Story of Skyra

Skyra was born a twin, but her sibling didn't survive. To have twins is a rare and great blessing among the Arketts. If only one of the twins survive, however, there are mixed feelings on the topic. Some would say she was the stronger of the two. Others say it’s a tragedy. The most common thought is to question which of the fetuses was the original and which was the clone.   Being the daughter of one of the high council, Skyra was always more rowdy than people expected. Though she was loved by many, she never really connected with anyone. Those who got close to her only did so because of her status and family, not for who she was. This made it hard to trust others. Instead of playing the part for the approval of others she did what she wanted for the approval of herself. The exception to this of course was her parents. She tried to be the kind of person she thought her sister would have been for them. An obedient, composed, and gentle daughter worthy of her family name. With her father being an Arklord, she was taught everything there was to know about the humans and Arketts. Her father had a love for humans that her mother could never understand. Sure they were the native species, but all they ever do is kill each other and destroy their precious world. The exodus fleet was all she'd ever known. She loved her home, but sometimes (and by sometimes she'd mean rarely to never) the fleet felt like prisons surrounded by clouds.   One day she was climbing a tree in one of Sitnalta's courtyards. It was the tallest in the area and one she climbed dozens of times before. About halfway up a branch snapped. She fell out of the tree onto an innocent bystander. The boy broke her fall but he got hurt in the process. She apologized fervently until she saw the mark on his hand. He looked up at her with different colored eyes. It was a hybrid. She'd heard stories about them but she'd never seen a real one up close before. She took his face and examined it from every angle. She dove her fingers into his thick hair for any traces of white. She even started playing with his teeth when the guards came. After ensuring that Skyra was alright they turned on the boy and beat him. There was blood on the skirt of her dress, his blood. Outraged, the guards beat him senseless. Sky tried to stop them but then the Sun of the mourning said her father was looking for her. She left on the condition he'd stop them. He agreed and the beatings stopped. The boy got up and calmly walked away. Time passed and she would think about the boy. She wondered if he was okay. How could he take a beating like that and walk away with a smile? That wasn't normal. She returned to the tree often hoping to see him again. The only person she could talk to about this was her closest friend. One day her father was going to another island to visit a friend and asked if she wanted to come. She wanted to go back to the tree in case he showed up again, but she agreed. The friend was Lord Kalarock. He was supposed to be the next in line for the position of Arklord. But her father was given the seat instead and somehow the two were still Best friends. Their ship was isolated in comparison to the rest of the migrant fleet. There she met his family and the first human she had ever seen. She was the kindest person Skyra had ever met. Despite being surrounded by Arketts, Kalarock's wife was so cheerful. She welcomed her father as if he was a lifelong friend. She had her scars, but her level of kindness was greater than anyone she had ever known. Then she met their son. He was out in the garden tending to some flowers that had come from the lower plain. It was the boy she had been looking for.   She didn't understand why he was so happy despite the persecution he faced daily. She told him that he just didn't want to see his mom cry. She couldn't believe it. He was willing to put up with daily beatings just so long as his family was alright? He was willing to put up with daily beatings and smile about it? Who does something like that? Her father would visit them frequently and Skyra would tag along as often as she could. It still bothered her how submissive he could be. She tried to help him stand up for himself but when push came to shove he accepted it with a smile.   Soon she came of age and the courting began. No one even tried to get to know her, they were all busy wooing her to get closer to her father. either that or wanting to strut around with her like an accessory. Jarock was too dense to see that she cared about him. Time and time again she'd get angry at him and storm away only to feel grief. Then one day he suddenly seemed different. He looked very confused, like he wasn't supposed to be here.   When the other boys went to pick on him, as usual, she stepped out from the alley to give him a hand. Jarock was totally helpless without her! To her astonishment he beat the four boys senseless then lifted their leader by the throat. Since when did he have that kind of strength?! The boys fled from his presence holding themselves. He looked around with a fire in his eyes. A terrifying fire. Skyra stepped back behind the building. He didn't see her and walked down the road standing tall. This couldn't be Jarock. He always watched his feet when he walked, never looking anyone in the eye. Where was that charming innocence? She went home to ask her dad about it. He was also taken aback and decided to visit his old friend. When they met up again the look on Jarock's face was filled with wonder. Like he was seeing her for the first time. His eyes were filled with a joy and sadness she couldn't understand. The way he looked at her made her heart flutter. Unsure how to react she got mad and tried to hit him. He caught her wrist and looked her in the eye. He rarely looked her in the eye, but when he did he would turn away and blush. He didn't turn away. This was Jarock, but he was different. His eyes were like her father's: weary and deep. She tore her hand away and started yelling at him while trying to get ahold of her own feelings. She told him that he was an idiot and couldn't understand why she kept bothering with him. Through it all Jarock only had only one request: for her to take him to the oracle. He promised her that if she did she'd never have to see him again. She felt like her heart was going to break. Why would he make such a promise? Sure he was annoying. His submissive personality agitated her. And his lack of social skills tended to drive her crazy. But she never wanted him to leave. She was upset and confused. In the heat of the moment she agreed, but in her heart she ached. Once they made it to the doors of the oracle Jarock stayed his feet. Still upset she snapped at him asking that this was what he wanted. He looked out over the city and turned to her saying it was all he ever wanted, but it was never his to have. His eyes were full of grief and longing. He kissed her on the cheek, whispered that he was sorry, and closed the door behind him. Skyra was left in a trance. He kissed her. He actually kissed her. He struggled just to hold her hand. Now has the nerve to kiss her without warning?! She pulled on the door to give him a piece of her mind but it was locked. She froze. The only way for that door to lock was if the oracle willed it so. What was going on?! To answer her question a smaller side door creaked open. This was an invitation. She followed the narrow hall until she found a grate to the Oracles chamber. There she found them talking together. They spoke of things she didn't understand at first. They spoke as if they had shared a lifetime together, But she knew they never met till now. Jarock recounted his story. A story of how the world was ending and he somehow was sent back to a younger version of himself. The oracle confirmed his words to be true. As a hybrid who survived passing through the void, he carried a lifetime experience with him. Skyra couldn't believe what she was hearing. The oracle asked if he wished to stay, and even mentioned her as a reason. Jarock's face became filled with grief. He spoke of her with a passion, and a longing she had never seen. How could this Jarock's feelings for her run so deep? He wanted to stay but he had a family back there. From the way he spoke it was clear she wasn't the one waiting for him. This probably hurt her the most. Now more than ever Skyra wanted Jarock back. The real Jarock, her gentle Jarock. Her heart was leaping for joy but there was a sadness. This wasn't her Jarock after all. This one had lived through bloodshed and grief. The oracle instructed him to go to the lower plain. Only then could he set things right. He left and soon after and returned to the lower plane accompanied by Avalon, his family guardian. With Jarock gone she struggled with herself. If the Jarock she saw was from the future, does that mean they won't always be together. She never once considered the possibility. What if her Jarock was already gone forever? No, The Oracle said he would return when this other Jarock left. And the Oracle never lies. The more she thought about it, the more she knew that she didn't want to lose him. He may have annoyed her sometimes, but she cared for him long before she met this older version.   Jarock came back unconscious in his guardian's arms. Skyra personally attended him until he woke up. She kept him in her chambers and warmed him at night. When he woke up he had no recollection of anything that transpired. Skyra threw her arms around him. He was himself again. She never wanted to see him like that again. In her heart she made a promise to stay by his side because she didn't want him to lose that precious innocence. She also wondered how deep his love could run for her. Did those feelings come with time or was it possible he had them even now. The thought would make her blush resulting in the bruising of Jarock's arm. Once the Arketts learned of her actions she was forbidden from ever coming in contact with him again. During that bitter time the Dawnbreaker went missing and Jarock was enlisted into the front lines against the fallen and Arkett extremists. She couldn't have cared less about a stupid sword! Her father would lead Jarock's battalion, but this just worried her even more. The two most important men in her life were leaving and might not come back. After two of the longest months of her life the battalion came back. They were led by the sun of the mourning, one of her more aggressive courters. Jarock was with them, but her father was not. Grief stricken, she locked herself in her room for days. Jarock climbed the tree near her window. She often used this to escape, but now it was his way to reach her. She wanted to be strong. She didn't need to cry because he died with honor. Jarock sat and talked with her on the bed. He told her how her father's last thoughts were of her. Soon she was crying in agony. She didn't care if she was in her sheer nightgown. In that moment she didn't care if anyone heard her. She let herself go in Jarock's arms. She just lost the only family she had left. The next day she went to her father's last testament. The sun of the mourning was there, but there was no sign of Jarock. The testament was presented. Her father's dying wish was for her to be free of all obligations pertaining to marriage and the court. Skyra could not stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks. Jarock was right. Her father cared about her more than the council. She rushed out the room to search for Jarock. She found him in a cell. There she learned about Dawnbreaker, her courter, and the plan to use the terraformers. She helped him escape and gave him a way to return to his family. After promising to find him again she went out to mislead his pursuers. Resolved she returned to her chambers and packed her things. With the Dawnbreaker gone, their plan was stopped. Now she had to help Jarock take it far away where no one could use it. Her father gave her freedom, this is how she would use it. At that moment a guard came with an invitation to an important ceremony. Skyra declined and pushed past him. She went to Jarock's home hooded and cloaked. She found it on fire. Kalarock was lying in rubble with no sign of his wife, son, or guardian. This was the work of sentinels. She helped Kalarock out from the building. They went to the ceremony together and found Jarock chained down in the center of the stadium. The sun of the mourning thrust a gloved fist into Jarock causing him to scream in agony. The two rushed in to stop it but we're beaten down by the guards. The sun of the mourning tore the light from Jarock's chest and raised a sword up to the crowd. Everyone cheered at the sight, then the ground started to shake. Fishers appeared all across the stadium. Fallen came out slashing and tearing anyone in their path. They reached Skyra and Kalarock but never touched them. In the chaos he told her they needed to get the sword back to Jarock. Kalarock rushed to the sword and Skyra tried to get to Jarock. Between the crowd and the fighting there wasn't a way over to him. She climbed up a wall to better find a path but what she saw was horrible. Kalarock was mortally wounded by the sun of the mourning. He broke his grip on the sword and rushed to his son's side. The sun of the mourning tried to give chase but was thwarted by the crowd and the fallen. Jarock was writhing in agony. His body was undergoing some kind of transformation. From the wall it looked like he was becoming a fallen. Skyra tried to get to him but his father made it there first. Jarock broke free of his bonds and lunged at the people. His father intercepted him and was wounded. Not as severe as the first but still enough. Kalarock restored Dawn breaker to him and held him close. There was a bright light and the stadium basin was destroyed. The only ones caught in the blast were Jarock, Kalarock, and the fallen.   The Arketts grieved at the loss of the Dawn Breaker, and cursed the hybrid for its existence.   Even though they were gone she knew Jarock was at least alive. Somehow she just knew. The sun of the mourning continued to court her, but she could never forgive or forget what he had done. Soon after she was summoned by the oracle. The oracle revealed that the hybrid was alive. Skyra was appointed a Seeker. A representative of the Arkett high counsel who would go forth to retrieve the lost relic.   When rumors spread of Etherion readings below she knew it had to be him. She left for the lower plain and began her search. She had to find him before her people did otherwise the world would burn. Soon she became known as the Wandering Maiden. Without a way to properly track Jarock she would chase stories and rumors, anything pertaining to a boy with a marked hand. Her character ark is a representation of the Arketts opening their hearts to humans. At first she didn't trust them, feared them, occasionally even hated them. But in her travels and her search for Jarock she must make a choice between what her people are, and what they could become with the humans.