Chapter 112 - True Colours Part 4

Aroha stopped her attack on Vasu and turned to Loralei. 'Not you too...' She said with a sorrowful look that it caused Loralei to flinch. 'We can't hide it anymore Aroha. She will find out sooner or later especially now that she is here.' Loralei said pitifully but Aroha floated to the ground. She sat with a thud and little tuffs of blue feathers flew upwards. 'But we can not choose a side.' She sighed as Duko walked over. He sat down beside her and patted her head. Aroha looked up at him with big watery eyes. 'We can't!' She cried.

'Ariana we owe you an explanation but right now is not the right time.' Duko said sympathetically. "I don't understand." Ariana said as she looked at her Lumas. 'Mast-uh. Um... Ariana, we don't have time for this, that thing is tricking you.' Davita said as she flapped her wings, bringing her to Ariana's eye level. Ariana turned to look at the mist, he formed his void face and pressed it against the barrier while his claw stayed perfectly still on the barrier.

'Animosity, animosity, animosity!' He chanted with his giant slit like smile. Ariana turned back to Davita and stared in confusion. 'He's sucking Loralei's power.' She said gently. Ariana turned to Loralei and pounced on her. "Take it down!" She shouted but Loralei shock her body left and right. 'I can't, the moment I do he will attack you.'

"So what! Is he hurting you? Do you feel faint? Don't you dare think you can sacrifice yourself for me!" Ariana shouted but Loralei just gave her a faint smile. 'I chose a side. I can no longer stay.' Loralei said as little fluffs of light started to leave her body. "No! No! No! Loralei don't you dare leave me! Fight! We can think of a way to get of here." Ariana said as tears started to roll down her face. 'Sorry Mast... Ariana but I'm being called back now.' She said with a weak voice. The barrier around them started to flicker. The mist started to laugh.

"No! I'm not letting you go!" Ariana shouted and she felt a warm sensation spread within her chest. Loralei looked at Ariana and her fins started to flap vigorously. Ariana could feel the warmth turn into fire, the barrier completely disappeared. The mist laughed harder as it moved in on Ariana. The Lumas tried to block his path but he effortlessly knocked them aside. Ariana could feel a horrible burning sensation on her back, she couldn't hold on to her vision anymore, everything was turning white. The mist was about the grab Ariana's throat when suddenly Ariana's body pulsed with a white, shimmering light.

The mist hissed as he rushed backwards, taking shape as the distance between them grew. The top half of a man's body appeared will the bottom half was a cloud of mist. Slowly, soft pink, petal like wings started to emerge from Ariana's back. Her hair started to float upwards and her hands started to glow radiantly. She gently placed her hands onto Loralei and smiled down at her. "You are my friend." She said in ethereal voice. The Lumas watched as Loralei started to glow brighter, the fluffs stopped leaving her body and she looked positively invigorated. 'Ariana!' Loralei shouted but Ariana wasn't listening, her eyes rolled back and the light was getting stronger. "Ariana!" She heard someone shout while she drifted into a haze.

She wanted to give more, her body urged to give more. Her body pulsed one last time, her wings dissolved and she released a ring of white, simmering light, dispersing outwards at high speeds. The mist tried to out run the light but just like the Lumas he was struck in the heart. The Lumas felt invigorated but the mist became solid and landed on the ground, wounded. "Ariana..." A familiar voice called out. Ariana fluttered her eyelashes as she tried to focus on the person in front of her. "Cayden..." She mumbled as she tried to move. "Easy, you just exhausted a lot of magical energy." He said softly as he held her within his arms. "Were is Loralei?" She asked weakly as she tired to lift her head. "I'm here! I'm here!" She shouted as she flapped her fins.

"I'm so glad." Ariana said with a gentle smile. "I should get you out of here." Cayden said as he quickly glanced at a male figure dragging himself into the forest. "I thought Edlyn was going to be with you." He said as he scooped up Ariana into a princess carry. "She looked so happy sleeping." Ariana sighed as she snuggled against Cayden's chest. "Not an excuse." He said promptly. "Why are you here." She asked as she closed her eyes. "I was worried when Mrs. Dabney said you were running late." Ariana opened her eyes and saw that the sun was just starting to break through the darkness. "So I am." She said lazily. "Cayden..." She called out. Cayden looked down causing Ariana to blush. "Good morning." She said shyly. Cayden hesitated then a giant smile spread across his face.

He didn't have the prince like smile his brother liked to show off. His looked more genuine, more comforting, more boy next door and she started to blush a deep red. "Good morning."

"Cayden.... right now, I wish time could stand still." Ariana sighed as she watched the sunrise from Cayden's embrace. ".... Me too." Cayden whispered under his breath as he tightened his grip on Ariana's body. The Lumas silently followed behind Cayden as he carried Ariana towards the school building, too ashamed to utter a single word. "Cayden, do you know what was trying to attack me?" She asked in soft whisper. "No." Cayden replied promptly. "Oh... Did you see where he went?" She asked. Cayden looked down and and sighed. "He dragged his half dead body into the forest."

"Oh.... Cayden are you ready to talk to me about... you know... about everything?" Ariana asked as she gripped his green, cotton shirt. Cayden's eyes flashed with a cold and aloof look before he shook his head. "I need to organize some things first before I can tell you anything." He said as he furrowed his brows.