Their Beginning

If Lia was being honest, she really doesn't know what to think about all this. 

Objectively, her situation is pretty dire. 

Not knowing anything, having no recollection of past events or relations. She should be terrified, but instead finds herself to be more dazed and curious, not frustrated about her predicament. Which actually surprises her, even if she doesn't know why...

That's not even considering the very worrying thing that happened before she woke up. 

That void, the very scattered memories of her life flashing by– only to come together and show her plummeting to her death, showing her she had died in some way. Then there was the shining figure she saw under the ground beneath her, the figure she now knows to be her spirit, Ophiuchus. 

At least— that is if she trusts what Alveena's had said, but somehow Lia has a very strong feeling the witch's words were no mere lies or guesses.

Which brings her to the next headache inducing worry; the odd group of people around her. She's pretty sure her judgment of these people is pretty solid at this time, for what it's worth, they seem genuine in their interest to help her. Especially the fea, he has shown to be very kind. Lia doesn't have the impression Kaida or Ray are usually seen as nice people, even if they have been very friendly to her... in their own way.

But she's torn, you cannot trust anyone this easy right? They're strangers, even if their intentions don't seem to be bad they could have ulterior motives. 

And with a lack of solid memories that is frightening.

A strange thing really, some are foggy, like her name had been, while others are far out of reach. She couldn't recall any faces of people close to her, but she knew there had been people in her life before now.

Were they aware of what happened, are they worried? Are they looking for her? 

Maybe they were... there's even a chance she had been trying to get away from them.

Again, she doesn't know what to make of all this. While she's sure she has to have a certain personality within her, along with her morals, her likes and dislikes— whether those are the ones she had before the void or ones she's just starting to give shape— right now, everything seems to be very muted and overstimulating at the same time.

There's too many scenarios forming in her head, ones she knows won't help her. So she has to put her trust in the one thing that does seem to be of help to her right now.

The care and good interest of some strangers.

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After Kaida promptly declared they'd be heading to the big tree– whatever that place was– the fea announced he had something to give to her.

"Here Lia, take this," Jay handed her a small purple crystal. It was really pretty, she turned it over in her hands, the smooth but thin oval gemstone looking shiny and polished. "It's a means of communication, hence the name, komunki crystals," he explained further.

Seeing the slightly awed but confused look on Lia's face, Alveena stepped in to clarify, "It's activated by a simple spell, the crystal will show you the person you wish to talk to if they choose to reply when you call upon them."

The witch's little frog disappeared into a pouch she had tied to her waistband, popping back out with some crystals very similar to the one Lia was holding.

"They're not that rare among traveling witches." Alveena took one of the komunki crystals from Bartholomew, "Some even make jewelry from the crystals to make communication easier, but they have to be very skilled and very cautious. The connection between two crystals isn't everlasting, if one breaks the link is lost."

Okay, so take good care of the tiny shiny pebble.

Kaida's voice cut her off before she could even turn towards Jay to thank him, "We're heading off then, we'll be back if anything happens," she said, moving to walk away, saluting her friends.

Ray grabbed her hood though, halting his sister's quick department.

Lia put the crystal in one of her pockets. Those were her own pants apparently, her shirt didn't make it, Alveena had cut it open to see if there were any injuries– which there weren't– but she'd saved her pants. Which was kind of nice, because they fit her really well and it also meant they didn't have to go to more trouble for her and find a whole new set of clothes.

She uttered a soft 'thank you' to Jay, who smiled back, a shimmer almost making his bright blue eyes glow with kindness. Alveena however? Not so much.

The witch suddenly pointed a finger towards her, the sharp gesture contrasting her blank facial expression. "You two better keep me posted, I still consider this troublemaker my patient," she all but scoffed to the group. 

"What happened was too unnatural and mysterious for my liking," she concluded, making Lia's head dip down in thought.

Yeah Lia didn't know how to feel about that herself, but how would telling them that help her any? She fiddled with the edge of the soft green shirt the witch had given her. 

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "but I am glad I didn't punch any more of you in the face." 

Would it be too easy to just blame that snake spirit for what happened? She's pretty sure Ophiuchus had something to do with it one way or another.

A charming laugh interrupted her thoughts— Wait had she said something weird?

Maybe she did, but it got Jay to laugh. She's also pretty sure she heard Kaida hold back a snicker while Ray rolled his eyes, right– had she apologized to him about punching him yet? 

This time Ray didn't hold Kaida back as she strode away through the door of the shop, the small mage bid her friends goodbye with a single wave, Ray just nodding their way. 

Alveena wasn't waving either, but Lia still thought it'd be polite to, since the fea was very clearly doing his best to wave them all goodbye with big happy gestures.

"Come on Lia," Kaida called.

And so the girl followed, moving past people on the street and turning back every few seconds to smile and wave at Jay, who was still flailing his arms around in the air. 

Alveena probably deemed it time to make him stop and pulled him back inside their charming little shop.

That left Lia to follow the two cloaked mages across town. The bustling streets were loud and crowded the further away they got from the shop. She couldn't say she was very comfortable here, it was a bit overwhelming.

There were people of all colors, shapes and sizes, ones with tails or even horns. Humans and their big and small animal companions, folks shouting and selling stuff on carts and stands.

She would've been intrigued if she wasn't currently wary of everything she didn't know to be normal. So she focused on tailing behind Ray and Kaida while they swiftly made their way to the outskirts of town. 

If Lia was being honest, the odd chaos and kindness of the group she met left her feeling a bit like an outsider. More than everyone in this lively city ever could.

But that was just the thing right? She was an outsider. Someone who just burst into their lives, disrupting any usual plans these people might have had. 

Even if she got the impression this group was used to strange things happening by the way they handled this whole fiasco, especially Ray and Kaida, she couldn't help but think herself and this idea of a prophecy were an unwelcome addition to their lives. 

For however long they intended to help her...

"Hey are you okay?"

Lia turns to Kaida, who's staring at her very intently.

"I–I think so, yes?" What else was she supposed to say? There was way too much going on in her head to even begin explaining.

Kaida– to her credit– doesn't look the slightest bit convinced, though she doesn't comment. No, they make their way to the edge of town quietly. 

When had they even passed the busy part of town?

That wasn't the only thing she missed, the looks Ray and Kaida are giving Lia and each other went unnoticed by the girl.

Lia is done being stuck in her head though. So she convinces herself to stop thinking about all the possibilities for just a moment. Clear some space for better thoughts— happier ones. 

Live in the moment, she is lucky to be alive after all.

She swears her eyes are only closed for a very short while, but when she opens them there's a big black wolf staring right back into her eyes.

It's scary how she doesn't even startle, holding its stare and her body locking up. There's a feeling of something surging through her, something akin to power. 

Then Kaida's voice chimes in, sounding amused yet shocked, "Wow, you didn't even give a kick, not so scared of big beasts are ya?" Lia didn't move but shifted her eyes towards the girl while considering her words. 

She can't recall exactly, but that does seem to be the case. 

Lia only then notices Ray is gone from his sister's side, before she can ask what's going on Kaida starts to explain. 

"The fluffy wolf in front of you wanted to offer a ride, you're still daydreamin' and wobbly on your feet." Okay, never mind, that doesn't explain half of this...

Luckily the cloaked mage catches on, "It's Ray, if you hadn't put that together yet, but he gets all embarrassed about offering help to a fair maiden." she teases, hands held together in mock innocence and batting her eyelashes. 

Ray must be glad to be a wolf right now, because any flustered looks are lost on the beautiful animal's head in front of her.

"You said he offered a ride?" Lia asked, finally willing her body to move and slowly bringing her hand up to the beasts head.

He gently moves his nose closer, the tip poking her palm. 

Dear Frôna this was really happening.

She heard Kaida huff a laugh, "He did offer– yes, would be faster anyway."

"For me to travel on his back you mean?" She asked just to be sure, she'd literally punched him earlier today.

"No, on the little cart he pulls like some donkey," Kaida starts, sounding agitated, "of course he means on his back you-" she seemed to swallow whatever she's actually wanted to call her. But with the heavy sarcasm Lia was glad she didn't receive the end of that insult.

Kaida turned away from her, looking off to the grasslands surrounding the edge of town. "Now go be a good lass and climb on, I'll fly alongside you two and we'll be—" A weird chocked off noise interrupted her— "Excuse me. You can fly?" Lia's question turned into more of a shriek in the end. 

"Yes, I don't think we've told you much about our spirits now have we— miss Ophiuchus," Kaida asked, looking smug like she hadn't just startled their new companion. 

Lia wanted to reply with an indignant 'no, you didn't' but the mage's question was probably rhetorical. 

The brunette is proven right when Kaida snickers at her lack of response, so the mage continues, "Yeah no, we forgot didn't we?" she pondered. "My brother's is pretty obvious now, spirit of an ancient wolf-king, hence the transforming into a big fuzzball." She harshly pat the wolf on his side.

A disgruntled huff from Ray made Kaida jab him, "You know it's true."

Lia– who was still standing in front of the wolf– reached out to gently stroke his muzzle, "I for one think you're very cool in this form, fluff and all," she told him, hoping to ease away the nonexistent frown from his sister's teasing. 

His ears flicked and he slowly lowered his torso to the ground. 

Did he want something from her? That wasn't a playful pose right? It looked too controlled for that. 

A gust of wind suddenly smacked her in the face, forcing her eyes closed. "Well hop on his back you limbless critter," Kaida complained.  Wait— limbless critter? 

Lia opened her eyes, seeing Kaida now standing a little ways away with sleek wings as black as a moonless night.

A small noise of pure wonder escaped between Lia's lips before her features scrunched up as a new gust was blown her way. 

Kaida was up in the air, batting her shimmering featherless wings. "The spirit of a dragon, a great shadow dragon," she proudly stated before flying off. Lia didn't need to ask what she was referring to.

Ray made a noise and Lia hurried up, quickly throwing one leg over his back so she could sit down. The wolf took off into the dancing grassy fields before she could even properly hold on.

A wolfking and a shadowdragon huh...

What made a snake of stars the special one?

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When they've traveled through the grass for quite a while Lia starts to make out a blurry tree in the distance.

"That's the big tree your sister talked about?" she asks the wolf still carrying her on his back.

Ray makes a noise which can mean just about anything. Guess it's what's to be expected from an animal running at high speeds which also isn't capable of human speech at the moment.

So the girl just waits for them to get closer, the grass thins out but the wind doesn't let up– reason being the nearing waterfall.

The tree– their house– is rooted next to a small waterfall on an actual cliff side.

"Stop!" Lia shouts at Ray, who startles at the sudden outburst and stops running.

He is still walking it off when Lia scrambles to get off his back, confusing him even more.

Kaida now notices they've come to a halt too, "Lia?" she asks, flying down closer to the two as Ray shifts back into his human self. 

He grabs a hold of the girl– carefully this time– as Lia mutters illegible things under her breath.

"Hey what's wrong? There's no need to panic, we're safe here," he tries.

The girl shakes her head, silent again, much in the same way she had earlier.

Kaida lands next to the two, also wondering what triggered this reaction, was it the edge of the land?

They'd found her among the rubble of a fallen island after all...

"It's the cliff that's scaring you, isn't it?" Kaida states, earning her a very clear nod as Lia stills in Ray's hold. 

"T-the drop, that's a massive drop—" Lia says, mind flashing with terrible images of a land crumbling underneath her.

The siblings exchange looks, then the oldest let's go of Lia's arms. "You're not falling off this cliff, we won't let that happen," Ray reassures.

The pure determination is enough to ease her panic, then Kaida gets it to disappear completely with a loud promise.

"I'll fly to your rescue!" She exclaims into the wind.

Kaida grabs one of her hands and guides her to look at a home made of wood between the sturdy branches of the massive tree. 

"Welcome to the big tree Lia."

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Thank you so much for reading, taking time for writing has been hard for me but I'm getting back into it,

 hope you enjoyed this update.