R A I
One more anthem for the know-it-all.
You won't be standing up for long, you better learn how to crawl.
One more anthem for the know-it-all.
You won't be standing up for long, you better learn how to crawl.
xxxxxxScene II - Whitexxxxxx
xxxxxxScene II - Whitexxxxxx
xxxxxxScene II - Whitexxxxxx
Nixterra didn't actually even have a name. To the people who lived there, it was just "home". A tiny little white planet tucked away in a dimension that few cared to visit, no one really bothered to take the time to give it a proper title. So it had simply become known as "the land of snow", nix terra in Latin. And although simple, it was quite a fitting name. After all, no matter how far one searched, all they would find was snow, ice, and... more snow. If you looked hard enough, you might eventually stumble upon a small settlement deep in the mountains, where the Nixpopuli, the "snow people", lived. But apart from these inhabitants, there was absolutely no other life on the entire planet. Just snow.
"Hold on," Innistria interrupted as Rai was explaining these things. "If there's no other life on the planet, then how can the Nixpop..whatevers survive? What do they eat?"
"They eat the ice, of course," Rai informed her, as though it weren't unnatural in the slightest. "The snow and ice here isn't the same as the kind you're used to." He paused, and then added, "And there are different types as well."
"That still doesn't make it any less bizarre..." Innistria sighed, making use of one of her arms to hug the bright red coat she was wearing closer. Rai had given it to her just after she had come out of her little panic attack. It was too big for her, but she didn't really care at this point. It was soft and warm, and that was all that mattered at the moment. As for her other arm, it was tightly secured around one of Rai's. The reason for this, of course, was that she was currently not on the ground, and neither was he. They were floating through the air like a couple of wingless birds, pushed along by the freezing icy wind. Innistria burrowed her head into her coat's soft collar, trying her best not to look down. How she had gotten herself into this position, she still wasn't entirely sure.
Upon waking up and finding herself in this "new dimension", Rai had proceeded to explain how he was a sort of dimension hopper for hire, who would travel to all sorts of places to complete various jobs. His current assignment was to find a necklace, a keepsake from father to daughter. It was evidently something very important, but Rai had moved on from the subject long before Innistria had the time to ask any questions regarding it.
Apparently, his fancy dimension-shifting powers only worked once a day. His staff had to "recharge" or something before it could do it again. So until tomorrow, she was stuck with him on the icy planet of doom. And since she would probably freeze to death long before then unless she found some shelter, he suggested she come with him to find the Nixpopuli. Expressing the length of the journey and his concern for her as a human vulnerable to the cold weather, he had then somehow managed to convince her to travel with him by sky. How they were even accomplishing this she hadn't the slightest idea, but she was trying her very best not to think about it.
As she pulled her arm tighter around Rai's, the green-haired man gave her an amused look. "You can let go, you know. I won't let you fall."
"Yeah right," the girl breathed, her eyes still closed. Although she knew it was rather unfair of her, she expected the moment she let go of his arm he would drop her however far and leave her in the snow. After all, what use was she to him at this point? She was only making his job harder. Her only hopes resided in the fact that she was wearing his coat, and that it was a very nice coat, hopefully one worth enough that he wouldn't just leave it behind. Also, since he had gone to the trouble of saving her perhaps he would feel it a waste to just let her die now. And so the mental battle continued to bounce back and forth in her mind, until she realized that Rai was staring at her, causing her to clear her throat awkwardly and grunt. "So, how much farther is this settlement?"
"Not far," Rai informed her, amusement in his eyes as they moved away from her to look ahead. "It should be coming into sight any minute now."
"I see..." Thank goodness. She had just about had it with these icy winds and not being anywhere near the safety of the ground. Mustering up the courage to look below her, she poked her head over the poofy coat. It seemed they were flying over a great deal of mountains at this point, which were all capped in snow. "I thought everything here was snow and ice," she said, a mildly accusing edge in her tone. "Aren't the mountains made of stone? Other than the snow on top, they look gray."
"As I said -- he snow and ice here is quite different from what you're used to back on your home world. On Nixterra, when the snow gets pressed down and hardened into ice, it turns gray. And actually, although it would never happen here, if it melts into water it turns blue."
"I wonder what the science behind that is..." Innistria sighed. A planet of white, blue, and gray. Not the most exciting color scheme, but perhaps fitting for such a boring planet. Boring and cold... I should have just tried my luck with the bandits. She mused, aching to be home. She didn't really mean such thoughts, even now she was actually still glad she'd gone with Rai -- but still, she couldn't help but feel a bit homesick. Not that anyone will miss me, though. Her eyes closed a bit as she stared ahead again, lost in thought.
She glanced at Rai when he nudged her, and scowled at his bright expression. "You know, since I've met you I haven't seen a single smile out of you."
"There's been nothing to smile about," she huffed, looking away. "Unless you find being kidnapped, having a seizure and nearly freezing to death enjoyable."
"Of course not," Rai continued, his tone not faltering in the slightest. "But frowning about it certainly won't improve anything."
Innistria looked at the man again, letting loose a long, internal sigh. Really, she couldn't even begin to understand him. Everyone had problems and hardships; it wasn't normal for someone to be so happy all the time. It wasn't even just abnormal -- it was downright unnatural, and it gave her a horribly uncomfortable feeling.
The girl's attention was pulled to the sky above them when she heard a loud, screeching sound. Her eyes lifted as she was met with another, much louder scream that sounded like the cry of a large animal. High above them was a small, gray figure, circling over them like a hawk. At first it was too small to identify as anything other than a dot in the sky, but as it dove through the air it quickly became more visible, and Innistria sank into her coat, clinging to Rai with both hands now. "What is that?" As it approached them two giant, black wings became recognizable, and the ear-splitting screeches the creature continued to let off filled the air around them.
Rai smiled at the girl, his eyes twinkling. "That would be one of the natives."
Innistria stared at him in disbelief for a moment or so before looking back up at the... native. It was getting closer, and fast. The screams it released pounded in her ears, and her eyes stretched wide. It was going to charge right into them -- it was probably trying to kill them. Maybe Rai could survive something like that, but she was just a human; there was no way...
Just as she was beginning to panic, she felt her hands being torn from the only sort of support she had at the moment. Rai removed her shaking hands from where they had been clinging to him, and held her at arm's length. Innistria gasped, her entire body going tense. The feeling of simply floating in the air, the only thing holding you up being the wind -- which she certainly did not trust to support her weight -- combined with their current situation, was certainly not improving her anxiety in the slightest. "Wh-what are you doing!?" She cried, curling into a ball in the air as he removed his hands from her shoulders. She stared at the ground below her, cold tears beginning to form in her eyes. Was this his plan? Making me into bird food? I should have never--!
"Don't worry," he said, his tone smooth. The girl glanced back up at him, her expression like that of a lost child. "I won't let them touch you." And for some reason, it was as though his words had forced her body to relax. She remained curled into a ball, if only because of how startling the feeling of weightlessness and the wind blowing against her body was, but the tears cleared from her eyes and she held her head up, taking a short breath before giving a quick nod.
"Don't keep me waiting," she said, her tone sharp. "I'll freeze to death if you take your time."
The man grinned, floating a few feet away from her and then doing a flip in the air and a flamboyant bow. "Of course~"
Innistria tucked her head into the coat again as she was pushed away. She was moving through the air much faster now than before, and the cold wind buffeted her from behind. When she stopped moving quite so fast, she peeked back out to see if she could still see Rai. He was standing -- or floating, more like, quite a ways away now. He was easy enough to see due to the fact that he was wearing bright green in the midst of entirely white scenery.
His head was tilted toward the sky, and Innistria looked up as well, alarmed to see that the winged creature had nearly reached him. It was moving faster than any bird she'd seen before -- cutting through the air at such a pace she was surprised her eyes could trace it. The girl held her breath as she watched, forcing herself not to look away as the native came in contact with her green-haired companion.
There was a loud shriek, one she was sure came from the native rather than Rai. In the moment of the collision, the two figures disappeared in an icy whirlwind, and Innistria held up her hands to shield her face from the powerful blast -- only to remain untouched as it separated just before reaching her. Like the eye of a blizzard.. or something.
When it cleared, Innistria searched again for Rai, this time unable to locate him. Instead, she found a group of three more winged creatures -- the Nixpopuli, she recalled -- circling toward her. "R-Rai!" She shouted, although she was certain he wouldn't hear her. He wasn't even anywhere in sight.
The girl gritted her teeth, recalling the words Rai had spoken only minutes before. He won't let them touch me... Still, as she watched, unmoving as the bird-like natives approached her at unimaginable speed, with her companion nowhere in sight, the girl could scarcely keep away the doubt and fear that began to invade her mind. She was helpless at this point, after all -- held up in the air by magic. She couldn't even run if she tried, not that she would have any chance at getting away if she could. She'd be like a snail trying to outrun a bird.
The three Nixpopuli went from small dots in the distance to close figures in mere moments, until they were close enough that she could actually make out the colors of their wings -- which were each colored a bit differently. The one in the center of the group had pale gray wings, and the two on either side of it had dark and light brown ones. Innistria closed her eyes, holding her breath as the sound of their screeches drew closer. Then the wind picked up around her, and she felt herself thrown violently to the side. Her eyes popped open just in time to see the group pass her as she was pushed out of the way. Howls of irritation sounded from the creatures and they peeled off to the sides, turning to make another charge at her.
Before they were even facing her again, however, she was already well on her way -- sailing through the air as it tore across the back of her red coat. Her hair blew in her face, and she raised her hands, attempting to stuff it back into her hood. Her frozen fingers were of little use, however, and she soon shoved them back into her sleeves instead, allowing her hair to continue battering her face like tiny wires.
Still, despite the pain that accompanied the unfortunate method of travel, the girl couldn't help but feel relieved. She had no idea how he was managing it, but it seemed Rai had the situation under control for now. But where are you? When her pace slowed enough that she could see past the white wind blowing around her, she leaned forward to look down at the surface of the planet. Below her, she could just make out a green figure in the distance as it plummeted toward the ground. He was holding his staff out in front of him, and the Nixpopulian seemed to be clutching the other side of it, forcing him down. Rai! A cloud of white encompassed the two as they hit the surface, and at the same time Innistria felt the air holding her up dissipate.
She had thought the lack of support she had felt before was bad, but it was nothing in comparison to how she felt now. Her mouth opened in what would have been a scream, but her voice was stolen from her as the three winged figures passed over her, howling in irritation that the girl had once again evaded their attack. Was that on purpose? She wondered, eyes closed as she turned over in the air, shielding her face as she fell through the frozen sky.
Her free-fall ended shortly after it began as Innistria soon found herself safely in Rai's arms, although she hadn't the slightest idea how he had accomplished this. (Not that she was ungrateful for it.) Looking up at him with wide eyes, she searched him for a moment, looking for... blood? bruises? Any sign at all that he had just been caught in a fight? Of course he would look completely unharmed, she sighed, noting the fact that he looked no different than he had earlier. "T-Took you l-long enough..." she stammered, a failed attempt at an accusing tone. Her teeth were chattering to the extent that she couldn't really say much.
A moment later, there was a rush of wind and the black-winged creature was floating before them, wings outstretched and creating mini whirlwinds as they pounded the air to keep their owner afloat. Innistria was currently being held "princess-style", as she called it, meaning Rai was holding her sideways in his arms. Although she was appreciative for the secure feeling it gave her, it unfortunately ruled out the option of hiding behind him at this point. So instead, she grabbed his shirt with her tiny hands, realizing for the first time just how small she was in comparison to him -- although he actually wasn't that big. She was just incredibly small, unfortunately... always the shortest girl her age.
She stared at the figure before her, trying to take in its odd appearance. Although she was unsure whether genders even existed among this species (she wasn't exactly used to meeting new species, either, seeing as until a few hours ago she didn't even believe in aliens), if there was such a thing as male or female among the Nixpopuli, this one would probably fit in the female category. Her body resembled that of a human in shape, at least, but the similarities stopped there. Her face was as white as the snow, matching her long hair which was tied in countless places to form a long rope-looking sort of thing. Her eyes were wide and deep red, filled with spirals and surrounded in eye lashes that were far too long. Out of her head jutted six long, white horns which looked like a sort of crown, and a long, cat-like tail swayed back and forth behind her. The outfit she wore was white and gray, and although Innistria couldn't quite tell just from looking what it was made out of, she was certain it wasn't ice or snow.
The woman's face, which under different circumstances might have appeared quite beautiful -- albeit a bit savage -- was currently twisted in fury. "Trespassers! Foreigners!" Her white tongue brushed over her pointed silver teeth as she snarled. Her eyes narrowed, landing on the red-haired girl in Rai's arms as she continued. "You are not welcome here. Leave immediately or die where you stand."
"Well, we're not actually standing," Rai started. Innistria shot him a terrified look. Now's not the time, you idiot! Behind them, the three other Nixpopuli, all of which appeared far more masculine than the first, flew down to their level. Then they spread out so that one was standing on each side of the two "trespassers".
"Then you choose death." The woman hissed, raising a white hand. At first it appeared she had no fingernails, but after a moment long, transparent claws slipped out of her fingertips, much like those of a cat -- but much longer, and more knife-like.
Innistria tucked her head into Rai's shoulder. Do something, you stupid magician! She internally screamed, unable to speak her thoughts aloud.
"Ahh~" Rai hummed, staring at the woman and pausing, as though he were deeply considering the choice she had presented him. Then, without any sort of warning whatsoever, he began laughing. Innistria gawked up at him, speechless, and then turned to the Nixpopulian woman, who appeared even more baffled by the strange development.
"Do you not know the meaning of the word death?" The winged woman demanded, appalled by his behavior. "Be that the case, allow me to instruct you!"
"Ah, Myrathe..." Rai breathed, his laughter subsiding. "You still play a horrible bad guy. I'm sorry, you just... don't have the face for it. I just can't..." His words were interrupted by another fit of chuckling, the only sound among the six floating figures.
There was a long pause, and Innistria held her breath, looking back and forth between the two, Rai and "Myrathe". The other men surrounding them seemed to be doing the same. The Nixpopulian woman's claws retracted, and she blinked, her anger disappearing, replaced with a blank stare. Then her mouth dropped open.
"Rai!?"
∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿
"Really, though, you can hardly blame me. I had my doubts you would even come back at all -- what's it been, five hundred? Six hundred years? You've certainly gotten taller... I think." The woman laughed as she brushed through her long, snowy hair with her thin fingers. Her red eyes were wide and filled with excitement, all traces of hostility having been completely wiped away and replaced with playful expression. A toothy grin stretched across her face as her gaze remained faithfully on the green-haired man before her.
"Has it been that long?" Rai hummed, a mischievousness glint in his eyes as he looked at the Nixpopulian thoughtfully. Innistria shot the man a dissatisfied glare, her lips twisting into a skeptical frown. She still hadn't quite forgiven him for tossing her around like that, especially when he knew this lady, Myrathe, from the start. And what kind of crazy, violent race just randomly attacked anyone who got near them, assuming they were a threat without even giving them time to properly explain themselves first?
But all that aside, at the very least Innistria was grateful they were no longer outside. Myrathe had taken them to her home, which was pretty much exactly the same as the outdoors temperature-wise. But at least it kept out the wind. Rai had piled a few blankets around her, and lit a small fire on a silver object she couldn't hope to identify, which was currently floating in the air beside her. It wasn't very big, but at least it provided some warmth. Innistria found herself constantly checking the walls of the building, however, to make sure they didn't begin melting around her -- despite Rai's assurance that this amount of fire would have no affect on the sort of ice they built houses out of here.
He had also given her a bag of pretzels, a box of crackers, two bottles of... something, and some flavored syrup in case she wanted to make snow cones. All of which had come out of his creepy little sack, of course, which made Innistria all levels of uncomfortable about it, but she ate it anyway. She was hungry.
And tired. It seemed plenty bright and early here, but back where she was from it was probably deep into the night or entering early morning by now. However, she dared not sleep while in such dangerous company. Dangerous... the girl thought, staring at Rai's innocent expression with half-closed eyes. ...well, maybe not him.
"You got your wings, though," Rai pointed to the black feathery things that were currently tucked neatly behind the woman's back. He smiled, "Congratulations~"
"Thanks!" The woman sang, stretching one out a bit and stroking the feathers. "Took me the longest time. I was the last in my class, you know -- and so clumsy at first. No one would guess it now, though; I'm the fastest in the whole village. Head of the Fliers, in fact. Took up the position after father passed away. So now I'm the only one with black wings, hah~" Innistria still wasn't sure what to make of this woman. She was kind of like Rai, actually, at least in the "overly happy" respect -- even when talking about her own father's death she managed to keep up her irritatingly cheerful tone. But she talked too much. It almost made Innistria appreciate her green haired companion. Almost.
Innistria's attention strayed from the too annoyingly happy individuals, surveying the small house once again. She imagined this was probably what it would be like to live in an igloo or something, except more extreme. Literally everything was made out of some sort of ice, yet it was all carefully carved and crafted, even with some color designs between different types of snow. The girl grunted, her movements a bit restricted by the blankets she had wrapped around herself. Then she paused her struggles when she heard light footsteps just outside the house. Turning her head, she watched as a small boy, appearing no older than five or six, entered the room, pausing at the sight of the two strangers. His eyes were deep purple, wide and curious as he stared at Innistria. His hands were tiny and his fingers delicate, much like the rest of him Unlike Myrathe, he did not hold the appearance of a warrior at all. He was small, thin, and so fragile-looking that Innistria wondered if he would break if she just touched him. His thin white tail swished back and forth as he glanced at Myrathe.
"Sister," he spoke, his tone hushed. "Who are these people?"
"Oh, Seiran," Myrathe smiled at the boy. "This is my friend Rai, and his..." she paused, red eyes turning to Innistria. "...mate, right?"
"What!?" Innistria's face turned bright red and her blue eyes stretched wide in shock. "N-No, that's--!" She gawked at Rai, waiting for him to object as well. But he simply smiled back at her in return.
"Now, now," Myrathe chuckled, placing a hand under her chin. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, little girl."
"There's nothing to be ashamed about," Innistria hissed. "We're not together."
"Oh?" Myrathe glanced at Rai, seeking confirmation. "Slave, then?"
"Just friends," he hummed, not even turning to look at the Nixpopulian. It seemed his mind was off somewhere else at the moment.
"Very sorry," the woman said, although the amusement that played on her face contradicted her words. Innistria just buried herself in her blankets, letting out a loud hmph noise to make is sound as though she were leaving them out of irritation rather than embarrassment.
"Right then," Rai continued, unfazed. His tone took a step down from cheerful for a moment, although it still remained good-humored. "Unfortunately, I didn't come here entirely for fun and games this time."
"I figured as much," Myrathe said, her voice lowering a bit as well. Innistria poked her head out of her blankets, and watched as Seiran took a seat beside his sister. "So, how can I help you?"
"A necklace," Rai informed her, tracing an invisible outline with his hands as an example.
-classes
-Rai's lack of coat
Story © Xiraphox
Rai © Hunter_Aran & Xiraphox
Other characters © Xiraphox
Image © Hakubaikou on deviantart
"Hold on," Innistria interrupted as Rai was explaining these things. "If there's no other life on the planet, then how can the Nixpop..whatevers survive? What do they eat?"
"They eat the ice, of course," Rai informed her, as though it weren't unnatural in the slightest. "The snow and ice here isn't the same as the kind you're used to." He paused, and then added, "And there are different types as well."
"That still doesn't make it any less bizarre..." Innistria sighed, making use of one of her arms to hug the bright red coat she was wearing closer. Rai had given it to her just after she had come out of her little panic attack. It was too big for her, but she didn't really care at this point. It was soft and warm, and that was all that mattered at the moment. As for her other arm, it was tightly secured around one of Rai's. The reason for this, of course, was that she was currently not on the ground, and neither was he. They were floating through the air like a couple of wingless birds, pushed along by the freezing icy wind. Innistria burrowed her head into her coat's soft collar, trying her best not to look down. How she had gotten herself into this position, she still wasn't entirely sure.
Upon waking up and finding herself in this "new dimension", Rai had proceeded to explain how he was a sort of dimension hopper for hire, who would travel to all sorts of places to complete various jobs. His current assignment was to find a necklace, a keepsake from father to daughter. It was evidently something very important, but Rai had moved on from the subject long before Innistria had the time to ask any questions regarding it.
Apparently, his fancy dimension-shifting powers only worked once a day. His staff had to "recharge" or something before it could do it again. So until tomorrow, she was stuck with him on the icy planet of doom. And since she would probably freeze to death long before then unless she found some shelter, he suggested she come with him to find the Nixpopuli. Expressing the length of the journey and his concern for her as a human vulnerable to the cold weather, he had then somehow managed to convince her to travel with him by sky. How they were even accomplishing this she hadn't the slightest idea, but she was trying her very best not to think about it.
As she pulled her arm tighter around Rai's, the green-haired man gave her an amused look. "You can let go, you know. I won't let you fall."
"Yeah right," the girl breathed, her eyes still closed. Although she knew it was rather unfair of her, she expected the moment she let go of his arm he would drop her however far and leave her in the snow. After all, what use was she to him at this point? She was only making his job harder. Her only hopes resided in the fact that she was wearing his coat, and that it was a very nice coat, hopefully one worth enough that he wouldn't just leave it behind. Also, since he had gone to the trouble of saving her perhaps he would feel it a waste to just let her die now. And so the mental battle continued to bounce back and forth in her mind, until she realized that Rai was staring at her, causing her to clear her throat awkwardly and grunt. "So, how much farther is this settlement?"
"Not far," Rai informed her, amusement in his eyes as they moved away from her to look ahead. "It should be coming into sight any minute now."
"I see..." Thank goodness. She had just about had it with these icy winds and not being anywhere near the safety of the ground. Mustering up the courage to look below her, she poked her head over the poofy coat. It seemed they were flying over a great deal of mountains at this point, which were all capped in snow. "I thought everything here was snow and ice," she said, a mildly accusing edge in her tone. "Aren't the mountains made of stone? Other than the snow on top, they look gray."
"As I said -- he snow and ice here is quite different from what you're used to back on your home world. On Nixterra, when the snow gets pressed down and hardened into ice, it turns gray. And actually, although it would never happen here, if it melts into water it turns blue."
"I wonder what the science behind that is..." Innistria sighed. A planet of white, blue, and gray. Not the most exciting color scheme, but perhaps fitting for such a boring planet. Boring and cold... I should have just tried my luck with the bandits. She mused, aching to be home. She didn't really mean such thoughts, even now she was actually still glad she'd gone with Rai -- but still, she couldn't help but feel a bit homesick. Not that anyone will miss me, though. Her eyes closed a bit as she stared ahead again, lost in thought.
She glanced at Rai when he nudged her, and scowled at his bright expression. "You know, since I've met you I haven't seen a single smile out of you."
"There's been nothing to smile about," she huffed, looking away. "Unless you find being kidnapped, having a seizure and nearly freezing to death enjoyable."
"Of course not," Rai continued, his tone not faltering in the slightest. "But frowning about it certainly won't improve anything."
Innistria looked at the man again, letting loose a long, internal sigh. Really, she couldn't even begin to understand him. Everyone had problems and hardships; it wasn't normal for someone to be so happy all the time. It wasn't even just abnormal -- it was downright unnatural, and it gave her a horribly uncomfortable feeling.
The girl's attention was pulled to the sky above them when she heard a loud, screeching sound. Her eyes lifted as she was met with another, much louder scream that sounded like the cry of a large animal. High above them was a small, gray figure, circling over them like a hawk. At first it was too small to identify as anything other than a dot in the sky, but as it dove through the air it quickly became more visible, and Innistria sank into her coat, clinging to Rai with both hands now. "What is that?" As it approached them two giant, black wings became recognizable, and the ear-splitting screeches the creature continued to let off filled the air around them.
Rai smiled at the girl, his eyes twinkling. "That would be one of the natives."
Innistria stared at him in disbelief for a moment or so before looking back up at the... native. It was getting closer, and fast. The screams it released pounded in her ears, and her eyes stretched wide. It was going to charge right into them -- it was probably trying to kill them. Maybe Rai could survive something like that, but she was just a human; there was no way...
Just as she was beginning to panic, she felt her hands being torn from the only sort of support she had at the moment. Rai removed her shaking hands from where they had been clinging to him, and held her at arm's length. Innistria gasped, her entire body going tense. The feeling of simply floating in the air, the only thing holding you up being the wind -- which she certainly did not trust to support her weight -- combined with their current situation, was certainly not improving her anxiety in the slightest. "Wh-what are you doing!?" She cried, curling into a ball in the air as he removed his hands from her shoulders. She stared at the ground below her, cold tears beginning to form in her eyes. Was this his plan? Making me into bird food? I should have never--!
"Don't worry," he said, his tone smooth. The girl glanced back up at him, her expression like that of a lost child. "I won't let them touch you." And for some reason, it was as though his words had forced her body to relax. She remained curled into a ball, if only because of how startling the feeling of weightlessness and the wind blowing against her body was, but the tears cleared from her eyes and she held her head up, taking a short breath before giving a quick nod.
"Don't keep me waiting," she said, her tone sharp. "I'll freeze to death if you take your time."
The man grinned, floating a few feet away from her and then doing a flip in the air and a flamboyant bow. "Of course~"
Innistria tucked her head into the coat again as she was pushed away. She was moving through the air much faster now than before, and the cold wind buffeted her from behind. When she stopped moving quite so fast, she peeked back out to see if she could still see Rai. He was standing -- or floating, more like, quite a ways away now. He was easy enough to see due to the fact that he was wearing bright green in the midst of entirely white scenery.
His head was tilted toward the sky, and Innistria looked up as well, alarmed to see that the winged creature had nearly reached him. It was moving faster than any bird she'd seen before -- cutting through the air at such a pace she was surprised her eyes could trace it. The girl held her breath as she watched, forcing herself not to look away as the native came in contact with her green-haired companion.
There was a loud shriek, one she was sure came from the native rather than Rai. In the moment of the collision, the two figures disappeared in an icy whirlwind, and Innistria held up her hands to shield her face from the powerful blast -- only to remain untouched as it separated just before reaching her. Like the eye of a blizzard.. or something.
When it cleared, Innistria searched again for Rai, this time unable to locate him. Instead, she found a group of three more winged creatures -- the Nixpopuli, she recalled -- circling toward her. "R-Rai!" She shouted, although she was certain he wouldn't hear her. He wasn't even anywhere in sight.
The girl gritted her teeth, recalling the words Rai had spoken only minutes before. He won't let them touch me... Still, as she watched, unmoving as the bird-like natives approached her at unimaginable speed, with her companion nowhere in sight, the girl could scarcely keep away the doubt and fear that began to invade her mind. She was helpless at this point, after all -- held up in the air by magic. She couldn't even run if she tried, not that she would have any chance at getting away if she could. She'd be like a snail trying to outrun a bird.
The three Nixpopuli went from small dots in the distance to close figures in mere moments, until they were close enough that she could actually make out the colors of their wings -- which were each colored a bit differently. The one in the center of the group had pale gray wings, and the two on either side of it had dark and light brown ones. Innistria closed her eyes, holding her breath as the sound of their screeches drew closer. Then the wind picked up around her, and she felt herself thrown violently to the side. Her eyes popped open just in time to see the group pass her as she was pushed out of the way. Howls of irritation sounded from the creatures and they peeled off to the sides, turning to make another charge at her.
Before they were even facing her again, however, she was already well on her way -- sailing through the air as it tore across the back of her red coat. Her hair blew in her face, and she raised her hands, attempting to stuff it back into her hood. Her frozen fingers were of little use, however, and she soon shoved them back into her sleeves instead, allowing her hair to continue battering her face like tiny wires.
Still, despite the pain that accompanied the unfortunate method of travel, the girl couldn't help but feel relieved. She had no idea how he was managing it, but it seemed Rai had the situation under control for now. But where are you? When her pace slowed enough that she could see past the white wind blowing around her, she leaned forward to look down at the surface of the planet. Below her, she could just make out a green figure in the distance as it plummeted toward the ground. He was holding his staff out in front of him, and the Nixpopulian seemed to be clutching the other side of it, forcing him down. Rai! A cloud of white encompassed the two as they hit the surface, and at the same time Innistria felt the air holding her up dissipate.
She had thought the lack of support she had felt before was bad, but it was nothing in comparison to how she felt now. Her mouth opened in what would have been a scream, but her voice was stolen from her as the three winged figures passed over her, howling in irritation that the girl had once again evaded their attack. Was that on purpose? She wondered, eyes closed as she turned over in the air, shielding her face as she fell through the frozen sky.
Her free-fall ended shortly after it began as Innistria soon found herself safely in Rai's arms, although she hadn't the slightest idea how he had accomplished this. (Not that she was ungrateful for it.) Looking up at him with wide eyes, she searched him for a moment, looking for... blood? bruises? Any sign at all that he had just been caught in a fight? Of course he would look completely unharmed, she sighed, noting the fact that he looked no different than he had earlier. "T-Took you l-long enough..." she stammered, a failed attempt at an accusing tone. Her teeth were chattering to the extent that she couldn't really say much.
A moment later, there was a rush of wind and the black-winged creature was floating before them, wings outstretched and creating mini whirlwinds as they pounded the air to keep their owner afloat. Innistria was currently being held "princess-style", as she called it, meaning Rai was holding her sideways in his arms. Although she was appreciative for the secure feeling it gave her, it unfortunately ruled out the option of hiding behind him at this point. So instead, she grabbed his shirt with her tiny hands, realizing for the first time just how small she was in comparison to him -- although he actually wasn't that big. She was just incredibly small, unfortunately... always the shortest girl her age.
She stared at the figure before her, trying to take in its odd appearance. Although she was unsure whether genders even existed among this species (she wasn't exactly used to meeting new species, either, seeing as until a few hours ago she didn't even believe in aliens), if there was such a thing as male or female among the Nixpopuli, this one would probably fit in the female category. Her body resembled that of a human in shape, at least, but the similarities stopped there. Her face was as white as the snow, matching her long hair which was tied in countless places to form a long rope-looking sort of thing. Her eyes were wide and deep red, filled with spirals and surrounded in eye lashes that were far too long. Out of her head jutted six long, white horns which looked like a sort of crown, and a long, cat-like tail swayed back and forth behind her. The outfit she wore was white and gray, and although Innistria couldn't quite tell just from looking what it was made out of, she was certain it wasn't ice or snow.
The woman's face, which under different circumstances might have appeared quite beautiful -- albeit a bit savage -- was currently twisted in fury. "Trespassers! Foreigners!" Her white tongue brushed over her pointed silver teeth as she snarled. Her eyes narrowed, landing on the red-haired girl in Rai's arms as she continued. "You are not welcome here. Leave immediately or die where you stand."
"Well, we're not actually standing," Rai started. Innistria shot him a terrified look. Now's not the time, you idiot! Behind them, the three other Nixpopuli, all of which appeared far more masculine than the first, flew down to their level. Then they spread out so that one was standing on each side of the two "trespassers".
"Then you choose death." The woman hissed, raising a white hand. At first it appeared she had no fingernails, but after a moment long, transparent claws slipped out of her fingertips, much like those of a cat -- but much longer, and more knife-like.
Innistria tucked her head into Rai's shoulder. Do something, you stupid magician! She internally screamed, unable to speak her thoughts aloud.
"Ahh~" Rai hummed, staring at the woman and pausing, as though he were deeply considering the choice she had presented him. Then, without any sort of warning whatsoever, he began laughing. Innistria gawked up at him, speechless, and then turned to the Nixpopulian woman, who appeared even more baffled by the strange development.
"Do you not know the meaning of the word death?" The winged woman demanded, appalled by his behavior. "Be that the case, allow me to instruct you!"
"Ah, Myrathe..." Rai breathed, his laughter subsiding. "You still play a horrible bad guy. I'm sorry, you just... don't have the face for it. I just can't..." His words were interrupted by another fit of chuckling, the only sound among the six floating figures.
There was a long pause, and Innistria held her breath, looking back and forth between the two, Rai and "Myrathe". The other men surrounding them seemed to be doing the same. The Nixpopulian woman's claws retracted, and she blinked, her anger disappearing, replaced with a blank stare. Then her mouth dropped open.
"Rai!?"
∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿
"Really, though, you can hardly blame me. I had my doubts you would even come back at all -- what's it been, five hundred? Six hundred years? You've certainly gotten taller... I think." The woman laughed as she brushed through her long, snowy hair with her thin fingers. Her red eyes were wide and filled with excitement, all traces of hostility having been completely wiped away and replaced with playful expression. A toothy grin stretched across her face as her gaze remained faithfully on the green-haired man before her.
"Has it been that long?" Rai hummed, a mischievousness glint in his eyes as he looked at the Nixpopulian thoughtfully. Innistria shot the man a dissatisfied glare, her lips twisting into a skeptical frown. She still hadn't quite forgiven him for tossing her around like that, especially when he knew this lady, Myrathe, from the start. And what kind of crazy, violent race just randomly attacked anyone who got near them, assuming they were a threat without even giving them time to properly explain themselves first?
But all that aside, at the very least Innistria was grateful they were no longer outside. Myrathe had taken them to her home, which was pretty much exactly the same as the outdoors temperature-wise. But at least it kept out the wind. Rai had piled a few blankets around her, and lit a small fire on a silver object she couldn't hope to identify, which was currently floating in the air beside her. It wasn't very big, but at least it provided some warmth. Innistria found herself constantly checking the walls of the building, however, to make sure they didn't begin melting around her -- despite Rai's assurance that this amount of fire would have no affect on the sort of ice they built houses out of here.
He had also given her a bag of pretzels, a box of crackers, two bottles of... something, and some flavored syrup in case she wanted to make snow cones. All of which had come out of his creepy little sack, of course, which made Innistria all levels of uncomfortable about it, but she ate it anyway. She was hungry.
And tired. It seemed plenty bright and early here, but back where she was from it was probably deep into the night or entering early morning by now. However, she dared not sleep while in such dangerous company. Dangerous... the girl thought, staring at Rai's innocent expression with half-closed eyes. ...well, maybe not him.
"You got your wings, though," Rai pointed to the black feathery things that were currently tucked neatly behind the woman's back. He smiled, "Congratulations~"
"Thanks!" The woman sang, stretching one out a bit and stroking the feathers. "Took me the longest time. I was the last in my class, you know -- and so clumsy at first. No one would guess it now, though; I'm the fastest in the whole village. Head of the Fliers, in fact. Took up the position after father passed away. So now I'm the only one with black wings, hah~" Innistria still wasn't sure what to make of this woman. She was kind of like Rai, actually, at least in the "overly happy" respect -- even when talking about her own father's death she managed to keep up her irritatingly cheerful tone. But she talked too much. It almost made Innistria appreciate her green haired companion. Almost.
Innistria's attention strayed from the too annoyingly happy individuals, surveying the small house once again. She imagined this was probably what it would be like to live in an igloo or something, except more extreme. Literally everything was made out of some sort of ice, yet it was all carefully carved and crafted, even with some color designs between different types of snow. The girl grunted, her movements a bit restricted by the blankets she had wrapped around herself. Then she paused her struggles when she heard light footsteps just outside the house. Turning her head, she watched as a small boy, appearing no older than five or six, entered the room, pausing at the sight of the two strangers. His eyes were deep purple, wide and curious as he stared at Innistria. His hands were tiny and his fingers delicate, much like the rest of him Unlike Myrathe, he did not hold the appearance of a warrior at all. He was small, thin, and so fragile-looking that Innistria wondered if he would break if she just touched him. His thin white tail swished back and forth as he glanced at Myrathe.
"Sister," he spoke, his tone hushed. "Who are these people?"
"Oh, Seiran," Myrathe smiled at the boy. "This is my friend Rai, and his..." she paused, red eyes turning to Innistria. "...mate, right?"
"What!?" Innistria's face turned bright red and her blue eyes stretched wide in shock. "N-No, that's--!" She gawked at Rai, waiting for him to object as well. But he simply smiled back at her in return.
"Now, now," Myrathe chuckled, placing a hand under her chin. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, little girl."
"There's nothing to be ashamed about," Innistria hissed. "We're not together."
"Oh?" Myrathe glanced at Rai, seeking confirmation. "Slave, then?"
"Just friends," he hummed, not even turning to look at the Nixpopulian. It seemed his mind was off somewhere else at the moment.
"Very sorry," the woman said, although the amusement that played on her face contradicted her words. Innistria just buried herself in her blankets, letting out a loud hmph noise to make is sound as though she were leaving them out of irritation rather than embarrassment.
"Right then," Rai continued, unfazed. His tone took a step down from cheerful for a moment, although it still remained good-humored. "Unfortunately, I didn't come here entirely for fun and games this time."
"I figured as much," Myrathe said, her voice lowering a bit as well. Innistria poked her head out of her blankets, and watched as Seiran took a seat beside his sister. "So, how can I help you?"
"A necklace," Rai informed her, tracing an invisible outline with his hands as an example.
-classes
-Rai's lack of coat
Story © Xiraphox
Rai © Hunter_Aran & Xiraphox
Other characters © Xiraphox
Image © Hakubaikou on deviantart
