Sight of Athlos

Star stood, rolling her eyes as the others left, leaving her alone at the top. She stood on the root staring around. "Even he doesn't really want to help me get stronger... Does that mean I have to do it on my own?"

"You know, you should listen to that old shadow? I just don't like people... I'm like your friend Harnio... Prefer being at a distance... that's all." She turned and looked at the man covered in the hood and looked at him. "So, are you going to train me or something?"

"Impatient as always... How do they put up with you I wonder?" She watched him pace and looked at him with her hands on her hips. "They like me, because I keep them on the path... Keep them focused."

"Yes... Yes. I see what you do... I'm always watching, and that's what I do... If I see something bad I attack from range and take it down..." She looked at him with a curious smile. "How far away were you to attack the units outside? I couldn't even see you, yet the old shadow guy was able to know you were there."

"He couldn't see me, but he heard me... Nothing escapes that man's ears... He hears all... I wonder if his student is the same..." She shrugged her shoulders. "No idea, Mouse keeps to himself."

"Ahh, that's a good thing too... Not as long winded as his teacher... Anyway, its best that we get moving... We have lots to see and talk about... Try and keep up." She watched as he stood on a cloud and floated up into the sky, and cursed aloud. "Hey... I don't even know how to do that... How am I supposed to keep up?"

"Ahh... Sorry... Here you go. Step on my cloud, and then we can go." She waited until he returned and than stood on the cloud before feeling it move quickly through the sky. She sat in the cloud watching the lands below her. "How are we able to travel so fast?"

"Up here, the winds push us at high speeds... There's enough water in the sky so that we can do this... But it looks strange if we travel like this over a desert..." She nodded in thought. "What do you want to show me and teach me?"

"We are heading back home... There you'll learn more about your eyes, and learn all about your gifts that were given to you... Unfortunately, you missed out on that training because of what happened, and now we're the last of our kind, because of that night... You saw it yourself."

Star nodded. "So you're from the same tribe I'm from..." She saw his nod. "I am... I lost a lot that night as well. I was unable to return in time, and because of that they took you, and destroyed everybody else... Just because they wanted someone with those eyes they could use for themselves... Terrible, and greedy."

Star fell silent and let the wind hit her face, causing the tears to fly behind her. "You shouldn't cry in anger Star... You've let go of all that pain, and because you have done that, the world has started to become still for you... Once you're fully calm, you'll be able to see all around you." Star looked at his back. "Are you saying I need to give up on all emotion?"

"No... All I'm saying is that there are times to be rushing and storming like a fierce storm, other times you need to be calm and still like a pond... Every moment, just be like water and go with the flow... No point fighting against it." She nodded in thought. "What about my father's tribe... Was he taken out as well?"

"Both tribes lived together on the ceiling of the Stormy Mountains... You could call me blood brother, since we're from the same tribe." She nodded. "Since I have father's lightning in me, and my mother's rain, does that make me a walking storm?"

"Hahaha... No, not at all. It means that if you are truly angry than you can unleash storms upon them, but while you are searching for them you must stay calm... A storm hits, and than it goes... You must be the same. When a storm builds up, you can see it coming, but you don't hear anything... Its not until the storm releases all that energy that you know its there... After the storm nothing... You must be the same... calm, release and than calm again."

She nodded in thought. "I'm beginning to understand..."

"That's good news... When we get to the village, you won't have time to see the queen, as we have other places to go and see." Star nodded as she felt her face redden. "I understand... I also remember the deal I made with the Roc tribe... If I came back early, they'd leave... If they want to communicate with me, they'll come to me, until than I must continue to get stronger."

She looked at the ground below her, as her mouth opened in surprise... It doesn't feel like we're travelling that fast, but we're really moving."

"Yes... We have to, as we don't have much time... We have to kill one of them, before the Supreme dies... There's only haste." She looked at him. "Why do we have to do that?"

"Because of what happens next... This isn't the first Supreme that's sat on the throne, and had these ideals... There's a ritual for the new Supreme..." Star nodded. "I understand... I was in one of those rituals... You don't need to say more."

"Good... Do you remember what happened, or what you saw?" She shook her head. I can't remember what I saw, I just remember being in large amounts of pain, until I woke up." She watched as he nodded. "Can you tell me about the previous outrider guard... I just saw statues of them in the village, and there was one that was a bit different than the others."

"You mean the fat one with the food in his mouth." She smiled. "Yes... That one... How was he able to be an outrider guard?"

"He was one of the best outrider guards. He had the eyes, but also he had a special gift given to him... He became stronger, by eating... He never had to do any training... All he had to do was eat, and his strength, abilities would improve." Star cursed. "Why didn't I get something like that? Than I would be super strong, and powerful already."

"Hahaha... What about your figure?" She shook her head. "If I'm here to protect and look after others, making sure they stay on their path I need that strength to do so, and figure isn't important than."

"You've been given a better gift than that... You've got a gift no outrider has ever had... To see the past, present and future... That was the gift your mother gave you with your eyes..." She looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"That time when you first danced, you saw her give you something... That's the gift I'm talking about... That's why you can see lights in the dark, you see their present, and when you train your ability you'll see their future, and know where they'll be... Nothing will ever miss your sight, and nothing will ever miss when you fire your bow." Star smiled. "How do I train that?"

"There's only one person who can teach you, but to learn will be a challenge..." She looked at him in confusion. "Why is that?"

"Because they're dead... All you'll see is how they practiced, you won't be able to hear anything... You'll have to dance, to see how your mother practiced the gift." Star sat in silence watching the world pass under her. "You mean I have to dance again to see my mother?"

"That's correct... You've done it once, you can do it again... If she's seen the future she'll know about what happened that night before it happened. I'm hoping she'll have left you something that you can learn from." She nodded. "I'll do what I can... to become stronger, I'll do anything..."

"That is what we're about to do... We're going to try everything and anything for you to learn your gift and use it well... It'll help us in the future, especially when we go up against the Supreme, and his allies." She nodded and watched in silence as the stormy mountain ranges started to come into view. She looked at him. "You're not wrong about hurrying... This is a great way to travel... It's also a great way to hide, and shoot your targets with too." She looked at his back. "One thing, How do you target, I don't see you carrying any weapons or anything... What do you use?"

"Ahh... I use this." She looked as he pointed a finger at her. She looked at it frowning. "I don't see anything yet."

"Ahh... Here... How about now?" She watched as it started to buzz and snap with electricity. "Your from my father's tribe... You're one of the storm brothers."

"That's correct... I'm the last of the storm brothers... Soon I'll return with the rest of my tribe... As you will also one day, return to those that you never knew or remember." Star nodded in thought. "Does that mean I can also do something like that? Since I have my fathers blood in me?"

"Yes... We can try and learn that as well... However for now, we need you to learn your eyes, and how to fully use them to the best of your ability." She nodded, and looked ahead of her at the large mountain. "We're here... Finally home, after two years... Its nice to be back in the mountains."

"It is... Whenever you need a place to rest, this here will always give you a sense of comfort... Now, we go down, and start to prepare for the dance... Rain will be coming soon..." She nodded and stood up on the cloud as it lowered into the ruins of the courtyard.

She stepped off the cloud and watched as it faded into nothing, and looked at the ruined village. "I really should get this place repaired, and people back up here living again..."

"You can do that Star, but first you need to save Athlos... All those things you think of and dream of, can be done once Athlos is free... You can't run or fail... There's no more chances for us... You're our last and only chance... If you fail, there's nothing at the end... Please remember that." Star nodded and walked up to the metallic ground she danced on before, smiling at it. "Mother, it has been a long time, but I'm back... I'll save this place, and I'll save Athlos at the same time."

"I'll be outside the village paying my respects to the statues... I'll return when it starts to rain... Please be ready." She nodded and started to remove her weapons and armor leaving them on the outside of the metallic disk, lightly stepping onto it.

"Tap... Tap... Tap... Tap..."

She smiled as she felt the familiar touch under her feet, and looked up at the sky. "Mother... I don't know if you can hear me, or even see me, but now I really need your help. I need to learn about the gift you have given me... Please teach me how to use it... For Athlos, and for the people here, it'll help us all."

"Tap... Tap... Tap.Tap.Tap.Tap.Tap."

She smiled as she felt the rain start to fall. "Its time..." She started to dance...