Prologue

Faster, he had to go faster. He was stumbling too much, his stained shirt was ripping as he raced through the woods, and he thanked every deity he knew of that he'd managed to steal a pair of boots that were just about his size. Aside from his thieved combat boots, the once pristine white button down – that went down to his thighs in length – was the only other form of covering he had on his aching, abused body, and at the rate he was tumbling through the woods, he might not even have that.

He shivered at the sound of the call going out throughout the royal city he'd left behind, sounding his escape to everyone who understood the notes. He checked his neck for the chain he'd slung around it – silver, freezing with his magic all over it, with a ruby pendant that was almost as priceless as the being wearing it – and quickened his pace. Hopefully, they only knew that he was missing, and not the pendant he'd stolen from his captor's safe.

If they did know…he shivered. It didn't bear contemplation.

Where was that damned portal?!

He heard a whisper in the forest behind him and launched himself into a roll, dodging the crackle of magic sent his way, and coming up in a crouched position several feet away from his assailant.

Royal guards. Shit!

He bolted forwards through the trees instead of engaging them. This would be his only escape attempt, his captor would never allow another, and he wasn't going to ruin his chance by doing something stupid. He had to find that portal!

Another crackle of magic sounded in the woods, but it was no spell that caused it. A grin lit up his face as he dove away from the long-handed sweep of a guard's sword and changed directions entirely.

He may be aching, beaten, and abused, but he was still the fasted being in all the realms. There was no way he was going to let those damned guards catch him!

…Of course, making it through the portal wouldn't stop the chase entirely, he admitted in the recesses of him mind. It would only take the chase into the mortal realm – onto the green and blue planes of Earth, where humans and beings alike dwelled together – where every being, no matter the type, was allowed to reside. But in the human realm, his people would be able to feel his aura. They would sense him and come for him…hopefully.

That hope was all he had; after two years of torture and abuse, it was all he could cling to. That he would see his home again, that he would see his family…only days ago it was the pipe dream of a particularly tormented prisoner. He was so close.

He launched himself through the crackling rip between the realms, pulling himself into a crouch as he landed on the rough concrete of an alleyway in New York City. And in a movement with more fluidity than he thought his battered body could pull off, he deployed his wings and hurled himself into the air, loosing a massive spike of his magical energy, signaling to all the world above of where he was.

The guards were quick behind him, deploying raven black wings to contrast with his own gold tinted white with more of them following through the portal. He could feel the portal swell with the energy of all those trying to crossover, knowing that if he stayed on Earth any longer than he had to, he'd be overwhelmed in a heartbeat. He streamlined himself as he bolted upwards – like a golden rocket deployed from it's launcher – feeling it as he passed the heights of the city boundaries and started wandering into the upper levels of the atmosphere. The air was thinning, and he could feel some of the guards on his tail – farther than they'd been earlier – falter as the lack of oxygen started becoming an issue. A quick flex of his wings and he increased his speed, feeling the thin air condense around him in welcome memory. In homage to a lost child coming home.

This sky knew him. This sky loved him.

An updraft – far too high in the atmosphere to be natural – caught in his wings and he flared them for maximum lift. He was catapulted upwards, just in time to feel new energy signatures come crashing downwards from a portal which had opened almost directly above him – just a little farther.

The wave of beings that fell from the portal had wings as white as he – lacking the golden tint, but no less unique to their own – and their anger, hope, and purpose shone brightly in their aura as they parted around him, aiming at the guards sent to catch him. The portal pulsed above him, warm energy welcoming him, coaxing him: just a little bit more, child, you can do this….

There was a roar behind him – below him – and he realized that his captor had finally made his way through the Earth-bound portal. But he was too late, far too late he thought with a dizzyingly elated smile, because as his captor was launching himself into the air to join the frantic chase, he had hurled himself through the sky portal into his home domain.

There was a hushed silence when he'd cleared the portal – having dropped to his knees on the cloud bank it was situated in as the exertion from flying like he'd never flown before finally caught up to him – until another being knelt in front of him. He was huffing, breath stolen by his flight, but a glance up sent him nearly collapsing into a puddle of relief.

Arms caught him as he launched himself into his brother's arms and cheers – filled with joy, and happiness, and unrestrained tears – rocked the city upon the clouds. He felt tears drip down his cheeks.

After two years, he was finally home.