Orchid

Where is Hero?(Oh, hi, Pink-fox)

 I think this story is getting more likes and reads, so I'll probably update a chapter every day and for Be Brave or Collapse, I'll update a chapter in a week. Sounds fair? I hope to get at least 675 reads by the end of June for Orchid. And one last thing--don't forget to eat your FOD!

 ~Bris

Angel turns her face to our pathetic-looking warriors. Her face glows and is etched with the patience of a saint's. 

 Never had I seen someone so beautiful. Angel's beauty is so great it glows over the room. I swear there's pure light coming from her skin. I doubt even if Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, showed up, her beauty could not overcome Angel's.

 Kc comes forward and bows. "Angel. As queen of the Light elves, I speak for everyone in this room. I carry the voices of everyone, and they only bear gratitude."

 "I could not let Demon kill you all." Angel sweeps her golden gaze over us. Her unearthly eyes lock on mine. "Especially Orchid herself."

 Angel is the first to call me Orchid on first sight, not the Orchid. My heart lightens with thankfulness, but immediately, some ugly thoughts go in my mind. How come she gets all the beauty? Then I stop myself.

 Airillia was right. If I keep on thinking these thoughts, I'll never be able to sacrifice myself to save some goddy something. Selfishness will "blacken" my heart.

 Kc lifts her head. "Our hearts go with you, Angel. Blessed be for eternity."

 "Until next time." Angel casts a long, generous gaze on us then gracefully exits through where she came from.

 "That's a divine being!" Kyo keeps on muttering. "Only one in ten elementalists get to see a divine being, and I saw two in one day."

 'Would you please shut up?" Solara grumbles. "You've said that at least a million times."

 Kyo keeps playing with her hair and rubbing her fox's fur, while Solara crosses her arms and taps her foot. But as I dig Spirit through the Earth princess, I realize she does that because she cares for Kyo as a friend. Concerned and worried, like a true friend.

 Kaylen nudges me and I meet her wide brown eyes. "They say that once a person sees a divine being, they are changed forever," she says in a hushed, awed voice. 

 Something is brought to my mind and I whirl around at Kyo and Solara. "Where is Hero?" I scream at them.

 Solara's face remains stoic. "She's completely MIA. I can't sense her aura. Either she's drugged and unconscious, she's dead, or I didn't eat enough and my energy is too starving to concentrate."

 "I think it's the third one," Kyo says in a grumpy tone. "I can sense Hero. She's somewhere in the evil bitch's grasp. She is still alive. But who knows what Lycaeon's evil intentions are? Hero might be dead by tomorrow if Lycaeon feels like it."

"I think we need Tsukune and Airillia," Solara says. "I'll earth-transport myself back to the kingdom and get Powerr. He might be of some help." She closes her eyes and her feet melt into the ground. Her body does, too, until she's gone.

 "That's like so cool," Kyo murmurs to herself. She turns to face me. "When I try to do it, I end up skinning my knees."

 "There's a reason why you can burn a house down and not be able to earth-transport." A faint smile curves my lips.

 "There's also a reason why you can breathe underwater, burn a house down, earth-transport, play with the winds, and sneak into souls." Kyo pokes a finger in my chest.

 "I lost Earth." I admit it. "Lycaeon poisoned me."

 "That bitch...." Kyo whistles in sympathy and lifts her fox up. "Here, you can pet Pink-fox. Its mother is Red-fox, but she's in the castle of the Dragons."

 Pink-fox is a delicate little animal with a cute face displaying equal amounts of ferocity and cuteness. Its ears are pulled back in hostile curiosity.

 "This is Orchid. She's a friend." Kyo holds her out. "You could pet her."

 I reach my fingers into the pelt, but as I do, Pink-fox growls uncertainly and shows sharp teeth.

 "Be a cute girl," Kyo scolds appreciatively, and tickles Pink-fox. Pink-fox makes a sound I assume is laughing, which sounds like grunting mixed in with giggling.

 Solara materializes again, but this time, with a boy by her side. She beams at us.

 I don't think I've ever seen Solara so grump-free. Her eyes are filled with love and pure joy when she looks at the boy.

 The boy is a shaggy-haired guy with dark eyes. His eyes are unreadable. Completely devoid of any emotion. Fathomless, empty, and unreflective. 

 "Hey, I'm Powerr." He adjusts the sleeve of his plaid shirt.

 Pink-fox starts growling. And growling. And growling.

 "Powerr's a great tracker," Solara boasts. "He'll lead us to Lycaeon's stronghold. Can you teleport us?"

 "Hold on tight, ladies." Powerr concentrates and the ground gives in underneath us.

 Falling, fallling, falling.