Chapter 408 - Two School Mates

Ariana stopped running and tried to catch her breath. She had been running and sending out Charoite to every corner on the street. She didn't think so much power would be needed but at the same time there were too many enemies out there snatching people like mice. "Look what I found?" A familiar voice called out. Ariana's eyes grew wide as she she slowly turned to face the person who had just spoken.

"You know I thought things would have happened a little differently but you have forced his hand." Another said. "I always wondered if one day I would have to fight the two of you. But then again you were playing so nicely I thought for just a second that you might have changed." Ariana said with a small dark laugh as she faced the two people who found her.

"Change? Honestly... We didn't want to give up what we had but you had to force our leader's hand." The boy said pitifully as he raised his hand and pulled down his robe. "Antoine, you don't have to do this. If you truly enjoyed your life at the Academy then keep it. Don't go back to who you were." Ariana said calmly but Ariana was anything but calm. She had already summoned Celestite to her hand.

Suddenly a loud, hysterical laugh was heard. Ariana shifted her gaze to the one standing beside Antoine, her long, dark pink, twin curls were visible from under her hood and her grin was unmistakable. "Do you really think we could play innocent forever? Our hands are stained with blood and our bodies belong to someone more powerful! How could we even think about living peacefully! Our fates were set, we will never have a choice!" The woman shouted.

"Cleo, you will always have a choice, blood or not. People can change... you can change." Ariana said coolly. Cleo raised her hand and pulled the hood off with so much force that she actually ripped it. "You don't know a thing! How dare you try and tell me something so stupid!" Cleo hissed, her amethyst eyes burned with hatred and rage.

"I'm only telling you because I have seen how good you truly are." Ariana said. "Lies! You have seen nothing and know nothing about us." Cleo shouted. Antoine's face darkened as he bit his bottom lip. "You're wrong, I did see." Ariana replied as she dispersed Celestite. She then raised her hands to show the two that she was completely unarmed. "I can tell that you actually loved your lives as students." Ariana started and took one step forward.

"We made you believe we did!" Cleo laughed as her eyes turned round with hysteria. "That's not true. You didn't have too but you made friends, you smiled and laughed everyday and took your jobs on the student council very seriously." Ariana said as she took a few more steps towards them. "It was all necessary to make no one suspect us." Antoine replied but Cleo had taken a single step back. Her body was trembling as she looked at Ariana.

"Was it really necessary though? Pretending to be happy? That takes too much energy, no I think you're running from the truth." Ariana said as she looked at them with clear eyes. "Y-you have n-no idea what your taking about." Cleo said but her words lacked it's usual confidence. "You know who I am, you know what I can do and why your leader wants me but yet, yet you did nothing to hurt me or report me to your leader. Why?" Ariana asked, she stopped walking and stood only three feet away from them.

"I... I, I don't have to tell you anything!" Cleo shouted but her face showed everything. It had paled, her eyes started to shake with fear and her lips trembled. Every fiber of Cleo's being was shouting to run but she stayed put. "We had another reason to be there..." Antoine said but his voice was so quiet.

"Were you the ones who left me the earrings?" Ariana asked. The two looked at Ariana with confusion and she got her answer. With a bright smile she closed the gap and extended her right hand out. "You don't have to go back, instead join me. I want to save everyone in this world. I don't want anyone else to suffer." Ariana said.

Antoine stared at Ariana's hand, he didn't know what to do. He had never given a thought of betraying his people but Ariana was truly someone who could save them, save him. "No!" Cleo shouted as she brought up her arms and hugged herself. "No, no, no! You're lying! You're the enemy and we need to take you back to the church to make sure your dirty soul is cleansed! You are pure evil and we will become the heroes!" Cleo continued to shout but at the word heroes her voice dropped to a mere whisper.

"You've been watching me for so long.... Am I really as bad as they say I am? I know you lnow who's blood is coursing through my veins." Ariana said pitifully as she looked at Cleo. "I, I don't know anything! It could have been just some trick!" Cleo said in a panicked voice. "Do you really think so?" Ariana whispered as she raised her hands and caught Cleo in an embrace.

"Do you really believe I am what they say I am... If you honestly do, then I am giving you a chance. Hurt me." Ariana said calmly. Cleo's body trembled, she couldn't remember the last time she felt warmth like this. She looked at Antoine and was surprised by his expression. Ariana felt Cleo's head turn and she brought her gaze up.

"Both of you have a chance. I won't hurt you." Ariana said as she removed her right arm from Cleo and stretched it out for Antoine. "This is your chance. I will not fight back, hurt me, capture me, do what you need to do but I will not fight back. You two are good people and should be given a chance." Ariana said as she gave Antoine a smile that shook his very core. He took one step forward.

Ariana didn't wait for him to come closer, instead she grabbed his collar and pulled him into the embrace. Cleo was scared and didn't know if she should have attacked but when Antoine joined, her heart settled. She didn't want to hurt anyone any more. Suddenly Cleo's body pulsed. "Ugh."