The ambush
“Nice dream?”
“In this place?”
“Yeah you are right, but you know It is said that the only thing that keeps being free when you are locked up is the mind”
“You are too positive today, that was usually my thing”
“What can I say? You really are a good influence on me little light”
“Keep telling yourself that you weirdo”
“But seriously how was your sleep, you werent turning around or cracked your body with your magic”
“Mmmm dreamt about someone”
“Someone?”
“One I don't know but strikes a sense of familiarity”
“Like…they're fated to you?”
“Yeah…”
“Didn't took you from a romantic little light”
“I was. Read lots of romance novels. But i just got corny lines out of them”
“I’m picturing It, you all Knighty asking for a womens cape, oh better yet singing a serenade”
“Shut up goatman”
“Now you're blushing I see”
“I think it is a cute way…”
“Please If you meet a woman that falls for your stupidity offer her to the magesekers. She would be definitely be cursed”
“Like you would be any different”
“But I accept my awful personality. I know it is a huge throw off.”
“You don't say?”
“You love me like this Luxanna”
“I tolerate you, cause we are partners”
“I can see you smiling”
“Take out your eye, I really think they need deep cleaning”
“Did yesterday…I think”
“Not keeping a calendar anymore?”
“You?”
“I do…”
“Should stop, little light. We are just dogs to this pigs”
“Sadly, i’m aware of that”
“Using us for their filthy job. Treating us like animals. Molding us into monsters”
Lux hears a deep growling by the bars next to her. Hoofs stomping the floor, that tile to the blonde's knowledge has been long broken by her cellmate.
“The hypocrisy of their class is absurd. They decide that mages are the most dangerous sin. And then proceed to do the most atrocious acts to their prisoners.”
A sound more like a macabre wool combined with a clicking escapes the blackhair creature.
Lux would say something along the lines that their people would be able to make the difference. But right now? She was so tired and she just wanted to go back to sleep. Dreaming about pink hues and the smell of sweet Ash, even if It sounded like a really messed up combination. It was a fragrance that Lux could get addicted to without minding the repercussions.
“You shouldn't talk so much they would bring the muzzle again”
“They did that to you, not me. They're scared of your bite”
“I know…Sylas really I think our people can make It better. I think there is a future for us. So many users are born. Their powers are meant to protect to give hope”
A silence comes back to their room.
White eyes come from the other side of the room. The figure of Sylas approaching hardly due to the chains on his horns and arms. A sad smile appeared on his lips.
“You really deserve to be under the sun my friend…Not here”
“You too…you were just trying to help”
“Yeah look where that put me. I’m done with this whole parade. Mark my words Luxanna if I end up going out of this prison I would seek vengeance on anyone that has wrong us”
“More bloodshed isn't a solution for peace my friend”
“Did you change anything by smiling?”
Lux grits her tusks and fangs together, hardly moving her tail . Her wings tightened into an iron cage of petrice holding them together with a piercing pain to her membranes. She doesn't want to agarre with him. She believes even if the magesekers had made her use It before. Magic was meant for so much more than harm, using It for revenge would just prove everyone who is scared that they were in their right to be.
But It would be talking to a wall at this point. She couldn't blame him really. Look where they were and what they have become.
“I heard some things when they were pinching me to dance for them”
He meant power using. Although Hesbeth knew Sylas had developed a new use of his sight, no matter what experiment they did. Sylas wasn't showing them. He didn't show It to Lux either.
“What did you hear?”
“The chief himself of the golden masks was here”
“Eldred…?”
“He knows of you”
“.....he allowed It… didn't he?”
“You knew already but, i thought you would need the confirmation of his immorality”
“Yeah…what about my aunt? Heard anything?”
“He mentioned she had been in the clouds during missions lately, not safe exactly”
“Mhm…thanks Sylas, for the information”
“It is really nothing but everything sums up I supposed “
Footsteps make their conversation stop entirely. Guards porting armors made by the same structure of Sylas and Lux, but so much fragile to magic. Sylas had exploded lots of them. Lux too…they both had been imprisoned in one as well, their hearts sacks going numb with each contraction of the thing .
They stopped at their cage and just Lux’s Cage was open. She growls at them, her talons scraping the floor. They just barge in and hold her down by the neck stomping onto her face. The petrice contraption collides with her own body making sparks fly and stings that burn her hollow insides, doing echo against her heart. She wanted to bite them off. Burn them but she was tired and the first attempt she tried, she got a muzzle on her jaw.
They push her out and pull her by the chains in her like a disobedient pet. Sylas…was really right about that…that's why she pulled her ears down to try and shut up his swears and screams of being beat up for trying to go after her.
Hope. Hope.
The light always shines brighter in the shadows.
[...........]
The arch made of ruins deep in the forest was truly a sight to have. The figure from before was bouncing on their feet, the hammer doing some hits to their back. But they really didn't care, not at the moment.
They traced the runes on the pillar with their burnt fingers, long scared by their awakening as a mage.
A blue flame came out of their fingers igniting the runes. Like if they were writing them again.
The call was answered by Corontidas at the other side, opening the portal to the camp. The Revolution camp.
Their step in running not even saying thanks to the portal keeper. They were in a hurry. This was too important.
They jumped over chicken crates, mages moving around their belongings and finally came to a stop in front of one of the little spaces they had repaired.
A snore that could be perfectly mistook by a devils song came out from behind the curtain. But this young fella was not scared by It one bit.
They took hold of the little silverwing chick perched outside and release It inside with a smirk.
A choke, then a roar, then swears and finally the gargoyle was out of his Stone hut.
Dragon Bird resting on his horns happly. The black haired creature spitted out some feathers looking down at the figure in front of him with the bandana attempting to hide their giggle. It was not working.
The pointed tail swirls around Sylas, frowning as he looks down at the kid.
“Very funny lad. I almost choke on a feather ball. Are you proud of yourself?”
“Very”
Sylas huffs a laugh and grabs the kid by the scarf.
“Ey! Ey what are you doing?”
“Taking you to Leilani”
“I'm not a kid Sylas!”
“Oh of course not, you are 16. Sorry you are already a man”
“I am!”
“A really mischievous man who needs a scolding.”
“You are just mad cause I woke you Up”
“Me? You wound me by calling me that plain”
“You are plain. You only want revenge, sleep and kiss-”
The gargoyle shuts their mouth covering It with his tail.
“You know what? I’m sending you with Kara”
“No no no! I swear I have good information for you”
The gargoyle taps the floor with his hoof. White staring at the very soul of the kid.
“Speak then Rukko”
“I found your friend”
“My friend? I'm sorry kid but outside of you guys I just have enemies. I'm the King slayer, even…if that wasn't my doing”
“You’re old friend, the other gargoyle”
“Lux…?”
“Yes! She is living in the forest. Has a whole family, a partner, two kids too. One scruffy, tiny with bite and the other around my age I think, she is a mage I could feel it”
“Uh…looks like her romanticism won uh?”
A smile graces his lips. One full of regret and sorrow.
“Why are you telling me this Rukko?”
“They could be an awesome number to our troops”
“I…can't see Luxanna again kid”
“She doesn't remember anything from what I caught”
“She doesn't….?”
“Come on! Is the perfect opportunity”
“I’ll be using her again, I don't think It is kid”
Rukko hufs and lights on blue fire. Making Sylas drop him. Once on his feet again, he starts going away again.
“I'm going alone then!”
“Rukko! You little shit come here! Leila is gonna kill me…”
The gargoyle starts chasing him out of their camp.
Rukko lighting his hammer, making swings at the wind, propelling himself. Going way faster.
The gargoyle just runs after him on all fours. Lashing his chains at him trying to catch the little pest. But he is too slippery.
Both of them are too busy wanting to make It that they don't sense the odd eagle watching them closely.
[......]
“Nice punch Isha! But you need to lower your knees. Protect your face”
“Yeah, listen to Vi, little bunny. She always blocked with her face and look how dumb she turn out”
“Ey-”
Vi's response is cut off by a figure jumping on her bent knee and punching her across the cheek. The Pink haired girl blinks while holding her face. And a smirking Isha is looking pretty proud of herself.
Alina is cheering on her, both her sister and the blonde are doing a celebration chant with Isha's name.
“Okey, okey cease, It was just a lucky hit”
“My sister has beaten the champion! You are in our home now aunty. You couldn't win”
“Heck yeah! That is my girl”
Vi rolls her eyes at them but gives Isha a high five.
“Yeah yeah the apprentice took the master or whatever”
“Jejejeje”
Lux stares at them from a distance, her arms crossed and a smile on her lips. While absently she traced the mark on her chest, It hadn't disappeared like her rest of injuries. The matching It on Jinx's body, standing proudly.
She wanted to leave more, to have more herself, to devour her mate in waves of love, to try and communicate how much her love was for the blunette. But even if she gave her all the stars in the sky It wouldn't be enough. She takes a deep breath trying to not think again of the taste of her blood. Jinx had told her how shimmer was addicting. But Lux wasn't sure if It was the properties of the drug or her mere desire. She felt a little sinful thinking about wrecking apart her mate, with her body hugging hers under her figure. Especially watching with a lust she knew it was apparent on her deep growl and swinging tail as she looked how Jinx moved around, bent and moved her waist while fighting with her sister.
Slender, slippery like an eel. Her claws ache wanting to pin her down and see her wiggling around under her body, trying to escape just to tease the gargoyle.
“Um…are you okey Lux?”
Her wings shoot up in surprise. It wasn't like she hadn't been aware of Caitlyn at her side. It was just they had been quietly watching the others train. She didn't expect her to break the silence, especially not when she was not thinking about the training at all. Wrestling yes, but not that type.
“Yes, sorry Caitlyn…I got lost into my own head”
“I understand that…did something pop up in your mind? You were um growling”
“No, no, nothing just…trying to remember a dream”
That was such a huge lie.
“Oh…the one you awoke from today?”
She nods. It wasn't like that hadn't been in her mind as well. She had awakened from a past dream again. She didn't roar this time, just let out some frustrating grunts trying to maintain the images in her head.
Jinx had hugged her head against her neck. Letting Lux nuzzle in the mark. Strangely enough feeling the bite made Lux feel grounded. As well as those skilled fingers playing with her hair. Soon enough the grunts had turned into purrs.
She was aware that their visitors sleeping in the kitchen had heard the struggles. So going for that line of thought was smart.
“Yes…I keep trying to know what It was, but It eludes me”
“When that happens to me I try to connect the sensations”
“The sensations?”
“I used to have a journal. When I was young I had a journal where I used to write my dreams. I had It right in the nightstand to be quick about it. And I tapped into the feelings that were fresh from the wake. Little notes to go by”
“Jinx used to do that too”
“Yeah…?”
“Yeah she told me her dreams were weird. She used to dreamt of herself but she wasn't her”
“Well that is how dreams work most of the time. Weird combinations of the self conscious and memories”
“It was more like a window for what she told me”
“A window?”
“Yeah…mmm I don't know how to explain this”
“Now I’m curious, go on please”
Lux looked down at the piltovian and took the thread of her own shirt tensing It.
“Do you often think about time as a line?”
“Yes, why?”
“Well this line is not perfect, It is filled by segments of occurrences and decisions. One thing can't change the entire line. And as well forming other lines. Take this thread for example. The thing goes around the loopholes forming four different lines. Even though they are made from the same thread. Sometimes there are little changes, other times there are completely different shirts.”
“And…the window?”
“Dreaming is the state when the mind can stop from being in this reality so at times…a window into this other dimensions appear”
Lux extends her window chest to prove It and then she accommodates her clothes again.
“So you are saying that …Jinx had a glimpse of this other universes in her sleep”
“Yes. Normal people can't have windows, but Magic users, creatures and people attached to their mind too much can”
“This is…too much”
“She was some sort of magical heroine there. With two wings tattooed on her back instead of clouds. She told me she painted them in a gadget box she used to have”
“And…you are saying that that is not just dream nonsense?”
Lux shrugs her shoulders.
“Could or couldn't “
“So you are not sure”
“Not entirely”
“The why did you told me all of this”
“Cause it's a cool theory. And I guess I'm a nerd. Oh Cait do you know what a nerd is? Jinx calls me that at times but I can't tell what It means”
Caitlyn lets out a laugh and shakes her head.
“A person who is extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable about a particular subject, or multiple. It is ironic that her of all people calls you a nerd”
“So…we are nerd mates?”
“Yes you are”
Caitlyn can see how a goofy grin comes to the face of the gargoyle and how her tail swings around.
“So you call Jinx your mate?”
“That's what she is”
Lux tilts her head at Caitlyn not understanding the question.
“Just curious of the wording”
“Mhm?”
“I was just wondering if that implied something. Like…mating marks you know”
Lux blushes hard at that. Caitlyn stares a little at the light emanating from her cheeks. It was a little like Mel's Magic. At least the radiance. But just by being close she could tell this light magic was meant to burn more than shield or reflect. It was really warm.
“I um…I just got the urge to do It, so maybe that's the beast in me talking “
“You have one as well”
“Jinx is a beast too, a crazy hare. And I adore her for it”
“....I…I don't want to know anything more”
They shuffle in their feet and talons for a moment. Then Lux decides to come back to the previous talk.
“So…I think I feel magic. It's familiar to mine, magic cased up in petrice”
“Another gargoyle?”
“I believe so. Any knowledge of more of my nature?”
“Not really, but when we go to the capital I could investigate”
“Seriously?”
“Yes…I want to help you remember”
“Caitlyn….I-”
“I know you're not her anymore. But I want you to remember her at least. If that is okey”
“It is, I want to know as well”
They nod lightly at each other and without expecting it. Lux ends up being hugged by the waist. Caitlyn is taller than Jinx but she stills just reaches Lux chest standing up.
The gargoyle hugs back a little unsure first but grows comfortable with it after a while.
“Is good getting to know you”
“Likewise Cait”
“Why are you guys hugging?”
They part ways to look at a crossed arms pouting Jinx. Lux could see that she had left Alina and Isha fighting Vi as a team. Vi was getting pretty ambushed.
“Just trying to catch up. Well be close again”
“Nice nice yeah”
Lux arches one brow smirking, scratching at her tusks.
“Are you jealous, my princess?”
“Pfft of course not”
Jinx comes in between them nonetheless and hugs the gargoyle's arm to her chest, nuzzling It.
“I know top hat yearns for my dumb sister too much “
“I do not…Is that obvious?”
“Your gayness? Yes piltie It is”
“You are hugging Lux possessively”
“We are not talking about me here”
Lux smirks and basks in the calmness of the moment. Putting one of her wings around her jewel. Looking up ahead. Aparently the kids had told Vi to close her eyes and they have entered the forest a little to do their sneaky attack.
And then a scream, a shot of light and a whistle.
All of Lux shot straight at the sound her wings sprinting her forward. Jinx was close behind, she could sense her purple trail.
Caitlyn and Vi were going in as well .
When they stepped into sight a whole tropel of guards had taken Isha and Alina. There was one on the floor clutching a bloody hand trying to take out a dagger from It. Isha was trying her best to get away from the hold, trying to reach for her sister in whines and tears.
Alina had been sent to the ground by an armor of petrice. She was screaming, smoke could be seen from the place the armor was connecting with her skin.
Lux sent a ray to the armor. It glows in a White light before exploding and sending chunks of stone everywhere. Her body covers Alina standing protective on all fours over her. Her wings outstretched and she gives a mighty roar, all her body glowing in a golden light along her eyes.
“STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTERS!”
Jinx had gone directly to the guards taking hold of Isha. In a trail too fast for their eyes to take into account, sending their heads to clock together with a hit with her elbow and a bolt across both heads clean. She hugs Isha fast, taking her to her chest.
The guards flinch at the roar and the killing but upon seeing the gargoyle the mages take their places behind the biggest units who put a shield to their front. And they start casting while some lancers approach Jinx. The blunette goes against them swiftly, shutting them with an explosive bolt once she had the opening, not letting go of Isha.
Lux uses her wings as a shield. The fireballs and ice crystals going against her painfully. The blows were being absorbed, but she could feel her body getting too much magic. Her staff swirls around by her side casting light beams at their attackers.
Trying to not lose sight of her partner and her other daughter. Alina lets out a whine under her. And Lux is seeing red. She lets out another roar.
Jinx hisses when a blade pierces her skin. Sending the caped figure away with a kick.
Then a hurricane forms around their little enclosure of ash and magic and glitter combine with the blood that was being spilled.
Sending swirls of air full force into them, Jinx was sent to the floor having a ball of swirling air at her head, choking the air out of her lungs. Isha sobs against her trying to do something with her hands but she gets just cuts from trying to penetrate the air trap.
Lux's ears are ringing and she tries to fight the storm off by clutching Alina to her and getting to Jinx and Isha, her talons giving against the dirt.
She can hear Vi and Caitlyns voices screaming at the guards probably showing off their badges but the guards don't stop. Two other armors come out from behind with an arrangement of chains and Lux tries to stop them from approaching with a cage. But her magic is not responding correctly the ray ends up going wide and she attempts to rip off the the helmet of the automaton her claws digging into the stone hardly groaning but the other armor punches her hard against her cheek sending her to the floor.
Alinas glasses are broken and she tries to stand up but her back is burning and she can't feel her legs.
Lux gets tied in metal and muzzled,her staff also gets broken by an electric mage.
And she gets shocked with thunder. Her mind is turning blurry and she can just watch as the rest of her family is getting arrested. They're taking away Isha from her unconscious mom. And taking Alina to a cage, silver tears come out of marble blue before entering a dark state.
[.......]
Sylas and Rukko had stopped their approach at the tower upon realising the eagle that was following them. But when they were able to lose It. It was already too late. They knew the direction and could follow the magic flow to the source.
“Sylas…”
“I know kid…”
“We have to help them”
“Iknow kid, let's go back to camp and get the team”
“We can just end them the two of us!”
A swirl of fire starts the hammer in his hands but Sylas puts his chains around It, absorbing the flames and making them disappear.
“We are getting the team”
Sylas looks at him steadily, the hair of his neck and chest going up with the same flame that he took from him. And Rukko just nods. And they start going back home.
“I’m gonna try to amend my betrayal little light..”