her. "You're gonna be okay now... you're gonna be okay." Rin supported Lady Zula as they approached the small group. Cayden looked up at Rin and gave her a gaze that sent chills down her spine. "I swear I won't lose her again."