The bar was overly crowded, but Aria noticed only supernatural creatures. "What's going on?" Aria muttered.
"What do you mean?" Daniel said from behind her.
She turned to him, giving him a dark look. "Do you really not see anything odd?" She asked.
Daniel frowned down at her but his friend Oliver turned slightly his eyes moving rapidly from one corner of the room to the other. "New girl is right," Oliver said quietly.
"Wouldn't be the first time today that happened," Zira said, as she surveyed Aria.
Aria got the distinct sensation that the fire witch was measuring her.
Zira's mouth twisted into a brief smile. "Does the new girl have a name," Zira inquired startling Aria.
"Aria," she said with a blink. "Aria Summer."
"Aria," Zira said testing her name out. "Interesting name for an interesting girl." Zira glanced at Daniel and Oliver who were staring at Zira with a peculiar look on their faces. "Aria means melody, or quite literally air." She explained. She turned back to Aria, "Do you have parents?"
"They are dead," Aria said quietly.
"So is mine," Zira said softly. "Sometimes family has nothing to do with blood. They are the ones who feel at home." She said.
Aria's eyes flicked away from hers and landed on Rina who had just appeared as if she had materialized from thin air. Perhaps she had. "Your right, home is people rather than a place." She said looking back at Zira.
"I think you will fit in just fine," Zira said smoothly, narrowing her eyes at Oliver who suddenly raised his nose, his eyes sharpening.
Oliver looked back at Aria and then Zira his face grim. "Not to interrupt this fascinating conversation," Oliver said dryly. "But I'm pretty sure I can smell sulfur."
Aria frowned. Earlier today in one of the many classes she now took in the Academy she had learned certain smells were caused by spells or portals left behind by supernatural creatures. The scent was faint enough that humans wouldn't be able to scent it, but creatures like werewolves like Oliver was, could. "Sulphur, from Dragons' right?" She asked turning to Zira.
"Usually, but this is the remains of a spell," Zira replied looking at Oliver. "A warning spell."
"The Hunters are here," Oliver said in a growl.
"Hunter's?" Aria said alarmed.
"Dragon Hunter's," Oliver growled.
"Yeah, today might not have been a great day to come to the bar," Zira said with a scowl directed at Oliver and Daniel.
"You cannot blame us, the bar is attacked every other week," Daniel said with a scowl.
Aria searched the room again her eyes seeking out Rina who was speaking to a server with brilliant green eyes. Someone she'd seen with Rina before. She started to move towards her when something caught her eye. She gulped. "Either I found the Hunters or our resident dragons did something to those guys in the trenchcoats," Aria said pointing out the men who were indeed wearing trenchcoats and aggressively glaring at Hulio and Julio. One of the men pulled something out from his coat and then the bar went dark. Aria instinctively looked up, before the sounds of a shuffle caught her attention. She barely had time to brace herself as an eruption of explosions seemed to rock the very foundation of the bar itself.
.....
"Get barriers up now!" Hunter screeched.
Terry leaned against the bar as he felt the unmistakable heat of magic. "What the hell was that?" Terry asked.
"The wards surrounding the bar," Damien said. "They have been breached."
Terry turned to look at the other side of the bar where teenagers were huddled looking terrified. He looked back at the bar his eyes narrow with worry. "Vanessa, she was here." He said moving to get up.
Hunter pulled him back down forcefully. "Are you crazy?" He demanded. "Now is not the time to go chasing your girlfriend!"
"You don't understand!" Terry shouted.
There was a sudden bang like a gunshot, Terry and Hunter watched as Vanessa herself slid past the bar in a crumpled mess. "Ow." She said shaking debris off her, a wave of smoke drifting off her skin. Vanessa turned to look at them both. "Barriers are not working," she said, before she turned to look at the teens she crawled over to them, blatantly ignoring Terry, who scowled ignoring Hunter's knowing smirk as they looked above the counter cautiously.
"Are you guys okay?" Vanessa asked.
"Definitely wishing we were anywhere but here." Oliver pointed out.
Vanessa chuckled softly, looking over at Aria who seemed to be turning pale. "Hey," she said softly. "Everything's going to be alright."
Aria snorted. "You seem so certain."
"Yes, well," Vanessa said with a grin. "We have a backup plan."
"What backup plan?" Daniel asked.
The lights seemed to flicker for a moment, Zira glanced up her eyes widening. "I take it, crazy lady with a gigantic sword would be your plan." She asked.
Aria, Daniel, and Oliver followed her gaze as Vanessa slid her gaze at Terry who was rolling his eyes as Rina vaulted across the room and engaged one of the fighters who raised a sword just in time. Their swords clashed through the room with a deafening roar. The other man moved to attack Rina as well but was suddenly attacked by vines, he turned to look at Raena who stood over Julio her eyes glowing emerald as she used her powers, a stream of water circling the vines. Aria glanced at the other Dragon, Hulio and noticed that there was a blue haired girl with her fist out a whirlpool of water circling their corner of the room.
"That's Iris." Daniel muttered.
"And Raena." Oliver said glancing at Zira. "Soulmates protecting their dragons."
"Soulmates?" Aria muttered, then she suddenly grabbeed her arm and let out a painful noise.
They turned to look at her as she pushed her sleeve up her Dragon sigil shining brightly on her skin. Vanessa grabbed her arm looking up at Aria. "You've been marked," Vanessa said.
Aria's skin seemed to glow for a moment and Vanessa seemed to realize something as she gestured to Terry and Hunter and vaulted over the counter with the other teenagers. There was a boom like thunder and suddenly where Aria had stood there was now a Dragon that screeched out into the air.