Six

The Deciever

"We came as soon as we heard," Raquel yelled as she ran up to hug Phoenix with Onyx tagging behind her. "This is really it?"

Aria appeared from behind Phoenix. "How's this possible," she asked. Shade-Marie's shadowy form floated to her side mutely. Her bright grey-blue eyes were the only sign of her identity. "Foods supplies around Zenith were low but not amazingly low. Did a wildfire just magically appear?"

"Yes, actually," Phoenix answered blandly. "Courtesy of you and Raquel." Aria was awe-struck by the allegations and took a timid step back. "Eya drago an Sanit," she clarified in Draconian. "They've been here for almost two months. I think not having you around really-"

"How the stars did they get here," Raquel hissed as she hastened to the nearest balcony. "Dracaena is halfway around the Cosmic from Oceanus." She surveyed the garden with quizzitive Onyx hot on her heels. "Rune," she called to the black thing faintly visible from around the Luminosity.

A modest growl bellowed over them and Discordia's sky blue head rose from below the balcony. Onyx backed against the wall fearfully. "Don't move," Aria whispered to him when the dragon's pupil contracted, showing her aggression. "She hates strangers."

"Almost barbecued Mr Sage, the first time she met him," Raquel added with a faint chuckle. "And the second, and the third time."

Aria crept in front of the light user, shielding him from Discordia's wrath. Her pitch black pupil dilated and Onyx exhaled the breath he didn't realize he held. Aria raised her hand to Discordia's lower jaw as Quinn paused beside the only boy there.

Shade-Marie shadowed between them and Discordia let out a roar that revealed her blood-tainted breath. Honor snarled at the Ryujawn as she scurried down the top of the palace. Rune hummed as he strolled up to the balcony and Raquel threw her arms around his black nose.

Shade-Marie solidified and Discordia's anger dissolved from her face. She leaned into the darkness guardian's chest. "Aria," the Terra-born girl called fearfully.

Aria stroked Discordia's neck and Quinn raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Kelly Bowen," she stated. She directed to Shade-Marie, "she recognizes his scent."

The dragon turned back to Aria before taking off, leaving a powerful jetstream over the guardians. Sithandra cleared her throat and the six teenagers turned to her in surprise. Her good eye glared at Aria until Rune hissed at her and climbed up the Luminosity wall.

Aria's gaze was downcast as she slithered away from the guardians. "It is not an eternal, Aria," the scythe wielder replied. "Once War's mark has been removed, you will all be free to interact as you deem fit. Until such time, you will all be restricted to certain areas of the Luminosity; meals will be delivered to your chambers; templars will be stationed outside your chambers for protection; and those things," she gestured to the dragons behind them, "are never to venture beyond Luminosity's walls. Ever again!" Sithandra paused and took in the atmosphere around the newly found friends. "I suppose a few minutes to pow-wow will not do too much harm," she replied with a faint strain. "Do be careful."

Black mist engulfed the scythe wielder and with that, she was gone. Raquel turned back on her friends. "So," she sang, holding the note, "what's everyone been up to," she chirped. Quinn raised her eyebrow stiffly with a small scowl tugging on her lips. "Oh, come! You mean to tell me that for the passed two months you did nothing but read? Am I the only one that actually learned something physically?"

Rune purred into her torso while she continued to pet him. Phoenix shrugged before replying, "I absorbed the sword of fire." Five pairs of eyes went wide on her. "While Rune and Discordia were going through the most, the sword just... poof! Then this happened..."