Disclaimer- I don't own NiGHTS, Nightmaren, or anything or anyone canon. They all belong to Sega, however, Lightans, and all Ocs featured in this story are mine.
Author's Note: If you get a review in before I upload this, you are GOOD. And you are anticipating this. Hahaaaa, this is the last chapter of Clandestine.
Lightans are like… the good dream equivalent of Nightmarens. It occurred to me that perhaps while there are Nightmarens, there have to be something to balance that out, right? Hence the birth of Lightans. Though, I have a feeling that to Nightmarens, Lightens are just myths and legends due to an imbalance in the Dream World's natural balance. I also believe that Lightens try to protect the Ideya, whilst staying hidden. However, that's counterproductive on their part.
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Long ago, long forgotten, they hide in plain sight. Within the worlds of Nightopia and Nightmare, there are legends and lore about them. The unknown creatures known simply as Lightans, they existed in total secret. Under strict rules to NEVER interact or interfere with Nightmaren activity. And none disobeyed; not even the youngest of the Lightans… apart from one.
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Zinzi soared alongside her brother, Flain, who flew with a somber air, on either side of their prisoner. Xantippe sighed as she flew. A few meters behind her, and Peren, who was in back of her, was NiGHTS. NiGHTS viewed the despondent Lightan with a concerned look. He'd always seen her in either full of life, or rage… but never sadness. Never like this. And even though he'd only known the girl for a few hours, he still thought of her as a friend. Behind him flew Owl with Celibate.
Terra lead the way, until the golden-bright clouds of the city of Lightaria, the Core of the Lightan Skies. Landing atop the marble-hard floor of the Core, they held Xantippe within their group, leading her to Celerity. NiGHTS was given both curious and scornful looks. The Younglings were the ones who looked at him with the most curiosity. One darted over, but was sent scurrying back to its flock-mates by a sharp whip-crack from Peren.
"Sorry kids, but he's dangerous." Zinzi called out to them with a cheerful voice. They looked more fearful of her than of NiGHTS. They began to murmur amongst themselves. NiGHTS gave them a small smile, waving as he was shoved into the giant throne room.
Celerity sat before the small group with a sour, but still pretty face. "You disappoint me, Xantippe." She said, her aura dim on this night, the toady Lightans sitting on her head and lap. The Forces fell back from around her, leaving Xantippe exposed to their Leader's wrath.
Celerity looked at the group. "….I see there are two here who are not Lightans." She said, looking directly at Owl and NiGHTS. NiGHTS stepped up to stand with Xantippe. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder, giving her some much needed confidence.
"I am NiGHTS. I'm Xantippe's friend." He said, bowing as he introduced himself. Celerity looked him over. "You are a Nightmaren." The massive Leader said, looking at him with an almost amused look, like a mother looking at a precocious child. "And what a cute one you are." She said, making NiGHTS look around awkwardly and the Forces to retch while Xantippe burst into laughter.
Celerity looked at the Lightan. "You are not." She stated, wiping the smile of Xantippe's face. "You have also been very disobedient, my little creation. Your littereggs and flock-mates are disappointed." She said, before reaching down with her slender hand and picking up Xantippe.
Xantippe sat awkwardly on the palm as Celerity began to read off her crimes from her beginning.
"Age 3 minutes. Left the nest. Apparently after a bird. Age 10 minutes, left the nest AGAIN." The god listed of the crimes, which were surprisingly numerous. The process took about two hours, during which time, Xantippe began to daydream, NiGHTS began to drool and doze off… and the general air turned… less than serious. "And FINALLY… Going to Nightmare plains. BEFRIENDING a Nightmaren." She concluded, as the air turned stifling and tense.
Xantippe found herself being almost squeezed from the tension in the air. "I am disappointed, Xantippe." Celerity stated once more. The hand squeezed into a fist, and Xantippe found herself being squeezed in actuality. She gasped for breath, her bones beginning to creak from the pressure. She couldn't even cry out in pain. NiGHTS was held back by the Forces, struggling against them as he watched Celerity squeeze the life out of Xantippe.
Celibate did nothing, and flinched as NiGHTS glared at her. "She's KILLING Xantippe! Why are you just sitting there?!" he demanded. She sighed. "It is her punishment…" she murmured, looking away. NiGHTS only struggled harder. Terra's thick tail cracked against his back, slamming him down into the hard floor.
"Know your place here, Nightmaren. She is being punished, she is being put in her place." The thick-tailed Lightan whispered to him, in a smug voice. "I NEVER obeyed that rule." NiGHTS snapped, much to Celerity's amusement. "Little nightmaren, what do you mean?" she asked, as her grip lessened on Xantippe.
"I never obeyed my Master… I left. I was CURIOUS! I did what I believed was FUN." The nightmaren yelled, struggling out from underneath Terra's tail. "And she did that too!" he said, pointing to the gasping Lightan. Celerity looked taken aback.
"How… how uncouth. Don't you know why we dislike the curious? They put IDEAS in the heads of others. Others who do just fine alone. Xantippe… you are curious, you know we can't have that. I have your punishment." Xantippe looked up weakly.
"You are to fight the Forces, one by one… if you win, you shall live with us… if you lose, you shall be banished… or banished either way. It depends on your performance." Celerity said, amusement and glee evident in her tone as she dropped Xantippe to the floor.
Terra nudged Peren, who stepped up, his flowering hair lengthening. "I suppose I am your opponent." He said with a gleeful look. Xantippe stood, looking like a trapped rat as several pillars shot up sharply, from the ground, to above their heads. A glow marked the boundaries.
Peren shot at the confused Xantippe, who yelped, and ran away from Peren, who merely lashed at her with a vine like a whip. He snared her leg, tripping her up. "Running does you no good." He stated, the vine growing sharp thorns, making her screech in pain.
Xantippe growled, and lashed out at him, her talons sheathed in ice as she jumped at him, her wings whipping up icy winds. He let out a scream of pain as she sliced across his face. Green blood flowed, as he attacked back, grabbing hold of another whip and ensnaring her arms, wrapping them together. She kicked at him with the entangled leg, her whip-like tail catching him around the neck. It seemed to be a stalemate. Her tail squeezed him around the neck, and he had her by the arms and leg.
However, air was more important, and Peren found himself passed out. "Urgh…." He mumbled, as he fell to the ground. She released him as Flain and Zinzi entered, looking much more confident. "Well, Peren was just a warm-up." Flain said, looking smug as he inhaled deeply. Zinzi pointed at Xantippe, letting loose a bolt of lightning.
Xantippe had no way to see it coming as she was shocked. "YEEE-EEE-EE!" she yelped, shocked into spasms. The flames from Flain didn't help, leaving her burnt and fried. Xantippe growled, running to the edge of the perimeter. She had no way out, and almost no way to win. Flain grinned, flames dispersing from around his feathers as he shot at her like a bullet, Zinzi close behind.
Xantippe formed a shell of ice just in time, as Zinzi reached it first, and slammed into it. The electric current from her dispersed over the shell, amplified by the damp surface… shocked not only Zinzi, but Flain as well.
Flain and Zinzi were taken out by that one fell swoop of luck. Terra snarled, taking their place. "If you want something done right…" she snapped, while NiGHTS felt elation. Xantippe cowered, the ice already half-melted. Terra smashed through it like it was nothing, already clipping the weakened Lightan.
Xantippe had no chance as Terra slammed her with a solid boulder of hard flooring… flooring Xantippe. The pillars fell as NiGHTS, Owl, and Celibate gaped, looking at Xantippe as Celerity picked up the downed Lightan. "Well well, banishment it is." The Lightan Leader said, gleefully as Xantippe came around.
"But… BUT SHE HAD NO CHANCE!" NiGHTS protested, looking outraged. Xantippe sat up, only to tossed to the Forces, who only barely caught her. "Take her back. She's no fun anymore anyway." Celerity ordered with a lazy wave of her hand.
Terra nodded, "Very well, our leader." She said, looking at the limp Lightan with disgust. NiGHTS, however, snatched her body from the only one who had not fought, the stoic Yunza. "You hardly care." He snapped, glaring at them.
Yunza looked at him, speaking for the first time. "Of course I care… I am the one who cared for her flock." He stated, looking at NiGHTS as though incredibly hurt. Xantippe did not stir during this. "I fear I may have… misguided her as a chick." Yunza said, his tone sad.
During the flight back, Yunza fell back into silence, the only Force member to actually go back, while NiGHTS carried the limp Lightan. Xantippe did not awaken until a few days later. She was housed with NiGHTS, though it was rather awkward, living in the same tree.
Though that is another story… for another day.
Author's Note: Lame. Ending. But I suppose it could've been worse. I worked on this longer than I would've liked. Watch out for Enigma! It's the story of a younger… much more obedient Xantippe…. HAAA! Like she was ever truly obedient.