The Camelia and Jade Adventures

by Aeonmaster Aeroza

A silent girl made mute, for all those that which to see, the tale set before her and those she will meet. Though there was foretold for the child in question, will she meet up to the standards of things that will come her way? As time goes, she will be tested again and again, but with the help of those she will befriend, meet, or fall in love with... Who knows what will occur?

10. X-Mas Arc Part 2

December 23rd of 1999 on a Thursday, within Uncle's Rare Finds Shop, early or around 11AM:

Camelia sighed on her bed as she was told by Uncle from finding things out, that she was spied on from outside sources that he adjusted the enchanted wards of his home to those, alongside Section 13, to prevent anyone from the mentioned Cults to oversee or enter.

She woke up an hour yesterday feeling lethargic and was given healing draughts by Faolan, and stated she was healthy to go after… But her freedom was strained by her cousin's instant and firm orders alongside Uncle agreeing with him, for the time being, until she could take better care of herself.

Camelia was told she would always have an escort to go to and from her desired places, even to places that have least expecting chances with those she knew or agents they could trust from the base, and to continue her training at times alongside Jade.

Despite the situation she was in, she was still trying to make talismans but with more freed space, as she confessed to the others with Uncle backing her up as her type of style to make them was safe, and since the old Chi Wizard could back up anything, they allowed her to continue it as one of her four personal hobbies.

She tends to garden at times in secret until she was discovered in that, from early November by Jade and Jackie keeping a rare blue rose she had as seeds, to help her mind relax from the personal garden Captain Black helped make, and even chat more with Deathwing or even Jade, out of reluctance for her. Camelia's talisman making as mentioned, reading or video games and shows, and lastly her drawings or paintings.

Most of the time was her schooling and spell work besides that and knew her training with Jackie would also be furthered by this incident.

From what they can figure from finding things out, with both Faolan and Uncle's input, they were indeed tracking her and those she knew for some time and was just waiting for the right opportunity to snatch either her or to use those she cherishes as bait for her to use her powers more.

They even dug deeper as to what the nine cults were as each had its laws and more, and unnatural means to do so.

There was of course the Shadoku Cult, and the Demonis Cult, which involved corrupt versions of darkness and demons, and more that was barely known as the united Shadow One's Clan.

Then there were the hidden or older cults, like the Shadow Ones. Each Cult tends to keep to themselves, however, and only entrust any other recruit by testing them in their way as the only reason everyone found out was due to Faolan seeing they were still active, and making sure that it was not only the two as allies.

The Astral Keepers, to which they deal with those that dabble in the arts and ways of the dead, and the supernatural, and have withheld the knowledge of many parts of the world for safety reasons and never to let it be part of anyone's hands unless there was a reason by pure standards. They also assist those who tend to defend the planet as well.

The Crimson Blood, which involves mainly blood magic and more, and rumored to have rogue supernatural beings that drink blood as well, and tend to hand out their services with a price involved.

The Nature's Fury to which involved plant life in their rituals, and even assisted entities based on it by their world or otherworldly means. They are also involved with the oceans and the land itself at times.

The Hidden Way dives more into both the use of magic and science and is in turn, to share their knowledge with those that seek it with a price of equal exchange of information or a price involved. They also have been instructed to assist those that won't seek the knowledge of the lost arts to deal worldly harm, to those that can be trusted with it.

The Unknown Cult, to which there may have been a name change as far as rumors go. They dwell into things not meant for this world, and determine if they can stay, go, or do business with the world itself and choose those that are worthy enough to handle said tasks, but with the price of no longer being known in public… Though, they tend to handle things personally and even use things aided from those that visit within the ways of the world to an ease better standing.

The Harmonic Wayfinders, to which they try to keep the balance of the world when it is important, and only involve themselves when necessary, especially legends and myths to have them secretly placed into world history or others.

And lastly, the Tribal Cult of Races, which is run by monsters and others that the world is kept secret about, and is also aided by the Unknown Cult as neutral partners.

From what they were told by Captain Black also finding things out, they are also aware of the big "M-Word" but tend to stay out of things unless it involves them.

Besides that useful information, Jade managed to at least give the bracelets that were their bags, back to Camelia, and they indeed reverted to their backpacks, and at some point, they managed to store their gifts for Christmas Day away in a secured room on the base within Sector 13.

The trio of Amelia, Mike, and Mazuria, were still not back, and both Eritia and Felina were currently helping out within the base, as it was just Camelia on her bed as mentioned within her shared room in Section 13, as she signed out to both Jade and Jackie she was fine and to finish setting up without her as she still wanted to think on what went down, from what they told her as she barely recalled it and was told by Deathwing, her mind rejected the memories.

In truth, Camelia was deeply scared as to what was she was feeling, as she knew what it was liked to be kidnapped, but she didn't expect to not recall anything of it, which was one of her main fears, and the constant recurring nightmare of that one entity, but with others in thirteen thrones and with her once again lying on the ground, dying, and an older Jade and the five other hazed figures being battle-worn and around her older self, and then confronting to what could only be something unnatural before being alive and empowered, and then facing a creature that was also hazed out, but fully massive.

Deathwing had no say in words as to what it meant, but she did state to her friend and her kin, alongside Captain Black, that she did want to try and rest as insomnia she developed was slowly getting worse.

Of course, she didn't tell the others, even Jade, about her dreams. Camelia wanted to try and handle things herself unless it gets to the point she couldn't take it any longer.

Anyways, Camelia was laying on her back to her bed and decided to get actual rest by her asking Deathwing beforehand, to help her at least keep the nightmares away as she also wanted to talk to Uncle Shendu, despite seeing that suit of armor was also placed closely by her from her insistence of strangely feeling it wouldn't be safe in Uncle's Shop.

"If this is what you want, Youngling… But are you sure he can inform you as to what or even why you are stressed as after we agreed at some point before our time with the Chans, to seek out aid only when it is too much?" Deathwing started before making more of a statement than a question, as Camelia soon got comfortable and indeed, rarely asks Deathwing to keep the nightmares at bay as it was taxing for them both, I'm sure. I just hope Uncle Shendu while you're keeping my nightmares away, could help me with at least recalling some parts, not all, of a confession as to why he called my Mama that, and my set of nightmares that have been hurting me and see the damage that heals over a minute or so waking up.

Deathwing didn't know either what was causing the slashing marks she woke to see while she slept, as those nightmares felt so real and dangerous, and which she barely recalled most, not all of them, like the slightly constant one, as it has been happening ever since a few days after the transformation from the one isle.

The dragon within her did help her by making things comfier and his aura showing to let everyone know she won't wake up unless he allowed her to wake up, as she sighed in contempt with her wiggling her toes from being within her Sanctuary.

She saw the maelstrom that Deathwing lives in, has stopped churning to know he was indeed keeping up with his words as she switched her sky from being daylight to a clear and very starry sky with hints of a star shower, here and there, and the moon is full and slightly dimmed.

She was content for a few moments before hearing a minor movement as Camelia glanced to see Shendu was silent yet sitting next to her in his mortal form.

It was silent for only a few minutes before he asked her then to which she gazed at him after seeing three stars shooting across the sky, at the same time, "I had a feeling from the way you were purposely lying down, that you wanted to meet early?"

"How did you know that…" she began to say before blinking, and amused Shendu by facepalming to herself at being reminded of Valmont's choice of not robbing this year during Christmas, and figured things then, "I forgot you had more freedom to be by yourself, Uncle Shendu. If what I remember is true, I would have to maybe send their gifts in the mail."

"You do know that you didn't have to get those henchmen anything, correct?" Shendu tells her with a raised eyebrow, as he didn't understand why the child needed to do so after seeing her shrugging as she positions herself to sit up, "I know, but I still feel that at some point, they can change for the better or even work for a better boss with them getting more pay for their places…" seeing his questionable look, she rubbed her head sheepishly as he oddly approved of her behavior, "I may have asked Mike to tell me where they lived a few days before he left with Amelia and Mazuria to somewhere."

It was silent for a few moments before he questioned her then, "I have a feeling that you have more to say than merely that?"

It was then she told him of what went down since the last time they met, for the next hour and a half within her Sanctuary as she recently found out, from also telling him that during her long speech, was timeless as long as she was asleep, and when she was done, saw him look contemplating on things as they were standing up at this point.

Camelia looked wary then as he then told her in a way, it was happening, and regardless of the situation, she was also fearful as to what she would find, "It seems that we need to confront the Nightmare and also the memories of when you were first living amongst the world, Youngling."

Camelia knew that Deathwing was mainly keeping the Nightmares away as she sleeps, but if she was to confront them- The child glanced upwards at Shendu as he knew the hesitation from even sensing it from mere touch, and saw her sigh in defeat before they turned to her right as several feet away from them was a door appeared made of black oak with the handle having a lightbulb-based design in shape, and not an actual bulb itself.

It was at this point that Deathwing landed on the opposite side and already knew what was going on, and stated to the duo as they reluctantly entered it, and in a normal version of his voice as he spoke, "I will handle things as while she traverses, her Sanctuary will be vulnerable. She will be safe inside and out."

Once the door shut behind them, they saw that it was endless, and with seeing the large and massive hallway to that of a mansion, of sorts, mixed with something you would find in ruins due to the unusual plant-like growth in crimson and black designs. There were doors, however, and with labels on each metallic one, to know they were memories of both good and bad, and some labeled as Nightmare or Nightmarish-Infused Memories' Rooms with numbers on them.

There was also a creepy factor that unsettled Camelia, but not Shendu as he has seen worse, of vine-covered statues and more as they walked, and even avoided traps which her mind was placing down to prevent their entry.

Camelia was wondering where her issues could be as she held back flinching from seeing her abusive memories of her former caretakers, and to be mixed with laughing at the fun times, and more from them searching for the last several hours it felt like, and not seeing Shendu giving her secretive glances now and then without a word.

Eventually, it looked like they were coming to older and warped-looking doors, and soon they found doors that may have been her constant nightmare, but each one was locked by sophisticated means along with seeing even older magic and making it so that Shendu wasn't able to dissolve it.

In moments, however, they came to a door that chilled Camelia to the bone before she could say anything, it went inwards and sucked the two into it.

When Shendu came to, he saw he was his astral self and noticed that he was in the child's deeper and repressed memories of infancy and more if he wasn't witnessing squarely stilled images passing by him in haste and recirculating to do it again, and again with others besides that, to make him realize one thing: He was in the Memory Core.

To mention what that is, picture a scrapbook that was heavy and thick with photos that needed sorting, and nowhere else to place them. So to the mindset of those that have yet to adjust their mind fully, like the adults within Camelia's magical aspect of things, doors or whatever for a child would have been made as detailed, but the Core Room itself is where they are all connected to, like the internet for eased searching or entering to see said past events at any given time, then a mere single time.

Though what perplexed the most of the Demon Sorcerer of Fire, was some were glowing faintly red and some have ethereal chains with them shaking in place, and to interest him, there were also other memories added in with them having a golden and thick envelope-based sealing to know she was a reincarnation or two, of some individuals.

So he began to randomly start his search and guessed that the child was sent into one of the memories, and after seeing events with a particular person, he eventually soon sensed her to be within what looked to be Halloween within a rural and populated neighborhood, and children dressed up as well.

He then saw the house he was seeing, after realizing it, was in Godric's Hollow.

The Hollow was described as being quaint. There was a narrow road with look-alike cottages that resided on either side of it. There were streetlights at the center of the village indicating it was the square. There was also a little church, and behind it, the village's graveyard. The graveyard was described as having row upon row of tombstones, some very old.

He knew the place was originally located in the West Country of southwestern England, and Ottery St Catchpole was in this area, as were Cornwall, Devon, several Quidditch teams, and several known Quidditch stadiums built on the abundant local moors… He had to have something to read at times from asking his servants (cough, Shadowkhan) to bring him the news, from time to time, of the magical aspect to which he knew, for the last few months of realizing, was Camelia's origins.

He knew he was only in, what he hazard guessed, was the major aspect of Camelia's memoir-based nightmares, as he learned from growing knowledge that at the center of the true village itself was a square with a post office, a pub, and a church with a graveyard behind it. In the middle of the square was a war memorial which, upon closer inspection by wizards, transformed into a statue of James, Lily, and young Camelia, a monument to their final stand.

He knew there was more to it on that very night and it seems… He might get his chance to know more.

Shendu then maneuvers to him sensing the child herself was trapped closeby and saw her tied up in darkened iron chains and a cloaked entity keeping her there and spoke of words he shivered from as the language itself, he knew was hard to understand yet it was Olden Eldritkotikon or the language of the Olden Ones of Exiled, as they came up with the language itself.

The figure paused from caressing Camelia's tear-stained face and sharply turned to know that it was that Old God who he knew, would have mixed interests with the child, before seeing him vanish with disintegrating the chains that faded away into a darkened mist.

She landed on her behind at least and didn't mind Shendu's true astral form as he was rather surprised she hugged to the point, that she was in a desperate plight of severe comfort and assurance.

"That man… He said I had big things to do when the time's come, and I didn't know what he meant by the weird words he spoke, but that's what I thought I heard in my head. Especially since he defended me against someone else that was here." Camelia finally let out after she was once again in a better mood to him, and was rather surprised by that Old God saving her life, and noticed yet she didn't, of her holding a small glowing hen-sized egg with his sigil on it to know he left her a "Gift" and knew at some point they want to seek out more worlds as well.

But he did wonder what she meant and soon asked her then, as they were seeing there was no one around in this part of her vast memory, "Who did that Entity save you from?"

"Another man that wore twisted and gothic demon armor that was black as night, and his helm was like a twisted version of a humanized demonic dragon and his eyes always glowed amberish," Camelia told him without seeing Shendu's unexpected face at that time which he covered up and headed to a particular house to cause the child to tense up and freeze over in her spot.

He stared at the house he knew was destroyed back then, as a monumental foolish mistake of an idea to preserve, to which he then glanced at the child for by her words to him then, "That place… That house has been in my nightmares for years at times that only Drake comforted me with after."

Shendu only nodded as she was hesitant, but Camelia placed a brave face and entered alongside him with seeing plenty of phantasm-based images of her as a baby and toddler, and a few faces she didn't recall and guessed by the main two people, were her mother and father, to which Shendu answered her softly as he did gaze at the woman longer with hidden soft eyes of regret and more, unseen by the child, "They are both James and Lily Potter… To which are your parents by birth-based blood, as, unlike the others, you do have other parents out there who did see you outside of this mortal community, of what I was informed to protect you and keep your life."

Camelia's eyes widen at that but didn't doubt Shendu as far from what Mike tried to explain of his kind, they can gather any information with precise stealth without anyone knowing, and guessed that he asked them to gather as much information they can get their hands on to memorize, without being caught.

"So they… They are my Mama and Daddy?" Camelia said in such a soft voice, Shendu felt pity for once in a long while at knowing the child was at least happy to see what her parents looked like, yet sad, as by her face, this was possibly once in a long time she could mesmerize and recall them.

"Indeed, Youngling. And if we move to where events will take place, I do have an inkling with what is to transpire." Shendu softly told her then as he knew, like his brethren, she would be wrapped around their demonic fingers as to hopefully one day he could explain as to why that was, as he knew he had children as a select few did.

Deals with preserving life tend to happen at most for them to have kids by their given blood and power via a deal, or the rare chance of being freed and having a relationship with them, as he was the only one of the select few who knew about his secondary elder brother, after himself, Hsi Wu's past exploits.

Camelia's eyes wander to the stairs as that is where she knew the direction it led was the main cause of her major nightmares, besides a select few to her abuse and the one of her dying older self, was.

Seeing Shendu's look, she didn't know she let out a light gulp before starting by trying to boost her confidence, "It's better than to wait for it to happen again, right?"

"Too true…" Shendu longed out as the duo began to go up the stairs to where the hallways were, and to one of two bedrooms to which she was hesitant to enter, and paused before looking at him in surprise as Shendu admits with being both impressed and proud of her to which she felt slightly warm faced and a few thumps of her heart at his phrased words, "It will be an impressive feat to your accomplishments if you face your few fears to this day. And wanting to know as to why you came to be, is just a few moments away."

Camelia's body tensed up for a few moments before she steeled herself and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, turned the knob, and entered alongside him before being perplexed as to why she was now see-through.

It was then she saw her mother come through the door which, the child realized at this point, was her nursery and bedroom back then, and saw she was still little, not much of or close to a year old.

The two heard Lily gently hum a song that briefly soften Shendu's eyes as Camelia did notice a few things off about her former living mother: She had pointed ears, slightly draconian versions of her eye's alongside a lighter yet still pale skin color to hers and saw she did have smaller clawed digits from revealing it, from trying to calm her younger self.

From the way she sounded back then, she must have been sick and was also teething at the same time, from seeing her mother was amused softly by seeing Camelia's younger self gently numbing on her fingers before sneezing and made Lily duck for a brief moment to her left as if she predicted it, and glanced at seeing a small scorch mark on the wall.

"Just like my brother and I when we were little," Lily mused with her soon gently rocking Young Camelia as she giggled and cooed at her from gently using a few fingers to tickle her stomach in her green and red mixed onesie outfit with seeing strange markings around it in a barber shop pole style.

Lily sat down in a rocking chair with seeing, to make Camelia look at her hands and back, at seeing her gentle smile as she snapped with looking around the room at seeing her wandless magic going to work along with setting things up for her younger's baby crib, as she soon fed her younger self, gently burps her with covering herself up, and began to gently rock Younger Camelia with singing her a lullaby to which the Present Camelia didn't see Shendu being stunned by recalling it at all.

Once she was done and seeing Younger Camelia was asleep, she placed the baby into the crib with a newly made version of her blanket with her name on it, and lightly kissed her head before she stilled and moved quickly to the window.

Camelia had a gut-wrenching feeling after seeing her mother's panicking face, something was wrong, and jumped at seeing the building shake in place with a silvery barrier fading away from her looking outside, and Shendu saw the cloaked figures with white masks on their faces.

"Lily! You need to grab Camelia and run!" James shouted downstairs as the sounds of energy blasts of magic issues to which she went and gently picked up her child, Camelia's Younger Self, and held on tight as she teleported away just as the door was smashed, and came to a clearing.

Shendu, to truly be startled, knew the building was destroyed by whatever occurred, but he didn't expect to see, alongside Camelia, Lily stilling in place at seeing not only Voldemort, but the one armored man Camelia described to him as the latter held an unusual looking blade emitting ethereal and unholy power, of the skeletal eye sockets to the center of the long sword had anything to go by, the glowing blue runes in mixed languages on the black metal itself, and the design was closer to a demonic dragon than a human with a twisted gothic and metallic hilt with scales hide to grab for the hilt, had anything to say on that.

"Give us the child so my comrade can have her power, and I can end her suffering after proclaiming the prophecy true," Voldemort demanded to Lily then, as Lily narrowed her eyes defiantly at the two while holding her child's head and body to her own in a gentle caress and personal comfort, and didn't expect the other to be teaming with the Dark Lord.

"Never! I would rather die or send her away before letting you two lay a hand on my child!" Lily tells the two, to which they didn't seem bothered before she nearly tripped over herself as they all gazed in the direction of a loud explosion taking place with Lily, feeling a heart-wrenching pain and her child looking ready to cry before she sharply glared with tears forming around her eyes at them, with Voldemort simply smirking in knowing, "You! You didn't!"

"He left us with no choice in the matter, Widow Potter. We both warned you of the consequences if you failed to comply, as my comrade wants to use the untapped power to his own needs, while I, after, want to end it for once and for all." Voldemort told her without remorse of her losing her husband at this point, and with the other male simply standing there and gazing right at the child.

Both men knew by seeing her posture, that she wasn't going to give up her child without a fight as both men knew as well she was more than it seemed.

For Lily, she was cursing her husband for following that foolish Headmaster and his beliefs of their welfare and safety, as she knew he was more than he seemed as well as a manipulative old coot, but kept her tongue at bay for her child's sake and safety up to this point.

It was tensed silence as the sky was just about to turn to dusk and with a few gusts of a gentle chilled breeze to which Lily felt her baby shiver in her hold, and both Shendu and Present Camelia, alongside both men that were considered her enemy, saw Lily's eyes fully glowing green in a demonic way before she raised her free hand, and with precise movements and managing to easily hold Younger Camelia, slammed an energetic ball that was blue colored into the ground with what looked like a massive and unknown crimson pentagram revealed underneath her very feet.

The glowing seal of sorts, then went in front of her as she easily leaped back a few inches to allow Camelia to give Shendu a bewildered look at seeing her mother summoned an unusual entity as it roared at the two men from its spot as the summoning seal was gone. Though the entity was rather perplexed until it was given awareness, firstly.

It is a massive creature that resembles a massive lion, of sorts. It has a dark purple and black body with dark magenta spikes running down its back, as well as a "mane" of dark magenta tentacles around its head. Its tail has a dark magenta tip, and the creature sports four purple claws on each of its four legs. The most distinctive feature of the beast is its yellow eyes, which occasionally glow red. The creature also sports a jagged mouth, blue markings on its face and body, and chains around its forelegs. Its body is rather long and thin and, despite its massive size, the beast looks like it can move quite quickly.

Lily knew it was risky on summoning a creature to the world, permanently, and with what her magical reserves were as she was still recovering, along with her also donating as part of a dealing pact to save her child without James knowing, but two others alongside those she knew helped her with having her baby, due to the incident and curse James had for his firstborn to die within the womb and out before the first year… That and more, which she kept secret only between her and James back then.

She and the two observers of the memory, saw the beast roar in an empowered voice at the two, with Lily running away as they saw the armored male grunted in confirmation as the Dark Lord took off after both Lily and the Younger Camelia.

Both Shendu and Present Camelia saw the beast was handling things fine and decided to head to where the pulling sensation was for where her younger self was being taken to by her mother, with them eventually coming to a cave she entered with them seeing by a moment of flying overhead, due to it being within her mind, of cloaked men and women with those bone masks aiding the Dark Lord at finding them.

They followed Lily as she went deeper and deeper using her free hand as a light source, and ignored the sounds of the beast that may have left the armored male for the favor of hunting for food, and spells being blasted, as they soon came to a large underground river.

Seeing Lily's resolved look as she knew the area for being underground was like a vast maze, kept her tears at bay with knowing the outcome, and simply hoped they wouldn't find her child from what she was about to do.

She transfigured a rock into a lightly weighted and small enough bassinet of sorts, placed her daughter carefully into it with her picking up the item with her baby soon in it, and cast a spell of sorts around the item she knew would cost her reserves even more, and began to sing softly to the cooing Younger Camelia with slow falling tears forming within her eyes once again, and soon was crying as she softly sang, and saw she was indeed going to cry.

"Hush now, my baby. Be still, love, don't cry. Sleep like you're rocked by the stream. Sleep and remember my lullaby, and I'll be with you when you dream. Drift on a river that flows through my arms. Drift as I'm singing to you. I see you smiling so peacefully and calmly, and holding you I'm smiling too. Here in my arms, safe from all harm. Holding you. I'm smiling too. Hush now, my baby. Be still, love, don't cry. Sleep like you're rocked by the stream. Sleep and remember this river lullaby, and I'll be with you when you dream. Here in my arms, safe from all harm. Holding you I'm smiling too. Sleep and remember this river lullaby, and I'll be with you when you dream. Sleep and remember this river lullaby, and I'll be with you when you dream. I'll be with you when you dream." Lily then lightly kissed her daughter's forehead upon seeing the seal revealing a dim glow on Younger Camelia's stomach for a few moments before fading, and hesitated as she placed her on the waters and hoped whoever finds her, would not harm her.

Just as she did so and got up, she turned to only freeze in fear at seeing that Voldemort managed to find her first and saw the slow-moving and transfigured bassinet carrier, and darkly chuckled at Lily by pointing his wand at her, and held back a cry of pain as her wand and hand were burnt by a small fiery burst from his own, and a defiant look to him.

"So unwise, Widow Potter. I was planning on saving you and making you my servant, under the pleas of Severus… But seeing you firsthand summon that beast that wiped half of my group before fleeing, says otherwise, as I know what you fully are…" here, Lily let out a growl with her gazing at her child's holding and back to the Dark Lord, and made her look at him in horror alongside Shendu, and only confusing Present Camelia as he had an ancient-looking dagger he revealed with Christian and Latin mixed sigils on the blade itself and with the shape being a claw.

"How did you find that?!" Lily exclaimed in growing fear to only make the Dark Lord smirk more, and told her with gradually wicked glee in admitting things, and saw her trying to prevent herself to fall into the river as he then chuckled and used his wand to make it levitate by raw magic poured into it, "A simple favor from my comrade who stated that he was leaving to heal from the gashing wounds, your summoned creature inflicted upon him. And more… It is fitting a woman like your own kind could be harmed, fully, by this blade's unique metallic properties. Properties to even baffle me, in simplistic honesty."

Lily glanced to the floating bassinet and back to the Dark Lord, with both Present Camelia and Shendu seeing the final resolve on her face in moments before her eyes were soon glowing fully green and her hair flying wildly like whip-like tails, and with seeing familiar aura and power exhibiting from her entire body.

It was a standoff between Voldemort and Lily as time was ticking away, and soon, a fight erupted between the Dark Lord and Lily Potter.

She sent wandless and raw magical blasts at him to which he dodged and sent blasts of his own hastened spells at her and with him failing at using the dagger to try and stab her with his partial wandless ways, and with each blast of attack, the cave shuttered and rumbled with thankfully by sheer luck, the floating bassinet was avoiding the stalagmites falling into the water as it sped up.

Lily growled as she started using the falling rocks and tried to make it so he didn't get near her, as Voldemort had other plans with him blasting the incoming stalagmites and sending the destroyed remains right back to her shocked face and body, and sending her in the wall before roaring in agony as he jabbed the dagger to her womb area, and left her there as she shakily grabbed it before coughing up not red blood, but violet fluid as she glared at the Dark Lord after with feeling her life was gradually fading.

"Face it, Widow Potter… I have come victorious, and plan to allow you to watch your child die by my hands, as I extract her very soul for the future of this world, and alliance." Voldemort told her without feeling as to what he did with ignoring Lily struggling in her weakened hold on the wall, as her unusual blood was dripping on the cavern floor easily, as he calmly walked with purpose to the bassinet and used his wand to easily levitate it.

He then placed the child closeby to Lily hearing her child cry and muttered something to which Present Camelia didn't understand, but Shendu did as her body began to rapidly glow all over with her coughing more blood and her eyes shedding tears as she yelled, and as the Dark Lord about to cast the green light… Things took a drastic turn from Lily offering her living body as the price.

The Dark Lord did cast it, but his body was fully disintegrated by the raw explosion of mixed magics Lily used as the spell still hit the bassinet to shatter it but left the baby unharmed as she was crying with feeling a scar about to form, until the seal on her stomach revealed itself with forcing the entity trying to invade, out as it fled.

It was at the unusual timing they saw a cloaked person come from out of nowhere, and without words, picked her up the next thing the duo knew, they were back at the destroyed home and placed the baby in her surviving crib.

The person paused before they used a dark power to fix up the place in partial means, glanced at the child before leaving into a vortex of sorts made from the very darkness itself just as Sirius and Hagrid arrived, not known to the duo who they were.

Unexpectedly, both Present Camelia and Shendu were soon sent out of the door itself, by an unexpected gust of wind, and found themselves back within the Sanctuary.

Camelia's eyes were unknowingly watering with tears as she was also doing so within the real world, and had her knees to the ground with her soon being soothed by Shendu with Deathwing himself, the Demon Sorcerer noticed with a raised brow, smashed a fleeing entity with seeing him looking haggard yet alright, and giving the demon a wordless look for later.

After some time, Camelia was still saddened yet blinked as she appeared to be fading and knew she was waking up, and Shendu only gave her a look for later to which she guessed, he would visit her again at some point, and soon woke up in her bed from Jade shaking her out of concern.

"You alright? You've been out for at least a few hours, and…" Jade began before seeing Camelia sign to her then to assure her, by using her sleeve to wipe her eyes from stray tears coming down and on her face, before she did so, "I'm fine, but… I may have done what Uncle suggested a while ago."

Jade raised an intrigued eyebrow before making Camelia let out a slight wheezing laugh by her words, "To make sure you eat your sushi before bed?"

Camelia shook her head a wordless 'No', as she did do that at times, but not all the time, and signed out to see she surprised Jade by her confessed wordings, "I may have tried to find out some reasons for my nightmares."

"So let me guess…" Jade crossed her arms with a pointed and soft look to her friend as Camelia nodded a wordless 'Yes', after, "You did venture into your head and find out that something unexpected was the cause?"

"And it was confusing and strange, but, I saw the events through what my younger self experienced, and that is all I know so far as I haven't gone deeper yet to see who sent me to my former relatives, or who else were those in my memories." Camelia once again told everyone, after an hour and a half later to get everyone to look at themselves before Uncle startled her without meaning to as he only gave her a warm smile and responded gently, "Little Flower has done something that took months when learning from my own Master to become Chi Wizard, to do. Sleeping-Venturing into one's mind is complicated, but rewards are better than none. Regardless of what we find out from regressed or forgotten pasts."

Camelia was rather surprised by that with them seeing wordless agreement from Faolan, with him giving a look at her for later as he told them all bluntly without a bite to his words, and indeed left to said room, "I shall ask of the Youngling later on, but I must finish my few projects within the given chambers. If you shall excuse me."

After that, Jackie was instructing Jade and Camelia's workout and fighting style routine once again for a few hours before the girls themselves were allowed to go to a clearing on the outskirts of San Francisco, with Viper and Jackie as chaperones alongside a few free agents, as they saw the two children having fun.

"It seems Jade is less troubled since she befriended Camelia, despite being baffled they are meant to be together." Viper admits to Jackie before they shared a slight winced as Camelia immediately headed to her friend as she may have tossed her without meaning to, into a stump before seeing she was alright and decided to play chase.

"Indeed. Despite them both, as they are, they both compliment each other as well, and yet… What Camelia mentioned of her memory-based dream worries me." Jackie agreed before telling Viper to make his crush raise an eyebrow at him, "What do you mean?"

"The way of magic was used, and the description of what her mother went through and the use of her powers somewhat similar to Camelia herself, regardless of a dragon sealed within her, there has to be more to it we do not know… Especially if her mother summoned something to this world for main defense until it fled into the wilds." Jackie clarified to Viper as she nodded before pondering something, and told Jackie to make him blink as he didn't think she was knowledgeable about the weapon the child saw within her memories, "That dagger reminds me of tales of weapons being used to weaken and then restrain entities by either pure or half-breeds to prevent any harm to humanity, as most were to seal them in time and others, to have the intent to kill within Chinese or even Japanese Culture from one of those Cults I heard about."

"Then whoever gave that blade to that man, was part of it back then." Jackie realized to get Viper to nod before they both blinked twice at seeing Camelia holding another talisman and held the urge to jaw drop at seeing Jade being changed into a Lamia Version of herself and back before she grabbed it and used it on Camelia… To only be baffled as it didn't work.

"The kiddo is good at making those interesting talismans, especially since I know what she has shown Jade." Viper admitted with an impressed tone that made Jackie raise an eyebrow at the woman as if to explain, "She made a few of them with the Racoon Talisman being recent and finished the item in under three hours due to the ingredients being easier to handle this time. I was there for it and the process is complicated to me, but her… It was simple like I saw Uncle do when I was with you at the one time against the Wendigo sent after them."

Jackie nodded at that as one point, he, Viper, Uncle, and both girls were offered to stay on a farm within Wyoming and try and help a family out and managed to the help of Uncle and Camelia as Jade was taken, and nearly succeeded at making her it's bride before it was destroyed and the lost soul sent to the heavens, by both of them.

That, and freeing the family of its forced curse for three generations without realizing it as it was the husband possessed by the creature, a week ago.

"So the Racoon Talisman has the power to change normal people into monsters or others, and back of themselves, with the name of what race is first." Viper told them that seeing Jade was changed into a Harpy and back, before seeing she was given a monkey tail… And grew worried as Camelia looked to be panicking as it didn't go away.

The duo went over and questioned the children and were flabbergasted, from knowing what the two watched, of what race Camelia thought when she aimed it at Jade: Saiyan.

It was meant to be a joke, but she didn't expect part of it to stay as they saw the seal on the back of her friend's neck glowed and a sigil from the five-pointed star seal they discovered went away to understand one thing: Someone kept secrets from them and Jade as well, as she also gained cute looking elf ears.

They went back to the base without realizing they were being followed by something unseen yet large with a fresh kill it easily devoured whole since it was an old deer.

In it, they saw Jade was being checked on with Viper soothing Camelia by gently rubbing her back with her seated next to her, as Jackie was with Jade and everyone else was doing their things.

With Jade and Jackie, the doctor currently assigned for today was humming in intrigued thought from seeing her blood wasn't normally crimson anymore from the last time they treated her but was rather a dim and light-blue color to which they sent it to the labs to try and identify.

"Don't worry, Mr. Chan," the doctor began by him taking another sample for self-study, "My fellow Sector Doctors will handle things and see if we can match to anything related to Miss Chan's unusual and irreversible changes in her body." He was around his mid-twenties with light-brown hair and blue eyes to a decently handsome face, and a lean build with a bit of muscle, and wore the same lab outfits for the doctors on the base except a visor on his forehead, and a sleeveless leather jacket with silver studs on them with black sneakers.

Jade glowered with mixed emotions at this as she didn't want to be treated like a lab rat, despite liking the base still, as Jackie thanked the man before leaving.

The doctor though waited until they were out of earshot, before grabbing a black flip phone he kept hidden and called a specific contact on it and stated quietly to them, holding the blood to a lamp to see it was glowing green and violet particles, and told whoever was on the line, "It seems beside the other child, the other girl shows promise as well… Yes, I know I am keeping cover… Yes, Boss. I agree with your orders and try to find a permanent position… Hey now, you can trust Jimmy here to keep things in check. At least from the current results, she would heal from the full moon instead of going berserk, unlike her predecessors and ancestry who ended up with her natural type of genomes. Truthfully, she also shows traits of other ancestry being unlocked, just like the other from my last report… Alright, so a few of you will be here by next March? Sure, I can handle things until then. I will try and send the lab reports soon. Cya." He hung up then and got back to work.

Later on with Jade and Camelia, they were watching another movie, Lost Boys that is, and were with Viper as it required supervision for them to view it, and to everyone, was one of the many movies that the Potter Child has from the box, and was near the end of it.

"Makes you wonder if there are any different types of Vamps, right, Amy?" Jade asks with wonder to which Camelia simply nodded as they saw that the Lost Boys themselves were just waking up and both girls winced at seeing the unnatural-looking bat-like feet with Viper being secretly amused, as she even watched this when she was younger, and not known to them, in another realm, a group of vampires sneezing to be perplexed by doing so within their reddened walls.

"Well, I don't want to get my blood taken at all though," Camelia signed out to her friend with Jade wincing in agreement at her being reminded of the large syringes used to extract her blood earlier, as they, later on, finished the movie, and soon were with Camelia as they decided it was time to see that one room, regardless of Captain Black not wanting them to enter it again.

Though what they didn't expect was the new keycard to be voice-activated in another language or two, and Viper not understanding what the two languages were as even Captain Black didn't know what as he made his agents pick two of the barely heard languages as they were two sentences between both of them.

Both Viper and Jade were perplexed as to what Camelia was looking into her bag for before she paused and gave a brief smile and resumed looking into it, and pulled out a talisman to which, both females saw it was a design of a mockingbird or mockingjay of sorts with the etching being a lime color, and oddly enough, designed slightly to the Hunger Games Bird Design.

"What is that?" Jade questions a sheepishly looking Camelia as she gave it to her friend and makes both of them blink at her confessed words, "I hope this finally works out. I wanted to try this when I can speak normally again, but I want us to get in that room."

They saw the talisman glowed before Jade turned to the voice keycard and blinked at her, soon understanding both languages and even speaking to what both sentence-based riddles were, and the door opened.

Jade was rather perplexed from seeing Viper gazing at her in amusement before seeing she had a light aura based on the talisman color around her frame alongside Camelia to make them both tint, at seeing she held her hand in unseen support as they quickly let go once the talisman was inactive, and the trio enters the room.

"Well, it seems Black is keeping a lot of things hidden if there are artifacts and more here," Viper soon tells the two girls with her holding her small laughter at Jade from seeing her hair chanted to a temporary green color from Camelia sneezing from blowing away dust from some interesting books as they soon agreed, with the Potter Child's being reluctant and mixed.

It was then they decided to search for that tablet as Camelia's cousin seemed to know what it was, but flat-out refused to allow them back into the room after mentioning it as well as if it was taboo or worse.

Viper was seeing some of the artifacts she gathered from her last job here for where she was within the large and organized room, Jade finding some books she raised an intrigued eyebrow for as she nabbed them for maybe a gift to Camelia, to which she in question, was in the far-back of the large room itself, and even not realizing that her magic was secretly acting up and sending some of the older and strange items to her bag, as she rasped out a sigh as she leaned on a few books before tripping on herself, and blinked at finding the item at last.

It was made of some type of older stone that made it have an aged and yellowish look to it, as half of it was missing with seeing there were sections of writing to know the other half may continue whatever it was trying to say, and it was encased within a large enough glass dome on a heavy stand.

Camelia touched the dome before holding the urge to yelp from getting shocked and placed two fingers of her left hand to her mouth Jade eventually found her and saw the situation, and the minor spark around the tablet to sigh as Camelia saw her look over the dome, and Viper following Jade, was rather perplexed as to why Captain Black kept the split tablet secured like this.

With Viper looking at the dome the tablet was in with a calculated gaze, Jade managed to look at Camelia's fingers and saw they were healing within the minute the Potter Girl placed them into her mouth.

Ignoring the baffled girls, they blinked as they looked at her by thinking aloud with a few fingers lightly tapping her chin with a thinking pose, "Perhaps we could use some kind of item to absorb the access electric current with Cam here to use her digits to cut the glass during it."

Jade blinked twice before making both Viper and Camelia seeing Jade got out of her hoodie she let Faolan enchant alongside her school bag, were those very gloves with Jade looking for later to her friend as she placed them on, and perplexed Viper before making her be a mix of being impressed and suspicious as the gloves were soon absorbing the ongoing electrical current without harming Jade.

Soon, Camelia used her fingers like Viper suggested as she managed to easily grab it, before handing it to her with them placed the glass back and Jade removed the gloves and placed them back into her hoodie.

After making sure to cover their tracks with them not seeing Camelia nearly tripped yet touched an unusual chest that, as soon as they got out the door, was glowing in the room, managed to somehow get undetected back to the shared room with Jackie and the two girls.

Viper saw Jade give Camelia some intriguing books and stuff too which she wordlessly thanked her by placing them into her own enchanted personal bag, and soon the three were puzzled by trying to decipher the unusual tablet itself.

After a few hours of trying with Viper feeling that the suit of armor within the room nearby Camelia's area was observing them, they decided to try again later as they realized what time it was, and got around for the party with the trio helping to pack for the stay for Christmas at Uncle's.

Jade just finished packing before feeling a light tap and glanced to see Camelia looked to be in a debate over something to which the Chan Girl gave her a look for, with seeing Viper stepped out of the room from an agent fetching her for some reason, and made Jade blink at seeing she had three older cartoon movies from her box, and simply guessing what she wanted, touched the one that looked interesting to which her friend nodded in somewhat relief as she placed it with a Christmas Movie they picked out they knew would be funny, as the party was going to include a double-feature.

Jade was rather perplexed with her wordlessly heading over to the doors and temporarily locked them, with her crossing her arms to know something was up and tinted when her tail lightly kept hitting her head before waving it away and was soon growing bewildered while leading her to the one mirror she had placed in their shared room.

"Why are we over here, Amy?" Jade began to question her with seeing her friend was ignoring her and grew irritated with more questions soon from seeing some wrapped gifts up to seven she brought over, "And why the wrapped gifts, and-" Jade froze when Camelia gave her a look of pleading with seeing her eyes oddly held emotions with Jade, strangely, seeing she understood them with some being mixed fear, guilt, and begging for forgiveness.

Camelia hesitated before Jade was baffled by her friend doing hand signs she recognized from the one anime before she swirled her right hand on the mirror with a sideways-eight sigil with then had her do a circle three times, without even seeing the lines for it, and then lightly tapped the mirror.

In truth, she was taught in a better way that Camelia made a silent vow with Faolan at learning of whom she tends to talk to, and taught her a better way to contact those demons with it taking less power than before.

What Jade wasn't expecting was the mirror to jiggle in rippled waves from the center outwards, and then saw a few faces on the mirror itself glancing at her in being perplexed or surprised.

"Jade… I know I have some explaining to do, but this was the only way to get you to not freak out." Camelia signed to her friend with Jade seeing the hand signs, but her eyes were also mainly transfixed at the three faces of sorts that she knew were not human, and turned to Camelia with her eyes soften for a moment as her friend continued to explain for the shorter version with her also noticing to impress Jade, that the camera was shut down by a sealed paper on it from Faolan's Lessons, for the next twenty or so minutes.

When she was done, Jade was mixed with being curious and others from finding out that when she was possessed, whatever that demon was saw something she didn't from her friend, Jade merely guessed, and taught her how to do this to communicate with the other demons in slightly different yet related terms: Siblings, to it, and merely sighed from her friend's eyes having fear in them once again of being rejected for how long she was silent for.

Camelia did blink back, stunned with not seeing the three faces of Tso Lan, Bai Tza, and Tchang Zu, who looked to be calculating from observing things from their side, by Jade's reluctantly placed words to at least see the Potter Girl relax after, "I did notice you were at least better than before… Do they act like those therapists or something to you that the school wanted you to do and refused?"

The school they went to wanted to have counselors for her for a few days and kept trying to, for Camelia, as when she did wake up from a small nap at recess or even dozing near the end of class with her work always done ahead of time, they did see signs of her abuse yet at this point, it lessened to be rarely.

Camelia looked to be thinking before they turned to the face of Bai Tza as she decided to speak for the other two, firstly, "In truth, we do tend to talk with her about her worries and fears, and also other things if you can be trusted, Human, as she decided herself after much debate, to introduce you to us when the time was right for her."

Jade did frown at the Demoness for a moment that was unseen by Camelia before she told them her name, "It's Jade. And if Amy here can vouch for you… Well," here Jade hesitates while rubbing the back of her head, "I guess you can be trusted enough by me." She then crossed her arms with a pointed look, and didn't see Camelia wordlessly gap at her for her next chosen words with determined eyes, "But if you harm her in any way, I won't hesitate at finding a Chi Spell from my Great Uncle and use it."

The two girls were stunned alongside both Tso Lan and Bai Tza by seeing the face of Tchang Zu unexpectedly laughed being both impressed and amused by what Jade stated, before soon stating to them with a gentle but firm tone, "That is rather interesting, but I and those that know of the Youngling, will never harm her. To my own eyes, you have what the mortals of lesser demons spoke of, as spunk… That is what I expected from a higher demon than a child that has never impressed me in my entire existence besides one other. You have earned my actual respect."

"If what our brother stated is the fact, it seems Camelia has chosen wisely to whom her friends are," Tso Lan agreed with Bai Tza being silent knowing just like her, they easily saw the specific signs of things between both girls, but decided to keep the info for later on for now to themselves.

Jade looked at the three demons then, as she felt offended by that, and Camelia was looking back and forth between the mirror and her friend in unease, as Jade gave a pointed look, "You three don't think I'm good for Amy?"

"Quite the contrary, you are a better choice than what can be expected," Tso Lan tells Jade not seeing his interest was more to the tail Jade had, alongside her ears as if he somehow recognized the traits, unlike his two siblings, "A Human Child such as yourself, has similar potential as such to Camelia in ways you may never realize without guidance."

Both girls and on their side, both Demon Sorcerers, didn't know what the Moon Demon Sorcerer meant by his words, but it was tense awkwardness for the next five or so minutes before, after that, things went slightly smooth to relieve Camelia over with her making Jade be awed from seeing things into the mirror for the rest of the demons besides the three currently nabbing them.

"Do you plan to see if Jade can be a fellow warrior then, Youngling? This intrigues me." Tchang Zu comments to mainly Camelia as she wordlessly nodded since the other two left temporarily to deliver the gifts that were meant for the others, and Jade was rather surprised by this as well as the Thunder Demon hesitated but shoved through the mirror that the Potter Girl gently grabbed by the handle, was a unique looking item that made both girls think they have seen it before, before grabbing another that was similar.

They were handles to former and a secretive sense, long yet forgotten blades, as there was no sword to it at all. Both handles were different though.

One handle was in a Chinese style with it having a mix of European-based design with it having four creatures etched onto the item as well, in a blended spiral at the top with the teeth or beak holding a crystal orb, combined: A Lion, a Snake, a Badger, and a Raven, and this was given to Camelia.

The other was a mix of Japanese and Chinese and was closer to a katana-based handle, and held etched runes around the leather wrappings, which was given to Jade.

"I knew that one day I would have to give those I deem necessary as potential warriors something of a test, from a man informing me when I still ruled. The blades themselves are made of a particular metal that can be infused with others that you obtained, by lightly placing them into others… Though, they will not be true blades to reveal unto you until the test is passed, and trained in your styles fully to be considered worthy to them. The handles are more than they seem, and must be secretly kept upon you at all times." Tchang Zu firmly tells them to make Jade curious and more to hers but turns to Camelia as her handle glows before changing her bracelet to include the four animals and a dragon on it, as imprints, and the gemstones in each of their open maws.

The Thunder Demon didn't say anything yet kept his thoughts on thinking that bracelet looked familiar, but Jade saw the time and made Camelia blink to her before letting out a raspy sigh to then make Tchang Zu raise a brow at seeing her sign to him then, "I will try and contact you later, Uncle Thunder. It probably won't be till after the New Year… Maybe at some point, I can meet with the others? From you and Aunty Water and Uncle Moon, you make it they seem interesting."

Jade blinked numbly for a moment at what titles she gave those three before hearing a low chuckle that wasn't a threat from Tchang Zu, and he then stated in a way, he agreed with Camelia, "True. Despite their issues here, they need to at least meet with you as well. Perhaps when the time is right."

With that, they saw the demon end the call as the mirror went back to the way it was, and Camelia saw Jade's look at her than with her wanting to have answers and was rather surprised Camelia tried to talk with a mix of her signing away, and even at the end, asked her to not tell their family, which made Jade have mixed feelings at this with being touched by her friend thinking that.

After that, the party went into full swing with them watching not only the Neverending Story but a cartoon movie that's one short of a 'Grinch' tale.

Everyone was having a blast though, especially the two Naga Siblings as there were also contests and more that happened, and with a good competition as well to which Camelia won, once again, but with it being Turkey Meatballs.

Soon after the party ended, they were getting around and were at Uncle's before it was around 5PM, and he saw that they brought gifts to his shop/home for Christmas Day and leftovers as he decided to stay at the shop from trying to do all day research.

"Do we get to open a present early? Sweet!" Jade exclaimed with a fist-pump as Camelia blinked at that with Jackie being amused like Viper was, as the two girls got to open at least one of the few presents from under the fake tree, due to Uncle being allergic to the pine trees themselves, and sat on the living room area of the place itself.

Jade got from a box from Viper, a silver bracelet with a jade etching of an eastern dragon designed on it with the eyes having her birthstones.

Camelia was rather perplexed as were the others from seeing the gift she chose, by randomness, was not labeled to anyone but her and saw that it was a small box with a silver ear clasp within the center of it, a perfectly carved ruby gemstone in the design of a bible cross, and a small note saying that it is to go on her right ear, and that's all.

She did just that with them seeing it can only somehow come off if she touched it, and they decided to not question the gift as even Uncle before the Potter Child did place it on her ear, didn't detect any bad magic or anything.

Soon, they decided to go out for dinner and were in a debate between two restaurants, to which Camelia was the deciding factor, much to the amusement of Jade and Viper at her choice as they were in the Sotto Mare restaurant, twenty minutes later, and had already ordered their food.

Camelia was craving seafood like crazy for the last several days, which wasn't part of Deathwing's involvement at all, and was glad of the appetizers to not see looks between the three adults or even a jaw-dropping Jade at how fast she was eating them.

They were surprised at how much food the child did request, and she did eat it before they patted her back at hacking up, to their surprise, a dimly Embodiment Orb from one of her few meals being two full-sized large grilled salmon that was big as her arms, and she couldn't explain why but it felt like an animal somehow, which Camelia couldn't explain her reasoning.

Camelia did place the orb into her bag, however, and got extra containers to go with more food and with them being surprised that she paid for it, with the card the goblins gave her.

She rarely used it, but when she did, she usually used it for what she needed then as a gift for others, which she secretly did so as well for the upcoming important day to her, especially since she requested it three weeks ago from finding out that somehow, her larger trust vault was made acceptable for for and the contents was worth at least ten million in American cash, and to make everyone know while rich, she won't run out of currency since the magical card was detected by man-made security checking services.

They then decided to see How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Jim Carrey Version) that the Castro Theatre decided to host for families or others before they closed for the holidays, and also from an actual vote of the kids from a paid poll a few weeks ago, both Pokémon Movies based on Mewtwo and Lugia, after, which they stayed for, for said year frame.

After that, they headed back to Uncle's Shop before it hit around 9PM, and decided to stay up and watch a few more movies and play games.

Once the girls were tucked in, it was just Uncle, Viper, and Jackie in the kitchen and they were finishing some leftover presents they hid until this point with Uncle's being a book from his collection he was giving to Camelia, as he also wrapped a small box up for Jade that he figured she was ready for.

"The two did have a great day today at least." Viper decided to state with Jackie and Uncle agreeing with the former thief with Jackie accepting the clear tape to finish his final gift for Jade, "Indeed… Camelia does well to try and curb her tendencies at times, and even has the reading books that she even likes."

Jackie has been trying to get Jade to read as soon as his niece and cousin first arrived with little to no success, but once the Potter Girl started to tell her about the different story books out there, they both were reading together at times ever since, games, and more alongside training.

"Little Flower and Jade are good with each other as time will be patient, but they must develop slowly as Faolan and Servant Amelia reminded me of their status as Soulmates. They may be young, but they will as they age, start to realize things for themselves." Uncle piped up with the final touches to his gift to make the other two adults blink at the old man at being reminded of that.

"Is it rare to have a Soulmate?" Viper questions Uncle with them following her to place the gifts under the fake tree as he gives a single and gentle curt nod, "Yes. A Soulmate is indeed precious to oneself and the other involved, as there are both blessings and curses to being deemed a soulmate. As you both learned from Sorcerer Faolan."

Viper and Jackie shivered at that as it was both interesting yet unpleasant as he made them learn many things under three and a half hours not only that but what to expect to later inform the girls when they are finally interested in things.

It was then Jackie saw some presents that he knew he didn't wrap, or what the others got for the girls with their versions of the wrappings, but decided to think about some of the agents may be giving the children gifts themselves, and turned to them before they froze at hearing the recently added doorbell they added in case the doors were locked, to alert them of people outside.

Perplexed as to who would want to be at the shop at this hour, they headed to the shop entrance and saw a medium-sized wooden crate on the ground with a note on top of it.

After being told to get it inside with Uncle reading the note, Jackie placed the crate on the table seeing there was insulation alongside both he and Viper didn't see Uncle's briefly wide eyes and schooled his features as he placed the note into his pockets, after folding it neatly that is.

"It is a gift from someone who has yet to reveal themselves as of yet, to Little Flower." Uncle began admitting from what he planned to only state from the note, "They plan to come midday on Christmas Eve to see her and visit until after New Year on the third, and hope whatever they took that crate from, would further protect what they will reveal, in time."

"Can we even trust this person or whoever informed them of your Shop, Uncle?" Jackie questions before he got a two-finger slap from the old man with him stating 'Yes', "This person only became aware of her being alive, and then was informed by the other that will escort their direction to us at a meeting… At these coordinates." Uncle informed the two with both adults blinking after they looked up where the meeting was to take place, and sighed as Jackie stated to himself, "You gotta be kidding me."

The location was within the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, within Santa Cruz, California, and Jackie knew that it was a place based on the one movie for the girls, and more with recent reports of unsolved kidnappings as of late.

They did decide to open the crate up and revealed… It was a time-frozen cute sleeping kitten that was lightly crimson red and beige in colors, with the red being around the head and small barely detailed stripes on the sides, as the crate also had other things they decided to leave alone with placing the things back into it.

After a while, it was just Uncle that was awake in his home as he was in his study, and looking over the secret and hidden Chinese Kanji that was placed just for him.

Jackie went with Viper on a suggestion of date from the old man, as he could handle both girls, and the two oddly accepted his offer and went to a bar to simply talk and hang out.

Uncle lightly taps his pencil on the desk as he was still translating the inscription, as he researched the stamp at the bottom of the note, firstly, before attempting this.

After a few minutes, he translated it all and read it, and hid the urge to 'Ah-Ya' to himself before sharply turning around as he heard unexpected clapping, and to see a cloaked individual who snuck easily into his home with ease, didn't appear threatened when Uncle got out a blowfish from his desk. "It took you a while, Chi Wizard, but I was expecting you to solve it in around a minute and a half."

"Why did you invade Uncle's home?!" Uncle demanded to only falter for a few secs in place by the chuckle the man had before lowering his hood to reveal it is Aeroza, "The seals you recently placed are meant to keep Evil Entities with dire intentions out, and to the truth, I am not."

This caused Uncle to drop his guard half-heartedly with him still pointing his magic weapon at Aeroza, questionably, "You not evil?"

Uncle stiffened by what Aeroza told him then with a casual shrug as if it was common things or knowledge, "No… But I did by a mishap, may have eradicated several universes by mistake before returning them in full use, eons ago, and with most, not all, recalling. That was when I was using my full power and did so in a fight that forced me to do so."

I detect no lies in this man's tone… Uncle wearily thought for brief moments before changing the subject to amuse Aeroza then, "Who are you?"

"That is the question itself, isn't it? You should know by now, Gerald Chan," Uncle blinked in hidden shock at this man knowing his actual name, as Aeroza continued with making the old man slightly irritated by him casually looking and touching his things as he did so, "I am an entity that too can become any gender, well… Any reference to what my half-reincarnated soulmate prefers at that, and even more if you look into whom I'm surprised that you forgot about."

Seeing he had the confused yet rapt attention from the old man and his guarded stance was gone, picked up a jar of beetle larvae and shook it as Uncle gave a nod of 'Yes', as Aeroza took one and ate it without barfing, and made the Chi Wizard widen his eyes in now recalling who he was, after moments to think, "We met long ago when you were still young, and needed guidance and more from the reasons you know. And more. With an example of whom to turn to for your training, and even introduce you to particular foods to aid in your health."

"How are you back here? And still so young?" Uncle questioned in a friendly yet stunned tone with Aeroza merely shaking his head before making Uncle give a slight wary 'Thanks' by placing without warning, a perfect cup of oolong tea and a frozen drink in each of their main hands, sipped his for a few moments before replying to him in amusement and making the old man holding the urge to facepalm to himself at forgetting that too, "You were warned of my blessed yet cursed immortality, were you not?"

"Yes… But so that would mean-" Uncle nods before he tries to speak his minded question until Aeroza raises his hand to stop him with a gentle look on his face, "It is true. Most have been kept at bay for years until the one child used her few untamed powers to send a massive wave to break the barrier from this world and soon… Unforeseen consequences shall transpire in time. Both to that of good and destructive conditions, and more."

"Uncle does not like the sound of this." The old man acknowledges Aeroza as he gulped down his decently warm drink and placed the fancy silver cup on the desk, and the mentioned man himself had softened eyes and headed over to Uncle with gently rubbing his shoulders assuredly, "Well, my friend. It may sound alarming but it is going to happen, as you and those you know, the one-child involved, can oversee things… Though, there is a particular book that has been encircled amongst the world, alongside what occurred for particular orbs and cubes, to be dispersed among the world once again. The child herself has several prophetic tellings, one which was fake and another, currently active alongside your great-niece: Jadis "Jade" Maria Chan."

Uncle slumped as he understood, as he was still secretly looking into Camelia herself, and was not even close as to what she became, and knew that their world would be in trouble by not what they knew, but by other forces as well, at some point.

"I will check or even assist now and then, Gerald," Aeroza began to state by placing some things closeby on a lab table that Uncle will have to sort later, "And do note that she and Jade, that Jadis wants to go by as a name, have potential to when it is awakened or needed by them, as they will be passing a test of sorts to fully obtain not only what they are destined to gain, but whatever weapons they have already by any means, will be fused with it. I am leaving with plenty of rare or hard-to-find ingredients for you, and hope that during the next upcoming Chinese New Year, you will not be upset about the child's origins."

Uncle raised an eyebrow at that yet before he could say or question Aeroza, he vanished in a silent popping-like rainbow mist that evaporated quickly into nothing, and saw a few sealed envelopes on his desk, and sighed as he got up and began to take care of his given things.

---

The next day, December 24th of 1999 on a Friday, around 9:43AM within Uncle's Shop:

Camelia let out a soft raspy yawn as she stretched while sitting up within the covers of her bed, and her hair frizzled and wild from not knowing, she tossed and turned during the night.

She did wince from feeling her central part of her back being in small moments of pain that quickly faded, and got up with seeing Jade was already up, and slowly walked to the restroom as at times, she was a morning person, and others, not, and this was one of her days.

After she splashed her face and brushed her teeth, she got her outfit on from wearing a slip-on nightgown based on her eye in color, and blinked once she got into the kitchen at seeing Jackie was in a good mood with making waffles and more for breakfast, and even some Morning Rice (a type of rice that's cooked thoroughly and mixed with light sugar and butter, and hints of cinnamon).

Uncle was drinking his usual coffee and Jade merely waved at her with food in her mouth, and Camelia figured that Viper was back at the base of Section 13, and greeted her friend with a grin after swallowing, "Morning Amy!"

Camelia rasped out to her friend then and gathered her food with some peanut butter and sliced bananas for her waffles and scrambled eggs, "Morning… Jade." Her voice though was less scratchy than normal, as she was well-rested this time.

"Seems like the voice lessons are being shown, Little Flower," Uncle admits before sipping his drink Camelia nodded, as she decided to try and talk whenever her throat wasn't sore or worse, and only sign when she needed to rest her voice and was decided during Mid-November, herself if anyone was wondering.

"Yes… And it… Is somewhat easier… To speak," Camelia softly spoke with her and wincing at times to which both Uncle and Jackie gave knowing looks as she began to eat her breakfast, and halfway through her food she and Jade blinked at what Jackie told them, and finally took notice on the large counter space of said wooden crate, "That was left to you, Camelia. There was no sender but it is a late gift of sorts, mixed with telling you both that Captain Black is giving us a jet to take to Santa Cruz for a few hours before coming back."

Jade was rather confused by Camelia's slightly excited look at the city name, until she paused before beaming like she was with Uncle only shaking his head at their happy moods, as Jade exclaimed in equal excitement to Jackie from now recalling the city, "We're going to where the Lost Boys was filmed?!"

Jackie simply shook his head as the movies he knew Camelia had, made it that the girls wanted to see where the realistic movies took place in the world and knew by his job at times, he can try and do so and despite what is to come, he was planning on heading over there anyway due to another fellow archeology expert requesting to at least see him before Christmas Day or so, out of urgency.

"Yes with being as I told you two, mixed with an archeologist asking me during my time with Viper out of urgency as well," Jackie informed them to make Uncle raise an eyebrow at his grown charge, and with Camelia being joyful yet she couldn't shake the feeling which she felt like Deathwing within her was agreeing, that things were going to take an interesting turn while there.

After they all got around with Camelia making some oolong tea based on apples and cinnamon for them all, and with Uncle learning how to make said tea if he wants more of it from her, as the trio and Viper were on the jet, as Augustus Black wanted to come yet he was overloaded with power work he needed to file if he wanted to do the holidays tomorrow night.

Though, the Potter Girl did store whatever was in the crate to check later on, when they get back that is, however.

Camelia was currently at this point was looking out the window with Deathwing agreeing with her within her sanctuary via her mind, from oddly imagining herself with four wings and flying within the very sky with ease, and was snapped out of it by Jade being next to her as she asked her friend then, "So, since we're almost there, should we hit the boardwalk with Viper?"

Camelia pondered this as she knew the boardwalk would be a decent idea as they looked into it before leaving. They, the city and boardwalk owners, were hosting a holiday concert before closing up for the rest of the month until the third week of January.

"Sounds… Good." Camelia told Jade to which she then coughed and drank some water given to her earlier by the stewardess attendant of the jet, and Jade gave her a pointed look then, "You know, they said it will take time for you to speak more normally, Amy. You don't need to stress yourself out."

Camelia tinted at the reminder before grabbing their gaming consoles and they played for a bit to the much-needed sigh of Jackie as Viper was amused, and eventually, both girls were with her at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Despite it being California's oldest surviving amusement park and one of two seaside parks on the West Coast of the United States (with the other being the Santa Monica Pier), the city, just like the movie the girls liked, has a Mediterranean climate characterized by cool, wet winters and warm, mostly dry summers. Fog and low overcast are common features during the night and morning hours, especially in the summer.

They saw the band's performances on the stage, the rides galore, and especially seeing two specific places: The Giant Dipper, and the famous Carousel, on the boardwalk as well.

After riding both rides and doing things, a few hours later, they were soon met with Jackie and were rather perplexed by him taking them all to a disclosed beach which seemed to have been temporarily closed for reasons unknown.

"Jackie, why we're here?" Jade decided to start before Camelia could say or sign anything out and made the Potter Child blink at her friend from asking her question, and saw that Viper, despite wearing some blue and purple beads around her neck as they went with mixed culture and Mardi Gras Theme for the event, gave Jackie a look as he sighed.

He then rubbed his head with him seeing both girls owlishly blink at him in utter shock with them looking at each other at the end with crossed arms, "We were told to meet someone here who is rather part of Camelia's life… Not sure whom, but it was placed last night from the crate given to you." In the end, though he gazed at the mentioned child.

Before even she or Jade could reply, they all stilled as the ground unexpectedly began to shake and nearly make them fall onto themselves as further away inland and within the plains, something unforeseen may have arrived.

"What was that?!" Jade exclaimed as they saw that whatever caused that quake, did some damage further away at the boardwalk with small fires and whatnot, even distant sirens were heard within the city itself.

"Not sure…" Viper began before giving Jackie a look, "Maybe it's a good idea to postpone-" she stiffened with Jackie being perplexed by the girls looking behind him, and turned around as they saw how this person arrived and was stunned by not how old the person looked, but what this person was wearing.

The person took on the appearance of a cute young girl or preteen around 4'6 with long black hair down to her hips, dull-grey wide-delicate eyes, and an oval face. Her ears differ from a normal human's as they have pointed tips, although her long black hair also makes this feature difficult to notice. Her dark grey eyes also have reptilian, slitted pupils. She wore, however, a provocative black gothic lolita dress that exposed her breasts, albeit with black cross-shaped tape covering her nipples, and went well with her slim yet decent figure with a large AA-Cup-sized chest.

She glanced at them all without emotion before looking right at Camelia, and the child herself saw how her eyes softened only at her and saw her calmly blink between her then and Jade with slightly hinted intrigue before schooling her emotions, and gazed neutrally at both adults with them.

"Which one of you is Chan?" She raised a question calmly to make Jackie gulp exactly like Viper, despite seeing this girl's appearance, they felt like if they said the wrong thing or more, there would be consequences as he hesitates yet raises his hand and acknowledges warily, "That will be me, Jackie Chan."

The girl eyed him critically then for a few moments and then nodded only once before stating to them in a way, she was judging them, "I sense things… It seems you took care of things well."

Jade leaned over to her friend as Camelia wordlessly nodded silently in agreement as not known to her, Deathwing was sweating from seeing from his host's eyes who this person was, "She seems like she doesn't get out much."

The girl did hear this but chose to ignore it as she soon went over to Camelia and began examining her to confuse the two children with not seeing hidden rage from easily detecting the old scars and wounds that have healed in time, memories from a secret unseen spell, and also intrigue her of what potential she has and has yet to unlock further with her staring into each other's eyes for mere moments.

After that, she paused before calmly walking a few steps away from them and made all four blink as she glanced back and stated calmly to them in order, "I would like to get some food… Come."

After seeing people being weirded out by the girl's appearance as they reentered the boardwalk itself and with Jade seeing the silent yet knowing look from Camelia as she looked to be deeply thinking to herself, they came to the Barbary Coast Restaurant and ordered food… A lot of food between both Camelia and the mystery girl with hers being mainly fish baskets, and all three of Jade, Viper, and Jackie as he mentally cried for his wallet, saw how they ate with gusto.

After nearly half an hour, they were all in a secluded area, and seeing the girl was guarded when it came to the larger crowds, she stated in a half-firm tone with narrowed eyes at Jackie then, "The massive offering has pleased me… But are we secluded enough to prying ears?"

"We are at least," Jackie informed her with suspicion as he saw Viper giving a wordless motion to know she knew something was up, and he nodded as she took both Jade and Camelia to the nearby comic shop that now had games with it, and Jackie was the only one to strangely notice for a few seconds the unexpected possessive growl from her lips as she saw the Ex-Thief taking mainly Camelia away.

"I figured maybe whatever you wish to speak, would be spoken without younger ears," Jackie tells her to which she sharply gazed at him neutrally and nodded once in wordless response to know she understood.

It was tense silence with hearing families or whatever having fun at the boardwalk as Jackie wasn't expecting what the girl decided to state bluntly to him, alongside her name he thought sounded familiar, "I am rather crossed as to what I sense have transpired with her… I am Ophis, and if it is true, I am overdue to make sure her needs are met. I am her true parent."

"You mean you're Camelia's…" Jackie trailed off in utter shock and seeing the girl, Ophis showed a twinkle in her eyes to know she was amused before telling him calmly with a firm nod, "Yes. I am her true mother. Long ago a woman summoned me alongside her mate, and several others, to help conceive the Hatchling… Her eggs become sterile from an unexpected attacking curse, and her male mate being from when younger of…" here she paused to think of the words and stated to him then, "A lab accident."

"We know that both her parents were magic users, but do not fully know who they are except they were labeled to us as The Potters… At least from what Captain Black informed us." Jackie told her then making Ophis blink slowly to this before narrowing her eyes at recognizing the person but Jackie only thought she was doing so for something else, and firmly questioned him then as he sighed, "She was harmed or worse?"

As Jackie began to inform the more-than-average girl about things, Viper, Jade, and Camelia were further out and Jade asked in bewilderment at seeing the Potter Girl eating more food they got without seeing that Jade also made her tint for a few moments, "Where do you put all that?"

Before Camelia could sign out her response, they stilled like the rest of the crowd as several massive shadows passed overhead within the sky to confuse everyone, before some random person pointed right to the sky with chaos happening as the trio saw several groups of winged creatures began to cause chaos and mayhem with them looking to be searching for something or someone.

They were all flying reptiles that bear more than a passing resemblance to those which ruled the skies during the time of the dinosaurs, with wingspans of up to nine feet. They resemble mainly hairless bats in terms, though they lack prominent ears or noses. They also display sexual dimorphism, with there being two males having hair on their back in the shape of a mohawk, and the rest being females that have hoods resembling that of a cobra's, and each one has a strange black and gothic collar-like device around their left ankles.

Everyone at the boardwalk began to flee and panic from the unexpected plasma bolt attacks the creatures made to scatter the larger crowds, as, during this, Jade, Viper, and Camelia were separated from each other.

Camelia was looking frantically for Jade, Viper, or even Jackie and the unknown girl within the fleeing crowds before tripping over herself, and winced in brief pain as she shakily stood up and grew wary as she spotted one of the larger females sharply turning to her, roared and she began to flee on foot from the creature.

Jade wasn't doing any better alongside Viper as they were equally shared in a chase by the two of them, before managing to lose them from going into a tent that was set up for the bands.

Seems due to their wing size, it was harder to get themselves in as the creatures snapped and tried clawing the tent to get to them, and Jade made one yowl in pain from shattering with a slam to a male's head, an electric guitar to which it fled and gave Viper a sheepish look before they were using whatever they could find gassing the stubborn creatures.

With Jackie, he was oddly glad Ophis was with him as by one mere look, they avoided the duo like the plague as she easily caught a female and killed it by snapping the neck, as they began to look for the other three girls.

Out in the distance and observing intelligently within the sky, was an alpha female that was thrice the creature's size with a collar around her neck instead of the ankle, and on top of the dragon-sized beast was a fully black-cloaked figure with dull-bronze demonic-gothic armor plating mixed and with a helm representing a Basilisk Head with ruby-red eye socket covers, was as well before grabbing a strange-looking and unnaturally glowing orb around the size of a large golf ball before crushing it as an immense black mist came forth and from behind the person, it formed into an instant vortex as dozens upon dozens of the creatures soon came out and headed to the city.

Those that were still fleeing, fled faster and began to hide as well from the onslaught with Ophis firmly narrowing her eyes as she held raw energy within her hands, and sent phantasmal snakes of various kinds at those around their area to which Jackie gapped in stunned shock as those creatures, were turned to dust.

"If you are done gawking… I need to find her." Ophis calmly intoned in a neutral hint of being both annoyed by the invasion of creatures, and not getting a chance to get to know what was deemed her hatchling, with Jackie warily following the girl with her using abilities that he was glad he wasn't being involved as an enemy for.

With Camelia, she was still blindly running without even knowing that she sent golden and silvery-emerald mixed raw energy at some creatures to cause them to implode without causing a bloody mess in a concealed bubble, with her fears mixed with her power doing so in defense as high above the sky, was the dragon-sized beast and its rider.

The rider above snarled in contempt as he, yes he, watched as the child ran into the cave in utter fear for her safety, and tugged the reins of his mount to elect warble-like hisses a few times before flying off to the concealed encampment miles from the spot.

Camelia didn't realize she was in the Hudson's Bluff's Sea Cave, aka, the same place they shot the Lost Boy Lair, as she went over to curl into a fearful-looking ball on the strangely fresh-covered bed and not knowing that whatever remains of the movie, looked fresh or clean as if there was still slight residency in it, and mixed with the fans detailed or rumored "Atlantis Hotel" that is one of many resorts that sank in 1906, due to a large quake, and was still there.

What the child herself didn't realize was that she was sitting next to an orb that was the color of a ruby as it glowed off and on when she was near it on the bed.

Without warning, as not known to her that Ophis and her friends were easily dealing with the invading creatures, she was unexpectedly grabbed by someone within moments and was dragged off the bed, and whoever it was, didn't see that orb slowly growing as time went by from absorbing the fearful spurt of the child's magic, to see it was a fully cloaked man with glowing crimson eyes.

Camelia the longer she was forced to stare at him, felt like her body was fully paralyzed yet she could see and hear everything the stranger had to say as he took a deep breath from smelling her before seeing, to her growing horror, he was a vampire with not only longer canines and longer fangs, but his teeth were also sharp while looking wild from the rugged beard and hair he had under the hood, and even confused her by what he called her as well, "You smell so delicious, my little нефилим дракон. Your blood is probably so rich and tasty, it might keep me sated for a week…" His fangs slightly elongated as he easily maneuvered her neck to the side to have eased access and was about to bite it, before an explosion of raw energy came from the bed the orb was in after the energy within from the child's donation, caused it so, and separated both the vampire and the child into two separate parts of the room.

The vampire was grabbed within moments by the entity itself in a firmly gripping chokehold to which he was making futile attempts to struggle within the one-handed hold from the lengthened left arm itself and with Camelia blinking a few times to get her eyesight to focus and the feeling back into her body and did a raspy gasp at seeing the person glance to her, with the person being a woman with gleaming hue and non-bloodlust yet curious intriguing eyes at her.

She is initially an attractive young nineteen-year-old woman with platinum-blonde and dark blonde blended hair that was cut into a flare cut style and she has widely-angular eyes that are fully red with hinted dark blue around the iris. She had a fairly broad-shouldered torso, yet maintained a very voluptuous and buxom figure (which is an F-Cup), which was further accentuated by the fact that she is considerably 5'5 (165cm) in height, to be short. Her left arm was shadowy-looking with energy-based orange and crimson matter, perfectly blended and mixed, and wore a burgundy-red uniform with a matching mini-skirt, beige long stockings, ankle-fold black boots, and gloves that were fingerless.

The man was then spouting the same weird language right at the woman, who sharply turned and glared at the vampire as if she understood the language yet blinked in surprise as to what the male vampire rudely called the child in the same two words before making him scream in unholy yells as he was somehow burned alive with the left arm being the cause.

Once the vampire was fully erased into ashes and dust, the woman's arm went back to normal as she lowered her left arm, looked to see the child was in a ball once again in fear and sighed holding her head before she noticed and blinked in minor shock as she saw a partially broken mirror close by and saw her eyes and hair was mixed with her old and current self.

The female shook her head before gazing at the child once more before hearing the sounds of battle and was rather stunned with her recoiling from some exposed light from her slamming the deceased male vampire and saw she wasn't burning up at all.

She chose to check on this later as she went carefully over to the child and saw her flinch yet didn't move from her position as she began to gently rub her fingers through the child's hair to try and soothe her, especially figuring out from sensing her energy, she wasn't human at all.

After several failed attempts, she managed to find a specific spot to amuse the young woman, at hearing the unexpected purring as the child instantly relaxed and fell asleep on her.

The female easily picked Camelia up in her arms and glanced at the way out in hesitation due to knowing it was currently light out, but decided to choose the child then herself, and once again knew something was wrong with her as she truly wasn't burning from the rays of sunlight, and with her sight, she saw the onslaught of creatures she was surprised to see were targeting a humanized area and sped in speed to the area with gently yet firmly holding the girl in her arms.

Back within the boardwalk, Jackie, Jade, Viper, and Ophis, out of reluctance due to knowing if these mortals were harmed, would not like the outcome and were trying to defend and defeat the creatures that simply kept coming.

"These things are persistent!" Viper yelled out to Jackie as she managed to find a metal baseball bat and was using it as a weapon to bash the creatures Jade also found a discarded and unusual red polearm she found from an antique store that was broken into, and was using it for defending herself, and shouted in agreement as she managed to impress Jackie as he ducked and saw two of the creatures clashed into two others to knock them out, "And these things are endless!"

"If you want them gone… It can be done." Ophis calmly told them after snapping a male's neck with ease before using her energy to turn it to ash, and made Jackie who heard her, ducked again with wincing as one made a facial indent on a sign, and questioned her in bafflement, "Why don't you?" He sweatdropped as the other two females did by her nonchalant and neutral response as she sent a wave into the sky to wipe at least twenty or so to their doom, "Then you will die as well… My power would erase your existence."

"I don't want that." Jade deadpanned to the half-amused female before hearing a few words she didn't get a chance to hear as she was blasted by raw electric plasma for several seconds by a beam within the sky as the smaller ones flew up and behind the female alpha beast and saw it had a rider.

"Bring me the child, and I will not lay waste to this city and land it is on." The rider shouts down below to them in an echoing voice that was slightly deep yet sounded like it was filtered as well to hide their true voice, with the four blinking as they didn't see the rider sweatdrop by Jade's words, "That guy means me?"

Ophis, let out an unheard growl at what the rider corrected them on and even made Jade glare at the rider, "No you foolish child, I mean the one who can shift into a beast! The one-child we know is The Golden One! Hand her over or as I said, these creatures of mine will be less compared to what I can summon forth I own."

To further prove that, the rider summoned a much larger vortex with Ophis blinking in inner shock and the others showing faces of unexpected moments of wariness by seeing it summoned a demonic yet silvery skeletal-based flying pterosaur with the head being that of a spinosaurus with fins on the sides of its head, and with it having maneuverable arms and hind legs to that of a velociraptor, and a dense dark energy coating through its entire frame with glowing orange eye sockets, and two serpentine tails.

It let out a loud and gargling echo roar as it casually flapped with its wings beside the rider in the challenge until it glanced somehow at the rider when he had a hand up, and declared to those below currently at the boardwalk, "This creature was made from the ways of the forbidden arts… And like it, it serves my cause to my master. This is one of few greater beasts from which I was bestowed."

The rider then raised his hand with it being open as the four were soon guarded, as the person then made a swift fist as he told the creature then, sensing Jade to make her wary, "Defeat the three elders… Bring the child as we can use her."

The creature soon flapped rapidly and charged downwards with a black mist trailing behind its wings as the rider took off from sensing the other child was on the move and decided to risk it with the rider's accomplice to find the duo, as the four on the boardwalk prepared themselves.

Ophis sensed the beast was far from ordinary with her having no choice but to use lesser attacks to not harm the trio, they began running instead of fighting as it opened its maw and a small legion of ghostly orbs swarmed out of it in a massive shadowy wave with then seeing whatever the wave it, and if it can become ash, did so as it only touched the objects or leftover food spilled.

While Jackie was shouting, bad day, Viper grabbed Jade as she tripped and hurt her ankle, and stated to Ophis to which she ran equally by the ex-thief at being impressed at keeping up with her when she was only using 5% of her power to run, shouted to make the entity inwardly agree, "If you know something, do it!"

Ophis allowed the trio to head to the beach as she halted and did a full degree turn to face the continued blast of ascending breath the creature kept streaming, and held a hand out with it glowing as a barrier that held illusions of multiple snakes soon showed and easily deflected it away from its true path, and back to the creature.

This startled it as it was hit with its attack, and caused it to forcibly land with Ophis simply raised a single eyebrow at being impressed as the creature didn't decompose itself from it, and was soon pursuing them on foot this time, once the barrier was gone.

The creature then began to send plasma blasts about the size of a basketball, repeatedly, and with each attack nearly missing or missing entirely and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage as they managed to run on the beach and with the beast's feet easily kicking up sand behind it.

Up above observing this was the rider, who frowned within the helm they wore, and then got an idea as they grabbed a dark and foreboding green orb from a secret latch from the gauntlet and knew how powerful the entity below was, as their master only stated to use it if someone like her was around, or any other similar, and tossed it below casually and left to try and finish what the accomplice couldn't.

The orb itself dropped fast and made an indent that was around forty feet wide and deep before it burst into powerful, raw energy that formed into a shape that soon took off to where the powerful opponent was.

With Ophis, she was still with both the Chan Clan Members and Viper as they reached an eventual dead-end of sorts by a cliffside leading further upward to land, and had a barrier that make her struggle, the creature was constantly attacking it.

"The creature… Grows powerful… With each siphon!" Ophis gritted out to worry the trio with her over before Jade unexpectedly clutched her chest where her heart was in growing worry then as it was like before to know her friend was in trouble and blinked as she saw a glowing blurr of sorts- The four were sent back with the creature yowling with it turning into a black mist, and fled to see another problem that Ophis narrowed her eyes over as they got up with seeing a clear pathway leading up to land was made by this entity before them.

It was mainly a fel-fire or hellish-green and silvery flames Balrog Demon, and with demonic obsidian gothic plated armor with demon runes on parts of it, and it was smaller compared to the types as it was only ten feet tall, and looked female of sorts with pure-glowing white eyes and a collar around its neck.

"It is here for me… Find my hatchling." Ophis calmly ordered them to which they blinked at how fast she ran to which the creature gazed at them for a few moments before growling unnaturally and taking off after the dragon entity.

Jackie quickly caught Jade as Viper and he soon noticed she looked a bit pale with her grabbing her chest as the two adults shared a look, and knew what this meant from the long lecture from Faolan.

With Camelia and the person trying to protect her, they were still on the run and made it to a wooden area in the city limits, and were fully covered at last from hearing the yowling shriek of the other person who rode that large beast and the woman knew that whatever that individual shot her with, is making the child weaker by the minute.

She crushed the dart with ease and with making sure to recall the odd words that were on it, as she tried soothing the child to no avail with seeing those tears Camelia had, painfully fall on her face as she got up with her still in her arms, and began to move without seeing the spots where her tears fell, were roses in different variations soon bloomed.

The woman felt a cold shift briefly in the air and saw as she ran further without having to breathe, saw shadowy wolves with collars on their necks chasing after them.

The woman was able to defend her and the child earlier from one-arm-fighting against the corrupt golem of a Minotaur the rider summoned to test her out from sheer curiosity, before leaving with the comrade similar to the rider yet wore armor closer to a tiger, tried shooting her with the dart yet it hit the child instead.

She was able to defeat the person who left after receiving orders from an imp and tried to see what was wrong with the child before the rider resumed their efforts at trying to get the child and defeat her, until this point within the dense forest within the land.

She went left and right at untold speed expertly avoiding obstacles as the large dire wolf-sized shadowy wolves tried clawing or snapping their jaws with each one a failure, and she ended up passing both Ophis and the Balrog as they paused in their attacks from the clearing, and saw the woman with Camelia ran before the wolves after, and then resumed their battle.

With Jackie and the other two girls, they were following where Jade was pointing as from whatever the phantom sensations she felt from Camelia, it was getting worse as her skin was fully pale, before they were knocked down by a speeding blurry person and saw it was not only the woman but the missing child who didn't respond with her laying on top of Jade herself.

"She was shot with a dart from a brand labeled as 'Shadow Corp.'." The woman states to them crucially with her not seeing the brief jealous look from Jade at carrying Camelia again, a few minutes later with the small group wary from knowing they were being stalked by the wolves that were smarter to know who was a threat, and those that are not.

Jackie glanced at Viper as there was a rumor from the agents about another organization or two on their radar, the Shadow Corp. being one of them.

"She hasn't responded to my words or any movement either and has been crying in utter pain," the woman said with them hearing the worry in her tone and seeing that Jade was wincing as well.

Without warning, the wolves decided to attack with both Viper and Jackie not prepared to see the woman give Camelia to Jackie as they saw her left arm reshape itself into a maneuvering blade as she defended them.

The wolves were made of darkness as with each successive slice, they dispersed into a smokey mist of sorts with the two other adults carrying the two girls and were jogging away as fast as they could with the young woman following behind them as a defense system of sorts.

They were soon in a dense and fully clear area of the woods seeing the wolves converged into a massive, skeleton-based, giant dire wolf of sorts with four glowing eyes, and four tails with bat-like furred wings, hence the head, top part of the back in a ridge-line, parts of the front and hind legs, still had fur as the rest was scaled like a reptile.

The true creature roared yet before it could attack, the three adults blinked with seeing Ophis was about to interfere yet held fast with being amused, from freeing that entity after making it submit to her beforehand, when another unforeseen entity collided and began to fight-wrestle the creature itself.

It was the same creature that, not known to them, was summoned by Lily herself.

The creature was purposely attacking the Shadowy Dire Wolf away from them with Ophis letting out a sigh.

Ophis then went over to Camelia, and with her hands glowing to make all three be startled as she was able to easily go right into her heart and appeared to have grabbed something, and when she pulled out… A black slimy looking solution that was alive and easily crushed it before telling them then, after, "They are asleep and fully healed… The solution is a sentient creature to slowly weaken my hatchling to try and summon an entity, is dead."

"That's a relief of sorts," Jackie commented openly with Viper giving him a look Ophis eyed the nineteen-year-old and pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation before looking calm and neutral once again.

Ophis then made them jump as she glanced upwards and the young woman hastily made a barrier with her arm to then jaw-dropping in equally shared stunned and startled looks to the entity herself as she easily turned the forest around them into a massive clearing up to a few miles, and declared loudly into the sky, "Show yourself."

They heard a familiar warble sound before seeing it was the rider, who was secretly seething under the helm as he spoke to know he was not pleased, but withheld his anger, "It seems that we will have to try again at another date… But next time, we will have success."

The rider summoned a dark vortex and entered it alongside, seeing out in the distance several smaller ones were made to suck up the creatures, and with the beast that Lily summoned long ago, blinked in utter confusion as its opponent was sucked into its very own and whining about not finishing the battle.

After a bit, they were back on the jet with the young woman to horrify Jackie and intrigue both Viper and Ophis, alongside Camelia as Jade was safely sleeping on a chair further behind the child, was drinking donation human blood she secretly 'Borrowed' from a nearby hospital that had extra, to learn she was an unusual vampire.

She introduced herself as Seras Victoria and from her dumbed face after learning the date wasn't to what she knew, she was rather surprised to learn to relax and make her wary, she wasn't at all in her realm or timeline and probably explain her feelings as to how she can withstand the sunlight with ease, from them theorizing with her being entrapped by an orb, her realm either was taken or ended, from what Faolan words were to both Jackie, Uncle and Captain Black a week ago upon asking.

To explain a bit more of the orbs, they were indeed hosts to those either good, neutral or evil, even anti-based as well, with rare chances of their original realm being taken or destroyed by entities untold for either a month to many, many years.

Well, back to Seras, the last she knew was that she and her creator, Alucard, were sent by the Hellsing Corp. to deal with reports of unusual ritualistic activity in California and odd coincidences, the same city as such, and were outnumbered by strange and unusual, amber-eyed entities with a few cloaked individuals wearing a sigil she forgot about and fully consumed the land with her blanking out until she did as she said to the unusual Russian Vampire she ended.

"So is your arm always like that?" Viper translated from an awake yet still tired Camelia to make Ophis know her hatchling was curious and also, was biding her time to speak alone with her as Seras nodded with her knowing she should have taken sign language classes in case of this like her creator mentioned beforehand, and gently told the child then, "It's part of my blood adjusted to what you see, as I lost my original arm years ago. It took me time to adjust it to the way it was doing to defend you and your comrades, Little One."

Camelia nodded before tinting at hearing her stomach lightly growl with her then sneezing and Seras giving Jackie looks as she had a fully cooked leg of mutton on her lap with a bib around her neck, and a large plate as well, to realize that the child was chaotic in magic, from overhearing his sigh at that and Viper's amused soft chuckle.

With Camelia eating her summoned food, a few minutes later, and not knowing thousands of miles below that an order was missing in a restaurant, Seras went to discuss terms with both Jackie and Viper to leave both Ophis and the child, alone, and with hearing Jade in the background to amuse the Potter Child, of her lightly snoring as she never complains of her doing so.

It was a slightly tense silence as Camelia wasn't sure she could trust Ophis or not, despite seeing the understanding eyes from the entity's passive and calm face her and didn't mean to make her jump as she elected to go first, in the child's seat and inwardly impressed by her hatchling's power keeping the food floating for her to eventually grab, "I have waited some time to seek you out."

"Seek me out?" Camelia signed to her without seeing Ophis withheld her rage once again from recalling the lengthy yet short conversation with Jackie Chan, and calmly told her with a small smile on her features as, unlike Seras, she nabbed a book and sped through it to learn the silent language, "Yes… I may not show much emotion as to what I am, and am still trying to express myself. I am an entity known as Ouroboros Drake and more titles… I do have questions later on when you are ready to answer, but I do not want to overwhelm you."

It seems like Camelia might know who she was as she no longer looked wary, but very curious and amazed to be in her presence, to which Ophis found it inwardly amusing as she stated who she was then, and also tried to hide her emotions of rage from how raspy the child's voice was to know she was still having lessons to speak more, "You're… Ophis!"

Ophis nodded once with Camelia somehow feeling she pleased her before the Dragon Girl soon got up and soothed Camelia from coughing as Ophis' mind was soon coming up with a plan to maybe contact one of her hatchling's father's, with an opportunity at some point, and gave her a look to know what the child was thinking about and easily knew what her life was in a mere second once again, by a simple gaze into her orbs to plan things, as Ophis saw how truly exhausted the child was as well.

"We could speak more to each other once we are settled in a place of your choice?" Ophis offered as truthfully, she wanted to know more about her hatchling's personality and more to herself as she did send that crate as a gift, especially that cursed cat who was more than she seemed, and Camelia was about to object before she let out a yawn and looked at her sheepishly after.

She did let out a startled raspy yelp as Ophis easily picked Camelia up and slowly walked her to a spare large couch the jet had and placed her down before making Camelia blink in being stunned as Ophis glowed a violet color before becoming a different look to which she was once again inwardly amused by the tint her hatchling had for a few moments on her face.

She became a beautiful looking woman in her mid-twenties with considerably large breasts (G-Cup) and being around at least 5'8 feet tall, with a round rear and slender legs alongside her now revealing gothic lolita dress, perfectly designed for her body to be, in terms, a true goddess.

"This is my true adult look to this form… I rarely stay in it due to unwanted attention." Ophis admits to her with the Nothing Drake holding her amusement with simply showing a small smile and glinting eyes at seeing Camelia was fighting her need to sleep, and the child saw her hesitate before gently caressing through her hatchling's hair to unknowingly relax her further with her barely fighting her urge to sleep.

Ophis kept doing this until Camelia finally passed out and was once again amused from recalling a few nights back then, of her surrogate blood mother purring as she did as she then got up, and glanced to see the red-faced Jackie and Viper at finally seeing her look, and with Seras simply shrugging it off as she held another blood pack and was sipping it gently.

Ophis merely raised an eyebrow with her crossing her arms to see if they had something to say, unknown to her she pushed her chest up a bit without meaning to, and Jackie coughed into his hand as they sat across from Camelia then with it being silent for a few moments.

"If you are wondering if I will claim her… That is up to her to decide." Ophis decided to confess calmly to them with her easily shifting back to her preferred look, as she was told by a few she befriended to try and get used to her shape's true look from deciding to stay as a female, and with her sitting regally in her position as Jackie alongside Viper were inwardly grateful about those words.

"I will inform her who I am once we are in a truly secured place." Ophis decided to add before stating in a half-humored tone with both Jackie and Viper not doubting the female entity then, with Seras only observing the trio as she quietly slipped from her blood bag, "She is wise… Rather impressed, she figured out who I was without telling her."

"She does love to read and other things," Viper admitted to getting Ophis to nod once as at times, like her surrogate blood mother, she would read books that catch her interests in heart, "Especially when it comes to any fictional books or something related," Jackie added before he began listing things to get Ophis to understand about alongside Seras as she knew what he was talking about from her previous years, "She also loves to play games, and even watch anime and movies that pique her interest as well."

"I will keep it to mind." Ophis calmly told the two that knew a bit more of her hatchling than she had for only meeting her for a few hours out of missing opportunities to learn this herself over the years of her growing, as she did know things from the memories twice over she scanned, but she merely skimmed nearly 75% of it to see what she could find more important.

They did turn to Seras as Ophis stilled as to what she decided to bring up, knowing the two children were passed deeply out, "I did not want to mention this in front of the children, but that vampire stated a racial name I thought was to be considered a myth on your child…. A Nephilim dragon, but I know there are few rare types from my time as a vampire of my realm."

"I know by mere gaze, she is one of the types… But not sure what one as there are eight racial ones in total with the final being the rarest." Ophis spoke to the three as she soon asked Jackie himself if she could see into his mind to see the look her hatchling took, and out of reluctance, did so, and with her knowing what type she held the bridge of her nose as Jackie was given a glass of water to drink.

They blinked when Ophis began or tried to tell them what Camelia was, "She is the rarest one… I blame her surrogate blood father for recalling tales of a curse of mixed luck, to have it… She is indeed that type of drake, and I hope she will not have to resort to blood to fully restore her."

"Excuse me, blood?" Viper questions before Jackie could as Ophis sharply looked at her with a passive face with narrowed eyes, "Yes… She can also consume high powers of energy or mortal foods to replenish as well, but blood is an utterly last resort. Her type of dragon is extinct until I have seen from Chan's memories. They are related to a hardly seen and rare race as well, eons ago my blood was given to save them: The Chaosarinian… They too only take blood as a last resort, despite an appetite to rival a particular race to regain energy. Her draconian race is mixed with mine and with others due to the pact made long ago… Her appearance when in her Beastial Forme, is the cause of that… Which at some point, will fuse with her Human Self, to become something similar to me."

"To what, exactly?" Jackie warily asked Ophis to which she calmly looked at him and saw the trio were simply trying to understand her words and made them glance at each other with Jackie hopefully hoping that either Uncle or maybe Faolan would know what race she mentioned, "She will become a Humanized Drake… A Chaos and Balance variation: The Chrono-Chaosarinian, which is one of three royal variants of the race… One is the White Chaotically Balancers, another the Shadowy Unhinged Chaotics, besides as mentioned for the third as they are both combined and rarer."

After that, it was mere silence except for Ophis taking Seras to the side at the far point of the jet to quietly communicate with each other, close to twelve or so minutes later, and also making sure her hatchling was still sleeping, firstly.

"I am sure you are confused…" Ophis began as Seras knew the entity might know more as to why she was here and blinked back her surprise by the calmly blunt words the Nothing Drake told her then in trying to explain things, and Seras leaning on the wall as Ophis sat on a smaller enough chair for her current size, "You and many others were entrapped to what the Ancient One informed of me before my arrival to this realm once again… After so long, in orbs that could be broken by any means to which, powers or other can do so."

"So this isn't my past world?" Seras said in an understanding yet soft voice as Ophis gave a single nod to the vampire with understanding secretly showing in her own eyes as she calmly stated, "Yes… Your realm was possibly taken, and those with strong wills ended up as you previously were."

Seras did glance back to where Camelia was and to Ophis as the entity herself then referred to her with still seeing rays of sunlight hitting her body in surprise by some of the open jet windows, "You have gained immunity to the sun, and more… From what I can easily see. You have evolved into a unique way of your kind, as too few others that I may have seen."

"From your travels to other places?" Seras asked her as the vampire herself from recalling things, heard of tales of the Ouroboros Dragon in books her master told her to read to look into research at times of enemies from her previous worlds, of traveling at times to alternate realms as Ophis once again gave a single nod wordlessly to her before stating a single word, "Yes."

It was then Seras blinked at Ophis at the unexpected offer she was going to say to her, "I called you over not to discuss realms but of a job… Seeing you are a mercenary by mere looks alone." Seras gave her a look to wordlessly ask, continue, "I want you to be my hatchling's bodyguard for when she is not in safe quarters."

"Let me get this straight: You are asking a vampire to be a bodyguard for your child?" Seras questions the entity as if she grew a second head to only see the firm look on Ophis' face to know she was being serious about her words.

"You are more controlled than any I have met during my time… And you have earned my respect for at least protecting her when her fears clouded her judgment." Ophis informed her neutrally, to make Seras sigh at guessing to herself the child may have had a bad past before, and saw the pleased orbs then by the entity herself when she sighed out, "I'll do it…" Seras then got an idea with Ophis thinking the terms were fair, "I'll do it only if you can find my comrades and my creator, from figuring things being dire of my… Our previous home."

"Done." Ophis declared with Seras looking at her right hand's palm and seeing the seal based on Ophis, but it had her hatchling's full name in kanji in both holes as she ignored the minor pain it exhibited, from shaking her hand beforehand, "That will lessen in time due to your kind of race… The Seal will allow you to find her anywhere, no matter if she is taken or not… Even if the bargain will remain after your fellows are returned… Only she can adjust it later on if she no longer needs a Guardian to protect her."

Seras winced at this as this would mean if she was doing something to relax or other, then that would mean she would stop what she was doing and head right to the child, Camelia if she recalled from the conversations between both Jackie and Viper, and looked at Ophis looking thoughtful in her calm state, before admitting to making Seras herself sweatdrop, "The Seal would also do other things that I have forgot about."

After a few hours and with Seras soon getting cleared by being interrogated by the agents within Section 13, both children were awake and within their shared quarters with Jackie, as the man himself was talking with Augustus about his discoveries within Santa Cruz, as both girls were actually alright and not sick. Ophis was also with Captain Black and getting a tour of the base itself, as they still planned to return to Uncle's Shop later on.

Seras informed the duo as to whom she was, and was thankful she sped-read through a book for sign language as Camelia signed to her being stunned, "Whoever that lady is, made you my bodyguard?"

"Yes, unfortunately," Seras began with her leaning on a wall near her bed as Jade was sitting next to her as well, "From what I was told of you duo being trouble magnets, and you, Cammy, sending your servants to whatever when taking a long time, suggested this arrangement."

Seras was then amused as Jade began to question her figuring out in moments her words were meant to not try and worry about her and her friend, "But would that mean you have to drink our blood? Do we have to keep garlic around or even-" Seras held up a half-amused hand as she then informed the two girls, "I will not ever drink your blood, as recently, I found out I can taste human food once again," Much to my delight at that, she thought for only a second to herself, "And if I do need to consume blood, your Section's Leader agreed to allow me to have a decent supply of donated blood from hospitals that has too many. I may be stuck looking like a nineteen-year-old, but I do have experiences as no, before you both either ask," from seeing they were about to ask again, "I can have garlic, but like most food for humans, it will cause a rather… An unpleasant effect on my bowels. I can also go into churches or any sacred ground, but holy water does cause irritation and then burn me if I am doused with it in a constant stream, otherwise, I can regenerate anything except my one arm here, and I can withstand sunlight."

Both girls looked at each other before turning to Seras as she was amused and reminded of her youth before tragedy struck her years ago, when she was a mortal girl, as Camelia signed out, "You good at playing games?"

With Captain Black and Ophis, they were in a secured room with Augustus somewhat glad Jackie got a phone call with Viper heading over to Faolan to check things out for herself on tidbits she refused to reveal, as, by her posture, she didn't look pleased with him.

"So… You are Camelia's true birth parent?" Augustus decided to question firstly seeing her only give him a sharp nod, resumed his questioning then, "Then perhaps you can tell me as to why you were not with her at all until this point?"

He held firm yet was secretly half-surprised of the dent she did easily on the titanium desk within the private room used for, well, questioning, and took a deep breath before calming herself, and then responded neutrally yet had a hint of anger in her tone, only slightly, as she crossed her arms under her bust within her seat, "I would rather wait until further trust is issued between you, Mortal, and to myself… I am an entity that was lied to upon learning of my hatchling's supposed demise in this reality."

Intrigued, he asked what she meant by her words as she then explained things bluntly to him, "By your reality… Your world is one of many, as mine is closer and linked enough for my travels... I came alone for now unless my brother-figure attempts to try and come to me alongside those he trusts."

Captain Black decided to keep this to himself, before he questioned her then to see she simply raised an eyebrow at him, "Now back to the previous question… You said you were lied to? Care to explain as to what lie that was?"

Ophis then told him things for the next few hours adding the minor details of her even having a half-sibling by outcomes to which, karma in terms, had out for her. Even tales of some battles to make him both be wary and impressed by, among other things as well to which, not known to her, she was secretly being recorded the entire time.

"Now that you are here, are you willing to aid in Camelia's growth and development?" Captain Augustus Black finally asked Ophis to which she gave him a neutral yet pointed look with him eventually seeing within her eyes, it was rather obvious, "Nothing will make me separate from her ever again… There is nothing I wouldn't do for her, that will not harm my hatchling." At her words, Augustus was wary of the implied meaning of hinted words of the convention.

"Well, are you aware of your child's interests then?" Captain Black hinted to make Ophis pause before she actually sighed and questioned him then, "What is she into?"

Ophis was told for another few minutes to get an idea that the crate was a slow start to heal her child, from already sensing the contents within was stored somewhere, but the other things intrigued her with keeping her hatchling's hobbies in mind as she, in turn, started to question him and turn the tables. "Why have you been keeping secrets from her, and from those she considers as pack-based kin?"

"For her safety, is why." He responded to make her narrow her eyes firmly at him with her small energy showing before reeling it in, and told him in a calm and yet hinted firm tone of wanting to know, mixed with telling him off, "Explain, as I was told most of what transpired by both Chan and The Snake Woman, or you will not end well to my growing fury."

Captain Black discreetly gulped at this as he began to explain why he was protecting or trying to protect Camelia, despite the odd outcomes she enters with the Chan Family and others, for more than thirty or so minutes.

It turns out that Camelia, after looking into things, was purposely placed onto her still-on-the-run former caretakers and kin to her surrogate blood mother, Lily, by an old man who has sway and power within England, and was by sheer dumb luck and coincidences all those months ago that the child managed to end up where she was.

Most were due to not only a false prophecy, but a few true ones as well, and mixed with the forces and corporations that want to use her or worse, especially managing to find files to those they have encountered by a mysterious man who remained anonymous in the title and placed them into their data-base within the base's true computer.

Ophis though was rather intrigued that her hatchling befriended not one, but two Demon Sorcerers with one keeping busy with projects in his quarters, and one that was cursed by a goddess, alongside being impressed even more by her child taming an entity of darkness alongside having one of few powerful drakes as a servant too, when she questioned the Leader of Section 13, and with him also indulging her of the other twenty-five sectors as well.

Once she left the man, he held his head and sighed with being exhausted unlike her, as he recalled legends and myths of the entity herself being very, very powerful, and hopes she will not cause harm to fall unto the city at least, or even this globe for that matter.

But he knew Camelia would be happy that one of few parents based on her blood sample, and asking other agencies, to hope they too, won't cause harm to the world once they find out not only about the child but of her abusive past.

Ophis, after recalling things, managed to find the shared room her child was in and slowly blinked twice with a passive look with growing amused eyes, to see her child was playing an innocent game of Twister, with Jade spinning the wheel device.

"Alright, right-hand green," Jade said with her not noticing that Ophis calmly walked over and sat beside her on the edge of her bed, as Camelia ignored the sensation of Sera's chest on her back as she was under her front, and tried to reach out and succeeded in placing her hand on a green spot, as Seras did the same near her, as they were in uncomfortable positions.

"Left-foot yellow," Jade states with Ophis not worried as Seras tripped and with her landing on top of her hatchling with discreetly having a small unseen smirk from watching her child tint before Seras easily got up and helped her hatchling up to stand as well and the trio finally took notice of her.

"So the Leader is done speaking with you then?" Seras questioned Ophis to which she gave a curt single nod of 'Yes', before looking around the room and didn't say anything about the armor, but noticed it right away while she lastly gazed at her child and made the two girls blink as Seras grabbed Jade gently, "Take her… Friend, Victoria, to grab food to go soon to the mortal shop… I want to speak to you, alone." At the end of her ordered words, she held soft eyes unseen by them at Camelia with Jade about to object before seeing Seras shaking her head at her to which she sighed and left with her.

Once they left it was mere silence for a few minutes with Camelia simply standing in place, nervously, as she talked to Deathwing while she played games with her bodyguard and friend, and he outright refused to say anything, due to being scared of what the entity would do if he told her before she can.

Camelia jumped without realizing she did so when Ophis stated in her tone of voice to which the child herself did detect a hinted emotion of being soft with her, and hesitated but slowly and gently tapped the bed in an invitation, "Come. Sit."

Camelia reluctantly did so as she has mixed feelings, and with her being somewhat grateful to the female she was soon sitting next to, soothing her secretive pain away for her to sleep it off, from what Deathwing told her from that dart she was injected with and was rather surprised she got quickly hugged by the female as well.

Camelia stiffened up, but Ophis simply held her to which the Potter Child didn't understand why, but she hesitated but quickly hugged her back, and Ophis with eyes being startled by what tears her child let out, began to raspily cry on her to which, Ophis didn't hesitate this time to gently rub her hatchling's back while holding her.

Ophis was mixed with her rage being held back to comfort her child, as she knew specific individuals who have yet to learn like she did, of their shared child in her hold, would rather be angered, pissed, or even enraged to what she knows, and can tell this was Camelia truly letting out her feelings onto a parent, not known to her, due to her age.

Especially since Ophis was rather impressed for a few moments by the strong grip her hatchling's hug was as well at times.

After nearly five and a half minutes, Ophis hid a frown of being disappointed when Camelia stiffened after realizing she was letting out her feelings onto a stranger to her, and scooted a bit on the bed away from Ophis, and made the entity herself realize it was deeper than she thought when she saw her hatchling flinch from minor contact, and knew her child was used to those that supported her within the base or at the shop she has yet to head to.

"I have given you no fear, to be afraid of me." Ophis softly told Camelia to make her realize this then, that it was true as she felt the power somehow of how truly powerful the female was, and truly detected the emotion now showing in the entity's voice that was calm but was still soft and gentle, and even her eyes were swarming with many emotions to which some she was rather confused by, as despite all this time with the Chan's and anyone she befriended, she still didn't understand the emotions at all, despite knowing what it was: Love, adoration, and affection.

Sure, she knew what family and friendship feels in a small sense as she too, had doubts at times about them: Her friends and what she considered kin, but she never understood those types of feelings at all, as she was never received by the Dursely Family.

Deathwing beforehand understood her and was her only friend and considered him as either a brother or even an uncle at times, and full-time uncle as of late, but she didn't trust the therapists or anything related to that to confess herself and to her child-like mind at times, her sins she was never responsible for as not known to them, one time ago, Deathwing prevented the child on killing herself to a day the abuse got so bad she wanted to just end her life.

In secret to that, Deathwing did block some memories until she was older enough to share and recall, especially that one day she was raped to have a forced child from a potion to make it within a few short hours, to give birth and everything, a few short years ago to know the infant might be around two or so, as of now.

Ophis gently pulled back with her eyes fully showing her emotions to Camelia, despite the calming face she always has, didn't hesitate this time to use her sleeves to startle the child by wiping her tears and stating before her hatchling could say anything, and told her calmly to which the Potter Girl did detect emotions within her voice, "I may have not been there for you before… But I am here now."

Seeing her hatchling was unsettled and wary, Ophis decided it was time to announce who she was rather than later on after the events of Christmas Day, and froze Camelia with her blinking back bleary eyes of being truly stunned and more, "I am Ophis: The Nothing Drake, Ouroboros Dragon, Infinite Dragon God, The Strongest Existence, The Ultimate Dragon, Dragon of Infinity, The Jet-Black God of Infinity, and more… I am your mother."

"You… Mother?" Camelia tried to force herself to speak or try to speak her words out before she soon had a coughing fit to which Ophis once again rubbed her hatchling's back in small circles to try and settle her coughing for nearly a few or so minutes to which she eventually settled with seeing that, from rare moments, saw an actual face to which she was rather startled by: Affection for her.

"Yes, My Hatchling." Ophis calmly told her softly to which she soon grew worried as Camelia rolled up her eyes and passed out on top of the Nothing Drake.

It was hours later with Ophis soon alone with Uncle in the kitchen within his home, as Jackie went with Viper to go pick up food and with Jade playing games while watching over Camelia as she was still passed out from being exhausted by what the doctors said, as she was low in energy, to talk of things.

"Uncle can understand your plight, as not seeing Little Flower for her mortal life until this point, is testing your very resolve." Uncle states in a knowing tone to which he saw Ophis while gently sipping the offering of his personal sweet grey tea stash, raised an eyebrow with her eyes appearing irritated with a few other emotions on that.

"In truth, Mortal… I have no clue as to how to be a mother." Ophis calmly confessed with Uncle not bothered by the title she has called numerous people who were humane, and sipped his tea for a few moments and spoke while setting it down, and only made the female entity owlishly and calmly blink at the old man by his wise words, "While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about. Even though you have not had much experience, the beginnings of parenthood can be with both joy, sadness, and anger. Joy from the love you feel for the child. Sadness when things end up not to what is expected or other things. Anger then leads to eventual compassion for when either you or your child makes mistakes and then fixes them either separately or together. Little Flower may have not shown love from her upbringing and for my age, Uncle can still see she is still trying to discover this, she is gradually coming out of her cocoon, and would blossom into whom she is meant to be… In due time."

Ophis placed the old man's words to her mind as she has planned to make her child happy by any means, and know she would rather keep her to herself and yet, knew her other parents would have none of that and knew soon, she would have to try and contact the closest ones and then, the farthest.

The reason was that the child's parents that aided Camelia's begging within Lily's Womb, were not from this world at all, just like she was. They were each in their reality of sorts, and not humane as well.

Besides herself, she has three other mothers and three fathers that aided in the dealing ritual that Lily performed all those years ago, and knowing that the redhead woman herself… Was more than she seemed.

The Nothing Drake as the main donor of her fertile eggs (when she chose to that is like a female) fused with Lily's own, and the blood/power mixed from the rest.

Ophis was then informed for at least an hour of what Uncle observed in her child's behavior, her guessing treatment as to what she may have not revealed, and ignored the dent of learning she may have already have gained a grandchild and would make the father pay, to which said man sneezed wherever he was.

"I will try to be there for her, and plan to visit often with… Guests." Ophis calmly informed the old man to make Uncle narrow his eyes suspiciously before she made him blink a few times and fixed his glasses by providing an old and well-preserved book of sorts from a small warp-like hole she summoned and gently shoved it to him.

Uncle was in brief wonder from seeing the title being 'The Alternative Realm's Information of All Devils and Angel Races or Other Racial Types of Legends and Religions' and decided to read it in his free moments as he understood that the 'Guests' might not be humane either, with also giving him a few others for good measure.

"Uncle is appreciated by these books, but more so to you being here for Little Flower. As you informed me, she would be mixed with you, but will bond with you with ease as she was told her parents were not worth her time and more." Uncle clarified to her in a hint to get Ophis's nod once again without the old man seeing she did clench an aggravated fist under the table as she replied calmly to him, "I plan to do what I can, as she is my official first hatchling… Despite the circumstances of how she was conceived and born."

"That's all Uncle can ask of you." He told her to which he saw growing respect in her eyes at him before they shifted to hinted confusion for a moment by the change of topic, and recalled the item in question, "She has a task to perform from a time earlier to set an individual free from darkness. That suit of armor that I have guessed you recall, is part of the deal she made."

"Darkness and Light are both equals and rivals… But they can either be good or evil on their own." Ophis calmly agreed with stating things as Uncle nodded sagely while replying to her in similar connections as well, "Like Ying and Yang, they can balance and cause counters to each other… But the individual is that to a darkness that is for certain, but maybe good."

After being told what her child was meant to fetch, Ophis blinked at recalling things and told him she may know where the other half of the tablet is, but won't be able to get it until after this worlds dated month of March or April, due to complications of where it was, and when it would be available.

After this once again, it was several hours later that Camelia woke up seeing it was halfway to dusk and saw Jade, and ignoring her few thudding heartbeats, saw she was laying on top of her legs with her head on her arms making for a makeshift pillow for herself.

It was then she recalled what the girl… Ophis told her with her still being confused about why she felt nervous emotions coming from Deathwing yet chose to ask him later, and she tinted from hearing her stomach rumbling slightly before shaking her head and began to lightly shake awake Jade.

Camelia was amused for a moment as Jade tried swatting her away before the Potter Child decided to change tactics, and winced while leaning further forward, and used her left hand's fingertips to gently try and tickle Jade's nose.

Jade brushed it away, and Camelia decided to do it a few more times until Jade sneezed quickly waking up, and blinked blearily a few times before confusing Camelia by quickly hugging her, until she understood as Jade softly spoke to her at acting her age, as they could around each other, and saw she looked ready to cry as well, "You're up, Amy!"

After awkwardly pulling away quickly from her friend, and trying to hold back a blush, Jade coughed into her hand with holding back her tears of secretive joy of her being awake, as she woke up a few hours ago and ended up sleeping on top of her friend, and told her to make Camelia blink at her in surprise, "You've been out of it for nearly seven hours, Amy. That Ophis chick brought you personally here with at least allowing me to stay with you if I wanted to."

Camelia was rather surprised once again by Jade's admission, but she then signed out from feeling how dry her throat was, and her friend was stunned by her signed words, "She said she was my mom."

"That emotionless girl is your mom?!" Jade quietly exclaimed as she somehow guessed that Ophis could easily hear her more if she spoke loudly, and Camelia raspily sighed before signing to her friend then to make her think, "I don't think she's emotionless. Her eyes hold her emotions, but she can't express them well at all, is what I'm thinking, Jade."

Camelia knew what she was talking about as she read a few books on emotions to try and understand herself better, and one of them were people who are, in case, like Ophis or her mother, was: Alexithymia, to which to explain better, is a condition in its own right, but rather an inability to identify and describe emotions. People with alexithymia have difficulties recognizing and communicating their own emotions, and they also struggle to recognize and respond to emotions in others.

The Potter Child figured her mother may have a mild case with it being based on her body, more than her eyes, due to what she was titled for by recalling them.

Jade simply nodded in understanding as she too figured maybe her friend's dragon mother she just learned about, may have a condition of sorts but decided to change the subject from hearing her friend's stomach gently rumble just like hers, and helped her up then from the bed as Camelia was a bit shaky, but was able to stand herself, and did their things before coming downstairs together.

They saw that all four adults were still making food for dinner tonight with Ophis adding some Japanese dishes, and stilled as she was stirring some type of unusual dish, sniffing a few times and glancing with relieved eyes at her child being awake.

Uncle noticed with the same feeling, and caught the attention of Jackie and Viper, as she wore a decent outfit that went well for her a basic beige shirt and black denim jeans and shoes, by his words, "Ah! Little Flower is awake at last."

After that, the two children decided to help with Ophis giving looks for later as to how her child was doing well from cooking and aiding them, and after they ate and cleaned up hours later, there was time for them to hang out.

They decided to watch at least one movie, after seeing how tired mainly Camelia was and Ophis raised an eyebrow at the device being used thanks to Jade, as they watched what amused Ophis as it wasn't fully Christmas just yet, Beetlejuice, with near the end at seeing Camelia gently resting in trust on Ophis' right side.

It was a tense and awkward situation for the Nothing Drake as she didn't know what to do, and not seeing the partially amused faces on their faces along with not seeing Jade tint at Camelia, and Viper aided the entity by motioning for a few moments of carrying her to get the idea and nodded a single time to know she understood and was soon carrying her back to the room the child herself shared with Jade.

Ophis placed her sleeping hatchling on the bed in careful movements, tucked her in, and hesitated but gently kissed her forehead and with seeing her child smiled as she purred with each breath in contempt slumber.

She stood for a few moments gazing at her only child, before she turned and headed out of the room and leaving the door open, saw Jade mutter to herself as Ophis instantly guessed she was told to go to bed as well, walking past her in annoyance into the room.

Ophis paused mid-step the way down as she thought she saw a shadowy entity in the corner of her eye, and easily hearing the sounds on the first level to know the three mortals were currently busy, followed her instincts and came to a formerly locked room that held memorabilia and others that the old man placed, and didn't jump not only the door slamming, but of a single Shadowkhan rising and soon kneeled in front of her in utter respect.

"You must be… Mike." Ophis calmly stated, enjoying how the creature secretly was sweating in place the longer he was kneeling, "Rise." He did so.

"You are that race… One that lives in the shadows?" Ophis questioned the Shadowkhan to which Mike nodded hastily to which she then asked him firmly, and crossed her arms as well, "Why have you come back soon?"

"Lady of Nothing. I have returned on request from an unusual person requesting to speak with you, as I was with my two comrades who were with me on a quest to which we recently finished, and were… Cleaning things up." Mike informed her to only see her raise an eyebrow at him and was silent for a few tense moments before she told him firmly then as he did so with the use of shadows, "Take me to this person."