Summer was upon them. It was her favorite season, and little would keep the Sun Daughter homebound even during the most unforgiving heat that the seasons had to offer. With a body that perpetually burned hot like the fires she could control, Israfel found the intense rays of the sun invigorating. The burn upon her nimble spine, across every supple muscle and ounce of flesh, upon every gilded feather, the intense warmth would always be welcome…

And what better way to spend her summer than roaming the lands she helped to keep safe? The lands she had grown to love and cherish in her years after rebirth?

A trip to Solterra, to feel the worst of it, a rogue thought supplied, and a sardonic grin pulled at the Regent’s rose-kissed lips and her eyes glittered mischievously in the sunlight, Maybe a brothel, if Novus had one…A trip to the east might be worth it. Surely there was some sort of ‘place of ill repute’ in Denocte, right?

She wouldn’t put it past them.

Solaris soared overhead, the large ivory Phoenix gliding lazily along the rather stagnant breeze. It offered little relief from the warmth that had already grasped the land despite how early it was in the day as Novus quickly drowned in sweat, the water levels dropping and grasses growing yellow and brittle as the world slowly shriveled. Israfel knew she would need to take great care where and when she used her magic, lest they have more wildfires on their hands this year.

A faintly sung song on the breeze caught one pale ear and Israfel paused mid-step, keen eyes of burning vermilion scanning the landscape of her Kingdom. She frowned, brows furrowing, spotting on the horizon a black stain. The Sun Daughter sniffed hard, scenting the air, but the breeze carried the other direction and gave no indication who the individual might be.

Israfel paused, mulling it over. Come to think of it the number of solid-black creatures in Novus were slim and far between, and most of them were of the, in her opinion, wretched Night Court. So who could this be? A lost wanderer? A new face? Or neither, a soul delivering nothing but trouble?

Pressing on, the Regent stalked towards the black shape that ambled on the horizon, her steps a casual sashay as nimble, graceful legs pulled her along with confident, cocksure strides. The song ended, and the stranger remained too far for her to hear the lyrics as the words died in the breeze, carried off to be heard only by the spirits that lingered here. A pity. Whoever this individual was, they could sing a beautiful tune. Their voice was surely nothing like the dulcet baritone that Israfel’s own was.

“Lost?” She drawled out at last once she was close enough, knowing that the stranger had surely heard her approach. Shoulders rolling back, chest raising, head cocked to the side with a brow raised, Israfel watched the dark-colored stranger from a few paces back, standing tall and proud amidst a flammable field. Solaris continued to linger above them, circling now, a vulture of mirrored ivory and gold to her chosen child’s own.

A slow, lazy smile pulled at the Regent's rose-kissed lips as insects began to buzz around them, drawn by sweat and heat. "Haven't seen you around before."


@Arizona <3