Flashback Children of the Lights (Riaris)

[Naeya]

Children of the Lights Timestamp: Season of Summer, 40th Day, 496 AV Lying beneath the diamond stars and between the gardens of rich Rivarian flora, Naeya couldn't help but stifle a yawn. Goddess, it's late. She guessed the time to be about two bells past midnight. On any normal evening, she would have been asleep many, many chimes ago; but this was not a normal evening. It was the Festival of Lights, and she was determined to stay awake until sunrise. She'd nearly made it last year, but then proceeded to drift off one bell before Syna's return. Tonight was her chance to atone for the disaster. So far, she wasn't doing well. The young konti sat, legs splayed, on the sunken land leading down into Semele's Looking Glass. The long strands of summer grass tickled her bare feet as a warm evening breeze wafted by. Next to her lay a candle, wick lit and wax burned a quarter of the way down. A glass candleholder surrounded the flame, decorated with a silky, sky blue fabric reminiscent of seaside waves. She sank back on her elbows and gazed out at the lake, entranced by the drooping willow tree whose reflection was perpetually broken by ripples and repaired by stillness. Her eyelids slowly drifted downward in a meditative calm, pulled by a gravity over which she had no control. It would be mere ticks until she joined the blissful ranks of dreamers. Three... Two... "Shut up! I am not!" The boy's voice, suffering from the throes of puberty, cracked during his indignant protests, resulting in peels of laughter from his friends. Naeya's eyes flew open at the noise, and she jolted up in a panic. She had nearly fallen asleep again! Thank Avalis for puberty. She glanced back at the raucous group she'd left on the Semele Park path and grinned. In any other city but Riverfall, they might have seemed a strange mix: three akalaks, two human girls, and a young kelvic. To Naeya, they were perfect. Not perfect in the sense of being flawless; each person had flaws and failure and came with a set of baggage, some heavier than others. Instead, they were simply perfect in terms of group dynamic. Each personality complemented another's. They didn't always get along, and probably argued more than necessary, but they worked. And, despite equally busy lives, they had still managed to find time to see each other during the holiday. "Don't make me come over there!" she hollered. Ha! Both she and they knew she was feeling far too lazy to leave her dangerously comfortable crook in the park.

[Riaris Dovukalis]

"You better not lose!!!" Little Nanali called out to her older brothers from her patted seat in the grass. The little Akontak was still bursting with energy, which was not uncommon for her. It seemed as if the child had been born for the night, by the way she always seemed to get a sudden burst of energy and renewed stamina the moment that night fell. Her brothers were a bit different and had found themselves tiring soon after the night fell. Which is was he choose to come to the park and walk around, anything to keep them awake. Once he was there he met up with a few Akalak around his age who were wrestling for sport. It was fun to do, and a really good way to stay awake as well. Young Riaris soon joined them, leaving his little sister to sit while caring for their candles. She wasn't interested in wrestling with boys, but if Riaris had to do it then she figured that he'd better at least win the fight. "Come on! You call that a slam? Put your back into it!" The tiny Akontak called out again towards her brother, although mostly to irritate him. There were others in the small group, standing to the side and making a half circle around the two boys as they watched the match. Riaris grappled with the taller, leaner Akalak boy as they jocked for position. Having the lower center, Riaris pushed himself under the boy, grabbing his waist where he lifted him up and awkwardly slung him to the ground while falling on top of him. Both boys landed hard, and rough enough that the small group watching all hissed as if they had felt the pain. There was also a loud squeak from little Nanali who thought her brothers dead until he started to move around again. Both boys stumbled back to their feet and as the taller boy regained his composure, he quickly grabbed Riaris and slung him to the ground. "Hey!! No fair, he wasn't ready." Nanali protested. They got to their feet a second time and once again the two boys clashed. They grappled, without attempting to slam the other. A show of strength in which the weaker opponent would end up on his knees while the stronger boy towered over him. The taller of the two looked to use his height to his advantage and push down against the shorter Riaris. But the boy was stronger than his taller opponent, and although he couldn't push him down, he could certainly push him back. And so he did, the young Akalak dug his feet into the ground and pushed forward with all of his strength slowly pushing the other boy backwards. The other looked on, cheering and shouting as the match continued. The taller boy felt himself slipping and quickly rammed a knee into Riaris' gut to stop his movement. Riaris jumped a bit, stopping in place from the blow that now stung his ribs. Suddenly the taller boy raced towards Riaris attempting to plow him over, when the shorter thicker Riaris reached out and clutched his waist before slamming him direction on his back.