Windrider, Dawn over Heliopolis
#1 of Windrider
Alright everybody, this is the project I talked about earlier. It is a five part request from Able Archer on Fur affinity. Hope you enjoy it.
As always, comments are appreciated and requested.
Aldaz walked through the silent streets, following his brother closely. The sky above them would be brightening to the east with the dawn before long, and the teenaged boys wanted to get out of the city and fly before it broke. Coming out of the street and into a wide marketplace, the brothers looked around for anyone that might see them. The only person present in the market at this hour was a lone baker, working in his shop against the far edge, much too busy to notice them. Aldaz smiled at his brother and the pair stole through the silent shops and stalls, keeping an eye out for anyone that might catch them sneaking out. Strictly speaking, they weren't supposed to go out flying anymore, but neither of them cared. Aldaz slipped around a corner stall and dashed across the street, heading for the last line of shops that separated them from the exit to the market square, his sandaled feet skidding a little on the gravel in the road. The boy stuck out his hand to catch himself from falling and let out a quiet curse when he felt his white robe catch on the shop's corner, the cloth tearing a little on the wood.
Falk, Aldaz's brother, grinned at him and untangled the corner of the white cotton garment from the wooden edge. Aldaz grinned back and turned, dashing the last few feet to the orange sandstone building that bordered the road to the Aviary. The pair continued their silent journey through the streets of Heliopolis, intensely aware of all the sounds of a city that was starting to stir for the morning. The pair were right across from their destination when they froze in near perfect unison. Coming down the cross street they had just passed was the sound of heavy footsteps accompanied by the faint jingle of armor. The pair quickly leapt into a doorway, cramming themselves out of sight just in time. Just as Falk pulled the corner of his robe out of sight, the patrol of guards came around the corner. There were five of them and Falk risked discovery to peer out at them. Aldaz had never had much interest in the guards, with their steel armor, burnished with bright bronze highlights and their heavy weapons. He much preferred the lighter, more flowing robes that the civilians wore. Falk, on the other hand, had always fantasized about becoming a guard. When they had been younger, he had always been the one running around with a stick for a sword, fighting imaginary enemies.
Aldaz pushed his brother back out of sight when the golden beam of lantern light from the leader of the patrol crept towards them, washing across their hiding place and pausing in its path for a brief moment. Aldaz held his breath, listening with all his might for the approach of a guardsman's boot. But, after a moment longer, the lantern light passed on and the footsteps of the guards faded away as they continued their rounds. The brothers let out a sigh of relief and quickly rushed across the road to the heavy oak doors of the Aviary. Working together, the boys pushed at the massive door, driving it back upon its hinges just enough for them to slip inside, the door shutting behind them with a hollow boom that reverberated in the dusty air within the building's cavernous main room.
The Aviary was dark and dim, filled with the scent of the animals contained within. The building was built like a stable for horses, only the stalls were much larger, and the other end of the building from where the boys had entered was open to the sky. Aldaz and Falk crept along through the darkness of the stable, avoiding the tall stacks of grain sacks that were used as feed for the creatures within. They passed the dark openings of many stalls on their way to the far end of the building, taking great care not to wake their occupants. Finally, at the entrance to the nineteenth stall, they split up, Falk crossing the aisle to the other side. Aldaz slipped into the stall on his side when his brother had gone and spoke.
"Gradis." He whispered, taking care not to talk too loudly. "Gradis, are you awake?"
The creature within the stall stirred and trilled in greeting to her rider. Though perfectly capable of speech, Gradis didn't like speaking human this early in the morning, as she put it. Smiling, Aldaz reached out and felt for her feathery body. When his searching fingers found it, he walked closer, nestling his face in her side, breathing the distinct scent he so enjoyed. Gradis nuzzled him affectionately with her beak in return and he swung up onto her bare back, allowing her to walk out of the stall. Falk was already waiting at the far end, mounted on Gradis' twin sister Aerin. Aldaz nodded to his brother and then leaned down low against Gradis' neck, bracing himself. A moment later, Gradis' wide wings stretched out to the side and thrust downward as she leapt upward. The paired riders and their avian mounts soared out of the Aviary and into a sky that was just starting to light with the pale glow of dawn. Rising back up into a sitting position, Aldaz smiled, gently tapping Gradis on her right side with his knee. The great avian obligingly turned in that direction, coming back around over the city.
A few moments later, Heliopolis, the city of the sun, was struck by the first rays of the golden dawn. The city had been built all of rose quartz and golden, red and orange sandstone, with many sculptures and natural formations of clear crystal trimmed with gold on the roofs of buildings. In the dawn, the city glowed warmly as if it was a living thing, waking to the morning light. Aldaz grinned as the winds of the approaching sunrise made his flowing white robes flap and snap around him. Down below, in the awakening city, the people would be preparing for the festival of the Summer Solstice, a great celebration that took place every year on the longest day. For a few moments Gradis and Aerin glided on the air currents, their purple feathers radiant in the light of the sun, before turning in a wide bank around the city, gliding once more over the Aerodome set along the western edge, the sprawling set of buildings and warehouses where the airships docked. Somewhere down below them, Aldaz's father's ship rested, its holds no doubt empty after delivering supplies for the festival.
After a few more moments, the large avians turned into the wind and soared away from the city. Tossing his long blonde hair out of his eyes, Aldaz took a deep breath of the rushing air and grinned once more, enjoying the wind and the clear blue sky around them. While Gradis soared even higher, Aldaz peered down and his grin widened. Far below him, the edge of the flying island of Heliopolis came into view, the farm lands that supported the city spread out nearly to its edge. Even farther below that, the sea spread out towards the white sand shore on the barest edge of sight. As he looked upon the pristine shore, Aldaz remembered the times when the brothers and their avian mounts had landed on that beach, playing in the surf and enjoying the sunlight together. Looking back down through the dizzying heights once more, he felt a familiar excitement rising within his heart. Flying on the wind certainly wasn't for the faint hearted. Still grinning, Aldaz marveled how lucky he was, as he did every time he flew with Gradis.
On Heliopolis, only the merchants and the nobles could afford to have aerial transportation. The farmers and much of the population of the city might spend their entire life islandbound, never seeing the true ground that existed below the floating island. Aldaz and Falk were the sons of a wealthy merchant, and so, when they had become teenagers, their father had purchased two twin Avians for them to ride. Up until then, Aldaz had almost never been happy, but the first time he had flown with Gradis, he had found a rare joy, and a rare talent within himself. He was a good rider, able to stand a lot of acrobatic maneuvers that others felt were too extreme. He and Gradis had a special bond, and both were happiest when flying together. It was odd, he had never particularly cared for flying when on his father's airship, but get him out in open sky on the back of one of the great birds and he was the happiest human being alive. His father had said that people like him, who were most at home when flying, were special, almost unique. He had called them Windriders, and both Aldaz and Gradis had liked that term. Sensing his thoughts, Gradis dove suddenly, neatly missing the edge of the floating island by only a few meters. Aldaz let out a laugh and looked back up to see Falk watching him. The brothers were a lot alike, both blonde haired and tan skinned, a product of living in a city that honored the sun. But then, as he looked up past his brother, Aldaz noticed a dot far above, dark against the brightening sky. Shrugging, Aldaz ignored it, turning his gaze back to his mount. After all, it wasn't that odd to see flying creatures flitting over the city.
Most of the people who owned Avians thought them to be little more than intelligent livestock, and treated them much the same way. But Aldaz knew differently. They were easily as intelligent as their human riders, and, if one cared to get to know them, they could actually be better companions than most humans. Aldaz certainly couldn't imagine a better friend than Gradis. He discussed everything with her, and found her to be a better advisor than anyone he had met. She often had a perspective that no one else seemed to share. He liked her a lot, and he found her soft violet feathers very pretty. And, she seemed to like him just as much. He even thought her more noble looking than the Gryphons that the noblemen rode, and certainly more beautiful than the dragons that the army used. And, as he thought that, he felt a cloud start creeping across his mind.
Ever since Heliopolis had been raised into the sky by an ancient combination of magic spells that had long since been lost to time, it had encouraged free and open trade with just about everyone in the world. Its location above the southern sea also gave it a fantastic climate. These two things had made it a gathering place for the best artisans in the world, as well as the bored and wealthy, bringing yet more riches into the city. However, not everyone in the world liked Heliopolis. Some had become jealous of the city's wealth, jealous of its beauty. One thing that Gradis had said to him while they rode one day, back when flight had first been restricted, was that this jealousy could easily inflame old rivalries. Aldaz figured that she had been right. A few months ago, there had been some sort of dispute between the King of Heliopolis and the Emperor of Mani, another floating city of less wealth and prestige, situated in the cooler north. No one outside of the king's inner circle knew what had happened, but not long after, word had been passed throughout the kingdom that no one was to fly without the permission of the king. Merchants had been allowed to continue trading with their airships, but no one else was supposed to fly freely anymore. And, to make matters more complicated, a week or so ago, a curfew had been established, a curfew that would be repealed for tonight only, to allow the festival to continue on as it had every year previous.
Aldaz and Falk routinely disobeyed the no free flight rule almost every day, sneaking out with their avian friends. No one had caught them yet, and Aldaz knew from a friend he had developed in the city guard that most of them didn't agree with the policy, and wouldn't punish anyone actually caught breaking the rules. Still, Falk had argued, at first anyway, that it wasn't worth the risk. But Aldaz had been insistent, since he wouldn't desert his best friend, despite the fact that she was an Avian and not a human. Besides, he loved flying too much. Gradis looked back at him and, seeing his troubled look, spoke. She was flying slowly enough now that the wind and the steady whoosh of her wings didn't make it hard for her to be heard.
"What is it Aldaz?" she asked, looking at him with a concerned look in her eyes. He smiled at her, and shook his head.
"Its nothing Gradis." He replied, and she looked at him for a moment longer before turning back to the front, flying toward a merchant airship that seemed on a course towards Heliopolis. He continued to smile, even though his thoughts were still dark. He had always found her voice to be pretty, even though her beak made her hard to understand at times. Turning his thoughts away from the darkness brewing in his mind, he glanced over at Falk, and his brother smiled across the void at him. Together, Gradis and Aerin dove down once more, wings pounding, streaking past the airship's cockpit and out to either side of the ship. As they flew by, Aldaz caught sight of a man standing at the railing of one of the observation decks. They had been flying so fast that it had been only the barest glimpse, but there was something about the man that caught the boy's eye. He had been dark haired and pale skinned, obviously from some foreign land, but what had caught Aldaz's eye most was that he was clad in a black tunic over dark chainmail armor. That in itself wasn't that odd, since most merchants hired on mercenaries to protect their cargoes. But what was odd was the light blue design that was centered on his tunic. Though he only got a brief glimpse of it, it seemed very familiar and, when Gradis had slowed down their flight once more, he spoke to her.
"Did you see that man's uniform?" He asked and his friend nodded. "I couldn't quite make out what the insignia was. Can you go back for another look?"
"Sure." She said and banked her wings to circle the ship once more, but the man was gone from the deck. Shrugging to himself, Aldaz shouted over the wind to his friend.
"Lets go high again." He called and Gradis trilled in response, the sound carrying back over the wind with ease. Grinning like a maniac, Aldaz held onto his friend's feathers as she soared high into the sky, catching a thermal over the airship's engines, the hot air sending them spiraling upward at a pace few would be able to match. Falk and Aerin followed them a few moments later, the pair sailing close enough for them to yell across to each other.
"Aldaz, we should be heading back soon!!" Falk shouted, but Aldaz shook his head. "Father is not going to be happy if we are late again. Besides, I still have to do my assignment for Sage Urlidor." Aldaz's mind clouded over again at the mention of the aged sage. Sage Urlidor was an old wise man that had been their father's tutor when he was young, and their father had hired him on once again as their tutor. He wasn't a particularly harsh teacher, but he was rather tiresome sometimes. Aldaz really didn't like him that much, but he had already completed that week's assignment, so the clouds within his mind faded swiftly.
"You go back then!!" Aldaz replied, "I will come back in when I am ready."
"Fine, but don't blame me when father punishes you." Falk shouted back at him, his face angry. With that exchange, Aerin soared away from her sister, flying back towards the shining city.
Shaking his head, Aldaz looked back out towards the west. More airships were approaching from that direction, most of them huge passenger liners. Those ships were usually larger than the merchant vessels, with much finer lines. At a signal from Aldaz, Gradis soared towards them, circling in and out among them. The festival of the Summer Solstice on Heliopolis usually attracted many foreign folk to it, most of them rich individuals bringing yet more wealth into the city. This year was no exception. Gradis and Aldaz spent nearly an hour circling the airships, flitting around them and waving to the people on deck. Most of them waved back as well, calling greetings in many foreign tongues to the soaring pair. The friendly calls of the strangers and the brilliant golden sunlight soon drove the strange man on the merchant ship out of Aldaz's mind. Finally, as Gradis soared upward after another pass over a brilliant white ship bearing the sigil of Tacitus, one of Heliopolis' allies, the pair paused in their weaving flight. The stream of passenger ships was nearly endless and Aldaz knew they had to return to the city soon, as much as he didn't want to.
"Gradis, we should go back to Heliopolis." He called, shouting over the rushing wind. Gradis nodded and turned back to the floating island, which looked like a child's model from this distance. On the way back to the city, Aldaz thought about what a bother it was to have to come down from the sky he loved so much. He wished that he could fly all the time with Gradis, and given the opportunity, he would have. But, as the warmly glowing city grew nearer and nearer, Aldaz noticed that the dot he had seen earlier had gotten lower in the sky, hovering above the island. It was very dark, a black mark marring the brilliant blue sky. Finally, his curiosity peeked, Aldaz nudged Gradis, the avian soaring upward towards it once more. As the pair approached, he was able to make out the outline of what it was. It was a dragon, and not a wild one either, for it had a rider perched upon its back. But, as the young Windrider and his avian came near enough for more details to be discerned, the rider spotted them and the dragon flew away to the east quickly, outpacing Gradis. The pair probably could have chased it down, but now they were a little rushed. The longer they stayed out past dawn, the greater the chance they would be discovered breaking the rules. Shrugging to himself, Aldaz nudged his mount toward the city, bracing himself as she soared down towards the Aviary once more.
Hugging himself close to Gradis' feathery back, he held on tight as she back flapped, slowing herself down quickly as she landed in the aviary, her claws sparking a little on the stone as she skidded to a stop. When she had finished landing and tucked her wings in, Aldaz slid from her back, following her on foot as she returned to her stall. Smiling once more, Aldaz embraced her warmly, feeling one great wing enfold him as she returned his hug.
"Thank you for letting me fly with you." Aldaz whispered, as he always did after a flight, for he considered it an honor that Gradis allowed him to ride her.
"You are welcome Aldaz." She replied and he took care to make sure that she had food and fresh bedding before heading for the door. The boy shoved with all his might at the heavy wooden door, managing to slide it open just enough to look out. The street outside was empty and he shoved harder, heaving against it with his whole body, forcing the door to open just enough for him to slip out of it. Since the no flight rule had been established, practically no one came to the Aviary anymore, trusting the servants who maintained it to care for the avians. Still, he ran through the empty street as fast as he could, heading for the sounds of the market. Only when he stepped out of the side street and into the marketplace did he relax. He was just starting to step into the bustling square when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw his father standing there, a very disapproving look on his face.
"Aldaz, where have you been?" He asked, his tone severe. Aldaz swallowed nervously, sure that he was in trouble now. Before he could answer, his father plucked something from the front of the boy's white robe. To his horror, Aldaz realized that it was a piece of purple down, probably shaken loose when Gradis had landed. His father frowned deeply, and when he spoke again, his tone was full of anger. "Aldaz have you been flying?"
"No." Aldaz said, the lie slipping from him smoothly. "I just went to visit Gradis. She is bored since we aren't allowed to fly anymore, so I sat with her a while. I guess I sort of lost track of time."
"Uh huh." His father replied, his eyes narrowing. "Then why is it that Falk admitted you two have been flying every day since the ban when I caught him coming home late this morning? And, while you are at it, why don't you explain to me why you and your brother have been sneaking out before dawn every morning?" Aldaz gulped nervously, knowing now that he was caught. Quickly he tried to think of some excuse, some explanation that wouldn't get him in trouble. Finally after a few moments of silence, he sighed.
"Alright fine." He said, defiance flaring within him, willing to defend his choice to fly with his friend. "I have been flying since the ban. Gradis is an avian and I am a Windrider, we belong in the sky, not locked on the ground. The only way you are going to stop me from flying is to chain me in jail." His father's eyes narrowed, becoming two dark points within his face. The look was so severe that, for a moment, Aldaz thought that his father really would lock him up. But then, the man smiled.
"No, Aldaz, I won't lock you up." He said, his grip on the boy's shoulder slackening. "I just wanted to see how you would react. I have seen you fly my son, and you are right, you belong in the sky. How can I fault you for following your talents? But son, in the future, ask me before you do something like this again. I still have some pull with the city guard and I might have been able to get them to let you fly, instead of you sneaking out like that. Now come on, you are very late, and we have a lot of work to do to get ready for the festival."
Aldaz nodded and followed his father through the crowd towards their home. As he walked, he thought about the strange dragon he had seen flying above the city. Something about it bothered him, though he didn't know why. It wasn't golden scaled, nor bronze, as the dragons favored by the Heliopolis military were. It had been sable, a color that was not often found this far south. Shrugging inwardly once more, he turned his thoughts back to all the work he had to do today. Since his father was one of the merchants who had been chartered to cater the festival, they would be busy all day, helping to ensure that everything got to where it was supposed to be.
Sighing, he resigned himself to his task, following his father back towards the warehouses where their goods were stored...
***
Aldaz ran along side his brother, the pair hurrying to find a good place to sit among the crowds lining the Great Square. The Great Square was a space in the exact center of the island, a mile wide open square that was covered by a dome of perfectly clear crystal that caught the light of the sun at noon and filled the square with light. Every year at the Solstice festival, fireworks were sent up from all around the city, and when viewed from the square, they set off thousands of winking lights within the crystal, casting incredible kaleidoscopic sights from beneath the dome. Last year, Falk and Aldaz had watched the show from above, mounted on their friends' backs, and personally, Aldaz felt that the view was better from up there, for the dome glittered in the light of the fireworks with a thousand scintillating points that one could not see from below. However, with the ban on flying, they would stick out like a sore thumb against the bright explosions if they had tried to do so again this year. He had already visited Gradis a few hours ago when he had finished the work his dad had given him. He had sat with her for a while, expressing how much he wished they could go out flying tonight. She had been as understanding as always and her attitude made him feel better. The sun had already set beyond the horizon, and the sky was growing dark. As soon as the stars came out above them, the firework display would begin, and most of the square was already packed with people.
"Falk, over there." Aldaz said, pointing towards a space near a fountain that was miraculously clear of people. The brothers hurried to grab a place to sit and had just gotten comfortable when the first rocket went up, soaring high into the air on a tail of fire to explode in a brilliant burst of red sparks. More rockets followed, filling the air with explosions that were nearly drowned out by the excited gasps and cries from the crowd around them as the dome amplified every burst of light, casting rays of light down within the square, painting the robes of the natives with swirls of color. Grinning from ear to ear, Aldaz sat back and gazed upward at the brilliant display, sure that everyone in the city, guards and civilians, natives and tourists alike, were watching the celebration...
***
In the shadows of an alley near to the Aerodome, a group of men waited in the shadows, clad all in black. Arman Kandris leaned back against the wall, his posture at ease despite the excitement all of them felt. They were waiting for the firework display to begin, waiting for the right moment to make their move. Arman was the leader of the group, and he had actually been just as excited as his men since they had seen the scout flying high above the city. It had been the final confirmation that their mission was to go forward. However, while his men were allowed to fidget, allowed to show their nervousness, as an officer, he wasn't allowed the same luxury. He had to appear unafraid, cool and calm, no matter how he might feel otherwise. Turning his head, he looked down into the Aerodome, smiling to himself as he watched the guard watches change.
He had been afraid that the young rider had identified him earlier that day, but it turned out that his worry had been unfounded. In the hustle and bustle of the arrival of all the passenger liners, the guards had completely missed him and his men as they had left the airship. Dark hair crowned his pale head and dark eyes watched the guards, who, clad in their bronze highlighted armor, showed up like stars in the night sky as they walked their rounds. It wouldn't be long now. Turning to his small command, he looked them over one last time, seeking any detail that was out of place. Nothing was, and his grin widened. They were six of the best soldiers he had ever seen, like him, hand selected from the ranks of the Mani High Guard years ago, the elite soldiers of the city state of Mani. Each one had been in training for years for this single mission. Each one was a merciless, ruthless assassin, willing to die for this single purpose.
A moment later, the first rocket went off, soaring high into the sky and exploding, showering scarlet sparks down towards the city, tiny winking lights that would never reach the ground. Nodding, he gestured and the soldiers before him bowed before running out of the alley in total silence. Arman ran across the street after them and then down into the Aerodome itself, sticking to the shadows, his dark clothing hiding him perfectly. Moving in total silence, he ran swiftly along until he was poised behind a low wall, his padded shoes making only the barest noise, awaiting the right moment. Sure enough, he heard the footsteps of a guard walking nearby. Slowly, he drew a dagger from its wrist sheath and held it ready, the blade glittering in the lights of the far off explosions. The guard passed the crouching soldier and then paused in place, his gaze on the fireworks. Arman heard him grumble to himself at the injustice of being on duty during the festival. The Maniite commander grinned and moved, covering the man's mouth with one hand, the other driving the dagger into the seam of his armor, piercing deep. The man's agonized cry never got past Arman's glove.
Still smiling, the Maniite officer withdrew the dagger from the corpse and ran off across the small open plaza before him, his blood covered dagger flashing dully as it claimed the life of another oblivious guard. Crouching in the shadows for a moment, he waited, listening for any sign that his team had failed in their task. The only sounds were the explosions of the rockets and the gasps of awe of the distant crowd. Smiling widely, the Maniite ran on, fitting a bolt to the wrist crossbow he wore. Finally, he crouched across from the dock where his destination waited. And, as he had predicted, a small knot of guards stood outside it, deep in conversation.
"...Didn't anyone check this ship when it docked?" The first guard asked, looking up at the unlit vessel.
"I don't know, maybe it just got left off of the log." A second answered him, looking at a ledger held in his grasp and turning the pages slowly. "Should we search it?"
"I think we should." The first replied, and before he could move, he stumbled like he had been struck, which, in fact, he had. A black feathered crossbow bolt that seemed to have magically sprouted from his back marred his bright armor as he fell, but the remaining guards didn't have time to sound any alarm, as two of the assassins sprang on them from behind. 'Not that it matters,' the Maniite commander reflected as he stood up and walked calmly to the ship's gangplank. 'There is no one left to hear it.' When he reached the top of the gangplank, he quickly made his way along the passageway to the stairs leading downward. It was short walk through the dimly lit bowels of the ship to the main cargo hold's hatch. This ship had been specially designed for this mission, just as his soldiers had been hand picked for it. It had taken the Maniite magi nearly a year to enchant the hold of the ship so that when anyone not from Mani searched it, it would appear to be filled with boxes, rather than its real cargo. Grinning to himself, the officer turned the wheel, opening the hatch and pulling it open.
Inside the dark hold, a hundred pairs of yellow eyes stared at him malevolently for a moment, then he waved for the occupants of the hold to follow him and turned, walking back up topside without looking back. When he once again breathed the free air above the ship, the commander turned and looked at the precious and secret cargo that his team had been sent to pave the way for. The one hundred creatures that had been hidden within the hold by the spells quickly ran down the gangplank, vanishing into the darkness of the Aerodome like wraiths.
They were humanoid, but definitely not human. They were like hybrids of wolves and humans, their fur all shades of grey and black. These creatures had been magically bred in secret on Mani from human slaves for years, their aggressive instincts enhanced, their human minds suppressed, until they were little more than walking weapons. They would follow their orders without question, and kill without mercy. What their orders exactly entailed, Arman didn't know, but then again, it wasn't his job to care either. He had other business now that this task was done. Grinning to himself, he followed the last of the savage beasts down the gangplank to where his team waited. Blood glistened on the uniforms of a few of his assassins, marring the light blue insignia they wore, the symbol like twin circles of ice, one within the other, pierced through with three lines of the same color, meeting in the center of the innermost ring; but they were unhurt. At his gesture, the assassins bowed and ran off in unison towards their last objective...