The Islands

"I've been hiding my presence since well before you or even your grandparents were born. I would like to think I've become adept at it..."

"No need to talk about it heavily. I was only stating my perspective." Terrane replied

"Fair enough... shall we?"

Terrane had no specific direction in mind, since the islands themselves were in no set pattern. In her mind, the place to start was Eprye. The Island of Spirit. She had come here her fair share of times, since it was the least lethal of all the islands.
It's danger came from the long dead and lingering souls that swayed within. Terrane often heard their moans and cries but could not decipher what they meant. They droned on and on about how they hated it here. How they were desperate to be free. How they wanted justice for themselves against whatever trapped them here.
What was desperate?
What was hated?
What did those words mean? It turned gears in Terrane's mind as to why she even inquired to the meaning of the whisperings of these souls.

But the curiousness, as her djin friend had put it, quickly vanished as they approached the edge of the mainland.

The only thing connecting Eprye to the mainland was a single chain, thick as a bridge it stretched far into the distance to where Eprye floated in a harmonic stillness. It was easily the size of a continent and it pulled into a sharp spire towards the bottom. Anyone with a potent magic sense could see faces swirl in and out of the mist that surrounded Eprye.
"I can carry you across" Terrane spoke aside to Luxia, "despite how this may appear, this chain is not a bridge. Walking it would mean certain death."

An amused smile crossed Luxia's now youthful face, "My, quite a humorous thought. If you feel it's best I trust you though..."

The groans and moans may be whispers to her but to him they were screams from right next to his ears. However sympathetic he was to them, he wasn't entirely sure how to aide them. Magic that affects the barrier of life and death was not easily manipulated, even for a seasoned Djinn like himself. And why shouldn't it be so? Would gods and goddess want their subjects interfered with?

Terrane wasted no time in wrapping her strong arms around Luxia's currently youthful body, spreading her eighteen foot wingspan and diving off the edge. Only to come upwards again with powerful downward strokes of her darker than night wings.
"Why is it you need to do this?" She asked over the wind as Eprye drew closer

"Sorry?" He asked her failing to understand her.

"Why do you...have a reason to help me? All of Lemures?" She asked again louder.

"Must you always have a reason to help someone?" He didn't wish to bring up his past transgressions just yet, not when he was starting to now be trusted.

"I suppose not." Terrane dropped the subject, having no more drive to continue.
But something strange stirred within her...something that begged for her to ask more...

"I'll tell you, but not now." He promised to her genuinely. "But some truths you'll discover are best suited for the proper timing."

"I...do not understand. Is there a proper time for all truths?" Terrane replied as she landed on Eprye, her wings folding quickly.

"Not exactly." He explained patiently as one would to a child, "Imagine there is a young child before you, and you saw his father die. Would you tell him in graphic detail what happened? Or would you wait for him to mature so he could comprehend all you're telling him and process it without scarring him?"

Not understanding the concept of being kind or careful when delivering heavy news she replied
"Of course I would tell him every detail. What reason is there that I wouldn't?"
No one could blame Terrane for her emotional ignorance, it was after all not her fault.

He exhaled and closed his eyes, not out of anger or dissatisfaction with her, but out of the realization of how long it would take for her to learn tact.

"There is! All things have consequences, Terrane. If you told that hypothetical boy everything he'd be completely destroyed by it. It would ruin his entire life, sending him down a very dark and dangerous path..."

"But if you waited, and told him when the time was right, when he was mature enough to understand and cope with it, then he could have a life, a good one..."

Something inside Terrane stirred again. It was foreign and it made her...feel heavy. Like a part of her chest was tightening and it wouldn't relax. For once, her stoic complexion twitched into a barely recognizable grimace.
"I...suppose you make a point."

The magical air vibrated, as though awakening this part of Terrane had angered something...

The tremor of magic did not go unnoticed by Luxia, and could only reason her emotional reaction was the trigger. 

They couldn't afford to have such attentions drawn to them, at least not now. "Fear not, we will discuss more later." He calmly implored. "Let us just quiet our minds and focus on the task at hand." He didn't wish to alarm her unnecessarily, distress was not an emotion he believed her ready for yet. Or at the very least not now.

Like he had said, all truths at a certain time.

Feeling the static emotion die, her expression went back to its usual stoic and still position. She nodded as they descended into the muted colors of Eprye's forests.

The trees easily dwarfed them both, and the trunks themselves appeared transparent, with bodies resembling humans swirling on the inside.

Balls of honey colored light floated harmlessly through the air, and as Luxia and Terrane passed them, they seemed to giggle.
"They make such strange sounds" Terrane remarked

"I agree..." Luxia marvelled at the place around them. In all his generations of travelling never once had he set foot here.

His heart raced at the prospect that even in his ancient age, new experiences continued to introduce themselves like a stranger you instantly feel connected to.

As they pressed deeper one thing became apparent to Terrane's trained ears.
They weren't alone. Terrane froze mid stride, her wings tensing.
"Someone's watching us."

He fully stopped and reached out with his senses, trying to detect who and where this person was, "I would appreciate if you came out...." He implored politely as he waited to feel this presence.

A rustle.
And then, slowly and surely, a figure emerged slowly, standing straighter as they appeared fully. It was a boy, about 15 in appearance but no doubt much older. His skin was light and freckled and his hair was shaggy and dirty blonde. Iridescent purple eyes stared cautiously at Luxia and Terrane. The boys whole body was cloaked in sleeveless robes of black and gold. Bird like feet protruded beneath the long fabric, and dark brown, white speckled wings were hard pressed against his back.

Terrane seemed to lessen in tension when she saw him.
"Raiyu, what are you doing here?"

The one called Raiyu didn't explain, but rather asked back while pointing at Luxia. "I could ask the same, and why is a djin following you?"

Luxia offered an amused smirk, "Please, answer the ladies question and mine as well, how did you know I was a djinn?"

Raiyu eyed Luxia sharply
And then...he smirked
"I have many more years than I may appear. And I've met quite a few wish casters, your no exception." He then addressed them both

"As for why I'm here I'm on sent from the emperor to guard the magichite that keeps the barrier up. Now I ask again..." He looked between them
"Why are you both here?"

"Impressive, and here I was so cautious..." Luxia turned to face him, "And pardon my ignorance, but magichite? It has been many years since I've seen it so please remind me..."

"As for why we're here well..." He looked as his companion as though inquiring whether they could trust him with the true purpose of their visit.