"In the beginning, before even the wellspring of creation spurred life into the world there was nothing. An endless void of nothing was all that was known to the world. But then God, the Curator, descended from a greater plane of existence and began to carve out from nothingness void into something. From his fingertips he flung milky drops of creation which he use to plaster the skies in, creating the sun, moon, and stars, and in his benevolence created our cradle. From the barren rock he used his great staff and hands and carved the oceans, mountains, valleys, and the many more wonderous sights of the world which we now enjoy the bounty of his creation. At the sight of the barren earth the Curator cried tears of mana and water onto the world, filling the many oceans and rivers we have today. From the deepest depths of the oceans the mana laid dormant before giving birth to fishes, worms, and many different types of life which names we have long forgotten. From these first living beings they spread and populated the oceans, eventually arising from the great azure onto the lands we now walked. From these first beings to stride they became a myriad of different bugs, reptiles, and all manner of animals. Then from one of these beings became the first humans. From these first humans they explored and spread the world and eventually became the plethora of human cousins we now share this cradle with-"

  "There you go again Darna, always finding something to implicate that us Flugels are not of divine origin"

  "That was not my intent Espa, I was merely recounting a creation story I found in my library that had piqued my interest, nothing more."

  "And yet you just happen to bring that one topic up again and again, perhaps you've also gone mad looking into those books and stories that you, and the rest of the new flugels, horde in your libraries. You do know that a Flugel's library is meant to hold important objects? like-"

  "Yeah 'important' objects like stolen human relics and specimens you old bunch so graciously suspend in your preservation bubbles, so important and so civil to steal from people who are no different than us"

  "They hold more importance than whatever ink and paper you cling onto as 'important.' Maybe if Ljot wasn't also on the council and had pushed her own agenda maybe Flugels like you would learn to appreciate what our tradition upholds. If you weren't on the council, Darna, you would be stru-"

  "Hey! What's going on between you two?" asked Ljot playfully, walking in suddenly on the two. A quick silence simmered.

  "We were-" Darna spoke up before being cut of by Espa

  "We were simply talking about unimportant things. Why are you here now Ljot?"

  "Well" Ljot reassuring herself "I had a feeling you two would be here, magnificent isn't it?"

  "Well its no different than the numerous rooms you've ordered to be rebuilt in this derelict place, though your efforts to restore this ancient site is commendable."

  "Thank you for the flattery but its not necessary. These are amongst the last of the derelict sites we have discovered so far in these lands of ours. They contain secrets which, I must admit to no offense to you or to the others, are incomprehensible to us; even with the world's knowledge mostly at our hands."

  "That maybe so, but in due time we'll uncover these 'secrets' just as we have for the rest of these sites. Though that doesn't matter, they share the same similarities we have seen with the other civilizations that have come and went in the distant past. We can easily build links to them with the other ones that share the same nature; its a process we've done for hundreds of years at this point Ljot. This old Flugel site is no different"

  "You're right about that. They all connect to each other so seamlessly that it amazes me how interconnected Human generations are to each other. Civilization after civilization are related as they rise and fa-"

  "How about the Solarian Sites?" Darna interjected in-between Espa's and Ljot's discussion.

  A tense silence engulf the space between the three. A palpable stoppage of discussion had ushered its uncomfortable presence in the room. For a good moment of time it seemed as if these three powerful beings, descending of Flugel lineage which are amongst the most 'gift' of the human species, had been pinned by that sole mention of a singular word which has lost all its current meaning but holds an ancient and sacred unease; as if one who had spent all their time looking into the wells of knowledge had finally seen their own twisted reflection in its cold waters. A word whose value has been lost to the unending and merciless march of time but whose weight carries that of a venerable respect that even those who do not know its meaning are pressed against its ancient authority. Solaria. A name, a word, a sound, a nothing. So-Lar-E-A. Four simple articulations of the mouth that are able to invoke the power it once held but no longer; a word whose existence was above law and order, triumphing such abstract concepts as it was spoke it became its own conqueror. So. Lar. E. A. Eventually Espa spoke.

  "Those sites do not exist. Because 'Solarian' is a blanket term for any site we have found and have not built a record as to who they are related to. Darna, out of all people, you should understand how and why civilizations rise and fall. You've looked into the outside world far more than any Flugel, aside from the radicals, and seeing how much you like their cultures and understanding how their cultures and people came to be. Solarian sites are that. abnormalities whose origins cannot be connected to even the most earliest of peoples or of any other peoples as well. Humans. Nekomimis. Elves. Dwarves. Onis. Draconis. All the rest of them. They do not share anything with these abnormal sites at all! They are out of place anomalies and nothing more!" Espa ended, catching her breath. Espa's words would permeate the room, filling every crevasse with its passion and anger; a rare occurrence from a typically quite and reserved but stalwart Flugel. Words of raw emotion and logic.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  "Sorry. However that's the truth of the Solarian sites. A classification we've given to abnormalities. That's it." Espa followed up calmly, composing herself.

  "Well why have we found similarities between the different Solarian sites?" Darna perked up after allowing Espa to fix herself. "The structures that compose them share a rough match between each other, we've even proven that some of the materials and even the few artifacts we've retrieved are roughly the same in design. Could it be then tha-"

  "I know what you're going to suggest Espa" Ljot softly interjected "and we've looked into that possibility, but we haven't been able to prove that idea yet. Your line of thoughts do bare merit but in truth its almost impossible for any of the Solarian sites to be related without some major problems presenting themselves. Of the discovered Solarian sites they have been separated by vast distances that, even assuming they had a basic understand of magic, would be impossible for them to be interconnected. The idea of these Solarian sites being part of nomads also doesn't bear any fruit. The construct of their structures are so immense that it would not make any sense for even the most nomadic of peoples. No theory we currently hold would be able to explain these sites at all."

  "I see. Thank you for your insight Ljot. I appreciate it." Darna said

  "You're most welcome my dear Darna" Ljot responded in an elegant yet playful manner

  "Well, we got side tracked, what is the real reason you came here Ljot? you were clearly trying to find us for something, what is it?" Espa asked

  "Right, my apologies, I'm here to inform you two that the council is in a bit of crisis at this current moment and we need all members to head back to Flugelslied immediately." Ljot told the two of them.

  "The 23 wings council? The council is always in a crisis over something minute like petty quarrels between Flugels or some administration issues with Himmelstadt, and a good number of them don't even show up in the first place, what problem is so severe that it warrants all members to be present?" Espa half jokingly said.

  "The Birds of Prey are calling this meeting with the council."

  An expression of shock and surprise consumed Espa's reserved face. Darna looked at Ljot with a face of fear at the mention of that name. The two of them didn't say a word, or even moved in that regard; just processing what Ljot had said and trying to make sense of it. Flugels. The most gifted of all human brothers. Picking a direct fight with a flugel is a ticket to an early grave. Having an understanding of magic beyond that of even the most advanced magic societies that exist currently. Not only in their societal progress but also in individual progress are they more advanced than the average man. The typical flugel has more resources than even entire kingdoms, being able to use them freely at the whim of their discretion; they hold a lofty existence. Even in their biology they are gifted; living incredibly long lives that outlive even generations of Humans. The flugel, in all sense, is the epitome of all that humanity has strived for. Yet a few select group of these people had eclipsed the standards and have risen to a point of power that even the most above-average Flugel dreads their names in fear. The Birds of Prey. Mythological even in Flugel society, and seldom mentioned in the inner circles of the 23 wings. Their name carries authority and power even amongst Flugels.

  "I understand, shall we go now?" Espa responded after a good moment of recomposing

  "Yes, let's quickly head back to Flugelslied. Darna?" Ljot said, turning towards her

  "R-right, let's go." words which quietly escaped from Darna's mouth

  The three walked through the immense corridor of forgotten words and symbols, reaching an open porch that leads to the open world. A grand platform embroidered with cut stones in the shape of objects that are half-remembered. Ljot had extended her wings, a graceful medley of feathers fluttering in the calm wind, before conjuring an immense magical force from her hands and feet; now levitating a few feet above the ground.

  "Come, let's head there as fast as possible. Last one there has to deal with Himmelstadt Flugels for a sun!" Ljot said to Darna and Espa in a child-like challenge before turning around tilting forward before being carried off into the air with immense speed; her wings spread like that of birds and from her hands and feet came a powerful force that propelled her through the skies.

  "Oh, you'll be the one dealing with those degenerates!" Espa responded to her loudly in a perky manner before also ascending in the same manner that Ljot did.

  Darna stood there for a few brief seconds, still composing herself at the mention of the Birds of Prey, before ascending like Ljot and Darna had. With devilish speed the three Flugels cut through the air in their flight. Ljot and Espa were constantly trying to get ahead one another in an attempt to be the first to reach Flugelslied before the other. Darna, however, kept a steady pace behind the other two as her mind was on the story she was telling Espa before being interrupted and distracted. In her mind, whilst flying, recounts the other half of the story she was trying tell before being interrupted:

  ...They spread around the earth in great numbers, populating every piece of land that the earth held barren; only in the domain of nature. In these early years they fought savagely against one another, brother against brother, sister against sister, man against man. Yet from the cruel crucible of man's violence a few of them escaped this cycle and rose above the tribes; forming the first societies. From these first societies formed civilizations, from civilizations to empires, from empires to hegemons. They ruled with immense power, and for a people who had only emerged from the soup of nature they had grand ideals; immature ideals. Having cultivated the might of gods they destroyed themselves in immense wars and identity crises as they desperately held onto their hegemony and rule, desperately clinging onto what they had built; but an effort done too little and too late. These people would be thrown back into the crucible of violence; Their paradise being lost. From these people they would wander and be cycled back into the era of tribes and savagery before once again emerging and building these societies; this time the crucible had hardened man and their societies would no longer be thrown completely back into that era of darkness. That is how man and its cousins came to be into this age. But as we escaped we have also forgotten the mistakes of the past; if we forgot then we are doomed to repeat it. Never again should we be ushered back into an era of darkness. Never again back into its ceaseless cruelty. Never again should a tragedy like that ever happen. Never again."

  Darna ponders what the last portion of the story meant before her mind wanders off; occupied by the thought of the issue that was so important that it forced the Birds of Prey to assemble all 23 flugels of the council.