Shadow Beings

60. Lumen

My eyes were strained against... against I didn't know what. They suddenly felt drowsy and a painful sensation hit my eyes, the world around me darkening. The snarl in those two words curled around my aura and made everything feel pointless or silly, the effect still lingering in my mind. It tasted like bitter emotions, blended in with the harsh aspect of reality. I exhaled, forcing his influence out of me.

Vlad moved as fast as Evelyn did but he didn't run. He flew, moving towards us with an incomprehensible speed and just before he reached our front line he stopped, a slick arrogance painted in his bright red aura. My mind worked fast, keeping my fears at bay but suddenly my body felt numb. I could feel a sharp pain in my veins, as if they would just...

No. I shuddered at the thought of blood spilling out.

I looked towards Aurelia to find her gaze already on me. Whatever Ariana did with Evelyn and Galen almost shrunk but the land sustained it, a fail-safe before Vlad could break all of our minds. Aurelia nodded towards me, a gentle and solicitous smile on her face as she turned towards the Demon Lord. Sorrow flickered in her eyes as if it stemmed from witnessing the pain of a friend, but something more calming propagated from her. Golden sparks flew from her towards the sky, covering the perimeter of both the shadow-trappers and the demons and a relieving aura took over the atmosphere, calming my burning blood.

A strong sense of home surrounded us and our determination to protect it grew stronger. I closed my eyes, remembering my time on the Land of Hearth, the memories transforming into a foreign yet timely familiar form of energy, orange sparks carrying it in a reverent and sweet manner as it joined the golden ones. The light disappeared at once but the feeling grew stronger with time. Perhaps with our growing strength.

"Aurelia, you can't afford to use your energy like this," Ariana said in a wavering tone, but Aurelia smiled with assurance.

"Some energy can be spent to comfort those who are here rather than risking discomfort and apprehension." Ariana's eyes grew brighter in understanding, and the Wind Phoenxia nodded with pride.

Suddenly, he spread his arms wide and dense wisps of dark smoke began to rush towards us. Just in the nick of time Ariana raised a hand, a light blue protective dome forming around us instantaneously. My eyes widened with shock and I slowly turned my head towards her, unable to move. Aurelia blinked twice, shaking her head before she raised her arms too, a bright yellow shield forming before them.

"Phoenexias! Audrey!" Ariana called out, snapping us out of our shaken worlds. I tried to move fast but my weight felt heavy.

Very heavy. Aren't we massless? What are these terrible physical feelings?

I took a deep breath and focused on the swirls of optimism that filled the shield. 

Hopes of the shadow-trappers present here... perhaps it held hopes of living things, faiths of the demons, too. Amplified by the presence of a certain Phoenexia.

With careful movements of my fingers, I directed my concentration towards the living energy of Paliv Verasel, bowing my head gently. An orange wave gracefully danced around my eyes and a determined look sat on my face while I stood up straight, relieved by the tree's permission.

I stretched my arms towards the sky and white light flowed along with my fingers' movement, the sparks dancing around to form a dazzling translucent sheet above me. Anne took a deep breath, lifting her hand cautiously as a mellow green light flowed from it. She turned towards her siblings with a small smile and they simultaneously gave a firm nod, stretching their hands towards the sky, too. Julie and Jonathan let bright red light flow out of their hands in elegant, sparkling lines. Aurelia, however, stayed motionless with golden sparks effortlessly emerging around her in a spontaneous manner.