[center][h3][u]Ivellios[/u][/h3][/center] 
[indent]Location: God’s Realms
Time: 3 Days before the Solstice Festival[/indent] 
[hr]

Duuri arms pulled taut behind her. Her body tilted dangerously over their small, floating island’s edge as she let the winds playfully bat her long red strands about. She closed her eyes to focus on the invisible force pushing at her while she tilted on the brink of falling into the endless skies. A smile curled itself across her childish face until a voice caused her eyelids to flutter open. 

“Duuri, what are you doing?” Ren asked calmly. 

His tanned skin shimmered in the daylight, his legs stepped down the ivory stairs onto the balcony and leaned against the railing. A plummet avoided by its clear barrier. One Duuri had stepped around to dangle off of. 

“You know this is dangerous, right?” 

Both voices were silent as she nodded. As if ignoring that factor, her small figure leaned farther out causing him to tense. Ren sighed before his hands jerked out to seize her arm causing her head to whipped back around to face him. 

With a hard expression, he spoke again, “No, stop that..” 

With a little coaxing, Ren pulled her back to the proper side of the railing then toward the table. 

“I’m bored…” Duuir whined as she followed her older brother. Another hissed in equal displeasure with a venomous undertone, its words more mental than physical. [i]Shit on my fun…[/i] 

Ren ignored it, answering his younger sister. 

“Something new has happened on the game table.” 

“What do you mean?” [i]Nothing has changed for eons! What could possibly be so interesting?[/i]

“Someone from Eania is extending their hand to the College, in a very usual way,” Ren’s pace gradually slowed upon the reaching the table replicate of Tiien. 

His arm reached out to point to the small figure of a horse trotting across the vast landscape toward the College. Through the path looked small from their perspective, the rider still had three days before reaching his destination. Spotting the man, Duuri leaned onto the table’s edge. Her lips fell into a frown at the ‘piece’s ruthless pace. Causally she turned back to Ren with curiosity woven into her eyes.

“Ren, what’s in the letter?” 
“An invitation that might change Eania’s people forever…” Was the High God’s sole answer.  

[center][h3][u]Eania[/u][/h3] 
[img]https://i.pinimg.com/474x/bb/11/08/bb110808d12d73ebbf2f1410725b0114.jpg[/img][/center]

[indent]Location: Shimmerstone, Eania’s capital 
Time: Solstice Festival  (Year 3- Spring Time, 5-6 months later)[/indent] 
[hr]

[u][color=pink]Lyn[/pink][u]

Lyn’s chin rested on the edge of the carriage. Gradually the dull country gave away to civilization as white stone replaced dirt, the city of Shimmerstone finally came into view. Upon seeing the ‘famous’ capital, Lyn felt excitement edge into her heart. It glowed into a bright smile at the sight. It seemed almost surreal to be invited to the Summer Solstice Festive. It was Eania’s most well-known celebration to worship Billant, the goddess of light, sun, and warmth. These features naturally associated her with everything good within the kingdom of Eania. 

Cautiously, the young woman edged part way out of the door sash. She let the slight, weak breeze caused by the moving horse to dart across her skin. It barely moved her hair from her eyes but she loved the sensation of moving. A smile crinkled across her otherwise dull expression. Even in the distance, she was awed by the towering walls standing against the clear skies so different to the twilight setting in the college. Just like the road, they too were built from the locate quarries which held the white stone local to these parts of Tiien. It looked beautiful to her.   

After several moments, Lyn edged back into her seat. She recalled the briefing Khan delivered to them before their departure. At least those that volunteered to accept the city’s odd invitation to their yearly celebration causing her nervousness to return. They all were expected to be on their best behavior and not provoked the city laws beyond what this invitation had. Never before had students, regardless of their origins, were given a free pass into joining Shimmerstone’s celebration. Even those who are usually shunned had diplomatic immunity for the week of the event. 

Of course, Ovak advised that the headmaster take full advantage of it. So among the population, several students were chosen to embark on the trip to Shimmerstone. It was a long trip over the weeks. Lyn admitted to losing track of time between the exchange from one mode of transport to another, but now she was focused on the present.    

She turned to her companion in the seat. Henry, interesting enough, had been assigned to ride with her carriage making it only slightly less boring. In the background, the horse snorted and trotted through the uprisen gates into the city.   

[color=pink] “So… ever been to Shimmerstone until now?”[/color]