The Keepers - 1/3

Mari sighed, a soft release of contentment. Cailu had brought the group to the home of the Keepers of the Crystal Mind, a group of individuals who dedicated their lives to knowledge and the documentation of this information. Mari was in a fortunate position where she could now truly rest, confident that the party was safe in the Keeper's halls.

Otho and Grizz however were the unfortunate chosen, as they were unceremoniously surrounded by Haedians “oohing” and “washing” at their unique anatomy. Even being living models wasn't enough as they were incessantly grilled by the Keepers, who would take it in turns milling around the pair and firing off new questions in quick succession.

Cailu chuckled beside Mari, amused at the Keepers display. Mari let out a small snort, a smirk playing across her lips. Grizz would break soon and take control - she could only put up with such constant attention from strangers for so long.

“Please!” Shouted Grizz, loud enough to be heard over the crowd, “You’re all being far too pushy! Our fur is ruffled and our muscles weary, please let us rest, we will happily tell your stories of topside once we are comfortable.” 

The flock of Haedians awkwardly shuffled backwards, hunkering down and following the Vayrons’ movements with bright glowing eyes.

Otho let out a small sigh of relief as he flopped to the ground, “Thanks Grizz.” he mumbled. Grizz smiled and lay down beside him, tucking her front paws under her chest in an almost feline-like manner. 

“Right, ask away-” immediately the crowd burst into a cacophony of questions, “Please!” Silence once again, “Put one hand up in the air and we will answer one question at a time!” the crowd, sensing the annoyance in her tone, each raised a curious hand.

“What are you?” Queried the first chosen Haedian.

“We are Vayrons.” Answered Grizz.

“How do you fly?” Asked the second.

“We don't.” Started Grizz bluntly.

The Keepers took notes, hastily scribbling away at tattered parchment. She continued to answer the extremely probing questions about Vayrons and their anatomy until the group was satisfied, they turned to Otho next with wide eyes. This time they asked no questions and instead waited expectantly for him to speak.

“Oh uh, I can tell you about plants?”

“Druids have plants.” Scoffed one of the Keepers.

“Ah, but our plants topside are grown by the light of the sun and the moisture from the rain.”

These new words seemed to pique the group's interest yet again, “What is rain and sun?” Otho launched into what one would describe as a particularly childish approach to the life cycle of plants on the surface, using basic terms and explanations to illustrate these facts to the Haedians.

Mari at this point had joined her partners, leaning against Grizz as the pair watched Otho with pride and adoration. “I do admit,” noted the short-furred Vayron, “I feel incredibly guilty taking him away from the Druids, he was truly in his element.”

Grizz gave a soft chuckle, “True, but we call Otho sapling for a reason: he would wilt without the sun and rain.” The pair shared a warm smile as Otho finished his impromptu science lesson, the crowd now looking eagerly towards Mari for their next sliver of information.

“Ah, uh, have you heard of birds?” She suggested gently. The crowd eagerly shook their heads, “So topside we have no roofs or ceilings to keep us enclosed…” she soon found her rhythm, launching into tale of birds, from chickens to eagles, and found herself describing the Empyrean Tyrians that the Vayrons found themselves befriending.

The crowd listened with rapt interest, continuing to add to their teams of notes while a select chosen Keeper held a small blue crystal close to his chest, lips wordlessly mimicking Mari as she spoke.

She finished her story, sparing barely a second before launchig into the tale of the sky dwellers and how a whole new world was opened for the Vayrons. “The Tyrians showed us new heights, introducing us to the land of Vitalus and the powerful crystals that adorned its lands…” soon she was spinning tales of how their ancestors had first met the sky dwellers.

She paused, taking a second to really look at the Haedians, exploring the curve of their necks and the cut of their wings, “In fact,” she observed, “You hold an extreme likeness to those we have come to call Tyrian, perhaps you are distant ancestors?”

And excited murmur rumbled through the crowd, excited expressions adorning their faces. To be ancestors of such mythical beings? The Haedians could think of nothing more interesting.

“These Tyrians,” one posited, “Will we meet them?”

The Vayrons shared a glance with Cailu who shrugged, “I don't see why not, there were sky dwellers amongst the parties up top.”