42 First Steps

"Sweet pea let's get you dressed first. Roy, see if you can get some help to clean this mess up and Rin, hun go sit down we don't want you going into early labour just yet." Lady Zula said as wrapped her arms around Ariana and helping her take a few steps forward. The Lumas were closely following Ariana as they cheered for their master's awakening.

'Master you've been asleep for too long, way too long!' Duko said as he jumped around in the air. Rahul had already found his spot on her head, Davita curled around her neck and Lorelei followed closely behind.

'Honestly the whole lot of you... let Master have some space! She just woke up from the chrysalis!' Aroha chirped causing Ariana to blink a few times before looking at her mother. "Chrysalis?" Ariana asked in shock while Lady Zula started to tear up again and rubbed Ariana's arms as they walked. "Yes dear, you were inside a giant garnet chrysalis for two years." Lady Zula explained. Ariana stumbled over her own feet and Lady Zula tightened her grip, stopping her from falling.

"Two years?! What day is it?!" Ariana shouted causing Roy and Rin to look at her. "Yes... two years. As for the day... it's the first day of the New Year." Lady Zula said pitifully. Ariana walked with Lady Zula in a daze. "Happy 15th birthday to me." She mumbled to herself.

After Lady Zula helped her find a set of clothes from one of the girls still living at the cafe. She then called everyone down for a meeting. "Alright! I know a lot of you have questions and honestly I thank every single one of you for sticking with us." Lady Zula started but she stopped and glanced at Ariana.

"We may have lost a few of you but the ones here right now, I swear to you that I will protect you to the best of my abilities. I will also pass word to my mother and let her know of your plans if you choose to leave after finding out certain details today.... sniff... really all of you thank you." Lady Zula concluded as she tried her best to not choke on her tears.

Everyone nodded their heads, they all felt the same way. Then they turned their gazes to Ariana and waited quietly. She looked at everyone's faces and gave them a gentle smile, almost everyone stayed with her.

It looked like only 4 girls were missing from Lady Zula's group and Becca, Clawdean and Sammie were the only ones to show up from the guild. Her heart ached a little, she couldn't blame the ones who stayed away. In their eyes she was a monster, she reassured herself it was okay as she smiled to herself. She looked at the everyone again and opened her mouth. Suddenly the door to the cafe opened.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! We're here too! Sorry we ran here as fast as we could! Honestly! It always happens the moment I give myself a break! You have to make your grand entrance and ruin my date!" Ariel shouted as she dragged Seeley in with her.

Ariana burst into tears and started running towards them. She jumped and landed on top of both of them, tears spilling like a river as she looked at them. "Ariel! Seeley! I thought you left me! I knew you would be together but it hurt so much not seeing you here!" Ariana cried loudly.

Ariel and Seeley hugged Ariana as tightly as they could. "You've gotten so big, I don't think I can pick you up anymore." Seeley said with a bright smile. "Seriously brat! How can you keep us waiting for so long! You better explain everything!" Ariel shouted before she puffed out her cheeks and pouted.

Ariana nodded her head. After she got up she smiled at them both and walked back to her mother. With tears still brimming her eyes she looked at everyone. "I am not normal... I, I'm, no. I am actually a being that shouldn't exist in this world... Something of a myth or a legend but honestly anyone who knows of my existence is just frightened." She started but no one said anything. With a sigh she continued.

"Rin can you come here for a second?" Ariana asked awkwardly. With help from Roy, Rin got up from her chair and waddled towards Ariana. She looked at Rin and took a deep breath, she lifted her hand up, and placed it a foot above her chest.

Ariana closed her eyes and looked deep within herself until she saw the sparks she was looking for. A small smile appeared on her lips and she opened her eyes. Her hand started to glow a soft blue with wisps of white and Rin's eyes grew wide.

Ariana pulled back a few of her fingers and left out her index and middle fingers. She waited a moment, controlling her breath before flicking her wrist upwards with her fingers pointing upwards. Rin could feel her body heating up, soon she broke out into a sweat and had a pained expression on her face, indicating she was ready to throw up. "Ariana what are you doing?!" Roy shouted as he stood up causing his chair to topple over while everyone else watched with stunned expressions.

Rin tilted her head upwards, opened her mouth with a scream a strange metallic looking, liquid, ball came flying out. The ball floated over towards Ariana and Roy ran up to catch Rin as her legs gave out. "This is what has been keeping you from living your life freely." Ariana said softly and allowed the ball to hover over the palm of her hand, reflecting Rin's horrified face.

Rin covered her mouth, trying her best to muffle her crying. "Try saying it." Ariana cooed while Rin shook her head no but Ariana gently closed her hand and dissolved the liquid just as her hand stopped glowing.

"Rin it's gone now, it won't hurt you or the baby or anyone else. So can you please talk about your mission? Who was I staying with and why was I there?" Ariana asked pitifully. Rin took a deep breath and steadied herself with Roy's help. "What do you know so far?" Rin asked.

Ariana gave a sigh of relief and looked at Rin. "I was born the first day of the new year but was born as an empty vessel for the church's use. My mother paid for my existence with her own life while my uncle sacrificed himself to send me back to their clan." Ariana replied.

The room was eerily silent and Rin nodded her head. "Do you know who your parents' names?" Lady Zula asked in a shaky voice that caught Ariana off guard. Ariana looked at Lady Zula and shook her head no. "I only know their titles, I have no idea who they are or what they look like..." Ariana replied. Lady Zula placed a gentle hand on Ariana's face and gave her a sweet smile.

"From the moment I heard that someone was trying to sell a little girl with jewel like eyes and hair as black as the night sky, I had a feeling deep down inside... I hoped and prayed it was you and when I saw you I knew I needed to have you by my side, I wanted to experience my youth again. So I acted selfishly, acted like you were nothing and kept things from you but my love for you is real, even if it seemed to easy to get." Lady Zula said with a bittersweet smile.

"Mom?" Ariana had mixed feelings she knew that winning over Lady Zula was rather effortless but to find out she was played by her was something else. She couldn't help but smile. "You know, you look just like her... even more so now that your older. My sweet, best friend Evangeline." Lady Zula said. Ariana's jaw dropped along with Rin's.

"How?! There was no way they would have let her go to mingle with people?!" Rin shouted but Lady Zula waved away Rin's anger. "Of course they would let her go to the Academy! Unless they wanted their followers to burn down the church demanding her freedom." Lady Zula stated matter-of-factly. Roy started to scratch his cheek as he looked at the woman. "Mom you got to explain it a bit more, I'm lost and I don't think I'm the only one."

Lady Zula sighed. "Ariana, your mother was someone rather special. She original came from a clan of people who worshipped the elementals. She was their priestess who had a deep connection with the elementals, spirits, fairies and other magical beasts however her existence was found out by the church and people wanted her in their pockets for selfish reasons."

"She was someone so special that the balance of the entire Kingdom relied on. Not even the Royals could touch her yet the church kept her locked away for a decade performing miracles. The community cried for her to become more advanced when one of her healings failed, the priests begged to have teachers from the Academy to come to them so she couldn't leave. In the end she was given three years of freedom." Lady Zula explained.

Ariana stepped away from Lady Zula and looked at everyone in the room. She took a deep breath to stop her heart from shaking as she looked at everyone again. "My mother was the jewel eyed priestess and my father was the Prince of the Garnet Dragons." Ariana finally admitted. Everyone exploded in a frenzy. "I thought the priestess was married to a royal in the neighboring Kingdom!" Jessica shouted.

"No, I heard she was still travelling around healing the cursed, sick and abandoned." Gloria countered.

"No they said she went back to live with the elementals and magical creatures of our Kingdom!" Becca said as she slammed her fist against the table.

"Your all wrong! Those were lies the church came up with to stop people from panicking! They killed her so they could make a hybrid child that would do their bidding!" Rin shouted. Everyone become silent again.

"What happened to the Prince?" Rin asked as she dropped her gaze to the floor. "I don't know, honestly I think the church still has him confined somewhere with in their compound." Ariana said quietly and it sent chills down everyone spins.

"So now you know as much as I do... Rin can you please tell me anything?" Ariana asked with a soft voice laced with pain. Rin shook her head. "I don't really know that much... When I was given my mission I was told these things. First, you were not entirely human, second your mother was the jewel eyed priestess, confirmation was the birth mark you have on your back and your jewel like eyes."

"Third, you're to be considered dangerous, your existence was an abomination and the Holy Wailele Clan banished you to a rural area. Your biological grandmother was furious to their ignorance and went with you. She hired Cayden and myself to be your companions and bodyguards. Lastly, if you were to ever awaken and become the ruthless killer they wanted you to be... we were order to kill you." Rin explained.

"Why did you go against your last order?" Ariana asked. Rin bit her lip and brought her gaze to Ariana's. "I knew deep down you were still in control, you hadn't done anything. So I, I, I just couldn't." Rin replied with a bittersweet smile. Ariana clenched her teeth and averted her gaze.

"Your wrong! I murdered countless of lives that day! The church went to great lengths to make me and now they know that they have succeeded in their plans! But I would rather die then be used by them!" Ariana shouted as her Lumas started gather around her. "I am calm, I will not change..." Ariana said with a shaky voice.

"So what do we do now?" Becca asked as she starred down Lady Zula. Ariana stepped in front of her mother and opened her mouth but was instantly cut off.

"What do you mean what do you do now?! She told us what we have been wondering, is there really anything we can do other than stand by each other like always?!" Ariel shouted as Seeley nodded in agreement. Everyone else joined in nodding their head and voicing their agreement.

Ariana closed her mouth and stared at the two. She felt another wave of tears stinging her eyes but she quickly batted them away. "Thank you everyone but their is only one option for me." She said before turning to face her mother.

"I need to leave." Ariana said with conviction. Lady Zula started to shake her head no. "I won't let you... you owe me so much money, so you need to stay by my side and earn every penny back. It might take a life time but you need to stay by my side." Lady Zula tried to say firmly but her voice cracked as she spoke. Giving away her fear.

Ariana hugged her mother then looked at Rin. "Take care of her until I come back." Ariana asked. Rin nodded her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. "You're coming back?" Roy asked a little hopeful. His eyes lit up when Ariana smiled at him. "Of course you, everyone is my family... I just need to get stronger. I need to be able to fight back, free my dad and bring down the church. I won't be gone forever but I do need to leave." Ariana explained.

Lady Zula tightened her hug on Ariana and steadied her voice. "Go to school first, meet people, make strong connections and graduate. The people you meet will most likely be the ones who'll stand by your side and help you accomplish your goals. Hell, I'll make sure to write you weekly, I'll tell you stories and my adventures with your mom.... just remember to come back home when everything is done okay?" Lady Zula said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Ariana buried her face into the crook of Lady Zula's neck and mumbled her answer. Everyone in the room slowly got up and started to form a group hug around the two woman.

....

It had already been two weeks since Ariana woke and she got used to her new body pretty quickly. She got her hair trimmed and perfectly styled by Monica. Her hair was now reaching her lower back, it beautifully waved and curled naturally and she wondered if being in the chrysalis caused her hair to become trained that way.

Margaret and Gloria took it upon themselves to instruct and demonstrate how to properly maintain a maiden's natural beauty and body. Jessica, Barbara and Katrina taught her the art of seduction, dance, body language and the game of being chased. While Mariposa and Anne taught her the autonomy of a male, their weaknesses, her different bases and what to do. While Ariel caught her up on the latest fashion and slang.

Ariana couldn't help her head from spinning, she was a virgin before she died, not knowing any man's touch other then Owen's and even then it was the bare minimum. When Becca and her mother decided to tag team the talk about sex and protection she had enough. She walked into her room, plopped onto her bed and wondered when it would be all over.

'Master are you lonely?' Duko asked as he nuzzled his tiny snout against her ear. Ariana lifted her head up and placed her arms underneath so she could have a little bit of leverage. "No, I'm too busy to feel anything right now." Ariana admitted. Lorelei bounced over and landed on her bed while Davita flew over and curled up onto her back. Rahul tool his place on top of her head while Aroha nested on her pillow.

"Vasu, I never got a chance to properly thank you for what you did that night." Ariana said as she side glanced. Vasu stayed motionless in his corner as he watched everyone else happily approach their master. 'Do you hate me now?' Ariana asked as she let out a small giggle. "Why would I hate you?" Vasu asked as he gently floated upwards and slowly approached Ariana.

'Are you not upset? I could have unlocked your memories... you didn't have to suffer.... we could have prepared for it.' Vasu said as he stared down Ariana. She sighed and buried her face into her arms. "Then what? Nothing would have changed. I got to enjoy my life as Ariana the slightly strange girl, now... now I'm Ariana the sleeping demon who could end everyone."

'Master that is not true.' Vasu said as he finally descended onto the bed. "Vasu, you are sweet but you know it's true." She said as she peaked up from her arms. "Now I need to figure out when I'm going to change again." Ariana said with a heavy sigh. Vasu looked at Aroha and she shook her head no. Vasu sighed and laid beside his master.

'Once a month for 72 hours you will change.' Vasu explained. Aroha started to fluff up her feathers as a warning but Vasu ignored her. 'You will be most vulnerable then. They'll try to lure you out with what you most desire.' Vasu continued. Ariana couldn't lay there any longer. She jumped up, feeling guilty that the Lumas were pushed away but she needed to grab the two round jewels she hide in her dresser.

"These! Will they lure me out with these?!" She asked breathlessly. Vasu nodded his little head and Ariana stared at it deeply. "Vasu what is this?" Ariana asked. Aroha had enough, she got off the pillow and started pecking at Vasu. 'That's enough! We should not reveal anymore then this! We must take our jobs seriously and allow her to figure things out on her own!' Aroha shouted furiously.

Ariana rushed over to the bed and scooped up Aroha, holding her firmly within her arms. "Vasu please! I won't ask any more questions I promise! I'll go to school, study and listen to whatever you tell me to do but please tell me what are these things?"

Vasu looked at her pitifully and it sent a horrific chill down her whole body. 'It's the one thing your father's kind craves... completely crystalized, jewel eyes.'