Aria POV

"ARORA REACTOR!" Atamos shouted as she fired a bolt of lightning I created a bolt of ice to block her attack, but once they collided the ice began to morph horribly out of shape before large spikes shot out of it causing it to fall to the ground, "WHAT THE?!" I said in shock, "Arora...NEBULA!" she shouted as several bolts of light flew at me, I narrowly dodged each of them, and as they flew past me and hit the ground the earth where the spell hit turned to lava, was set ablaze, froze, or exploded! "WHAT KIND OF MAGIC IS THAT?!" I said in shock, "You won't live long enough to learn to deal with it. It's magic unique to dragons, called Infernus." she said, I-It's terrifying, but it's random." I said, "It would seem like that to you!" she said as she fired an attack into the ground causing vines to wrap around the majority of my body. "H-How lewd!" I struggled to say as I desperately tried to keep a vine from wrapping around my throat, 'LET ME OUT!' a voice demanded, "No! Not now!" I said in fear before Atamos kicked me into the side of her cave, "I'm getting so terribly bored. I'll show them never to underestimate me. If they want me dead they should've sent a Dragon Knight to slay me!" Atamos said as she transformed.

I was terrified and actually solid myself a bit, "I-I thought that you dragons were supposed to be submissive!" I said in fear, "Now who told you that blatant lie?" she said, "M-My master! A Holy Dragon Knight!" I said, "That's why. Few dragons possess the courage to defy her. We dragons are all self-aware more so than any human. We know when to be afraid and when to run." she said as she leered down at me. I could feel myself slipping into despair and terror. "M-Mama, please! Please save me, Mama!" I said in fear, suddenly I couldn't feel my body.

Atamos POV

"M-Mama, please! Please save me, Mama!" Aria said in fear, 'Pathetic girl. At least die with dignity. You've already ruined my afternoon snack.' I thought, suddenly a dark and sinister aura exploded from her, "You there, lizard. Come down here and fight me." a man's voice said from Aria's body as horns, wings, and a tail emerged from her body, "What does a filthy hellspawn like you want with her?" I asked, it smirked and raised its hand towards the village, and snapped sending a wave of dark energy flying and destroyed the village entirely, "INCREADABLE! I'M NOT EVEN GIVING HER ANY OF MY POWER AND SHE'S THIS STRONG ALREADY!" it laughed before teleporting up to me and kicking me down to the ground. I coughed up a bit of blood and got up. "This is bad! Just knowing she's strong enough to fight me as an equal in my dragon form is terrifying!" I said as I transformed.

"You should know to bow before a Queen!" I said as I flew up to the demon and fired off several spells, but it didn't move or block any of them. It yawned and took each hit and once the flames from the explosions died down it stood there with a bored expression on its face. "Poor Aria. Her clothes are ruined all because of a gecko." it mocked as it ran its hands over Aria's body, "I couldn't have hoped for a more ideal vessel! Even as a child she was perfect!" it laughed, 'So earlier when she was crying out to her mother!' I thought, "She wasn't scared of me, she was terrified of you getting out!" I said angrily, "Perhaps, perhaps not. Although her pathetic mommy couldn't do much to me now that little Aria isn't conscious enough to lock me away again." it said, "Fine then you leave me no choice!" I said angrily, "ARIA! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME I'M ADOPTING YOU! And as your new mother, I'm going to save you." I said as I flew towards the demon and punched it, but it grabbed my arm and plunged its hand into my chest, and grabbed my heart, "Thank you. You saved me the time and effort of tricking you into getting close!" I said as I grabbed it, "As the Dragon Queen of Darkness I'm in a unique position to deal with your kind!" I said, "Infernal art! Shadow Exorcism!" I shouted as I pulled the demon out of Aria and into me, and as it entered me it crushed my heart. I pulled Aria close and shielded her as we crashed, "A-Atamos!" she said worriedly.

Aria POV

"Why, why did you do that! I'm a murderer!" I cried, "Didn't you hear me you silly girl, I said I was adopting you and as your mother, it's my job to keep you safe." Atamos said as she held my bloody hand, "Aria listen to me, I'm going to tell you something that very few know. Cursed are not born like normal children. Despite what everyone wants to believe, a Cursed is a half breed, half of whatever race the mother is, and a demon. The reason behind this varies wildly. Some say it's because demons can't reproduce with their kind. Others say that they seek to create weapons capable of destroying an entire kingdom singlehandedly. The only certain things are that the children are conceived through a contract, and the children are born closely tied to the Abyss granting them immense power." she said, "Aria, I've freed you from the demon who was possessing you. I also engrained the Infernal arts into your soul. I want you to master them. And as my dying wish, I would like for you to keep Isha safe. Treat her as though she were your sister." she said, "I can do that." I said as she took her final breath. Isha ran over to her mother's body, I used my magic to clean my hands and picked her up, she tried to wriggle out of my arms, but I refused to let her go. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." I said as comforted her as she cried into my neck.