Tributes | An-Yue & Olympia: Galyx Tribute | Architect

Chapter 1:

The towering oaks cast rippling shadows across the forest floor as Dyera wandered among them, his footsteps muffled by the thick blanket of leaves. He breathed in the earthy scents of moss and pine, a balm for his mind. This was his sanctuary, the one place he felt at peace.

 

Away from the clamor of the estate, Dyera could embrace his true self - a gentle dreamer more at home among the ancient trees than in the company of people. He ran his fingers over the rough bark of an oak, taking comfort in its solidity. The woods held no expectations or wants of him.

 

A squirrel chittered, breaking the stillness.

 

Dyera glanced up, catching a glimpse of its fluffy tail as it disappeared into the branches. Though he had no friends, the stillness here accepted him in a way people never could.

 

"If only you could speak," The white-haired boy murmured.

 

He pictured himself sitting on a sun-dappled log, having a conversation with the squirrel or the wise old owl that roosted nearby. In his imagination, the animals spoke, and he understood their language as clearly as the human tongue. But reality was different. Dyera sighed, his slender shoulders slumping.

 

As the sun sank below the treetops, he turned back the way he'd come. It was time to return to the world of men and women, with their inscrutable rules and expectations.

 

He trudged up the winding path from the woods, his feet heavy. In the distance, he could see the village that bordered his family's estate. Laughter drifted on the evening breeze as children played tag in the cobblestone square. He paused, watching.

 

A girl with flowers woven into her braids gave a playful shriek as she dodged a boy's outstretched hands. The boy laughed and changed course, chasing a different child now. They all looked so carefree, faces flushed with exertion and delight.

 

Dyera's heart ached. He wanted to join them, but fear held him back. What if they rejected him as odd or dull? Back home, his few attempts at friendship had ended poorly. The other children misread his quiet nature as snobbery and teased him for it.

 

He didn't know why he couldn't be as boisterous and loud as his peers. Sure he got a little loud when he was excited and talking to his sister about something that interested him, but he found it hard to do the same in the company of others he didn't know.

 

And they found it just as hard to be patient with him long enough to forge that connection.

 

He was stumped.

 

"There you are!"

 

Dyera turned to see Indra hurrying up the path, her boots splattered in mud. His sister gave him a relieved smile, her matching grey eyes gentle.

 

"I've been looking everywhere for you, little brother. Come along now, we have guests arriving soon."

 

Dyera nodded, allowing Indra to steer him toward home. As they walked, he recounted his latest adventures, describing each new discovery. Indra listened attentively, asking questions now and then. With her, Dyera found conversation and connection easy.

 

But he knew tonight's dinner would be another night of awkward stilting conversations and wayward glances. Indra had likely planned another of her well-meaning attempts to give him a chance at normalcy...

 

-----------------------------

 

Dyera once again followed the winding forest path, leaves crunching underfoot. The canopy of trees overhead filtered the sunlight into dappled patterns on the ground.

 

A flash of silvery-black in the underbrush caught his eye. Curious, he left the path, picking his way carefully through the ferns and brambles. As he drew nearer, he saw it was a stryx, larger than he had ever seen, its wings folded awkwardly against its body. Fresh wounds marred its skin, still oozing dark blood. The stryx watched him warily with piercing sapphire eyes.

 

Dyera felt a pang of sadness for the creature. He had seen stryx flying high above the forests near his home, but never this close. The poor thing must be in terrible pain. Moving slowly so as not to startle it, Dyera reached into his satchel and pulled out a strip of dried meat left over from his lunch.

 

"It's alright," he said softly. "I want to help you."

 

The stryx eyed the meat hungrily but made no move to take it. Dyera tossed the meat to land near its face. After a tense moment, the animal snatched the morsel and gulped it down.

 

Encouraged, Dyera took a step closer. "My name is Dyera. I can bring you more food, treat your injuries. Will you let me?"

 

The stryx blinked slowly at him, weary and guarded.

 

The dragon-bird made no response, but neither did she shy away as Dyera approached. He crouched down and held out a hand. The stryx watched him for a long moment before lowering her head and allowing him to gently stroke her neck.

 

Her feathers were softer than he imagined.

 

"I wonder if you have a name," he murmured.

 

Over the next few days, Dyera devoted all his spare time to caring for the injured stryx. Each morning before lessons, he would sneak down to the kitchens and snag scraps of meat and bone to bring to her. After his lessons, he hurried to where she rested in the clearing with salves and bandages taken from their med cabinet.

 

At first, Olympia was wary, but Dyera was patient. He spoke to her constantly in a calm, soothing voice as he cleaned and dressed her wounds, about anything and everything that came to mind. When he was done, he would sit nearby and read aloud from his books, or sometimes he'd strum a tune on his lute.

 

Gradually, Olympia grew accustomed to his presence. She began to anticipate his arrival, her eyes lighting up when he appeared through the trees. Dyera was delighted with her progress. The afternoon sun slanted through the leaves as he read to her from his favorite epic. He paused as a shadow fell across the page. Looking up, he saw Olympia standing over him, her neck arched in a graceful curve.

 

Tentatively, he reached up a hand. After a moment's hesitation, the stryx lowered her head and pressed it against his palm.

 

"My name is Olympia. It's nice to meet you, child."

 

Dyera's eyes widened in surprise. He had heard tales of stryx possessing the ability to speak telepathically with humans, but he never imagined he would experience it himself.

 

"You can talk!" he exclaimed. Olympia let out a trilling cry that resembled laughter.

 

"I'm a bit surprised myself. Usually humans can't understand us and we can only communicate in telepathic images. You have a rare gift." she replied, her voice resonating inside Dyera's mind.

 

A delighted grin spread across the boy's face.

 

From there on, two only grew closer. Dyera would chat with Olympia as he tended to her, telling her of his hopes and dreams. In turn, she shared wisdom gathered over centuries of life. A comforting sense of belonging blossomed within Dyera. Here in the woods with Olympia, he needn't pretend to be someone he wasn't.

 

The stryxess became his confidante.

 

His sister was often left wondering where it was that he snuck off to, but let him be so he could have his own space. She knew how much he loved the woods, but she also thought him too young to be dealing with and handling stryx just yet. She would often let him groom and feed her own tyto, Khione, but he knew she would never approve of him getting close to, let alone sitting next to, a wild stryx like Olympia.

 

So it was his secret.

 

When the day came that Olympia took flight once more, tears of joy stung Dyera's eyes. Circling overhead, her feathers glimmered like stars against the dusk sky.

 

"Thank you, my friend," her voice whispered in his mind.

 

"No, thank you," Dyera whispered back. For the first time, he understood what it was like to have a real friend.

 

Dyera watched as Olympia soared higher, her massive wings beating steadily. He knew she would be leaving soon, returning to her life in the wild. A pang of sadness pierced his heart, but also joy in knowing he had helped her recover.

 

As the first stars appeared in the darkening sky, Olympia let out a piercing cry. The haunting sound echoed through the forest.

 

"Don't be sad. I'll be sure to visit you again."

 

Dyera only smiled.

 

Olympia climbed higher and glided away over the trees. Dyera watched the stryx until she was just a tiny speck, finally disappearing into the night.

 

Turning back towards home, Dyera felt a new lightness in his step. If he remained friends with Olympia, perhaps he didn't need to stress so hard about connecting with other people.

[1,482 words]

 

Chapter 2:

The forest was cloaked in a heavy mist as Dyera walked beside Olympia, his bare feet sinking into the mossy earth. Shafts of morning light filtered through the canopy above, catching on Olympia's blue-gray plumage.

 

"I can't believe Indra still refuses to let me ride," Dyera said, his words tinged with frustration. Though his studies progressed well, his sister remained stubbornly opposed to him taking to the skies. "Khione is her personal stryx and the kindest one I know!"

 

Olympia chuffed, a raspy laugh, and nudged the boy with her feathered head. "Perhaps if you didn't sneak off so often, she'd have less cause for concern," she remarked, her voice resonating in Dyera's mind. 

 

Dyera sighed, knowing she spoke the truth. He opened his mouth to respond but Olympia suddenly halted, her head cocked. "Ah, she's here now," the stryx murmured. She lifted her wings in greeting as another stryx emerged from the mist.

 

This new arrival was smaller and slimmer than Olympia, with a coat of shimmering night-blue feathers that reminded Dyera of twilight. The mysterious stryxess dipped her head shyly as she approached.

 

"Dyera, meet An-Yue," Olympia introduced. "She is a dear friend of mine."

 

Dyera stared into An-Yue's striking amber eyes and sensed the curiosity peering back.  "Hello," he said softly.

 

An-Yue blinked slowly. "Hello young one," came her musical reply within his thoughts.

 

A smile spread across Dyera's face. The forest held endless mysteries, but meeting An-Yue was a treasure.

 

----------------------------

 

The trio set off deeper into the misty woods, following a winding dirt path through the ancient trees. Olympia took the lead, her keen senses guiding them. Dyera walked beside An-Yue, stealing glances at her exotic plumage. The feathers along her neck and wings flickered an iridescent blue-violet in the dappled sunlight.

 

"I'm not sure what the humans call this area, but we call this the Whispering Wood," An-Yue explained, her voice rippling through Dyera's mind. She gestured with a wing towards the gently swaying branches. "Can you hear the trees speaking?"

 

Dyera listened closely to the creaks and groans of the wood. "I think I hear them." As he concentrated, the sounds seemed to form into a soft susurrus, like voices murmuring just out of earshot.

 

Olympia paused and craned her neck towards a knotted oak. "Ah, Old Gnarl has quite the tale today," she remarked. To Dyera's surprise, a series of creaks emanated from the tree, almost as if in response.

 

An-Yue trilled, a lyrical sound. "The trees know much, if you care to listen," she chirped.

 

Dyera walked over and placed a hand on Old Gnarl's rough bark. He felt a subtle warmth from within. "I wish I could understand," he said wistfully.

 

Olympia nudged his shoulder affectionately. "In time, perhaps you will." 

 

The trio continued on in a comfortable silence. Dyera felt at peace surrounded by these ageless living spirits and their muted whispers.

 

Dyera's reverie was broken by the distant shouts and laughter of children. He glanced over his shoulder, catching glimpses of the village children playing in the meadow just beyond the edge of the woods. A pang of loneliness pierced his heart.

 

"What troubles you, human child?" Olympia asked. She had noticed the subtle droop in Dyera's shoulders and the way his gaze lingered on the kids.

 

"It's just...I wish I could join them," Dyera confessed. "But they think I'm odd. Too quiet, too weird."

 

An-Yue tilted her head. "You seem perfectly fine to me. What matters is what's in here," she said, lightly tapping Dyera's chest with her beak.

 

"I know. But it gets lonely sometimes, being so different," Dyera said with a sigh. He leaned against Olympia's side, taking comfort in her warmth. She draped a wing over him protectively. 

 

"You'll always have us," Olympia murmured.

 

Dyera managed a small smile. "I'm actually really glad I've met the two of you." And it was true - their friendship meant the world to him. Still, a part of him yearned for connection beyond the forest.

 

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, Dyera found himself torn between the laughter of the village children and the whispering breeze of his dear companions. For now, the woods called to him more strongly, but the loneliness lingered.

 

Dyera reached into his satchel and pulled out his lute, running his fingers gently over the strings. A soothing melody filled the glen as he began to play, weaving a song of belonging and connection. Olympia swayed her head slowly to the music while An-Yue listened with rapt attention.

 

As the last notes faded, a new song picked up as his fingers barely grazed the strings.

 

An-Yue spread her wings and took to the air in a burst of color and motion. She flew in sweeping arcs and spirals, diving and rolling with aerobatic grace. The setting sun caught her feathers, igniting them into a kaleidoscope of fiery hues.

 

Inspired, Olympia launched herself skyward to join An-Yue. Together they danced and twirled, painting abstract art against the darkening sky. Dyera watched in awe, fingers flying over the strings of his lute in a spit of inspiration. His often got in trouble with his tutor for straying away from the music sheets, but he found it easier and had more fun when he let the music overtake him. He began to play once more, composing the melody on the spot to match the rhythm of their flight.

 

The stryx looped around each other, mirroring each other's movements as if they could read one another's minds. Dyera's music guided them, rising and falling with their elaborate performance. In that moment, human and stryx were in perfect harmony, three kindred spirits coming together through song and dance.

 

As the last shimmering rays of sunlight faded, An-Yue and Olympia glided back to earth.

 

"That was beautiful." Dyera had a boyish grin. "Thank you."

[989 words]

 

Chapter 3:

The sun crept over the horizon, spilling golden light across the forest canopy. Dyera sat with his back against the rough bark of an ancient oak, eyes closed as he listened to the birdsong that echoed through the trees. A gentle breeze ruffled his white hair and he inhaled deeply, taking in the earthy scents of the woods he loved so dearly.

 

The snap of a twig interrupted his thoughts and he opened his eyes to see An-Yue approaching, her steps light and near-silent. A smile touched Dyera's lips. Of all the people in his life, An-Yue, a wild stryx, seemed to understand him best. As children, they had spent countless hours exploring the forest, An-Yue's curiosity and thirst for adventure perfectly complimenting Dyera's quiet introspection. A special kinship had formed between them. 

 

An-Yue settled beside him, shifting her dark wings. "I thought I'd find you out here," she said.

 

Before Dyera could respond, a great shadow passed overhead. Olympia landed gracefully beside them, folding her large wings. The stryx inclined her head in greeting, blue eyes studying them.

 

Though initially wary, a deep bond had formed between Olympia and Dyera over time.

 

Dyera smiled at his two dear friends. "I'm glad you're both here. I was beginning to think you forgot about me."

 

An-Yue and Olympia exchanged a knowing look. It was no secret that Dyera often retreated to the forest to avoid the bustle and expectations that came with his family's noble status.

 

"Dyera," An-Yue began gently, "Olympia and I were talking. We know how the forest soothes your spirit."

 

Dyera nodded, intrigued.

 

"You've helped us so much for our tributes so far, we'd love to repay the favor by contributing our third and last tribute to you." Olympia preened.

 

"We want to build you your own private retreat, hidden deep in the woods near your family's estate," An-Yue continued. "A place just for you, where you can go to reflect and recharge. How does that sound?"

 

"Because Galyx is the architect of all creation, it'd only be right that we build you something this time in tribute."

 

Dyera's eyes widened in surprise. Then a broad smile spread across his face. "Woah really?! That's such a cool idea! I can already see it."

 

His mind raced with possibilities - a cozy hut tucked against a rocky outcropping and surrounded by trees, sunlight filtering through the canopy above. A bubbling stream nearby, the musical chatter of water over stone. Thick furs and woven blankets for warmth. Glowing orbs of light spells to illuminate the interior. A clearing overhead to gaze at the stars.

 

It would be perfect. Secluded and serene, a sanctuary only he and his friends would know about. Dyera threw his arms around An-Yue and Olympia.

 

Dyera could hardly contain his excitement as they ventured into the forest to begin construction on his private retreat. An-Yue had gathered an array of materials - fallen branches, vines, large leaves, clay, and stones. Olympia's sharp beak and talons made quick work of interweaving the branches and vines into the frame of the small hut.

 

Dyera gathered clay and stones to form the base of the retreat. He hummed happily as he worked, shaping the clay into bricks and stacking them neatly. Nearby, An-Yue was busy weaving large fronds and leaves into a makeshift roof.

 

As the day wore on, their vision took shape. The hut was tucked against a rocky outcropping, surrounded by tall trees that provided shade and seclusion. A small stream burbled nearby, adding a soothing soundtrack to the scene.

 

When the exterior was complete, they turned their attention inside. Dyera carefully lined the floor with furs and blankets, creating a soft nest. An-Yue conjured glowing orbs that floated gently near the ceiling, bathing the hut in a warm light. Olympia contributed an assortment of musical instruments - a hand drum, pan flutes, and the boy's beloved stringed lute.

 

In the ceiling, they left a large opening to allow stargazing at night. Dyera stood back and admired their handiwork. It was perfect - a serene escape from the bustle of daily life. Somewhere he could retreat and recharge, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the comfort of friendship.

 

"It's amazing," he said, voice full of awe. "Better than I imagined. Thank you both, for everything."

 

An-Yue and Olympia smiled. "Of course, we were happy to do it!"

 

Dyera settled into the cozy hut, leaning back against a pile of blankets as he gazed up at the night sky through the open ceiling. The dazzling expanse of stars never failed to make him feel small, yet connected to something bigger.

 

This had to have been what Galyx wished everyone would realize sooner or later.

 

The hut was too small to fit one stryx, let alone both, so they lingered in the clearing, resting happily after their work.

 

As he sat there, Dyera reflected on the unexpected friendships that had led him to this moment. He thought back to when he first met An-Yue and Olympia. At the time, he had struggled to connect with the other village children, feeling out of place with his quiet, thoughtful nature. The boisterous games and chatter had overwhelmed his senses.

 

Yet An-Yue and Olympia had seen past his shyness to the sensitive soul underneath. An-Yue, with her patient wisdom, had drawn him out with her clever tricks and spells. And Olympia, once wary, had come to accept Dyera after seeing the kindness and respect he offered all living things.

 

Together, they had shown Dyera that true friendship comes not from forcing connections, but from finding those rare souls who understand you as you are. An-Yue and Olympia embraced his differences; with them, Dyera never had to pretend to be someone else.

 

He thought too of his sister Indra, who loved him unconditionally. She never pressured him to socialize more or be more outgoing. Instead, she created a safe, loving home where Dyera could just be himself.

 

These connections were deeper and more meaningful than any bonds Dyera could have forged with the other village children. For they accepted the real Dyera - thoughtful, sensitive, and attuned to the subtle patterns of the natural world. He realized how lucky he was to have such true friends.

 

------------------------------------

 

Olympia gazed up at the woodland retreat, proud of what they had built for the small human.

 

They had crafted this haven just for Dyera, a place where he could feel at one with the forest. The retreat embodied their compassion - they knew this was where Dyera felt most himself.

 

As they rested, the fluttering of small opalescent moth drew An-Yue's attention. She gave her companion a nudge who in turn also watched as the moth fluttered in lazy loops, circling around their heads before dancing into the sky.

 

There wasn't a question in their minds that Galyx had given them their last and final sign.

[1,162 words]