PIXIE
Conservation Status: (Caligo) Near Threatened | (Dolos) Extinct | (Nevermore) Endangered
Pixie | Greathorn
Nereida Faetus Family
The Pixie in Caligo are small creatures standing roughly 6-8 inches. They tend to resemble Aphids with a slightly humanoid chest region and upper arms. The masks covering their faces are made of a leaf from their most treasured tree.
They tend to blend in with the plants and trees during the day until night draws near. In the hours of twilight, they are most active as they search for food, nectar, shelter, or a mate. This is due to the amount of predators that exist in daylight. During the night, they worry for owls and certain avian species that exist in Caligo, such as the Black Sigurd.
They are capable of using a natural camouflage similar to certain insects by changing colors in the wild and impersonating tree foliage.
A Swarm of Pixies:
The Pixie has wings that resemble flying bugs such as dragonflies or the mayfly. The wings are waxy, nearly transparent, and are extremely fast when in flight. These unique creatures are known to dart around the treetops with speeds that resemble a hummingbird.
They tend to also use their speeds to defend their home by darting towards an intruder with their sharp horns, often drawing blood. The horns do not have any kind of poison, but they hurt as much as a wasp's sting. The worst part is they tend to never attack alone, they always come in swarms and have been known to put even the strongest warriors into hospital beds.
Due to this, they are considered a pest among many sprite kingdoms, except the Eukarians which have come to respect them and even form an alliance with them. It seems the Pixie are capable of communicating with the Eukarians by the use of the Eukarian Link, a symbiote that many Eukarians use to connect with plants and certain species of fauna.
Pixies from the moment they are capable of flying, they hide their faces. They find a tree they feel most connected to and use its leaves from then on to conceal their faces. Upon mating maturity, this chosen tree often becomes their new home to build a colony. As of now, No Eukarian or Ambrite scholars have witnessed the face of a Pixie, but they have all seen their wrath when getting to close to their nest.
Their communication is limited to solely clicks by the use of their mandibles or the method by which fireflies produce light, bioluminescence. They produce this light in their abdomen when oxygen combines with calcium, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the chemical luciferin in the presence of luciferase, a bioluminescent enzyme, light is produced. However, Pixies are capable of producing these chemicals in larger doses in order to generate a brighter light for longer periods, and even controlling the flicker to create a complex form of communication alongside their clicking.
In the eyes of many sprites they are viewed as primitive precursors and examples of how certain sprites may have existed prior to the Era of Enlightenment. They are classed as an animal, but one that is in the middle of transitioning to a higher form of intelligence that will in time become self aware and conscious of the universe. Many Eukarians and Ambrites tend to find unique mounds or stone structures near a colony tree, and often there is a geometrical precision that begs to question if these unique creatures are far more intelligent than given credit. As of now, this is still debated in the halls of the Amber Library.
Currently, many colonies of Pixies tend to prefer the safety of the thick forests in the Sylvatic Territories, ruled by the Sylvatic Kingdom. They are protected by the King and Queen of the Eukarians, and in exchange, Pixies have been known to protect sacred trees, entire groves even, and treasures. Some of the most sacred fountains are often cared for by Pixies and their relationship has only grown stronger between them and the Eukarian royal family, the Silkwillows.
Beast Rank
The Pixie are capable of hovering like a hummingbird and flying at high speeds which they use alongside their stingers to ward off predators. They have extremely high levels of aggression towards outsiders and are not tolerant of anyone invading their home tree. The colony tends to stick together when seeking food, or when defending their territory.
The Pixie has always been a unique creature in our myths, they often get many interpretations, some even confuse them with the larger Victorian Fairies, but I wanted to focus on the smaller kind, the ones mentioned in the Celtic and Devon stories. Even the Swedish had a term for them, Pyske which meant 'Little Fairy.' I wanted to think outside the box. Years ago, I saw a Mayfly and found how easily they could have been confused as a fairy under a certain light. Thus the idea of basing them after insects came to be, and as a fan of Zelda, I loved the idea of the Koroks and how they wear a leaf on their face. From there, it was history. A big thanks to Karlee Ludvik for bringing this beast to life.
Explore The Next Beast!
H.S. Crow has literary works appearing in all mediums of entertainment with a focus on fantasy, science fiction, and horror. He is an author traversing the breathtaking Caligo, a vast universe containing our dreams and nightmares. Notable books include Lunora and the Monster King, Stars of Glass, & the upcoming Drums of Fog.