The Smaller Things (Sky: Children of the Light)

Chapter 2: Any Way the Wind Blows

The calm morning had changed to a relatively windy noon, still maintaining a moderately cold temperature. The grass swayed methodically to whoever the wind's course was flowing, with petals of flowering plants departing from their host and flying away to spread their seeds.

It must have been tough, Vionn thought whilst they watched the spectacle, to part from something you had grown up on, quite literally. Would the host plant miss its departed petals? New ones would grow back, sure, but those ones would never be the same as those who came before.

That was a silly line of thought, Vionn said internally as they sat up and adjusted their posture. Plants don't have feelings. It's a natural process for a plant to need to spread its seeds, it was how it evolved. Why would it form an attachment? How could it form an attachment? A fresh gust of wind buffeted Vionn's own hair against them. They quickly moved it behind their ears, which wore tusk-like earrings made of wood. 

That was enough time spent in Aviary Village. Vionn headed towards the clearing, pacing with a walk cycle which could be described as unreasonably rushed. Where would they spent today? Maybe Isle of Dawn, it had calm weather and was never graced towards any sort of danger, but was relatively small and prevented much exploring. Perhaps some other time. A viable option would be to visits Daylight Prairie, a peaceful realm spread with wonderful nature and plenty of nooks and crannies to look through.

Well, that was that. No use contemplating on the other realms, Vionn's mind had been made up. Stepping through the portal, Vionn found themselves in the Daylight Prairie's social area. It was a popular destination for all kinds of Skykids. Whether it be moths, sparrows, or any other who decided to hang around, the place certainly lived up to its "social" title.

Vionn leaped off the ledge that lead to the Prairie's mainland, as they had done so many countless times before. Spreading the fins of their cape, they expertly maneuvered through the passage in the clouds which lead to the first open field. It was an exhilarating feeling, being able to fly, and through a route which knew no changes.

Before they knew it, Vionn had landed in the main grassland, where the Butterfly Charmer's cave graced the outline of the realm's geography. The sky, Vionn noticed, looked dimmer. It couldn't have been evening already, could it? No, that wouldn't be plausible. No matter the time of day in Aviary Village or Home, the realms always pertained to their set time of day... unless altered by some sort of event. Vionn's gaze moved to the sundog that pointed out the location of the infamous Eye of Eden, a tall mountain which held unspeakable dangers, which many Skykids, including Vionn, had experienced firsthand. The sundog had turned from its normally yellow-gold ring to an unsettling crimson. This was a phenomenon that could mean one thing: a Shard event.

Since the sundog's changed had appeared in Prairie before anywhere else, the Shards were sure to fall somewhere in that realm. It had four possible places, which varying possible locations and density of clusters that could effect the environment. It could fall near Sanctuary Islands, the Bell Towers up ahead, the Bird's Nest (the area between the main field and Sanctuary), or the Prairie Caves.

The sky began to rumble as the sundog grew larger and shone a more menacing red hue than before. The entire earth seemed to shake as the rumbling grew louder, and as the sound died down, the top of Eden sent a volley of Shards to the westward sections of the Daylight Prairie. That would mean that Darkness fell near the Prairie caves.

Mustering up the courage to cleanse a potentially dangerous event, Vionn ran along the grass which swayed to the increasing winds.