A Faelora Feather Under the Night Sky

"I think I could sit here, staring at the stars all night..." Sela murmurs, her gaze fixed on the sky, a look of awe softening her features. "It's just so beautiful. Being out here like this—it feels different... I've really missed it."

She swings her legs back and forth in that carefree way, like a child lost in the simple joy of the moment. The campfire flickers beside her, casting a warm, dancing light over her figure, making her seem almost otherworldly in the glow. A peaceful, serene sight, the fire's warmth and the stillness of the night mixing together to create a perfect moment.

"I missed it too," Ronan says, his voice thoughtful as he gazes up at the mountains. "Being here, beneath them, sitting around a campfire, watching the stars—it's... charming. It feels almost otherworldly. And yet, it's something we've seen countless times before. But there's something about it that never gets old, something you can't let fade away."

He sits across from Sela, the fire's flickering light casting shadows over his face. His eyes move between the sky, the mountains, Sela, and the rest of the group, his thoughts lost in the quiet beauty of the moment.

"It's really stunning, that's for sure," Farren says between mouthfuls, shoveling the last scraps of meat into his mouth. "I'm so glad we're back out here… Not just for the beauty of travel, but also for this meat! Ugh, I missed this so much!" He wipes his mouth, "boar meat's the best."

He looks over at Orin, who is lying peacefully on the snowy field, gazing at the night sky. "Hey, Orin!" Farren calls out, his voice carrying through the quiet night.

"Huh? Yeah, Farren?" Orin responds lazily, not moving an inch, his eyes locked on the stars above, his hands resting on his stomach.

"You bring any ale with you? I could really go for some right now!" Farren shouts, reaching for more boar meat.

"No, sadly no," Orin replies, his tone brief. "We'll have some once we get to Liora."

"Ugh… Alright then—only meat," Farren mutters, clearly disappointed. He sits down next to Ronan, leaning back as he shovels more boar into his mouth, his chewing quick and enthusiastic.

The six of us are sitting by the side of the path, right at the entrance to the mountain roads. The coachman has already gone to sleep, stretched out in the carriage. I can't really blame him—he's the one guiding the horses, while we're just sitting on our butts the whole way.

The whole place—the sky, the mountains, the fields, and the roads—feels so fantastical. I love it. It's like we're living the grand adventure we used to dream about as kids, out exploring the world with our friends. But now, here I am, traveling through villages and towns, and it feels incredible. I never want this to end. Even though it can be tiring or annoying sometimes, it's always rewarding. And I really love that.

Falling back into the atmosphere, I tilted my head up toward the sky, taking in the stars, the colors, the very glow of life itself.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? I think I could sit here all night, staring into the abyss above and losing myself in it," Sela said, her eyes meeting mine as she caught me finally gazing upward. Her words felt like an invitation, a silent promise to stay here together beneath the endless sky.

And truthfully, I believed I could. It was beyond stunning—fantastic, even. No, there were no words to capture it entirely; it was simply too much. The stars, the glimmers, the vibrant hues—red, blue, purple—all mingling in ways unseen back in Japan. Yet here, it felt right, as if this land—its mountains, fields, and distant forests—was painted by the night itself. The sky bound it all together, a perfect canvas where every detail mattered, where missing even one element would unravel the whole masterpiece.

"Yeah… to be honest, I've never seen anything quite like this—how do I even describe it? Amazing? No… I don't think words can truly capture this moment. This is something otherworldly…" I replied to Sela, who sat motionless beside me, lost in awe.

"…For me, at least. For me, it is otherworldly."

I murmured those last words more to myself than anyone else. I wasn't sure if anyone heard them—not that it mattered. Still, they felt like something meant to be kept quiet, as if speaking them too loudly might shatter the weight they carried. Even if they knew I was from another world, I doubted they'd question it. They were just that kind of people. And if they didn't understand, they'd probably just laugh, wondering if I'd had a drink too many.

Then, beneath the sky's soft hum, a shadow drifted through the air—elegant, vast. A bird… or perhaps something else? It soared effortlessly, its massive form cutting through the night, gliding toward the mountains. The moment it vanished behind the cliffs, a flock of smaller birds burst into the sky, scattering in all directions like a panicked wave. But just as quickly, they settled again, folding back into place, returning to their quiet rhythm.

For a brief moment, peace returned. But then, dozens more followed—the same kind, though slightly smaller. They moved in unison, their flight graceful, their feathers painted in shades of deep brown and vibrant red. They didn't cry out or break the stillness. They simply moved, flowing through the night like brushstrokes on a dark canvas, fading behind the mountains as if chasing the one that had passed before them.

Slowly, gently, feathers drifted downward. They twirled in the wind, weightless, carried by unseen currents until they touched the ground—only to be whisked away again, vanishing into the mountain's embrace.

Althea stared up, her gaze locked onto the sky, caught in a moment that seemed almost spellbound. She reached out, as if trying to grasp the vastness of it all in her palm. Instead, a single feather descended, its tip a soft, glowing red, fading into an earthy brown at the base, catching the fire's light as it fell.

Holding it delicately between her fingers, she murmured just loud enough for us all to hear—though whether Orin heard, we couldn't say.

"A feather of a Faelora is supposed to bring luck… right?"

Her voice was soft, almost reverent, as she turned it between her fingers, watching how the firelight played across its surface.

"Ah… That was beautiful! Come on, why aren't they flying back? I wanna see them again! Ronan, do something!" Sela burst out, her voice filled with excitement. She sounded out of breath, like she'd been holding it in the entire time. Unlike Althea, who sat there quietly with her "lucky" feather, Sela seemed completely unfazed by it—until she finally noticed.

"Wait, what?! You caught a feather! You have to save it! It's supposed to bring luck if you get one!" Her eyes lit up with awe, almost too much. Any second now, it looked like she might start jumping for joy.

Ronan glanced at Althea, then back at Sela, completely lost. "Wait, wait, wait. What exactly am I supposed to do? Walk up to the birds and politely ask them to come back?" He looked at her like she was some kind of dumb child.

"I suppose I'll keep it, then. Maybe it'll bring us luck at some point. Or it can be a memory." Althea said, slipping the feather into her pocket without breaking her usual calm. She shifted slightly, crossing her right leg over her left and resting her hands gently on the log beneath her.

"You really think those feathers bring luck, though? It'd be badass, but kinda unrealistic," Farren muttered.

Unrealistic? Really? Farren, magic and giant birds are unrealistic too. But sure, draw the line at lucky feathers.

"Nuh-uh, they're real. What's the fun if they aren't, huh? Exactly," Sela shot back with full confidence.

…What do you mean "exactly," Sela? That's not proof. You just said words.

"Exactly what?" Ronan murmured, shaking his head in disbelief, trying to return to the peaceful moment. But before he could, Sela spoke up again.

"Hey, exactly what, what?! You should be trying to get those birds back here, didn't I ask you to do that?" She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting as she shot him a stubborn glare.

"I can't bring the birds back. How would I even do that?" Ronan replied, his voice carrying the weight of exhaustion, like he was seconds away from breaking down over her stupidity.

"How would I know? You're the one who has to figure it out. Hmph!" She huffed, dramatically tilting to the side in an exaggerated show of defiance—only to lose her balance. She nearly tumbled off the log but managed to recover at the last second, quickly straightening up as if nothing had happened. The stubborn look returned to her face like she hadn't just fought for her life against gravity.

"I can't make the birds come back, and I'm not going to try either," Ronan said, his voice nearly cracking with disbelief.

Sela's expression grew even more determined, but then—just as quickly—it shifted. A glint of mischief flickered in her eyes as if a devious thought had just entered her mind.

With a smirk, she stood up and walked toward Ronan, her steps slow and deliberate. He remained seated, watching her approach like he already regretted whatever was about to come out of her mouth.

"Hehehe… Now then, R~onan," she purred, dragging out his name. "If you bring those birds back… I'll reward you." Her smirk widened. "Maybe… I'll give you a little glimpse of something you like. Or… you can do anything you want with me. Or with Althea."

"Why me…" Althea muttered, utterly unamused.

Ronan sat there, considering it for a moment. For a second, it looked like he was actually debating whether the offer was worth it. But in the end, he shook his head. As tempting as it was, he knew there was no way to get those birds back.

"Sorry, can't do it. The offer is tempting, but it's impossible," he said, then smirked slightly. "Though, you'd let me do whatever I want either way, wouldn't you? Or are you too immature for that?"

"Huh? Who are you calling immature? Me?" Sela scoffed, eyes narrowing. "I could do all kinds of naughty stuff with you—but now I'm not in the mood anymore." She huffed again, plopping herself back down onto the log, arms crossed, her stubborn pout returning full force. "I just wanna see the birds again… Hmph."

"Anyway… so these are lucky feathers? Really?" I ask, not directing the question at anyone in particular. Just throwing it out there, seeing if anyone feels like answering. Sela sure isn't—she's curled up in a ball, knees pulled tight to her chest, sulking like a child denied a second dessert.

"Yeah, that's what people say. Whether it's true or not… who knows?" Ronan replies, his voice distant, clearly more interested in reclaiming his peace than debating folklore.

"I'd say it's fake," Farren chimes in, arms crossed as he throws a glance between Ronan and me. "A feather bringing luck? Yeah, right."

"It doesn't matter," Althea says, her tone as calm as ever. She absently rolls the feather between her fingers, watching it catch the firelight. "We're keeping it—whether for luck or just as a memory. It's not every day one of these just falls into your hand, you know." She pauses, then adds, "Though… I can't lie, I did use a little wind magic."

"Oh, so you cheated." I smirk.

"Uag… Cheater!" Sela gasps, her eyes widening in mock shock. She places a hand dramatically over her chest, as if wounded by the betrayal, then shoots a playful glare at Althea. "You're going to take that? She's a cheater!"

Althea simply shrugs, unbothered by Sela's antics, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"I see," I continue, leaning back slightly. "Well, yeah, I agree with Althea. Doesn't really matter if the luck thing is real or not—it'd be cool if it was. But even if it's just a memory, that's good enough, right?" I glance at the feather. "Though, let's be honest, it would've been way more impressive if it had just floated down into your hand on its own… like you were chosen or something."

Althea gives a small, knowing smile, but doesn't say anything.

And Sela? Still sulking.

"Wait… did she just say she could do all kinds of naughty stuff… just not right now?" Ronan mutters under his breath, blinking as if trying to process the words. Then, shaking his head, he turns to Sela. "Hold on—Sela! What exactly did you say before? We can do what now?"

Sela tenses for a moment before shooting him a glare. "Agh…! Why are you such a pervert?" she huffs, hugging her knees a little tighter. But there's something in her voice—something amused, like she'd been waiting for this reaction. "…But yeah, sure. Maybe in Sandory or whatever."

Ronan straightens. "Wait… Sandory? You will—"

"Mhm," Sela cuts in before he can finish, her tone completely casual, like this isn't a big deal at all. "Yeah, that kinda stuff. Was that hard to understand?"