~~This is my entry for Author's WART Contest~~ [This is the intro and part 1, the second half story is in N&C] My entry is titled "Lost Skies" which follows Remora of the Vyl'kin, a humanoid-avian race built into the high range of Delora, the magical Folklands, and Lenova of the human kingdoms, or so she thinks. Both are swept into the drawing danger of returning demonic forces, and the loss of the keeper of light. Both will learn that they, and they only, stand a chance to stop the coming tides, before they surge into a tsunami of revenge. (This is more of a segment piece, and it could have been better :/) -~-~Story Time~-~- -~Part One~- Lenova had been up before dawn, staking out vendors stationed in the lesser parts of Amarthal. The lesser quadrants of the capital made for venders more eager to strike a reasonable bargain. She was looking for the last items on the list, frosting and candles. Tomorrow was her birthday, but the cake was really for her sister. She'd been through a lot, so Lenova decided she deserved to have a little treat. It was the least Lenova could do. A man dressed in simple clothing moved from behind the stall to take off the front cover, revealing candles of all size and color. Lenova had been waiting across the narrow street, and now walked across to the vendor. "Mighty early, how can I help ya?" He asked as he noticed her coming up to the stall. "Small will do fine," She replied, now looking over the variety of molded wax. "Cake candles ay? I've got some good ones just over here." He gestured towards the opposite end of he row, "I've got simple, complex, colorful and dull." "How about something sea colored," Lenova asked. Mendy, her sister, loved nothing more than the sea. her favorite past time was watching the large steam ships sail out and make port. "I've got just the thing, came in earlier this week, take a look," he pointed to a candle stick a little larger than a regular cake candle, but still smaller than a normal candle. It was a gradient, changing from sea green at the base to almost entirely white at the tip. The candle was carved to match sea coral, and even some sea turtles floated near the center of the stick. "I only have three silver" Lenova knew how to barter, start small, and don't give easily to their markdowns. "Oh, I think that'll be plenty," The Vendor replied. Lenova was a little suspicious, but grateful she got it low. It was a beautiful piece to sell for so little, "Anything else I can help with?" "Don't suppose you have any frosting?" She asked. Lenova had asked several other stall vendors without luck. "Actually, I have some leftover from awhile back," Lenova started to make a first offering, but the Vendor had spoke first, "Don't worry, it's on the house. It'll go bad soon anyways." "Oh, well thank you so much," She never would have guessed this would be her finally stop. It made her a little skeptical. Frosting isn't real easy to come by these days. The vendor handed her a brown paper bag over the rows of candle. Lenova turned and started back across the road an her way back. Before she reached the adjacent curb, the Vendor called, "Have a good day, Lenova." She whipped around, but the man and his stall had vanished. Lenova took of towards home, hoping that nothing had happened to Mendy while she was gone.
-~Part Two~- Remora arose to the sunlight filtering in through the clear glass window that overlooked the passing cobbleway. It was a relaxing late morning, as usual of the day before the Ceremony of Wind and Sky. The Ceremony crowned the worthy with their wings, marking a true, and honored, Vyl'kin. It was every younglings dream to soar the sky and wash through the wind. And today was finally his day, after all his dedication, his dream really would come true. Another part to the day was the four year eclipse, when the moon cast the suns' shadow. It only occurred about every four years, and Remora happened to hatch during the eclipse. He was going to be sixteen years of age, just barely making the cut for this years Ceremony. Remora pushed back the thin bedsheets to his ankles, and twisted his talons off the bed to the wood floor. As he made for the door, it swung open and his mother stood on the other side. "Good morning, my little fire feather," She spoke as she walked to meet him in a warming embrace. "Good morning Mom," Remora replied, returning the hug. "I can't believe your about to get your wings, your father would be proud of your," She let go and backed a few inches away, looking up slightly to meet his eyes. A faint tear hung under an eye. "It's not that time yet," Remora didn't want to spend the day thinking about his father, how he had died in an incriminating revolt against Gromar, the Lord of Vyl'kin, "How about we go to the Glass Park, I bet it looks perfect right about now" "That sounds like a wonderful idea," She hugged him once more before walking back out to the top of the stairs. Remora looked through his closet to find a light green tunic, nothing big, but still fashionable. He entered the smaller room adjoined to his bedroom were a washbasin stood under a hanging mirror, and beside a tall, shallow cupboard. Remora to a handful of water and splashed his face, wiping his beak and smoothing back the stray feathers on his crest. Remora looked up into the mirror. When he looked at himself, he tried not to think of his fathers face. It wasn't recent, but neither was it long ago. It had been seven years since his father fell, but he could still remember his face well, and saw more of him in himself as he grew older. It was always a strange mix of feeling when it came to his father. Remora didn't want to pick through them, he was a traitor to Vyl'kin and the crown, and nothing more. he didn't deserve to be loved after his treachery. The room darkened, and instinctively, Remora turned to open up the curtains, but found them still parted. Through the window, he could see the sun becoming a crescent, a pitch black object blotting out the suns rays. Shocked at the sight, Remora realized that the eclipse had come in early.
