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Chosen traveled more miles that night, more than usual. He flew over green forests, grand mountains, quiet plains and rivers flowing peacefully, their trickle like a melody. He passed by those, sparing them barely a glance as he continued on his way. He'd seen each of these a lot and, don't get him wrong, he always appreciated their beauty, but that night, he had another destination in mind.
He landed on a glade in the middle of a forest. He'd spotted this place earlier that day, his first thought being how magnificent this would look at night.
And how right he was.
The glade was home to a pond, big enough for a variety of life to flourish and small enough to not cause a bother. Colorful flowers were sprinkled among grass patches, blues, violets and whites that seemed to shine under the dim light. Tall trees surrounded it, moving idly with the breeze, vines hanging from their highest branches, like a barrier secluding this paradise from the outside world. The only light came from the moon overhead, white light eternally there, existing over the world above their heads. In the distance, he could hear the low cooing of birds and the call of some owls, breaking the silence while making up such a great part of it at the same time.
Chosen held his breath, as if scared he would disturb the steady flow of life in this place simply by existing among them. He tiptoed around plants to get closer to the center of the clearing, closer to the sparkling water. He cleared a small spot among the grass, just enough to plop there and lie with eyes closed.
He focused on his breathing. In and out. The rhythmic rustling of the leaves sounded calming like a lullaby. He could feel the breeze on his hair. The itchy touch of the grass on his face. He let out a breath, a hint of a smile painted on his face.
Slowly he opened his eyes and he came across a jaw dropping spectacle, enough to rival his surrounding view.
The stars.
Chosen loved the stars; he always had. They reminded him of freedom. To see the stars meant to be outside, far from the noise of a secluded city, and for the sky to be clear of any obstructions. The stars were far, far away; he knew that. It was a whole other world stretching out before him, all for him to enjoy.
He remembers he'd read something about this. The stars were so far away, even light needed years to reach them. So much space between, with nothing, no obstacle in the way. True freedom in ways even the Outernet couldn't offer him.
Well, at least that was the case for humans. On the Outernet, the stars were little more than bright projections of light that disappeared should you get too close. Because Chosen had tried that. So, so many times in fact, each one hoping he could see them up close, to feel like a part of this magic, surrounded by light among the darkness.
He sighed and shifted on the grass, not for a second removing his gaze from the intricate patterns of light in the sky. It was beautiful. Even if it wasn't quite so real, it was still beautiful.
In an impulse, with his stubborness getting the best of him, he jumped to his feet and ignited his hands. Maybe this time, if he was fast enough, he could catch a glimpse of them before they disappeared due to his presence. He passed the lower layers of clouds like a flash, constantly accelerating, pushing himself to go as fast as he could. He could see the stars dim as he got closer, so he went even faster.
Before long, he came face to face with the barrier. He looked around the dark blue sky, empty of anything, completely silent and blank, obstructed by the endless grid of IP’s, the entrance to all computers. He punched the slot above him with a low groan.
The IP barrier. The uppermost point one could go on the Outernet. It was a constraint to his freedom, preventing him from flying as high as he wanted, but he supposed it was a good enough deal, considering there was complete freedom of movement to any other direction. Even so, Chosen couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel to float weightless in the infinity of space, with every direction free to go, to travel, to fly forever, as far as his heart desired.
With a sigh, he took another glance at the accursed barrier and descended back to his little spot on the ground. His eyes closed, Chosen just lay there, softly humming along to the harmonious and steady rhythm of the pond’s natural pulse.
What he felt was like a breeze, followed by a small tickle on his skin. He rubbed his eyes and huffed, rising to a sitting position, as if he had just woken up from a nap. When he opened his eyes, he was sure his jaw was about to detach from the rest of him.
(It wasn’t, he’d barely opened his mouth; he’s just not used to even the smallest of reactions.)
All around, tiny yellow orbs were floating, slowly moving around the place. They shone a light, not too bright to fully illuminate the area but enough to make for mesmerizing ambient lighting. In every direction he could turn, those little orbs were there, floating by the trees, over the pond and all around him. Their light reflected on the water, making it seem like they were much more than they actually were. He blinked repeatedly to assure himself he wasn’t dreaming, but then again, his dreams were never this pleasant.
It was magical. He was in awe. He felt like he was transported into an entirely different world.
Fireflies, they were just fireflies, but Chosen couldn’t care less for what they actually were. To him, they were stars. To him, it was everything.
And it was beautiful.