834 FY | 3167 BC
We open on the harpy Kayrin. Simply put, harpies are bird people. They are born with massive wings on their backs, feathers cover their body from the neck down, and their feet are talons. Other than those key differences, they are mostly human. Females are referred to as “Angels,” males are “Halos” and they give birth to “Cherubs.” They’re the first people group to separate from the others and seek a nomadic lifestyle. Though they were created along with the other people of Fabella, they have zero interest in staying with people of the surface. Most of all, they want to fly.
People in the eastern coast of Auslar regularly compete with each other. Kayrin’s wings started out little stubs on her shapely back, but after she reaches her sixteenth year, they’re big enough to carry her into the sky. Now that she can fly she begins gambling with her newfound talent.
These bets start off slow. Like kids in a playground, the harpies are continually trying to outdo each other. They’re going up to their friends and going “I can fly to the top of that tree.” To which their friend is like “Oh yeah, do it fool!”
Kayrin quickly gets swept up in this period of one-upmanship and bets all her food that she can fly through the clouds and bring back a piece of the sun. To which this quote en quote “friend” is like “Yeah, right. Go ahead and do it.”
Kayrin kicks off from the ground and skyrockets into the sky. It doesn’t take long for her wings to grow tired and scream in agony for her to stop. But Kayrin is still no closer to the sun. Thunderclouds gather over her, blocking out the sun’s gorgeous rays. Drops of rain pelt her thin body. The wind picks up, forcing her to battle against the gathering storm as she pushes the limits of her own body to the extreme.
Her tired wings give out and Kayrin starts to tumble down from the sky head over heels. The gale-force winds pick her up and toss her through the sky like a ragdoll. She’s not caught in just any storm, Kayrin is smack dab in the middle of a hurricane.
By some miracle, she survives the terrifying encounter with the hurricane. Kayrin awakes to find she’s landed on a floating island. This floating island just hovers in the air being directed by the winds. It’s pretty barren because the only water this place gets is when it rains and there are no streams or lakes because there’s no continual water source. The wildlife on this island is exclusively populated by birds and flying mammals.
As she wanders around the floating island, Kayrin meets hippogriffs — eagle horse/ hyrids — perytons — which are literally flying deer — and ibong-adarna — colorful birds with rainbow plumage. She is entranced by the island’s incredible awe-striking beauty. This interlude is short-lived as a Ganareva Dragon lands on the floating island with a thunderous crash. Gold in color, ganarevas are the largest beasts in the dragon family. It’s just a massive four-legged chunk of gilded scales upon scales. Bony, razor-sharp protrusions migrated down its spine. The island quakes with every step it takes. On top of all that, it can unleash a punishing jet of fire from its gaping maw.
Kayrin has no choice but to leap off the island and streak down to the land below. She touches down in an expansive continent. The climate is similar to the tropics with hills dominated by palm trees and massive flowers. A forest of bamboo trees is so tight that she has trouble squeezing through them. Mountains slope up so high that their peaks are permanently topped with snow. Cherry Blossoms float autonomously through the air. For those of you who may need something to orient yourselves, it’s similar to East Asia.
This region of the world is populated by dwarves. Adult dwarves measure at about five feet tall, but we’re still in Fabella’s infancy so the diminutive folk Kayrin meets are no taller than four feet. The world “dwarf” refers strictly to the male of the race. Females are “gnomes.”
The Ganareva soaring overhead causes all the dwarves to scatter into the woods. One important thing about Ganarevas is that they have a single mindset. They’re undeniably the top of the food chain and when they set their minds on something they’re going to do it. Kayrin has accidentally become top of the ganareva’s menu. It’s going to sniff her out and kill her because that’s its nature.
Kayrin flies low over Auslar trying to hide from the Ganareva Dragon. She searches in vain for any sign of her home, but she’s miles away from the island. As she flies further west the rainforest climate fades to vast areas of pasture populated by herds of centaurs. This golden dragon now has major beef with the harpy girl and is relentless in its unwavering desire to tear her limb from limb.
Kayrin makes a spear and flies up to do battle with the Ganareva Dragon. She kills the fearsome beast by plunging the spear tip into its soft underbelly. Upon her return to her flock, she drops a single golden scale from the dragon in the open palm of her challenger, winning the bet by producing a piece of the sun.