Hiraeth: Blackout (I)

Chapter One

The engine roared nearly as loud as my thoughts. I braced myself as I was lifted off the ground and into the air along with the other passengers.

I had snagged the window seat. Through it I could see the forests and towns growing smaller far below.

"Whoa..." I whispered. The aeroplane's elegant, silvery wings began to spread their feathers and glide at a steady pace.

Most aeroplanes had two pairs of wings, but this one was smaller, so it only needed one. I could feel my eyes widen each time they moved. My stomach fluttered and my hands shook. I bit my lip and kept my eyes in the direction of Floret, my hometown; falling further and further behind.

"Ya doin' okay, kid?" the man next to me asked with a smile. He was portly and wore a suit.

He's talking to me! Must not be Wondrynian.

"Yeah, thanks," I answered with a shrug, "I-I-I've just never b-been on an aeroplane before."

"Ah. Well, don't worry. I ride them all the time. Most much bigger than this one."

I nodded politely and returned to the window, slipping my headphones on. The flight took me above forested mountains to soaring over beaches. As the aeroplane left Wondryn behind, I couldn't help but feel melancholy. I was leaving home. Despite the history I had with it, Wondryn was my birthplace, and I would miss it very much.

Oh well, I told myself, I'm gonna start fresh. New city, new school, new beings... Maybe I'll actually be welcome.

I observed the ocean below me in amazement. I could spot creatures - mountainous island whales and sleepy coral dragons. I watched the shimmering blue-and-green waves for a long time, perplexed.

A loud beeping sound woke me from my daze. The flight attendant was announcing that there was only an hour and a half left before we would land.

"And if you look out your windows, you can see that we're flying over the beautiful Bright, a section of ocean where brilliant underwater creatures of light congregate and live peacefully," the onyx-skinned lady said. She had white flowy hair and a pair of neatly-tucked wings, so I assumed her to be a being of air. I'd only seen a few of her species back home.

Looking out the window again, I gasped. The Bright was breathtaking. Beneath the water shone lights of every color. Billions of glowing creatures were swimming gracefully, each one gleaming and glowing through evening mist. The waves raged and spewed water, but the life they harbored seemed unbothered.

I had to look away after a while, though. The light hurt my eyes a little.

The Sun began to disappear behind the horizon as we flew past the last of the Bright. The mist below, finally, started to reveal land.

Evening stars floated into the atmosphere. They huddled together almost like they were talking. I had never been so close to a star before, and now I could see that they were just like I'd always heard: orb-like pieces of light that sparkled and danced way up in the sky.

More and more stars appeared, and the Moon came out as the sky turned dark purple. The ground was miles below me, and I could see Dragon Island disappearing in the distance.

Idyll.

The aeroplane quickly passed over the border of the Western and Northern Realms, and into the Middle Realm. Not too far away, I could see Jade Mountain. Just below was Bijou City in all its radiance. Diamond, sapphire, ruby, emerald, and quartz skyscrapers pierced the star-lit sky. The River of Gemstones glistened in the icy Moonlight, small crystal towers piercing through the water's surface.