Wings Of Fate

Promise To Protect

As they entered the bustling heart of the fairy kingdom, the golden glow of the palace towers shimmering in the distance, a guard stationed at a secondary checkpoint stepped forward, his sharp eyes narrowing as they scanned the pair. He was a tall, broad-shouldered warrior with a menacing aura and a permanent scowl etched on his face.

"Halt!" the guard commanded, raising his hand. His gaze landed squarely on Eugene, his brows furrowing. "You there," he said, pointing to Eugene. "What's your name and rank?"

Eugene froze, his wings twitching slightly, scattering a faint trail of silver dust into the air. He tried to keep his voice steady. "I-I'm-"

Before Eugene could stammer further, the guard stepped closer, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Why does this one look so timid? Doesn't seem like a warrior to me. Are you even of age?"

Riven, sensing the danger, immediately stepped forward, placing himself partially between Eugene and the guard. "He's my recruit," Riven said flatly, his tone dripping with authority and disdain. "Newly trained. Not all warriors are hulking brutes, you know."

The guard wasn't convinced. His gaze flicked to Eugene's wings, which shimmered with an almost ethereal glow. "And what's with those wings?" he asked, his voice suspicious. He reached out, brushing his hand over Eugene's wings, scattering more of the silvery fairy dust into the air.

Eugene held his breath, his entire body going stiff as the guard inspected him closely. The guard frowned, rubbing his fingers together to examine the sparkling dust. "These wings are too delicate for a warrior. And this dust-it's not normal. I've seen a lot of warriors, but none of them sparkle like this."

Riven crossed his arms, his black wings flaring slightly behind him, casting a shadow over both Eugene and the guard. "Oh, for the love of the goddess," Riven said, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Are we really doing this? Inspecting every speck of dust on a soldier's wings? What's next, a feather count?"

The guard's frown deepened. "I'm doing my duty. This recruit doesn't look like he belongs here."

Riven took a step closer to the guard, lowering his voice but keeping it razor-sharp. "You think every warrior has to look like a boulder with wings? Ever heard of stealth units? Speed scouts? Or are you too busy flexing your oversized muscles to read your own training manuals?"

The guard bristled at the jab, his face flushing with irritation. "Watch your tone-"

"No, you watch yours," Riven snapped, cutting him off. "I trained this recruit myself. He's small, sure, but he's faster and more agile than any lumbering brute in your squad. Do you know how many missions he's already completed? Of course not, because it's classified."

Eugene blinked, barely containing his surprise at Riven's quick thinking and bold tone. He bit his lip to suppress a nervous smile, keeping his head down and trying to look unassuming.

The guard hesitated, glancing back at Eugene's wings again. "Still, this dust-"

"Oh, the dust," Riven said with a sarcastic laugh, throwing his hands in the air. "Let me guess, you've never heard of fairy wing treatments? It's a new thing. Makes the wings more flexible and resistant to damage. Expensive stuff, only issued to elites. But hey, if you want to keep embarrassing yourself by questioning the kingdom's top scouts, be my guest."

The guard faltered, clearly unsure. He glanced between Riven and Eugene, his suspicion slowly giving way to uncertainty.

"Are we done here?" Riven said, his tone icy. "Or should I report to the commander that his checkpoint guards are more interested in cosmetics than security?"