The trees surround us, shading us from the rays of heat from the sun. It isn't as hot as the nether, and temperature doesn't really affect me, but the scenery is pretty.  

“So.” Ian says, swaggering down the path. “Where'd you come from? Under a rock?”

I laugh nervously, fidgeting with the bottom of my shirt. “Something like that…”

Ian gives me the look. One of sorry suspicion, but also one that says ‘maybe I shouldn't ask.’ Which I am thankful for.

“Alright. You don't have to talk if you don't want to, we just met anyhow.” Ian finally says.

I hum, not sure what to say. My social skills aren't exactly up to par, considering my only company for the last decade has been my father and an army of creatures. I end up staying silent.

Ian’s mouth moves occasionally, almost as if he's muttering to himself. His fists clench at his sides, but he doesn't seem to notice.

I've seen worse, so I pay it little mind. I've seen perfectly fine zombie pigmen drop into insanity and cannibalism, and still recover. Whatever he has going on, it seems like he can handle it.

I can sense it on him. It feels different than insanity, and more like dark magic. Father taught me dark magic, before I talked to an enderman about it. He warned that the magic was bad, and I turned more to light and physical magic. I dabbled in spiritual magic and a portion if it called conjuring, but not much.

Maybe I will feel better about what I have to do if I can help this man.

My backpack feels twice as heavy with the acknowledged weight of a measly manilla folder. I can smell magma cream inside, making my stomach grumble a bit.

I choose to ignore it when I notice the thick foliage lightening up. Ian long ago stopped his mumbling, leaving silence hanging in the air.

“Are we almost there?” I ask curiously, feeling my head start to hurt. Like having a ponytail in too long, wearing these heavy sunglasses gives me a headache.

Being obsidian-plated adds an entire pound to the small few ounces of regular sunglasses. It hurts my nose, which bares the brunt of the weight. Pretty soon I'll have to take them off.

“Yup! Man, I can't wait till you meet the guys. You seem pretty chill.” Ian rambles.

Chill? What, am I cold? I place a hand to my face, but my body temperature seems normal.

“If you don't have anywhere else to go, I’d say it's alright if you stay with us. Do you have places to be?”

Stay with them? That seems like something a friend would do. Endermen and Blazes tell me all about friends, and that friends are usually the same species. How nice they are, how supportive they are….

“Nope.” I say with a hint of a smile. Small fangs poke out the sides, courtesy of mother. I'm pretty sure she was a sorcerer of sorts, which helps me get a handle on magic easier.

Father says she was something else, too. He says that some of my abilities didn't come from him, like being able to sprout raven wings at will.

Although… At will is a loose term… Sometimes I just get too excited. I wish mother had been around to teach me. Herobrine couldn't, and doesn't even really seem to feel bad about it.

“Awesome dood! It's about a mile away. Think you can catch these buns?” Ian taunts, taking off running. He smacks his bottom as he runs off.

I look at him curiously. Buns? What are those? And how exactly does he expect to beat the son of- Ohhh right. He doesn't know.

As I pick up my pace, my mind flashes to the description of friend I received. I start to grow worried.

Endermen and Blazes tell me all about friends, and that friends are usually the same species.

I… I don't look anything like Ian. In mean sure, I resemble a mortal human, but…

Normal humans don't sprout wings when they get excited. Normal humans don't have glowing gold for eyes. Normal humans don't have the ability to control dark, light, physical, and spiritual magic. They have to pick one.

Normal humans know what a mushroom is. What trees are, what grass is, what the sky is and what the sun feels like.

For me, the warmth beating on my back is a new sensation.

I'll have to hide.

With a touch of physical magic, I throw the wind beneath my feet. Yes, I will be this human’s friend. But no, he will never know my secret. It isn't like I'll be here for long anyway.

I catch up to him easily, barely breaking a sweat. I let the breeze beneath my dissipate, leaving me to actually work the muscles in my legs.

“Dood!” Ian shouts when he sees me, huffing for breath. “How'd you *breath* get here so fast!” He pants.

“I'm fast.” I say, grinning. I like this man already. We fit together like the faces of soul sand. As long as I stay looking like his species, then I'll love hanging out with him.

“I'm a good runner.” I shrug, taking deep breaths to cool my red face.

“Well thank god. We're already here, too.” He says, smiling.

I stop and look up.

A large castle looms before us, with a cliff overlooking a giant city. The walls are made of cobblestone, and many materials I don't even know the names of. One is a brown color with lines in it, and another is red with lines in it.

Whatever it is, the castle is beautiful. Large spires stretching into the sky, with clear parts of the walls that allow Ian and I to see inside.

“Welcome to the kingdom of of Gold.” Ian says, spreading his arms out.

I gawk, my eyes glowing brighter beneath my obsidian shades. My chest warms with awe, and my mouth hangs open. My fangs are plainly visible, but I see Ian smiling at the view, so I don't mind.

He leaves me a moment before tugging on my arm. “Okay, now come on! Enough gawking and let us eat cake!”

Cake? I don't know what that is, but it will surely upset my stomach. A world of magma cream does that to a person... god... hybrid… thing… I'll just stop thinking now.

“Guys! Ian's back!” A voice calls from inside one of the clear parts of the wall.

“Meet him at the gates!” Another yells.

“Bring the cake!”

“What, why?”

“Cause you know how Ian is!”

“Okay okay.”

We reach a pair of doors made of another material I don't recognize. I run my hand down it, and notice that pieces of it stick in my skin as well. Maybe it's from that same bark stuff? From the tree things?

Suddenly the doors open, revealing two boys staring at my suspended hand. Ian grins, and pats me on the back. I stumble through the door from the force of his hand.

“Wassup peeps! The almighty prank lord has returned!” Ian yells.

“Um… I'm pretty sure that title's reserved for Bodil.” One of the boys say.

“He would kill you if he heard you say that!” The other boy exclaims.

Pranks? What are those? What's a peep? Who's Bodil? Would he really kill Ian!? He seems so nice!”

“Hey, is that guy alright?” One boy says, bumping the other on the shoulder.

I shake my confused thoughts away and regain my footing, standing sheepishly in front of the strangers. “I-I'm fine.” I mutter.

Ian shrugs.

“This here is Ty.” Ian says, pointing to the boy in a white shirt and sweatpants. “And the other one's Mitch.” He continues, redirecting his finger to the boy in a black and red checkered cloth called a hoodie.

“H-Hey.” I stutter nervously. What do I say? I haven't interacted with people in years!

“So…” Mitch shuffles. “You gonna tell us your name or..?”

I laugh nervously, and rub the back of my neck. “Sky. It's Sky.” I say, getting it right this time. No bowing, and no brine.

“Well, nice to meet you Sky!” Ty says, patting me on the back.

“He he, you too?” I say, like a question.

“Alrighty, let's go meet the others.” Ian adds, dragging me through a brown hallway.

“Let's see…” He mumbles. “There's the bacca, the fish, the spaceman, the sorcerer…”

I don't understand half the words he is saying, but my heart stops at the last one. A sorcerer! God, what did I get myself into! He would sense me right off the bat!

My breathing relaxes when my hand flies to my amulet. Right. One of the many purposes of this thing is to hide my magic trace. The other purposes involve channeling my powers through my compassion instead of my anger. Wearing it keeps my “Brine heritage” in check.

We enter another room, and a man-shaped blue blob is sitting on a bench, surrounded by pieces of metal. He has something orange and blue as a head. My heart thumps madly. Is he violent!?

“What in the Aether!?” I exclaim, backing into the door.

=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=

Hey, it's Snickers again. Any OC's that will be submitted will probably show up soon, but I need submissions first. XD

Anyway, after this, and maybe chapter three, updates are going to slow down to the promised schedule.

However. I am human, so even though every weekend seems manageable, somtimes it may not be. I will be leaving notes in my profile Bio as to how I'm doing on updates.

Keep enjoying the story! Submit an OC! Even if I hit my chosen two or three, it still doesn't hurt. I could end up using your OC for one of my coming up stories in this series.

Stay sweat Martians!

~Snickers.