Do you hear the wind sing? (Sage)

[Ethar Luxun]

A Year was a long time. A long time to be by yourself.

But for Ethar Luxun, there was always something to do. Wether it was expanding his home that was near the base of the tallest mountain on Earth, or learning something new from his old school books from his home planet of Nor.

Winter was starting to grip the region, and Mt. Pazou was the first place to be blanketed in snow, and frozen in cold temperatures. But this didn't stop the Noran Duke from enjoying everyday as anyone should. Stocking up the fire so it would keep his home warm while he was away, Ethar left his home with just his winter clothing, A thick and long black coat, and a wooden flute that he had carved himself. Granted, it took him a few months to get the carvings just right.

Closing the door behind him, Ethar felt the winds were still blowing, but it had ceased actual snowing, allowing the clear blue sky to be visible.

Walking down to a small creek, close by to one of the large nearby forests, Ethar sat himself down on a log after dusting snow off of it. "What a beautiful day today. Perfect to practice my flute." He said to himself, as he took his wooden flute from his coat, and took a deep breath. Listening to the sounds of the mountain around him, Ethar place the flute near his lips, and started to play. Little did Ethar know, that the winds would carry his music into the nearby woods...

[Deleted]

Sunlight flitted through the open mouth of the cave. The morning was quiet, peaceful. And Sage could have easily slept for longer if not for the wet nose prodding her cheek. A soft groan escaped her lips as she buried farther under her cloak-turned-blanket. A whine followed the prodding as a long muzzle found it's way into her hair. She opened one eye, the bleary world before consisting of red-brown fur and two large brown eyes. She sighed, rubbing her eyes and sitting up.

"Morning, Zara..." she muttered, reaching out a hand to blindly rub her companions ear. Her body was stiff, her back aching. But, what else could be expected? They had been, after all, sleeping in the small pod the had arrived in. The thing was sphere-like in shape, a large glass window/door taking up the front third and metal taking up the rest. In inside was little more than a large, slightly padded chair and computers. It was cramped, big enough only for two people. Or, for a girl and her dog. A small pang went through her. Two. Not three. He had never planned on coming with them...Never... Sage closed her eyes, shutting out that thought. She would not go there. Couldn't go there. With a sigh, she gazed out into the winter morning. It was still and unmoving. The had dragged the pod into this cave after they landed, giving them shelter and protection. Beyond the cave was a forest. It was funny, she had never seen a forest before. How ironic that on her first chance, it was blanketed in snow. But even then, small bits of ashen color stood out. She should be happy, really. Ice and snow was her world. She could blend in this, hunt in it. And speaking of hunting... Her stomach growled and she could see Zara looking at her impatiently. She sighed, wrapping her cloak around her shoulders and fastening it.

"Alright, alright. Let's go and find breakfast," she said. She hit a button, the opening popping open with a click. Pushing it open, Zara darted out before she could even blink. The dog ran in circles, snow spraying up behind her lean body. How she had this much energy in the morning was amazing. But, to be fair, her breed did have an endless supply of it. Shaking her head, Sage grabbed Damarus and strapped it and the scabbard to her belt. Behind her, Zara was now rolling in the snow. Sage could only stare as her fierce hound, a creature who inspired awe and fear, rolled around the snow like a pup. With a grin, she ran her finger through her long blond hair, going out to meet her partner. There was hardly a breeze in the air and the snow had stopped falling all together. She hard felt the soft bite of the cold through her clothing. With a sharp whistle, Zara was at her side in an instant, practically hopping she was so excited. Her teeth chattered, but not from the cold. No, she was far too excited for the hunt. Every day they found new creatures, new areas of this forest. Sage could tell that Zara had been getting a bit bored back home. But here? Here there was hardly a thing she could do to calm her dog.

They took the winding trail the had found the other day. It led up the mountain slightly to a stream loaded with fish under a thin sheet of ice. It was perfect for easy hunting, enough to get them by until the afternoon. Sage gave up keeping her hound at her side. Zara was just too excited. The hound bounded over the trail, running ahead before circling back. She jumped over logs, barked at trees, and was a general menace to any creature she could find. It was a while before the reached the lake. Zara,, content, lowered her head and drank while Sage scanned the river. A few fish swam through the stream, large enough to make a decent meal when a few were caught. Raising her hand, a dagger of ice formed, hovering above her hand. She was about to throw it when a new sound caught her attention. Was that...a flute. She lifted her head, Zara still and looking in the direction of the music, her ears back. Her fur was bristled, a soft growl rumbling in her throat. She looked to Sage who nodded. The two moved through the forest, making not a sound. Her dagger dissolved into flakes of ice, drifting away at a mental command. Zara led the way, the music getting louder and louder with every step.

[Ethar Luxun]

Continuing to play his flute, Ethar wasnt worried about having a visitor. He believed that he was alone in the mountain, with only the breeze and nature itself as his audience. So he had no reason to use his energy sensing abilities to sense the woman and her animal companion that were coming to investigate the Celtic like music that he was playing.

Smaller animals like arctic foxes and a few birds came to listen to Ethars music. Although, as Zara and Sage approached where Ethar was sitting and playing, the foxes ears perked up as they heard a new noise, and looked in the direction that Zara and Sage were walking in.

They sat still, waiting to see what was coming. The birds that were hanging around did not care either way, being bird brains and all.

Ethar, had his eyes closed while he was playing his tune. A Tune he had learned in schooling back on Nor, a song that was most likely played back in the Earth Court. Ethar did always keep an open mind when it came to his home planets culture, no matter what court it was. But over the course of the previous year, he discovered that he had a natural talent for music. Yet, he could not think of where it came from.

But right now, Ethar wasnt thinking at all. He was putting his soul into the music his flute had woven, and that was hard not to enjoy. The music echoing in the winds made the song sound even more beautiful then it originally did without the winds.

To anyone that came upon him as he played, they would only see a lone figure sitting by a creek on a log, playing a flute while they wore a somewhat warm brown leather jacket. And to one with an untrained eye, they would think Ethar as a normal human being, since the cold weather would make anyones skin pale. They would also see some of the local wildlife had gathered around Ethar as he had played, but some of the foxes would skitter off when they saw Zara.

[Deleted]

As they neared the sound, Sage swept her long hair over her shoulder, pulling up the hood of her cloak. While others would have difficulty moving across the slippy snow and ice, most likely crashing through the forests, the pair made not a sound. Not even the crunch of snow was heard under their feet. As they reached the source of the sound, Sage knelt down, peering out from behind a tree, Zara in a crouch at her side. She peered around, eyes landing on an odd sight. A boy sat upon a log, bundled up against the cold. Unlike her, he didn't seem to be used to the lower temperatures. He played a flute, the source of the sound. To those who liked such music, it would have been very pretty. But she ignored it, focusing on him. All around him, creatures sat listening, though a few scurried away as they sensed the pair. She frowned. It was almost like a page out of a fairy tale. Though, it was more often the princesses in his position. She looked down, raising her brow. Zara met her gaze, an almost amused look on her canine face. She turned back, studying the stranger.

It was when the winds shifted that surprise took hold. Not believing it to be true, she closed her eyes and sniffed the air. No, there it was. His scent. It was....Noran. There was something else of course, something foreign. But there was most definitely Noran in it. Turning to Zara, she cocked her head. Quietly the pair moved closer, settling behind a couple of trees a little closer to the boy. His hair was a dark brown and the ends seemed to sway slightly in the breeze. She couldn't tell much under his large coat, but he didn't seem to have the muscular frame she was used to in males. He wasn't from her Court, that was for sure. With the breeze moving toward her and away from him, she was sure her scent at least was hidden. He hadn't seemed to sense them yet, if his playing was any indication. But, why was he here? As far as she thought, she was the only Noran here. But maybe she was wrong. Maybe there were many others of her kind here. Maybe they could get her home. And then...then she'd drive a blade into Baden's gut. 

The idea sent a mix of emotions inside her. Regret, sorrow, hate. rage. They mixed, battling for attention and priority. As always, she shoved them down. Them and the pain that always lingered after. She had spent her time crying, had prayed to her Goddess, asking why. Had cursed him, questioned him. She was past all that. Now, now she would take revenge. Revenge for her village. For her loved ones. For her heart. For the lies and deceit she had so fully believed in. For the future she had been promised and ripped away from. But the first step was getting home and that meant talking to him. Motioning for Zara to hang back, just in case, she stood and stepped out of the woods.

Finding a twig, she intentionally stepped on it, sending the crack through the small clearing. Se didn't say a word, simply stood there and stared at the poor, a pale ghost in the snow.

[Ethar Luxun]

Ethar was happily playing his flute, when he heard the twig snap. Instead of quickly stopping to see who it was, he used his ability to sense energy and felt two new energy signatures, and one of them was very powerful.

Gradually making the music fade, it would eventually stop as he then put the flute into his jacket pocket. Without even looking up at her yet, Ethar said "You have been watching me for a while haven't you? Im sorry if my music disturbed you. I didnt expect anyone to be on the mountain this time of year." as he then looked up into Sage's eyes. His sapphire blue eyes meeting hers, and much to his surprise, he could see just by her face that she wasnt what others would expect her to be.

Standing up on his feet, brushing snow off of his pants, He looked to the other energy signature he was faintly picking up, and saw Zara, waiting patiently.

Looking back to Sage, Ethar smiled softly and asked "Might I ask who you are?" as he looked over what he could see. Her beauty reminded him so much of his home on Nor, yet it wasnt exactly like he remembered... "And I must ask... Are you a Noran, by chance?" he asked. He wouldnt be able to catch the womans scent, since the wind was blowing it away from him, thus having to rely on looks, and yet Sage's attire was preventing a good look.

[Deleted]

Slowly, the boy's music faded. He didn't seem at all surprised to find her her, no really any reaction except from that calmness. her lips turned into a soft frown. If he was like those in the capital city, she might as well turn around and leave. A year or so ago, her village had been visited by the high-ranking people of the city. They had come into the village with an air of superiority about them that had left her and the others rankled. They had strutted around, talking of politics that didn't concern the village. The best part about that entire visit was the brawl that had broken out between one of them and her uncle. Her uncle had toyed with the man, mocking him and treating him like a priss before he wiped the floor with the lad. It had been the biggest bonding moment between the two of them seeing as it started when the noble asked if he could "have" her. The memory brought a pang to her heart. If the riders that had come to the village really were the same ones that had killed her family, then it was doubtful that he survived. Her braze, strong, pigheaded uncle that she couldn't help but love. Pushing away those thoughts, she turned her attention to the boy before her.


She supposed the boy was handsome, though he wasn't her type. Too lanky and pretty for her. No, she vastly preferred the hardened roughness of the warriors from her home. She was curious about his question though. How had he guessed so easily? Were creatures on this planet so vastly different? She didn't recall hearing that humans were. Could he have scented her before the winds changed? Or did he simply feel that sameness? With a sharp whistle, Zara was at her side, the hound sitting next to her. She was utterly still, eyes trained on the stranger. It was almost like she was a different dog. Sage extended her hand, placing it on Zara's head, reveling the left side of her body under her cloak.

"Aren't you supposed to introduce yourself first?" she asked him, raising one of her delicate brows. She rubbed Zara's head softly, fingers running through the coarse hair. It was a nervous habit of hear's; another reason she liked to keep Zara near. 

"My name is Sage, and this is Zara," shed started, "And yes, We are Noran."

[Ethar Luxun]

As Sage mentioned that he was supposed to introduce himself first, Ethar felt very stupid in that very moment. He always introduced himself first to others, but for some reason, Sage's beauty made Ethar forget himself for several moments. He watched as Sage whistled, calling over her canine companion to her side, and he could see that the two had a very tight bond with eachother, and that was something Ethar respected.

"Hmm, Sorry about that then. Its a pleasure to meet you both Sage, and Zara. My name is Ethar. I to, am Noran... Well, Half Noran, but Im guessing... You probably already know that." He said with a faint smile on his face.

"Im also guessing you are somewhat new to Earth? If so, I bid you welcome. Tis nice to finally meet another Noran on this planet. Tis been roughly a couple of years since I seen anyone else from Nor. Might I ask what court you come from? Im from the Water Court..." He asked, ever curious as to where this rare jewel had come from into his life. Ever since he had left Nor, Sage was the very first Noran he had seen, and he did not want to leave a bad impression on their first meeting.

[Deleted]

Half-Noran. Yes, she had guessed right. What the other half of him was though, she had no idea. She continued to move her fingers through Zara's course fur, letting the dog's warmth comfort her. Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword, ready to pull it out and defend them if necessary. She listened to the boy—Ethar—and nodded. That would explain those ocean eyes of his. She didn't lower her guard, though by the looks of it, he didn't even have one up. Did he trust her not to attack? Or was he playing her? Trying to get her guard down so he could swoop in and surprise her. Just because he was Noran didn't mean she automatically trusted him. Being one of her kind on a strange world did not grant him that. After all, He had been one of her ilk. And look where trusting Him had gotten her... Moving past that pang of hurt she realized he had asked where she was from. Well, it's not like that was a secret.

"I'm from the Air Court, a small village outside the capital city," she told him. Curious, she looked him over again. He had sounded odd when he said he was from the Water Court. Almost like he was testing her reaction. Was it because of the war? That was years and years ago. She hardly remembered it. Didn't help that they didn't get much news, being so far away. From what she gathered, the Princess of the Dark Court was set to marry the King of the Water Court. She basically told him to fuck off and he started a war. Damn nobles. Always bringing the innocent over their stupid arguments. Another reason why she was she disgusted by them. She turned her gaze from him, looking around.

"Do you have a home out here? I thought these woods to be abandoned," she said. After all, she hadn't seen or heard anyone here before him.

[Ethar Luxun]

"The Air Court? My oh my, Your the first person I've ever met from the Air Court." He said, as he noticed that Sage was looking over him. Was she trying to figure him out? Trying to figure if he was telling the truth about anything he was saying. Although he was used to it, since many people thought he was nuts.

As she then asked if he had a home out on the mountain side, Ethar nodded in reply. "I do actually. I built my own home on the side of the mountain just around the bend, by the waterfall. Would you like to come in, and have something to drink?" He asked, as the wind began to pick up slightly. Clouds started to move into the area, as a heavy white haze started to appear in the distance and slowly seemed to approach where they were standing.

Looking from the incoming weather system, back to Sage, he added "You probably dont trust me yet, and I personally dont blame you. But when Blizzards hit on this mountain this time of year, they hit hard. And my home is quite comfortable even in this weather."

[Deleted]

She wasn't asking to get invited for his home. It was simply her curiousity at work.Though she had to admit, Sage could feel the subtle change in the winds, the smell of a storm soon to come. Not the normal salty smell of a thunderstorm, but the smell of frost and wind. 

"You smell so good....like frost and vanilla....."

The memory came sharp and swift, tearing through her heart like a blade. A gasp of air left her lips and her hand went to her heart. It took everything she had to keep breathing, to keep herself from doubling over. The sound of His voice echoing in her head almost sent her to her knees. She gulped in a deep breath of air, blinking and focusing on the man before her. She nodded to him, not yet trusting herself to speak at the moment. Was it wise? Doubtful. She had just met this men, knew nothing save for his name and blood. And even then, she didn't know for certain. It wasn't like every Noran was good and pure. It wasn't like the race was proof of her safety. She knew the cruelty of her people. She knew the danger. In fact, she had experienced the worst betrayal of them all from the man she did...had....loved. She nodded once again, opening her mouth to speak.

"Thank you....that's very kind," she said, hand dropping back to Zara's head. The canine looked up at her, brown eyes worried, a small whine coming from her. Sage straightened, gesturing forward.

"After you..."

[Ethar Luxun]

Ethar watched the woman while she contemplated his invitation, and was relieved that she accepted his invitation. But not before it looked like she was re-experiencing something painful, but didnt want to pry into her personal life.

After gesturing him to lead the way, Ethar smiled as he turned and started to walk back up the mountain in his previous footsteps that were almost covered up by new snow from the winds that had started to brush over the mountain side. He walked a few meters up the snow before glancing back to see if the girl and her canine companion was following him, and was glad to see that she was.

Although, He couldnt help but stare a bit longer then he probably should of. It had been a very long time since he had seen another Noran, let alone one as beautiful as Sage was.

Continuing up the mountain side, the blizzard would start to over take them as visibility was starting to become very limited. The temperature also started to drop, making Ethar bundle up his jacket up a bit tighter, trying to keep the freezing winds off of his body.

"Its not much further up ahead." He yelled over the winds, occasionally glancing back to make sure he didnt lose her in the storm. If Sage were to look ahead of Ethar, she would see something large in the distance, and a pair of lights accompanying it. Eventually, it would be revealed to be a mid-sized log cabin, with lamps on inside. As they would draw closer to Ethar's dwelling, another sound would join the wind. A steady roaring sound that grew as they got closer to the cabin, as Sage could smell the watery mist from a nearby waterfall that had not completely frozen over yet.

[Deleted]

He led her on without another word. Glad for the silence, Sage followed him, snow crunching beneath her boots. She nodded to Zara who inclined her head before rushing off ahead of them, scouting. She would warn Sage of any threats along the way, or dispatch them herself. As they walked, the weather grew worse and worse. She caught Ethar glancing back at her a few times, gaze lingering before he glanced away. She remained quiet and when the storm picked up, she pulled her hood up. Her scarf was next, the warm white material pulled up to cover her nose and mouth. Her breath was hot on her lips as she walked. It would have been uncomfortable if she wasn't so used to it. Her legs were starting to ache, her calves becoming tight with her steps. She was used to walking and running long distances, but there were few hills or mountains in their homes. The only mountains were the ones that separated her home from the outlining areas of the capital. And whenever they traversed there, they had their horses.

By the time they had reached his home, the winds were furious. The pulled at her cloak, the material dancing behind her like a living thing. Her hood had been blown off, allowing her hair to stream free. The white-gold strands whipped around in the air, the overall look lending her to be almost otherworldly. Though here, she supposed she was. Zara was waiting for them at his home, large eyes focused. She nodded at Sage before returning to her side. She patted the dogs head, thanking her. The roar of a waterfall was almost deafening mixed in with the howling wind. Talking would be useless until they got inside. She stopped bore the cabin, waiting for him to open it. Sage didn't bother to talk, her muffled words would just get taken away by the wind.

[Ethar Luxun]

Using a hand to shield his eyes from the storm, Ethar made his way onto the snow covered deck.

And when Sage was close enough, He opened the door and gestured her to go inside ahead of him. Which was always the polite thing to do, to let a lady go in ahead of you that is.

After Sage and Zara were to go in, Ethar would follow her in and close the door behind him. When the door had shut, it would be surprisingly quiet and comfortably warm, but not too toasty. One could say, it was just a tad bit under room temperature. In the main room where they would enter first, it was a combination of a roomy sunken living room, with a kitchen-Dining room mixture. Decor that Sage would recognize from Nor would scattered through out the home, tapestries, sculptures, even some plants in darker-cooler corners could be seen. But there would also be some decorations from Earths cultures, but the most prominent would be the Earthling Christmas decorations such as the Christmas tree and the holiday garland and lights streamed throughout the living room. But one thing that might catch her eye, was a family photo on the nearby fireplace that was crackling away. A Photo of Ethar as a young child, with his mother Jayla behind him. The photo obviously taken in the water court, but not just anywhere in the court. It was seemingly taken in some part of the Royals palace, infront of a large garden that overlooked the ocean. Even beside that photo, were other photos of Ethar and the Central city Mayor, presenting Ethar with a key to the city. As well as framed newspaper clippings of 'The Silver Saiyan', and black and white pictures of Ethar, either holding up a car, or talking to local police officers.

"Welcome to my humble abode. Its not much, but I built it all myself, so the value is there I guess." He said, as he brushed snow off of his jacket. "Can I get you something to drink? Maybe some water for Zara? Oh, and dont worry about the snow on ya, Ill clean it up later." He added, as he made his way to the fireplace, and pulled out a log from the wood pile beside the fireplace, placing it on the fire.

[Deleted]

The warmth of the cottage enveloped her. Zara shook beside her, shaking free the snow before sniffing the room. Sage left her companion to explore and pulled down her scarf, exposing her face once more. She stood there for a moment, bold and gold eyes taking in the room. There was a touch of his Noran roots, she could see that. But the majority of the decor seemed to be human in it's tastes. The oddest thing to her though was the large tree inside. It didn't sprout from the floor, but rather it looked like it had been chopped down and brought inside. The needles of the tree dusted the floor below and lights and round baubles decorated it's branches. The lights and colors echoed throughout the room. Was this some strange Earth thing? Part of the decor? Or was he simply strange. Zara, having finished her exploring, settled down in front of the fire. Her rested her head on her paws, huffing through her nose once. Sage moved into the room. As his back turned to her, she flicked her wrist. The snow on her body and the floor moved to the door, settling right before it in a neat pile. By the time he would turn, the task would be done with no hint of her involvement. She moved around the room, eyes sweeping over everything. She stopped at the picture, studying them. There was one of a younger him and an older female. Having never been outside the Air Court, the location of them meant nothing to her. Instead she noted the finery of their clothing and surroundings. He had come from money at least, she could tell that just by how he carried himself. Around that picture was more present-day ones. He seemed to be receiving a large key from a man, an event that once again meant nothing to her. Black and white pictures accompanied the rest, all of him. He's rather full of himself, it seems. 

"Thank you, but I don't wish to trouble you farther," she said softly. Instead, Sage reached up. She unclasped her cloak, removing the garment and hanging on an empty hook next to other coats that seemed similar in style to the one he wore, her scarf soon following. With her cloak gone, the rest of her was revealed. She wore brown pants that hugged her long frame, black boots coming up to her mid-calf. A long sleeved brown shirt covered her upper body, a black tunic over that. Like the pants, the shirts hugged her frame—loose enough to allow for moments, but tight enough to keep in the warmth. A necklace hung around her neck, an owl with sapphire eyes hanging between her breasts. Her clothes were simple and well worn, nothing much to take note of. The most interesting things to note were the scars upon her pale flesh. On the right side of her neck were four long scratch marks that disappeared under her collar. Half-moon scars in a C shape were on her left palm, looking almost like teeth marks. She turned back to him, eyes focused on him.

"Thank you for taking us in with the storm. I don't think we would have made it back to our camp before it hit."

[Ethar Luxun]

As Sage moved around the room to look at the pictures, She told him that she did not want to trouble Ethar any further after he had offered her and Zara a drink. To which he replied "Its no trouble at all. I rarely get visitors as it is, though that's mostly why I live up on a mountain. Keeps the normal riff-raff away." as he took out a stainless steel bowl, filled it with fresh cool water and placed it near the wall by the door and gave a quick whistle to get Zara's attention and gestured to the bowl of refreshing water.

Standing back up, He saw that Sage was briefly looking at a picture of himself and his mother, back when he was younger. "Thats just a picture of myself and my mother, Jayla Luxun. I'd have a picture with my father as well, but he was exiled from Nor before I was even born." He said, feeling a bit sad that he never really knew his father, but there was no point in feel bad anyways. The past was the past.

He noticed that Sage was looking confused at all the Christmas decorations that Ethar had put up around his home. This made his laugh under his breath softly, as he then said "Sorry if the decor is a bit... alien. Heh. Im currently studying, and participating in some of the Earthling's 'Holidays'. This 'Holiday' is currently called Christmas."

Sage then thanked him for taking them in from the storm, and that made him smile and reply "Oh not a problem. Tis a pleasure to finally meet another Noran here on Earth. I thought I would of been the only Noran to ever come here. If your camped out on the mountain though, Im glad you accepted my invitation to come back to my place. The storms this time of year are deadly, even for those with magic. Zara would of been in trouble for sure. Storms can last from a few hours, to a couple of days up here, and the temperatures can go very well past the point where even our lungs would freeze." He said, as he took off his leather jacket, also revealing the rest of him. He wore less then what Sage had been wearing. No scarf, and nothing poofy to store heat. Just a regular leather trench coat covered his black vest, grey tshirt, and jeans. But if Sage was paying attention enough, she could sense a small amount of magic within the leather jacket. Nothing powerful, but a weak spell of sorts was woven into the fabrics of the jacket.

"You sure I can't get you a drink? The Earthling culture has introduced me to a nice warm drink known as 'Hot Chocolate'. Seems to work well with a variety of fruits and seasonings like Mint, and a toppings like 'Marshmallows' and 'Whipped cream'." He asked, looking back at Sage after hanging up his jacket.