You're a UNICORN shifter?"
"Bruuuu-ree." Arielle kept chirping away in the branch above us.
It'd been five hours since the beginning of the second exam and it was now six in the evening. With no map to guide us, Hunter volunteered to create his own map and make markings in the ground and trees to help us find the entrance of the forest if a situation arose and we had to scurry back.
We'd made camp in the middle of the forest, Hunter helping us create a fire using a spell while Finn and Caio went off to hunt for dinner. Orion, Theo, and I sat in wait for them, thinking of game plans in event of an attack. My dual swords were still strapped to my back as we sat around the fire. Arielle had taken a nap during our expedition, so she was now ready to defend me if necessary.
I sat on one of the four logs that circled the campfire; Hunter and Finn were on the log to my left, Theo was laying down on the middle log and Caio sat quietly on the right log. Orion sat right next to me, our hands only inches apart. He hadn't left my side the entire time, asking if I was okay at least every hour. I didn't mind his closeness. In fact, I was enjoying this new group of friends. Now that we had some downtime, it was nice to learn more about them. I didn't mind if we didn't share what we were, but thanks to Vincent's earlier statement, the guys were curious and asked anyway.
"Yes. Unicorns are real. We're not some made up shifter race. But because there are none in my dimension...everyone assumes I'm a liar," I replied, staring at the fire that flickered in the middle of our circle.
"Guess it makes sense. Depending on the dimension, many mythological shifters aren't included in the shifter directory. In some dimensions, they think phoenix shifters aren't real," Hunter explained.
Finn nodded.
"Pixies too. In one dimension, we take up seventy percent of the population versus another dimension that never believed in our existence," Finn elaborated.
"Have all of you dealt with this? Being bullied or cast aside just because you were different?" I asked, looking around our circle.
"I haven't...but I’d personally rather be something else," Theo mumbled, his hands behind his head as he stared up at the sky.
"I hadn't until my family moved dimensions. Let's just say my teen years sucked ass," Finn complained.
"Still dealing with it from time to time. But no one can pick a fight with me or I'll kick their ass and make them beg for mercy," Hunter stated while he sharpened the tip of his arrow.
"My brother and I were the only ones of our kind where we lived. We had each other, and if one of us was being bullied, the other would step in. They couldn't fight us together so..." Caio explained, nibbling on the remaining meat sticks Hunter had made.
"I get how it feels. I just ignore them," Orion said calmly. He placed his hand on mine, giving me a soft smile.
I grinned back, loving the simple yet comforting touch. "Nice to know I'm not alone," I said softly, lifting my free hand to muffle a yawn.
"I wonder if we get to stay on this team when we pass?" Finn wondered.
"I heard it depends on your score. If you do really well you can choose to remain a team or you can choose to go wherever you want," Theo explained.
"Do people normally stay?" I asked Theo.
He glanced to his left to meet my gaze across the fire. "At Aslan, everyone likes to stick with people that are similar to them, whether because of their hobbies, their type of race or even hair color. You saw Vincent. I can guarantee his group will be full of vamps," Theo explained.
I frowned at the mention of Vincent. "Are you a vamp?" I asked plainly. I didn't know if I was comfortable being around their race just yet.
"Bat shifter," he replied.
"Isn't that the same thing?" I asked.
Finn shook his head. "No. Vampires can't shift into bats. The reason for those stories is because vampires would hunt bat shifters and force them to do their bidding," Finn explained.
Theo turned over, his back facing us. "I'm taking a nap," he mumbled.
"Goodnight, Grumpy," Finn replied.
"Hey. That's my nickname, Pixie Boy," Hunter argued.
Caio looked over at me. "Did you actually give them nicknames?" he asked.
I shrugged. "It just happened. Didn't think they would take it seriously," I replied.
He looked in deep in thought. "I want one too. But maybe after this exam," he confessed.
"Me too," Orion added.
I giggled. "You guys are amusing. I wonder if this is how friends interact," I replied.
"Cutie Pie. You never had friends?" Finn asked, interrupting his conversation with Hunter; both of them glanced over in my direction.
Even Theo looked over his shoulder to look at me.
"Uh...no. Since there wasn't any unicorn shifter on file, my father and mother didn't want me shifting around people. They were worried I'd be hunted or killed. But because of those precautions, everyone thought I was a fake. My mom had to leave when I was young to another dimension and then my father became a gatekeeper and was forced to begin his duties by the Council. I was left alone and all the villagers did was bully me and beat me up," I explained, looking into the fire. I could remember all the times people kicked me, shoved me into muddy pools or threw garbage at me. I continued, thinking I might as well explain the rest.
"By nine and a half, I had given up and wanted to commit suicide. No one believed me and I couldn't get in touch with my parents. That day I'd gotten beaten up so severely I could barely walk and the teachers did nothing. No one cared. I'd made up my mind and was ready to initiate it. I went deep into one of the forested parts of Versa when Master Magnor called out to me. It was raining that day and I'd had no hope. I'd asked him multiple times to train me before and he'd denied me each time. I assumed he would do the same that night, he didn't. He took me in as his own," I explained.
I felt something light land on my shoulder, turning my head to see Arielle.
"Bru-ree," she chirped softly, immediately rubbing her head against my cheek.
I reached out to pet her, while finishing my tale. "Since then, he trained me every day. Along the way, I rescued Arielle who was discarded too. From that point on, she's been my only friend. Sounds stupid to have a familiar as a friend, but she's the only one who hasn't abandoned me for being different," I concluded.
When the silence continued, I lifted my gaze and glanced around the circle; Orion had a frown on his face. Finn and Hunter both looked upset. Theo had a troubled expression while Caio looked deep in thought.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to be a downer. I haven't told anyone about my uh, past...so. No one likes to hear depressing stories in front of the campfire." I giggled nervously, feeling awkward for sharing.
Orion lifted my hand in his, squeezing it gently. The simple gesture sent tingles through me and the growing nervousness I was experiencing began to decrease.
"Don't apologize. Our pasts make us who we are. Despite everything you've been through, you sure became a kind person, Celestia," Orion complimented.
The other guys nodded, agreeing with Orion.
"Thanks, guys," I whispered, smiling.
"BRU-REE," Arielle cheered happily, hopping onto Orion's shoulder and rubbing her head against his cheek.
He smiled, petting her before she moved to Hunter and Finn.
"Arielle is a rare type of phoenix," Hunter pointed out.
She hopped onto his lap; her whole body blazed into her blue and pink form.
"Shit! She's hot!" Finn complained, getting up and moving to sit next to Caio.
"Arielle! Don't burn any of them," I ordered.
She ignored me, sitting patiently in Hunter's lap.
He chuckled, petting her without seeming hurt.
I gawked at him. "Wait? No one has been able to pet her in that form. Even Magnor struggles,” I pointed out.
"That's cause Hunter's a phoenix," Finn grumbled, ruffling his pink locks.
Hunter glared at him.
"Thanks for the announcement, Pixie Boy," he grumbled.
"Don't call me that. It sounds weird when you say it," Finn countered.
"Oh. I guess that makes sense then," I pondered, staring at Arielle who extinguished her flames, fluttering her feathers.
She flew over to Theo who'd returned to resting on his side.
"I'm sleeping," he mumbled.
Arielle continued to sit on his arm.
He groaned, lifting his hand to pet her gently.
She chirped, flying over to get some attention from Caio, who chuckled.
"Arielle is friendly," he complimented.
"She's only nice to those I like," I replied.
Finn grinned. "So, you like all of us then." He winked, making me blush.
"I don't mean that like...uh. Friends. Yes, she’s only nice to my friends," I countered.
"I'm fine with that," Finn replied.
"Me too," Orion replied.
"Me three," Caio agreed.
"I guess I'm four," Hunter mumbled.
We turned to Theo who stayed quiet.
Finn picked up a small rock and threw it at his back.
"Ow. That better have not been Finn," Theo called out, turning his head to glance at us.
"Stop being an ass and agree," Finn replied.
Theo grumbled. "Fine, me five or whatever. Leave me alone, I'm sleeping," he huffed, turning back to his side position.
We all laughed.
"If we do a campfire in the future, let's bring marshmallows," Caio proposed.
"That would be nice," Finn commented.
"Campfire with friends, huh," Hunter murmured.
"Would be fun," I admitted.
"Agreed," Orion approved.
I let out another yawn, rubbing my eyes.
"Cutie Pie, you should nap. If Theo’s gonna sleep, you and Orion can get some rest as well. We’ll keep watch," Finn suggested.
I glanced at Orion who nodded in approval.
"I'm fine with that plan," Orion agreed.
"Okay, just a nap. Wake me up before nine," I emphasized.
"Why nine?" Hunter asked.
"Uh. It's hard to explain, but it has to do with my unicorn powers," I defended. I was ready to explain if I had to, but I was super tired and a nap sounded really inviting.
They exchanged glances, but appeared unconcerned.
"That's fine by us. We'll wake you up before nine," Finn reassured me.
"Awesome," I replied, yawning again.
Orion grinned. "Nap time for sure." He rose up, extending his hand to me.
I took it without hesitation, letting him guide me to the vine mats Finn had made. I unstrapped my swords, placing them next to my mat and laying down. Orion was on the mat to my left, his arms behind his head and his eyes closed. I didn't think he'd rest too, but he did look tired.
I looked back to find Arielle sitting on Hunter's lap. He was petting her while talking to Finn and Caio. I grinned, glancing at Theo who was perfectly still which made me assume he'd fallen asleep.
Hey Magnor. I met a group of people who don't think I'm weird. Is this what acceptance feels like? To have people who don't ask questions, but simply trust you? If so, it’s the best feeling I've ever experienced. I hope it stays this way.
~SIA~
I opened my eyes; the starry sky above greeted me. I frowned, taking a moment to figure out how I'd gotten here, or should I say, how Celestia got us here.
Written exam, Team M, Vamp bully, forest, must survive forest, campfire, friends...
It was always an interesting experience when we switched back and forth; we had the ability to see a fast-forward version of what had occurred when the other was resting. I sat up, pulling the hair tie out of my hair. I hated when my hair was up unless I was mid-battle. All it did was give me headaches.
I glanced to my right, the guy named Orion. It only took me five seconds to know exactly what he was; a small grin formed on my lips. Interesting. Now, that's a rarity.
I looked over to my left. Hunter and Arielle weren't where they'd been before Celestia went to sleep. Theo was still in his spot, but had turned over to lay on his left side. His face wore a peaceful expression and he breathed in and out slowly.
I looked over to see Finn sitting on the ground, his head rested back on the log. Lastly, Caio was lying down on his side and was asleep. I strapped on our dual swords, making sure both bracelets were on their designated wrists and used my stealth to move away from the camp to look around. Celestia had kept track of our path until this point. Even though Hunter left marks and drew us a map, anything could have caused those hints to disappear or be moved due to sabotage. Having a photographic memory would aid us if those running this exam decided to interfere. Adding our skills to navigate through the forest, it wasn't hard for me to know what parts hadn't been ventured in.
I took my time through the forest, unsure how this could possibly be an exam to prove ourselves worthy of becoming a hunter or huntress when we hadn't encountered any animals. Survival wasn't difficult for our group, but from Celestia's memories, not everyone would have been trained like us to survive the wild.
I reached a clearing; the open space was filled with tall grass that swayed from the passing warm breeze. I couldn't tell if this was a simulation or if we'd been teleported elsewhere, but it felt real and I could sense life within the trees and the ground below.
I turned around, lifting my foot to take a step forward when I froze. Thanks to the passing breeze, my nose caught the scent in time; my body grew rigid. How did it reach me without making a sound?
I felt the hot breath of the animal that had managed to sneak up on me, recalling from one of Magnor's teachings that this special breed was called a Rhinroy. It was a beast that could walk on its two back legs to hide its presence and was vicious in nature. They would sneak up on their prey, but could only attack if their prey made a sound.
I inhaled slowly and closed my eyes, concentrating on the ground below. Just because I couldn't chant a spell, didn't mean I was a sitting duck.
Vinasso Wrapondo. I knew the spell was working from the shift of magic in the air, creating an image in my mind of the beast’s two legs being wrapped with vines. I had to execute the spell slowly to prevent the beast from catching on. Their race tended to focus on their prey rather than their surroundings, giving me the perfect opportunity for a sneak attack. If I moved fast enough I could avoid a slash or two, but I doubted it. They were known to be fast and I was still at risk, due to its proximity.
I opened my eyes, ready to duck forward with the intention of cartwheeling away and making a run for it. I'd have to lead it away from the camp, or the guys would get hurt. Let's do th—
"BRU-REEEEE."
I flinched at the loud noise that came behind me; the Rhinroy cried out. I immediately cartwheeled forward, using the momentum from the action to leap up into the nearest tree while calling on the vines to tighten their hold. I turned around to view the seven foot animal who began trashing the ground, attempting to escape the vines’ hold on it.
My eyes scanned around for Arielle; I spotted her flaming wings hovering over the guy named Hunter, who was pulling back an arrow. It was the first time I’d seen him other than the image in Celestia’s memories. Three seconds passed and he let the silver arrow go; it went straight through the back of the beast. It roared in agony, lifting up onto its back legs to scream into the night. I could see the tip of the arrow poking out of its chest. It fell to the ground, still fighting to free itself from the vines. After a minute, it stopped thrashing, twitching from time to time until it laid lifeless.
I sighed, dropping to the ground and making my way to inspect the dead beast. Hunter stayed where he was, lowering his bow and arrow.
I pulled out my swords, letting the magic flow through me. I had to be cautious in the event this beast was a smart ass and was playing dead.
"Wrapondo!" I chanted; the vines tightened once more around the beast. I lowered my swords to my side, walking around the beast twice.
"Bru?"
I looked up to Arielle who hovered above me, tilting her head.
"It's dead. I think we're in the—"
"CELESTIA!" Hunter shouted.
"GRAAEEEEEE!"
I pushed myself off the ground; my legs just missing the horns of another Rhinroy who charged toward Hunter. He lifted his bow, shooting arrow after arrow, but it didn’t slow the beast down. I twisted my body in the air, calling upon my magic and aimed it a few inches in front of Hunter.
"FLAMENDO WAVANA!" I chanted, summoning a wave of fire that manifested from the ground below Hunter and spilled over the approaching Rhinroy.
It screamed in agony, the flames burning its flesh as it charged mindlessly; it ran directly away from the flames and away from Hunter.
I landed in the middle of the clearing, twirling my sword in anticipation for a counter attack, but the Rhinroy staggered to a stop a few feet before me. I thought it was over, but from the pulsing sensation coming from my dual swords, I knew something was still hidden nearby.
"You’re not Celestia."
I looked up to Hunter who was still in his spot, his orange eyes narrowed.
I grinned. "I’d say you’re rather perceptive, but I’m sure my eyes and hair give me away," I replied sweetly. I already knew with the initiation of magic my hair was now a lovely mixture of purple and pink. I can't forget that strand of gold I saw a few days ago. Ugh. I'm getting old.
"Are you the reason why Celestia said to wake her up?" Hunter asked.
I shrugged. "I'd love to answer your questions, but I’d rather we had a closer conversation than us yelling back and forth like complete idiots," I replied, rolling my eyes.
He grumbled something under his breath, but began to make his way down the tree.
Arielle landed on my shoulder, staring at the dead Rhinroy to my left. I glanced to my right to see the other one, still wrapped in vines.
"I hope that was all of th—"
"GRAEEEE!"
"For fucks’ sakes!" I turned around to face the forest behind me; Arielle soared into the air and a bright light engulfed her body. Her flames burned to life as she readied herself for battle. I lifted my swords in a fighting stance, otherwise staying completely still and waiting for the next Rhinroy to attack.
My eyes grew wide, the sight making me curse as I darted in the opposite direction.
"Of course I'd get a fucking stampede of Rhinroys. Typical Sia gets all the bad fucking luck!" I shouted, picking up my pace to execute my new plan.
"GRAEE!" The herd of at least twenty Rhinroys roared in unison.
I knew I wouldn't be able to beat their speed, but all I needed was to reach the large tree five feet ahead. As scary as this situation was, I felt a wave of excitement; the thrill of fighting something other than Magnor made me grin from ear to ear.
I reached the tree, using my magic to give me enough momentum to run up the wide trunk. Before the Rhinroys reached its base I pushed off it, soaring above them, giving me a second to appreciate the starry sky.
I gracefully flipped mid-air, immediately targeting fifteen out of the twenty beasts. I took a deep breath; my body grew warm with joy and happiness, a tiny side effect of using my unicorn magic.
I blew out a gust of magical dust— the rainbow-colored wave of glitter rained down on the beasts who lingered below me. I quickly called upon the wind, creating a solid circle to use as a platform. I pushed myself off it to give me another boost and landed at the opposite edge of the clearing. The Rhinroys prepared to run, but only five approached; the remainder began to sway back and forth until they fell to the ground.
"Nighty Night, Rhinroys. Too bad my dust can't cure world hunger. Aww, fuck! I hate this stupid dust! Makes me all happy and shit," I complained, getting into my fighting stance.
"BRU-REE," Arielle shrieked and began shooting fireballs at the remaining five that had continued to run in our direction.
Flaming arrows flew from behind me stopping three of the Rhinroys who shrieked in pain.
I quickly looked over my shoulder to see Hunter who was shooting flaming arrows, his brown hair glowing a soft amber. I grinned, feeling a sense of comfort knowing a member of my team had my back, even if he didn't know me.
I returned my attention to the two Rhinroys closing in; the other three had recovered from the flames and began to charge toward me. I took a deep breath, allowing my magic to seep into the swords.
I'd glide right through these Rhinroys and end their misery in a swift movement. I envisioned everything down to where I'd stop.
"LOOK OUT!" Hunter yelled.
The concern in his voice made me smile as I opened my eyes and allowed the power to take over. My body jolted forward, running toward the two Rhinroys. I slashed them with ease, twirling my body like a ballerina on stage and moved out of the way in time to see them charge into each other; the heavy impact knocked both of them out. I didn't stop, my body darting toward the remaining three that approached.
"GAREEE!"
"Let me end your suffering, my poor beasts," I hummed happily, pushing myself off the ground. My body hovered over the three creatures who skidded to a stop, glancing up to watch me soar above them. I grinned, crossing my swords and preparing my next attack.
"ELECTRONA DUAL SLASH!" I chanted; the blades grew hot as electricity surged up the silver metal. I slashed outward, my arms outstretched which released the X shaped attack. It crashed into the middle Rhinroy who cried out, its electrocuted body falling to the side. I landed softly on the ground, using my air magic to cushion the impact. I got into my fighting stance, blinking my eyes to clear my blurry vision. Damn. These swords take way too much energy.
My legs shook and my labored breaths made me wonder about how long I had till I reached an unbalanced state.
The two Rhinroys made their way toward me. I braced myself, ready to attack when a large fireball crashed into them, sending them flying back into the forest. I blinked before slowly turning to my left to see Hunter, an arrow notched in the bow in ready position. He was breathing hard; his shoulders moved up and down while sweat dripped down the side of his face.
He noticed my gaze, lowering his bow and walking toward me. I took a calming breath in an attempt to slow my rapid breathing. I called off my magic, giving a second for the dual swords that glowed a bright pink and purple to dim before placing them back into their scabbards.
Arielle landed in the nearest tree, extinguishing her flames.
"You okay? You're pale," Hunter questioned, worry etched on his handsome features.
I smiled. "And you're sweaty and out of breath. Shouldn't I be asking you if you’re okay, Hunter?" I used his name even though he hadn't personally introduced himself.
"Are you an alter ego or something?" he asked.
"Sia Rainbow. I'm the other half of Celestia. A pleasure to meet ya," I greeted.
"Hunter...you already know who I am," he realized.
"Somewhat. I can recall through Celestia's memories, but it's not like I'm sitting with a bag of imaginary popcorn, listening to your conversations. Just think of it as a fast forward play by play and I pick out the information I need to know. Like this is a stupid examination and that Celestia thinks you guys are a cute bunch of shifters. Oh, and I guess your names are somewhat important," I explained with a shrug.
"Intriguing. Is this a unicorn thing?" he asked.
"Who knows? They don't have a unicorn shifter manual available in Versa. Maybe in another dimension," I sighed dramatically.
Hunter nodded, still staring at me with a concerned expression. "Let's go back. You don't look well." He began to walk ahead.
"I'm rather beautiful, thank you very much," I called out. I heard him grunt, making me giggle. Phoenixes do have short tempers. He's hotter when mad, hmm.
I looked back around the quiet clearing, still feeling a sense of unease. I let my hand run through my tresses. I felt exhausted and the exam wasn't even over yet. I need a damn nap.
I glanced at the ground beneath me, noticing the slightest tremble. Huh?
A scream escaped me as I put my arms up, casting a shield around me; black tentacles shot out of the ground. My body shivered as fear crept through me at the over ten-foot tall blob of darkness slithering toward me.
"Forsaken? Fuck!" I wanted to pull my swords out, but my body wavered. My knees buckled and I collapsed to the floor.
"Dammit. Not the fucking time, unbalanced body!" I cursed. I glanced at the beads on my wrist, debating if I should switch and wake Celestia up, but this was the worst possible situation to leave her in. At least if I got out of the path of this forbidden monster she'd have a higher survival rate.
I fought to my feet, biting my lip and ignoring the wave of nausea that hit me. The black tendrils attached to the black blob shot out toward me.
"GROUNDA SHIELANDO!" I screamed, lifting my hands to block the attack. The impact pushed me back and out of the way of the black tentacles that shot out to attack me. I stumbled to my feet, creating shield after shield to block the ongoing attacks.
I clenched my teeth, anger flowing through me. I could feel my magic boil as my eyes stung with power. I took a deep breath, lifting my right leg up.
"Stillsandra!" I commanded, stomping my foot to the ground. The ground cracked, rainbow light peeking out of the crack that emerged; the ground crumbled around the beast. It began to sink into the ground. It made a chilling sound; the eerie noise made my ears hurt, but I fought the urge to cover them with my hands, already focused on the next spell.
"VINEASO!" I chanted; purple and pink vines wrapped around the Forsaken, emerging from the broken ground. I took a large inhale, lifting my hand up to my lips. Windasleep!
I blew out slowly; the spell I mentally chanted took effect as the wind carried the glittered dust above the gigantic beast, spreading it around its oversized frame. It screamed and thrashed, but the vines kept it in place and the ground secured its lower half. I continued to blow the sleep-inducing dust until I had no more air left in my lungs.
The black blob of darkness stilled, its cries still echoed in the sky. Why is there a Forsaken here? There's no way they would have allowed one to be a part of this exam. It's almost impossible to defeat them.
I tried to think, but my mind was fuzzy from the heavy use of magic. I glanced at my wrist, noticing my hand tremble. I can't last any longer or we'll both be in trouble. I sighed, making the decision to switch out. I took the pink and white bracelet off my left wrist, sliding it onto my right.
I felt drowsy, my eyelids became heavy as darkness began to cloud my vision. I fell forward, hearing someone call my name, but I didn't fight the pull, my consciousness descending into darkness.
Good luck, Celestia.