《Fault Lines》 Chapter 1: Ritual (Dawn) | Sun The music crescendoed and the lone figure on stage lifted a tan hand high as trailing silk bellowed out. Golden stage lights captured the figure as tawny wings snapped open with a sharp- *crack* ¡°Ashes be our misfortune, Fire begets our rebirth, Glory falls to Desolation.¡± Bells jingled as dexterous feet kissed the ground only for a moment before the dancer took to the air once more. The wind whistled, light reflecting the lemon highlights upon beige feathers. ¡°Lost the fuel, Wrath the spark, Conquest as the raging flame.¡± Black fabric flared and sparkling light followed, the humming energy in the air rose higher and higher. ¡°So~ War¡ª Burn it all down, Heaven falls now, Tainted we all shall¡ª Find~ Peace.¡± The beating of drums accompanied the spectacle, harmonizing with the rumbling of the earth and crackling of lightning covering the night sky. ¡°Peace? You legacy, You essence, Of glorious freedom¡ª Peace.¡± With support from the lilting drag of the chorus, beating of drums, tinkling of bells, and humming of the audience, golden strands of light began to manifest and detach from each and every W¨±sh¨«an(1) present. The golden strands of fortune twisted and twirled as they rose up, up, and upward still. Until they resembled golden rays returning to the heavens above. But it wasn¡¯t the heavens that they were returning to, no, the strands were gathered into a crackling gold ritual formation that spun and glowed with power. Then with a finale¡ª Bang, bang, boom. ¡ªthe ritual activated. Beams of light shot down, connecting the stars above and world below as the ground pulsed with a warmth that emanated through every citizen of Hu¨¢nghu¨¬(2). Fortune ran through the ground beneath their feet like veins did their bodies. The spectacle lasted for several candle-lights, as Lushinmo itself rang with glamor and splendor. Night slowly faded, the ritual¡¯s effects gradually receding, and even the buzzing of festival goers had long died down. Things calmed, Soliel(3) shone on the horizon and shrouded the now deserted stage and festival grounds in the tranquility of a new day. Stretching wings created a beautiful picture in the new light of day as a lithe body with tired eyes moved around backstage to finish the cleanup. A shout tore through the peace, ¡°Raphael! Get over here! I need you to fly up and get the lights down!¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Raphael sighed, shaking the lethargy out of his body for just a bit longer, soon he would finally be allowed to rest. He walked over to the stage director. ¡°How many do you want me to take down?¡± He hummed, with a tired, soft croon coming out unbidden. ¡°Tired ey? Don¡¯t worry little bell, we¡¯re almost done here. Just get me the four corner ones and you¡¯re free to change and go home after,¡± was the reply. ¡°Mmkay,¡± he answered, only to get a wave in response, the director shooing him off to finish the task that was assigned to him. With that little exchange, Raphael lethargically went about flying around the large stage and, one by one, took down the small corner spotlights. After he¡¯d finished one, he would gently place it into a padded box since, even as tired as he was, he knew better than to risk breaking something that cost more than two months of his salary. When the final spotlight was safely tucked away and the boxes brought where needed, Raphael was finally free to change out of his performance outfit and get back to his worn but comfortable nestflat(4). Now if only things worked out that way. ¡°Raphael!¡± The director¡¯s voice once more shouted. He turned to face her, looking like he¡¯d rather be anywhere else and he¡¯d fall asleep standing if she kept him for a minute more. ¡°Hehe, sorry Raph¡¯. But this really is important though, you know I wouldn¡¯t keep you after a festival for longer than necessary.¡± She looked him in the eyes, serious and commanding attention. Raphael felt his spine straighten in an ingrained response and some of the fog of exhaustion that clouded his mind cleared. He nodded to show that he was listening and gave her the go ahead to talk about whatever it was that needed to be said. ¡°First of all, I am super proud of you! That performance was breathtaking!¡±, she excitedly chittered, ¡°And I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought that.¡± Her small, light pink and violet wings flapped enthusiastically, he could almost feel the way her elated mood brushed against his skin as her mana vibrated and made her halo brighten to an almost silvery color. ¡°I¡¯ve always known that you would go on to do greater things. But I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this fast!¡± She said, a hand patting his shoulder with glee. ¡°What happened?¡± Raphael asked, voice slightly apprehensive. The director grinned before finally getting to the point, ¡°One of the nobles wanted to sponsor you! You can go into their court to learn further magicks(5), and perform for lavish gifts, and¡ª Ahh! Aren¡¯t you excited?!¡± Raphael was, in fact, not excited. This was going to upend his entire life. He would have to move into a noble¡¯s court, losing contact with everyone he cares for and loves, having to relearn the rules and expectations in an environment with people who could get him executed for looking at them wrong. But he could, at least, ask which one of those raptor-brained nobles he had so unluckily gotten caught up with. ¡°Yea¡­very excited, totally¡­Ah, do you know who sponsored me though? Which household?¡± Raphael asked, pushing the words out through his inner panic and rapidly growing worry. ¡°Ahh! That¡¯s the thing! It¡¯s the Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤os(6)! Do you understand?! The Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤o household! They chose you as their s¨©di¨¦ g¨­ngzh¨§(7) to sponsor your first year as Gu¨¬x¨ª(8)!¡± She ranted, speech speeding up and getting louder with each exclamation. ¡°Do you realize the amount of Gu¨¬x¨ªs I¡¯ve known that took years to get notice or who never even managed that? Some of them train their entire lives, working as s¨©di¨¦ g¨­ngzh¨§ for decades and only becoming a Gu¨¬x¨ª s¨©di¨¦ g¨­ngzh¨§(9) near the end of their careers. Only to be forced into retirement because they weren¡¯t able to get the nobles¡¯ attention enough to continue with the job.¡± The director was near shouting by the end of the rant but, thankfully, looked a bit fried after the outburst. ¡°And¡ª that¡¯s the Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤os! The same Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤os who are rumored to be the strongest fire mages on this side of Sanguis(10)!¡± Raphael attempted to inch himself away from her and the frenzied state she had fallen into, only to get grabbed by the arm and held there as she continued, ¡°Raph¡¯, little bell, our sunbird. This is an opportunity of a lifetime here, take this seriously, try to fit in, and, most importantly of all, do not, and I repeat do not, antagonize the Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤o household! Do you understand?¡± He nodded, flummox. Was it really that big a deal to be sponsored by a noble your first year as the Gu¨¬x¨ª dancer of Sh¨£ch¨¦n J¨´du¨£n(11)? And, why did it matter that the Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤os choose him? If anything, it was worse, they have a reputation for being temperamental and explosive with an arrogant attitude. So wasn¡¯t this one of the worst trash-flocks to be noticed by? ¡°Alright, whatever you say, Director. Do I know when I¡¯m supposed to move in yet?¡± Raphael said, trying to steer the topic away from whatever the director had just ranted about. The director jumped a bit at the words, releasing Ralphael¡¯s arm and standing up straight to brush off whatever imaginary dust had gotten on her clothes. ¡°It wasn¡¯t explicitly said but I do believe they want you there by Kestli-Beihiln(12),¡± her damning words echoed in the silence of the theatre. Which also meant that tomorrow and the day after is all the time Raphael will have to pack and inform everyone that he would be moving in to work for a noble household¡­ Great.
1) ¡°W¨±sh¨«an¡± (Term), formal/species name of the ethnic race more commonly referred to as Lushians. Fun fact: It translates literally as Tainted Angels. 2)¡°Hu¨¢nghu¨¬¡± (Name), the shortened native name of this country. Fun fact: It translates literally as Brilliant Metropolis. 3)¡°Soliel¡± (Source [Celestial]), the [Celestial] source star of this solar system. Fun fact: It flashes the red of blood during sunset. 4) ¡°Nestflat¡± (Term), Lushian equivalent of a low rent apartment. Usually fitted for 2 but there are larger ones that are usually of lower quality. 5)¡°Magicks¡± (Term), plural of magic. Usually used in relation to magical fields of study. 6)¡°Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤os¡± (Noble Household), a noble family which has a legacy of fire magic and a prideful nature. Fun fact: Their name translates literally as Prideful Fire. 7)¡°S¨©di¨¦ g¨­ngzh¨§¡± (Term/Job), a profession similar to Earthling dancers with the addition of ritualism and acrobatics added on top. Perhaps artist-performer is the most apt descriptor. Fun fact: It translates literally as Silk-butterfly Artisan-dancer. 8)¡°Gu¨¬x¨ª¡± (Term/Job), the job promotion after S¨©di¨¦ g¨­ngzh¨§ i.e. ¡°lead dancer¡± on Earth. Fun fact: It translates literally as Noble-chief. 9)¡°Gu¨¬x¨ª s¨©di¨¦ g¨­ngzh¨§¡± (Term/Job), the full name of the Gu¨¬x¨ª job title. Translation: Noble-chief silk-butterfly artisan-dancer. 10)¡°Sanguis¡± (Source [Foundation]), the [Foundation] source planet of this solar system, i.e. the name of this world. 11)¡°Sh¨£ch¨¦n J¨´du¨£n¡± (Noun/Place), the biggest theatre of the Jif¨¡ng de Sh¨£ch¨¦n District. Fun fact: The term ¡°Sh¨£ch¨¦n¡± in Jif¨¡ng de Sh¨£ch¨¦n and Sh¨£ch¨¦n J¨´du¨£n translates to ¡°Flickering-Dust¡±. 12)¡°Kestli-Beihiln¡± (Time/Date), the world of Sanguis operates on a different time system than most realms, to keep things short and simple, there are 8 days in a week, 3 weeks in a month, and 16 months in a year. ¡°Kestli-Beihiln¡± then, is day 3-week 1. To translate: It is like saying, ¡°Wednesday, next week.¡± Chapter 2: Flock | Sun It was while gliding back home along one of the lonelier windlines(1) that Raphael truly digested everything that had happened today. | 1) ¡°Windlines¡± (Term), referring to the flying ¡®routes¡¯ scattered all over Hu¨¢nghu¨¬. | First, the ritual had been exhausting. Well, sure, it was also breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and unforgettable but¡ª however much it awed him, it had also lasted less than half of the time and effort that had been spent on it. Not to mention that while this was his first Q¨©lu¨¡ng(2) Festival as a Gu¨¬x¨ª s¨©di¨¦ g¨­ngzh¨§, it certainly wasn¡¯t his first festival ever. No, that memorable first had long been etched into history and his heart. This festival also won¡¯t be the last, though they do only come once every 3 years, he¡¯ll have plenty of chances to enjoy others. | 2) ¡°Q¨©lu¨¡ng¡± (Noun|Holiday), a triennial festival which is celebrated with elaborate dances, shows, and concerts. Its name, ¡°Q¨©lu¨¡ng¡±, translates as, ¡°Desolate-Glow¡±. | So the only thing that really stuck out in his mind about this Q¨©lu¨¡ng experience, is that it was an exhausting mess, a nightmare and a half. All of it, without bringing up that thrice-cursed sponsorship. A gust of glittery wind interrupted his thoughts, his gaze refocused as he looked at the direction the wind had come from. Hmm, Glitsmog(3). And, they¡¯re from the East. Yikes, better get out of here while it¡¯s still far away. He¡¯ll deal with his internal crisis later. | 3) ¡°Glitsmog¡± (Term), a type of aerial debris which is poisonous and partially magical in nature. | Giving his wings a light flap, he changed from a casual glide to a more tiring but quick and steady flight. He didn¡¯t need to do much, it was early morning and there was a conveniently warm tailwind that both his wings and his thin skin thanked ¨¤im¨£sh¨¬¨¡-gu¨­d¨²(4) for. | 4) ¡°¨¤im¨£sh¨¬¨¡-gu¨­d¨²¡± (Noun/God-Honorific), the ¡°Gu¨­d¨²¡± honorific means, ¡°High-Above¡±, and is the one used for the majority of Hu¨¢nghu¨¬an gods, while ¡°¨¤im¨£sh¨¬¨¡¡± is the shortened name of the [Major] God, ¡°Hu¨ª¡¯¨¤im¨£sh¨¬¨¡¡±. | And, thankfully, it didn¡¯t take him long to get back to his little corner of the Jif¨¡ng district(5). Now don¡¯t get him wrong, the Sh¨£ch¨¦n Theatre was a second home to him. But it can¡¯t replicate that feeling of safety and comfort that surrounds him with the familiar mana and places of the Jif¨¡ng de Sh¨£ch¨¦n(6) itself. | 5) ¡°Jif¨¡ng district¡± (Noun/Place), a poor Hu¨¢nghu¨¬an district. | | 6) ¡°Jif¨¡ng de Sh¨£ch¨¦n¡± (Noun/Place), the full name of the ¡°Jif¨¡ng district¡± which translates as, ¡°Home-Place of Flickering-Dust¡±. | Swooping down to ready a landing on the greynest(7) netted him low croons and high chirps of greeting when a few of his nestbors(8) noticed familiar beige wings flying overhead. | 7) ¡°Greynest¡± (Term), term for low rent apartments and mass housing. The things are usually concrete and stone, thus their names. | 8) ¡°Nestbors¡± (Term/Slang), Hu¨¢nghu¨¬an slang for ¡®neighbors¡¯. | ¡°Littlest Muffin! Bless Hu¨ª¡¯¨¤im¨£sh¨¬¨¡(9), you¡¯re back!¡± | 9) ¡°Hu¨ª¡¯¨¤im¨£sh¨¬¨¡¡± (Noun/God), God of the wind, safe travel, and guide of the damned. Translation: ¡°Homebound-Hermes¡±. | Raphael braced for impact when he heard that familiar voice that always reminded him of rough stone that¡¯d weathered millenia to soften just so. He was right to do so as, just seconds after he¡¯d landed, a giant, muscled, drakenoid of a sentient(10), picked him up effortlessly in a bone crushing hug. | 10) ¡°Drakenoid of a sentient¡± (Expression), possessing an imposing body, i.e. ¡°bear of a man¡±. | ¡°Oof. Brother Stonehearth- please. Love ya too- bu- ha- can¡¯t breathe.¡± Beating his fists weakly against the wall-like back of his brother figure, Raphael felt as if his lungs were being squeezed out of his body and his ribs deformed. Brother Stonehearth chuckled a bit good-naturedly, loosening his grip but still hugging Raphael tightly. ¡°Sorry Lil¡¯ Sun, you know I always worry whenever you travel out-district these days,¡± Brother Stonehearth rumbled. Wings of a much darker brown than Raphael¡¯s and spotted with flecks of gray moving to ruffle Raphael¡¯s own. Raphael hummed in acknowledgement, reaching out a hand to cup the side of his brother¡¯s head and gently rubbing his thumb over the large spiral horns of Awkensalt(11) sprouting above his ears. | 11) ¡°Awkensalt¡± (Term/Mineral), a special type of salt which is usually black and white speckled, salt and pepper coloring, with magical properties. | This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Nothing to be sorry about, brother. How about we get inside and exchange stories of this year¡¯s Q¨©lu¨¡ng Festival?¡± Raphael reassured his brother, before dropping his hand to grab his brother¡¯s forearm, trying to lead them down from the landroof(12). | 12) ¡°Landroof¡± (Term/Structure), a landing roof. Most Hu¨¢nghu¨¬an structures will have one installed. | Brother Stonehearth reluctantly ended the hug, but still maintained contact between their wings to seemingly make up for it. As their flock¡¯s nest was on the second layer of the three layer greynest, Raphael walked past many friends and nestbors(13), receiving many greetings but the best surprise of them came just a couple steps from their own feartherkey. | 13) ¡°Featherkey¡± (Term), term for the individual housing units within greynests or other mass housing structures. | ¡°Ri¡¯! Look who it is! Our little dancer¡¯s back!¡± A lavender haired head poked out of a curtain-door only to turn back to shout at an unseen figure behind them. ¡°Eh?! Raphy?!¡± The sweet smell of baked apples and golden pastries flooded the hall as a crackling golden purple shadow ran out with some mini pies in hand. ¡°Yuxan! Riri-ja!¡± Raphael waved over at them enthusiastically, happily running up to look at the treats Rirenrir had made. ¡°Did you make golden apple Lulu pies? Waa- Can I have some? Please? Please?¡± Even though Raphael knew that they¡¯ve been immune to his chickling eyes for years now, especially Riri-ja of all sentients, he still begged for all he was worth. Yuxan yelped and suddenly hands were covering Ralphael¡¯s eyes as Yuxan groaned loudly and complained, ¡°Haven¡¯t seen those chickling eyes for a month and all the sudden it¡¯s just like we¡¯re back at the spawning-grounds again.¡± ¡°I think Raphy¡¯s somehow grown even more adorable since the last time we¡¯ve seen him,¡± Riri-ja agreed. ¡°Must be all that theatre charm they¡¯ve been teaching him out-district,¡± Brother Stonehearth, the traitor, contributed. Smacking the offending hand of Yuxan-ujo off, Raphael fought back against this blatant bullying, ¡°Hey! This isn¡¯t gang-up-on-poor-Raphael day okay? And! If your chickling eyes immunity has worn off, you can only blame yourselves. Getting a B-class job just before W¨¨ili¨¤n Q¨©lu¨¡ng. Hmph!¡± | 14) ¡°W¨¨ili¨¤n Q¨©lu¨¡ng¡± (Noun/Holiday), the full name of the Q¨©lu¨¡ng festival meaning, ¡°In-Honor Desolate-Glow¡±. | Crossing his arms over his chest, he huffed and turned away from the adventurer couple. He heard muffled snickering and the low chuckles of his brother but he refused to look back. Raphael knew he was being childish. But, these people were his little flock, they¡¯ve been with him since he was barely learning how to fly. Here, he didn¡¯t need to worry about childishness. Here, he was safe. ¡°Now, now little dancer. If we didn¡¯t take those jobs, how would we get the credits to buy you gifts?¡± Yuxan soothed, after he¡¯d stopped laughing at Raphael¡¯s expense, one lavender wing with smoky purple markings flaring open to hover over Raphael¡¯s side affectionately. Raphael perked up, turning back to look him over with jasper eyes that shined with expectation, ¡°Gifts?¡± Another wing, this one pale shining yellow with purple lichtenberg figures branding the feathers, tacitly cooperated with its partner¡¯s by covering his other side, boxing him in. ¡°Yes, little bird, gifts,¡± Yuxan¡¯s voice was low, his speech slow and steady, halo releasing tiny pulses of lavender mana. Raphael could feel his body relax without his conscious thought, his mind going disturbingly blank. No wonder his illusion magic is strong, if this is what his voice alone can do. ¡°Shh, little bird, you¡¯re safe. It¡¯s just us. Flock remember? Let¡¯s rest ok? I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve been running all over for the festival. We¡¯ll open your gifts after a nap. Why don¡¯t you stay over tonight? You and Stonehearth. Like how we used to do nest-piles way back then.¡± Yuxan¡¯s iridescent eyes glowed, pointed opal horns, usually only a finger in length, seem to grow with each pulse of lavender mana released by his halo. ¡°Stonehearth, can you go and get your and little bird¡¯s nest essentials? I¡¯ll get him settled, Ri¡¯ will fill you in on the rest.¡± The mana pulse slowed, Yuxan grabbing Raphael¡¯s shoulder before moving the hand onto his back to lead him into the couple¡¯s featherkey. ¡°Wait, Yu¡¯ before you go. Raphy say ahhh-¡±, Rirenrir stopped her partner before taking a, still warm, Lulu pie and plopping it into Raphael¡¯s waiting mouth. As Raphael chewed through the treat, Yuxan exasperatedly looked over at his partner and shook his head, ¡°On second thought, bring your toothbrushes and some clothes too. I almost forgot how these usually go.¡± With that, Yuxan gently pushed Raphael through their curtain-door leaving his partner and Stonehearth alone. ¡°So? Wanna explain?¡± Stonehearth¡¯s rumbling voice seemed to echo in the silence of the hallway and if it were anyone else but Rirenrir maybe they would have been intimidated by the gruff sentient. But it was Rirenrir so all Stonehearth got as a reaction was a nonchalant shrug and an incline of her head as she started walking towards his and Raphael¡¯s featherkey, clearly expecting him to follow. It was quiet for a bit, just walking in silent tension. Until they got into the featherkey and Rirenrir finally started talking, ¡°When Yuxan first sensed Raphy¡¯s mana, you two were still on the landroof. He informed me, of course, since we were waiting for Raphy to get back so we could invite you over for dinner. But, the closer Raphy got, the more uneasy Yuxan felt. Which is strange, especially since Yu''s mana usually loves Raphy. Raphy doesn¡¯t lie, he doesn¡¯t hide his mana or repress it. It makes reading Raphy¡¯s emotions and mana like looking at a clear stream of sunlight when compared to the murky glass and painted masks of other sentients. Or, at least, that¡¯s what Yuxan¡¯s told me.¡± Rirenrir shook her head, taking a seat on one of the comfortable stools laid out around the living room. ¡°It was only when we were right next to him that Yuxan could sense what exactly was causing it. He told me through our partner-link that it was the first time Raphy had ever hid his mana pulse in front of him. That wasn¡¯t the reason we did what we did though.¡± Rirenrir looked at Stonehearth then, the frown on her face and the sharp look in her electric eyes warning him that he probably won¡¯t like the next part. ¡°Since Raphy is really, really, really bad at lying. Yu¡¯ could totally see through what he was trying to hide. And, Stonehearth, brother, our little sunbird should never have to feel like he needs to hide anxiety and panic from us.¡± Stonehearth felt his shriveled, w¨±sh¨«an, heart constrict in his chest. His nails dug into his palms as he finally understood those emotions called self-hatred and helplessness. But Rirenrir wasn¡¯t done, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between the time we left for our mission and now, but whatever it is. We are going to fix this.¡± They stayed there, pale gold eyes looking into burnt umber gray. No more words were needed. After all, this wasn¡¯t Riri-ja and Brother Stonehearth, this was Rirenrir the ¡°Wolf of Storms¡± and Stonehearth ¡°Mountain Shaker¡±. And these two dangerous sentients? They were W¨±sh¨«an. And, W¨±sh¨«ans? They claim. Raphael was theirs and- -whatever, whoever, had hurt their little sunbird, better be careful they don¡¯t stray too far into the dark now. Chapter 3: Forecast | Sun It was quiet. Warm. Calm. Plop, pitter, patter¡­ *rustle* He stretched. Arms over his head and back lifting for wings to sprawl out, downy feathers brushing against soft nest-sheets and pillows. Barely cracking his eyes open revealed a small room stuffed to the brim with fluffy blankets, pillows, and plushies. Sleep still plague his mind but Raphael was lured away from continuing to bask in the comfortable nest by the smell of tea and breakfast emanating from beyond the door separating him from whatever that mouth watering scent was. He groaned, hands coming up to rub his face, trying to get rid of the lethargy he could feel draping over his body. Reluctantly, he pushed off the bed-nest and choppily walked, staggered, his way out of the nest-room to find a resplendent kitchen, sparkling clean mana stoves, oven, sink. Everything and anything a home chef would need at top tier quality and maintenance. He scanned the kitchen to find a familiar, but still heartwarming, scene: Brother Stonehearth reading the latest news and bounties on his Adventurer, guild provided, Twilight Inc. Tablet; Yuxan humming while setting up the dining table; Riri-ja finishing up some dumplings and plating them. As Raphael stood in the doorway, eyes shot up to meet him and softened as all three of his flock sent a soft mana pulse to greet him. Brown-gray, misty-lavender, and purple-lightning-gold ripple across the room, Raphael meeting them in the middle with his own beige-yellow pulse. ¡°Raphy! I¡¯m almost done with these flower shrimp dumplings, go brush your teeth and we can all chow in!¡± After they had exchanged haoluses, Riri-ja quickly shooed him off to freshen himself up. Raphael smiled at the show of care and proceeded to the bathroom to brush his teeth and do a quick towel rinse, he¡¯d take a more thorough clean when he had the time to slowly card through his wings alone or when one of his flock had free time to preen him. Returning to the kitchen after he¡¯d woken up a little, Raphael could feel an underlying sense of something in the room. It wasn¡¯t anything malicious per se, maybe not even anything bad. Just, a bit, off. It was like walking into a room at school or work and knowing that something happened before you got there, and it was related to you, but no one brought it up or mentioned it. So you just kinda have to live with that air of, ¡°There¡¯s something we need to talk about but we have no idea how to say it so¡­¡± Raphael rubbed his thumb over his thigh twice, trying to appease the unease that the sudden change in atmosphere had caused in him. Walking up to the dining table, his flock was already seated and there was a plate of dumplings with some soy sauce and a set of chopsticks waiting for him as soon as he got there. Stolen story; please report. They all smiled up at him again, waiting for him to take the first bite as the youngest of the flock so they could dig in. ¡°Lushinmo watches over us.¡± Raphael''s voice washed over the room as he created a triangular shape with his hands, thumbs as the base and fore and middle fingers as the tip. He bowed twice, once to the land and another to the gods, before he picked up his chopsticks and dug in. There was a sudden flurry of movement and sound as the group ate and talked. ¡°An-one hav- -nythin- to do -oday?¡± Riri-ja asked, her mouth still half filled with dumplings. ¡°I have nothing. Last request got me handled pretty well. And anyway, it¡¯s just after festival, no one cares.¡± Brother Stonehearth swallowed before replying. ¡°Hn. Wasn¡¯t your last request a clear mission to the Front? Nothing too exciting happened, did it?¡± Yuxan looked away from his dumplings to comment. ¡°As you would expect, honestly. The spawn tide was still strong but was definitely dying down, Vitornisk man, I hate spawn season.¡± Brother Stonehearth waved his chopsticks in agitation as he complained. ¡°Yea. Can¡¯t imagine dealing with spawn waves every day, sounds like a nightmare. We¡¯ll happily stick to our tracking and gathering requests all the way,¡± Riri-ja interjected, making a face at the thought of taking clear missions to the Front. ¡°What about you little wing? You have anything to do today?¡± Seeing that the conversation was rapidly derailing, Yuxan tried to get back on topic by bringing in Raphael. ¡°Eh? Oh. Yea, I was gonna go bother Luhuo-ki since we haven¡¯t seen each other much, with me being at the theatre and him doing whatever he does out-district. Hmm, by the way Riri-ja, your dumplings are delicious as ever.¡± Startled, Raphael¡¯s head shot up from his plate to join the conversation, shooting a beaming smile at Rirenrir. ¡°Ahh! Don¡¯t smile like that Raphy! I haven¡¯t seen you in a month, remember?!¡± Riri-ja exaggeratedly flailed around and covered her eyes with her arms like Raphael¡¯s grin had personally attacked her. Raphael frowned at the display while Yuxan and Brother Stonehearth laughed at his wronged expression. Stuffing another dumpling into his mouth, Raphael ignored the trio in order to fill his hungry belly that hadn¡¯t had real food since yesterday morning. After he¡¯d stopped laughing, Yuxan continued where they¡¯d left off, ¡°Luhuo, Luhuo, I¡¯ve definitely heard that somewhere. Oh! Is that the ¡°Little Wukong¡± I¡¯ve been hearing about?¡± As Raphael was still ignoring them, it was Stonehearth that answered, ¡°From what I know, his name¡¯s Yan Luhuo. He¡¯s a brat from out-district that, I don¡¯t know why, keeps on coming over for spars and mischief. Last I heard, he almost got caught by one of those Silvers¡¯ guard patrols for a prank or somethin¡¯.¡± Riri-ja had unburied herself from her arms by now and was listening closely. ¡°Phew- Sounds like a firecracker. But since he was almost birdmeat, is he gonna be vulture-bait?¡± Yuxan commented, having finished his food and was now resting an arm on the table with his chin on a palm. It was then that Raphael interjected, ¡°Luhuo-ki isn¡¯t vulture-bait. At most, he¡¯s pigeon-bait cause he¡¯s adventurer-brave.¡± Raphael¡¯s flock looked at each other, Rirenrir the one that decided to ask, ¡°Like our kind of adventurer-brave or the propaganda kind?¡± Frowning as he finished his final dumpling, Raphael tilted his head back side to side as he considered the question. ¡°Hmm, like- neither? He¡¯s- Yea! He¡¯s newbie-brave! The kind that, because he¡¯s really good at it, is doing fine so far but you know he¡¯s gonna fall flat on his face sooner or later.¡± Nodding his head when he¡¯d finally found a good descriptor for his friend, Raphael didn¡¯t notice how his family had matching looks of grim determination on their faces before it smoothed into an indulgent look of appreciation when he¡¯d look up at them again. ¡°Yea Lil¡¯ Sun? Anything else you want to tell us about your plans for the day?¡± Brother Stonehearth leaned closer to the table, turning Raphael¡¯s attention to him. ¡°Uhh. Maybe buy some early weather charms for Ignukoyl? Someone told me that this year¡¯s shinestorms are gonna be stupidly heavy. Since a Child of Verndel had been born in the Rubellite Empire.¡± Raphael could feel that his brother was expecting him to say something, but he didn¡¯t know what, so all he could do was apprehensively answer the question half-heartedly. Stonehearth let out a long breath, hands trembling under the table. ¡°Alright. But do you know when you¡¯re coming back today? We-¡± Stonehearth gestured towards Yuxan and Rirenrir and then himself, ¡°-wanted to talk to you about something.¡± Raphael looked around the table, he could tell that his family was very nervous: by the way that Brother Stonehearth¡¯s brows were wrinkled, just a bit; Yuxan was fidgeting with his sleeves; and Riri-ja¡¯s lips were pressed tightly together. Though why, he wasn¡¯t sure. Raphael sat back on his stool, his hands gathered in his lap as fingers tapped his thighs to the rhythm of songs he¡¯d learned, as he attempted to avoid overthinking whatever had spooked his flock this badly. Feeling the tension building in the air, Raphael eventually decided to put off figuring out whatever it was that was causing it and diffusing the situation first. ¡°Okay, I think I¡¯ll be back by 22¡¯Lu-o at the latest. But, quick question, do you know what time it is right now?¡± The unrelated question seemed to have broken the tension as the group was smiling again and Brother Stonehearth checked the tablet he¡¯d put aside before reporting, ¡°It¡¯s 13¡¯Sol-o right now, Littlest Muffin. Better get going soon or you won¡¯t have time to do much with that friend of yours.¡± Raphael jumped up from his seat after hearing the time, not forgetting to thank his brother before he was off to the restnest to change into a new set of resilient clothes he wouldn¡¯t mind running around the district with. Since he knew, his trip to see Luhuo-ki this time wasn¡¯t just a fun outing. He was gonna need to chip in that favor that his friend owed him. Chapter 4: Stormfront | Sun Walking down the streets of the Jif¨¡ng district is always an adventure, colorful people and mana entwined wherever you look. But Raphael was raised in this wonderful place and he was long used to the comings and goings of this crowded maze of wings and halos. He navigated through the crowd, shop-owners waving at him as they spotted him. Raphael sent a smile back at all the familiar faces and hurried down a shadowed back street, ducking behind a wall to get out of sight as he followed the path he¡¯d taken the first time he¡¯d met a certain trouble-making ginger. Sprinting over blackstone pathways and vaulting over weathered walls was fun, the wind rushing through his hair, ruffling his feathers, the sweat cooling on his forehead, he loved it. So it was almost with disappointment that he¡¯d arrived at his destination. It was just beyond a couple of rusted fences, rubble scattered where there used to be a high wall keeping people like Raphael away but it¡¯s far gone now. Still, hidden beyond that rubble and crooked fence laid a beautiful sight, a courtyard, years old, overgrown with waterdrop ferns and moonstone vines. The combination of cyan-green leaves and stony-gray vines, together with the ever changing shimmer created when Soliel¡¯s light managed to slip through the tall buildings and walls to reach this place, it was truly a special sight. Raphael¡¯s tensed shoulders loosened at the sight, stepping through the final threshold before this sanctuary, he paused, reaching down to cup an out of place cobalt-gold feather which had found itself at his feet. ¡°Luhuo-ki¡­¡± A chittering chuckle rang out in front of him, ¡°Now what do we have here? A certain someone finally found time to meet up with me?¡± Raphael¡¯s head shot up from the feather in his palm, rubbing it as he greeted, ¡°Luhuo, long time no pulse.¡± They both let out a mana pulse and got close for a wing rustle before Raphael continued, ¡°How about we sit down first? I¡¯m afraid I didn¡¯t come to meet just for the fun of it.¡± Luhuo tilted his head, squinting at Raphael¡¯s serious expression. Raphael ignored his curiosity, grabbing a shoulder and insistently guiding the body it was attached to towards what remained of an old wall that was as good as anything to lean back at to talk. ¡°So?¡± The ginger impatiently said as soon as they had sat down. Raphael stalled, he didn¡¯t want to talk about this, but he didn¡¯t really have a choice. Leaning back on the crumbling wall, Raphael let out a silent breath which was almost a sigh. ¡°So remember what you told me when I found you hiding from your brother?¡± Raphael¡¯s tone was loose, conversational, deliberately so, as if this wasn¡¯t a topic which had Luhuo tensing next to him. ¡°What was it you said? Something like, ¡°if you keep your mouth shut about this I¡¯ll owe you a favor, a whatever-you-want kind of favor?¡± Well. I¡¯m calling in that favor.¡± Shuffling against the wall, Raphael let his gaze wander as he avoided looking at his friend. Voice at a subtly higher pitch and dry, Luhuo asked, ¡°What ya¡¯ calling it in for?¡± Raphael closed his eyes, still faced away from Luhuo¡¯s, ¡°I- I¡¯ve been sponsored by a noble clan-¡± There was a rush of wind and cracking of bone as Luhuo¡¯s neck and body snapped to face Raphael. ¡°-the Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤os to be exact.¡± Raphael finished. It was silent. A falling feather could have been heard in that courtyard. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Even as Raphael cracked open his eyes to turn back and peek at him, Luhuo¡¯s face was expressionless, eyes a storming sea. A hand was laid on Raphael¡¯s shoulder, the fingers digging in as a heavy pressure was released from the fuming, but still inscrutable, ginger. ¡°Wukong¡¯er?¡± Raphael broke the silence. Luhuo¡¯s answer was steady, calm, deliberately so, ¡°How? How did you gain their attention?¡± Raphael steeled his back and got ready to answer but before he could, ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t answer that. The theatre, you¡¯re a g¨­ngzh¨§, of course. Of course, it would have been you.¡± There was a faint crackling of static, the air grew humid, the surroundings almost screaming, ¡®enraged magus here! Stay away!¡¯ The fingers digging into Raphael¡¯s shoulder were almost tearing skin now, but he didn¡¯t say anything, he had a feeling it wouldn¡¯t be a good idea. Suddenly- Luhuo burst into laughter. ¡°Hah- Hah- Hahahaha-¡± He finally released his vice-grip on Raphael¡¯s shoulder, instead, clutching his middle while the other hand went up to cover his face and eyes. It was now raining. Not true rain. No, just a miniature rainstorm. Localized around the two of them. ¡°Why! Why you?! Why can¡¯t that group of Arnic-winged just leave one good thing left in this sky-forsaken life?!¡± Luhuo was sobbing. Raphael couldn¡¯t see it through the heavy storm but he could hear the choking breaths and stuttered cries. Squinting his eyes and holding an arm over them, Raphael pushed a hand through it all to grab the one Luhuo had wrapped around himself. Shaking him as he said, ¡°Hey! Shells-for-brains! Hey! If you don¡¯t stop, those Arnics won¡¯t even have to do anything to me, I¡¯ll keel over right here! I swear to great Soliel! Lan Luhuo! If you don¡¯t calm down- I will jinx you!¡± The storm lessened. Luhuo was freezing where Raphael could feel him, they both were. Shivering together as the winds slowed and water settled. ¡°For Soliel¡¯s sake Luhuo, did you have to have that big of a breakdown?¡± Raphael¡¯s question was met with a withering glare which, yea, guess he did deserve that. If it was any of the others which had told him something similar, his reaction would probably be even worse. ¡°Okay, yea, yea. I know. But I really need you to help me figure something out here. Ya know I only have ya as someone even remotely bright-feathered.¡± Luhuo twitched at the term, ¡°Shut ya¡¯ beak. Ya know I hate being associated with those hypocrites.¡± ¡°Yea, but ya still a part of them!¡± Raphael fired back. Frowning at Raphael¡¯s words, Luhuo ignored him, ¡°This is gonna be a big f*cking mess. Have you told your flock yet?¡± Raphael very tellingly stayed silent at the very reasonable question. ¡°Ah. And there¡¯s yet another problem.¡± Luhuo pressed back into the wall, bringing his knees up to his chest and hugging them. ¡°Any more wildly problematic surprises you have for me? You a celestial-blessed? Touched-by-Fate? Friend of the High Commander?¡± The more Luhuo talked, the more Raphael shrunk where he sat. ¡°Right. Right. Okay. The Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤os. Cool. The narcissistic pyromaniacs who also like to burn wings and pluck out feathers.¡± Raphael was now almost in the spawning position. ¡°Things are never easy for you. Are they, Little Bird? I¡¯m going to have to ask around and see what I can do. Do you know how long you have until you have to report there?¡± Raphael perked up at the answerable question, ¡°Kestli, this Beihiln.¡± Luhuo let out a frustrated groan, ¡°That¡¯s not enough time at all! I would be mad at you for the short timeframe but this probably isn¡¯t your fault¡­ D*mn- Lord Sky above- D*mn it!¡± Raphael whined, he didn¡¯t like seeing Luhuo like this, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t- If I had known- I should have denied the position.¡± Luhuo startled, ¡°No! What are you apologizing for! This isn¡¯t your fault. Blame those d*mn arnic sh*ts. Ya love dancing. That promotion was well earned!¡± Raphael managed a weak smile at the praise. ¡°And- Even if ya hadn¡¯t taken the promotion. It would have only delayed it. It¡¯s my fault that I hadn¡¯t thought about the possibility- F*ck. D*mn arnics!¡± Luhuo continued. It was Raphael¡¯s turn to laugh, ¡°Heh- It¡¯s also not your fault, Luhuo-ki. None of us could have thought- Thank you. For helping me through this.¡± It was Luhuo who went in for a hug first but Raphael was the one who threw himself into his arms. They stayed like that. For a long, long time. There were still things that needed to be spoken, plans to be made, contingencies to flesh out, a lot to do. But, for now, they¡¯ll bask in this short reprieve, one from his future, one from his reality. This courtyard was hidden, secret, a sanctuary. Here, they are safe, protected, invisible. No one can betittle them, hurt them, scar them. Here, they¡¯ll keep each other safe within wings and arms. Sunlight weaved through tall grey buildings, trickling through the overgrown foliage of the courtyard, finally settling on a pair of figures surrounded by remnants of a personal storm. The ruby red of setting Soliel reflected off the puddled water, creating brilliant fractals of rose light which caught on the waterdrop ferns around the pair, and those ferns then contributed their cyan patterns, akin to teardrop stars, to the brilliant picture that the scene painted. Let us hope that bright picture isn¡¯t a harbinger to a tragic one. Chapter 5: Regardless | Sun Returning home was a quiet thing, Luhuo-ki walked him to the greynest but left at the entrance, he had plans to set in motion. Raphael watched him leave, he didn¡¯t really want to go in. He hated that the sight of his nest, his home, made him so nervous and flighty. But just the thought of talking to his flock about it scared him. Letting out a shaky breath, Raphael squared his shoulders and marched in. ** If asked what happened between that moment and the next, Raphael could honestly not say. Cause the next thing he knew, he was held in arms streaked with Awkensalt veins, salt and pepper lines running up wrists and forearms with hands almost made of it. ¡°Brother Stonehearth.¡± What? ¡°Lit/tle brother.¡± His voice cracked. Why is his voice cracked? What could scare him? ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± ¡°Calm Little Bird, peace. We¡¯re okay, we just needed to talk to you. Shh-¡±, Yuxan hushed the panicking Raphael. Rirenrir¡¯s halo pulsed, pressing heavily down on the group, trying to muffle the energy feedback and emotional radiation. ¡°-I. Brother-¡± ¡°Shush- Little Bird, breath. In- out- you¡¯re okay, we¡¯re all okay- breath.¡± Yuxan¡¯s voiced took on that strange cadence again, the one which had always put him at ease even when the worse happened around them. Raphael¡¯s mind lulled, freezing from its rapid spiral down into incoherence. ¡°-I. Okay¡­okay¡­okay. I¡¯m- I¡¯m alright, I¡¯m here. Sorry- sorry.¡± Stonehearth¡¯s arms clenched firmly over his middle, bringing Raphael¡¯s attention back to the figure who had collected his shaking form up into his lap. ¡°No sorries Little Bird, we¡¯re the ones who scared you first, our fault.¡± Brother Stonehearth¡¯s voice was still more wobbly than usual but he was still the anchor he¡¯d always been to Raphael. ¡°Yea Little Bird, our fault, not yours. We just wanted to ask about your meeting and why you were so anxious yesterday. We didn¡¯t mean to scare you like that.¡± Riri-ja had also walked over to the brothers, still her halo kept its glowing glare. ¡°I- okay. Okay. Yea- My meeting with Luhuo-ja went fine. I- uh. I had meant to tell you actually- that¡¯s what my talk with Luhuo-ki was about- I was anxious. I didn¡¯t know- how to tell-. I- I got sponsored by a noble!¡± Raphael had stammered and shrieked through it but he had told them. Oh A¡¯pharoh, he had told them. ¡°¡­What?¡± Yuxan had been the one to break the silence, as he usually was. None of the flock liked this revelation, it explained Raphael¡¯s unusual state yes, but it was also the one thing none of them had expected, and more importantly, ever wanted. This was a disaster and a half and none of them felt ready to handle it. After much screaming and hollering at the heavens, gods and demons and forces all knowing, they settled down again in the middle of their livingnest. With Jeltea and some much needed cuddle piles and blankets, they started plotting. ¡°Alright, putting aside the infinite rage I now hold for the universe, do you know which house it is, Little Bird?¡± ¡°Uhh- the Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤oss¡­?¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Right. We¡¯re not gonna think too much about that because I really don¡¯t want the roof crashing down on us.¡± ¡°What about the day you have to clock in on? Please tell me it isn¡¯t tomorrow. Please.¡± ¡°Uhhh- it''s not tomorrow¡­buttt- it¡¯s Kestli, this Beihiln.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ri¡¯! Ri¡¯! Calm down! No! Bad wolf! Bad! No clawing the blankets! No! Bad! What are you doing?! Those are the fluffy ones! They¡¯re expensive!¡± ¡°Ah- Brother Stonehearth! No! Calm down! You¡¯ll bring down the whole district!¡± Many cries were heard from greynest 13 of the Sh¨£ch¨¦n District that day. None outside the 4 inhabitants know what had truly happened, though rumors persist that the charged affinities of the little flock had finally caught up with them. *** The morning after herald frantic movement, as all of the flock fluttered from place to place. Brother Stonehearth had volunteered to talk with members of the Guarding Constituents, he was acquainted with some and hoped that they would point him to the guards hired by the Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤os. **Flash** In a room of quiet opulence and power¡ª ¡°Sir Mountain Shaker, what a pleasant surprise. I thought we had agreed that you wouldn¡¯t step here again after those Al¡¯licht` peps got your signature?¡± ¡°Now, now, no need to be so mean about it, aren¡¯t you meant to be the oh-so-magnanimous Sir Trilimir, Leader of The Shield, Hero of the 21st Campaign¨C¡± ¡°ENOUGH! Fucking ¡®ell Shal, the fuck do ya want?¡± ¡°Hah! Still got it. Welll- now see here¡­¡± **Over** Yuxan-ja had mysteriously disappeared with a grumble about unpaid debts and runaway comrades. **Flash** In a building most thought abandoned¡ª ¡°Send ¡®im in Joke!¡± -footsteps- ¡°This Bo Xing greets the Lord, Myst, of Nightingale.¡± ¡°No need to bow now, XingXing. We¡¯re old friends aren¡¯t we? Go waayyy back- the two of us- and you¡¯ve been doing well for yourself haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­.ah- yes! I- yes I have- been doing well!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve gathered. Now. I wanted to talk to you about those good ol¡¯ debts I¡¯ve been kindly ignoring for you¡­how nice of me eh?¡± ¡°This one thanks the Lord!¡± ¡°Hm-hmm, so- you work under the Court¨C¡± **Over** Riri-ji had been the most straightforward, saying she had some friends which served the, in her words, ¡°arrogant dumpster fires¡±. **Flash** In the corner of a well regarded tea bar¡ª ¡°Riren, how¡¯s it been!? Haven¡¯t seen ya or that boytoy of yours since the graduation party. Ya looking delectable as alway ;> ¡± ¡°Lokli-ja¡­good to see you¡¯re doing well. Yu¡¯ and I have also been well. Ah- by chance- are you still working for those dumpster fires?¡± -a beat- ¡°Oh- this isn¡¯t a fun callup. Right! Okie, dokie, give me a second, I have to recalibrate.¡± -two tea sips- ¡°So yes, I¡¯m still working for the trash heaps, did you need something about them?¡± ¡°Right in one- I need¨C¡± **Over** Luhuo-ja had also dropped by to say that he was working on things but that he needed until tomorrow to see how everything panned out. He was being very, ¡°told ya so¡±, about the whole flock¡¯s reaction to the sponsorship reveal so Raphael hadn¡¯t felt bad when his flock had grilled him about who he was and what his intentions were. **Flash** Before everyone had split up¡ª ¡°So you¡¯re the ¡®Luhuo-ja¡¯ we¡¯ve been hearing so much about-¡± ¡°-The same one that our little bird had talked to before us-¡± ¡°-The same one who can¡¯t hold a five minute spar against a gray bird like me-¡± ¡°Okay, everything else is whatever, but that third one, I resent. If you¡¯re a gray bird, Mister ¡°Mana-Density-Mythril-Rank¡±, what would the rest of us be?¡± ¡°¡­.He has you there, brother.¡± **Over** Raphael himself, on the other wing, felt very adrift on the wind current of action everyone had been stirred into on his behalf. Now mind you, he felt really thankful, so so thankful, but he didn¡¯t know what to do with himself while everyone else was trying to prepare for the worst. He had a vacation after the festival, not like having three days free before what felt like the end of his world was that much of a consolation prize. But aside from telling his friend and flock, he didn¡¯t have much else to do. He had no one out-district able, or willing honestly, to help him with something like this. And, outside of Luhuo-ki, he had other in-district friends but none of them would be equipped to deal with something like this. In fact, many would be like his theatre master, happy and eager to send him off to what amounted to a monster lair with a ¡°good luck¡± and ¡°fair winds¡±. So while his flock flew into action with reckless abandon, Raphael just stayed home, cooked, and packed. He had little else to do after all, better work out his own anxiety through these productive and simple actions than cause more trouble when he tries and inevitably fails to help with something he had no experience with. His flock eventually thanked him for it, tired from all the running around and needing the nice home cooked meal after all the hurrying. They nested together that night, with quiet goodnights and tired coos. *** Today was the last day before the deadline, tomorrow, Raphael would either be at the Jihu¨¯¡¯¨¤o manor or branded as wanted across most if not all of Huanghui. And, as tempting as it sometimes felt, he wasn¡¯t uprooting his siblings, he had no doubt they would follow him, just because some shine-brain brats had taken a liking to him. He was the first one awake that day, maybe because he¡¯d been too anxious to sleep any longer. Raphael felt so detached from it all, it didn¡¯t feel real, the last few days and the thought that he had to leave his home, his flock, behind. Thankfully. He wasn¡¯t dealing with it all alone. He had his flock and they, along with Luhuo-ki, had gathered up around him as they convinced him to pack more and fear less. And¡­honestly? For them, he would make it through this, come storms or hurricanes.