Orchid

Dragons and Horizons to the Rescue

"You're lying." I repeat it over and over again, but something deep inside me knows that she's not. It explains why Arya and I don't look alike at all.

But that would mean Arya was her daughter......

I glare. "That's impossible. You know Lycaeon and Shira are fighting over Zilon. Zilon would never give favor if he loves his life."

"No, little Orchid." She steps closer. "Years ago, Zilon agreed to be their consort, and from there you and Aurora were born. Zilon then broke over the argument by stepping back, and this is the cause of all of the trouble. Your father took you and Aurora to Earth to a couple that had a son named Ross." Her fingers edge toward my throat, and in my shock, I make no move to stop her. "Your death will be welcoming. Sweet relief." She presses tightly, and I gasp for air.

 "Let her go!" I hear Maeve's voice carry down the hall, but as I glance back, she's occupied with helping Nira strangle Ghostwhisperer.

 Lightdestroyer giggles. "So long, legendary little wimp."

 My lungs are on fire and I'm nearing death. I take one last look at the world and close my eyes.

 Suddenly a knife separates Lightdestroyer's fingers from my neck. I gasp and open my eyes, feeling finger marks and lean across the wall.

 By my feet, Lightdestroyer's eyes are wide open in shock, drops of blood falling from her fingers.

 A tall girl with a ferocious look on her face steps forward. Her hair is streaming and beautiful and a fox is growling next to her. Her silver and red hood of her cloak is drawn. Behind her is a dozen of strong warriors.

 "Let me make it clear with you," she growls, "but nobody hurts the legendary Orchid."

 Lightdestroyer's eyes widen. "You!"

 "Me!" the girl agrees, and from her hands lashes a bolt of flame that engulfs Lightdestroyer until all that remains of the Dark elf that tried to kill me is a pile of ashes.

 "Whew. That was easier than I thought." The girl turns her eyes to me.

 "Um....thanks?" I don't know what else to say. I immediately strike myself in my mind. Stupid, stupid. You don't just say Um....thanks? to your savior. I straighten myself out and dip my head. "I am grateful for your help. You saved my life from that bitch."

 "No problem. But it's just my luck to go in the sky with my patrol and sense evil in Kc's castle. If I decided to have pizza instead of going on these boring patrols that usually are defended by the Light elves, the whole world would be doomed! The next Apocalypse!" The girl smiles as little too cheerily. "Bris, that earns me another soda, doesn't it?"

 "I guess, my lady," a dark haired girl with blue streaks in her hair answers. She stands so regally that her level must be equal to Talor's. Advisor to a ruler. The streaks remind me of dashing flames.

 Fire. What was the name that Hero mentioned for the Fire kingdom? The Dragons.

 And the girl standing there must be.......

 "Princess Kyonnes." Though I know her level is lower than mine's, I bow, touching my forehead to the ground, then I get up.

 Kyonnes spins around dramatically at a dark-haired girl who's clothed in green and black, like a camo outfit. "See? At least the Orchid has some respect!"

 The camo girl radiates so much aura, the exact aura Airillia and Kyonnes radiated, that she must be a ruler also. What was her name? Oh, yes. 

 "Princess Solara." I fall to my knees again, ignoring that I scraped my knee doing it.

 Solara surveys my poor little form. Her lip curls with a hint of disappointment.

 "She's skinny," Solara concludes. "What have you been eating? She hasn't been eating enough corn or grain or fruit."

 "Look on the bright side," Kyonnes persuades. "I mean, the big L is fatter. The Orchid could just slip through her fatty arms and stab her in the heart. Duh."

 I start to feel self-conscious. Why does everyone call me the Orchid? Orchid is just fine. I'm not a freaking flower.

 "Err...." I get up. "So Fire and Earth, Kyonnes and Solara, are allies?"

 "Girl power!" Kyonnes attempts to fist-pump Solara, but Solara just grumbles. "Tsukune's just so grumpy and too obsessed with his underwater business. And it's Kyo, mind you. Kyonnes is so complicated, don't you think? And don't mind Sol. She's a bit under the weather."

 "I'm not under the weather!" Solara shouts at her.

 "Nah, she's just upset that Powerrmaster was flirting with another girl." Kyo spreads her hands.

 "Powerr was not flirting with another girl!" Solara's cheeks turn redder and redder, until the band of Earth and Fire warriors start coughing and whispering.

'This is awkward," Bris whispers to another boy, who nods.

 I turn around and see Maeve jumping on Ghostwhisperer and pulling his hair. "Woah!" she shouts. "You're gonna get pounded!"

 Nira buries Ghostwhisperer alive under the earth. The Dragons and Horizons storm in with me and the battle becomes hopeless for Shadowhunter and her gang. Soon Shadowhunter is left alone with corpses of her comrades surrounding her. She shrinks back to a corner, her eyes wide and scared.

 Kyo moves forward, her fox waving its tail, with Solara on her heels.

 "You have committed treason of the worst kind," Solara declares. "You are guilty of attacking the elves and defending Lycaeon."

 "You are all guilty of defending Shira," Shadowhunter spits, and wipes her hand on the back of her mouth. "It's not fair! Isn't it all the same, Light and Darkness? Two sides of a balance. Haven't you ever heard the quote, "You can't push Chaos back without pushing back Order? For a peaceful world, there must be Isfet within Ma'at. Chaos within order."

 "You left out the fact that while Darkness kills, steals, and robs without mercy, Light brings goodness, bounty, and plenty with lenience," Kyo adds. 

 "Hah," Shadowhunter growls. "You'll see.....my master Demon will vanquish you all....."

 Xander moves by my side. He's slumping over, and his blue eyes have lost some color. He must have expended a lot of energy for his healing. Nira is supporting him.

 Suddenly the tension of the room grows. Solara and Kyo must sense it, because Solara is moving foward with a dagger in her hand.

 "Too late," Shadowhunter rasps. "My master has come." She breaks free in the shock and runs to the other side of the room, sinking on her knees.

 Through the window a shadow crashes through. 

 A man with coal-black wings and fiery dark eyes surveys us. His face is so horrible and filled with wrath, anger, and evil amusement that my heart churns like hell.

 Demon has arrived.