Open If Stars Can Fly, Than Why Can't I?

[Akule]

"Ugh, another failed bendi assignment" Akule exclaimed. For the past nine days the twelve year old yasi had been assigned to the aeries. The fact that tomorrow he would be assigned a new bendi assignment crushed him. He felt eyes begin to water and nose become runny. His heart was filled with confusion and anger. He couldn't understand why not one Wind Eagle took notice to him. This had already been the third time he was assigned to the aeries and still he remained a yasi. "How pathetic, im twelve years old and show no signs of progressing my life. I’m going to be demoted and forced to live the rest of my life as a dek" Akule grumbled. He had been walking down a long tunnel going nowhere in specific. His feet dragged kicking pebbles against the rock walls. The sound echoed through the long narrow openings. As Akule came up to an opening he noticed he had been walking an awfully long time. He hadn't even noticed that he had taken paths that lead him to somewhere he hadn't been yet.

Akule sniffled and wiped his eyes as he made his way over to the large opening in the cave wall. The opening exposed the beautiful night sky. He ran his hand up the skillfully crafted stone columns. They were smooth and the night breeze left the stone cool to the touch. "Whoa" he exclaimed. How had he missed this room before? Akule leaned over the edge but quickly pulled back into the cave once he noticed how far down the ground was. His amazement quickly dissipated once he remembered the reason he was feeling so down. Letting out a deep sigh he carefully climbed and sat at the edge with his back against the tall stone columns. Gazing up at the stars he wondered if the Gods were watching, and if so what were they thinking. More than anything all Akule wanted was to become an Endal, one Mount SkyInarta has never seen before. He would be brave, and protect his home and people. He would have a bond with his Wind Eagle like no other Endal has. He shook his head as the pictures of him flying with his bird filled his head. His gaze turned from the night sky down to the floor in disappointment. From his peripheral vision he could see the glass pendant his mother had given him as a child. It represented his deceased twin sister. Although she had passed during birth it was a constant reminder she was always with him. To not give up.

Akule slowly raised his hand and with his thumb and pointer finger took hold of the small glass pendant. His mother was a skilled glassworker. At first look the pendant looked ordinary, but a closer peek would prove otherwise. He raised his hand higher lifting the pendant from his bare chest until the moonlight shone directly behind it. The light from the moon reflected through the pendant projecting a variety of colors along the cave walls and stone columns. He felt his sadness fade and a small grin grew across his face. "Don't worry sis no matter how hard or grim things get, I promise I will never give up. I will work hard and make you proud of me" Akule whispered softly.

As he opened his mouth to continue Akule caught a glimpse of something shooting by behind the pendant. When he lowered it his eyes opened wide in awe. To his amazement comets shot across the sky leaving behind pretty trails of star dust. One after another the stars shot by each unique in its own way. He adjusted himself to get a better look when suddenly he felt a small rumble. It had strong enough to the point where he felt it but didnt know where it came from. What was that...? he thought. For a second he wondered if perhaps the volcano they lived on had become active. It wasn't rare for these types of things to happen but it seem highly unlikely. So if it wasn't an earthquake what was it? His thoughts raced as he put different possibilities together, each one sounding crazier then the other. Then he looked up at the sky “Wait...could it have been...No, impossible...but what if it was?” Akule stammered to himself. He was now filled with a new curiously. He had forgotten the reason he was so upset and was completely taken over by the thought of something strange yet amazing. "Ok so let’s say a meteor just crashed here in Mount SkyInarta...where would it have fallen?" Akule asked under his breath. He took another look at the sky and noticed all the trails the blazing light show had left behind all flew in the same direction. At least he knew a general location he could start looking. If a star had fallen he definitely wanted to be the first to find it. Akule leaped off the ledge he had been sitting on and retraced his steps out of the room and went into full sprint toward the courtyard. Once he got there he would look at the sky and make his next decision on the direction he would go based on the streaks in the night sky. Tonight would be exciting; he could just feel it in the cool breeze.

[Enria]

Enria thought for a moment what would be the best way to get to the Infirmary; after all that would be the best place to bring the boy so he could be treated for his hand. She tried to work out different routes, trying to work out the quickest way, but her mind kept drifting off to the star. She felt this uncontrollable desire to hunt it down, almost as if it would answer some of the questions she’d been asking herself; but Enria forced herself to concentrate. Her people should come first, in her opinion.

“Let’s get you to the Infirmary.” She instructed, before leading the boy in the direction of what, Enria hoped, would be the quickest way; then, perhaps, she could slope off.

Enria felt a pang of guilt wash over her. She seemed so eager to disappear and find that the star, like she’d do anything to shrug off any responsibility; and Enria felt she did have some responsibility to help the boy. If he didn’t see someone, which Enria was sure he wouldn’t if left to his own devices, then it could be infected; and Enria would feel awful if she, in some part, let that happen. It also reminded her, in part, of her day at the Infirmary. Was this what she wanted? Guilt had mixed with doubt, as she began to drift back to wondering what it was she wanted.

Enria shook her head slightly, as if trying to shake these thoughts out of her head but instead it just felt like she had muddled them further. What had gotten into her lately? She was never normally like this. She knew who she was and what it was she wanted but now everything seemed so unsure. Her home was the most important thing in her life. It was what she loved and what she understood. But, now, it seemed like she wanted to fly away. But why now, where, and how? Enria’s head was swimming with questions. She admitted to herself that she wanted something more, adventure.

Yet it seems that even now, she needn’t have bothered seeking life outside her home, seeking adventure elsewhere; because adventure had landed on her doorstep, she just had to find it first. Perhaps, this star fallen was a reminder to her – maybe if she found it, it would offer her closure on her feelings. It would give her what it was she truly wanted. Enria could only hope.

“I’m Enria.” Enria said to the boy, as a way of introductions and as a way of snapping herself out of her thoughts. “You are?”

She forced herself to strike a conversation up with the boy because she didn’t want to walk the entire way to the Infirmary in silence. Besides, it was a welcomed break away from her thoughts, which had drifted back to unsafe and unfamiliar territory; and Enria wanted to tread it as little as possible, yet she knew she couldn’t avoid it forever.

“I wonder where the star fell.” Enria offered as a topic of conversation.

It was the only thing Enria could think to say, especially since the two knew nothing of each other. Just then, something caught her attention. It wasn’t another star falling but instead another young boy racing towards the pair. Enria’s eyes widened out of fear of an impending collision with the young arrival; and dragged herself and the boy out of the way, scowling at the other boy as he passed them.

“Where’s the fire!?” Enria called to the boy, in an irked tone.

Though, Enria had an idea exactly where he was heading. It seemed that she wasn’t the only one concerned in finding the star that fell and that disheartened her a little; Enria wanted it to be just her discovery, as if it was going to solve all her problems or at least answer some of her questions. So was it really so bad to want to do that alone? Enria sighed. It was selfish of her, not to mention childish, and she scolded herself internally. Perhaps the star was a symbol for others as well as herself, so it would be wrong to keep it to herself. She looked longingly in the direction, in which the other boy was heading, and felt the urge to run with him. She turned to the boy beside her and it seemed like he shared the same longing glint in his eyes.

“What do you want to do?” Enria asked him.

[Zevi]

“I’m Enria. You are?”

Zevi shot her a glance, acknowledging her words. "I'm Zevi," he replied quietly, turning his eyes on Alisto for a moment as her talons tightened. The bird was looking around, becoming more aware, though she stayed huddled close to Zevi's long hair.

After a while, Enria spoke again, as if trying to strike up conversation. “I wonder where the star fell.” For a moment, Zevi frowned, feeling the same question whip up in his chest. Where had the star fallen? Where would its grave be? Surely such a thing could not bear to fall so close to the ground.

"I'd imagine closer to the peak," the boy said softly, more to himself than anything - or perhaps he was whispering for the benefit of the stars still dying above them, burning in tragic beauty their paths across the sky.

Out of nowhere, a boy came careening around their path, and Enria jerked Zevi out of the way, throwing out an irritated look. "Where's the fire!?" she called after him. But she didn't turn back or start walking again once he'd passed. It seemed she was almost longing to go after him, though for what reason Zevi couldn't fathom. Did she know him?

...No. That wasn't it. There had been no familiarity in her tone. No, it was something else.

Turning his head to look after the boy too, Zevi realised the direction he was headed in - straight towards the Courtyard of the Sky, or above that to where the star had probably buried itself.

Dug it's own grave.

A flash of jealousy and then his sombre mood took him. His hand be damned, a star deserved better than the lights of its fellows. It deserved mourning.

"What do you want to do?" Enria was looking at him, questioning, her eyes shining with... something else. And Zevi realised that she too, just like him, just like the running boy, wanted to see the star. To mourn it? Or for some other reason? Either way...

"Let's go," and he spun around to follow the runner's trail.