"Roland! Do you realize what you're doing?!" Gregory shouted as he stormed towards him. "I do, my job is to keep you and her in line. If you think you can cut corners in your drill think again! We are here to help her hone in on her skills so she doesn't get kicked out of the Academy!" Gregory started to laugh hysterically as he doubled over. "Hone her skills? Doesn't get kicked out?! Do you hear how insane you sound!" Gregory spat as he stopped laughing and became dead serious.
"You want this girl to go into the Academy and what exactly? Live a normal life? Ha! She is a monster that would terrorize the students the moment she gets hungry! Worse yet those student are the future of our Kingdom! If anything was to happen to them... let's saw we won't be the only ones to fall." Ariana narrowed her eyes as she stared daggers at Gregory's back. "I don't eat people!" She shouted. Gregory turned to her and showed her a mocking smile. "Of course you don't! You just crave... Mmh what was it again... right human eyes that have been turned into jewels?"
Ariana could feel her temper rising. She straightened her back and pointed her noise into the air. "I thought you couldn't prove my story? Are you saying that you believe me now? Are you holding onto some hope that your fiancée is still alive?" Gregory started to clench his fist as Ariana spoke with a condescending tone. "What bullsh*t are you trying to spit out?" He said in between clenched teeth. Ariana shrugged as she gently grabbed a lock of her and combed it it with her claws.
"Why should I tell someone like you anything? You won't even help me train properly... discipline is the foundation of everything. If I can Master that in high stressful environment-?!" She was instantly interrupted by his murderous glare. Gregory grabbed part of the chain the Roland was wrapping up and sliced it with his bare hands. "You're going to tell me everything." Ariana could feel something snap within her as she watched Gregory slowly approach her with a wicked smile. 'Master... she's waiting.' Aroha whispered and Ariana shut her eyes.
She looked deep within herself and was standing infront of the podiums again. Charoite was missing but the baby blue flame watched her with anticipation. Ariana smiled as she walked up to its podium. The flame danced around as it waited for something. Ariana pondered for a minute and looked over towards the white flame before looking back at the small flame with the big round eyes. She stretched out her arms and waited but the baby blue flame narrowed it's eyes, it's body started pulsing sporadically as if it was lecturing her
She pulled back her hand and thought for a bit. She looked at Charoite's podium and it dawned on her. She stretched out her arm again. "Your name will be Celestite." The baby blue flame jumped up for joy as two pink oval appeared on her face. She jumped on last time and spun into the air before turning into a snake. Celestite landed on top of Ariana's hand and slithered up her arm.
Ariana opened up her eyes and saw that Gregory barely took his second step. She grinned to herself when she realized two important things. The first, almost no time is lost when she is within herself and second, she needed to determine what her new power was going to be. She looked at the glowing orange chain in Gregory's hands and watched as pieces started to melt downwards. Then it hit her, she raised her glowing baby blue hand and started to sweep the air. The movement was swift yet elegant and then she brought both hands together as if she was about to pray.
She looked at Gregory, who hesitated. Ariana smirked as they locked eyes with each other, sending a chill down his spine. Both of her hands started to glow a soft blue. "I must thank you." She started to say. "Without your help I don't think I could have been able to do this." Gregory's eyebrow furrowed as his own hands glowed a brighter orange-red colour. "Shut your trap and fight!"
"Gladly!" Ariana laughed as water droplets stared gathering above her head. The water droplets stared spin into a thick hoop. The hoops multiplied, then dropped over top of Ariana's body and protectively started to spin. Gregory tried to charge but instantly regretted his rash behavior the moment a water hoop made contact on his skin. He started to yell in agony as stepped back.
He looked at the back of hand and saw that it had already started blistering. Ariana took a few steps forward making Gregory jump back as he tried to assess his current situation. "What's the matter Gregory? Not in the mood to fight anymore?" Gregory clenched his teeth, he kept his eyes glued on Ariana, trying to anticipate her next strike.
"Don't worry in not going to attack... I just want to talk." Gregory didn't believe her but he had no other option but to relax his stance. He dropped his molten chain to the ground and held his hands up in defense. "Speak." Ariana nodded her head in compliance. She cupped her hands and the three water hoops stretched out into the air before gathering in her hand.
Sitting in her hand was a moderate sized water ball, the it started to wiggle until two long ear popped out. Charoite pushed upwards from Ariana's shadow and stepped beside her, curious eyes glued to her hand as he stretched out his body for a better look. A tail popped out from the opposite side of the water ball and the newly born creature stood up. "A rabbit?! A rabbit caused me this much damage?!" Gregory yelled as he showed the back of his hand, it had been completely covered in blisters.
Ariana rolled her eyes and place the sweet bunny on the ground. "Charoite, please meet your new sister Celestite." She said adoringly. Charoite moved closer towards the rabbit and stared into its beady eyes. Celestite was completely delighted and started bouncing all over. Charoite was completely infected by Celestite's energy that he happily chased after her.
"I still want to learn tactics from you." She said as she moved her gaze towards Gregory. While Gregory's face turned sour. "Grandmother's training can't force to educate me, I already proven that I'll adapt well enough to survive but my battle tactics are ... let's just say below average. I can't improve with just instincts alone, I need a suitable teacher." She finished saying as Rahul started to laugh. 'Master, you look down on instincts, power and brute strength! We must have a discussion later about my many victories.'
Gregory said nothing as his stare became colder. "You seem fine..." He muttered under his breath but Ariana raised her chin. "No I'm not!" Gregory dropped his left hand, took a step forward and waived an accusing finger at Ariana. "I will not teach you a damn thing! You have nothing to learn from me! As far as I can tell you are a master in tactics an manipulation." Celestite and Charoite stopped playing and turned to look at Gregory.
Ariana looked at him doubtfully and shrugged. "No idea what your talking about but if your trying to get out of our deal just say so." Gregory sneered at Ariana, his eyes started to glow a vibrant orange. "You think playing dumb will win me over? You were able to weasel your way into my cousin's life, you bought affection with your food, we have no idea who you really are and now your legally part of my dear aunts family registry?! I would say your level of cunning surpass anyone I know!"
Ariana's jaw dropped as she looked at Gregory and then everyone in the arena. "No! Your wrong! I never did that! Everyone knows who I am! I-I-I am Ariana!" She shouted but Gregory face became dark as he started to laugh maniacally.
"I-I-I? You can't even believe it yourself? Ariana Ivy Thistle was what you told my cousin before you were adopted... but after a little digging I found out that Ariana Ivy Thistle never existed until 11 years ago."
"Then low and behold Ariana Gaurita appeared! Well at least that's what you wanted us to believe after you came back... what were you doing the last two years? Must have been good to be sleeping in you garnet chrysalis but what was going on in there? Why Miss Drake can't you share such valuable information?" Gregory said sarcastically.
Ariana paled as she broke out into a cold sweat. "I-I-I... I..." She stuttered as her heart rate soared. "What is it freak? Lumas got your tongue?" Gregory laughed darkly. Celestite and Charoite felt the shift and quickly moved to protect their master.
The two stretched out into long whips and intertwined into one another. They moved towards Ariana's hands and formed into combat bagua ziwu, the outer blade in her right was made of water crescent moon and the inner blade was made of darkness while the one in the left was reversed.
"See, the moment I put just a little bit of pressure on you, your first instinct is to fight... You are deceiving all of us!" Gregory shouted as he pointed at her accusingly. Ariana paled even further and looked down at her hands. She could feel her heart drop and her breathing started to become erratic.
"No your wrong..." She whimpered as the blades fell to the floor. "Am I?! Can you honestly say there is nothing else hidden from everyone? Can you prove to us that you will not turn and kill us all? Destroy this kingdom or attack the remaining four kingdoms, for glory or fame?" Gregory asked with a booming voice.
Ariana dropped to her knees, Charoite and Celestite untangled and returned to their original forms. Tears started to well up in Ariana's eyes causing her little elementals to snuggle against her lap.
"I can't swear that I will never turn... that is... it's not impossible..." She said as she brought up her teary face. "I can't prove anything... all I have is my word and my memories of birth." She said in a daze as her tears spilled down her cheeks.
"I knew it! Something is strange about you! Who would ever say they remember their own birth? Do you take us for fools?!" He hissed. Charoite and Celestite moved from Ariana lap and looked at one another before they faded away.
'Master stop!' Aroha shouted. 'Master don't let it effect you!' Duko growled. 'Master no don't!' Davita and Lorelei pleaded while Rahul urged her to strike Gregory down but Ariana was starting to loose the light with in her eyes the longer she let the guilty sink in.
"I..." She said as her eyes dimmed even further. "Gregory that is enough now." The Countess said as she gripped the railing. Her knuckles were completely white as she used every ounce of her self restraint to not beat Gregory into the ground.
"No aunt Lidia! Your very lives are at stake!" He shouted when suddenly they heard something start to crack. All eyes went back to Ariana, her armor started to spilt and multiply around her body. "No! Not again!" The Countess shouted as she jumped over the railing.
"I... I..." Ariana kept repeating in a trance as the armor slowly spread over her body. "Sweetie, Ariana, come on sweetheart, look at me? We don't care about anything, your past or who your parents are! We love you and that won't ever change!" The Countess pleaded as she embraced Ariana with all her might.
Some light came back into Ariana's eyes but she was still not focusing on who was in front of her "That's right coddle the parasite! Let her dominant everyone, obviously we're nothing but her pawns, no... her personal playthings! We mean absolutely nothing to her! Once she gets what she wants she'll move on to her next target, leaving our family in ruins!" Gregory shouted.
Ariana could feel her heart strings snap. Gregory's vicious words hit her hard, she hadn't been completely honest, she had hid information for her own safety and these people in front of her were willing to give up their lives to keep her out of the hands of people who wanted to use her. She focused her vision and her resolve was strengthened. "My name is Eve..."
"I'm sorry?" The Countess said softly as she pulled her away. Ariana tilted her head as she gave the Countess a gentle yet chilling smile. "My name is Eve and Evangeline pulled my soul from another so that her daughter wouldn't die."
The garnet that was encasing Ariana shattered into twinkling dust. Ariana closed her eyes as her head fell forward. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry this body does belong to Ariana but I... my soul is someone else." She softly cried. James came running up with his coat in hand and stretched it out towards the Countess.
She nodded her thanks to James and tried to cover Ariana's nude body the best she could. "Everyone out." She order but Ariana clutched her arm. "No, they have a right to know too... My name is Eve. I was a 24 year old woman who worked in a sub division development company...."
After Ariana explained everything, everyone stayed deadly silent. "There is no way this is possible..." Gregory gasped as he fell to his knees. "How can you even say that? It makes perfect sense once you piece everything together but my G*ddess, I've always thought that such things were myths... I never in my wildest dreams,... would I have thought I would meet someone like you." The Countess said as she looked into Ariana's face.
"I swear that this is everything. I don't know what the Goddess is thinking and I don't think I want to know! I love my family! I don't want to cause any harm to you, I just want to live the life I never got to live in my past self. I know it's odd but I am Ariana and at the same time I'm not." Ariana broke her gaze with her grandmother and looked Gregory pitifully.
"All I have is a theory." She started to say, Gregory looked up and then averted his gaze. "If what I was told was true that those round jewels are really human eyes but they are flawless... then it could mean one of two things." Gregory swallowed hard causing his Adam's apple to rapidly move up and down. He brought back his gaze towards Ariana and waited for her tot go on.
"The people were harvested for their eyes, then very carefully the vein and optic nerve were removed to achieve the perfectly round shape. However that means that the people who had their eyes harvested are either dead or blinded and enslaved by the church." Gregory paled at her words.
The thought that his beloved fiancée could still be alive gave him hope but that also meant she could have been at the mercy of the church doing G*d knows what. This also meant that his uncle might have had a similar fate and no one bothered to save him.
"Can I still stay?" Ariana whispered bringing everyone back from their thoughts. "I'm sorry?" The Countess mumbled as she batted her eyelashes, trying to focus on Ariana. "Do I need to leave... now that you know everything, am I able to still be near you?"
The Countess pulled her in for another embrace, James joined in and soon enough, Tillie, Roland and Leigh ran towards them to join in. "Nothing has changed. You are you and we love you." The Countess whispered as she embraced Ariana tightly.
Ariana broke into tears and clung to everyone. She treasured her life and she was so afraid to lose it all, now that everything was out in the open she felt a giant weight lift off her shoulders. A warm sensation filled her heart and a very familiar voice called out to her.
'Master, she's waiting to see you.' Ariana closed her eyes and looked deep inside. She was standing before the podium and the white flame twirled in anticipation. "Vasu, what if I'm not ready to bring her out?"
'Master then please name her and she will wait for you.' Ariana walked up to the dancing flame and it showed a happy expression. "Howlite, your name is Howlite and I hope you can forgive me for not bringing you out yet." Howlite twirled and jumped in delight. Ariana let out a sigh of relief and opened up her eyes.
"We should let you rest for now." The Countess said making everyone else release them from the group embrace. "I will talk to your mother and let her know what happened. Don't fret, we'll never regret our decision about you." The Countess said as she brushed back a lock of Ariana's hair.
"Wait!" Gregory shouted but the Countess turned her head and gave him the coldest glare. "Tillie will help you back." Tillie quickly moved to help Ariana back on to her feet and escorted her to the bedroom she had in the bunker.
Once Ariana and Tillie disappeared, the Countess allowed the pressure in the arena to intensify. "You will stay away from her." She order and started to walk off with everyone in tow. "Wait, aunt Lidia let me educate her in tactics."