Chapter 27: Blue skies

With a sigh, Shina threw her last set of spare clothing into her small blue traveling pack. They didn’t plan on being gone long, so Mistress Orellia had instructed them to pack light. She tied the pack around her waist, and exited her small room. She’d get a larger one when she graduated from being an acolyte.

Her room emptied out into a balcony, with a thick railing reaching just over her head. Looking over the railing, she could just make out the land so very far below the cloudless sky. It was a beautiful day, but every day was beautiful when you lived amongst the clouds. The acolyte buildings traveled in the southern most formation, all seven of them. Each building could house several hundred mages-in-training, though they were never filled to capacity. There was always spare room if the need arose.

There were four rooms per floor, located on each side of the building, but they weren’t connected by a hallway, or any other navigable terrain. Looking just below her—if she stretched her head enough—she could see another balcony, belonging to another acolyte. All along the sides of the buildings, there were dozens of balconies, each one serving as the acolyte’s “entrance.” Everyone traveled from place to place by the same means in Magia, something that Shina knew would never get old to her.

Shina called for her Gryphon, blowing into the small whistle she carried around her neck. It didn’t take long for him to arrive, Pancake was always nearby.

“Pancake!” Shina shouted, waving. The beast flew into her home, landing on the small open area on the outdoor balcony. He was a wonderful creature, with thick brown fur, and a face resembling an eagle. She reached into her bag and gave him a treat, a sugary cracker that Gryphons loved above all else.

He arched his neck so she could pet him. Pancake and Shina had grown close since she’d arrived, and to Shina Pancake was more like a pet than a servant-animal. Many felt that way, even Orellia. Often times the residents of Magia would develop a close bond with their Gryphons.

She hopped on his back, and tied a chord onto the harness he wore on his back, strapping herself in. “To the Prep-area, boy.”

The Gryphon squawked, a powerful high-pitched yell of acquiescence, and took off. Pancake was a fast Gryphon, and within a second she was pulled even higher into the sky, watching her room fade from view, and the ground becoming even harder to see.

The prep-area was always a quick ride from her quarters, located just above it. It took the Gryphon under a minute to land on one of the many wide, circular, and spacious platforms used for arriving or departing. There were seven Prep-areas in Magia, with convention being to meet at the closest one to everyone’s quarters.

Shina dismounted, and looked around. There was a lot of activity in Prep-area-C today, people shuffling about on various errands, Gryphons taking off and landing with equal fervor, and technicians in silly-looking yellow hats running back and forth, cleaning the landing sites and making sure everything went smoothly. The landing area stretched on for a bit before leading up to a large, oval, crystalline structure, with a wide cave-like entrance. Shina skipped as she walked over to it. Today she was going to ride with Kellar!

She walked to the center of it, pushing past a sea of people going and coming. It was very important when journeying with other people that you made sure all stayed within sight of one another. The sky was a big and vast world, easy to lose track of friends, and easier still to get lost. The prep-areas existed for the purpose of meeting up before departing.

Oh, I can’t believe it, Shina thought with a smile. I’m going to be alone with Kellar, I’m so nervous!

“Gahhh!” cried a man behind her. Shina gulped, and looked at the man writhing on the floor, electricity coursing through him.

“Eek! I’m so sorry, sir,” Shina said running over to him. She recognized him, a worker from the Prep-area. Worse, this wasn’t the first time she’d shocked him. “Will you ever learn to control that!” he snapped.

Shina bowed and apologized, before turning around and heading back inside the large crystal structure. There were plants, flowers, and other decorations sprinkled around the large building. There were games too, for those needing to wait longer than normal on their traveling compatriots. Off into the distance, Shina could see the slim and graceful form of her Mistress. She waved. “Over here, Mistress Orellia!”

Orellia waved back, and struggled through the swarm of people to stand next to Shina. “You’re wearing the gloves for this one,” Orellia said.

Shina opened her mouth to protest, but Orellia cut her off. “I don’t even want to hear it. I know you like this boy, and that can only mean death for us all. Do you remember when you shocked your Gryphon the last time I let you ride without them? I was making idle conversation with you while we flew, and I accidentally mentioned his name…then, I had to nose dive to catch you before you fell to your death! And then you shocked my Gryphon too, and we both almost died. No, Shina, I don’t even want to hear it. Gloves on, now.”

Shina knew better than to be snappy with her Mistress so she obliged, taking her rubber gloves and socks out of her small traveling pack. She sat on the ground, putting them on her hands and feet. She wouldn’t be able to do any harm while wearing them, but she how werid the black rubber gloves looked on her.

A few moments later Kellar appeared, wearing a cute black hat and a pair of beige slacks. Shina tensed, and wondered if he’d hold onto her while they flew together. At the moment she was glad to be wearing the rubber gloves and socks, because she’d have roasted the entire terminal with those thoughts.

“Hey, Shina,” he said, turning to bow, “and Mistress Orellia. When are we leaving?”

“Right away,” her Mistress said. “I want to get this one done quickly. Alright everyone, let’s head out.”

Shina followed her Mistress back into the landing area, where dozens of circular landing pads were being occupied. They waited patiently until a clearing of two consecutive pads were emptied, before calling their mounts.

Pancake returned as if he’d never left, the riding harness still secured to his back. Shina knew the animals didn’t find them comforting, but there was no sense in removing it when they’d only be leaving again in a few minutes, so she’d left it on.

She climbed on, followed by Kellar, who did in fact grab a hold of her waist. She was glad she was facing away from him, because she was blushing something fierce. “This is exciting, going on a hunt together, Shina,” he said. “I’m glad I could go with you.”

What do I say to that? Shina thought frantically. I don’t want to seem like some overly happy idiot!

“Ah, yeah, me too,” Shina answered. “Are we ready?” she asked.

“Yes, fly off on three,” Orellia said. “One— two—three.”

Shina gave her Gryphon a gentle tug on his brown fur, and together the two Gryphons soared off into the open blue skies. Shina loved flying, for it was the most wondrous of all things. The wind beat against them, the clouds occasionally damping their vision when flown through, all mixing together to create an excitement Shina couldn’t find anywhere else.

For a while they could see dozens of other flyers, all going their own ways. Shina waved to them, as she always did, and they in turn waved back. All riders flying out of Magia started off in the same stretch of air-space, but within a few moments she saw less and less of them, until it was just the three of them, gliding through the clouds.

The sound of Pancake’s wings beating, coupled with the whooshing rush of air, never failed to put a smile on Shina’s face. They descended a bit, just enough so that Orellia could see the outline of the land below. She was an excellent navigator—so was Kellar, for that matter—but Shina couldn’t make heads or tails of any of it. She found it amazing that her Mistress could tell their location just by seeing the land.

They’d keep a high altitude for the majority of the trip, only descending when they came across their hunted acolytes. Shina grinned, thinking of her brother as an acolyte. Oh boy is he going to put up a fight, she thought.

“You seem like you really enjoy this,” Kellar said. For a moment Shina had almost forgotten that his arms were around her waist, and she blushed once again out of his sight. “Is this one of your favorite things?”

“Most definitely,” Shina said. “Flying is the best, I love you…err, it! I love it!”

Kellar laughed, and Shina had to struggle to keep control of the animal. How could she have made such a fool of herself?

I’m an idiot, that’s why, Shina reminded herself. Sehn, I swear to the Gods, you better not make me look bad in front of Kellar when I get there!

******

“Sehn, will you please cut it out? We get it, you’re embarrassed about your spell failing. But for the love of the Gods, Sehn, I’m going to get a splitting headache if I see one more rainbow.”

At first Cah’lia had thought it was a thing of beauty, but only at first. Now, there were so many rainbows in the sky that a painful red and blue light was beginning to cover the land, causing everyone to get headaches. It was almost hard to see the clouds, there were so many of them. Each one would fade within a few minutes of being cast, but Sehn was casting them so fast that, at this rate, Cah’lia feared the entire world might end up covered in them.

“Silence, Fool’lia! The Great Sehn is going to make it rain, you’ll see.”

Cah’lia tried to keep her patience with the idiot. “I bet you will, Sehn, but can you please give it a rest for a bit? Gods, it looks like the entire world has turned red and green.”

“Nero, go get your sister my care-cup.”

“On it, Sehn,” Nero said running off. Cah’lia was going to have to do something about her brother.

“Kallas MAHR!”

“Kallas MAHR!”

Sehn hissed with anger as another two rainbows popped into existence. He turned to Princess Saerina, and shouted at her. “This is fucking bullshit!” he roared, kicking a rock on the ground. It bounced off of a nearby boulder and hit him right back in the face. He screamed in pain and anger. “Ahhhh! You know what? Fuck this spell, I’m serious. Fuck it…FUCK IT! I’m done.”

Sehn crossed his arms and shook his head in defiance. “Rainbows suck! I’m never casting this stupid spell again…after I try it two more times just be sure.”

“Kallas MAHR!”

“Kallas MAHR!”

Another two rainbows popped into existence. Now Princess Saerina looked somewhat frightening, completely covered in an eerie red light. “Why won’t it work!” Sehn yelled. “Nero, where are you? Nero! Get over here, right now!”

Nero came running, his ears wobbling. In his hands was the care-cup he was supposed to fetch for Cah’lia. She sighed at her brother’s stupidity.

“Nero,” Sehn growled. “You cheated, there’s no way you made it rain and not me.”

“I didn’t, Sehn, honest. Look, I’ll show you. Kallas MAHR!”

A rain cloud appeared just above the boy’s head, and Sehn danced and screamed in agony. “This is ridiculous! Nero, you must be accidentally channeling my greatness, that’s the only explanation. That’s why it’s not available for me to use.”

Nero scratched his head. “Well, I guess that’s possible, but I didn’t mean to do it…Sehn, how come you’re looking at me like that? Wait, no, it was an accident! I didn’t mean to steal your greatness.”

Cah’lia watched as the two biggest—yet most adorable—idiots she’d ever known, ran throughout the valley, the big idiot chasing the little idiot.

Well, Cah’lia thought. At least he’s not making any more rainbows.

The sky cleared up in just a few minutes, the valley once again returning to its fullest beauty. Cah’lia had always loved rainbows growing up, the rare majestic sights that appeared every so often above the forest of Elvar. Thanks to Sehn, that was ruined forever.

She kicked her horse, and the animal sped up. I just hope it’s an easy journey from here on out, she thought.