Chapter 3 - Revelations
The sky is filled with blue and orange flames as the hunter and her dragon let loose the thick darkness growing within them. The shadow kissed bond with the Dragomir Princess poisoning their souls until it's expelled.
The two calm as they soar through the flames, feeling the irresistible anger ebb away second after second until it's controllable and no longer is there the urge to destroy everything within sight.
Patting the smooth black scales of the beasts head weakly, the brunette hunter sighs as her forehead rest on top of the dragons head as she soothes it through their own bonds. "It's okay buddy. We're okay." She whispers as the black dragon rumbles beneath her touch, almost purring at the touches of affection.
They spend a few minutes in the air before succumbing to their exhaustion and the two soar down within the clouds until they reach the forest floor, far away from the academy. The two slump as they touch the ground and dragging herself off, Charlie stands up from Toothless and stretches as she hears the cricks in her back from the tension.
Checking her phone, she sees messages from her remaining friends in the academy and reads Eddie's before replying.
To: The Sparky Winchester
From: Feathers
Was that you two? Everything okay? The guardians are ushering everyone in after they all saw it. You got everyone quite scared.
Chuckling to herself lowly, she rolls her eyes as she replies.
To: Feathers
From: The Sparky Winchester
We're fine. Just Lissa. I'll meet you in my room.
Putting her phone away, she sends her dragon the other way as she lays her forehead against his and pushes him towards the cabin as he growls in denial. "Go Toothless. You know you can't come with me." She whispers as the dragon huffs and soon enough, listens to her orders and sulks away towards the cabin.
Shaking her head, she moves towards the academy slowly as she battles the desperate need for sleep. That is until her path is blocked and looking up quickly in fear of a monster, she sees Adrian Ivashkov, his green eyes peering into her as she struggles to choose which she'd prefer right now, him and his pestering about their auras or a demon straight from hell.
"Little dhampir. What brings you out here?" He questions as she feels the Spirit he's using surrounding them.
"Felt like some space." She uttered, noticing that the usual smell of cloves was lacking around the Moroi for a change.
"Really? Well, it's good you're here. Because I have a question I desperately need to ask."
"Oh yeah?" She grunts as she moves past him. "What do you want to know Adrian?"
He grabs her arm as she passes and his face contorts as he struggles with the question he has in his mind. "Rose…" he whispers as he watches her face with pure concentration. "Wha…"
A growl is heard as Adrian and Charlie are pushed to the ground and a black blur passes them overhead.
Jumping up, Charlie steadies herself as Adrian pushes himself further back until his back hits a tree, stuttering out his words. "Wh…What the hell?"
The hunter stands beside her dragon as he growls at the creature in front.
"Charlie Winchester….." The vampire spits out. "The nest will be delighted to know it was I who killed the great Winchester daughter and her little beast."
"Toothless." She says without her eyes leaving the vampire, "Go home. I'll be okay." The dragon huffs as he turns with a wink towards the Moroi shaking on the ground and flaps his wings as he leaves the trio. "Now, what the fuck are a bunch of vampires doing around Moroi? Didn't think they were your type."
"We are all vampires." The man says, his cold dull eyes narrowing as he turns his gazer to the Moroi. "Although, their kind has always been a little… boring."
Smirking, Charlie feels her hands warm as she summons her flames and catches the Moroi flinch at the spectacle.
The vampire rushes at her then as she meets him mid-way, and as his mouth full of rows of fangs bares itself to bite into her outstretched arm, her own hand comes up to burn the side of his face as he is kicked away.
"I'm going to make this quick, cos I'm tired. I really don't have the time for vampires today." She unsheathes a sharp knife from her boot and with enough strength, swings at the vampires head as it comes up on her again and feels the blood spray on her face as the vampire is decapitated and its body falls with a sound thud.
Wiping her face, she looks at the body with confusion as she shakes her head in thought. But, she's quickly distracted as the Moroi leans against the tree behind, having dragged himself up to his feet.
"Wh… What was that?" He utters, eyes wide in fear as he stares at the corpse.
Trying to keep a straight face at the shock on his, the hunter turns to him fully as she cleans her knife on the corpse's shirt. "That was a vampire Ivashkov." She mutters. "Different to you guys, but still a vampire."
"How…" he says as his eyes narrow on the open mouth of the decapitated head, unable to move from the multiple sharp fangs on display. "You had fire." He said as he looks to the girl in front. "Dhampirs don't have fire."
Sighing, she puts her weapon away, "No, they don't."
"I suppose they don't have air, either." He says as he raises an eyebrow. "That's what Castile can do, right?"
"You saw it in our auras, right?" Charlie asks as she steps. Forwards slightly, watching as he steps back in tandem. "I'm not going to hurt you Adrian."
"Was that you? In the air earlier? The little fireworks display?"
"I wouldn't exactly call it a fireworks display." She laughs as she summons a small flame on the tip of her left pointer finger. "But yeah, that was me and Toothless."
"That… thing? You call him Toothless?" Adrian scoffs.
"He's a dragon." Charlie explains. "He's harmless though. At least when he wants to be." The flame jumps from finger to finger as she watches the Moroi become enraptured by the sight. "Do you know what I am?"
"You're an Elemental…" He whispers as he comes forward slightly. "Aren't you? Eddie too."
Charlie shakes her head at him as she puts out the flame. "No. We're not. Not fully."
"What are you then?"
"We're both Hunters." She says as Adrian stands their in understanding. "I'm surprised you haven't run away screaming yet."
"Well, you did just save my life from a vampire apparently. I figured I owed you enough to hear you out."
"Kind of you." She snarked as she came up to him. "We aren't here to hurt you. Just to save our people."
"Whatever we've been told is wrong, isn't it?" Adrian utters. "In school, they taught us that you were the children of Strigoi and that Elementals were Strigoi who kept their magic. That you couldn't touch charmed silver, you have no emotions, that you survived off the blood of Moroi and dhampirs. But that isn't true, is it?"
"No, it's not." Charlie admits. As she's about to continue, her phone starts vibrating and pulls it out to see Eddie phoning her.
Raising a finger to Adrian, she answers the call. "Yeah, feathers?"
"You guys need to hurry up. The guardians are going around taking attendance. I'm in your room and there's only so much I can do."
"Uh, shit. Okay. Be there in a sec, open the window for us."
"Us?" Eddie wonders but gets non answer as she's already hung up.
"I'll explain everything but we have to go." Adrian nods his head as he watches Charlie throw a hand towards the body and it burns until its nothing but ash on the forest ground. She grabs a hold of him then and he feels the wind whipping around him as his vision blurs and then suddenly, he's stood in her room with Eddie who looks at his appearance with wide unbelieving eyes.
"He got attacked by another vampire." Charlie explains as the two comment.
"Another one?" Eddie asks as the Royal scoffs and says, "I think it was 'we' that got attacked."
A large bang on the door knocks and Charlie throws the two a warning look as she goes to open it. Guardian Petrov and Belikov are stood in the doorway as they seem unimpressed at the two males in the female only dormitory. "Rose, you know you shouldn't have boys in your room." Alberta states disapprovingly as the Moroi comes up then.
"Headmistress Kirova gave me permission to be here along with Novice Castile. Said it would be good for the Queen's favourite nephew to be amongst friends after that terrifying display outside." The royal says a he compels the two dhampirs slightly. "I'm sure it's fine that we stay here for a few hours."
The two dhampirs have their eyes glaze over as the compulsion takes hold and they quickly agree as they then move on, Belikovs eyes landing on Charlie for a split second before moving as the door is shut in their faces.
"Did you just compel them Adrian?" Eddie laughs at the glee on the Moroi's face.
"I suppose I did." He says as he falls on the bed behind him then, shaking his head. "Now, you two mind explaining the rest to me." The three sit down in the room as they begin to explain everything to the Moroi.
"So, first of all. We aren't part Strigoi in anyway. Elementals are essentially humans with magic like yours but stronger because we've learnt how to use it right." Charlie explains. "Hunters are our version of dhampirs. Half human, half elemental."
"That's what you two are?" Adrian wonders, eyes watching their auras. "That's why your auras are different right?"
"How are they different exactly?" Eddie questions as he pops his feet on the desk in the room, leaning in the chair beside it.
"Well, it took time but I started seeing hints of elements in your auras. I only see it in Moroi usually but when specks of silver and red started flying through your own, I saw it as air and fire. Not just that either, there's a colour of sky blue surrounding your bodies. Like the….""
"First layer?" Charlie adds as he watches her in confusion.
"Yeah. Exactly that." He asks. "How did you know?"
"It's knowledge we are taught when we are younger." She explains. "The basics of species colours in auras but only Spirit users are able to see them, strong spirit users at that."
"Wait, do Elementals have spirit too?" Adrian gasps.
"Yeah, and so can hunters sometimes." Eddie adds. "Basically, an Elemental can bend one of the 5 elements."
"Bend?" Adrian asks as his green eyes flit between the two newly confessed hunters.
"It's what we call it when we use our magic. It's different to yours. Less…. Theatrical and more an extension of our bodies. Our magic flows through us continuously." Eddie explains as he shows him bending the air around them, creating a mini tornado.
"The Moroi have to call their magic to the surface. Centuries of misuse has hidden it within you, sometimes so far that there's barely any power behind it, whereas ours is on the surface." Charlie adds.
"Hunters are half elemental and half human. Where Elementals can have any element when born just as the Moroi, hunters inherit the element passed down to them. My great-grandfather was an air elemental. And the few hunters in our family that were able to use an element, all got air and these…" He stands as he gives himself enough space, watching the Moroi and his confused look and Charlie's look of hidden laughter. He unfurls his wings then as the vampire jumps back slightly, bumping into Charlie as she laughs.
"You have wings…" Adrian points at him as he watches the tawny feathers flitter in the room, "And you…" he turns to Charlie. "Have a dragon?"
"Yes." Charlie admits. "Hunters can have extra bits if they have an element. Eddie has wings he can fly with."
"We call ourselves Seraphim." He adds as the Moroi nods wordlessly, watching as the wings then curl back in, hidden away. "Charlie here is a Drakon."
"wait…" Adrian exclaims. "This is Rose. Who the hell is Charlie?"
"Yeah, that's me." She admits. "My real name is Clary Rosemarie Winchester. Or Charlie as I prefer."
"I'm… just going to accept that." Adrian states as the two hunters giggle. "So what about the other elements? And you said if hunters have an element? Do they not always?"
"Some hunters have no element. They're what we call Hunters. They're like dhampirs but on steroids. They're the strongest and fastest out of all of us." Eddie mentions.
"My brothers are Hunters, my dad too." Charlie explains.
"You have brothers?" Adrian asks as his eyebrows raise. "And a dad?"
Laughing along, the Drakon nods her head. "Two. Sam and Dean. My dad's John Winchester."
"The Winchesters are big names in our world." Eddie grins, "Even demons are scared of them."
She shakes her head as Adrian starts, "Really? So, it's not just Strigoi you're good at killing little dragon." He smirks as he watches her roll her eyes.
"Anyway…" She trails, "Hunters with earth are called Therians. They can't use any earth magic but can turn into a specific animal. Ones with water are merfolk. Basically mermaids with a bit of water magic and spirit hunters are the same as spirit elementals."
"So, there are spirit users in your world?"
"Yeah, my aunt Bella is a spirit Elemental." Charlie adds.
"Do you think I could meet her?" Adrian grins, the thought of other spirit users exciting him.
"I can ask but she's at court at the moment." Charlie mentions as the Moroi exclaims.
"Court?" He wonders, confusion growing.
"Janine Hathaway is actually sorta possessed by my aunt Bella." She mentions as his eyes widen. "It's a long story but I'll explain later okay."
Nodding slightly, he continues with his questions. "So, why are you here?"
"Our people sent us here to watch over you and stop this war in the future. That's where we were when we said we were in New York. They wanted to tell us our new orders." Eddie says.
"And those orders are?" Adrian cautiously wonders.
"They want us to basically make a riot. To cause problems, get your people thinking differently. We don't want to kill you guys. But, you keep hunting us and some people think it'd be easier to just wipe you out instead of running and hiding from you."
"So, you're here to change our minds?" Adrian asks. "Is that why you guys are starting fights with the dhampirs?"
"Sort of." Charlie mentions. "The original plan was for Eddie and I to be Andre and Lissa's guardians. But that likely won't happen now. They want us to convince the Moroi to learn to fight for themselves. That if they know we want to help, they'll stop hunting us. But the dhampirs are obsessed with being their bitches so they hate us at the moment."
"The non-royals want to fight though." Eddie adds. "They don't get guardians and with them not learning how to use their magic to protect themselves, they're easy targets for Strigoi."
"But Moroi magic can't fight against Strigoi?" Adrian asks as his eyes narrow. "Right?"
"Your magic can fight and so can Moroi. You just don't know how. Taught not to." Charlie adds.
"I want to help." Adrian says after a few minutes of silent deliberation. "I saw you save me from a vampire. I know you're telling the truth too. I can see it in your aura. Let me help you."
"We are training Mia." Eddie adds. "Why not train Ivashkov too?"
"Mia doesn't know what we are." Charlie mentions.
"No, but you know Spirit. Bella taught you loads after we knew it was what Lissa specialised in. We can train him physically with Mia and you train him magically afterwards. See how it goes.. Then, maybe… we tell Mia later on. If she reacts well, we can start bringing her magic into it properly. It's her strongest ability."
"Go on little dragon." Adrian urges. "Listen to angel boy here."
"Uh, I resent that nickname bloodsucker." Eddie glares as the vampire laughs.
"Come on. It is what you're here to do after all." Adrian carries on as the hunter relents.
"Uh, fine." The two boys cheer. "Might as well start somewhere."
"Great. Tomorrow morning you can meet us and Mia for a little training session then." The seraphim grins at the Moroi who looks less delighted at the thought of physical training.
"Isn't the magic enough?" Adrian sighs as he falls back onto the bed.
"Count this as lesson one in Spirit." Charlie says as she paces the room. "Moroi suffer from the darkness of Spirit because you drink blood. It's unavoidable but it is manageable. Charms can help with the darkness you create but a strong body means a strong mind. The amount of darkness is smaller and easier to handle."
"So, the training is necessary…" Eddie sarcastically adds as he laughs at the vampires disappointed look.
The three talk for a bit longer before it's nighttime for the Moroi and after the vampire leaves for bed the two hunters stay to talk.
"You saw another vampire?" Eddie asks as he leans against the window.
"Yeah. I think they were from the same nest." Charlie explains. "I'll see if Sam and Dean know of any nests nearby. We might have a hunt."
"We'll keep an eye on it…" Eddie says as he looks into his friends eyes. "You really ready for all this?"
"It's going to get messy from here on." The hunter adds as she watches her hands carefully. "We have training tomorrow morning with Belikov and Petrov but Kirova will be there to watch. Show we don't need it and she'll dismiss us quickly."
"Then we train the Moroi?"
"Yep." Charlie says. "What else do we do though?"
"Help them." Eddie states. "The non-royals need our help. And we can help Adrian master his Spirit. We haven't got long until we graduate. We might have to do this fast."
"I know." Charlie says as she covers her face and yawns. "You sure you don't want to stay here? I can't imagine those dhampirs are easy to share a room with."
Shaking his head he starts to leave the room. "I'll be fine. But, they'll definitely start to realise I'm gone when we train the Moroi."
"Stay here. It'll be like a hunt again. Me on the bed. You on the floor." Charlie giggles as the seraphim rolls his eyes.
"I'd rather sleep outside." He opens the door and turns before he goes. "Night, Charlie."
"Night, feathers."
As the door closes, the young drakon lies in bed as she thinks about what's in-store for her and the Seraphim. As her eyes close, sleep desperately takes her and she falls asleep, exhausted after the day.
