The Last Volarian

"Who are you?" The girl with blue markings asked. At least that's all Asphel could discern. It was as if he was staring through a heat mirage, the girl's features being distorted by the air's rippling current to the point where he could perceive nothing else. A strange sensation then swept through his body and his arm reached out to her, as if it had a mind of its own. He wanted, needed, to reach her. It was unexplainable, this desire to be with her. It was almost as if something else was encouraging him to reach out, that it was telling him this girl was the key to...to what? Asphel couldn't think more about it, however, as the image of the girl began to fade. He felt his heart thump against his chest as fear spread through him like wildfire. The strange sensation began to disappear, and his fingers curled desperately to grab onto the dissolving image of the girl. The image faded more and more as time passed. He opened his mouth to call out to her. SQUAWK! That didn't sound right. He tried again.

SQUAWK! Asphel's eyes flew open as he gasped loudly. Bright golden eyes and a long yellow beak stared down at him. The beast's head tilted slightly as it blinked. Tension rippled through Asphel's body that he knew was not his own but that of the Volarian staring down at him. Asphel smiled up at the creature.

"Oh Coccinian, I'm fine." Asphel reached up to rub his friend's beak. Asphel watched as the creature closed its eyes and leaned into his hand. He could sense Coccinian relax under his soothing touch.

"It was just that same dream. You know, the one with the girl?" Coccinian cocked his head and blinked, a sign that Asphel knew he was listening intently. It was not so much the words he was listening to, but what Asphel was feeling and thinking. That was the beauty of the bondinium, a special connection only shared between Mankals like Asphel and Volarians that allowed both to not only communicate with each other but join together as one existence.

Asphel gave one last reassuring tap on Coccinian's beak and sat up, Coccinian taking a few steps back to give him his space.

"Well almost the same. This time, I had a rude interruption," said Asphel, giving Coccinian a pointed look. Coccinian looked down at the ground in embarrassment as Asphel shook his head in disbelief.

"Well, no use thinking about it now," said Asphel, looking up at the sinking two suns.

"It is getting late and we should return before the Horduga spoils." Asphel gestured to the dirt mound near one of the blue-trunk trees where he buried the winged beast he hunted earlier. He buried it to hopefully deter other beasts from feasting upon it while he rested. The less encounters with deadly beasts, like a Monstalo for instance, the better. If anything, though, Coccinian would have fended off all that would have dared to steal it with his ten-taloned feet and alert Asphel.

After securing his kill onto the saddle, Asphel donned his jacket. Made from the hide of the first Hordgua Asphel ever hunted, the tips of the wings on the back just passed Asphel's shoulders. The thick tan hide gleamed as it covered Asphel's back and instantly warmed his own skin. Also made from this same Horduga were his flight goggles for the beast's clear eyelids made the perfect lenses to protect Asphel's pale blue eyes against harsh wind currents. At first, they dangled on Asphel's neck. After climbing onto the saddle and brushing aside a few stray ash blond hairs that escaped from his braided ponytail, however, he then lifted them up to secure them on his face.

"Ready?" asked Asphel as he patted his friend's side. Coccinian unfurled his six large wings, the suns' dappled rays glinting off his scarlet feathers, and chirped back at Asphel in response. Without needing the command, Coccinian then launched into the blue sky with a mighty flap of his wings. A gust of wind lashed against Asphel's body as they quickly ascended, but years of training kept him gripping the saddle with ease. Coccinian then spread his wings further, and with a few flaps to adjust, he caught a strong enough air current to glide on. Now that the wind no longer threatened to blow him off his saddle, Asphel's eyes glanced down to take in the view.