World Map: Starstriker

Departure

Rayanist stood up, brushing his clothing from any dust that lingered. He was back on his feet now, albeit barely as his knees still trembled and quivered as if they were made of glass. His head drooped down to stare blankly at the ground, with eyes that still dripped an occasional tear. 

The young boy tried to shake the thoughts out of his head, and remain mourning his family and what to do next, but there was something else.. a mere seed of anger.

Before it could sprout, a guard came up from behind the High Elf and guided him towards their steeds waiting from afar. "We got just about everything here" their Elven commander spoke aloud, stuffing a pack with several items from the scene. "Let's get you to safety, okay Rayanist?" Feravel assured the boy gently, joining up with his squad as they made their way to their mounts. 

The Silvermoon soldiers mounted up onto their Hawkstriders, placing their bags and gear securely onto the saddles. Rayanist's savior then mounted onto his Hawkstrider, a majestic bird with brilliant crimson feathers that shimmered with a golden tinge. It turned its gaze toward young Rayanist with it's sun golden eyes that resonated with some sort of understanding, it bowed it's head. Nonetheless the young Elf felt quite intimidated still, speechless and unmoving, Feravel patted his saddle. "Hop on! You can ride with me!" The boy looked up, biting his lip at the colossal size of the bird, thinking of "How in the world can I climb this huge thing?!"

Grabbing onto the saddle, with his legs swinging clumsily, Rayanist was clearly having a difficult time scaling the bird. The commander looked down at the struggling boy, holding in a burst of laughter- as this time and place would be VERY much inappropriate. "By the Sunwell.. Look! Here Rayanist, grab on!" He lent out his armored gauntlet to the boy, whose cheeks were rosy red at this point, and pulled him up with ease as he grasped on. "Don't worry.. No one else saw that" Feravel reassured the boy teasingly as he grumbled to himself.

"Sir! Everything alright there?" A squad member called out. "Huh- Oh yeah! Right, We're all set to go!" The commander turned to face the sole survivor, "You okay? Ready to head out?"

Rayanist nodded silently.

"Alright, Lets head for the city brothers!" Feravel commanded, giving his Hawkstrider a quick spank to the flank, inciting a quick dash. Rayanist suddenly spoke up from behind. "W-wait, you said Silvermoon city?" The young man nodded. "Yep! My home! You do know of it right?" 

There was a pause in the boy's voice, "-Yes, I do know of that city.. but" He looked up, with his sapphire gaze meeting Feravel's jade eyes. "Don't they.. despise my kind?"

Suddenly it hit him, and the armored elf turned back to keep his eyes on the road. "Right.. you're a High Elf.. Alotta you guys we're exiled for not agreeing to the new Sin'Dorei ways huh.." Rayanist hung his head dejectedly as a sigh fell out of his lips. "..Look.." He turned back quickly to face him. "..Personally, in that moment I saved you- I didn't care about what kind of magic you or your family use. I saw an innocent in need.." Feravel returned his gaze to the road. "And honestly, even now I still don't care." 

The High Elven boy lifted his head up curiously, staring at the man in front of him, bewildered. "I'm not the greatest with magic, so I was pretty detached from the whole magic and addiction problems that plagued us." He pointed to his eyes, that only very faintly glowed with a dim emerald color. "So you shouldn't worry about that here, Rayanist. At least not with me."

Rayanist gripped and wrapped his arms tighter around the armored elf in front of him, almost as if he were embracing him. Hearing Feravel's words triggered something inside of the young boy's heart. As if, someone had lifted a sack of bricks that had been crushing it this entire time, if only just a bit. It brought a sense of peace, and unknowingly, caused Rayanist's lip to curl into a smile.