In a dark palace on a mountain at night. Two dark figures wearing robes argue around a cage. Both tired and annoyed at the inconvenience of having to discuss the situation from only three minutes ago and reason why the cage was here in the first place.
Figure 1: "This female mongu is too much if a, threa- a thre- (The figure takes a deep breath then breaths out clenching his nose with a gag. Almost as if the very concept of what they were about to say disgusted them to the core.) gah! A threat to be kept alive!" The first figure says slamming their hand on the wall. Feeling a sense of mental and physical agony to even say that they could be in danger.
The second figure scoffs rolling their eyes thinking their comrade is being dramatic. Folding thier amrs as they speak.
Figure 2:"Out of all things a mongu is a threat? The very thought is pathetic get a grip damnit. But then again you always were a fickle runt, and yet somehow managed to have the same rank as me. Honestly I'm surprised you didn't parish in the exams."
Figure two says bluntly as if they were saying that the sky is blue, their voice dripping with condensending attitude. Before scoffing and rolling their eyes at the glaring eyes if figure one. Who was absolutely livid being spoken to like this, but unable to do anything to figure 2 since they were assigned to handle this situation.
Figure 2: "Because honesty you have more of a chance seeing a panda-gator not being a vicious blob of aquatic lard. (Figure two pauses) Next your going to say is that we don't have complete control, or that the ocean us frozen over. Get a hold of yourself, We are struders and this thing! Is nothing more then a defective mongu. We are Striders! We rule every other pathetic race on this planet! We're masters of the air and planet! Unbound by the laws of mere mortals! Especially not a damn mongu child!"
Figure two says with absolute confidence and convection. But mostly with an egotisiacl pride and narcissisim, a trait common of striders. After all when all of the world bends over backwards three times over at a single glance, why wouldn't you think this way? Morals and anything of the sort meant nothing to a walking god, at least the ones evolving fairness or equality for anyone except studers was something taught and learned to be extremely stupid.
The word Mongu spilling out like a slur, a habit all striders are taught to have.
Figure two kicks the cage holding a child around the age of eight then spins on their heels and flicks their wrist. Sending the cage clashing into the ceiling with a spout if air before it slams back to the floor with a thud, the child inside groaning in pain but knowing better to not be any louder. Being loud ment more severe punishment, they had enough of that already.
The first figure nods.
Figure 1:" I didn't say that Mongu are a threat. Maybe all your admiring yourself in the mirror finally burnt a hole in your hollow skull and your tiny excuse of a brain fell out." Of course they doesn't acknowledge mongu as a threat or even as humans. Why would they or any other Strider think Mongu where human Or even care.
Figure 1:"we both know that Mongu are so worthless outside their purpose. Can't even think for themselves beyond what we need them to. They're even lucky to belong to us."
Figure one says as a sliver of doubt enters their mind. Despite what SHOULD have happened, this specific Mongu was a problem if left unchecked. Especially after they witnessed the event that never should have been physically possible. Figure one glares at the cage and scoffs at the memory.
But what they saw this specific mongu, one they always kept in a cage to mock for amusement, this starved, shriveled animal. Only around to fule the ego of other striders that came to look at the mongu child currently inside the cage. The child nothing short of an attraction for striders to gawk and throw things at. Entertaining poof of their superior genetics and how inferior the Mongu are in comparison.
Figure one walks over to figure two putting a hand on their shoulder before walking to the window looking at the moon and sky for anyone ease dropping. Before speaking in a conspirital whisper while studying the sky. Using an Air technique to send a small funnel of soft air swirls and pushes out of their mouth in a invisible stream directly into the ear of figure two.
Figure 1: "Look this this mongu, no. This thing! It's unnatural, it goes against all that is right with the world! Those lines that are on it's wrists aren't just a defect, it's not just marking it more useless. That thing killed three of us! It is a mistake in the curse!"
This made figure two stiffen, their face scrunching in disbelief. The mongu where their slaves, their toys! Both them and their ancestors have enslaved them. They selectively bred them to completely obey them and fear them, they could go down the mongu village right now and kille a dozen and no one would stop them. And a defective mouse mongu child managed to disobey and kill three of them!? Impossible! Snarling in frustration at the mere thought figure two speeds to figure one and grabs them by their robes
Figure 2: "I don't know what you think you saw but! (Figure two stops mid sentence contemplating) You have proven not to be a fool in the past. If this thing is really a mistake for being more than just a mongu, if it really did kill three of us then...(Figure two lets go of figure one and circles the cage) Then we will get rid of it like we always do. It may be the first mistake since our ancestors blessed us by removing all the other elemental abilities, but it is still a mongu."
Figure one nods and stands next to figure two beside the cage looking done at it. Both knowing that killing this mongu is the only reasonable thing to do, not like any other strider care what happens to a mongu. They were like little collectables, but collectables bred for fighting and dying. They could always just find another one and it serves as a message.
Figure 1: "If any others find out it can cause some serious uproar of trainees pissing their robes and elders mouthing off about things they are too senile to understand anymore. I'm not trying to listen to them mock the weaklings for dying then lecture us on not training enough. (Figure one shivers)
We kill this one ourselvey. No grand show, no slow methods, just bring it to the Dressi Forest and well bleed it out with some breezs blades. Now grab your wind mount."
Both figures nod and walk to a wall opposite of them. Grabbing a object that has a sheild shaped top with foot holds running down a wooden pole in the center. The sides of the top being wide durable yellow cloth stretching on two poles connected to center pole acting as sails.The bottom half looking like a fin keel, and a lever like pole that is on the center pole at the top.(The steering handle)
They both then grab handles on the sides of the cage lifting it up and shaking the mongu child inside. Then with practiced efficiency from countless drills of hauling weights over 90 pounds. They jump out of the window into the darkness below, falling several sfeet before crouching on their Wind Mounts and using their free hand to hold the steering handle. Inhaling deep before blowing out of their mouths using an wind technique to create a constant gust under their sails after the initial blow. Quickly rising far above the trees and riding in silence for several minutes. The Mongu child in the cage however is staring in awe at the areas illuminated by the moon. They had never seen much of anything, even for Mongu standers. They just watched stiders passing by their cage, got taken to relieve themselves, and occasionally ate enough not to starve. And due to over seventy generations of selective breeding, the child didn't have much if a problem with it. They were alive and not constantly in pain. That is the stander if life for most Mongu. They had no standers or concept of right or wrong, of good or bad. And even if they did they most likely wouldn't care too much. Eventually the Striders go into idle conversation about small things like how someone spilled juice on their robes, or how they killed a bear and it was the wrong gender during hunting season. The child of course listened, being extremely bored and between the both of them. Then one word stood out to them when the striders waved to other striders passing on their current rider. Moon.
"What is moon?" The child whispers to herself in awe somehow able to connect the dots that the moon was the thing the Striders glanced at occasionally. The child had spent many nights staring at it but had no idea what it had a name and wasn't just 'bright thing' in the sky when it got dark.
After over twenty minutes and fifty miles of mountains and valleys. They finally arrive at a decent spot in Dressi forest, having overshot the designated landing area for most striders ending up closer to the Mongu village then intended. Not that it mattered, Mongu killed each other often enough and they wouldn't dare interact with striders more than usual.
Figure two pats their chest and robes then gulps.
Figure 2:".... don't get mad."
Figure 1: "...what are you doing?"
Figure 2: "...I forgot the key."
Figure 1: "YOU LOST THE KEY!? HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET RID OF THE ODITY IF WE CAN'T GET IT OUT THE CAGE YOU IDIOT!? THIS IS A GOOD CAGE WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE IT!"
Figure 2 "DON'T SHOUT AT ME! I JUST FORGOT OKAY!?"
Figure 1: "I WOULD SAY YOUR BRAIN WENT OUT WITH THE BREEZE OUT YOUR EAR, BUT THAT MEANS YOU HAD IN IN THE FIRST PLACE! YOU ARE DUMBER THAN USING GLUE TO POKE A HOLE IN A ROCK, I BET YOU'D EAT IT TU-"
Figure one notices the key in figure two's robes in their forearm pocket then snatches it.
Figure 1:"You absolute moron." *Sighs*
Figure 2: "oh hey the key." 8>)
Figure 1:"....yeah your parents definitely dropped you."
Figure one opens the cage and drags the Mongu child out. Revealing a skinny nearly starving eight year old girl. With pale skin, yellow eyes, dirty black hair in a bun (for strider convenience), freckles, and red lines that resemble cracked glass or porcelain starting from the middle of her hands to the end of her for arms.
(the same equivalent is on her feet, I ain't writing that.)
Wearing nothing but dirty silk cloth to wear as a kayabandhi, wraps around her chest, and on her feet, not that she ever walked anywhere besides a hole to relief herself in when escorted.
The Striders then with a quick rotation their arms and several twists of their bodies as well. Mimicing a tornado as they send blades of wind at the child. Cutting through anything that used to be in between them and the child. Not stopping until the child was bleeding from several cuts and is laying in a pool of their blood mixed with dirt.
Figure two looks annoyed and scoffs at their performance. They were two elits they shouldn't have needed more then one air blade to kill this mongu and yet, it took several from both of them. After assuming their forms were terrible they bot get back in their current riders and fly back to The Southern Strider Palace. The child lays in the pool of their blood and dirt, thinking about how they would have liked to live longer. And why they decided to kill her, she had always been inside her cage and only spoke when she was told to, which was rare but still. Had she been to loud when they hit her? Had she breath too hard, they did say whenever they thought shw couldn't hear that her breathing is extremely "anomalous". She did not know what the word ment but their tones said it was abad thing. Or had they simply got bored with her, no longer wanted to laugh at her?
Either way she was dying now, she only wishes it would be faster.
Until footsteps approaches her accompanied by a growl, the girl had been found.