"The two, though separated by time and death, still call out to each other."

    "It is a shame that she lived such a pitiful life."

    "Indeed, but now she is here."

    "She is very adorable. Look at her small hands...can they wield a sword?"

    "You shall teach her no such thing. She is too fragile."

    "I wonder if she likes to sing."

    "Leave her be. You will frighten her."

     Ariea did not have the strength to look around to find the source of those voices. She felt too weak to even try.

    "You have travelled far for a soul so young."

    No, curiosity, leave me. Ariea thought to herself, deciding that she wanted to sleep more than look around, but the feeling overpowered her.

    She looked up and only then did she notice, she was not in the darkness any longer but a vast garden-like plain that had stars for flowers and galaxies for rivers. Large trees with multi-coloured leaves filled the surrounding area, while grassy land stretched for miles on end. The skies were shades of colours she'd never seen before and there was no sun, but millions of light orbs like the ones that held her memories.

    "Ariea, come here child."

    Ariea turned around slowly, like a deer surrounded by predators. Her heart beat fast and hard, so much so that she was sure all could hear. With her arms hugging her body, as if preparing to be hit, Ariea looked up only to find nine people staring at her, with similar eyes that had no whites in them, where she couldn't tell if they had any pupils.

    They were all standing beside what seemed to be a bed-like cotton structure in the centre of a curving trunk, the base of the largest tree in the garden. The fruits of the tree looked otherworldly, each branch bearing fruit of a different kind. She wondered what they tasted like, but soon realised that she hadn't felt the feeling of hunger since she drifted in that darkness.

    "Come child, we will not harm you." One of them, a woman-like being with gold glowing hair and eyes to match, outstretched her arms toward her. "You can trust us."

    And somewhere deep down inside, Ariea knew that to be true, however she still struggled to take a step forward.

    The woman herself was beautiful beyond all thought, her brown skin covered in golden intricate tattoos. Her body was full and curvy, dressed in long yellow silk that only covered her breasts and pelvis. Her eyes, that were a deep gold that filled to the very edge, held a deep comfort, and her smile was gentle and warm. She gracefully lifted the silk dress, and walked towards her, her golden hair that was braided up with different trinkets and bangles, gently swaying behind her.

    "We will not harm you any more than death has." Her smile lulled Ariea's body to move on its own.

    Ariea reached them in a short moment, falling into the embrace of the golden woman. She felt a peace. She felt as if she lay on a fluffy bed after a long labourious day in the burning sun. A serenity that filled her down to her very core.

    Who are they?

    "Astonishing, a child of darkness doesn't recognise you." The man with white hair smirked at another who looked exactly like him but with black hair. "No wonder she never cried out to you."

    "That is amusing, coming from you, Ohr. Was one of yours not cursing you?" The black-haired one countered.

    "The both of you, hush your mouths before you scare the child." The woman sitting at the base of the tree, weaving a crown of flowers, looked up and glared at them. "She is already wary of us."

    One of them, red like fiery flames, with glowing eyes and a sword on his back, gently patted the woman's shoulder. "You're wasting your breath, they will fight...as real men should."

    The woman rolled her eyes at his words before shrugging his hand off her shoulder. She stood to chastise him while the fire man laughed haughtily at the duo who were now arguing back and forth. Ariea watched them bicker for a while before nestling herself once again in the arms of the golden woman.

    So warm.

    "Haha, look Erebus! Look! She feels safer in the arms of Nammu than you!" The white-haired cackled, jumping high into the air as a darkness burst underneath him.

    "Shut your mouth!" The other yelled, before looking over to Ariea, pausing before giving her a nervous smile. "Do my arms not look warm and safe too?"

    Ariea slowly raised her head that suddenly felt heavy from fatigue, and took a good look at the one named Erebus. His pale skin seemed almost blindingly white, as white as a sheet of paper, while his hair, lips, the tips of his long fingers, and his bare feet were as black as the feathers of a crow. His eyes were most intriguing, for like the others, there was no speck of white in them; swallowed by the black, she couldn't tell apart his irises and pupils. Wearing only black pants and a loose top that elongated his torso, he seemed to be amongst the taller ones of the group.

    She then looked at the one arguing with him, Ohr, who was a complete contrast to Erebus. His skin was pitch black, with white-filled eyes, lips, finger tips, and feet. The opposite in colour true, but unlike his twin, his white hair was so long it draped him like a cape, while he wore only pants.

    She sensed no malice from them, but then again, she did not sense it from Cyrus either, the first time he found her, so she did not approach them. Instead, Ariea buried herself deeper in Nammu's arms.

    "See, I speak the truth!" Ohr cackled.

    "I think we'd fair better if we introduced ourselves." The flower woman finished her flower crown and walked to Ariea to gently place it on her head.

    She too was beautiful, dressed in precious gems and jewels, and a very thin silk, with thick and lush green-coloured hair that freely flowed to the ground, decorated in a variety and spectrum of flowers Ariea never seen before.

    "I am Ge." She spoke. "Welcome home, Ariea."

    Another woman, this one with short bright yellow hair, and pale-yellow large eyes that took up most of her face, the smallest of them, gracefully glided down from the top of the tree and landed in front of Ariea.

    "I am Ilmatar. You are much smaller than I thought you'd be. It's cute." She giggled as if telling her a secret only she would understand. "Shall we be friends?"

    Before Ariea could answer, another came before her, the one with flaming red hair and grey skin with cracks all over as if veins of lava were to erupt from his flesh.

    "I am Surtr." He said, passionately puffing out his chest and straightening his neck. "I too would like an intimate relationship with the child!"

    "Surely you realise how disgusting that sounds?" Another man said, emerging from behind the tree with a scowl. "Do you want her to perceive us as strange?"

    "Was my greeting strange?" Surtr asked the others.

    "For a child, indeed it was, Surtr." Ilmatar said with a cheeky grin. "You sounded positively deplorable."

    Insulted by her crass insinuation, Surtr chased after Ilmatar who glided away on the wind. The blue man from behind the tree took this as an opportunity to speak to Ariea. Taking her hand in his, he bowed and pressed his lips against the back of her hand.

    "Abzu, dear one. We have waited far too long for you."

    Ariea felt her cheeks burn as she hid away from his intense gaze. The man's deep blue eyes, which too were only purely blue all over, were much to pretty to behold, certainly the prettiest of them all. Unlike the others, his pale blue body was covered from neck to his ankles in a silver tunic, but she could still see he was well built underneath. He was the closest to looking like a divinebeing than the others who looked ethereal.

    Maybe that's why she was feeling that way.

    "Other than Nammu, it seems she's taken a liking to you, Abzu." Ge said with an amused look.

    "I am honoured to have caught the eye of our dear one." Abzu replied, gentle releasing her hands.

    The only two who hadn't introduced themselves, was the man, who was the largest of them all and whose eyes glowed as vortexes swirled in them, and the woman with translucent eyes that seemed to peer into the very depths of her being. 

    The man carried a thick beard on his face, that hid most of his features, reaching to his chest that had chains draped along it. He wore a thick tunic that resembled the hoods from her world, hiding most of his wide frame beneath the fabric. The woman similarly wore a silk mask that hid most of her face except for her eyes, her purple-like skin shimmering as tiny stars glittered all over her body.

    The two stood side by side, watching and waiting patiently for Ariea to notice them. And when she did, they smiled, though not seen, Ariea could feel it. They looked at her with kind eyes, very much aware of the fear she carried in her heart, which is why they let Nammu soothe her the most. Even Erebus, who was growing jealous at the closeness, relented.

    Ariea never approached them and they never spoke to her, but they always watched from afar. There was a feeling in her that said no matter what she would do, they wouldn't utter a word to her, not because they did not like her, but rather because the timing did not feel right.

    "Come, child. Your soul is weary." Nammu said, gazing down at Ariea. "You have endured much. Do not worry, dear one."

   "Eat the fruit, my child." Erebus suddenly said, walking to stand besides her. "You are home now."

    So, she remained with the six she came to know in a place that strangely did feel like home...

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Hey dear readers, sorry for the abrupt ending! 

Hope you're enjoying the book so far! 

Thank you for reading, it really brings joy to my heart.