"I hoped to good. To prove I wasn't like him." He lets out a sad chuckle. "It failed. I am still an outcast. I am still feared." He knows she doesn't trust him. Nobody trusts him.

"You failed? What good things did you attempt to do in order to prove your intentions to others?" He was a puzzle to be sure. She couldn't figure him out. At least he hadn't tried to use his magic. She hated mages' magic. They used the power of others, usually with blood sacrifice, instead of the natural magic that existed in the earth. Such tainted use of magic only led to thirst for more power. How had becoming a mage been a good thing? He was human. He couldn't possibly be different.

"I turned towards the magic of nature, towards the healing arts. Helping those who were sick, and in pain. And help them I did. But I was still feared, still hated." He lets out a sigh. "I guess I should get used to it. It seems to be my lot in life."

She grew very still and looked at him with disbelief. He was an honest mage like those of older times? Impossible! Humanity was so greedy and corrupted. There was no way he was what he claimed. "Prove it." She backed up a few steps. Give herself a few more seconds to react.

Kirin looks around. He sees a bunch of flowers that are withering. He puts his hand on the ground next to them. He concentrates and soon the flowers are in full bloom again.

Larissa watched in fascination as the power that streamed out of him was crystal white and clear. No taint of red in it at all. He was not only telling the truth about practicing earth magic and knowing how to use it for healing. He was also completely clear of ever messing with blood magic. Something she though impossible for a mage to resist. Gently, she lay down and looked over at him. "So your telling the truth little one. What do you plan to do now?"

"Honestly? I really have no idea. I guess all I can do is return back to the village." He says stroking the petals of one of the flowers. His hand shakes lightly.

Seeing his hand shake, she rose and approached him. Either he was just that afraid of the other villagers or he was low on energy from magic use. Either way, she was concerned about him. "Will you be okay?"

"As well as I can be." He is a little low on energy from magic, but most of all he was just tired of being alone. He stands slowly. "I should go."

The gryphon was still stunned over meeting a mage that was clean in his magic use. She also was trying to understand how one could be ousted by his own species for crimes he didn't commit. Gryphon society was so much more caring. She watched him as he started to leave. He was rather shaky and didn't look all that excited to be moving about. She better keep an eye on him. A close eye on him.

Kirin heads out of the forest getting his legs back. He heads back towards town. When gets near he sees smoke and fire. He gasps realizing it was his home that was on fire. He uses his magic to bring up a rain that puts out the fire. He's near tears, as he heads inside to see what he can salvage.

Larissa circled high in the sky. Higher than human eyes could distinguish her from a bird, but still in easy range for her own eyes to what was happening below. She was horrified at the flames licking up his house. Spiraling around, as he brought in the rain clouds, she swooped down into them where she would not be seen but still could see what was happening. His place had suffered a lot of damage. Those humans just didn't get along with each other very well. She looked around town and wondered how she could get under their skin.

Seeing the church, she got an idea. Their superstitious nature could work against them. He was at his house, and they knew it. She moved across town listening closely. Soon she learned of who the ring leader had been and what his last name was. Grinning, she flew to the church and let her magic out. Catching the cross out in front of the church to catch fire, she then scorched the tombstones in the cemetery with the ring leaders last name. For a final effect on the growing crowd, she created with lightning what looked like an angel. As the ring leader reached the crowd, she send her phantom angel after him. He yelped like a baby and ran.

Knowing the cloud cover couldn't last forever, she ended her vengeance and sped back into the sky. She would guard her mage. The only good mage she had ever met. Someone willing to use earth magic and to use it for good was worth keeping around. Even if he was human.

Kirin had not been aware of what was going on in town, since he lived outside of town. He manages to gather a few things that weren't to badly damaged in the fire. Though there was precious little. With a heavy heart he heads away from town. Tears run down his cheeks as he walks. He was scared. He had always lived here. He makes it half back to where he had talked with the gryphon before falling to his knees great sobs rack his body.

She couldn't take anymore. They had done enough to him. He needed someplace safe. There was only one safe place that she knew of that he could go to. Her glade. Her retreat high in the mountains. She swooped down from the sky and glided low to the ground up from behind him. Grabbing him from behind with her strong talons, she had him trapped with his arms crossed holding his things. Beating her wings hard, she lifted them both high into the sky away from the village.

Kirin gasps as he is lifted off the ground until he sees who it is who has him. He recognizes the gryphon from earlier. Some how, even though he is clutched in her talons, he feels safe.

Once they gained enough height to not be readily recognized from below, she ceased her rapid beating and let the air currents serve as a force to glide on. She hadn't had to carry anyone or anything in awhile. She should do it more often just for the work out. Tilting her head a little, she glanced down at him out of the corner of her eye. He was a brave little human, despite his situation in life. "You have nothing to say little one?"

"What is there to say?" He asks sadly.

---------- Post added 06-07-2012 at 11:17 PM ----------

maidenroseheart:

She sighed and kept soaring towards the haven she had in mind for him. The glade had a gorgeous shallow lake with old temple gardens and ruins beside it. It wouldn't replace home, but it would provide a place that he could call his own. She would have to figure out what to do on the new moon later. "Rant. Rave. Kick your feet. Express yourself somehow. Not to mention, your high up in the air where humans are not supposed to be. You humans are like mice, scampering over the earth unaware of the beauty around you."

"I have always enjoyed the beauty around me. Though this is a view I have not had before." He says with a smile. HE does enjoy the view from up here. He has, gratefully, never been afraid of heights.

---------- Post added 06-08-2012 at 05:22 PM ----------

maidenroseheart:

"humph." She would be stubborn and arrogant, but she did feel pride inside at how he was taking her kidnapping of him. Reaching the mountain retreat, she circled it once so he could get a good view of the glade, the lake, and what was left of the garden's stone pathways and old temple buildings.

Kirin gasp in awe at the sight. It was gorgeous. "Oh my." He whispers in awe.

Turning and coming in for the landing, Larissa flapped hard to slow herself and landed on her back feet. Setting the human down, she moved to the side so she could be on all for feet comfortably. "Welcome to Legacies Glade. Hidden retreat from humanity until now."

"This place is amazing." Kirin says setting his small bag down. He starts wandering around taking it all in. For the first time ever he feels as if he is home. He closes his eyes tilting his head to the sky breathing in deeply. "I'm home." He whispers softly.

"oh this place is truly heavenly. I think I might go and explore." He says with a smile. He had never felt at home in the village. But this place he knew would be his home forever.