Honestly if you were to ask me what I’m feeling right now the answer would be that I’m positively giddy. I know right? That’s hard to believe. We Shylren are emotionally stunted and live vicariously through experience after all at least until we reach adulthood. Or at least that’s what everyone likes to think. I know I’ve been looking forward to this since I knew what it was. The coddling got old so fast and it was so boring. I know it’s traditional but still it was seriously boring.

But things are going to change now. I’m finally old enough; I finally get to leave court and the world I’m to face harrowing on looks like a truly awesome one. Father even said he thinks it is one of the best worlds for harrowing to have been found in hundreds of years and he definitely doesn’t say that lightly. I remember how he towered over me then and how he burned with such power that I could feel it just standing there. But the power was never malevolent and the warmth always made me feel safe. But in that moment his fondness for me did not show on his face. Instead I think that I saw regret, though I don’t know why he would feel regret. Shouldn’t he just be thrilled for me?

“Pssh” I banish the thoughts and focus back on the present. My ship’s already been set to autopilot so I know it’ll be fine landing itself. I’ve been cooped up for far too long and it’s time to live a little. I gaze out through the view port at the luminous sphere below as the ship draws closer. It’s almost time but I have another minute or two before I can get started.

I take a minute to review. The world is called earth, dominant species are called humans, they look similar to us but I still need a guise if I want to blend in, they are not overly religious and I am unlikely to succeed in the goddess landing style, they worship at the altar of technology, there are many anomalies that can be fun to fight as part of the my harrowing. It’s not much like the worlds most of my siblings that I remember were sent too. I do kind of wish I got to be a God Empress but a world of chaos and powers should be pretty swell too.

My luminous white gold hair flares brightly at the thought of the fun that is coming, the ends swirling out around my upper body and I make my way towards the airlock as my ship starts to enter the atmosphere. I smile and then I activate it. The doors open and I jump out. I distantly notice as the doors seal shut again, and then I am falling.

I feel an intense burning as radiation buffets me and my smile grows wider. Finally something worth feeling! My speed increases and now the burning is getting stronger, I feel my skin abrading as I plummet through the atmosphere at a speed fast enough that friction from air can burn. I would laugh and cry out but the air is too thin still, and I’m not really breathing yet.

A greater heat blooms along my body and I see flashes of flame licking over me. Already my body begins to heal. It’s rare to have gotten regeneration from the first trial. Father told me this more times than I can count and my tutors were all surprised. Normally making this sort of entrance to a world is impossible, and they still advised against it. But! They aren’t the boss of me anymore so hah!

My mental cheer came with a gesture of mocking that the humans also seem to use. I stick out my tongue and immediately another flash of sensation fills me. My skin burns, my hair is mostly gone, there is barely enough air to breathe as I fall, my regeneration is starting lose the race, and it’s going to be one hell of a landing. This is truly living.

Another breath brings fire with it into me and now I scream, consumed by the experience as conscious thought leaves me. With battered eyes I see a city beginning to appear below me and my charred lips curl into another grin as my laboring body forces out a laugh. It’s going to be one hell of a landing.

Things change so rapidly as the descent draws to an end. Buildings rise up to become towers instead of flat squares, and I see humans rapidly swell from ants to well people. There are other things too that I don’t recognize though I don’t get much of a look as my breakneck fall from the sky finally reaches an end.

In the last instant before impact I remember to switch my form. It doesn’t make much difference right now but it will if I don’t wake bef--