Boy fell from the sky

Sylvana gathered herbs at the bottom of the large drop when a glint of orange caught her eye. At first, she thought it was a rare crystal, the kind that sometimes tumbled from the earth during a landslide. But as it drew closer, she realized it was no gem—it was a boy, encased in a glowing barrier, tumbling through the air.

Her heart raced as she sprinted towards him, her feet barely touching the ground. The boy was unconscious, his black hair with a streak of red fluttering wildly around him. As he neared, the barrier dissipated, and Sylvana reached out, using her summoning magic to call upon her griffin friend. He answered her call, cushioning the boy's fall and laying him gently at her feet.

Sylvana knelt beside him, her lilac eyes scanning his face. He was indeed cute, with features that seemed both strong and gentle.

"Who are you?" she whispered, more to herself than to the unconscious boy.

She checked for injuries, relieved to find him mostly unharmed. With a soft sigh, she summoned an orange fish, which provided a cool, healing mist over his form.

"Rest now, stranger," she said softly. "You're safe."

As the boy lay there, Sylvana couldn't help but wonder about his story. What series of events had led him to fly through the air like a shooting star, only to land in her world? 

She smiled at her friends. "Thanks for helping me."

They nuzzled her before vanishing to wherever they had been before she called them here.

Sylvana watched over the boy, her mind continued to race with questions. Who was he? Where had he come from? And what twist of fate had brought him crashing down into her quiet world?

She brushed a lock of hair from his forehead, noting the streak of red that seemed to speak of a fiery spirit. "You're quite the mystery," she murmured. The forest around them was still, as if holding its breath, waiting for the boy to awaken and reveal his secrets.

Hours passed, and the sun climbed higher in the sky, its rays filtering through the leaves and casting a warm glow on the boy's peaceful face. Sylvana busied herself with her daily tasks, but her thoughts remained with the stranger who had fallen from the sky.

Finally, as the afternoon waned, the boy stirred. His eyes fluttered open, revealing a deep confusion as he tried to make sense of his surroundings.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," she said, offering him a gentle smile. "You had quite the fall."

The boy looked at her, his eyes wide with wonder and a hint of fear. "Where am I?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"You're in the Valorian forest," Sylvana replied. "I'm Sylvana. You're safe here."

The boy sat up slowly, wincing as he did so. "I'm Kite," he said. "I... I don't know how I ended up here."

Sylvana handed him a flask of water, which he took gratefully. "You were encased in a magical barrier," she explained. "It broke your fall. Do you remember anything?"

Kite took a sip of water, his mind clearing. "I was with my friends, and then the ground gave way. There was a landslide..."

Sylvana nodded, piecing together the story. "You must have been separated from them. They're probably looking for you right now."

Kite's eyes filled with concern. "I need to find them. They'll be worried."

Sylvana stood, extending her hand to help him up. "Then let's not waste any time. I know this forest better than anyone. I'll help you find them."

He smiled. "Thanks, Sylvana. We actually came here to look for you."

She blushed. "Me? Why?"

He crossed his legs. "I wanted to know my attribute. I've discounted three of the big five. Only healing and summoning remain. Although it's possible that my attribute isn't one of the five."

She hummed. "Well, let's look for your friends before the sun sets. Then we can see if you're a summoner or not "

He smiled. "You really are as nice as Ludo's dad made you out to be."

She blinked. Ludo's dad? Who could he be talking about? 

"Ludo's dad? I've met many people in the town, but I'm not sure who you're referring to," she said, her voice tinged with intrigue.

Kite rubbed the back of his neck, trying to recall the details. "He's a merchant, travels a lot. Can use wind magic which he can turn into various shapes, including horses," he explained as he got up.

A realization dawned on Sylvana, and she nodded. "Ah, you must mean Mako. He's known for his wind magic and his generous spirit. He's helped me a few times when I've needed supplies."

Kite's eyes brightened. "Yes, that's him! He spoke highly of you, said you were famous for your summoning magic, despite being as young as me and my friends."

Sylvana smiled, touched by the merchant's words. "That's very kind of him. Now, let's focus on finding your friends. We should start by heading towards the place where the landslide occurred. It's likely they're searching for you there."

Kite agreed, and together they set off, Sylvana leading the way with an ease that spoke of her deep familiarity with the forest.

Sylvana looked around, keeping her eye peeled for any other falling kids her age. But there were none. Hopefully, that meant they were safe.

"Say, if you don't mind me asking, why do you live here? Mako mentioned how you're rarely seen in the city," Kite asked, as they walked.

She sighed and glanced up at the sky. "It's because of my magic."

Kite blinked. "Your magic?"

Sylvana gulped and nodded. "Yeah. I can call upon mythical beasts like Mako mentioned. That attracts a lot of attention. And not all attention is welcomed."

The boy frowned. "Did you get unwelcomed attention?"

She nodded. "Not all people are good... M-my parents got hurt trying to protect me from some bad guys when I was little. I managed to summon a dragon to push the bad guys away. But my mommy and daddy passed away from their injuries. My daddy's family called me a cursed child." Tears stained her face.

Her eyes widened as she felt a hand full of warmth wipe away the tears from her face. She looked up and saw Kite looking back at her, his eyes were golden like the stars.

"It's not a curse," Kite said softly, his voice firm. "It's a gift, and those who can't see that are the ones who are truly blind."

Sylvana's lilac eyes met Kite's golden ones, a storm of emotions swirling within them.

"A gift?" she echoed, her voice laced with pain. "This 'gift' cost me everything. My parents' lives were the price of this magic. My maternal grandma had to live in the forest with me to keep me safe."

Kite's hand fell to his side, but his gaze never wavered. "I can't imagine the pain you've endured," he said earnestly. "But your magic—it's a part of you, Sylvana. And it's not the magic itself that's to blame, but the greed and fear in the hearts of those who don't understand it."

She turned away, looking out at the forest that had been her refuge and her prison. "Perhaps," she conceded softly. "But it's hard to see it as a gift when it brings more sorrow than joy."

Kite stepped closer, his presence a steady comfort. "You've used it to save me, didn't you? I faintly recall the sound of a bird or a lion while in my sleep."

"Yeah, did, but that's not joy."

"Maybe not but helping others can bring joy. If not to oneself, then to the person being helped."

The lingering tears in Sylvana's eyes shimmered but did not fall. She was used to being strong, to being alone, but in this moment, she allowed herself the vulnerability of being comforted by another. "Thank you, Kite," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves.

He smiled. "Don't thank me. If anything, I have more to thank you for. Who knows if Elian's shield would've survived the fall."

She hugged him. "It's best to not think of that scenario."

The boy returned her embrace. Though he wasn't the hot-blooded type she had imagined when first laying eyes on him, his spirit burned brightly in a different way, radiating warmth.

They stood there for a moment longer, two souls connected by the magic of the forest and the twists of fate that had brought them together.

Sylvana took a deep breath, wiped her eyes, and smiled. "We should keep moving. Your friends are out there, waiting for you."

Kite nodded, and they continued their search, the bond between them strengthened by the shared moment. As they walked, Sylvana found herself staring at the boy who had descended from the sky. It almost felt as if she had found an unfortunate angel.

She blushed as the boy turned to look at her. "Something the matter?"

Sylvana shook her head. "N-no! Nothing at all."

Kite offered her a half-smile, sensing her discomfort but deciding not to press further. "If you say so," he said, turning his attention back to the forest.

As they navigated through the thick foliage, Sylvana couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with Kite. He had seen her at a vulnerable moment, and instead of exploiting it, he had offered kindness. It was a rare thing in her short life. Mako was the only person outside of her family who had shown such kindness. She was grateful to have met them. They reminded her that not all people out there were scary like those two bandits she met the other day. There was kindness in the world.