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 Huánghuì. |
First, the ritual had been exhausting. Well, sure, it was also breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and unforgettable but— 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 Qīluāng(2) Festival as a Guìxí sīdié gōngzhě, 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) “Qīluāng” (Noun|Holiday), a triennial festival which is celebrated with elaborate dances, shows, and concerts. Its name, “Qīluāng”, translates as, “Desolate-Glow”. |
So the only thing that really stuck out in his mind about this Qīluāng 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 Àimǎshìā-guōdú(4) for.
| 4) “Àimǎshìā-guōdú” (Noun/God-Honorific), the “Guōdú” honorific means, “High-Above”, and is the one used for the majority of Huánghuìan gods, while “Àimǎshìā” is the shortened name of the [Major] God, “Huí’Àimǎshìā”. |
And, thankfully, it didn’t take him long to get back to his little corner of the Jifāng district(5). Now don’t get him wrong, the Shǎchén 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 Jifāng de Shǎchén(6) itself.
| 5) “Jifāng district” (Noun/Place), a poor Huánghuìan district. |
| 6) “Jifāng de Shǎchén” (Noun/Place), the full name of the “Jifāng 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), Huánghuìan slang for ‘neighbors’. |
“Littlest Muffin! Bless Huí’Àimǎshìā(9), you’re back!”
| 9) “Huí’Àimǎshìā” (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. |
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“Nothing to be sorry about, brother. How about we get inside and exchange stories of this year’s Qīluāng 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 Huánghuìan 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 Wèiliàn Qīluāng. Hmph!”
| 14) “Wèiliàn Qīluāng” (Noun/Holiday), the full name of the Qīluāng 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, wūshǐan, 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 Wūshǐan. And, Wūshǐans? 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.