The World of Nymoria - Time's Arrow

“I think I see something…over there in the trees!” A quivering voice shouts.

“Where? I don’t see anything.” I masculine voice asserts.

“There, across the water on that lone island over there. I think I saw a purple thing slithering through the grass! Terra, come look at this and tell me I’m not crazy! I feel like I’ve seen it before…”

Idylya slowly awakens from the commotion happening on the other shore and the hot sun beating down on her. She lifts her head out of the mud, looks down at the imprint she left and grips the magical flute in her left claw.

How long was I out?

She stands up and shakes the dirt and dried mud off her scales and fins before stretching her long body. She then rubs her pink eyes and peers through the branches and foliage at movement from the other side of the lake. Two kirins are walking through the marsh, trying to get a closer look at the island she’s on.

Shit, I need to get out of here before they see-

A magical popping sound echoes from their position and is reflected milliseconds later right behind her. The creature gasps causing Idylya to tense up. She doesn’t move and firmly holds the flute against her chest.

“Is that you, Idylya? I can’t believe it.” A new voice startles her. Idylya doesn’t turn her head, and waits for another response. “What are you doing here?” The sounds of hooves stepping through mud pass by her on the left as a familiar creature comes into her peripheral vision. Idylya turns her head slightly to see the green time kirin once more. A sudden sense of guilt, fear and anger overcome her, causing her to flinch and drop the flute. Terra looks down at it, then up at her as Idylya rubs her eyes, trying to keep her emotions intact.

“What do you want?” Idylya whispers out. Terra picks up the flute with magic and dusts the dirt off, briefly inspecting the markings.

“Temara says she saw something unusual here as we were out foraging for food. Naturally, we had to check it out to see if it was a threat.” Terra takes her eyes off the flute and looks up at Idylya who’s covering her face with her claws. “You’re not a threat are you?” Terra asks in a half-joking manner. Idylya slightly shakes her head sideways. “That’s relieving.” Terra takes note of her distress and levitates the flute up to her head, giving it a little tap. Idylya uncovers her face and hesitantly takes the flute from Terra’s magic. Terra awkwardly scratches her mane and looks down.

“Would you like to join us for lunch?” She asks, trying to relieve the tension. Upon hearing food, Idylya’s stomach rumbles and a sense of hunger strikes her. She nods in response and Terra gives her a warm smile. “Give me your claw.” Terra’s horn glows white as she holds out a hoof for Idylya who reluctantly grasps it. The same white aura envelopes both of them as they are instantly teleported across the lake. The sudden teleportation produces a gust of wind in their destination that catches the two other kirins off guard.

“Terra, what are you doing!?” They both shout in unison as Idylya towers over them.

“Relax you two, she’s not a threat.” She calmly states.

“Do you not know who that is? She tried to kill you! How can you be so accepting of that after what we went through weeks ago!?” Temara retorts sharply.

“Because Idylya’s not that type of dragon, not anymore. There’s a reason I’m still alive and I need you guys to trust me on this.” Terra pleads. Nero rolls his eyes.

“I don’t think we have a choice, do we?” He relents before turning his attention on the flute she’s holding. “Hmm, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt this time.”

“Ughhh, okay, okay, but I’m not letting her out of my sight.” Temara says as she turns her attention towards Idylya. “No funny business, got it?” Idylya silently nods as the kirin trio begins walking north through the woods and beyond the waterfall cliff towards the Peaks of Peril. Idylya trails behind them, keeping some distance.

What am I even doing right now? I know I shouldn’t be following them, but I don’t know where else to go. And why does Terra put so much faith in me? We’re not exactly friends and yet she treats me like one despite our harsh differences and recent past.

“Try to stay close to us, Idylya, we’re not too far from camp.” Terra shouts from further ahead as the distance between them grows. Idylya snaps out of her thoughts and sprints up towards the group. The woods narrow on both sides as the elevation drops down into a forested valley nestled within the Peaks. In the distance, Idylya sees smoke coming from the middle of the valley as they descend down a gravel slope. The forest remains still, save for the sounds of claws and hoofs pressing against the rocks, grass and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

“You two go on ahead, I’ll catch up.” Terra says to the other two kirins. They both nod understandingly, and Terra doubles back towards Idylya.

“You might see some familiar faces. The Oasis hasn’t changed much since you and Zuriak were last here months ago.” Idylya noticeably winces at the sound of his name. “Ah, sorry.” Terra hangs her head down.

“Why are you doing this?” Idylya speaks up.

“You’re lost, aren’t you?” Terra begins gently. Idylya nods and warms up a little.

“I left Nymerion and that part of my life behind me not long ago. There’s nothing left for me there.”

“And that’s because you’re not like them, like your kin, I mean.” Terra adds. Idylya looks down at her as the two stop walking. “Now you think you don’t have a home because you don’t share the same ideals as those around you and you feel like you don’t belong.” Idylya looks down at her flute, then up at the forest path ahead.

“We’re all lost, just like you.”

“I don’t think I have a purpose anymore, or if I even had one to begin with.”

“There’s more to life than just purpose. When I said I think you’d fit in well with us all those weeks ago, I meant it.” Terra starts walking again, and Idylya cautiously follows. “None of us really have a singular purpose, we pursue the things that help us learn, grow, and evolve, and a lot of that coincides with our desire to help those around us.” Terra comes up to a patch of long, draping leaves in the path and waits for Idylya to catch up. Terra smiles and pushes back the leaves as the two of them pass into a forested clearing along a pond with numerous tents pitched up and kirins all around performing their duties like a well-oiled machine. As Idylya fully steps into the clearing, multiple kirins gasp and stop what they’re doing, frozen in fear. Idylya grows more uncomfortable as more eyes stare at her fearfully. Terra gives her a reassuring nudge, and Idylya smiles nervously while waving at all the kirins. Slowly but surely, the kirins return to their work and pay her no mind as the duo trek through the camp.

“They understand.” Terra comments. “It doesn’t matter who you are or what country you’re from. If you’re willing to learn and grow, there will always be a place for you here, a home.” Idylya wipes a bittersweet tear from her eye as the two reach the center pyre of logs, branches and other combustible material. Terra sits down first and motions for Idylya to do the same.

“Déjà vu, huh?” Terra sarcastically blurts out. Idylya chuckles lightly and coils up by the fire, setting her flute down on the log behind her.

“Ah, I was wondering when you two would show up. Thought you might’ve gotten lost, haha.” Nero jokingly notes as he appears behind them.

“I’m just trying to get her settled. It’s a lot to take in, and you know that.” Terra defends.

“Hey hey, I know, just trying to break the tension is all.” Nero’s eyes drift to Idylya’s flute resting against the wood.

“Where’s Temara anyway? You two are more attached to each other than any other kirin here.” Terra abashes him. Nero ignores her and slides in between the two, annoying Terra.

“So, where did you get that?” He asks Idylya while pointing at the dormant flute.

“Oh, I found it many years ago at the bottom of a lake.” Idylya softly answers.

“Was it in Ithral? Which lake was it? Was it damaged at all when you found it? Was-”

“Okay, Nero, why don’t you go get us some food, we’re all hungry!” Terra stands up and starts dragging him away from the fire.

“But I have more questions.” He begs.

“I’m sure you do, that’s why you should hurry up.” She pushes him in the direction of the food pantry and he begrudgingly obeys.

“Sorry about Nero, he can be really nosy sometimes as you may have previously learned last time you were here.” Terra apologizes.

“Don’t be. I’ve never had someone ask me about it, and Zuri thought it was just an enchanted flute.” Idylya looks over at it, reminiscing. “Sometimes I wonder who its original owner was, and why it wound up at the bottom of a lake.

“It might be a relic.” The two look behind them to find Temara staring down at the flute. “Nero’s obsessed with relics or ‘divine instruments’ as he likes to put it.” She adds.

“A relic of what?” Idylya asks.

“One of the Ethereal Matriarch’s relics, of course.”

Idylya furrows her eyebrows in more confusion and Temara sighs.

“Many of us believe she is the cosmic creator of the heavens and the earth, and when she created earth, she left behind many relics imbued with mystical power. I know the royal kirin family has amassed quite a few relics since at least the late first era.”

“I’m not at all familiar with this ‘Ethereal Matriarch’ as you put it. We believe in the twelve divines back in Ithral, and that was all anyone believed in.” Idylya mentions.

“It’s actually interesting you bring up the twelve divines.” Nero jumps in while levitating a tray of assorted tropical fruits. He sets it down in front of them and continues as Idylya takes a couple slices of watermelon. Terra cracks open a piece of dragon fruit and listens curiously.

“Not many share this belief, but I always imagined that the heavens and the earth were created as a result of both the twelve divines and the Ethereal Matriarch. Legend has it, she was the grand designer and the twelve divines were her helpers. Divine instruments were the tools the twelve used to shape and transform this world as instructed by the matriarch. Eternally, they are protectors of this world, and are reincarnated when their physical bodies wither and decay. Sometimes I believe Terra is one of the reincarnated twelve divines since matriarchal kirins possess a fraction of Laniakea’s power.” He smirks at Terra teasingly. She annoyedly frowns and throws the shell of her dragon fruit at his head.

“Ow, what was that for?”

“I hate being reminded of that.”

“Well, it’s just a theory anyway.” Nero shrugs. “Anyway, legend has it that the divines are attuned to Laniakea’s divine instruments and are able to locate them by the magical resonance they give off. I always wondered how the royal kirin family has found so many over the years, and another running theory of mine is that they have used past matriarchal kirins to locate these instruments.”

“Pfffft, do you realize how convoluted that sounds?” Temara harshly questions.

“It’s not convoluted! I have good reason to believe this based on empirical evidence!” He starkly defends.

“Okay, that’s enough, you two.” Terra chimes in.

“Fine, well regardless of Temara’s poor judgment on the matter, I believe that flute is a divine instrument.” Nero answers while Temara lets out a disgruntled hmph. “May I see it?”

Idylya nods and holds it out for Nero to see. He leviates it with magic and inspects the runes along the surface.

“The markings are definitely reminiscent of others I’ve seen. It’s almost like a calling card. They’re usually denoted by a particular tendril-like branching pattern much like those found on a divine’s body, as the legend describes.” He says as he sets it back down on the log. “However, according to the same legend, only the divines are capable of activating and using these instruments to their fullest potential. I take it you haven’t noticed anything peculiar about it?”

Idylya hesitates for a moment.

“No, aside from the markings, it sounds just like any old flute.”

“I had a feeling, but perhaps if Terra were to play it, would that unlock its mystical magic?” Nero strokes his chest fluff and gives Terra a goofy grin. Terra responds with a deep sigh.

“I wish you’d drop that ‘divines’ theory, Nero.” Terra says, firmly.

“Well, it was worth a shot, heh.”

Terra turns her attention over to Idylya who’s gazing deeply into the flute. “Are you doing alright over there?”

Idylya snaps out of her trance and nervously laughs. “Yeah, I’m all good.”

“Well, our plan is to pack up and head out for Novawind in a couple days. We’ve been trying to evade the Empress and her militia for the time being since we abandoned the Jade Palace after you and your friends broke in. It’s an Equestrian pegasi village at the tri-border between Kyryo, Ithral and Equestria. You’re welcome to join us.”

Idylya looks down at her flute again, then at the three kirins.

“I think I’d like that.”

~END~