Aynyra stood from her trainer Lorcan, back up in the wall-less tower.
"Today will be your final lesson. You have already learned how to shape your power, but now you must learn how to use your power to influence others, things that are alive. The gift of life is bestowed to many who walk this earth, and your power allows you to influence minor things with that life, such as speeding up healing. You have demonstrated aspects of healing, but today you will master it. You will learn how to heal the human body perfectly, including, healing the mind. Some minds, cannot be healed but can be influenced." Lorcan declared, standing tall and strong in front of her.
"Influencing the mind? Like I can influence people's decisions?" Aynyra questioned.
"You hold great power, a gift from the gods. You must use your power to help others you find in your path, or it will corrupt you and the gods will take it away, leaving you to die," Lorcan warned.
Aynyra took his warning
Rhaenyx, Aynyra, Valor and Aerys all stood on the platform across from the Queen of the Fae who stared down at them, picking at her fingernails. The court sat in silence, anticipating what the Queen would say. Today was the last day, it was time for her to decide whether or not she would be sending the Fae into battle for their kingdom.Rhae felt dread washing over her. If the Queen didn't help them, they would return to the Kingdom, be overrun and most likely die, ending the life of her bonded draekon Diavel. If the Queen did help them and they won, what would happen to a Kingdom that was just at war between an outside force and its people? Would the people revolt once again? What would be the casualty rate? What would they do next?Gods. Nothing was planned out.Rhae's dread was interrupted by the Queen lowering her arms to glare at them. She rested her hands on the edges of the armrest, tapping her finger on the plush cushioning. T
Aynyra, Valor and Aerys sat around their chambers, lounging on the plush couches. They had sat in silence for a moment, thinking about how Rhae had gone off with Ambrose recently, leaving them all alone in the chambers on their last day. This had happened every day recently, Rhae disappearing with Ambrose while the others sat around, waiting. Though they had each gone off on their training.Aynyra turned to Valor, "What have you been doing the last few days? You haven't told anybody but your helper seems to be smiling at you for some reason." Aynyra winked at her brother, knowing that he was flirting with his helper at every interaction."Like the Queen said, I've been honing my skills, training to be the best I can be!" Valor chuckled."I want the details, please?" Aynyra begged, giving him a pouty face.Valor rolled his eyes, "Fine." With that, he recounted the key details of what he had been up to the last few days.~*~*~&n
Rhae had awoken that morning with a throbbing headache. When she looked around the room, she found herself in her chambers, Ambrose nowhere to be seen. Soon, they would be leaving, flying on the backs of their Draekons to their own Kingdom. Rhae flung herself out of bed, trying to fight the dizziness that overcame her body. She threw on a combat suit that had been laid out for her, padded with thick draekon scales as Armour. The scales were a deep purple, reflecting hues of green in a different light. She threw on her boots, tied her hair in a plait so it wouldn't knot in the wind, and bolted out the door. Rhae checked the other's rooms first to see if they were there, but when she found them empty, she grabbed a few pieces of food off the table and ran through the corridors, up and up towards the Aerie of the towers. As she ate along the way, she hoped to the Gods it wouldn't come up again during her flight.Quick as lightning in her Fae form, she made it up the tower, taking her la
Aynyra clung tight to her escort, unable to get used to the rolling of her stomach as they flew up above the clouds. Her anxiety only piled on from the fear of heights, riding a Draekon for the first time and the fact they were returning home to wage war, probably killing many of her people in the process. She would use her magic to heal as many people as possible and to defend Rhae; that was her job after all. Her rider hung tight to the left side of Rhae's Draekon's tail, keeping the flight as smooth as possible.That helped mostly, until they banked down, breaking through the cloud layer to see her Kingdom, dull and colourless, covered by a layer of clouds. There was nobody out on the streets, no decorations on the palace, and the gardens had died. The grass from the hill where the Akihyra tree once was, was grey and ashen as if the land itself had died. She turned, catching the view of the other Draekon parties, swinging away and down to the streets, searching the guild houses for
Valor was whisked away by the Fae rider, diverting to help the other parties in the assault. As he glanced over the edge, he saw the ruin that was his kingdom. The fires had gone out, but the streets were still filled with screams and Draekons using their claws and tails to knock Icran's army out of the way. From what he could see, the attacks were not fatal, merely subduing or knocking out their opponents. He was glad for it, he didn't want to lose half of their population in one day. They weren't the villains here, they were there to help. Despite this, he still needed to fight. There was no peaceful way to end this, so as his Draekon glided just over the top of a battle, he slid down the wing and landed in the midst of it. Immediately, he leapt into battle, his training surpassing the civilians he faced, allowing him to easily defend against the oncoming attacks. He moved to cause unfatal attacks, dodging the chest and head. The goal was to incapacitate, so that's what he did, mo
Rhaenyx was burning. She was fire itself; hot, bright and hungry. The fire ate her from the inside, consuming her body with rage. Finally, she was in front of the man who brought her so much pain and now she could end him, once and for all.The flames covered her body, bright and blue, all-consuming. Icran trembled in front of her, his wide eyes taking in the fury in front of him. He barely even noticed Aynyra standing behind Rhae, sweat dripping down her forehead."Rhaenyx, dear. Violence isn't the answer. Do you think the people will follow you when you storm into your own Kingdom and burn it to the ground? Do you think they want you as a leader when you bring in our enemy to slaughter us like lambs to the wolves? You're a fool. You had no real plan. This Kingdom will fall if I don't take place as its leader. You are the real traitor," Icran growled, his voice dripping with malice.Behind his anger, was fear and Rhae could taste it. "Shut up," she hissed."Have I hit a nerve? You kn
Rhae was surrounded by darkness, her mind empty. It was like standing in a void. Every time she moved, her body shifted, fading in and out of existence.Was this death? Was this her final punishment from the gods? It couldn't be. Surely, she wasn't doomed to float in a never-ending void forever.No, Icran wasn't dead yet. She couldn't end it here, not when she had so much to do, not when she had so much to return to.Her relationship with Aynyra had been rocky so far. They went from enemies to friends to enemies again. They had no time to talk to each other, spend time together, to develop anything.Yet, Aynyra had been by her side through it all. Without earning it, she had received unwavering loyalty. How did she repay Aynyra? By stabbing her.Rhae didn't deserve anything. Didn't deserve the love that constantly poured from Aynyra. She had betrayed Aynyra multiple times along the way, even abandoning her in an ancient city. She had been focused on revenge for Kaia, focused on keep
Rhae's eyes burst open and she pushed herself up quickly, examining her surroundings. She glanced around, Aynyra lay unconscious beside her and Ambrose knelt on her other side, reaching out to support her. Icran; she had to find him, she had to end him.Quickly, she stood, ignoring the throbbing pain in her head and the dryness in her mouth. There was no more time to waste, nothing else to do, but end it here and now. Behind the pillar, that's where he hid before. Ambrose followed close behind her, his arms being held in her direction, ready to catch her if she fell. Her body was filled with only one burning desire, to kill Icran. Fate could be damned, bloody destiny could be damned. Only one thing mattered and that was ending Icran. She found him, cowering behind the pillar, a fool and a coward in his last moments. She grabbed him by his hair and threw him out onto the concrete, towering above him. Rhae felt the white fire burning through her and pushed it onto the surface of her
Rhae stormed through the camp, straight for Aynyra's tent. Ambrose left her feeling hot and her skin sticky. His presence always made her feel strange like there were butterflies flapping their delicate wings along the lining of her stomach. She thought that she could vomit at the feeling and maybe it would go away.But Aynyra came first, so she shook her head and took a deep breath before stepping into the darkness of the tent.Aynyra was sat up on the bedroll, staring blankly at the entrance to the tent. Her long ears and canines had turned back to human features, and her face was sickly, clouded by dark circles that hung low under her eyes.Even in Rhae's presence in the tent, Aynyra didn't blink. She merely stared, lips slightly agape and grey in colour."Aynyra?" Rhae whispered, kneeling down in front of Aynyra. She gently reached out and grasped Aynyra's cold, dead fingers. Rhae grimaced at the cold that seeped from her usually warm skin.Rhae bent to the side and picked up the
Rhae had surveyed the camp a few times on the back of Diavel. He seemed agitated but wouldn't talk to her about what he had seen behind Aynyra's tent. Since then, neither of them had spotted anything unusual. Even Ambrose's Fae senses hadn't picked anything up.Rhae decided that it was enough and flew back down into the camp to sit outside of Aynyra's tent, keeping watch until she woke up."Did Diavel say anything else about what he saw?" Ambrose asked, climbing off his Draekon to sit beside her. Rhae ran her fingers through her dirty and matted hair, trying to pull it away from her face. "No, he has refused to talk to me since," Rhae whispered staring at Diavel, whose head was snapping around at the smallest sounds, searching the treeline for movement. "He needs to rest, but I don't think he will now that there might be a threat.""You need rest too, and a bath," Ambrose chuckled, covering his nose. "So do you!" Rhae laughed, lightly shoving Ambrose. Ambrose stood and held out his
"What the hell do you mean, they AREN'T DEAD!" A man with long fiery red hair and a scruffy beard yelled. He tapped his long fingernails on the wooden table in front of him. It appeared to be a repetitive action as there was a small dent in the table where he had slowly worn out the wood."They escaped. The monsters were too large, it made them slow. They couldn't kill two of those bloody so-called warriors." This man's voice was smooth and deep, rolling off his tongue. He oozed confidence and strength, hidden under a black cloak that covered his features. He was calm compared to the other's rage."So why weren't they in the Kingdom? Why weren't they burned with it?" The man with the scruffy beard yelled, his voice raspy and scratched."A number of the citizens managed to escape. The princess has grown powerful, she is able to use a large amount of her power so quickly.""It won't last forever, raw magic isn't as all-powerful as she thinks. Her powe
Ambrose, cradled Rhae's unconscious body, next to Diavel who grunted in pain every time he tried to move his torn wing. The two monsters still stood at the edge of the kingdom, blasting fire at the wall that blocked them from tearing down the city. It would fall in seconds. He couldn't stop them along, and neither could Rhae. One blast knocked Rhae off her feet. Who knows if that same blast would work on the monster who breathed fire itself? There was no choice, they had to evacuate with the citizens of the Kingdom.Aynyra? He called out in his mind, hoping she would hear him.Ambrose! I can't feel Rhae's mind anymore. What happened?We need to evacuate and now, have you all left?We have all made it out the gate. We are heading deep into the forest. Most of the Fae have abandoned us now, Aynyra whispered.I'm bringing Rhae to you now, I'm sorry we couldn't help further.Sometimes you need to know when you've been beaten, Ambrose. We will return with a plan.Ambrose remained silent, f
Rhae and Ambrose soared over the Kingdom. There were a few struggles below running for over who hadn't made their way to the square. Hopefully, they don't get in the way.Then Rhae looked up and towering over the wall were three great beasts. That was the only way she could describe them. They were amalgamations of many different creatures and bigger than anything she had ever seen. They were taller than the castle at full height. Full-blown monsters. Even Ambrose stilled.Diavel's voice popped into her head. You're magic is strong, but not enough for this. Ambrose can't help much. Rhae, we won't win."We have to try," Rhae growled, pushing forwards. "See if you can get close enough to get a blast in."Diavel grumbled but complied. Even he was a bug to the monsters before them. Before they could even get in range, the arm of the monster came down on them, swatting them away. Diavel barely managed to dodge.Ambrose's Draekon sent a blast of lightning from a distance before swerving out
"We need to make a statement," Valor slammed his fist on the long wooden table that the remains of the council sat around. There were a few old men from the old council, along with Aynyra's court. Rhae sat on Aynyra's right, Valor on her left. Beside Valor was Aerys, whose actions gave them the god's favour in the battle. So, he was offered a place in court. Besides Rhae was a sneering old man who was twisting away from the Fae ears that peeked through Rhae's hair. The rest of the council appeared equally aggressive. "We have all been recovering from the battle, surely they will understand," Aerys rubbed his dark eyes. "The people recognise the power vacuum. We need Aynyra to solidify our position," Valor retorted. An old man piped up, the man who sat next to Rhae, "Maybe the Princess is too young to lead us." Rhae interjected sharply, "You will address her as your majesty." "She is not Queen until the coronation ceremony, even then, she needs a King by her side." The other counc
Rhae's eyes burst open and she pushed herself up quickly, examining her surroundings. She glanced around, Aynyra lay unconscious beside her and Ambrose knelt on her other side, reaching out to support her. Icran; she had to find him, she had to end him.Quickly, she stood, ignoring the throbbing pain in her head and the dryness in her mouth. There was no more time to waste, nothing else to do, but end it here and now. Behind the pillar, that's where he hid before. Ambrose followed close behind her, his arms being held in her direction, ready to catch her if she fell. Her body was filled with only one burning desire, to kill Icran. Fate could be damned, bloody destiny could be damned. Only one thing mattered and that was ending Icran. She found him, cowering behind the pillar, a fool and a coward in his last moments. She grabbed him by his hair and threw him out onto the concrete, towering above him. Rhae felt the white fire burning through her and pushed it onto the surface of her
Rhae was surrounded by darkness, her mind empty. It was like standing in a void. Every time she moved, her body shifted, fading in and out of existence.Was this death? Was this her final punishment from the gods? It couldn't be. Surely, she wasn't doomed to float in a never-ending void forever.No, Icran wasn't dead yet. She couldn't end it here, not when she had so much to do, not when she had so much to return to.Her relationship with Aynyra had been rocky so far. They went from enemies to friends to enemies again. They had no time to talk to each other, spend time together, to develop anything.Yet, Aynyra had been by her side through it all. Without earning it, she had received unwavering loyalty. How did she repay Aynyra? By stabbing her.Rhae didn't deserve anything. Didn't deserve the love that constantly poured from Aynyra. She had betrayed Aynyra multiple times along the way, even abandoning her in an ancient city. She had been focused on revenge for Kaia, focused on keep
Rhaenyx was burning. She was fire itself; hot, bright and hungry. The fire ate her from the inside, consuming her body with rage. Finally, she was in front of the man who brought her so much pain and now she could end him, once and for all.The flames covered her body, bright and blue, all-consuming. Icran trembled in front of her, his wide eyes taking in the fury in front of him. He barely even noticed Aynyra standing behind Rhae, sweat dripping down her forehead."Rhaenyx, dear. Violence isn't the answer. Do you think the people will follow you when you storm into your own Kingdom and burn it to the ground? Do you think they want you as a leader when you bring in our enemy to slaughter us like lambs to the wolves? You're a fool. You had no real plan. This Kingdom will fall if I don't take place as its leader. You are the real traitor," Icran growled, his voice dripping with malice.Behind his anger, was fear and Rhae could taste it. "Shut up," she hissed."Have I hit a nerve? You kn