~CELESTIA~
Team M. You look much better than when you arrived with Master Rune. My name is Othello Alaska; as you may know, I'm the Headmaster of Aslan and High Council Leader," Othello greeted.
We all exchanged looks, the guys looking at me to answer. I nodded, standing to address him.
"Yes. We feel a lot better after some much-needed rest. My team and I thank you for allowing the best healers of Aslan Academy to aid us in our speedy recovery. We'd like to contribute in any way we can and it's an honor to be in your presence, sir," I stated, using a professional voice as I continued to stand at attention.
We'd ended up spending the remainder of the day in the Academy medical clinic. Our section was made private thanks to Magnor's suggestion and he and a few of the best-known healers from across the dimension had come to assist us. I didn't see what the big deal was, but apparently everyone had taken a special interest in our team of unique shifters, especially with a unicorn in the mix.
We'd been taken to different rooms to receive treatment, so I'd yet to find out what everyone was. I did know that Hunter was a phoenix, Caio and Cairus were tiger shifters, Finn was a pixie and Theo was a bat shifter. I was still left out of the loop as to what Orion was. As much as my curiosity was killing me to find out, I personally wanted to hear it from him and not the others. I also wanted to respect his privacy. Revealing your shifter identity to some was a big risk and could be a weakness in many cases. I knew that all too well.
Being a unicorn shifter, no one knew about my strength or my enhanced abilities. That left me at an advantage. But not everyone had that same luxury and I never wanted to put someone in a position of worry, that included Orion.
The headmaster seemed pleased, exchanging a look with Magnor who wore a proud expression. He stood on the right side of the room, viewing some paperwork.
Othello had arrived at the clinic and told us we needed to discuss what occurred during the exam and that the discussion needed to be private. We had to sign documents to ensure our secrecy, adding a spell for extra assurance.
We sat in the front row of the small meeting room, Orion, Hunter, and Finn were on my left and Cairus, Caio, and Theo on my right.
Othello sighed. "Please, call me Othello. It's easier and your group has earned the right to do so," he began.
I gave him a confused look, glancing to my left. Finn and Hunter both gave me reassuring nods. Orion held my hand in his, giving it a small squeeze for comfort. I guessed they must have seen how nervous I was.
I looked over to the twins and Theo. Cairus and Caio nodded, both of them giving me wide grins of encouragement. Theo had a confident expression on his face, a small smile on his lips.
I can totally do this.
"Thank you, Othello. We are still unsure why we're getting special treatment, but we understand if you are unable to share the details for confidentiality reasons," I replied.
He grinned, walking over to the desk behind him. He sat on top of it, crossing his legs before looking toward us. Magnor came to stand next to the desk and crossed his arms across his chest.
I glanced between the two of them; their expressions grew serious.
"Your exam was held at Omako Forest. It's one of the top examination sites that we use almost every school session for entrance exams and training purposes," Othello began. He glanced at each of us, ensuring we were paying attention before he continued.
"During your examination, you came in contact with a Forsaken, something I feel certain none of you have seen before, correct?” he inquired.
I nodded, looking at the others. The only person who didn't nod was Hunter who had a blank expression on his face. I noticed Othello’s gaze linger on Hunter, but he didn't say anything about it, continuing where he left off.
"Forsaken are beings of darkness and take some hunters and huntresses years of training both physically and magically to be able to defeat. Not to mention the mental aspect that can be tampered with and manipulated due to the pull of the darkness and its ability to pollute a shifter's mind," Othello explained.
Magnor took a step forward. "Your team’s mission was to survive the remainder of the afternoon and all night in Omako Forest. The only thing you were supposed to face was the Rhinroys. The Forsakens were not a part of your exam," Magnor revealed.
"Wait. If that wasn't a test, you're saying they just somehow snuck in?" Finn questioned.
"They didn't sneak in. They must have been there for a long time in hibernation," Hunter replied.
We all turned to look at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" I wondered.
Othello cleared his throat.
We turned our attention back to him, but I glanced sideways at Orion who was still focused on Hunter. He gave me another reassuring squeeze before returning his gaze to Othello.
"As some of you may have heard, there has been an increase in Forsaken appearances in multiple dimensions. We, as Council members, as well as the Hunters and Huntresses of Aslan, have been doing everything in our power to stop the spread of Forsaken. That is, of course, the reason why this school was founded," Othello explained.
Magnor nodded, continuing. "It's also the duty of skilled people like myself to help rid the world of the darkness growing and spreading throughout the different dimensions, Versa being one of them. When you hear about wars or political arguments between two dimensions that were very close prior, we can automatically assume Forsaken are involved and influencing one or multiple people into creating chaos," Magnor revealed.
"We've had a few incidents of Forsaken appearing in Omako Forest, and have had our own graduate students work to defeat and remove their remnants," Othello pointed out.
"Remnants?" Cairus and Ciao asked together.
"I don't understand. There were no remains when we fought it," Theo pointed out.
Orion nodded. "It faded away," he confirmed.
"And when Sia fought it, there weren’t any left behind either," Hunter stated.
"The same was true when she turned into her unicorn form and annihilated that huge Forsaken," Theo added.
"Exactly. How would we know if there were remnants left behind?" I asked.
Magnor nodded. "For your first attempts at killing Forsaken, you did what others have taken years or decades to accomplish. You destroyed its core and rid the world of its essence or being. However, this doesn't always occur. If even a shard or piece of the core is left, it can grow and manifest into a bigger and stronger Forsaken," Magnor explained.
"Are you trying to say that the large Forsaken Celestia destroyed was born from a remnant of a previously killed Forsaken?" Finn went straight to the point.
I could hear the hardness in his tone.
"Yes. That's exactly what we're trying to point out, Mr. Charm," Othello replied.
"That makes no sense," Theo complained.
Caio and Cairus nodded.
"So you're trying to tell us," Caio began.
"That this Forsaken just hid before our exam," Cairus continued.
"And no one noticed," they said in unison.
"We do a triple check of all examination maps before allowing anyone entry," Othello admitted.
"So what happened?" Hunter questioned, his tone cold as ice.
"Mr. McGinty, watch your tone," Magnor warned.
Hunter crossed his arms, looking away.
I sighed, standing up. "What my team is trying to determine is how a Forsaken, a being of darkness of that caliber, was somehow missed entirely? I've been taught by Magnor over the years and I understand the general aspects of Forsaken," I began, glancing at the guys; my eyes lingered on Hunter who met my gaze. I noticed a hint of pain flash in his eyes, but just as fast as it appeared it vanished. He knows something, but I'll have to ask him later when we're alone.
"The Forsaken that we fought first was what you'd classify a level A, the smallest of its kind and weakest in its category. However, the one we fought later on, was certainly a Level B or even C. I doubt anyone knows much about unicorn shifters, but our main element is light magic and it took an immense amount of it to defeat that Forsaken. You can't tell me that was grown from just a remnant," I proposed.
"Celestia? Are you saying..." Finn started to ask, but trailed off.
I turned to my team; Orion's eyes met mine in understanding.
"Someone planted it," Orion announced.
I turned to Othello and Magnor, waiting for their answers. They exchanged looks; Magnor shook his head at Othello who sighed.
"You're correct. We believe someone from one of the opposing teams of students brought something that could have triggered the rapid growth of a Forsaken," Othello revealed.
"How is that possible?" Finn asked.
"And what can contribute to a Forsaken remnant growing to that level in a short period of time?" Theo asked.
"And no one noticed," Caio pointed out.
"After the numerous levels of security we went through," Cairus added.
"Unless someone from the inside knew about this student's acceptance, hid the remnant in the exam room during the last inspection and then a student added something to help it sprout?" Hunter suggested.
"But we're the only team that entered Omako...right?" I asked.
We all turned back to Othello and Magnor.
"There was an error during placement. Omako Forest was originally going to host three teams and those teams were called out first. However, two of the three teams were mainly of one kind of shifter race and we normally don't allow that. Therefore, we switched locations and your team was assigned Omako instead. The challenge was the same, just on a wider territory," Othello concluded.
I glanced at Magnor who met my analyzing gaze. He nodded in understanding but said nothing. I sighed.
"Alright. Basically, all you know at this point due to the chaos of the entrance exams and sudden Forsaken attack that nearly killed myself and my team, is that a student and someone who's either a student or staff member at Aslan planted that Forsaken there. You have no clue or evidence as to who it is or their or motives," I summarized, looking directly into Othello's eyes.
He sighed, nodding. "You’re correct, Ms. Rainbow," he replied.
I noticed Hunter open his mouth, but I raised my hand. "Alright. What are we as a team getting as compensation?" I questioned.
Magnor had a grin on his face while Othello looked confused.
"Compensation?"
"Yes. Othello, my team almost died. Recently you made us sign an agreement that swore us to secrecy about what is discussed in this room. However, don't you think it’s rather unfair that we get nothing in return for keeping this a secret? What would have happened if one of us died? Or worse, if all of us died. I don't think Magnor would be pleased to lose his precious student," I emphasized, pressing my hand to my chest in mock astonishment for added dramatic effect.
Magnor rolled his eyes, but the grin on his face confirmed his amusement.
"Well...I didn't think about it like that. Um...what are you suggesting?" Othello asked.
"Number one. Team M....no, Team Misfits, will have our own dorm and not just for this year. For the entire four-year term at Aslan Academy," I began.
Magnor coughed, giving me a furious look, but I raised my eyebrow at him.
"Yes, yes no boys, I remember. They're teammates, Master Rune." I grinned, returning to my list of demands.
"Alright. Continue." Othello smirked.
"Number two. We want the best set of classes that will provide the best knowledge and training sessions. Again, we have to be in the same classes or at least some of us. And we get lunch break together," I demanded.
I heard the guys chuckle behind me. I turned around to glare at them. They cleared their throats, glancing everywhere but me. I turned back around.
"That's doable. Anything else?" Othello asked.
"My team wants to be kept updated on the investigation into who did this. Just because we aren't graduates, doesn’t mean we don’t deserve to know if this was a plot to hurt a bunch of students or if someone specifically was being targeted," I announced.
I glanced over at Hunter who looked surprised; his orange eyes met mine.
"You realize that's classified information, Ms. Rainbow," Othello pointed out. The sternness in his voice was apparent, but when I turned to look at him I could see the excitement in his eyes. It made me wonder if any of the other students or teachers challenged him as I was doing.
"I'm well aware, sir. But only we know about this incident. Don't you think if it is a student behind this, the smartest thing would be to have us on the lookout?" I suggested.
"Celestia has a point. If it is a student and if they're specifically targeting us, they would likely try to do something again," Theo pointed out.
"And why not play bait?" Cairus grinned.
"A game of cat and mouse?” Caio smirked.
"Let them think that we have no clue," Orion added.
"And then we wait. Focus on classes and see what happens," Finn suggested.
"If they are targeting one of us or all of us, we'll know. Then we can start hunting," Hunter proclaimed, his eyes darkening.
The look sent shivers through me, but I pretended not to notice, merely nodding in agreement and turning back to Othello. "What do you say, Othello? Do we have a reasonable deal?" I questioned.
He slid off the desk, walking over to where I stood. I wasn't intimidated by his approach, standing my ground.
I may have been shy and kept to myself back at home, but I'd dreamt of being a student at this school for as long as I could remember. Now that I had a team that accepted and protected me with no ill intentions, I didn't want to let them go and I definitely wanted to find who did this.
His calculating gaze stared into my determined one. We stood in silence for what seemed like a full minute before a wide smile formed on his lips.
"You've trained your student well, Magnor. She's stubborn, like her parents," Othello revealed, looking to Magnor who was grinning.
"She's one of my best," Magnor acknowledged.
I smiled at him, touched by his words.
Othello turned back to me. "Alright, Team Misfits. I accept your offer. I guess I should be the first to say it. Welcome to Aslan Academy."
"How do we have this big-ass house and there are only three rooms? That's fucking stupid," Hunter complained.
"It shouldn't be a big deal. I don't think the other teams have seven members," Finn remarked.
"Twins share beds half the time anyway," Theo pointed out.
"But Cairus is a blanket hogger!” Caio argued.
Cairus shrugged, "Not my fault. You steal the pillows anyways," Cairus stated.
"I get to stay in Celestia’s room," Orion volunteered.
"Oh nah. She's not sleeping in the same room as you," Hunter argued.
"You can sleep on the floor. I already claimed Cutie Pie," Finn argued.
"Claimed, my ass." Theo rolled his eyes.
"Yet he was knocked out for half the fight," Caio said to Cairus.
"And totally missed out on Celestia's unicorn epicness," Cairus replied.
"Can you two stop reminding me of how I missed Cutie Pie in her majestic unicorn glory?" Finn snapped.
"Celestia's not sleeping in the same room as you, Orion," Hunter returned to the topic.
"Why not? It's the perfect arrangement," he stated simply.
"Perfect in what way?" Hunter countered.
"Theo is gonna sleep in the same room as Cairus and Caio and since they sleep in the same bed, that's one room down. You and Finn are best buddies, and won't kill one another so you can share a room. That leaves me and Celestia," he explained.
"Sleep on the couch," the others said in unison.
"I'll get acne," he replied. I grinned at the comment, wondering how Orion’s perfect complexion could possibly get acne from sleeping on the couch.
"I can't believe this," Hunter grumbled.
"Cutie Pie! Help over here," Finn called out.
I opened my eyes, lifting my head from the kitchen island. "I don't care where I sleep. Just figure it out amongst yourselves," I mumbled, resting my head back down.
"Bru," Arielle chirped, closing her eyes.
"Celestia’s tired. You’re wasting time," Orion argued.
"You can't be in the same room as her," Hunter and Finn said together.
"I wonder how long this is gonna go on," Theo sighed.
"Fifteen minutes," Cairus and Caio said together.
I tuned them out, needing a second to rest my eyes. I was still tired from the examination and needed a good nap. It was already nine o'clock at night and I just wanted to sleep.
Just five minutes...
~SIA~
"Guys. It's been thirty minutes." Theo groaned.
"I think Celestia fell asleep," Cairus pointed out.
"Don't blame her. I'm tired," Caio yawned.
"We're gonna decide this fair and square," Finn announced.
There was a moment of silence, prompting me to lift my head and look over my shoulder. Hunter and two other shifters stood in a circle, their arms outstretched and hands in fists.
"ROCK— PAPER— SCISSORS," they chanted, shaking their fists three times before revealing what they chose. The white haired male who was known as Orion had scissors out while Hunter and the pink haired guy known as Pixie Boy had their hands spread out to signify paper.
"I win," Orion said calmly.
"CHEATER!" Hunter exclaimed.
"What kind of luck do you have?" Finn questioned.
Orion shrugged. "I'm always lucky," he replied.
"Lucky my as—" Hunter began, cutting short when his eyes locked on mine. He blinked.
"Sia?" he asked.
The others followed his gaze to look at me.
I grinned. "Evening, Hunter," I replied, yawning.
"Sia?" Caio and Cairus asked, eyeing me curiously.
"Purple eyes?" Theo noticed.
I grinned, hopping off the bar chair. I picked Arielle up who was still asleep and walked over to where my luggage stood with the other bags.
"Sia Rainbow. Celestia's other half. A pleasure to meet you," I introduced.
The guys looked confused; only Orion appeared unsurprised by my presence.
"DEM?" he asked.
My smiled widened. "You’re a smart one," I replied, walking over to him. I whispered into his ear, "Don't worry. I'll keep your secret safe until you tell Celestia." I could feel the tension in his body, but I ignored it, stepping back and giving him a wide smile.
"DEM?" Finn asked.
I moved away from Orion and walked to the middle of the room. I took a moment to stare at the twins who appeared almost identical. If it weren’t for the fact one had blue hair and the other was a ginger, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I noticed the red-haired male with black ends. Very interesting. I'll let Celestia have her fun.
"Dual-Essence-Morality. It's the fancy term for dual personality," I explained.
"Dual," Caio began.
"Personality?" Cairus finished.
"Celestia is one half. I'm the other. It's not that complicated." I shrugged before a yawn escaped me.
"Do you come out randomly?" Theo asked.
"Nope. Celestia’s normally awake in the day. I'm at night. That's why Celestia asked you to wake her up before nine, but you guys fell asleep," I replied.
"Is this something you’re born with?" Finn asked.
"No. When we were taken in by Magnor at nine years old, we began to show signs of excessive energy. It came to the point that our power began to pool in our brain and would cause intracranial problems. Most individuals die, but we were one of the lucky few that didn't. Instead, I was born. We balance one another out. But, if I use too much energy, I become unbalanced and either need to sleep or switch back to Celestia," I explained.
"Like what happened during the exam," Hunter acknowledged.
I nodded. "Exactly," I confirmed.
"You're okay with sharing this info with us?" Orion questioned.
I returned my gaze to him, giving him a soft smile. "Celestia grew up lonely. She didn't have friends or anyone to rely on. Her parents weren't there and the adults in the village wouldn't dare help her. She only ever had Magnor and Arielle. You’re the first group to show us kindness," I admitted.
I noticed their change in expressions. I giggled.
"It's not a big deal really. It's just how life is. If you guys were willing to protect Celestia and me, I don't see the harm of sharing that we suffer from DEM. It’s just easier if we're going to be living together," I concluded. I yawned again. "Anyways, you guys can continue your love fight over Celestia. I'm going to bed," I announced.
"Love fight?" Hunter's and Finn's faces grew red.
I smirked. "Admit it. You're attracted to her. Men are so cute," I gushed, giggling.
"Wait," Orion spoke up.
I grabbed my luggage, with my dual sword case strapped to the top. I looked back to stare into Orion's curious eyes. "What's up?"
"What happens if Celestia falls in love? Are you going to fall in love with them? Or another individual?" Orion asked.
The other guys glanced my way.
"Not interested." I shrugged.
"What? But...huh?" the twins asked.
"This is something I haven't told Celestia and I ask that it stays that way," I announced, giving them a stern look. They looked at one another, nodding and turning back to give me their full attention.
I continued. "DEM isn't permanent. There's going to come a time where Celestia is going to grow and strengthen her magic capacity. When that happens, the need for my existence will lessen and lessen," I explained.
"Meaning..." Theo whispered.
I smiled, nodding. "Poof. Sia Rainbow will combine with Celestia and be no more," I replied.
"Aren't you sad about that?" Hunter asked.
"Why? We're the same person. Just two halves of one personality. When I fade, Celestia will feel whole again. And I hope by then she'll find people who will love and cherish her. Maybe she'll find more than one lover." I winked at the group.
Magnor had told me my fate long ago, and I begged him not to share it with Celestia. It was rather selfish of me, but it was for the best. I didn't want her holding back for the sake of not losing me. All I wanted was for her to grow and become confident in herself. And I knew this school would contribute to her personal growth.
"You're okay with never loving someone?" Caio asked.
"Or falling in love?" Cairus asked.
"Yup. Again, my existence is to balance Celestia out, nothing more. I've been privileged to share this experience with Celestia and watch her become more confident in herself. I want to continue watching and see as she progresses. Even if that means I'll eventually disappear. My wish is to see Celestia be loved. For her to enjoy life rather than to wish she didn't exist. Her happiness is my happiness just as her success is my accomplishment. She's dreamed of this opportunity and of having friends. Maybe you guys can help make her school years worthwhile."
The room was silent; the guys all stared at me with sad expressions. I grabbed my luggage, walking to the stairs by the doorway.
"I don't know what our future holds, Team Misfits. But I hope you can show Celestia that there's kindness in this world." I looked over my shoulder, meeting Orion's gaze. "And that love exists," I concluded.
I said goodnight and walked up the stairs, heading to my room that they had spent forty-five minutes fighting about.
I walked into the dark room, closing the door and placing my luggage to the side. I closed my eyes, using my magic to create a little cage for Arielle; I placed her inside. I pulled my hair out of the messy bun it was in, allowing the purple and pink strands to fall effortlessly down my back.
I pulled out a pair of black shorts and a white tank top, stripping and slipping them on quickly. I could barely keep my eyes open and just wanted to sleep. Neither Celestia nor I had shifted in a while and had forgotten the toll it took on our bodies. I moved to the bed near the window, slipping under the covers and sighing in relief when my head rested against the soft pillow.
Love...Celestia is lucky. I didn't know what our future had in store, but I had a hunch this group of men would change Celestia's life. And if she did fall in love with one of them, I'd be grateful. Maybe I could convince her to love more than one?
Regardless of what might come to pass in the future, at least when my time came, I'd know she'd go on to live a happy life. That's all I ever wanted and that was how I'd show my compassion and gratitude.
As long as Celestia is happy. That's all that matters.