- Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will. -  

- Suzy Kassem. 

---///---

Holy Mother of God.

I brushed my head, very aware of the way my eyes twitched in my eye sockets. The voice was getting louder, and it was driving me mad. My senses were going overdrive. 

This way...

"You holding up good, Faith?" Praxina asked as she walked in the front lines her bow and arrows ready, yet she had noticed my sudden behavior. Her soft green eyes sharing a few glances to my direction behind her, trying to keep up. How? I was trying to keep it at minimal! While the others were ready to slay the Dragon, I wasn't giving out my best. Not even close. The freaking voice. It was making my brain rumble and distracting me most of the time. 

You're close... come my child.

"Yeah. It's just cold." I rasped, grabbing my bow tighter while I tried to keep up with everyone. I had ignored Alchadar's glances, now was not the time to worry. It was just me- and me loosing my mental health. Probably.

Still trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with me too...

"We've been walking for 15 minutes already," Chris had his swords transformed into a huge blade, all the while he made sure to check each hole in the wall where a Dragon would fit. Yet the holes he gazed in weren't big enough to fit me in them, his searching desperate and in vain. There was no sight of the Dragon. "How long is this damn thing?" 

"The further we go, the colder it gets." Zero also said, holding his sword with stealth and calculation. "I'm really starting to doubt it's a fire-breather. We might have a snow-Dragon problem in our hands." 

"Are they worse?" I asked, getting slightly worried. 

"They can fire out water in all kinds of forms out of their palate, that is frozen- and as much as they have devoured it." The wise Demon Slayer said, I nodded slowly. So, watch out for flying ice spikes then, huh? 

Out of nowhere, Praxina flipped. The Elf growled out loud and fired an arrow to the ceiling, which caused a small explosion, not enough large to cause the whole damn thing to come crashing on us. Her sudden behaviour caught all of us surprised. An act that only told me the stress was really getting to everyone, the Elf the only one to unload it to something. Anything. And... it almost turned fatal for us.

"Are you nuts!?" Chris grabbed her wrist roughly, denying her from reaching to another arrow. "You just ruined our element of surprise, the thing must've heard that all the way to it's grave!" 

"Shut up, Chris, don't you get it!?" Praxina asked, ripping herself free from his grasp. "You might of not have noticed it, but I feel like we're not hunting the damn Dragon. I believe we're the ones being hunted." She finally said, her statement had me frozen on the spot. I wondered why her ears were twitching so much. No... was this a trap? Did I lead us all into the Dragon's domain? 

How can she tell!?

"You're right." Alchadar showed up and landed a reassuring hand on Praxina's shoulder, telling her to calm down, while his own head looked around the walls beside us. Wait, had he noticed it too? "But it's not attacking, at least not yet." At exact moment a sudden flinching pain went through my brain, which had me drop my bow. I grabbed my head and shook it a few times, it was as fast as it came. 

Presence...

What is this immediate amount of pressure...? 

"What is it waiting for?" Chris asked, I could almost feel it. The breath on the other side. 

I slowly turned around, staring at a glass wall. Or not exactly. Behind it loomed a pair of big blue eyes, and a figure so big I had never seen before. The white scales-- the wattles on it's back. Oh. It was the Dragon. And it was humongous. It's eyes were completely fixed on me, and it looked like it was going to charge. To snatch me. 

To take me!?

"Oh hell no-!" I managed to jump away from the wall that came crashing down with the Dragon's sudden emerge, and make a run for it. It shrieked out loud soundly, causing the whole cave shake. "What the hell!?" I reached for my bow, only to feel nothing. I froze and came to a halt, seeing my bow lay near the White Dragon's feet, all the while the humongous creature brushed the extra ice off and howled out a growl, letting us finally know of it's presence. 

And let me tell you. 

I haven't been as freaked as I was there and then in a while. 

The Dragon's eyes set on me again, and I felt a flinch go down my spine. The survival instinct in me kicking in immediately.

"Faith, run!" Alchadar's voice commanded, and my feet were moving again. No way in hell, this was not happening! I ran the opposite direction of where it was standing, refusing to get turned to ice popsicle.

How can I loose my bow in such a critical moment!?

Guys were coming, Alchadar at the front with his blade but then I heard something loud behind me. And before I knew it, there had appeared a thick wall of ice between me and my friends, which blocked the way. I couldn't run. I smacked straight to the wall, touching the ice in disbelief all the while I turned to see the Dragon walking towards me. It looked powerful and big, I was scared beyond belief. 

"The hell!?" Chris growled on the other side, and I heard their tries to force entry through the ice. The Dragon was only meters away, and just when I reached for my sword the thing stopped, glaring at my weapon. What? Why'd it stop? Why'd it pick on me out of all of us? 

'You don't have to be scared.'

I froze, maintaining eye contact with the humongous creature. What- did the Dragon just speak? I memorized the way her irises moved, almost in calm manner, all the while her demeanor was more of warning one than hazard. And before I knew it- the wall was smashed down by Alchadar who jumped in front of me the rest of the group following, Chris was the first one to charge at the ancient creature. The Dragon's attitude took a whole mood change once my team was finally there, turning defensive as it showed her teeth. My body was moving again, all the while I yelled. "Wait, Chris- no!"

What the hell am I doing?

But it was in vain; Zero followed after him and Praxina shot explosive arrows at it, which created a chaos in the unbalanced opening. Alchadar didn't move however, but looked back at me like I had gone nuts. His amber eyes questioning my request.

"Let's slay this big guy." Chris went down by doing a somersault and cutting the Dragon's side, which roared in anger in return. While Praxina's arrows did some damage to her feet however the Dragon saw Zero coming, and spit icy spikes at him. For such an old man, he did dodge them amazingly and jump from a wall right back, and sink his swords down to it's back. After all that had happened, I felt sick. Usually when it came to bad people such as the Seven I wanted to fight by their side but now, I wanted nothing more than to stop them. This was wrong. Something was wrong! 

Why'd it say not to be scared?

Why did I understand it?

"Guys, stop! It won't harm us-!" I tried to desperately call out but Alchadar stopped me from approaching, pushing me a bit more away from the Dragon. Why on Earth was he still there? "Al, please! Make them stop! It's not dangerous- she said she won't harm us-- she won't harm me!" 

Alchadar glanced back, the Dragon was trying to shake off Zero, Chris and Praxina, but kept sharp eye on our direction as well. Wait, was Alchadar putting some puzzles together? 

"Perhaps you, but I'm not quite sure what's going on yet." Alchadar said, his words made me freeze for a second. Me? Was it because I'm a human or what? No, the Dragon has attacked humans as well, that couldn't be it. Was it because I looked so scared? I hardly doubt the Dragon's letting me live out of pity. 

So... why?

"Oh shit-!" Praxina was almost crushed by some ice spikes which had fallen from the ceiling, but Armen seemed to be her backup. The beast easily pushed her out of the way, and when more begun to fall down thanks to all the commotion he decided to carry her to the closest tunnel. I noticed some drop very close to us as well so Alchadar pushed me under a snow ceiling close to us, keeping sharp eye on the Dragon. His eyes turned red suddenly, and it came pretty aware to me as I heard the Demon Slayers in trouble. 

"Whoa--!" The Dragon had had enough: she fired ice spikes out of her mouth at Chris and Zero who jumped out of the way, but they misunderstood the distance. The ice mountain that followed managed to reach their legs, which froze them up in the air. The Slayers more than growled in annoy as the tried to break the ice locking their feet. "You nasty creature--" 

The female Dragon jumped on her four legs and turned to us, her blue wise eyes calculating. Alchadar was trying to come up with something, his instincts were tingling. It was like he and the Dragon were having a staring competition, that was until the Dragon sprinted in our direction, making the ground shake. I was like a rock once Alchadar kidnapped me and threw me on his shoulder, running to the opposite direction. Okay- what the hell was happening?

"Al!? What the hell!?" I questioned, the Dragon howled behind us as she came faster, but my partner was fast too despite of his much smaller size. The Demon jumped on a higher platform as he ran on snow now, careful not to step on ice all the while I watched the Dragon follow us. "What're you-?" 

"It's after you." Alchadar stated, my eyes sinking to my eye sockets. As I was about to ask a wall of snow appeared before us- but Alchadar had seen it coming and he jumped over it, now going at it. "I'm not sure why though." Was he a professional skater or fucking what? The Demon slid on the ice like a world champion and made a 30 feet jump for it over a small gorge-- which is definitely possible. 

Hell no!

"... But it's not looking for a fight. It's not dangerous, Al." I tried to reassure the more I watched the Dragon's desperate attempts to stop us, she even had a small snow storm phenomenon in the cave to try and pull us in. Alchadar's amazing Demon genetics however weren't faced one bit as he ran by it, careful to not be pulled in the breeze. "It hasn't tried to kill us." 

"What if it's a tactic?" Alchadar jumped to the high ground and took a moment to catch his breath, all the while we watched from there the Dragon stop and growl at us. Whoa, it was a nice hidy-hole, yet not hiding enough. "It hasn't shown any mercy to the other travelers, it might be a way to lure us into it's trap and slowly take us down one by one- starting from you." 

"-- Her trap." I had to correct, for some odd reason it reassured me to know it was a female. 

"Her?" Alchadar asked from me in the most questionable way he could, like it mattered what gender it was. Alright, his tone was hilarious, but I was too much adrenaline pumped that couldn't even muster out a tiny giggle. Actually from hearing that even my Demon partner looked down again, the word female calming him down a bit. We had been there for a minute or so, and the Dragon had just waited patiently, yet she had glared at us to probably challenge us to run away again. "... Has she tried to interact with you?" 

"She spoke to me earlier in my head, when she separated us for a brief moment. She told me I don't have to be afraid." I told him, and finally at that Alchadar's muscles relaxed a bit and he put me down beside him for a second. But he never broke eye contact to the Dragon, nor his instincts stopped working of the way his crimson red eyes watched the Dragon's every move. "... Can you speak again?" I called out cautiously. 

'Are they a part of your crew, princess?'

If I could be more shocked and surprised of the second time the Dragon spoke, I'd be lying. I stared in bewilderment at the Dragon and Alchadar, and by the looks of it Alchadar heard it too. But I do think it was because we shared a link, and he decided to use it and get to my brain again. Smart move boy, I just don't think the Dragon's speaking to anyone else.  

Princess?

"Now we'll get ya--!" To break the finally settled situation, Chris, Zero, Praxina and Armen showed up. And they were about to jump on the Dragon. 

"Guys, no--!" I tried, but Alchadar finally seemed to agree with me. 

"Don't attack!" Alchadar yelled out with his baritone voice, it was a command that even send chills down my spine. Like puppets waiting for command our team stopped by split second and the Dragon growled deeply at them, smoke coming out of her palate as she dangerously watched them being so close to her. But she didn't attack either. "Hold, your fire." Alchadar still commanded his hand up to reassure it was okay as they looked pretty unsure of what was going on, Praxina and Chris uneasily holding onto their weapons. 

"They are!" I called, all the while Alchadar helped me down by sliding down the snow wall. We stood there a little cautiously, but the Dragon turned to us none the less and looked down almost questioningly, still not sure of the way we all had settled down around it. "They're my team, they won't harm you anymore, I promise." I eyed Praxina and Chris, Armen was going to obey Alchadar as his Beast loyally, but Zero was still a big mystery. He was almost like a ticking time bomb. But if they attacked I swore I'd beat them to pulp. 

"What the hell's going on!?" Praxina asked, her nerves were on the brick of mental breakdown obviously. Well, Praxe, I didn't expect things to happen either but here we are. I really wanted to know how did the Dragon know me. 

And why?

"We don't know yet... all we know is that she can speak to Faith telepathically. Only her." Alchadar answered, looking at me. I guess it was up to me then. I slowly eyed the dragon while stepping forward. The dragon never missed a single step I took, she was as precautious as I was.

... I don't know how this works or what are you, but I believe you can hear me.

'That is correct, princess.'

I shivered again, damn I didn't get used to the voices in my head. I looked over at Alchadar who was already looking at me, telling me he was following the conversation very well. With that I sighed, meeting the dragon's hard yet soft eyes again, which held so much information in them. I needed to know what she knew, even the tinyest bit. How and why was I the only one able to understand her, and what was with the princess?

... You seem to know me of somewhere... do I know you too?

'The answer isn't simple, you were yet to be born and I was still a free creature.'

"What're they speaking?" Praxina demanded, Alchadar showing her his hand pretty fast. It took only glance of him to notify that he was interested, this dragon had something we wanted. She knew something of me-- possibly everything I needed to know. Of my past and where I came from- this was unbelievable.

And in a place like this?

I hardened my look and looked up again, this time pacing a bit on my spot. This was nerve-wrecking.

You know where I came from? Do you know my parents-- possibly their well-being? And what's with the word princess?

The dragon was a bit taken back by this, raising her head up and looking at me with wide eyes. This seemed to confuse our group but mostly me, what- did I say something wrong? Alchadar finally stepped up, looking down at me and the dragon, then finally back at the rest of our group.

"She doesn't recall her memory since the age of six, and once she's starting to reach her womanhood an odd power keeps emerging from within her." Alchadar begun, answering on my behalf but the dragon seemed to listen very carefully, eyeing my tiny frame in disbelief. "... And that isn't normal for a human alone. Please, if you can tell us anything, that would be helpful."

The dragon took a moment to herself, understanding soon enough that Alchadar and I must've been partners and we shared a link which enabled him hearing our conversation. Then the dragon glanced back at the Demon hunters, Praxina and Armen. The four looked suspicious yet seemed to find truce in Alchadar's sayings, the dragon before them wasn't just anyone.

She seemed to be the one waiting for someone... and that someone was me.

'You really don't remember anything, princess?'

I ended up shaking my head, and shrugging as well.

The only memory I really have is pure whiteness and a woman that keeps coming to my dreams... telling me encouraging things and saying how proud she is of me.

The dragon nodded approvingly, starting to move forward. But not without giving me a head nudge, as in to follow her. And boy how right I was.

'Follow me.'

I was after her, no questions asked. I glanced back to see confused looks of the others and even Alchadar, but I believe my partner was as excited as I was. No. No one could believe what I was going through-- all kinds of emotions went through me at once, and yet it was all because of a white dragon telling me all these things, almost as if she knew me.

Of course I'm freaking out.

We came here to slay her and take the treasure for our bounty, but suddenly the mission took a whole another turn. How did she know me? Why is it down here- more so, what is it protecting?

Where is it taking us?

Soon we arrived at the end of the snow tunnel, even though it was night and supposed to be dark and gloomy, it was really bright down there. The thick layers of ice and snow made it possible, as well the crystals shining on the walls. Still wondering, how those things grew on walls? Was it the she- dragon's doings?

'May I ask, what's your name?'

I wanted to know as much as possible of this strange creatute, even if it meant simply knowing her name. The white dragon glanced back at me, shrugging its head and continuing to move forward. The others were a bit alarmed, but understood that I was probably talking to the creature.

'Owan, my princess.'

'... It's a beautiful name, and please. Why are you calling me that?'

The whole 'princess' thing was starting to worry me, I was so used to Chris calling me that but that was the nickname he came up with me. I didn't believe it had any other meaning-- none the less me finding later on that it was actually true?

Was I a princess of something? Who the hell were my parents?

Even though this truly spiked my interest after so many years of unknown, it still made me uneasy. And Alchadar seemed to pick on it, sharing me single glances once in a while all the while listening our conversation. It really calmed me down that he heard it all, so everyone didn't think I had lost my mind or something.

The creature came suddenly to a stop in front of a giant door made of ice, in the middle of it laid a giant Insignia of snowflake. I figured it might've been the 'Winter people's' insignia. Then she shared me a glance.

'You're about to find out'.

Suddenly, the whole cave begun to shake. Each and every one of us gave surprised 'yelps' and gasps once we noticed the giant ice door begin to open up, revealing a very bright and humongous space right under the volcano. My eyes couldn't get wider, was this actually happening? What was exactly happening?

"I'll be damned..." Chris breathed out, in awe. I second that, was this where the treasure was? Owan-- the dragon moved forward again, this time Alchadar taking the lead with Armen, it would seem something about all this ticked them off. And they weren't about to be surprised.

We followed suit behind, I widened my eyes to the size of the room. The space was round and the ceiling rested high, ice spikes illuminating the roof. It was mostly empty space but what was in the middle of it all shocked me deep to the core. It was a singular sword stuck to the ice. And on it rested a necklace, an amulet?

Owan suddenly turned to me, nodding me to approach.

Alchadar put his hand in front of me protectively, calculating the room with his amber eyes. He wasn't too sure of this dragon's motives, and I knew he would never forgive himself if anything happened to me. But I ended up trusting my gut, and more importantly Owan. I needed to know.

"It's okay." I said to him and offered a sheepish smile, until I slowly was allowed past him. I could still feel his amber eyes linger after my departure, but that just made me take in deep breath.

"Be careful." Was all Alchadar said. I knew this was another test-- to build up my confidence, as well as his. I smiled a little at that.

It didn't take long until I closed the gap between me and Owan, as well as the sword and amulet laying there. My eyes were mesmerised by the sword's details, it was purely white, almost as if it had never shed any blood on it. On the handle was a strong built hand spot, which decorated two white wings. The amulet however, it was a white pigeon, which had something carved on it. No, a name. I could read the lines 'Araciel'. Something about the name send goosebumps down my spine.

'You will understand everything from them.'

Owan said, I shared a glance up at her. I shivered, so a single touch will do it? I went for the grab, building my confidence. Until I stopped. What was I about to see? Was it something I wanted to know? It was all really happening so fast again, I had had no time to process any of this.

No, don't be a pussy at a time like this. You've always lingered to know.

I glanced back at everyone. I had to get strong for them. I needed to have this done for, so I could understand myself better-- of what these 'strange' powers of mine were? For now they only have manifested in the form of white light now and there, growing a bit stronger. If I were to understand this power and use it, I needed to know.

Alchadar flashed me almost invincible reassuring smile, nodding me to do it. I believe he was as interested to know as I was. Even if his instincts were telling him otherwise.

"Okay..." I gave a deep sigh, squeezing my hand into a fist until I build the courage to act. I stared at the sword and amulet.

-- Fuck it.

Until I grabbed a hold of both of them.

A blinding light arrived upon the touch. I felt warmness spread around my body, as well the contact with the silver metal. The sword begun to shake violently as well the amulet, until it begun to cloud my judgment. I could feel my consciousness fading, hearing my team's muffled screams after me, yet I couldn't understand them. My mind was being lead somewhere-- to an unknown era I didn't know anything.

"Faith!"

         "She's beautiful isn't she?"

"You did beautiful job Lailah, we have a healthy baby girl."

I saw the faces of two unknown people's invade my mind. I was held by a woman with beautiful long hazel brown hair, as well beside her stood a man with long silver hair. Two of them were very pure and white, they were the purest creatures I've ever seen. I noticed the similarity in their eyes, they were deep blue colored, and looking down at me. What?

I was a baby?

"What should we name her?" The woman asked, her voice gentle yet strong. I felt my cheek being poked.

"... How about Faith? In this wretched, cursed little word I want to give her a strong name, one she can stand behind and feel proud." The man questioned, looking down at me with a soft look. What? The sudden realization hit me. These were my parents. I was staring straight at them, only as my time as a baby. I wanted to cry.

"Faith..." My mother tasted the name and smiled, she was also happy with the name. I wanted to cry out, to shout out to them, to do anything really to talk to them. I wanted to be noticed- to let them know I was fully present right there and then. But I couldn't do any of that, it seemed that I was only spectating my own history with my parents.

"-- We're under attacked!"

Suddenly everything changed, I was shifted to a place where was a view of a Kingdom burning down, engulfed in flames and warships surrounding the perimeter. It was heavily bombed at, never allowing the other side to recover.

"Get you and Faith out of here, Lailah!" I saw my father fully in my view, I had grown a bit. I was probably four years old, crying in my mother's arms. But what shocked me beyond belief was the fact what my father was- what he had. I hadn't noticed earlier probably because of the view, but now it was evident. My father had white wings on his back, a long white cloak really bringing them out. I recognized them immediately, they were Angel's wings.

"We can't leave you, Araciel!" I looked up at my Mother, tears consuming her eyes. She looked hurt-- the war going on ravaging our home. I stared at her wings as well, they were white as the clouds on the sky. She was as pure as the Goddesses I've heard so much about.

My parents belonged to the sky people?

... I am an offspring of Angels?

"There is no arguing, you must hide both of you on Earth, so they can't track you down. We can't let Faith have no childhood- none the less perish in such a predicament. I will come when we're ready." My Dad said, it rasped to know that deep down, I somehow knew that would be the last time I never saw him and this world. "Take this,"

He handed my mother a sword, the same one I recognized back at the cave. It was my Father's sword. "Only as a precaution." He tried to reassure, but I knew he feared that the outcome must be something he didn't intend.

Again, the landscape changed.

I was about 6 years old, playing with my toys with a bear-human. I only assumed she was my nanny. My mother watching me from the swing she sat on. A smile playing her lips. It rasped my heart seeing hurt in her eyes, my Dad never returned, did he?

I also noticed she didn't have her wings attatched anymore. What was going on?

Suddenly, the situation took a twisted turn once I heard loud commotion outside the door. My inner child turned to look, as I required: "Mother?"

My mother got up from her place and looked outside the window blinds, fear evident in her eyes. Something was coming.

"There's no time-" My mother got to work as she ran to a closet and grabbed a bag, handing it over to my nanny. "You must take Faith and run. I wish I had more time but they're here, and I can't risk my only child getting killed in a way like this." She spoke to the nanny who took it without hesitation. Mentally, my inner conscious was shocked. Who was hunting them down?

"Mommy?' My younger self questioned through tears. I wanted to ask so much more, I needed to know. But since I was so little, I feared I didn't get to ask those questions.

"It's gonna be okay darling." My mother caressed my cheek and wiped away my tears, all the while her own streamed down her face. "Your dad and I will be watching over you. We'll be here for you. The amulet will guard you and the sword will show you the way. Stay pure and stay s-strong, Faith." My mother sobbed, closing her mouth with her hand until my nanny ripped me out of her hands.

"Mommy! MOMMY!"

          I slumped down to my knees. Everything was spinning. My mind was a neverending wreckage, it kept showing me hundreds of moments with my parents-- all the things that I couldn't remember from the day that I was born to the day I turned 7 years old. I saw all my birthdays, my first steps all the way to the times I was practicing with my Mom and Dad about the way Angels lived and what was appropriate and what was not. Almost like a curtesy.

For an Angel-- the servant of God, it was an absolute law to do everything by the book. Otherwise you could be casted as an outsider, meaning you would lose your 'holy light'. Even though, I never intended to listen to them. I was tiny, a little one. Apparently I was giving my parents a hard time growing up, I was impatient and most of the time misbehaved. Imagine all this, and a war going on with my kind?

Mom...

Dad...

What the hell happened?

                            ~~|||~~

~ Hello guys! Long time no see. I've decided to finish this book and I'll be updating the next chapters frequent, it has been a while. Other than that I won't be holding you any longer, stay dazzling. ✨

~ Keep reading.