The stars above gleamed in utter beauty; a show of distant lights dance like a variety of colorful fireflies, performing a wondrous ballet.
The blood-red moon shining in its crimson glory, keeping a watchful eye of the world below.
Further below, a large bathhouse could be seen, covered in small sprites of light that steadily hovered over the lucid, heated water. Smooth, obsidian rocks built and surrounded the smoking liquid in a circle, along with a simple waterfall.
Valentine, sat near the edge of this hot bath, a towel wrapped around her well-developed body. Her long golden hair bundled into a large bun, a cold glass of sake with a round porcelain cup sitting on the rocks left of her.
Along with Skysin, sitting on his mother's soft lap, his wet golden hair slicked back, playing with small ball of ice he created, slowly hovering up and down atop his palm.
Valentine poured a glass of sake, and took a sip, "ah...this bath feels amazing..." She slouched a bit, tasting the bitter taste of alcohol in her mouth as she further relaxed.
Skysin had lost control of the ball of ice, watching it fall into the hot bath, yet it didn't melt. However, a thought came to his head. "Hey mama?" Skysin asked, looking back to Valentine.
Valentine opened a single eye, that piercing violet eye looked down to her son whom she loves so much, "what is it sweetie?" Valentine asked, her tone soft.
"What was dad like...?"
That simple question had gathered Valentine's full attention. The mother sat up, fixing Skysin on her lap. "Well...to put it simply, your father was somewhat of an odd man..."
Valentine gave small laugh, thinking back to Rellgis' smile. And how she missed that very smile so much, what she would give to see it one more time.
"He was charismatic, rowdy, a bit of an idiot..." Valentine sighed in reminiscence, looking up to the stars, "but your father always had a knack, a hunger for adventure – exploring the unknown, growing stronger as well. Still, he was caring and loving."
Valentine rubbed her cheek across Skysin's pudgy one, "and it seems you're beginning to have some of his adventurous traits. I blame it on that speed you both have."
Skysin tilted his head in interest, "that's why I'm so fast?"
"Yep, apparently, he could do the same thing at your age."
"Coooool," Skysin's eyes had sparkled from this statement.
Valentine leaned back, "don't get any ideas though, Sin."
Skysin grew silent and raised a finger. Just as his mouth was about to open, Valentine lightly chopped his head, interrupting him, "and no, Skysin Rillem. You're not searching for the rings, little man."
Skysin crossed his arms, letting out a puff of air, 'oh Ima find those rings....' Skysin thought to himself.
After being cleansed, Valentine and Skysin stood on the edge of rocks from the bath. Just as Skysin turned around, about to walk, the boy slipped.
Skysin's legs went up and fell right into the water.
"Oh no..." Valentine sighed.
"CAN'T SWIM!!! MOMMY HELP!!!" Skysin was swinging his arms everywhere, except trying to simply hold the edge that was right next to him.
"Calm down, will you?" Valentine merely let out a huff, and picked Skysin up from under his pits, lifting him with ease. "Child, we really need to teach you how to swim. The water isn't even deep."
Skysin quickly shook his head, "nuh uh! Not after what Juniper did!"
Valentine sighed.
Juniper, Skysin's older sister, played a prank on him when he was four. Let's just say...Skysin doesn't like the water anymore.
Valentine thought back to Juniper, a feeling of melancholy had struck her, but didn't show it. She gave a small smile, "let's get you dried up, okay?"
"Okey..."
****
A new day had arrived, and Skysin, Alzar, and Valentine were walking around Ternal City. The one and only large town held on Ternal island.
Ternal City is the epitome of an average oceanside city. Filled with large rectangular and square shaped buildings, reaching across from one side to the other. Along with a few towers spread in certain areas, mainly where guards overwatch the citizens.
However, while this town is indeed considered a normal environment, Ternal City is also known as a trades area, for its variety in all sorts of products. Ranging from food, clothing, armor, weapons, artifacts, and special inventions created from pure chaos energy, supplements. Which can enhance a person's strength, mental capacity, chaotic energy, or even all of the above.
Skysin, dressed in a simple green shirt with black shorts and shoes, quickly zipped from one vendor to the other, speeding past people in a flash, surprising the salesmen and women as if he was a phantom.
Skysin appeared before another vender, scaring another man, his bush of golden hair the only thing visible. Skysin raised himself up with his toes, pointing at a strange, green and yellow fruit, "oh! What about this mama?!"
Valentine chuckled, patting his head, "we're looking for flour, remember Sin? I'll be making griddle cakes tomorrow, you're favorite."
"Yes! Can you make a lot?!"
Valentine rolled her violet eyes, shaking her head, "we'll see about that. You always ask for a lot, but then never finish, Sin."
While Skysin continued pleading with his mother, Alzar kept a lofty pace behind them, noticing a good number of men goggling Valentine. 'These guys are checking her out...' Alzar made a mental note, giving a small huff.
Alzar seen Valentine as his own daughter, so he did find it annoying, whenever men did eye her, even if they were simply appreciating her good looks.
Valentine moved over to another vendor, looking down at some new flour in stock. Meanwhile, Skysin's attention was brought to the deep blue sky, gazing at three, giant silver birds soaring with the winds.
His big violet eyes tracked them like a hawk, watching them soar past the green woodland, disappearing behind the trees.
And with that, the adventurous child was now intrigued.
"Mama, can I go play in the forest?" Skysin looked over to his mother, watching her put a bag of flour into a basket she held.
"Fine," Valentine replied, taking a knee and kissing his forehead, "just don't go too far, alright?"
Skysin grinned, "promise!"
Alzar patted Skysin's head, "by the time your back, that sniggin leg'll be ready for ya kiddo."
"Alright! Thanks Grandpa Al!"
"Of course, squirt."
Skysin disappeared in a flash, transforming into the wind, already in the forest. Yet, Valentine tracked his movements with utter ease, a solemn smile on her face.
Alzar simply sighed, shaking his head.
"I know, Alzar..." Valentine spoke softly, still staring at the forest far behind the city. "I... just want him to enjoy his life to the fullest. Just grow to have a normal childhood, something different from my own."
Valentine expression grew a bit aloof, blankly staring at the cement ground, 'instead of killing others when I was his age...' She thought to herself.
Valentine knew that even if she washed that crimson paint off her skin, no matter what, the blood of the fallen was already absorbed.
***
Running through the forest, Skysin came to see large individual floating rocks. Skysin picked up the pace and leapt right to one.
Landing on its side, he jumped to the other, then the next, each one higher than its former alternate, steadily moving above the green forest.
Getting to the last, Skysin leapt off without any fear, and as he fell to the forest trees, he quickly reached out to a blue vine, swinging on it like a monkey.
As the vine reached its limits, Skysin had let go, gliding through the air and flipped, landing right at the edge of the forest, watching the lush grass slowly fuse with solid rock. Skysin looked up, gazing at a humongous landscape of rugged, rocky hills. Filled with abnormal rock formations.
Some shaped like ramps, looping around like rollercoasters, raceways, or just simply like a person was posing for a picture.
Skysin went into a light jog, gazing at all the reptilian and bird-like wildlife either crawling, or running around.
Skysin came to see a large sign, reading, "Pericks Stoop." Along with a simple painting of three silver birds.
"Pericks Stoop..." Skysin mused, "those birds I seen earlier? I wonder if I can find em...?"
Just as Skysin was about to bolt off, his attention was brought to a peculiar pink rabbit with two large black horns, and a puffy tail, simply staring at him. It's red nose flaring quick as light, its squinted eyes gazing at him with a hint of suspicion.
'Is...Is that a horrnit...?!' Skysin asked in his thoughts, baffled by the pure coincidence of this meeting.
Horrnits are quite the delicacy on Ternal Island as well, and are extremely rare to catch, much less eat. But the reason for this is simple. These beasts, while not powerful, are exceptionally fast.
Horrnits can reach up to eight hundred – a thousand miles per hour!! Plus, their paws and claws are specially designed to make quick turns and stops while moving at such unfathomable speeds, allowing them to stay very agile.
Skysin and the lone horrnit were now at a silent standoff, the serene wind merely enhancing the palpable atmosphere between these two speedsters.
But Skysin isn't the average six-year-old, however. Could the infamous horrnit may have found its match??
The horrnit took off!
"He-HEY!! Get back here!!" Skysin quickly followed behind!
The horrnit and child dashed along the rocky terrain, slipping through holes, leaping over obstacles, speeding up, down and around the looping formations of rock.
The horrnit was putting in the work, using those super powered rabbit muscles to run. But Skysin tracked it with no problems!
"Gotcha!!" Just as Skysin dove at it, the horrnit utilized those special paws and claws, hitting a sharp right, and Skysin slammed right into a boulder with a crash!
Skysin sat up, rubbing his head, "jeez, why's it so slippery...?"
However, Skysin came to hear light chirps. The boy looked up, coming to see the horrnit atop a small hill, laughing at him, swaying its pink fluffy butt at him.
"Oh, that was funny?" Skysin slowly stood.
In a split second, Skysin appeared before the horrnit as it continued laughing, hitting its victory emote.
The horrnit came to a pause, turning around to see Skysin grinning down at it.
If the horrnit could speak the Yuman tongue, from the eldritch expression on its face, its word would be, "damn."
After all was done, Skysin held the carcass of the horrnit on his shoulder. Skysin rubbed his hands together, making a devious smile, "now I just need Grandpa Al to cook it..."
*KAAAAAA*
Skysin paused, going into high alert, raising his arms for a fight, "what was that...?!"
*KAAAAAA*
Skysin rubbed his head, "it sounds like a birdie... a big birdie at that. Maybe it's the Pericks!"
With that, Skysin took off in the direction of the bird's cries.
Just mere seconds later, Skysin came to a large hill of red rock, along with a deep burrow inside. It looks much healthier compared to the more dull, light brown color of other formations here.
Skysin slowly scaled it, getting near the entrance, he came to see a little girl, peeking over a step-like platform, having long, sleek pearl pink hair falling over her small back. When Skysin took another step, the girl had hastily turned around, who looked no older than Skysin's own age.
Her big, cat-like crimson red eyes quickly studied his, those short caterpillar brows furrowed. Skin being a tone of golden honey, along with a single mole on the bottom left of her pink lips. Having two of her pink bangs draping on either side of her pudgy face.
Attired in a white full-length dress with a broad gold collar, belt, wristbands, and slippers. She was the epitome of an Egyptian princess.
A bit anxious, Skysin raised a hand, "hey..." He awkwardly waved, "I'm Skysin."
The girl merely nodded in silence, squinting her crimson eyes.
'Maybe she's not a talker?' Skysin asked himself, moving and crouching beside her.
Looking through the large hole, Skysin came to see a giant nest filled with grass and small branches, the ceiling of rock steady, high overhead. However, what caught Skysin's attention was the three, giant silver birds tied in rope.
"Pericks..." The girls chirpy, aloof voice had whispered, catching Skysin's attention.
'So, who caught them?' Skysin asked himself in thought.
Skysin looked over to the monotonous girl, whispering, "hey, I know we just met...but do you think you could help me with the Pericks?"
The little girl made a pondering expression, but her thoughts slowly altered into a feast, eating one of the birds.
With her mind set, she silently nodded.
"Great, thanks a ton."
Just as they were about to move, two individuals appeared from the right of the burrow. The first, more of a heavy-set man, a buzz-cut, wearing shades with a puffy jacket and pants tucked into his boots.
As for the other, a much taller man, his hairstyle is a mohawk, wearing black gloves with a black shirt, baggy pants, and metal shoes.
"Man, how much cash you think we'll get for these guys?" The large man asked.
The tall mohawk man replied, his voice raspy, "who knows dude, maybe hundreds, even thousands of ruphes!" He cackled, poking one of the birds with his metal shoe.
"Challengers?" The little girl tersely asked.
"No, I don't think so, Challengers are pretty rare on Ternal Island." Skysin replied quietly. "I should tell my mom and Grandpa; this is pretty bad. Let's get help."
The girl agreed, and just as they were about to turn around, "and where do you kids think you're going?"
*****