R A I Y A
G E A R H A R T
||| ||| |||
|| Elven {possible hybrid~?} || Immortal ||
T H E N
|||- Nomad, Fugitive, Warlord, Dragon Rider -|||
__________
The begining is hazy
Much like how one never recalls the start of a D R E A M
||| N O M A D
She grew up astride the back of her guardian, Obsidian. The elf and the dire wolf led a nomadic life, traveling the planet at their leasure for as long as Raiya could remember.
Dangers of such a life were inevitable, for they occasionally found themselves in the crossfire of multiple wars, territory disputes between opposing civilizations, and tracked by hunters who so desperately desired the ancient wolf's hide. It was still a quiet, peaceful life for the majority of it, and it was a life that they were both content with. As Raiya grew older, her desire for knowledge and new experiences grew. Obsidian eventually allowed her to go off and visit populated areas when they stopped to rest, and he stayed out of sight with a watchful eye. Raiya socialized and learned from those she encountered, picking up various skills such as different languages, cultures, self-defense methods, healing, and much more. Raiya found that each place provided a different skill, and she could not get enough. Obsidian would always appear again after a few weeks, and he and Raiya would continue on their way.
They had no home of their own, and they never stayed in one place for too long. Raiya was fully content with this lifestyle.
Until, that is, She met Maigra Lainé.
||| F U G I T I V E
It was a chance happening, and one that would alter the course of life as she knew it. Raiya and Obsidian ran into Maigra Lainé, an ex-member of the infamous Warlord Army, and Leer, her black-feathered dragon companion, while ambushing a slaver's squadron as they transported their newest haul of prisoners. The four of them quickly subdued the slavers and freed those imprisoned. The squadron leader used his final breaths to mock Raiya and Mai, stating that they have done nothing but brush dust away from the surface, and had saved no one in the long run. The women soon found leads to the potential headquarters and, filled with determination to sever the head from the snake, began to plan their attack. Leer and Obsidian warned them to leave it be, but did they listen? Absolutely not. Alas, the pair were inevitably captured and faced horrors untold within a gargantuan underground slaver's prison.
Yet their spirits remained unbroken, and their treatment only fuled their motivation. The two ultimately broke free, and their escape and aquisition of the prison's database ultimately led to the violent self-destruction of the entire facility.
Raiya was absolutely devastated at the loss of so many innocent lives. Mai argued that that the lives sacrificed are miniscule in number compared to the lives saved in the future. Thus was the mentality of a Warlord, and it was a mentality that Raiya had yet to accept.
The four of them had to flee due to the following investigations. Raiya and Obsidian found a home with Mai and Leer, and they all lived together for a bit over a year. During this time, Raiya helped Mai study the lands and the creatures in it, and Mai taught Raiya various forms of advanced skills. Obsidian still had the heart of a Nomad, and soon became restless. He wished that he and Raiya move on, yet the elf protested. She enjoyed what she was doing with Mai, and felt like she had much still to learn. Mai found a solution; she would reach out to a colligue for a due favor;
And thus, Raiya and Obsidian traveled to the Warlord territory, and Raiya was taken under General Creed's wing.
||| W A R L O R D
Their initial arrival to the Warlord territory was met with quiet hostility from all of the high-ranking generals. General Creed himself seemed quite disgruntled that he had to take the young elf under his wing, yet he kept true to his promise to Mai, and took on the roll of Raiya's mentor.
Raiya was no stranger to magic and its many uses, yet Creed mentored her on exactly how magic worked. The physics, the theories, he overall taught her to better grasp exactly what magic was, how it interacted with the planet's many elements, and how it can be paired with more "artificial" components to enhance desired powers. Raiya gained a much deeper understanding of how to use magic, and thus, her abilities and strength increased tenfold.
Magic was not the only skillset that Raiya sharpened. She partook in weapons training and routine sparring matches with the other soldiers, hence honing her combat techniques both with and without weaponry.
Her time as a soldier did not come without qualms. The Warlords were a brutal bunch, and they relied on the strength of their teams and the strength of the army as a whole to survive. Any form of weakness in a soldier was seen as a threat to the rest of the squad, and hence, weakness was not tolerated.
Raiya got into frequent verbal spats with one of the Grandmasters, Mitchel Blade, most commonly known as “Wrath." Accurately titled, the inflammatory personality of the Grandmaster did not mesh well with Raiya's unsubmissive temperament, and those verbal spats quickly escalated into a physical altercations. The altercations proved to be a source of both amusement and annoyance to the colleges that had to pull them apart.
As time wore on, she began to gain a better understanding of the complicated world they lived in. The more she learned about the world, the more she learned about herself and the history of those she lived with. One could say that she learned a little too much. The familiar feeling of restlessness grew. One final and brutal battle with Wrath left them both with severe injuries; That was the final straw in the elf's mind. Raiya was no Warlord. She never could be; the difference between her nature and theirs was far too stark.
Raiya gained Creed's permission and forgiveness, and she withdrew from the Warlord army.
||| D R A G O N . R I D E R
The Empire of the Night-Winged, or more commonly known as "Nightwing." It was one of the two segments of the whole planet that was entirely untouched by the modern world, and it was completely and viciously free from the influence of outside forces. The gargantuan territory and all who dwelled in it were ruled under the fierce and watchful eye of Kaida and her trusted Draconian council. The territory was as great and feral as the beasts that called it home, and it was there that Raiya found her own true home for many, many years.
After Obsidian's departure, she found herself bonding with a dire Dragoness by the name of Atheria. Atheria was the mate of Chanook, the Dragon who ruled the lower crescent of the Empire.
Raiya and Atheria collaborated with their many companions to help build and defend the Empire. Raiya flew with the kings and queens of the sky, she fought wars side by side with friends, she helped nurture the young dragons and new life that blossomed during times of peace.
She learned, she loved, she thrived,
;---- and she l o s t,
The Empire of the Night-Winged met its premature and devastating end.
N O W
| | | - Drifter, Redemption, Keeper -| | |
__________
" --- You must live o n "
||| D R I F T E R
Raiya experienced death on that fateful day. The mental bond between Dragon and Rider allows the pair to share feelings, sensations, thoughts and notions even from afar. Raiya felt everything when Atheria fell to her violent and abrupt end, and with the loss of her partner, a part of Raiya died too.
Once she scrounged up enough strength to travel again, Raiya searched the ravaged territory for any signs of life. Any hope she had of finding those she cherished was quick to dissolve ;; with every death confirmed and every life unaccounted for, it became all too real that the life she knew was over.
Raiya began to withdraw deeper and deeper into herself. For the first time in her long life, she was truly, completely, and terribly alone.
||| R E D E M P T I O N
Light has an odd way of reaching even the darkest corners;; A gleam of hope was birthed by the unexpected meeting of Naomi Shimura.
Raiya's adaptation to life in the bigger city was a smooth transition thanks to Naomi's help. Rehabilitation came with time, and soon enough, Raiya found purpose once more.
||| K E E P E R
Omnia Oddities is Raiya's current "project." This two-story shop features a library on the top, and a general oddities shop below. It appears fairly normal to the untrained eye, yet Omnia provides necessary items and valuable tools for magic users. Some of these commodities include ritual tools, healing supplies, various herbs, stones and a plethora of other things both on display and hidden away. Ask nicely, and she may have it.
One best mind their step and keep ill intents at the door: Omnia is guarded by an array enchanted beings that are hidden in sight. These creatures become self-activated upon the detection of a thief or a patron with sinister intents both towards the shop or its keeper.
Comments
Dear Raiya
To Me You Are
The Embodiment Of Nature!!
I Adore Your Strength, Friendship & Sassyiness!!
May Your Dreams Be
As Wonderful As You!!
Love Kougar 💜
"I see your as charming as ever like myself" *radu smiles smartly as he walks by hands behind his back* "how have all these years been treating you?"
"my lovely old friend, oh how it has been so long... Do you remember me?"
"Hang on, gotta pee first!"
As anti-climactic as it was, her much larger friend decided to stray aside and begin heading towards shallow water, where a rather large boardwalk could be seen. A warning was given for her to inhale any and all air for what was to come next, just so he could minimize the risk of being spotted.
"Hold your breath!"
Giving Raiya a good few seconds to do so, Tempest dove right under headfirst. From there he spend towards their destination so she wouldn't have to be underwater excessively long, especially since the Elven woman didn't have large lungs.
Soon, the young drake surfaced beneath that same boardwalk, where a sub-platform would be parallel with the water and low enough for her to step on. It was a walkway of sorts, empty and barren for the most part, made up of dark brown wood. If she were to set foot on it, he'd turn ninety-degrees left and face her. "Don't go nowhere, I'll be quick. Be right back!"
Eager to go do his business without her watching, the aquatic male went under again without Raiya, his silhouette eventually moving out and leaving her alone for the time being.
That was until- footsteps were heard behind her.
“Hey.”
It was a man, one who possessed a rather sharp face, wavy brunette hair that was well-groomed, azure irises, a total height of six feet and one inch, in addition to wearing a formal suit. While he was anything but bad-looking, his stare was somewhat questionable. Though one might argue not to judge a book by its cover.
It didn’t take long for the stranger to casually approach with his thumbs in both pockets, standing right beside her. “I recognize you. Aren’t you the owner of that one shop called Ommina? I walk past it a lot when commuting to work every morning.” He admitted when admiring the waters in front of them, out towards the horizon after inviting himself over. As stated, he must’ve lived close to her store for that to be possible.
The shadowed floof gave three blinks. NO, four.
--(Five. Six,)
His smaller appendages clinked restlessly on the glass to the sound of a jingle he made up in his head.
De dee, deet deet de deee,
deep deep deet de dee,
dididi de dee, deet deet de deee,
dididididididi-
Nostrils sucked in an abnormally long breath of air and seemed to hold it. Mine. He let it go... Bye.
The Accountant dropped onto his rump and placed his jaw on the counter next to the popsicle, smooshing one cheek.
He whispered, a soft, an ge l ic whistle. "R iddle."
"I would like TO PURCHASE THIS P O P SIC LE."
THUD.
Omnia's counter shook as gangly black appendages spanned over the surface to d r o p the item on top. The accountant peered expectantly at the seller, Taking turns blinking betwixt his two eyes so as not to miss anything. His floof settled on the table edge and an undeniable creaking came aBOUT from the creature's weight.
The candle Bean had picked up had scratches upon the glass and grooves in the wax below, where his tongue had already g r ace fu lly scraped the surface.
Spencer answered with a hum and a slight nod of his head. The events of Melbourne felt distant now whether it had been long or not. The distances traveled had a way of warping things. The heavy question was posed of the man’s capture, and the silent moment that came afterward caught the mage’s attention. The energy in the room would hardly match their letters before his arrival.
“Working… for someone..?” He echoed the words under his breath. Spencer felt the sense of ease melt away from his conscience when she spoke of it and tension returned that he hardly knew what to do with. His brow knit together momentarily at the thought of whatever silhouetted person could prove to be worse, and a pensive stare studied Raiya as she spoke. Just as she shared her concerns of Mai, he was in no position to take Raiya’s worries lightly on the matter either.
Just as she looked away toward the stove, Spencer would also for a brief moment. His eyes fell on the table for another few seconds of thought thereafter. There were so many questions to go along with the assumption, most of which he knew he couldn’t hassle her for the answers. He felt the elf’s gaze and his own left the table. His lips pursed, pondering on just where to begin.
He started by shifting in his seat to pull open the ragged but faithful messenger bag. A moment later, a well-worn but still sturdy text was pulled out and set on the table for free examination. “Skya left this book with me many years ago. She saw something in it that I couldn’t, and haven’t ever since. The text runs into one another, the diagrams are unmarked… some pages have nothing at all. Whoever wrote this book never wanted it to be read, I’ve lost months of my life trying to decipher it. I can’t find whatever Skya saw in it.”
Spencer left it on the table and leaned back in his chair. His arms crossed loosely and he glanced back to Rai with a gaze that was still remorseful toward the memory. “From what I gather he is a sorcerer… and he’s after this book. Or so I thought. I was studying in the State Library Victoria, along with another mage I had met in my travels… I thought I was close to finding something, Raiya, I really was… I could have gotten us both killed. He knew I was sneaking out to use the library at night and I walked right into his hands… we had to set the room ablaze to escape. It was never quite what Skya intended by my studies of it…” Spencer’s words trailed off to a silence that lingered.
“I believe he has the means to kill me, he knows what I am. I thought he was after the book but the way he came for me that night felt personal... I can't explain it.” He leaned forward again and settled his elbows on the table’s edge. His hands clasped together under his nose. “He had been trailing me for months now. When I emptied my bag that night I discovered he planted a bug who-knows-how-long ago. It’s gone now. With the jump across continents, I’ve bought myself some time.”
- leaves some forbidden bunny stew on her shop counter -
If there was a zombie apocalypse, which one of your friends would die first and why?
While her fingertips brushed his hair aside the grin sobered but never disappeared from his features. It certainly didn’t from the glint in his eyes. “Please,” Spencer responded. He followed along through the threshold, and despite it being a far stretch from Omnia visits of the past, he felt a subtle sense of normalcy in the walls. Perhaps he had traveled alone for too long. His own walls he’d carried came down just as quickly when the door had opened.
On the other side of the door, the bunker’s contents matched the exterior of the space. He expected no less after her travels. His gaze swept over the chairs, trying to imagine who she had been traveling with for so long. The depiction of an irritable Wrath throwing a chair was still in the back of his mind from their earlier letters passed on and made the corner of his mouth twitch in thought. The vague silhouettes he’d imagined left as he heard the clang of the water being placed on the stove. Spencer did a half-turn after the door closed. The object in the corner was the last anomaly his eyes caught.
While she readied the stove, a cool hand was placed on the stone statue’s mane while he inspected it precariously, scratching loosely at one of the patches with a nail before he left it be. It looked hand-carved; it felt as if it didn’t match the region let alone its placement. It was another question to be stowed away in a line of questions that was brimming since before he left for the location.
Spencer settled down in the next few moments and rested his legs from the travel that had brought him there. The messenger bag he carried found a place on the back of the wooden chair after it was pulled out for himself. His eyes followed as Raiya took a place beside the table. Her sentiment was shared by the way his expression grew pensive. “There is… it feels like you walked one half of the world while I walked the other” Letters could only carry fragments of the moments they had captured.
His eyes wandered about the floor to the question and Spencer’s head shook. “None at all. Perhaps startling one or two of the locals, but it seems I’ve left my trouble back in Melbourne. I’m no longer being followed... at least, not as closely.” The ghost’s head tilted. “And you… they captured him? They truly did?”