Way Before The Wright Brothers

"This method of travel is an ancient magic, developed and known only by the Nefarious line. In this way, we were the first in the world to fly."

"Everyone knows the Wright Brothers were the first in the world to fly," Peach innocently corrected him. She looked around, but she could not tell where they were. Above them were stars, perhaps, and below them land, but everything was blurry and purple and a loud whistling noise interrupted her thoughts.

Roil laughed deep and long at her comment about the Wright Brothers.

"I see you have read a lot about history then?"

"Yes, I have read many books for my age."

"And how many books might that be, at your age?" Roil chuckled and mocked her, then his expression turned strange and he stopped smiling. "Yet, with all your knowledge, you know nothing really, do you? Especially this manner in which you are currently traveling!"

"We must be in some type of airplane."

"The Wright Brothers again, I see. No, I'm afraid you are as wrong as wrong can be. We are not in an airplane. In fact, we are in nothing at all, besides the sphere I have you confined in. I believe your great uncle, Ector, somehow learned this method of travel, and that is how he escaped me, along with my last queen."

Peach looked around again. The sky was a light blue just below them, and just above was the infinite blackness of space, right there for her to touch. What was this?

"You should be enjoying this!" Roil chided her.

"Why am I so small? What have you done to me?"

"I just made you easier to handle, that's all. Come now, can't you just relax and feel the cool air rushing over you?"

"I feel nothing, except closed in."

"Right, the sphere does that. Here, hold on a second."

Roil placed her atop his left shoulder and released her from the confines of the sphere. A cold, biting wind swept through her. She had trouble catching her breath and her eyes teared as she blinked rapidly.

"How are we doing this?"

"It's rather amazing, isn't it, and not bad at all for the environment like those nasty old jetliners. I know they say anyone can accomplish anything, as long as they put their mind to it, but this is pushing it to the extreme, don't you think?"

Roil spread his arms and his dark robes rippled in the wind like the wings of a great bat. He performed a long, graceful forward flip and past the top of the arc, Peach lost hold of him and she screamed and flailed her arms and legs frantically. Roil grabbed her and placed her once again on his shoulder.

"You can't fall out here because this magic is greater than the Earth's magic, or what you would probably call gravity."

He pushed her away until she floated beside him.

"See?" He held out his hand to her. "Come."