A prompt fanfic for the Elsword Fanfiction Brigade discord server.

Floating. . .

Drifting. . .

Opening. . .

The sound of water, where waves crash into each other in an endless loop of serenity.

Its calming wind, fills the skin with coldness from the skies.

I open my eyes, looking upon the seashore of Hamel.

Falling. . .I drift away from the shore.

Landing. . .on sand.

•

"Hey." A young man with white hair walked to me, wearing a fox mask and traditional clothing in which I don't recognize. He had ears like a fox had. His hair was tied into a rat tail, as his mask concealed half of his face with the exception of his lower face seen. He was smiling at me.

"Are you talking to me?" I didn't question his appearance, as it seemed normal to see someone like him. There are a lot of creatures that look human in their appearance, even if they are from a different species. The man tilted his head, seemingly to observe my being.

"Yes, I am. What are you doing in the sandbox? Aren't you a little old for that?" I looked to where I was, in a sandbox where a sand sculpture shaped like the Fountain of Healing from Hamel was sitting in front of me. I was indeed a little old, but isn't that rude to assume someone's age like that? His ears twitched for a moment before bowing to me. "I apologize if I had assumed your age, but I have asked you a question, didn't I?" He's right about that.

"I was making a sand fountain since the Fountain of Healing looked very beautiful to look at, so I tried replicating it with the sand here." It was said that the fountain was there to cleanse the mind and body before going into the water temple of the Water Priestess, Sasha. He chuckled.

"It's good to relive your childhood days once in a while." The fox man said. Wait, who is he? His ears suddenly twitched again as if he sensed what I was thinking. "Masahiko, if you were wondering about my name." Curving into a smile once more, yet I don't understand why he's smiling at me so much though.

"I'm Ara Haan of the Haan family that protects the seal of the Millennium Nine-Tailed Fox, Eun. For some reason, your aura feels kind of familiar to me." I hardly know who Masahiko is, but his presence is strangely familiar. I have no other hints than that.

"Does it? I'm quite flattered that you think so." That wasn't. . . flattery? "In any case, your mother is looking for you." I quickly got up from the word 'mother' and I told him goodbye before I went back to my mother. She was who I loved all too well ever since she married into the Haan clan, however, my step-siblings didn't seem to like my mother or me. They would often be rude to her because of her kind, gentle personality and her worries of me, but I was also teased out of sight from the adults. I've gotten used to their mockery of me even if I had to conceal those experiences from my mother, as I didn't want to let her worry about me being treated unfairly by them.

However, it hurts me inside to be treated his way. Even so, I was able to be strong because of Brother Aren. He was the eldest son of the family, being the capital guard captain of Fahrmann. He was the only sibling who treated me as his own sister, despite the setbacks of the siblings. "Ara, you must stay here." My mother's soft voice lingers into me, "Don't venture off on your own okay?" Before I could reply back, a hand took my left hand in their grasp.

"Ara," It's his voice again. In my traditional clothes of the family, I turned towards the man in the fox mask. He grabbed my hand and started to drag me away from my mother. "Don't believe a word she says."

"W-What are you saying?" I tried to suppress myself from following him out of disbelief to my mother, until I felt someone's hands on my shoulders, grabbing me away from Masahiko.

"Don't put your hands on my sister." Brother Aren's eyes glared at him with caution. Masahiko seemed to pause for a moment and released my hand, crossing his arms afterwards. "Whoever you are, I advise that you shouldn't touch someone without identifying yourself as someone with good intentions before grabbing them away desperately." He was right, someone like him shouldn't take someone away before identifying themselves, but if it was urgent to do so? The man clearly told me to not believe in my mother's words, yet how can I believe that?!

"I can tell you that I have my reasons for doing so. Moreover, I have no qualms about having Ara under my protection since it was instructed to me by Eun." Eun? EUN?! Masahiko is related to the Nine-Tailed Fox?! His ears were relevant although I had believed he was a normal beast, to be related to the fox that our family is protecting is much of a shock. . .well to me since Brother looked quite calm about it.

"What is your relation to Eun?" Aren questioned him. He had a very serious look, making me get serious but nervous at the same time. Was Masahiko somewhat of a danger to us all? We wouldn't be staying put if he was to cause havoc among Fahrmann right? I had once asked if the Millenium Fox were to cause chaos while the Emperor visited us, we should stay put even if that happened, but from my elders, I only got laughed at from my rhetorical question until they said that we should. That was unbelievable.

Masahiko didn't smile this time when he spoke to Brother, knowing full well that he is respected and that professionalism should be evident when speaking to him. "I was created from Master Eun's fur before your ancestor had sealed them and I have been hiding for years until my master told me to reveal myself this time." He bowed to Aren with good mannerisms. "I was ordered to watch over Ara Haan as she will be the one to use master's power in a prophecy." I was more in shock than Elder Brother was.

"M-Me?!" I exclaimed out loud. Eun, the Nine-Tailed Fox was waiting for me to inherit their power? That's impossible! Until I was pretty sure that no one would've fainted after hearing such thing because after I heard that, my consciousness started to lose focus. I felt myself falling, but I didn't fall to the ground. It was like I fell down into an abyss, surrounded by warm light as I unknowingly said words.

Wisdom. . .

Bravery. . .

Justice. . .

•

"Ara, what are you doing snoozing at the wall?" I opened my eyes, seemingly lost in thoughts before I remembered what just happened. I was informed to inherit the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox by the servant of Eun, Masahiko who then trained me specifically for it, earning the sealed hairpin under my protection as I let it be worn on my hair, and since then I earned the title of Little Hsien, knowing full well about my path of justice. I was just sparring with one of the teachers until he told me to wait here as he was training another student in the process, so I was tired and decided to nap.

I put up a smile towards Elder Brother who came in to check up on me. "I was tired from practice and teacher had to practice with someone, telling me to wait here until he finished." I had practiced endlessly, honing my skills in essential towards my path of righteousness.

Now that she thinks about it, what is she supposed to inherit the power for? Protection is one thing, but what is the other thing that she's supposed to do with it?

"Or you could soar with Aren to see how much you've progressed." Masahiko appeared in the left side of Ara, bending down while looking at her. This sudden masked man made Ara yelp in fright, making him laugh. "Scared you, didn't I?" Ara hearing him laugh st scaring her, she scowled at him.

"You're mean!" She exclaimed to him, as he and Aren were taken aback by her scolding towards Masahiko. She then realized what she said and put a hand over her mouth, having Aren to laugh next. Puzzled, her eyes went towards his direction, not knowing why her brother had laughed.

"You two have been getting along closely, haven't you two?" Aren smiled at the two. Both Ara and Masahiko looked at each other and simultaneously spoke at the same time.

"NO WE DON'T!" Ah, both of them looked at each other and then looked away grumpily, but that's not far from the truth that Aren had told them. The two were often at each other's throats because of Masahiko teasing her to his fullest, much like he knew her more than her family should, confusing Aren and the family altogether. It's suspicious that the servant of Eun would choose Ara over the other siblings because of Eun telling him to do so, causing the siblings to believe that he was a fraud and was hired by Ara to tell the family that.

"Hiyah!" Ara swung her spear at Aren, who blocked almost every attack she tried to land on him. She then decided to use her secret art, starting with a first attack.

Tiger Stance 1: Rock Smash!

Her entire side body charges towards him, only getting towards the exact distance she unleashed another attack on it.

Tiger Stance 2: Tiger Claw!

Once she calculated the distance, she swung her spear twice towards her left like a tiger swinging its arm at him, Aren blocking her swing with his own but she wasn't done.

Tiger Stance 3: Earth Axis!

After swinging twice, she swings her spear once on her right, replacing it with a kick at him. He stepped back, having to see that she's using her physical arts along with her weapon arts. She still had her final move ready.

Tiger Stance 4: Raging Wave!

At that point, her spear was on the ground, heading towards Aren as quick as possible, making him push back until. . .

Secret Tiger Arts: Fierce Tiger!

A spear slash soon engulfed Aren's distance, throwing him towards the wall, hard. "Ack!" He seemed to be grasping his arm, having been injured after riding an untamed horse from before.

"Ah, Brother!" Ara ran towards Aren, worried that she might have pushed it too far with her techniques. He simply chuckled at her improvement.

"Ara, you've gotten strong. Don't lose hope in your justice, alright?" Masahiko stared at the both of them, somewhat hesitating in his behavior. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll have to go see Father." He ruffled her hair and walked away as Ara smiled at his departure. Masahiko however, grasps Ara's hand again and pulls her towards him, making her slightly confused and blushing.

"W-W-What are you doing now?!" She stuttered upon his hand touching hers. He sighed.

"Ara. . .you have to remember. Everything here is just a dream and the real you had been affected by the Black Mercy. It's a parasite flower that latches on to people, giving them a perfect life within their sleep while feeding onto the host's life. This is what is happening to YOU right now." He hadn't been this much serious before, but she knew that he was crazy to even when telling her all of that. The Black Mercy? What even is that? And is all of that even true? "I know that you're confused, but you have to believe me this time. The people within your dream are trying to get you to stay, and your memories of the El Search Party will disappear if you're not going to be aware of yourself dreaming!" He yelled this time.

"El Search Party? Why. . .is that familiar?" After that, she felt faint once more. Her last sight was seeing Masahiko calling out for her before she drifted off into another abyss. She now knew what happened to her sudden wakes when she fainted for the first time, her mind racing in the memories she had with her family. . .remembering that they were no longer alive. No. . .why must she see them again, even if it was a dream?! Her mind finally gave in, as she closed her eyes once more, saying final words in which she felt that it is.

Righteousness. . .

Hope. . .

Heaven. . .

•

Her eyes open once more, now in a more defined location, filled with the sounds of water. There, in a throne, lies a person with horns, long white hair, and a familiar expression. ". . ." Ara remembered her home being destroyed by demons, her people killed in the process, and. . .her brother becoming a demon. "Brother Aren. . ." The demon commander stands up, walking towards her with his sword in hand, ready to end her life.

"I thought I could end you slowly by giving you your perfect life within your dream, but that's been failing as I had to get you out of the situation that the suspicious person was taking over." That's not it. That's not Ran. That's not my brother. . . it's the Black Mercy. "That person had been interrupted my plans over and over again so I have no choice anymore. I'll end you once and for all as a nightmare." Lunging for me, I quickly launch my attacks first.

Matchless Truth!

Quick slashes of my spear lunged for the imposter, only having each combo blocked by it. It stabs its sword into the ground, summoning a purple rune down below, levitating me in the process as I couldn't move. It launched an attack from below, injuring me as I fell down hard on the ground in pain. Bruises and scratches were visible on my face and hands, aware of how my forms were also changing in each fatigue she had. "This was where I've accepted the existence of evil in the world, but letting them run amok to make people suffer is wrong! I won't let them share the same fate as Aren!"

Flying Kite!

More than my last attack, this one was quicker and faster, allowing multiple slashes ending the Ran imposter to a brutal state. It stood on one knee, angered. "Looks like I'll have to make it simple." The Black Mercy suddenly was surrounded by a purple aura, diminishing his appearance as Ran and into a giant demon flame. I wasn't scared at all.

"Heaven's Wr-" I was about to use my ultimate skill until it stabbed me from the back, its visible purple blade through my chest. It slips out, causing me to gasp for air. "How dare you!" Was all I could muster before I collapsed. . .in someone's arms.

"Fighting all alone is not your way of justice, Ara." That voice. . .I know it now. In my remaining strength, I carefully grabbed his fox mask off, revealing his spiky hair as his face had fox marks and eyes. I simply chuckled. "Chung, did you use Eun to change yourself again?" She remembered when they were in their former forms, Chung tampered with her hairpin, causing a smoke to appear as Chung had possessed powers from Eun.

"I tried so hard to not give myself away though. It was all through Eun's talk that I could disguise myself." The hairpin, that was stashed into his yukata, suddenly shone in front of her, her wounds healing as her form changes once more. . .into her final form.

"Wisdom. . . Justice. . .Heaven." With her long, flowing ebony hair turning white, fox eyes and marks visible on her face, she knew what to do. "Let's finish this together, Chung!" Chung, who had reverted back to his original form, smiled at her. He summoned his ultimate skill first.

"Rainism!"

With his destroyer, he shot out a beam towards the ceiling, summoning a bunch of bullets swarming towards the demon fire. It affected it immediately, being combined with alchemy residue that leaves an imprint of its own. It was freezing the demon, Chung having to prepare it beforehand. "IT WAS YOU WHO TRIED TO RUIN MY PLANS! YOU SHALL PAY FOR THAT!" Lunging at Chung.

"Says who?" I appeared in front of the being of the Black Mercy, my tails forming an elegant pose.

"Dragon Rage!"

I summoned a dragon, from my ultimate skill. It launched itself towards the demon flame, eating it as it overflowed with its power, the dream cracking into pieces as it followed the death of the parasite. "Thank you, Chung." Smiling at him, he smiled back at me with his arm sliding me towards him.

"My dragon is always sacrificing herself." Sighing, he leaned towards my face, as I let the magic happen.

•

I woke up from my sleep, realizing it's the real world as I know, my friends surrounding me in worry. "Ara, are you okay?!" Rena was the first to speak.

"I'm fine, but I'm sorry to have worried you all!" I apologized. Eve sighed.

"If Chung didn't get you as quick as possible, your life would have ended." I look around to see where he was until I felt the arms of someone behind me.

"Wide awake I see."

"Chung!"

"We'll let you two lovebirds sort things out." Elesis read the situation and had everyone else and herself out not before pointing out to Chung about something.

"What was that about?" I asked him but he only replied with a smile. He took out something behind him and had it placed in my hand he took.

"Marry me, as we should've had in the other world earlier." Ara knew what he was talking about and smiled happily with tears.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" Embracing him along with a kiss. "It's the best Valentine's gift ever!"

I know there's fractured parts that are making you confused as heck but some are interesting hints towards another thing that I will do in the future. The Name Of Ara won't be updating anytime soon because of a project I started to work on, so I apologize for putting it on hiatus.