《The Orphan Fox》Chapter 16: Golden Light and Family
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On the field behind the Mansion, Me and the Lightning-Wyrm were standing, facing each other. I take a deep breath and ask once more:
“Are you sure you want me to do it?” (Arin)
I don't want to force anybody into something, or do things that are definitely forbidden. Except taking cookies from the hidden char, they are irresistible. Anyway, as my thoughts drift away from the current matter, the Lightning-Wyrm answers in a firm tone:
“Yes, I hereby ask you to please grant me a name as well.” (Lightning-Wyrm)
She isn't hesitant in the least, must mean she is truly committed. But unexpectedly she asks me one more question.
“If I may ask, why would you choose to name someone like me with a mark?” (Lightning-Wyrm)
“Isn't that obvious? Does being small automatically result in weakness, have you ever tested you strength against you own kin? Well, look at me, I'm smaller then most in my Age-Category yet still, I am more powerful than most.” (Arin)
Saying so with confidence, she only blinks for a moment before her face becomes red, seemingly ashamed. I wonder, how does her face even become red? Isn't her whole face made of the silver scales?
Laying the useless thoughts aside, I look strait at her and ask once more, but this time impersonating a character from a play I once saw.
“So, I shall ask you; do you desire a Name?” (Arin)
When she saw me act like that, she giggled for a moment before she then confirmed her intentions. Nodding I think for a while, a Name... Silver... moon... Luna!
The moment I decided on the name, I suddenly feel as my Mana starts to rush through my body and my surroundings start to light up...
“Then I hereby grant you the name: Luna...!” (Arin)
The moment I speak her new name, the surroundings completely light up and golden and silver Lights rise from my body. A strong mist starts to gather and surrounds me and Luna, making it feel calm and refreshing. Unlike with Cyan where the Light was strong and solid, here it was more like fog rising in the morning.
Luna uncurled herself as the fog started to gather around her, building a thin cocoon. The Silver Light rising from my body shoots out directly into the cocoon, making the whole thing brighter than the sun.
Power starts to build up inside me as the storm of Mana around me intensifies. The light begins to spiral and a golden beam suddenly shot out of the cocoon, directly hitting me in the head. I don't lose conciseness, but the sudden assault of pain makes me scream out, reminiscent of the massive roar of a beast.
After a while, the pain subsided and my head cleared up. In this moment, the Light around the cocoon began to fade as though the cocoon absorbed it all, growing massive in size. After my Mana-Pool was nearly empty, the surrounding MP started to gather, entering me and the cocoon, becoming like a massive stream of Energy.
It was then a few minutes later that a extremely loud roar could be heard from within the cocoon. It issued a breaking noise, and in that moment, cracks started to appear like a spiderweb all around the cocoon. Golden Light begins to shine from the cracks, making it feel like the rebirth of a divine.
Not long after, the cocoon cracks and bursts apart, releasing a golden Light not loosing out to the sun and the moon. In front of me appears a massive dragon, easily the size of Uncle Black in length, with golden scales all around the body. Her eyes shine in a silver color, like the moon, while the Scales are like the sun. Suddenly, she begins to move while the Light still follows her. I also begin to float into the sky, while she flies around me in a certain pattern. Seeing her Fly around in the dark of the night, she looks like a golden beam of Light in the sky, painting it in a golden color. Even the mark which was previously on her back, was now placed right under her head on the front, with the star inside having complicated patterns on every single spike.
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She then begins to settle down by curling around me, so that her head was directly above me and her four claws surrounded me from all sides, as though they are protecting me. Then a golden Light begins to overflow, and I can feel a piercing pain on my left arm, like its on fire. The golden Light in the surrounding becomes more a more dense, forming one layer after another. When she then reached a calm position, she stopped moving and her Mark lit up, fusing itself into her body.
Moments later, as though the pain never existed in the first place, my left arm suddenly calmed down and when I begin to think that it is finally over, a sudden Pain assaults my head, making me lose consciousness immediately.
In the Darkness I can feel... power, new connections, a power flowing through all the others, yet itself is something different...
With this, even my last thoughts fade...
---POV-Change: Aaron Geyser---
Right now I'm standing in my room, while watching Little Arin talking with the Lightning-Wyrm. It took me a while, but I was able to make her admit herself that she wanted a contract. Seriously, trying to gloss everything over and denying everything one wants. Well, at least she is sincere and honest once she admits to her own desires. However, she is by far stronger than her peers, but because her people seem to have told her she is weak she believes in it. What a foolish clan, thinking size is everything. Well, she is finally able to leave that behind, I'm sure Arin will be able to change her, in a Unique manner at that.
Oh, I don't know what Arin said to her, but her facial Expression is so funny. Hmm, being direct with issues is good, but maybe staying realistic... well, he is still young and has much to learn. At least he isn't to reckless, unless he goes berserk. Weirdly enough, today he was especially motivated, he felt so relieved. What could have occurred that he suddenly went through such a change?
Anyway, it seems that he finally gave her a name, Luna huh? Its a nice name, doesn't it mean Moon?
Wow, the contract-ceremony is different from when Cyan had it. Well, he should be looking as well right now, as monsters contracted to the same being can sense changes or the adding of another contract. However, for the ceremony to change like this, what is different aside from the contract partner?
Just as I try to think of a reason, a silver light literally explodes from the outside. Bathed in the glow of the Light, I can't see what occurs outside, but I can tell that something unnatural happened based on the Energy-fluctuations. When the Light-explosion died down, I could finally see, but I didn't expect a giant cocoon floating in the air, with magical Light floating around it like mist. Even Little Arin is bathed in the glow of silver Mana, nearly unrecognizable. It stays like this for a while, before the cocoon cracks open and floods the surrounding in a golden Light. Then the Lightning-Wyrm emerges, I believe that calling her that is wrong, as in front of me floats a giant golden Dragon, surrounded by misty Mana, revealing her silver Eyes.
When Arin suddenly begins floating, Luna begins to fly around him in the pattern of the Dragon-Dance. It is said that the dragon-dance can only be executed instinctively and not on purpose, so why now? Anyway, after flying in the dark sky, bathing it in her golden Light, she then settled around Arin, completely surrounding him. She was massive, but by curling herself around him, the four claws of hers were perfectly protecting him, while the golden glow intensified. Even her Dragon-whiskers grew and her eyes became tranquil. In the next moment, her mark began to move to her front before melting into her skin... wait, didn't the mark change?
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The next moment, while still mesmerized, the golden Light began to shield them, making it impossible to see what is going on. After less than a minute, suddenly a thundering roar could be heard that shook the surroundings, I could even see Cyan kneel down, what happened?
Shortly after the golden ball grew smaller before it finally vanished. What appeared was Arin, but all his tails are out and his hair and fur glowed in a golden color. When he opened his eyes, it immediately felt like two burning golden flames were looking around. It didn't last long though and the glow vanished with his fur and hair returning to it's usual silver color, while his eyes returned to their calm emerald green color before they closed once more.
Arin then became unstable and his body begun to fall. I jump out of the window and use wind magic to catch him before he touches the ground. I don't care about the broken Window, but when I hold Arin in my Arms and feel his pulse, I immediately regain my calm. Suddenly Cyan stands next to me, asking a rather obvious question:
“Uhm, where is Luna? I know she should be here, but I can't see her.” (Cyan)
Under his reminder I realize, where did Luna go? At this moment, I see that there was something on Arin's left arm. Removing his jacket and rolling back the sleeve of his shirt, what is revealed beneath stuns both me and Cyan. What revealed itself was a tattoo of Luna, beginning from Arin's shoulder with the tail, curling around his arm until the head reaches the top of his wrist. The marking of Luna with the ten spiked star can also be seen, placed on top of her head, sparkling in ten different colors. The whole tattoo glowed in a golden color, before the glow vanished and only a regular black tattoo with an unnatural amount of detail remains.
I don't think too long about it, and carefully pick up Arin in my arms, carrying him to his bed. When I arrived back at mansion entrance, the three maids and the butler were already waiting. Saria, Arin's personal maid, asked me if she should take care of him, but I deny it. As his uncle, this is my duty. Laying him down in his bed, Cyan is still standing behind me, rooted to the spot. He looks down on his master, tears in his eyes. He probably doesn't have the confidence in himself to serve him, feeling down and inferior. He just doesn't understand his duty, well he is still way too young.
“Cyan, you should stay by his side, this is the only thing a real big brother can do for his little one. It is your duty to look after him, because in his eyes, you are his elder brother. With that said, have a bit more confidence in yourself.” (Aaron Geyser)
I pat his shoulder before I leave the room, leaving them some time for themselves. Maybe I'm to hasty, but Cyan should learn before he falls deeper. Well, I can't see his expression, but I hear the sound of soft crying, I believe he understood my intentions.
Well, I should probably tell Elrion to organize a carpenter to repair the broken window and maybe a gardener, the whole backyard is messed up now. With that said, time to get rid of some curious rats that don't belong here...!
---POV-Change: Arin---
Opening my eyes, I find myself in a field of flowers while having my head and tails caressed in the arms of Mama Lumi. She looks down on my face while revealing a loving smile. She then hugs me and begins to massage my ears. Her massaging ability isn't like Uncle Black, but it gives a completely different and comfortable feeling. As I just enjoy being in my mothers arms, suddenly a massive golden Dragons shows up in front of me.
“Good Morning Master. I hope you slept well.” (Luna)
Speaking in a way that fits her dignified appearance, Luna greets me. Well, I remember the contract-ceremony, but I forgot what happened after, did I lose consciousness? Having swirling question in my mind, one short one suddenly pops up...
“Uhm, Luna, how did you get into my mind, and why are you calling me master, couldn't you call me Arin?” (Arin)
Asking her in a slightly shocked manner, she suddenly gets embarrassed, speaking about things like 'that wont do, I am the servant so how could I, it's not like I want to call him that...' I have the sudden feeling that she is a tsundere, someone who isn't honest to herself.
I insisted for some time and after a while, Luna finally gave in and called me Arin in a embarrassed voice. Me and Lumi nearly burst laughing, making Luna pout in dissatisfaction.
It didn't take long after that, that we finally all calmed down and Luna explained to me what occurred. It seems that my mind is already something like a separate space, kinda like an inventory. Sadly, it only works for spirit-forms and souls. It seems that Luna's real body is actually a sealed tattoo now, but because in this spirit-state she is in, she can enter my mind.
I don't know about this sealed state she is talking about, but is it something like the crystal I was in? Anyway, she then retreated once again and curled herself around the now unnaturally tall tree in the middle of the Hill. Seeing Luna curled around the tree actually makes a nice picture. Well, now that she is gone, I automatically let myself once more slip into Mama's embrace. She laughs at my eagerness to get petted, but I don't mind.
After a while, we begin to talk. We talk about different things, about the new contract, my powers, Lumi's soul state and how the Dragon-Mountains are. It seems that Mother can see everything through my eyes as long as I don't deny it. Anyway, after talking for quite a while, Lumi stood up and gave me a light push. She then said in a happy voice.
“Talking to you is fun, but next to you is someone who is waiting for you as well, and I can sense that he has questions. So be a good little brother, alright?” (Lumi)
Saying the last part while touching my nose, I just nod happily and in the next moment I find myself on my king-sized bed. To my left was Cyan, deeply sleeping while having tear-marks all over his face. He is sleeping with only his arms and head on the bed while the rest still sat on the cold ground. I wonder, how come he cried so much, and what did Mama mean with 'be a good little brother'? Having more and more questions in my head, I decide to wake Cyan up. Tapping his nose, he sniffles real quick before his eyes slowly begin to open, revealing his different colored eyes. Both seemed to focus on me, the moment he sees me awake.
In the next moment he suddenly jumps up, pulls me into a hug and cries. I don't understand what is happening, but Cyan refuses to let go of me. So I ask him why he suddenly hugs me like that,and his answer, well, surprised me.
“I, I don't know. I feel... jealous of her, I fear that you will leave me... now that you have her... and...” (Cyan)
Blabbering on and on, Cyan stutters, screaming one thing after another. I don't quite understand why he is jealous, as he isn't as old as her yet and as a result weaker, but I understand his feeling that he doesn't want to leave me and stay by my side.
“It's okay Cyan, I said that you are my Older brother didn't I? I will also always be your younger brother, so will you keep taking care of me?” (Arin)
Asking him in my childish voice, he suddenly freezes, before he, as though clouds were finally lifted from his heart, shows a dazzling smile while crying. I don't know if he overcame his fear and self-loathing, but one thing is for sure; he is my older Brother who stayed by my side, even when I was unconscious for a long while, and that makes me happy.
Hugging him back, it was today that he finally acknowledged himself as my Family-member, without any doubt in his heart. Honestly, I'm happy that I am this blessed. I have a loving Mother, a protective Uncle, a caring Brother and a tsundere Sister. I hope that even in the future, I can live happily with this family of mine.
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