Chapter Text
"Come closer..."
The wind was brushing through her hair, leaving behind a feeling of comfort and freedom. Amongst the dark sky were thousand of lights.
"No need to be afraid..."
A voice lighter than feathers and yet too hollow in the midst of animals crying out. Something was wrong, but she keeped on walking.
Step for step.
"There, there..."
Slowly, she could feel something wrapping around her shoulders, the breezes were stronger and she looked up. Surrounded by fireflies, her green eyes were hypnotized by swirling ones.
"... Now, close your eyes and dream, my child."
All sound died, and darkness wrapped around her.
"The wind is strong today..."
His hair wafted gently in the breeze, some strands getting in the way of his sight. He looked up to the sky, his blue orbs shining in the light.
Something was out of place.
A feeling of weariness set deep in his stomach, and the grip on his staff tightened. He glanced at the flying dragons, making sure they were okay. His eyes skimmed over his surroundings afterwards, noting no difference from before.
And yet the feeling just wouldn't leave.
He closed his eyes for a moment, sighing deeply. And then it happened - a different sound. In the midst of fluttering wings, a crashing sound that seemed to disturb the air, almost as if it cut it.
Without wasting a moment, he whirled around, running into the direction of the sound, the dragons following him. Of course they noticed the disturbance, this was their territory after all.
And then, at a bright clearing, he saw the reason for the disturbance. One he didn't expect.
Surrounded by neighbors, was a unconscious child, wearing a crown of bright red hair. And if all the signs told him right...
... the child was a Slay Vega.
She opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the sky.
It was clear and bright, only few clouds decorated it. It wasn't like Japan at all...
"Oh, you're awake! She's awake!"
Slowly, she looked to the side, and her eyes widened at the sight that met her.
"Are you okay? Don't worry, he'll be back soon!"
"Ahh, you're right! She's awake! The human's awake!"
She was surrounded by dragons! As quickly as she could, she sat up and tried to stand, almost falling back on the ground. Ignoring, the dragon's noises and words, she finally managed to stand without problems. She glanced around, wanting to know where she could hide. And there, a place full of trees. Without warning she ran into the direction of them, but as soon as she started...
"He told us you shouldn't move!"
A strong breeze hit her, and she looked up, at the dragons flying above her. Her eyes shined in admiration, as she saw them fluttering their wings, shouting without a care in the world. At some point she stopped running, and just looked at the creatures above her, roaring happily.
She couldn't help but envy them.
"Oh, you woke up? Well, it isn't that much of a surprise, considering..."
A voice threw her out of her train of thoughts, and she turned around hastily, expecting another dragon. Instead, before her, was a human.
"... they refused to leave your side, whilst you were unconscious."
He smiled gently, and for some reason she didn't feel scared anymore.
"It's ok, child. There is no need to fear the dragons. They won't harm you."
She remembered the distasteful glances of the adults, all the scoldings and the children that threw rocks at her, and tugged on her hair.
Though for some reason...
He shook his head softly, still smiling at her. Then with a clear voice, he spoke up, "I won't. I see no reason to harm someone innocent."
... she didn't believe he would for a moment.
After some minutes of silence, he stepped closer, standing still once he was before her, and then he knelt down, and blue orbs met her green ones. Despite his voice being so deep, he had some rather feminine features.
"Are you lost, child? You don't seem like you are from here."
She blinked in surprise, before speaking up, "W-where exactly... is here?"
"Your kind calls it Iceland."
The man before her froze.
"Japan? How did you even end up here?"
"I f-followed someone. A creature with swirly eyes, I think it called itself Ashen... uh..."
"Ashen Eyes." He sighed deeply, before muttering, "Of course, who else would if not them."
Then he smiled at her, before patting her head. "I'll bring you home. Your parents must miss you." For a second she froze, remembering a woman with long hair, wafting in the wind. She held her shirt tightly, and shook her head.
"I don't really have... parents."
Seems like that was the wrong thing to say.
She nodded to his relief, but once he took a look at her eyes it vanished. That wasn't the look of a happy child. Now where he thought about it... nothing about her seemed like she was a happy child.
There were bags under her eyes, she was all dirty, and her clothes were too big on her, and torn. She had scratch marks all over her face, her arms and her hands.
That definitely couldn't have been Ashen Eyes.
"Do you like your family? Please answer honestly."
For a while she didn't say anything, and he feared he might have overstepped his boundaries, but then, almost unnoticeable, she shook her head.
And he understood that sending her back would be the wrong choice.
Well, Ashen Eyes always has their reason for doing things like that...
In that moment, he could hear exciting shouting and the dragons landed surrounding them. And without fail, the turned to the little child.
"Yeah, it's gonna be fun!"
The girl looked up, blinking. She stared at dragons, the uncertainty written on her face.
She shook her head and the dragons began to shout all over the place, trying to explain their favourite games to her.
Though he couldn't help but smile, as he saw how intensely she tried to listen to them all, nodding her head once in awhile, and shaking it when she knew she couldn't do something. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, unlike mere minutes before.
"Will you tell me your name, child?"
She looked at him, her green eyes filled with curiosity.
He gently laid his hand on her head, and smiled at her.
"Chise, how would you feel about staying here under my care?"
Her hands were shaking, as she looked at him with shock and uncertainty.
"It's your choice, Chise."
Whatever uncertainty she had then hid itself, as she nodded her head, "I... wouldn't mind."
That was all the answer he needed.
"My name is Lindel, I'll be looking after you from today on."
