Act 6: Fly Awaaaaaay!!
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Chapter 7: Girl, Makes a Call
ONLY after walking for close to a whole day did they finally pass through Fog Valley. A cool breeze started to blow once they drew closer to their destination, whipping up Nichika’s hair and mantle. The white fog hiding her feet from view cleared, giving way to a prairie flush with green. Nothing else caught the eye aside from the walled village looming in the center of the basin surrounded by a mountain range. Winds coming down from the mountains raced through the tall grass. No other land let her visually experience the wind like this.
“Woo! Finally got throuuughh. Haven’t tasted this wind in a while.”
Arriving behind Nichika, Lambert cupped his hands over his eyes and looked out over the carpet of green stretching into the horizon. Nostalgia softened his mischievous expression into something more human.
“Does this area count as part of Windy Village?” Nichika asked.
“Mm, I guess so? We don’t really make our borders clear, so you kinda put me on the spot askin’ for specifics…” Lambert shrugged. “Don’t quote me on this, but you can probably consider this basin as Windy Village.”
Oswald stepped out of the foggy veil next to Lambert. He took one look at the gorgeous scenery and dispassionately stated the facts. “This basin is a natural fortress protected by mountains. Windy Village doesn’t have any noteworthy natural resources, and none of the surrounding countries have a good enough reason to trudge up the mountains to attack.”
“Wow, pal, you don’t sugarcoat things, do ya? Fine, I admit my hometown doesn’t have any local specialties and is located in the sticks.” Wry smile in place, Lambert pointed to the town in the center of the prairie. “But please humor me and stop by this place without any noteworthy resources. Windy Village is entertaining as a sightseeing destination.”
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THE winds intensified as they neared the village. But rather than an unpleasant gale, the breeze cuddled up to them like a puppy. Nichika looked up to where green elements taking the form of butterflies blended into the endless blue sky.
“Look at all the wind mana!” she exclaimed, holding down her wildly dancing hair. “I can see why people think the Great Wind Spirit lives here.”
“I see them too! So manyyy!” Wolfie frolicked after the butterflies. One landed on his nose and he became cross-eyed staring at it. Oswald didn’t share in his excitement.
Fed up with the wind blowing his black cloak into his face, he yanked it off, rolled it into a ball, and chucked it on the ground. “Annoying pests!” he bellowed at the vast sky. “Why are you only picking on me?!”
“Ahaha! Your hair has been swept completely out of control!” Pointing and laughing at her master only turned his face more sour.
Oswald ran his fingers through his hair and rubbed it around until it looked like a bad case of bedhead.
“They sure love my upperclassman,” Lambert pointed out with a suggestive grin. “Go figure.”
Nichika thought about why it’d be obvious for wind to love Oswald and then she recalled what Wolfie had told her.
“Oh yeah, isn’t wind mana obsessed with beauty?”
“AUGH!”
A gust of wind charged Oswald, knocking him hard onto his back. He writhed in agony on the ground. Laughter from the wolf and two humans summoned a dark ugliness within the witch. Head tilted down as far as it could go, he sat up, muttering curses.
“I can use that to shut the damn wind mana up… No, I’ll obliterate them with it… I’ll turn every last birdie to cinders.”
“Save the villainy for something more productive. Come on, I’ll help you up.” Nichika offered him her hand with a conciliatory smile.
“Ya just have to grin and bear it a lil’ longer, buddy,” Lambert encouraged beside them. “They won’t pick on you as much in the village.”
Oswald swung his gaze toward the far away gate, calculated the approximate miserable distance it’d take to get there, and exhaled his despair.