The forest itself was alive and humming with energy and life. Never silent; constantly in motion. Birds overhead flitted about and chattered with much enthusiasm to anyone in earshot. The leaves afoot were shuffling about by the precense of a simple squirrel. The ancient trees sheltered the forest floor from light and vegetation. All within fell into rhythm with ease.

The camp was small, quiet, and impossible to find for outsiders. A few bedrolls, a fire, and five massive Fae, towering over the flames, were speaking to one another softly. All were male, aside from a single female, significantly smaller than her hulking brethren. As the sun was setting, they were finishing their small meal for the night. It would have to do for the next few days, until they reached Akhben. Much to their dislike, it was a massive, crowded, stinking city that was overpopulated with humans. Not a soul knew of the Fae, knew they truly existed anymore, and they had to quietly preserve this vigil.

The largest of the males, a brutish, terrifying beast, raised his head to the sky, stretching his neck and shoulders with a mighty toss of his head. His companions didn't even look up to see the strength, the life, and the glory in his simple movements.
"Feran." his voice very much suited his appearance. "You can't possibly consider it. If we are to speak with this man, we must do so very carefully."

Another male Fae, this one small and slim, met his gaze with a disappointed grin. Feran had wished to use violence if necessary, but he seemed largely outnumbered, recieving all frowns of disapproval.

The 4 hour lecture ended for the young student with the teacher send him out angrily.
“In the hive structure, various species have adapted themselves perfectly to befit their area of expertise.”
“Eh… sir? Actually, are you certain they are not clones from a mold?“
The professor was infuriated.
“Fires, psychology and stones are what make the fundaments of this class, young man! There’s no place for alternative magics of any sort. “
Kogens sighed. “I guess there’s no point in fighting the hivemind of this class.”
The professor sighed. “You know the way to the headmasters office. Might I suggest you bring him a cup of tea as you go there?”
Kogens rolled his eyes. He cared little for the professor.
Kogens gathered his belongings. He knew the way to the headmasters office all too well.
“Out the door, turn left, keep walking down the hall, reach the reception area, get the coffee, turn left again, keep walking till you reach the stairs and go to the top floor. There’s only one door there, so you can’t miss it.“
He chanted silently as he performed all of the mandatory formalities that would not prevent him from getting suspended, again. It didn’t help much that he was the best of his class because he always managed to only pass the very last and hardest of hardened science tests.

The old man frowned. “It seems you have been to metallurgy class again. What did you suggest this time?” The man was in his late 40’s. The grey in his hair accentuated his expressively wrinkled features. His frown was not something Kogens could be intimidated by. With a smile on his face Kogens replied: “I just brought you some coffee. I also.. may have suggested that hive-creatures are clones.”
The headmaster laughed. It had become a longstanding joke. The headmaster would act like he gave him a tough time. But Kogens enjoyed the time out of class. The headmaster mentioned how there was no way Kogens would ever graduate because he was simply ahead of his time. Today, Kogens was presented with a different opportunity.
“The military. You would enter as a late-time engineer. After a few days of meet and greet you’ll be sent to R&D. At least this way you don’t spend your time slogging away at some salty professors desk.”
Kogens pointed to the headmaster. “Yeeaah, now we’re talking! Had been looking for something more interesting.”
The headmaster raised an eyebrow.
“Just remember to keep your head down these last few days. The academy might support your decision making, but if that teacher gets you suspended one more time, you’re done for. So go out there and don’t you show your face around here again!”
The door slammed. “Finally free.” Kogens said to himself. He made his way to his dorm and opened his diary. “Finally, I knew this day would come!” The young man scribbled away at his notes for hours to come.

As the Fae settled into a restless sleep for the night, the small, female Fae took the first watch. She sat upon a large boulder overseeing their small camp and the forest beyond. Her form, however thin, was lean and weathered with ancient grace. Her facial features were heavily cultured; her heart-shaped face adorned with high-set cheek bones, a pointed nose, and angular, sharp eyes. She was unusually beautiful, in a sense that her beauty was beyond that of a mortal's capacity.

Sitting cross legged, she sat up with her eyes closed, and pointed ears pricked. Though both her vision and sight were formidably sensitive, she could easily shut off one such sense and depend completely on the other. Not to neglect her sense of smell, either, as it picked up any changes that the breeze carried.

The night went on quietly.

The young boy wandered the city for the hours he got out of class. Wobbling his feet through town, he wrapped his hands behind his neck and gently hummed to himself. Every street he crossed, he would look back. Candles in windows greeted him with a cool smile as he wandered past. It would not be long before his stroll reached the gates and the bridge. Not that he ever paid much attention to anything outside of the complex technical detailed mechanics of magic, but such primitive defenses were between him and the absolute freedom of a foolish child.

Though the wind razed passed him, nearly knocking him over, catching the last of shrubbery plants falling of Mr. Wins cart. "Ah, the young aspiring hero, are you?" Kogens memory served him a portion of vile words exclaimed in his general direction by a grey, grumpy madman. A slithering blade whipped insult after insult. Word for word Kogens could predict what would be next. A cloaked flail later, dashing feet made way to cobbling rivers adorned by a forrest of tremendous grace.

"Kogens!" A high tone, a gentle reminder. Smells of roses filled the boys nose. What delicate a flower must have produced it, that it is seated on this beautiful a feminine frame. A timeless hourglass balancing on life-giving curves, followed by strong and gentle extensions. Gloriously, her shape could only lead to a desire, resistable only by the goodheartedness with which she treated her fellow people.
Kogens would be hers, if only she was looking at boys.
"Yes?" a brutish sound in perfect contrast of what adressing he recieved.
"You forgot to return your shrubbery." An honest smile appeared on her face. "But i still have it right here." Lifting up the little green bush, a few thoughts flashed through his mind. Would there be magic inside a plant? Fire burns because of it, so there has to be something in there. Being so deeply lost in thought, the young man was awoken by sweet music in the undertone of a soft voice "... for me?" Eyes and ears opened, Kogens fell in love all over again. The entire street was lighted, though she and him were the only ones, starring in eachothers eyes. Those big, beautiful green eyes. "Ya.. ye.. For you." The magic disspensed as soon as her face turned to a sour expression. A darkened voice echoed, even heard through the nearby shops "Great." She smiled. "Now, give me back that shrubbery you stole and i won't press charges for theft and fleeing a crime scene!" With his hand and general balance flying in her direction, Kogens weakness creeped into his legs. With two hands in the dirt, there came an almost soothing voice. "Oh, I almost forgot. Good luck in the army. I hope you kill some guys!" One foot before the other, only a glimpse of her long flowery dress could be discerned from the busy street filled with staring eyes.
A back now turned at any who might see tears, the wind would blow away his fears.

Gates, passed, river, passed, stream, passed, squirrel, passed, tree, branch, Thud! A lengthy silence. Weightless ragdoll in the wind. "Oh, hey leaves,..." Kssht. Cool and soft moss rocking him. Or maybe just his head. Eyes to the blue skies as lids become harder and harder to keep open all this time. A sleep that would last several hours ensued.

A week passed before the band of mysterious Fae warriors reached their destination; a beautiful and massively rich city, named Banton,after the first King of this country of G'ahn. The city, respectably, was the capital, and had a formidable reputation for its complex and high-ranking education system. The scholars harboring here were amongst the most educated and influential in the world.
The Fae were all shrouded in cloaks. The features(cultured faces, pointed ears, and vampire-like canines)which would give away their mythical origins and class them as feral creatures were hidden under these hoods, all in dark earth tones ranging from a deep crimson to a nightly olive green. Among the wild and crowded streets, they remained inconspicuous as they neared their destination.
The female Fae was uneasy as they moved through the city streets, her nose burning with the stench of human activities. With the rest of her senses also clogged, she felt blinded and overwhelmed. Even in her immortal grace, she could never adapt to the settings which human life took place. She sensed her companions' discomfort as well, as they moved through the crowd uneasily.

The guards lining the streets immediately noticed the band of darkly cloaked figures, presumably all men, making their way into the heart of the city. Even though they moved separately, as individuals coincidentally walking in a similar vicinity of one another, it was not something an elite guard could miss. Word spread quickly amongst the guards, and a patrol was soon banded to pursue from a safe distance. The city of Banton wasn't considered crime free for no reason.

Whether you'd like to have Kogens get involved right away or not is absolutely your choice.

Kogens had a dream when he was knocked out. For such is the nature of sleeping amidst magic. Though his mind twisted and twirled as subtle did his body flinch. The creatures nearby barely noticed him.

"A night sky overlooking a dark yellow snowy field that was lit, bright as day. Animals, creatures, cries of pain filled the gloom.
With more tracks in it than stars in the sky, there was an endless direction. Neither east or west determined it's course. Everywhere was simply the best description. The screeches, moaning, crying and chirping came to a hault.

Green pages began storming down from the sky. Every touch turning him more into a burning insense, an offering, a sacrifice. Though the pages rested not on the floor, every step, every mile traveled was torment. A thousand ants on fire charged their way across his body.

Water, water in the distance made a safehaven from this blood and fire storming from heaven. Diving in deep, the falling did not end.
Rushing down the depths, a snowy landing brought an numbing stop to the fall.
Wipeing away the dust from his face, a hardend, coldstone pain imbedded into his chest.
Sweat on my arms, teeth clutched together, my heart began racing, hurting with every pound.
Stabbing in my chest, souring my throat, my knuckles were cramping with every breath.
My jaw, my knees, my elbow, shattering of bone became the bane of my all.
Bone, bone, bone, skull stared me in the face.

The icey embrace of a million dandelions gently brought flight to the weakly breathing boy.
An adormented light seated before him. On the inscribed walls behind it, there rested a corona of furious essence.
Above it there rested curtains, weeds, willows and palmleaves.
A deafening shaking brought about my nausea, my headache.
"Find me more, encore, go forth"

I cracked. I cried. "No!"
The weeds curled their way down and forcefully grabbed my feeth.
I was lifted. Carried away as i fell upwards. Soon, my knees were pressed together. As its grip tightened, my breath taken.
Hips, squish, flailing my arms into the deep, desperation.
I pulled left, right, left with no strength, no more.
Fighting the right to breathe, being shrouded in darkness, crushed. Gone, as the wind roamed through the weeds once more.

A heartbeat. Beats, beats, beats some more. A breath, filling all, inside my longues.
A crackeling lightning bolt coursing from my head to my back, to my knees, my elbows, to my fingers, my toes and the nails that rest upon them.
Rising from this river of dancing lights, the tips of my toes send out single waves across their streams with every step.
I touch my hands. The river turns a bright lightgiving orange in the nightblue lands. It twists, turns, rises and drops.
A path of beauty before me. And in the end, there.
In the distance, a clear vision, doubtless about what it could ever be, a bright light with firey adorned rocks.
"

Kogens wakes up to find a turtle-monkey staring at him from a tree.