Daiymeon let her tail tangle off the end of the wharf; letting the tips, damaged by heat, caress the gentle mist of saltwater trailing the roaring sea. Her wistful mind carefully picked its way through her memories, careful to avoid those that were barely healed. Unbeknownst to her, there was a figure from those memories was soon to reappear.
Dai had had a troubling past for someone so young; only 15, and tormented by problems beyond her years and capabilities to solve. She had lost all her family to fire, and she wasn't even there to protect them. She had a fight with her father, and stubbornly flew off into the night. She perched herself in a tall secluded cave that she often came to. She grabbed an apple from her supply chest there, you see, Dai had been planning to run away. She didn't have everything planned out quite yet, so the cave sufficed for short retreats from her parents.

The only thing that made her life more bearable, had been her older brother, Ciajha. They were very close, and Ciajha was very amirable; he had accomplished much in his 19 years of life. His only, 19 years of life. Ciajha had become a professional at martial arts, sword fighting, archer, and ju-jitsu, and had begun to teach her the basics. They shared secrets, and adventures, he was the only reason she was even going to leave a note explaining where she was, or more like it, where she was not.

When she finally cooled off, she flew back to her home. She saw a column of smoke arising in the direction of her house. Dai just thought her aviator goggles had just fogged up, so she took them off, and wiped them with her scarf. But to her dismay, when she put them back on, the horrifying sight had not improved.

She poured on the speed! Rushing toward the house, she had never flow so fast. She lowered her head to protrude her beak forward, in doing so, she felt the cut wind grace her feathers and fur like rolling in a down comforter. She streamlined her body, and split the air in two as she rushed through it. She reached the house in record time, only to find smoldering ambers.

Then she knew, there was really nothing left for her here. So she went back to the cave. She stayed there for many days, thinking of what to do. Then finally, she realized that she must find herself a place to stay. She thought of what she lost, and Ciajha, then remembered something he had said; something about a new republic. He wanted to go and assist in the war against Aetheria. He could no longer do that, but Daiymeon could. She stood on the ledge of the cave, backpack filled, heart broken, and leapt into the night sky, and off Edentoth.

She was lost in thought, when she felt cold metal on her back. A feeling of dread surged through her. Then, a familiar voice, shattered her fear.
Has this what my training has amounted to?" Daiymeon turned around to see none other than Ciajha. With tears in her eyes, Dai leapt into his arms.
How did you…" she started, but Ciajha held his hand up for silence.
I went looking for you after you stormed off. When I didn't find you, I went home. I woke up to the smell of smoke, and rushed out of the house. I went to the designated meeting place, but mom and dad never came. I sat there waiting, looking at the smoke for them, when I saw you flying, quite fast I might add," Dai blushed "and headed for the house again. By the time I got there, you had already left. I spent the next days looking for you, but never found you. That is, until I saw you in the sky again. So I followed you."
I'm so glad I didn't lose you!" "and I you little one, but now is not the time for this." He broke free of her and threw something at her, which she failed to catch. "Reflexes are an important part of becoming a warrior."

Daiymeon smiled. Things were back to the way they were; other than the whole orphan thing, but that didn't bother her much. She picked up the object. It was unlike anything she had ever seen, it was a wide sword with a round button on the hilt, and a triangular piece cut from the blade. What is this?" she asked incredulously.
This," Ciajha started, "is a shock sword. You wield it like any other sword, but the missing piece is a perfect opportunity to," he stuck the end of his sword through the middle of Dai's and with a flick of his wrist disarmed her, "to disarm your opponent." Dai was confused,
but why would you want to be disarmed?"
You see that is the trick, the element of anticipation. If you know what your opponent will do next, then you can counter attack it. That is where the marvelous new invention of electricity comes in handy." He pushed the small round button on the hilt and lightening began dancing between the sides of the sword, in an erratic frightening way. "The rubber hilt allows the holder to not get zapped, but the metal in all other swords conducts this electricity, thus, roasting your opponent. The trick is to only turn it on at the right moment, because once it has been used once, the person you're fighting will know better."
Amazing," Dai exhaled as she turned on her own shock sword.
Now, lets see how much of my training you remember." Before Dai had a second to think, she got a slap on the side from the flat surface of Ciajha's blade.

They began to spar rapidly, Daiymeon learning from every mistake she made. All of a sudden, Ciajha disappeared. Dai looked around frantically, worried she had lost her brother again. But a force hit her between the crests of her wings on her back, thrusting her forward. She looked up to see Ciajha standing on some barrels holding a rope. She looked up to see that the rope was part of some loose rigging from the nearest ship.
Learn to use your surroundings." Ciajha instructed as she stood up. She charged at him with all her might, just as he leapt down off the barrel and sent it rolling toward her. The barrel crashed into her with such force that all its contents spilled out over the wharf.

Dazed, Daiymeon looked up through the piles of fine linens to see Ciajha waving his wrapped hand in front of her. Oh good, you're awake," he said. He crouched down, on all of his four insectoid legs, to examine her. When she finally came too, Dai suppressed an urge to snicker, so it came out as a snorting sound. Naturally, that set Ciajha off into hysteria, and Dai soon followed.
Oye you two! Whacha think you're doin' with me linins?" asked a drunken sailor. He started toward them, "You two betta not be stealin' anythin!
better scram," said Dai
that's the smartest thing you've said all day," replied Ciajha, and with that they started to sprint up the wharf, following the twisting turns of the planks. They hurdled over fish venders stalls, scrambled through the gypsy tents, and almost annihilated a pair of chickens, Dai laughed as she looked back to see the owners trying to sooth the flustered, squawking chickens.

Finally, the wharf ended, and turned into boardwalk. Them running away had not been such a hot idea, because now they had more people following them than when the had started. Daiymeon felt Ciajha's arm around her waist, and let him drag her under the wharf, to the beach. There they stayed silent until the roar of the unhappy merchants dissipated. Dai fell asleep in her brother's arms, listening to the roar of the ocean, and his heartbeat she thought would never be heard again.

Captain Jakov Vasiliev raised his arms above his head once more and stretched out his shoulders, leaning back slightly in his chair before returning to his hunched-over work position. An array of maps, charts and navigation logs lay strewn in front of him, marked here and there with pencil, ink, and odd stains from coffee, tea, and most likely soup from three days before. Jakov, or Yasha as he was known to most, sat keenly studying the maps he himself had composed by navigating the skies over Edentoth and into the neighboring region of Aetheria in his zeppelin.

And oh, what a flying machine that zeppelin was! Of course, no flying machine would be able to rise off the ground without her crew. With Yasha as captain and his trustworthy friend Alexei Duchenne as lieutenant and assistant, she flew high above the highest treetops – soared over the loftiest mountains. In it, he and Lexi had carefully studied the border shared by their own homeland and the neighboring region. Each mile – no – each centimeter – had been carefully documented, measured, remeasured, redocumented, and recorded not once, not twice, but three times in a variety of logs, charts, and lists. This information, Yasha knew, would prove vital in the days and weeks to come.

He had been aware for quite sometime about the unrest between Edentoth and Aetheria, hoping that the issues would all be solved through peaceful means. But alas, there seemed to be rumors hovering in the air that there was soon to be a recruitment of soldiers – yes- armed soldiers- in the capital of Aetheria. He paid little attention to what people in the taverns whispered about the subject, but knew that something – someday – was going to happen.

He sighed to himself, pushed a few gray strands of hair aside and picked up one of the charts and set it down in front of him, his azure eyes studying the carefully delineated and recorded information while he scribbled on a small note pad. For a while, the only sounds in the room was the metallic tick-tick sound of the strange clock that stood in the corner of his study, and the scritch-scratch of pencil on paper. Then, the sound of a small chime brought Yasha's attention to the timepiece. It was time for tea, and none too soon.