Chapter 13:
Twilight Star: First Goal
What greeted the newest party members was a loud, happy squeal. “Lonnie! I am so glad to see you,” erupted before strong arms were around Londra. Both females were chuckling with Sasha. “Lunch is here and now so are you… I wasn’t worried…” she started, blinking the moisture from her deep green eyes. “I was a little… oh, I am so glad to be me again!”
“Which is a lot,” Julius commented, moving to introduce himself to the newest members standing in between the dining table and the furniture. “You thought she was high strung before…” he started with a chuckle. “Hi, I am Julius,” he said to Peter before looking up at Trenton. “Can you eat like that. It makes me ashamed to be human some days. Wow, you are tall…” his attention then went to Londra. “You and my sister could be twins,” he added with a smile. “Except her energy will explode and yours is the slow burn type.” Then his gaze hit Mara, “you are beautiful…”
Julianna laughed, “she is! Okay… Peter, can you eat what we are having? I can get something different or…”
“It smells wonderful,” Peter answered softly, slowly moving with his large feet and bent legs towards the table. At least they were close to the table, he noticed the doors were quite the walk and sighed. He didn’t take the time to look at all the smiling faces, but he felt the warmth. “No, I eat everything… and if nobody looks at me, I should be fine.”
Zeke patted him on the back, “Yea, not the neatest eater either. Let’s dig in before Londra falls into a heap.”
“Love you too… oh, I got nothing. I was going to say leather face but that describes Rus better. Such a smooth, soft looking leather…” Londra sighed, moving with Julianna towards the table. “Don’t know about Trenton though, he is so tall…”
“I will manage,” Trenton said in his low voice causing everyone to stare. He was taking note of everyone and was surprised that nobody shied away from being touched by any race.
“Oh,” Icarus started, rubbing his smooth, brown chin. “You are part Demon. Must be a pain to control your voice… then again it must be the kind that just oozes by the sound of your normal one.”
“Correct,” Trenton replied. “You have interesting brown skin and oval, dark silver eyes.”
“Yep, I am an evolved Lizard Warrior,” Icarus confirmed, ripping the slice of bread to dip in his soup. “I can take either of my Lizard forms whenever I want but… it is easier to move around like this. Not fond of looking like a human but they aren’t all bad,” he finished offering a smile to Julianna motioning her to lead everyone to the table.
“Ah, shucks,” Julianna chuckled batting her red eye lashes, sitting down next to Londra who was already eating her soup. “Everyone find a spot, nobody cares how messy you eat. Besides, we have a neat Elf who can clean with so much speed…”
“That is true, but you can clean too,” Alden commented through their link.
“Oh… they can’t hear you yet. Fix that in a day or two…” Fenten commenting appearing instantly, taking his human form. “It was only a few months, but flying is difficult for some reason. Need to practice, I guess. Like the Fairy House but it is too quiet.”
After everyone was eating Londra paused to say, “we will introduce ourselves after this warm, lovely meal. Then I am going to bed.”
“Gee, don’t know why you would want to do that,” Zeke sighed. “My endurance is grand but not quite yet.”
There was minimal talking as everyone concentrated on their meal. During it Peter’s paws healed and became human like hands covered in white, rabbit fur with slightly pointed fingernails. “Just have to wait for my legs,” he mumbled to himself happily enjoying the soup.
“I will clear the table since I can walk in a straight line, unlike most here,” Alden projected. This caused everyone to overlap in response before realizing that their three newest didn’t understand what was going on. “That could be annoying. I will try to contain my quips. I must say, Londra, thank you for giving me back my mind and most of my soul.”
“Alden is clearing the table,” Londra explained, with a smile on her round, light beige face. This brought everyone’s attention to her. Her thin figure was now healthy looking with ample curves. She had decided to leave her sable brown hair short and uneven since she liked the way it fell behind her ears. Her hazel eyes showed exhaustion mixed with happiness. “First thing, hope none of you dislike cats because I am too sleepy to keep them contained,” she chuckled. On the opposite wall, a large cat tree appeared with four cats pretending to sleep on the padded platforms. Beside it a food and water station appeared. “Turns out I have two vaults. One is just a safe space for them. These are my familiars. They are Feline Drakes, so in a minute they will be flying this way. Right now, they are pretending to sleep. They WILL NOT TAKE THEIR LARGER FORMS for the time being, oh and they can talk,” she ended with a warm smile.
A slim, black cat with golden eyes stretched in true cat form before bat-like wings appeared. He flew towards Londra, landing on her lap with a happy meow. “My large form is exquisite,” he stated with his adolescent male voice. “I am Delta. The grey one with blue eyes and a bit of weight is Beta, while Theda is the fluffy, slightly chubby, yellow and orange cat with hazel eyes. Then there is the tuxedo cat…Alpha.”
“Thanks for introduction,” Beta grumbled, his voice a bit more even and male sounding. He flew around the table before choosing Sasha’s lap. “A bit cool but you turn into a snake, right?”
Sasha didn’t know what to do, her evergreen eyes lit up with excitement as she began to stroke him. “I do… well the bottom half of me does. You are smooth and warm.” This caused Beta to purr.
Theda flew around then hovered in midair before returning to his bed. “I am a bit sleepy. I will wait to see if there is a better master after everyone is here,” he commented in his flat low voice.
“Thanks Theda,” Londra sighed. Alpha decided to land in Julianna’s lap for the moment. “I don’t care who they attach to. Be warned, they might appear in your bed with you. They have no fear now. Spella taught them a lot. Before we start introductions, everyone should know four more will be joining us tomorrow morning. All the slaves that are not level four I will offer this deal to,” she paused as Peter and Trenton’s Lacrama glowed.
They both activated their Lacramas reading what Londra had sent them. “Truly?” Peter started. “If we agree to be active members of Twilight Star for seven months, you will grant our freedom at the beginning. Then after if we don’t want to stay… you will get us home? Even to a different continent? I am reading this right?”
“Yes,” Londra responded with a slight yawn. “We have three goals at the moment.”
“Oh, I want to go first,” Zeke stated. “Zeke, by the way. Goblin Knight at the moment and love my green muscles even if I can’t walk in a straight line yet.” He gave a big smile, showcasing his gleaming white, animal-like teeth, his golden eyes showing his happiness. He stood so the three could see that he was six feet eight inch tall. His muscular body and pure green skin since he was wearing a sleeveless beige shirt. “To be the best damn Adventuring Party this world has ever seen made up of any and all races because we understand that embracing differences are strengths!”
“I have almost as many muscle, just not green,” Icarus stated flatly. “I am Icarus, just call me Rus.” He stood so they could make the comparison since he too was wearing a sleeveless shirt that was blue. He was just a bit shorter than Zeke. With a smile on his long, brown face he flexed his biceps and triceps showing his skin was leathery. His oval, dark silver eyes glowed a bit as he showed off his polished bald head. “The serious one, which is actually the first, but we didn’t want to frighten you. We want to find a way to effectively and efficiently purify the Green Goblins.”
Julius stood up now, showing he was almost six feet tall. His muscles were mainly in his arms, but the rest of him was far from weak. Anyone could tell by the tight, short sleeved, pale green shirt. “I am Julius, can call me Jul if you want, don’t care.” Now everyone was taking note of his appearance. His square, light tan face and green eyes showed he was feeling better. With a toss of his head and a smile, his short, thick, red hair spiraled just enough to cause everyone to laugh. “Our true second is just as serious, to conquer a trial. Then nobody can say we aren’t the best.”
Peter, Trenton, and Mara all looked flabbergasted at the list. “Sit down,” Julianna chuckled, tugging on her brother's arm. “Yes, you have muscles, but we have curves so there! I am a happy one eighty again and love my every curve. Though, I think Londra’s top is just a bit bigger!” Her light tan, heart-shaped face lit up while her deep green eyes showed happiness mixed with exhaustion. She pushed some of her long, deep red hair out of her face. “I am Julianna, by the way. Anna is what I prefer.”
“I will go next, but I don’t feel like standing. I am Robert,” he said with a smile on his oval, buttercream face. With kindness in his green eyes, he nodded towards the new recruits causing his, short, auburn hair to nod as well. “I can pull my large, white, feathered wings out now, but my status doesn’t change,” he said to Londra. “But I just don’t have the strength right now to hold them up. Tried to earlier and now my back aches. I will get there, just like us walking straight,” his eyes focusing on Alden with a bit of humor.
Fenten laughed, “Yea, and flying can be hard. I am Fenten, by the way, a Fairy. My wings are still a bit…sensitive, thus inside.” His short, indigo hair was neatly shaped to show his pointed ears and caramel, accented, oval face. He was healthier, but his light blue eyes were still hazy. Many things were on his mind while his body was still foreign.
“Weren’t your eyes green when we met?” Londra wondered, tilting her head slightly.
“They were but now they are not,” he shrugged with a happy smile.
“I will go next,” Sasha said stroking Beta. With a smile on buttercream, long face that made her evergreen eyes sparkle. She pushed her long hair that was a mix of yellow, green, and red out of her face. “I am Sasha, a Snake Beastwoman. My snake body contain the same colors as my hair on the sides with the main part being brown… dark on the top, light on my underside. I can stay in my human form for up to twenty hours.”
“Last one would be, Alden,” Londra yawned, watching him clear the table. He appeared to have just a bit more strength, but didn’t look too different. His long, accented, beige face tilted towards her with a hint of a smile while his marbled blue-green eyes studied her for a moment. His long, braided brown hair didn’t move as he efficiently stacked the dishes. A curious thing for someone who was supposedly privileged before. As if knowing she was thinking about him his long Elven ears, far from his head, twitched once. “He is under a curse and can’t speak. There is more but my bed is calling. So, what do you two think? Mara, doesn’t have a choice. Join us? If we do it now, we can register you at the guild today then go into the Learning Room with our other four tomorrow. I was thinking of using the training room from four to five just to help with our body movements…” she yawned again.
“That is a great idea,” Robbie said smoothly. “I believe Anna has convinced our supporters to do the same, except they are entering the Learning Room in the morning. They should be coming out when we are getting there. Nice timing ladies.”
“Oh, he says the nicest things,” Julianna blushed, giving him a large smile.
Damaris stood up, showing just how large her wings were and how tall she was. “Master… Londra,” she began seriously, her voice smooth. “You have healed my wings, completely. Now I can bring them inside… you don’t know how much pain I was in. A Demon needs to bring their wings inside for at least twelve hours to help restore the magic… I wanted to say thank you.” Her oval, ivory face with undertones of violet showed many emotions.
“But,” Rus motioned for her to continue since her uniquely navy and blue eyes held more.
“I was brought,” she began as her wings slide into her body fluidly before she sat back down in a chair, folding her legs to the side, “here a year ago. The first thing my master did was shove me into a Learning Room the pain was intense, and I was sick for three days.”
“Ah,” Robbie nodded sitting back in his chair. “We understand that… oh, Alden would like to speak to you. Do you mind if he touches your shoulder? Wait… I think I might have magic that would project his thoughts for everyone to hear…” He closed his green eyes as if mentally going through a list of spells before a smile appeared on his buttercream face. A orange circle appeared around Alden’s head. “Please, I want to see if this works?”
Alden’s long, beige, Elven ears twitched in a bit of annoyance, but he started. “I understand your fears,” a strange voice started.
“It sort of works,” Robbie frowned. “Need to tweak it a bit, that is not how he sounds in our minds. I assume that is how he did sound… sorry, continue.”
Alden simply blinked his marbled blue-green eyes thinking of what to say next. “I too entered the Learning Room a few years ago and learned little for the pain that came with it. But this strange group came up with an idea… and it worked. There was no pain this time and I learned so much. The only pain was from the need to sleep. I tried to will myself to stay awake to make sure the others made it back safely.” With that the orange circle around his head shattered.
“Guess that was all the spell could take,” Anna commented. “I might have a way to tweak it. Maybe we could look at it later?” she asked softly. Robbie just nodded, oblivious to the fact she wanted to spend time alone with him. Sasha and Londra did their best not to chuckle.
This was all Peter needed to hear. He accepted the contract and looked down the table to Londra. He assumed they would need to return to the Slave Master, but she wasn’t saying anything. His pink eyes looked at Trenton who had also accepted the contract.
“Great, thanks guys,” Londra said collecting and distributing blood from herself, Peter, and Trenton. A moment later their slave crests were erased. “You should probably sleep a bit too. The beds that aren’t made perfectly are claimed. Fenton sleeps in the Fairy House most of the time to help his body replenish his magic faster. Delta, are you napping with me?”
Delta stood in her lap and stretched. “I don’t think so. You are too tense and will not be lying still. Besides, I think I will watch for a while, with the others.”
“Wait, just like that?” Trenton said with his low voice. “My title now is a member of Twilight Star and freed slave. I don’t understand.”
“Yea,” Londra yawned starting to walk to her bed in the middle of the room near the bathrooms. “Left is for ladies, meaning the left row of beds and the left bathroom,” she mumbled before there question made it into her exhausted mind. “I learned how to do it from Master Yevhen. Just have to pay him every time I do it. I have a lot of mana. Technically I am a Arch Sage but I like being in the action too. Night!” she finished plopping down on her bed, instantly asleep.
“She lasted longer than I thought she would,” Rus stated. “She is right though, we should all take two hours down. Do the three of you need shoes? Figured the clothing thing shouldn’t be done until after your training. I know even Alden’s clothing didn’t fit right after the Learning Room.”
“Yea,” Julius smiled, “we spent our evening on Monday getting new clothing from the ladies at Three C’s while trying not to think about Londra who was trapped at the Guild house.”
“I am napping,” Anna announced, petting Alpha before setting him down on the floor gently and standing. “Mara and Trenton, the beds contain a bit of magic and will grow in both ways once you lay on them. The curtains attached to the headboard create a box of seclusion, but we haven’t used them, just seen what they looked like. The left row of beds, closest to the bathrooms,” she paused to point at the two doors near the Fairy House. “That row is for the ladies, just in case you didn’t understand Londra’s mumbles. Also, the left door is the ladies bathroom.” With that she headed to her bed on the right side of Londra. Soon everyone was doing the same as Alden pulled the curtains for the windows shut, not that any need it to fall asleep. He wondered if they would be awake by four.
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