As the time for the first task grew nearer, Aundrea neither Aliana spoke to one another as both were still too angry to speak. Aundrea quickly regained her composure as Guardian and Princess, walking about as if nothing truly bothered her. Only when she saw her sister, did she feel she would truly come unhinged. The fact that Aliana had nearly tried to kill her back at their mansion sent chills up her spine. Hermione merely sat in silence after Aundrea had told her all of this, and looked at her friend with eyes of sympathy.
"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked her. Aundrea, who was filing her nails, looked at her piercing amber colored eyes.
"Carry on like nothing is wrong," Aundrea said to her calmly as she got up from her bed and went to brush her hair. "Let's go down for breakfast."
Aliana,sat at Slytherin table with Draco , Crabbe, and Goyle laughing until she felt her insides turn cold at the sight of her sister making her way into the Great Hall with Hermione and Ginny by her side. Their eyes met briefly, Aundrea's piercing Aliana's so much she looked away breathing heavily causing Draco to look at Aundrea and back to her.
"What's up with you two?' he asked Aliana curiously as he watched Aundrea seat herself between Hermione and Ginny.
"Nothing," Aliana answered shortly. "I'll tell you later," she mouthed to him, aware that Pansy was next to her trying to eavesdrop.
Why not just tell him now? Aundrea's voice came from behind her, causing her to jump. She turned around to see that Aundrea was laughing with Hermione and Ginny at Gryffindor table.
"Aliana, are you alright?" Draco asked his friend, his voice filled with concern. Aliana shook her head.
"I need…to get some air. " Aliana choked, getting up from the table.
"Do you need me to accompany you?" Draco asked her, rising. Aliana shook her head vigorously, and rushed out of the Great Hall.
"I see you got my message," Aundrea's voice came from behind Aliana, who was sitting by the Black Lake.
"What message?" Aliana asked, whipping around. But when she looked for Aundrea, her twin sister was gone. She turned forward only to see Aundrea standing directly in front of her.
"The one regarding Draco," Aundrea said in a deadly voice. "You had every opportunity to tell him what happened in Zanarkand, just like you told him everything else about me. So why stop there?"
"This isn't about you!" Aliana yelled at her twin sister angrily, placing her hands over her ears. "Argh, you're not here! You're just an illusion! Stop it, Aundrea!"
When she opened her eyes, she turned to see what she thought to be her sister had disappeared. Taking a deep breath, she lay down on her back and closed her eyes. Feeling herself drift away, she soon fell into a deepened sleep…..
Author's note: Aliana's dialogue and actions are in regular print. What she is seeing is within Italics.
"The time is near, father," said a familiar voice. Aliana's eyes snapped open. Where the hell was she? And why was everything dark? Looking around, she turned to see she was standing in what appeared to be a labyrinth…
Somewhere deep below Zanarkand, Aliana thought to herself. She made sure not to attract attention to herself as she watched the scene unfold in front of her.
"Well done, Ariana," came a voice that made Aliana's heart stop. What the hell was going on?
"Aundrea's mother is weakening by the minute," Ariana said to a man, Aliana couldn't see. Straining her eyes, she saw that it was none other than…..
"Yu Yevon!" she choked. Ariana whipped around and Aliana soon found herself face to face with her.
"Well, well look who it is," Ariana said to Aliana. "It's about time you showed your face. I was wondering how long it'd take you to find me."
"It was you!" Aliana said angrily, realizing that the voice she thought to be Aundrea's in the Great Hall was Aliana's
"Correct," Aliana said to her. "You should really learn to distinguish dreams from reality, Ali."
"Ariana!" hissed Yu Yevon's voice. Aliana felt her jaw drop when she saw the founder of Zanarkand appear. Like Yunalesca, his oldest daughter he had snow white blond hair and like Ariana he had piercing amber colored eyes. Tall and masculine, he appeared more intimidating in person to Aliana than what she had learned from Aundrea when she was helping her with her Summoner lessons.
"His eyes are as piercing as pyre flies in sunlight, Ali!" Aundrea had said to her when she was about nine. Oh how she wished to have her old twin sister back, and take the responsibly of being Shuyin Summoner.
"Daydreaming are we?" Ariana said to Aliana, bringing the young black mage out of her reverie.
"What the hell do you want?" Aliana asked her angrily.
"To warn you" Yu Yevon's voice said menacingly to her, causing Aliana's eyes to widen.
"About what?" Aliana said, her hand tightening around her wand inside her robes.
"That your mother is dying," Yu Yevon said to her harshly. "As you and your sister are within the Wizarding world getting an education, Isabella is slipping away."
"The Killing Curse you cast and the spell Aundrea used to deflect it were both absorbed by her, nearly killing her," Ariana said calmly.
"Then why the bloody hell are you telling me about it?" Aliana said angrily, her fist boiled in anger. "Shouldn't you alert my father?"
"Your father isn't keen to the scent of the Farplane like you and your sister," Yu Yevon explained to her, trying to diffuse the tension Aliana had. "Maester Seymour sent us to alert you."
"I-WHAT?"! Aliana screamed angrily. "That's it….FIRE CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP!"
As anger circulated through her veins, Aliana cleared her mind as a red wand with a star on the end appeared on the end as she transformed. Warm rays of fire surrounded her as she transformed as she transformed into the Guardian of War, Agni.
"Agni!" Ariana cried, rushing to hug the Guardian, but she shoved her away.
"How did Maester Seymour of Guado know Isabella was attacked?" Agni asked Ariana, a ball of fire appearing threateningly in her hand. "I need to know, now."
"Why?" Yu Yevon asked the Guardian angrily. Agni took one look at him before snapping her fingers, causing flames to appear all around her, Yu Yevon, and Ariana.
"Isabella alerted him after she was attacked!" Ariana blurted out, causing the flames around her and her father to disperse. "Agni, please help us! Isabella has something terrible in store for the Princess. Something big. Lord Seymour knows not of this!"
"Then why would she tell him?" Agni said, flames starting to rise once more in anger. She sensed Ariana was telling the truth and bowed to her former friend.
"We don't know." Ariana said quietly, tears falling from her face. "Lord Seymour only wants the Princess protected at all costs, and knew that contacting you was the only way to figure out what Queen Isabella is up to."
"Very well," Agni said. Finally accepting that the Maester cared for Princess Aundrea she de-transformed back into Aliana, falling to the ground and all went black.