Azter
Az hoped he wasn't moving to fast. But there wasn't much time left. His world was crumbling. Changing. She was the only one that could save it. But he wasn't sure she would go to the lengths needed to help.
Az shook the thoughts from his head and climbed out of the tree, waiting for Riana to enter his world.
Riana
Everything went black after Riana pulled the knot. When she woke some part of her thought it was a dream, wished it was a dream. She knew it wasn't. She sat up and looked around. She was still in the tree. So it was a dream. For some odd reason she felt disappointed. What did you think would happen? You'd fall into a tree chasing a white rabbit, end up in wonderland and call yourself Alice. I don't think so. She climbed out of the tree letting her eyes adjust to the light.
She gasped. Wonderland indeed. Riana looked around hungrily. It was almost too much to take in. This can't be real. Any moment you'll wake up. The landscape was beautiful. A stream cut in front of the tree through the grass. Bright green grass, long and soft. There was trees lining the stream. Big beautiful birch trees. And a path following the stream that went through the middle of the birch.
But that wasn't why this was wonderland. Oh no, it was the people. Or more so the creatures. Big and small. Fairy like creatures dotted in the birch tree leaves. They were laughing and playing with each other. There laughs tinkled like soft bells. There were hundreds of huge birds in the sky. One swooped down past Riana. And she realized with great astonishment that they weren't birds but humans with wings. White beautiful graceful wings, that resembled big butterfly wings that faded into air.
Riana glanced around more. Taking in all the different creatures there were so much more to look at but she stopped suddenly in her tracks. Azter. She gasped. He was leaning against one of the birch trees. He looked the same. Except for one small detail. His wings. They were big. They draped down his back and to the ground. They were feathery and black. They resembled crows wings except bigger. And there texture was the same as his hair. Silky, soft.
Az got up and walked towards Riana. He stepped cautiously. "Y-you... W-w-wings"
She stuttered helplessly. "They've always been there" he said quietly. "What?" she asked still staring at the wings. "You just can't see them in your world." Riana leaned against a tree for support. Her head was spinning. Az had wings? What was Az? What else was he hiding? "This is too much to take in" Riana swooned almost falling and sat against the tree she had been leaning on. Az sat as well his wings fanning out beside him. "I know it's a lot..." he paused. "I can explain. I just— will you let me show you" Az stood and held out his hand for her to take.
Riana flinched away from his hand. He sighed, and started to pull away. Riana hesitated but ended up grabbing his hand. Az's wings expanded to their full extent out at his sides. Riana clutched his hand tighter. "Wha- what are you doing?" He flapped his wings once, the power of them causing her hair to blow back with the wind. She yanked her hand from his grasp. Az looked at her stunned. "What's wrong?" He asked. Riana shook her head and stepped back. "I'm not letting you take me anywhere on those.. those— things!" She responded. He laughed slightly but stopped when he saw the frightened expression on her face. Rianas breathing was shallow. Either from the beautiful place around her or the lies she'd been kept from her whole life, she couldn't tell. Breath. She reminded herself. Riana closed her eyes tight. Az was saying something but she wasn't listening. Wake up! Wake up wake up! This is just a dream. Open your eyes, open your eyes and you'll be in your bed. It was just a dream. Slowly she opened her eyes.
Az was staring at her curiously. She groaned. And sighed defeated. "You can show me whatever it is you need to show me, but, we're walking." She pointed a finger accusingly at Az. No. Flying. He sighed. "It's much faster to f-" Riana cut him off, "we're walking!" Az nodded slowly. "There's a lot to see so we should probably get going" he gestured in front of them to the path.
Riana got lost in the place she was in as she walked. She gazed down at the river that followed her and the path. It was so clear. She could see all the way to the bottom. Suddenly a group of something swam by. Fish? No that was definitely not a fish. Riana crouched down by the stream. They were blue things that had pointed ears and gills where a mouth should be. It's eyes were too close together. It had frog like legs and it's arms connected to flippers to help it swim. It's tail swayed back an forth as it swam. It was a skinny creature about as long as an index finger. It's ribs showed giving it an eerie unfed look. Riana swirled her finger in the water.
Suddenly the creature turned its body twisting in an unnatural backwards way, barring a mouth full of sharp teeth. It snapped at Rianas finger and she gasped falling backwards. "You okay?" Az asked, crouching next to her. No. "I'm fine" she stood brushing herself off. "That was an irker." Az stated. "Nasty little guys, but don't worry their bark is bigger than their bite" Riana paused, thinking. "Does everything here.." she gestured around her, "all the creatures I mean, have a name?" "Yes" Az responded. "So then what are you?"
