I Draw, it Lives: Ficeblaze

Chapter Three - Ingress of the Nation of Elegant Fire and Ice

The golden drops of the sunset dripped on the horizon, barely seen through mountains ahead. As the airship had been traveling the lands on sky level since late afternoon, this peachy, reddish sight woven amongst the clouds. The airship was far apart from Naria since for who in the universe knew how long. Despite the distance of everyone's revering and venerating home, everyone was alighted to be at their destination. At least almost, Birch knew, as she had been at the same spot through the whole flight.

Desolate from her home, Birch silently sat there on the chair and looked out the huge window. Silence had been raining eternally on her, as her fingertips traced the engravings on the light, wood windowsill.

She gave a noticeable look outside. She could not recognize where they were, but everything she saw was unfamiliar. Like she had been pulled into a different universe without reason or notice. Pulling herself back up she pushed her chair in.

"Woah! She finally moved!" Akira was the first to speak to her. "Check this out, Hanako!"

"Huh?" Birch questioned with a frown.

"Haha, it's nothing," Akira chuckled (Hanako came up to see). "You were just sitting there the entire time."

The human was watching me? Birch thought, embarrassment bubbling in her. "I was just looking out the view. Why, was I that frozen as a doll?"

"Couldn't tell the difference!" Hanako laughed with a smirk. "..."

Hanako looked to the window. "But what's good is that you've got a great view out there!" She smiled as she turned back to Birch. "Aether recently announced we're almost at Windshire. Best to gather your stuff, now."

And Birch did. Mounted on the wall of her room was her leather bag, as she set everything back in and threw the bag over on her shoulder. She switched off the light and made sure she put back on her Enchanted Cape. Promptly exiting, she sat down on the sofa to not look weird near the window with her friends.

Time ticked across her face. And tagged with it were surprises here and there. Her thoughts begun reciting everything she had to hear before reaching Windshire, both exciting or foreboding announcements.

Such as...

It feels strange, Birch thought. Aether said he couldn't come along with me, Hanako, Akira, and Usagi to Windshire.

"Why won't you come?" She had asked.

"Sorry, Birch!" Aether had replied. "I have my store to watch over. I can't let anything bad happen to it, even if uh...I don't have customers, anyway..." He had woven the words away. "But hey, it's alright! I'll see you, Usagi, and the others when you come back, alright?"

But not only that, but Atlas said he couldn't come either.

"Really? You too?" Birch had sighed. "Why not?"

Atlas gathered what he said. "It's similar to Aether's reason—I have to guard me and Akira's house. It's our family's home." Then, he had added, "Also I have to search for something in Naria. I don't really want to say it, but it's...severe."