Mythical Guardians

♡25. 'Tis established. Nothing looks worse than trolls♡

  "Rise and shine, Aqua," a voice said," Time to move out."

  Nemar? She thought. Only her family and close friends called her that, but when her eyes flew open, she only found Cedric's grinning face looming over her. And for a moment, she shuddered. She could never forget how Cedric had looked, his irises like glowing coals, his skin dark, with ridges angling outwards from his cheekbones. A fiery aura flickered around him, and at that moment, she could had sworn she saw his wings, and a slim, pointed tail. Expressionless and lethal, like she was staring into the heart of a storm itself, a powerful force of nature, undeterred, and impossibly powerful.

  She shook it off. It was just normal Cedric, not the powerful, flaming being. Maybe he was telling the truth after all.

  "Aqua? Really?" She asked flatly, letting the obvious annoyance seep into her voice.

  "What? Come on, do you have any idea how long your name is?" Cedric said innocently, his signature devious grin unwavering, as he counted his fingers while reciting her name," A-quar-ri-us. It has four gods damned syllables, that's enough of a mouthful."

  "I didn't say you could give me nicknames," Aquarius' eyes narrowed.

  "Nobody gives anyone the permission to give nicknames anymore, sweetheart."

  Aquarius rolled her eyes," Whatever. My point is clear. You don't get to call me that."

  "Aww, why not?" He smirked.

  "You haven't earned it."

   He snorted, then turned away. She rubbed her eyes and blinked at the morning sun and the fresh air. She still hadn't gotten used to everything being so much brighter up here on the Surface, especially the sun, and the fact that the air was filled with dozens of different and foreign smells, something that never ceased to fill her with awe. Gravity was there, anchoring her to the ground, she was too used to the weightless environment that she constantly felt heavy.

  Getting up from a sitting position and walking were more difficult than she would had thought, luckily, the tail muscles that had served her in her entire life were happy to serve as her leg muscles, and she had never been so glad for the fitness and exercise she had received.

  "What's for breakfast?" She heard Jason yawn.

  "I got a couple rabbits for you guys," Gordon said, holding out a couple furry, long eared creatures with long and muscular hindquarters," It isn't much, but will probably keep us going. Oh, and here are some berries."

  How Gordon found the time to hunt, she had no idea, but the food he had gathered seemed fresh. They roasted the rabbits quickly over the reddish, orangish flickering flower they called fire, then broke camp and continued their journey east.

  The forest faded around them, as they travelled up and down across the hilly landscape, watching as the hills curved up and down vigorously, cliffs and deep ravines running along the sides. Rivers and streams gurgled by, and strange, winged creatures flew by, chittering in cheerful little songs and their memorable high pitched calls. Woodland creatures that occasionally passed by blinked owlishly at them, before scurrying back into the remaining foliage.

  Gordon told them that they had passed into the eastern parts of Denaur, and the centaurs here were comparatively few and far in between. Other creatures resided here in this hidden paradise of majestic waterfalls and glimmering lakes.

  "Do dragons exist?" Johnathan once asked, out of the blue.

  "I dunno," Gordon said shrugged," but I don't doubt it. There might be some around here."