1

Two girls live in a two-storey house—one with ash-gold hair and sky-blue eyes and the other with brown and green eyes. The girls were lying around like they wanted on the sofa in the living room, watching anime on TV.

- Hey, why don't we go shopping? We've been home for three days.

- I'm enjoying a well-deserved break from university, so I deserve these three days of relaxing on the sofa with the TV and crisps at my side," said the golden-haired girl.

- 'Ellaira, we're going shopping. It's time for a makeover! - said the brown-haired one.

- Well, I've already thought of a way to change your image and mine. I'm going to give you a mid-hair amber. What do you think? It'll look nice, especially on you. You'll have to buy shoes and a dress. I'll change my clothes; I'm not a fan of make-up," said Ellaira.

- Then I'll pick out your clothes for you.

- Gelda, I trust you, and only you. Okay, everyone, get your hands in fists and into the mall,' Ellaira said, and they ran upstairs to their rooms, dressed quickly, got ready and went to the mall.

They walked around it for three hours, but the longest time was waiting for Gelda to be painted. It didn't take long for them to pick out clothes. So they quickly bought everything they needed and went home. I never explained who the girls were, by the way. Ellaira and Gelda have been friends since they were kids. They graduated and went to the same college. The girls' parents decided among themselves that such friendship is very important, and, having contributed; they bought them a two-storey house in the suburbs of New York. The girls were happy about this purchase and immediately moved there. For two years, they have been living together and solving problems together. Most of the problems arise because of the guys. They were speaking of guys. Our girls were walking home and chatting animatedly when a guy stood before them, and they stopped talking.

- Oh, hi, Ellaira. How are you? - The dark-haired guy asked.

- Back off, Walter. I already told you everything. It's over between us," Ella said.

- I don't think so.

- She said back off, so back off, Trex. There's no reason for you to be here," said Gelda.

- Ooh, the pain in the arse has started to move again. How interesting. How far have you come? - said, Walter.

- Come on, Gelda, there's no point in even talking to that jerk," said Ella, taking her friend's hand and dragging her along.

- 'Killing him isn't enough. What does he think he's doing? Just because he's the son of the mayor of our city doesn't mean that he's the president of the planet, that he's allowed to do anything and won't be punished! I want to find my true love, but jerks like that keep getting in the way of finding it," said Gelda.

- You know, Gelda, I've stopped considering whether I'll find my true love. It all seems like a child's dream to me now. Remember when you and I wondered if we'd ever find true love? When you think back, you think, "God, I was so naive. Believing in unicorns, thinking that when I grew up, a guy on a white horse would come to me."

- Ellie, seriously, where is the Ellaira Baines, I remember? Where's the annoying, clingy girl who never listened to anyone and did things her way? You, Ellaira, though naive, yes, I'm saying that, and don't get mad about it. Yes, you're naive, but you're a kind, funny, annoying, clingy girl who gets whatever she wants. Remember when I told you I couldn't get that GPA to get into that top university with you? Remember? You told me I could, that you'd help me get there. Remember? You helped me, you banged your head against the wall, but you helped me. And you got my GPA to be as high as yours. And we both got into college. I'm grateful for that. I'll never have a better friend than you, ever. We'll be inseparable," Gelda said, shaking her friend's shoulders.

- Ha-ha, yes, you're right. I forget myself because of that jerk. So, what are we going to do at home? - Ella asked.

- Hmm? It's summer; there's plenty of time. What's today?

- Wednesday, the 6th.

- Today is the day the new chapters of the Seven Deadly Sins manga come out after the action in the anime! - said Gelda.

- Ahh... Right, run home to read it! - Ellaira said, and they ran at the speed of light home. Running quickly into the house, they laid out their new purchases, changed their clothes, and jumped on the couch; Ella quickly opened her laptop and, switching it on, quickly typed in the page she wanted. They began to read. But halfway through the chapter, Gelda asked abruptly:

- El, what would you like to be once you get there? Well, I mean, what clan?

- I don't know, but not a fairy clan," Ella laughed.

- Well, seriously. I think I'm going to be a vampire. I just feel it," Gelda said.

- What, such a strong gut? - Ellaira said with a smile.

- 'Yeah. But still, seriously.

- 'And seriously, I have a gut feeling that I'm going to be a goddess,' said Ella.

- Heh. A Goddess and a Vampire combined are dangerous," said Gelda.

- 'Well, we're dangerous girls on our own,' said Ella, and they high-fived each other. But then Gelda remembered something.

- Wait, we have a birthday party tomorrow. Shit, I haven't even made a plan for tomorrow," said Gelda, smacking herself on the forehead and collapsing on the couch.

- Gelda, the best plan is a plan that has yet to be thought through. Tomorrow we'll think about where we're going," Ella said, and then she got a call from her mum. - Oh, Mum's on the phone. Hold on a minute," said Al and she picked up the phone. - Hello, hi, Mum. How are you?

- "Hi, honey. Dad and I are doing well, and you and Gelda are doing okay?"

- Everything's great, Miss Lola! We got our honours degrees! - said Gelda.

- She's already yelling that she's doing great," Ella said with a laugh.

- But it's true, though! - said Gelda.

- 'Well done, girls, it looks like these three years of your torment are over,' said Lola.

- 'Oh yes, Mum, it's finally over,' said Ella.

- "Okay, why did I call you...? Daughter, because you turn eighteen tomorrow and Gelda's family and I have decided to throw you a birthday party at our house and tell you something. It's very important."

- I hear you, Mum. We'll drive up at about the first hour then," Ellaira said.

- 'We'll be waiting,' said Ella's mum, disconnected.

- 'What did your mum say?

- 'They've decided to throw us a birthday party at my parents' house, yours are coming too. And she said they're going to tell us something very important. She said that weirdly," Ella said, thinking.

- Well, we'll find out tomorrow.

- Yes, I agree. Shall we continue reading or not? - Ella said with a smile.

- Of course, we will!

- Let's go," Ella said and pressed the button.

They continued reading the manga and decided to watch the first season again, but they couldn't stand it by the first hour of the night and passed out with the laptop on. In the morning, they woke up whoever was awake. Ellaira was lying across the couch with her head on the floor, her hands also on the floor, and Gelda had one foot on the back of the couch, the other on the floor, her head hanging off the couch. One arm dangled off the couch onto the floor, the other lying on her stomach. And both of them have facial hair.

- Ugh, pheh! - Ella said, trying to spit the hair out from behind her mouth. She moved out onto the carpet and sat up in a lotus pose. - Great waking up. Damn, my back! - She said, stretching.

- Ugh. That's nasty. Ow! Ow, my legs are cramped," Gelda said as she woke up, but immediately fell off the couch. - Shit," she said with her face on the carpet. She rolled over onto her back and sat up too. - What time is it, anyway?

- Half past one," Ella answered.

- What time did you say we'd be there?

- First hour.

- Fucking hell! - they shouted and ran upstairs. Having quickly washed their faces, combed their hair, put on their make-up and packed their bags hurriedly, they stood near the exit.

- God, that was such a run," Ella said.

- It's just that we fools overslept," Gelda said as they left the house.

- 'Yeah, I agree. By the way, let's hurry to the garage," Ella said as she grabbed her car and house keys. Quickly walking out the house door, Ella closed it, and they headed to the garage. Opening the garage, a silver Mazda 3 stood in front of them. Opening it up, Ella climbed behind the driver's seat and Gelda behind the other seat. Starting the car, Ella drove forwards, pulling out of the garage and closing it. She pulled into the driveway, and Gelda turned on the radio. It immediately went straight to their favourite music, which was fun to drive to. They began to sing along.

As they pulled up to a two-storey house with two garages, they parked near them and got out. Ella locked the car, and they walked to the front door. They pressed the bell and waited for it to be opened, and after a couple of minutes, the door opened, and in front of them stood a woman in her forties; she had dark hair and brown eyes.

- 'Hi, mum,' Ella said as she hugged her.

- 'Hi honey, happy birthday to you. You too, Gelda," Lola said.

- Thank you," the girls thanked.

- Lola said, and the girls quickly went into the house, closed the door and took off their shoes. The girls entered the living room, where their parents were waiting.

- Hi mum, dad," Gelda said hello.

- Hi, daughter, - said Gelda's mum.

- Sit down, - said Ellaira's father. The girls sat down on the couch.

- 'Girls, we know a birthday is when you want to have fun and go wild. But you have turned eighteen, and we need to tell you something," said Gelda's father.

- What?" asked Gelda.

- We are not your parents,' they said. It was a shock to the girls.

- What do you mean? You must be joking, right? - Ellaira asked with a slight hysteria.

- 'No, we're not joking. We are. Ellaira, you are not our daughter,' said the father.

- 'Gelda, it's true. You are not our children,' said Gelda's parents.

- Explain what the hell is starting here,' Gelda demanded.

- Eighteen years ago, the four of us were best friends. We were all already married to each other. Me to Lola and Greg to Margaret," Ellaira's father said.

- 'We found out that our wives couldn't have children. We were all desperate and depressed. We were walking from the hospital to our homes that day when suddenly, outside Robert's house, we heard baby cries. Baby cries, to be exact," Greg said.

- We went to see what it was and saw two girls. They were newborns and could have easily caught a cold. We thought someone would come for them, but no one was coming," Lola said.

- So we decided that I would take the dark-haired girl and Lola would take the blonde one. We decided to raise them as our children. And that was you. You were foundlings. We didn't know if you had parents or when you were born, but we decided to make that day your birthday," Margaret said. The girls sat in a huff, trying to take in what they had just been told.

- So you've been hiding from us all these eighteen years that we're not your children, and only now, on our birthday, you've deigned to tell us?! - Ellaira was outraged.

- Yes, we're sorry, but if you had told us before, you would have hated us," Lola explained.

- It would have been better if you had told us sooner. You realise that we're adults; even more so, we're still considered teenagers who take things very harshly. Yes, I'm grateful that you raised me, educated me and helped me succeed. But hiding it from me was a stupid decision," Ella said, and it was clear from her face that she was angry. She was angry at her foster parents, who didn't tell her anything.

- El, calm down. I'm not, you know, thrilled about what I've heard either,' Gelda said, looking at her and then at her foster parents.

- We honestly don't know who your birth parents are. But when we found you, there were notes with you with your names on them. We named you what the notes said," Greg said.

- There were also strange symbols on those notes. We never realised what they were. Here, look," Greg said, giving them the notes with their names on them. The girls saw their names and turned the sheet over. Under Ellaira's name was the goddess clan symbol, and under Gelda's name was the vampire clan symbol. They were shimmering and lit up, but only the girls could see that.

- We'll understand if you're mad at us," Robert said.

- We're not mad at you, but we have to go. Our friends called us to a party last night, so we'll go; it's about to start," Ella said, lying.

- Sure," the parents said, and the girls left the house.

They got into the car, and Ella, driving quickly onto the road, drove toward the forest. It was where she and Gelda liked to walk and think. She slowed down near the woods and rested her forehead on the steering wheel.

- God, this can't be a coincidence. It just can't," Ella said.

- 'But there has to be an explanation. But, shit, we found out our parents weren't our parents at all. Lord have mercy,' said Gelda.

- 'There has to be an explanation for this. Did you see the glow of the symbols?

- Yes, I have. It's the same as Meliodas' the moment he became something, and you?

- I have a golden glow like it's the same glow Elizabeth had. When she got her wings out of incomprehensible energy, remember?

- Yes," Gelda said sadly. Then suddenly, the car shook, and everything went back to normal.

- What the...? - said the girls. The earth shook again.

- An earthquake? - Gelda asked.

- It doesn't look like an earthquake," said Ella. The shaking increased, and then a monster came out of the forest.

- Holy shit! - said Gelda. The monster roared when it saw them. - Go, go, go, go?! - Gelda yelled, and Ellaira stepped on the gas. The monster ran after them.

- What the hell is going on?! - Ella asked hysterically. The arrow on the speedometer dipped to the number 200, and the monster kept up. Gelda looked back.

- 'Al, that monster looks like an ash-grey demon,' said Gelda with panic.

- We have to break away, hang on," Ella said and braked sharply and turned to the right, driving sideways. But the demon kept up with them. He launched a purple sphere at them. The car flipped, and they flew forward, doing a couple of flips, and slid across the tarmac.

- My head. I'm going to be sick," Gelda said, climbing out of the car. The demon was closing in on them. The girls got up and started to run, but the demon blocked their retreat and prepared to attack.

- Gelda, if it's true, we have magic. Then we can kill it.

- Come on, you, my magic won't be as effective as yours," Gelda said, and Ella nodded. Ella concentrated the power in her palm, and when the demon started to attack, she attacked too. There was an explosion, and the flash from it blinded everyone.