As they spoke, their mythological beasts came out.
"Vermilion Bird is calling for everyone."
They said the same thing.
After ten minutes or so, everyone was gathered in Saphira's room.
"She's coming out," Vermilion Bird told them.
The reason he said that the one from a week ago was enough was because Saphira was finally close in integrating in herself the mana he had returned her.
Just as he said this, the ice cracked.
Then it was pulverized, the shining ice particles gave a different effect as they stared at her.
Her hair was no longer red orange but was now red.
Her skin seemed to have taken a more radiant white glow.
Her lips looks redder even though she has no make up on.
And when she slowly opened her eyes.
All of them were mesmerized.
It was ruby red with a tinged of something deep within that disappeared as if it was never there.
She looked even more beautiful with the color red than the red orange she had before.
"I'm done here, I'm tired."
Vermilion Bird broke the silence and spoke before returning inside her.
Saphira just raised her brow before looking at the rest.
"Hoho, isn't this something? How long was I out? Five years? You guys have changed a lot," she said with a smile.
"Saphira!!!!"
Stormie rushed to her and gave her a hug.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for my childishness," she started bawling out.
"Woah, calm down Stormie. I am no longer mad, why are you crying?"
Saphira laughed while patting her back.
She felt great right now, actually.
All the frustration gone.
Maybe because she had slept for long?
At the same time, she had come to always forget about her anger after some time passes by.
And because of that trait she picked up, she can easily face them.
But of course if it were someone else, someone she has no connection with.
Someone she does not treasure.
Her anger wouldn't disappear with just time.
"But I..." Stormie spoke.
"Come on, why don't we stop standing and have a talk while sitting down?" Saphira gave her a pat on the shoulder and smiled.
"Hmmm?"
Just as they were about to step out, she reacted.
"What is it?" Asherton asked her.
"Uhmmm, can I speak with Willow and Hunter for a bit, you guys go ahead," Saphira replied.
"Have a seat," she patted the table within the room.
"You guys are training with darkness, aren't you?" she asked them after they settled.
Though shock both nodded their heads.
"Tell me Willow, how do you handle the darkness?"
Willow furrowed her brows at her question.
"Since you guys are training with darkness, I think you already know that soon after you started. There is something telling you things, right?"
Hunter's eyes shifted but Willow, who heard that Saphira faced darkness way before, was no longer shock to hear it.
"So tell me how do you confront it?"
A glint appeared in Saphira's eyes and this didn't escape Willow's and Hunter's eyes.
Willow slowly squinted her eyes.
"Would it be bad if I told you that I had embraced her?"
"Hoho, you embraced her? So what did she tell you? To hate me more? Or to pester him more?" Saphira asked.
Willow smiled, "That would be too little for a darkness don't you think? She actually told me it is better to simply kill the girls around to ensure that no one will take him."
Saphira whistled at what she had heard.
"That's savage. And what did you tell her? Don't tell me you told her you would do it? Hoho, should I accompany you? I already have someone so I hope she'll make me an excemption."
"No, I just told her face to face that we really are ugly. But man slaughter? How should we do it? I use my wood while you burn everything? I guess you can be an excemption," Willow replied.
Hunter was stupefied.
These two weren't in speaking terms really but now that they did, they were speaking of something dark?
Plus Willow always had this gentle side on her, since children up to now.
But right now, she looks like a completely different person.
They did feel that something had changed in her, who would have thought it would be like this.
She has a dark side that clicks very well with Saphira.
And somehow they looked like they were even closer now.
Hunter cleared his throat.
"Oh, sorry about that. How about you? You fought against it didn't you?" Saphira asked him.
He looked at her with a look that was asking, how she knew of it.
"The two of you have different auras. I can tell from that. I am someone who faced dakness in the past after all," she replied.
"Well, since that is cleared, I will speak with you tonight. But as you continue training like this. You should stop fighting it Hunter. Just as what Willow had done."
She stood up, "Come on, I want to hear everything."
She walked out of the room.
Hunter looked at Willow.
"You have changed."
"I have indeed," Willow replied before following Saphira.
If Hunter was asked, it feels like this one is better.
She had forgone her naive self of wanting to only protect the one she loves.
She stepped out of this shell and Hunter could tell, she would become even stronger.
'No wonder Saphira was elated at seeing her. She had been waiting all along for this. For Willow to focus on herself alone,' he thought as he followed the two of them.
*****
Vermilion Bird wasn't really tired but he was too lazy to be listening any more and facing them.
At the same time, the light in Saphira's eyes.
He wants to check on to it.
To the something that appeared together with him.
Something both he and Saphira didn't know what.
But they can tell that it is a power great enough to contend against darkness.
They have been using it for a while now and the use was indeed what they thought it would.