Kaara was gifted. She was a prodigy really. Even Tiksu, one of the best trackers in her clan, couldn’t compete with Kaara’s perfect ability to get lost.
They arrived in Yvian during the afternoon with a bit of time before the tournament started. Tiksu had only taken his eyes off of Kaara for a moment before she was carried off in the current of people. Kaara hadn’t even noticed for a long time either.
She was far too busy marveling at all the sights of the city. Vendors beckoned her over, showing off their wares. Tiksu had given her and the others some money when they entered town, and it was when Kaara needed to ask for more after blowing it all on street food that she realized she’d been separated.
Regardless, Kaara wasn’t worried. Tiksu would eventually find her. He always did. It was times like these, when she was lost in a new area, that Kaara always had her most interesting adventures.
Though, remembering only a few days ago when she’d nearly killed herself by jumping off the branch of an Ingen tree and how her parents admonished her for it, she made a silent promise not to get into too much trouble.
She had her fingers crossed for good luck, obviously. Not for any other reason. At least not yet.
Kaara had armfuls of roasted meats, fried doughs, icecream, pastries, and candied fruits. She kept bumping into people and dropping some of it, so she decided to eat it in a less crowded spot.
The buildings got a lot less impressive the further Kaara ventured. What were massive towering homes with beautiful architecture soon became small heavily clustered slums that might’ve been less comfortable than the tent Kaara lived in her whole life.
Still, seeing permanent housing was weird to Kaara, who had only ever known a home that she could carry on her back.
Kaara was in the middle of imagining herself as a turtle when some other kids approached her. They asked for food, looking like hungry scavengers.
Kaara always fed hungry scavengers, and didn’t really think twice to give them what they asked for. She liked seeing them happy more than she liked to eat.
And she loved to eat.
She hadn’t gotten to eat much of the snacks she’d bought for herself, but it gave her more time to think.
She needed a place to hang from her tail, and the sign of a local tavern looked like the perfect spot.
At least it was until the owner came out and yelled at her, chasing her off with a broom and calling her a ‘bloody urchin’.
She didn’t think her hair made her that thorny looking, but Arik had called her a red porcupine at one point, so maybe there had been some truth to the xio’s insult. She really needed to cut her hair soon. It was starting to get in the way.
By the time Kaara thought she should try to get back with everyone, it was starting to get dark. It was strange, though, there weren’t any stars in the sky yet.
A bright crimson light shot into the dark blue sky.
Kaara’s eyes brightened. So they captured stars and launched them into the air here in the city?
She dashed towards it, she wanted to meet whoever captured that star to see if they might give her one to take back with her. More stars flew into the sky, bursting with a chest rattling
BOOM!
It was so beautiful. Stars bursting of all different colors and shapes before vanishing into the sky. She climbed atop one of the buildings to see it. There were flashes coming from an alleyway nearby. There was shouting muffled by the booming stars.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
She peaked around the corner to get a good look at the starcatcher, only to realize there was something entirely different going on.
A boy about her age was on fire. Did he anger one of the stars? No, that was his Aix at work.
Even Kaara knew a fight when she saw one, and the boy was fighting like a ferocious animal against two adults.
Smoke rose from a stone brick tower nearby. A figure dressed in black feathers was perched atop it like a massive crow as he watched.
A xio who looked like a stick bug, and another who looked like a wild boar stood in opposition to a boy who lacked a tail.
Was he a Noxa?
Kaara decided to stay hidden. She didn’t know what was going on, and it would be risky to break up a fight when she didn’t know who was in the wrong.
The Noxa lunged, sinking his ax into Stickbug’s shoulder. He was forced to leave it there as The Boar charged and swatted him off. He lobbed a rock at high speeds but the boy snatched it from the air.
He crushed it in his palm, the flames coating his body flaring up like the wings of a bird. He was wreathed in fire like it was armor, and every time the other two tried to touch him, it flared out and burned them.
Kaara had seen others in her clan use similar magic, but almost nobody her age could cast something like this.
The Noxa was attacking The Boar now. The Boar coated himself in stone armor, much like Rorik tended to do when he hunted. The Noxa cracked it with a fist, his knuckles bloodied. Sparks flew as he slipped his knife between the cracks with such speed The Boar didn’t have time to react.
The blade didn’t sink deep enough, however, and the Noxa was sent flying by a bone crunching strike from The Boar.
As ravenous as the Noxa was, the two he was fighting were on another level entirely. The Stickbug had already pried the ax from his shoulder and scattered it off into the alleyway. His deep wound had healed completely. He brandished needles, striding over to a blonde girl Kaara hadn’t noticed until now.
“Oh little Noxa, if you keep acting up, then my little dove will be suffering because of it!” He raised the needle to her neck.
The Noxa was fast. Kaara heard two thunderous booms. The first was the wind breaking to get out of the way, the second was The Noxa’s knee shattering The Stickbug’s teeth.
The Stickbug was sent tumbling ass over teakettle through a nearby building in a cloud of dust.
He grabbed The Dove and hugged her protectively, but his flames burned her skin. She cried out, but The Noxa didn’t seem to hear it. The poor girl passed out from the pain.
The Boar charged, sending The Noxa flying into the air again. It was his turn to skip like a stone. Kaara could hear bone breaking as The Noxa tumbled nearby.
“This kid’s such a pain in the ass! Crow, quit watching and do something already! Otherwise I’ll just kill him.”
“Oh? The two of you can’t handle wrangling a couple of children yourselves? I’m about to reach the end of my shift. You want me to work overtime?”
The Noxa let out an earth rumbling roar. Kaara recognized it.
It was the sound of an animal fighting for their lives. A desperate terrifying screech meant to scare off predators.
He had Stickbug’s horns in his hands, and he used them as daggers, rushing The Boar one more time.
The Boar’s stone armor fractured, and The Noxa dug everything sharp he had into his flesh. The Boar clicked his tongue in annoyance, “Crow! Knock him out already. If we let him cause anymore of a scene he’ll blow our cover!”
“I’ve been making sure no one of importance sees what’s happening.”
Kaara felt theThe Crow’s eyes on her under his mask.
He snapped his fingers, and The Noxa’s flames extinguished. Kaara could see the whites of his eyes. He was passed out on his feet.
But he wasn’t finished. His flames reignited with a defiant shout.
“Well I tried.” The Crow said with a shrug.
“Crow you fucking bastard! Wait until The Jackal hears about this!”
The Noxa was already on top of The Boar again, biting into his arm with all the ferocity of a rabid drake.
The Boar winced in pain, “Alright that’s it! We don't need you alive!”
He slammed his stone covered fist into The Noxa’s stomach and tossed him into the cobblestones with a sickening CRUNCH!
The Street itself rose up and slammed into The Noxa and tossed him above the buildings. He landed poorly, His body crumbled as he bounced and skittered over the street.
Kaara couldn’t watch it anymore. She summoned a pool of water and caught The Noxa as he tumbled. She allowed him to breathe in the water as she illuminated it with healing magic.
“I thought I sensed someone nearby.” a nasally voice whispered in her ear.