I looked to our left and met his silver eyes. Magnor didn't seem the least bit worried about everything that was happening, which left me curious.
"I want to know the secret, Bru," I mumbled to him, knowing Finn wouldn't understand to the extent of decoding my statement. Magnor grinned and lifted his hand to stroke my head.
"You will. I'll explain to you on the way," he reassured me right as the elevator stopped and the doors dinged open. We walked out and turned left, heading for the exit. Once we reached outside, I noticed Finn and Magnor exchanging looks before Finn offered his hand to me.
I tilted my head in confusion, but I hopped off his shoulder and onto his hand.
"What, Bru?" I asked.
"I think you can't leave without telling your boyfriends," Finn chuckled. Huh?
I followed their gaze to my left to see all six of the guys in their human forms. They noticed our presence but remained where they were. I looked back to Magnor who had a knowing grin on his lips.
"We won't leave without you. I need to make a call first and grab Hellsin. Finn, come with me. Arielle, meet us at the gate and your friends can come along."
"Boyfriends, Bru," I corrected him.
He let out a groan, and Finn chuckled. "Just accept it already. What I know about you now is that you aren’t able to deny Celestia or Arielle anything."
"This is why I don't tell people things," Magnor mumbled.
"Because you don't want us to use it against you." Finn laughed and reached out to pet my head once more, looking amused at my confused expression.
"We'll explain on the way, I promise. Just go talk to your boyfriends. Remember the gate," He reminded.
"Okay, I won't be long, Bru," I stressed, but Magnor shook his head.
"No rush. Trust me," Magnor pointed out.
I didn't get what was going on, but I decided if Magnor wasn't freaking out, maybe things weren't as bad as I was making them.
I'd know if Celestia was in great danger, so I guess she's okay for now?
"Okay, Bru. Meet you both at the gate," I replied, lifting off Finn's hand and soaring towards my group of men.
I landed on the ground before them and switched back to my human form. It was a breeze, and I was pleased to not feel any pain with the shift as well. I made sure I wore the special clothes Faelia made me before I lifted my gaze to the others.
"Do I need to give a summary?" I asked.
"Nope. Faelia updated us," Axel replied, relaxing on the rail of the stairs.
"Huh? How? She was with me explaining stuff." I pointed out.
"She was explaining to us when she was looking for the file. Faelia’s good at multitasking," Asher replied, walking over to me. He gave me a quick peck on the cheek.
"How are you feeling?" Griffin asked, strolling over to me to give me a hug.
"Much better than before, and it's nice to be able to walk again," I admitted, wrapping my arms around his broad chest.
"Griffin missed your ass so much he was crying like a bab-" Noah began, but Griffin pulled back to glare at him.
"Keep going and your ass is staying behind."
"Oh, hell nah. My ass is not staying," Noah huffed, but he moved to hide behind Gabriel who was calm just like Orion would be in these situations.
"Gabriel, tell him I'm going," Noah whined.
"Sometimes I wonder how we're related," Gabriel replied.
"Let alone, twins at that," Rainer pointed out.
Griffin moved out of our embrace after he gave me a quick peck on the cheek, so the others could each give me a hug and a kiss on the cheek as well. Noah was the last to hug me, and he pulled back to give me a warm smile.
"So, what's the plan?" he asked.
"You talk as if you’re coming with me," I joked.
"We are," Noah replied with a grin. I blinked before looking at the others who had determined expressions on their faces.
"Wait, what? No, you’re not. I thought you said you couldn’t leave this dimension," I pointed out.
"That was before because we weren't bonded. Now that we're half bonded with each of the guys, we can leave. Plus, since only Finn can come with, I think the others would be more relieved if we tagged along," Rainer pointed out.
"Yup! That'll keep Hunter from being agitated." Noah sighed.
"And Theo," Axel added.
I frowned. "They're upset over the mark thing? Humans take things so seriously," I mumbled.
"The twins are handling it pretty well." Asher praised. Griffin nodded. "Yup. Cairus pretty confident in us too."
"Gabe, do you sense Orion is in danger?" I asked.
"Nope. I can't really communicate with him, probably because of the distance, but I don't feel panicked or worried, to be honest," Gabriel replied.
"Me neither. Magnor said he'd explain on the way but are you guys really okay with coming? It's not your job." I worried my lip, waiting for their reply.
Noah's expression softened, and he reached out to hold my right hand. "Celestia means a lot to you. For us, we've never been able to experience the longevity of having a Master to know what it feels like, but we can tell just by the way you two interact that you love her not just on a Mistress level, but family."
Gabriel nodded. "We can't sit down and let you go far away without one of us keeping an eye on you."
"Not to forget she's a troublemaker like her Mistress," Axel added.
"Hey, Celestia isn't a troublemaker," I huffed. "Wait, I'm not either!"
"Sure," they said in unison.
"Meanies." I paused and smiled. "Guess it's nice to have a bunch of boyfriends," I said giggling.
"Definitely." Griffin winked and nodded at me.
"We're pretty good as a team too," Rainer added.
"Let's go to the gate! We have a Mistress and Master to find!" Asher hummed.
"Asher's only enthusiastic because Arielle's coming along." Griffin sighed, making his way to the gate.
"Yup. Not afraid to admit it either," Asher replied, following Griffin.
"Don't leave the rest of us behind," Axel huffed.
"They want to get there first and act all cool." Rainer rolled his eyes. Both he and Axel left, leaving Noah, Gabriel, and I behind.
"Ready, Arielle?" Gabriel asked.
"There could be some major bitches trying to bother your Mistress and her lover," Noah pointed out. I laughed before a smirk formed on my lips.
"I'll Bru-Ree any bitch that tries to mess with my Celestia," I declared.
Noah grinned, leaning over to whisper to his brother. "We should get Bru-Ree bitches on shirts and start a fan club."
I gawked at them, and Gabriel grinned. "I knew you had some of our parents’ brains in you. I approve."
"You always praise me, yet I feel insulted," Noah grumbled.
Gabriel shrugged. "At least I give half praise."
I snickered, and they both looked at me as I giggled. "You two are too much."
They grinned along with me. Noah took the initiative to give me a soft kiss on my lips. Once he pulled back, Gabriel leaned in to kiss me gently on the forehead before he slipped his hand into my left one.
"Let's help make things right," Gabriel whispered.
I looked over to Noah as he squeezed my hand. "And then we'll come back and have a nice celebration with all of us. Master, Mistress, and us familiars together."
I grinned and nodded, squeezing both their hands before we began to walk towards the gate.
I glanced up at the sky, my eyes noticing the five bright stars that twinkled brightly.
* * *
Mother, Father, Aaron, Alec, and Mary. I'm about to go on a journey, and though I was hiding my worry with excitement, my boyfriends came through to help me out. I don't know where the next steps we take will lead, nor do I know how my relationships with these men will blossom, but I'm ready to walk forward and find out.
I won't give up, especially with my men on my side. So just watch over me for now.
Than
k you as always.
I love you.
* * *
I lowered my gaze as we approached the gold gates; Rainer, Axel, Griffin, and Asher stood on the right while Magnor, Finn, and Hellsin stood on the left.
They noticed our approach and had broad smiles on their faces.
"Ready?" Magnor asked. I smirked.
"More than ready. Let's go, Bru!" I exclaimed.
* * *
I'm coming, Celestia. Just be patient and wait for me. Your loyal familiar, family, and friends are on their way, and I'll take down any bitches that dare get in our way!
TO BE CONTINUED.
Coming Soon…
Celestia Blurb
What do you become when your father’s a centaur and your mother’s a powerful magician?
* * *
A unicorn shifter…
* * *
You’d think being the only known unicorn shifter in the world would have a few benefits, like people treating you kindly or getting special treatment from the council. Not in my case. I'd be lucky to get a piece of bread thrown at me.
* * *
My name is Celestia Rainbow, and yes, my last name is fucking Rainbow.
* * *
Shifters assume that I’m kind by nature, but trust me, I’m not. I’m fierce, short-tempered and have the mouth of a sailor. Add in my stealthy fighting skills, advanced magic casting, and swift movement, you’ll soon realize I'm
someone you wouldn't want to mess with. But everyone seems to only look at my shifter side— my ditzy peaceful half, sprinkling magic dust and on a mission to end world hunger.
* * *
Regardless of my dual personality, I’ve sworn to become a huntress at Aslan Academy. Now that I’m of age— my lucky twenty-fifth birthday just happens to coincide with the entrance exams —I’m ready to prove my worth.
* * *
Too bad I’ve been grouped up with six sinfully attractive men.
* * *
Time to prove to my community, classmates, and this attractive bunch of weirdos that unicorns can kick ass too.
“Oh, look who it is. Ms. Rainbow! Why don’t you cough up some glitter? Haha.”
“I can’t believe she actually thinks unicorns exist.”
“She’s mentally insane. No wonder her mother abandoned her.”
“That’s obvious. Why else would Edwin be so consumed by his gatekeeper work? I bet he can’t stand her and chooses to drown in his duties, just so he doesn’t need to deal with her.”
* * *
I sighed, putting my hands against my ears in an attempt to block out the whispers that assaulted my sensitive hearing.
Why won’t they leave me alone? Why did everyone believe I was crazy? All the rumors are wrong. Everything they’re saying is wrong. Mommy didn’t leave me. Daddy doesn’t want to work all the time to avoid me. Why can’t they understand I’m telling them the truth about what I am? Why?
I opened my tear-filled eyes as I turned around and ran into the forest. I could hear the lingering laughter mocking me as I retreated.
It made me wonder why I still lived. Why was I brought into such a world if I had no one to turn to?
I was the only unicorn shifter in existence, or so the records claimed. Not that it mattered; no one believed me anyway.
Even with the multiple voices and fingers pointed in my direction, and the kicks and shoves I received from my enemies who never believed me, I knew shifting into my unicorn form wouldn’t stop the bullying. No, it would only escalate it.
I promised Daddy I would never show that side of me unless it was to defend myself or to train. Only my Master could see that form, and he would train me when the time was right.
But when would that time come? When would I be able to prove my worth to a society who saw me as nothing but a burden? Being alone was hard for many people, and I had been alone my entire life.
I continued to walk through the forest as I tried to calm down— allowing my feet to wander aimlessly. It always ended up this way, with me retreating back to the only companion I’ve ever had: nature itself.
I had no friends or relatives to reach out to. My mom was far away, too far for a simple train ride to see her wondrous smile. My father was a gatekeeper, helping guard the gates of dimensions to various worlds. Such a role was usually a birthright or achieved at a young age.
Yet my dad was a late bloomer, only becoming a gatekeeper when I was six years old. Now, I was alone— having to defend myself in this isolated community.
Being different didn’t mean you were treated like you were special. All it resulted in was becoming an outcast.
No matter where I turned, shifters young and old looked and whispered. Some didn’t hesitate to point and laugh. I was the laughing stock of the town, and I would always be, unless I proved myself worthy.
I stopped in my tracks as I felt the first drop of rain fall from the sky. I looked upward, curious about the sudden change in weather.
Drip – Drop – Drip – Drop
The specks of water from the sky above began to fall one by one, until it was pouring down. I stood still, allowing the cold drops of water to beat my flesh as my eyes pooled with tears.
For a shifter well known to be happy and free, I was nothing like those myths.
I was sad...so depressed at my circumstances that I sometimes wondered what was so great about living. My own Council, who should cherish my existence as the first unicorn shifter, discarded me entirely.
As the councilman said right in my father’s face, ‘She is nothing but a mistake.’
I tried to stop the tears from falling down my cheeks, holding back the sobs that begged to escape— to be heard by anyone willing to listen to my silent plea.
“All I want is a purpose. A meaning in this world. I hate this life. I want to be strong. To not care about what people say. I don’t want to feel such misery anymore. Can’t anyone help me?” I shouted up at the sky. My hands clenched as I continued to cry, unable to hold back any longer.
I was tired of being pushed and shoved— tired of being hit and abused every day wherever I turned. I wanted to learn how to fight, to be strong enough to defend myself.
I didn’t care if they feared me. I was nothing to them to begin with. I would build my own foundation, a solid barrier around myself so no one could bring me down. I'd prove to the world that I was someone to acknowledge and not cast aside like a piece of trash.
All I needed was someone to help me achieve my ultimate goal.
"Celestia."
I swallowed the lump in my throat, turning slowly to see the familiar man I'd begged for many years to train me— my father's best friend and Master.
Magnor Rune was a legend— specializing in many arts, combat, and magic. His father had lived for many generations and had passed down his acquired knowledge to Magnor who continued to learn while teaching and training many shifters across the dimensions. He'd settled here in Versa many years ago. He was the one who had trained my father until he was summoned to his gatekeeper duties.
I'd been begging Magnor to train me from the time I could barely walk, wanting to be like my father and mother who were both powerful and respected. He'd denied my request each time, using the excuse I was either too young or inexperienced to begin my training.
One must desire so strongly to become great before they hear their calling. Forcing yourself to achieve those standards will only end with failure.
Since then, he'd continued to decline my request; my last one was last year when I turned nine. After that, I'd given up asking. I didn't see the point and my heart couldn't handle the rejection anymore. I had dealt with my fair share and adding more would only tip me over the edge— as if I wasn't there already.
I stared at him with sad eyes; my tears continued to flow down my cheeks as the rain beat down on me. He must have used some type of spell – the water not landing anywhere near his body, leaving him dry.
His silver eyes stared at m
e, holding much wisdom in them. He glanced at my soaked appearance, a frown forming on his previously expressionless face.
I didn't reply to his call, only turned my back, facing away from him. No words could describe how I felt— the desolation and self-pity I'd buried in my very soul had finally resurfaced and raged for freedom. I knew Magnor could help me; he could remove me from my hopeless outlook on life.
But again, I was tired of asking. If the strong desire I felt within myself wasn't enough to prove my bullies and enemies wrong, that I wasn't some weakling who'd be a nobody for the rest of her life, then I'd never achieve that level of ambition.
I opened my mouth to speak, knowing it would be in vain.
"Everyone looks at me as if I'm nothing...a nobody. A hindrance. I bet just looking at me makes them cringe in disgust. Every day is the same. Even when I try to focus on the better parts of life, to acknowledge my worth and how these struggles will pass, the day still turns out far worse than the last. I'm tired...so tired of this. Why won't anyone listen? Why do I continue on this unknown path of life if all that is left for me is pain? I go to school just to be shoved and abused and all the teachers ignore me. I finish school and am pushed into a corner to suffer the onslaught of insults, followed by more kicks and punches. I limp home to an empty house, with not even one person to share my agony with." I trembled as sobs overtook over me. I hung my head low, crying my eyes out.
"I miss Mama and Papa. I want to be loved...to have friends. Yet, no one wants me."
I lifted my head to face him, glaring.
Arielle Rainbow Page 21
