From a small balloon overlooking the Cloudsong, sipping from a large mug of tea, Thalurania gazed out over the festivities.
Her day at the Celebration was drawing to a close, and she'd enjoyed every moment of her time there. Kite contests, artist seminars, balloon races... as everything was on the Plateau, the Celebration was creative, inclusive, and fun. There was no better way to spend the Jamboree. Still, she couldn't help thinking every so often about how much her friends would have enjoyed it.
Thalurania had trained with Phoebe and Lamprotornis for months, and the three of them had been practically inseparable. When they were younger, all three of them had dreamed of going on to serve the Windsinger, of leaving their humble clan for a greater purpose. As they aged, though, Thalurania became quite attached to the Coliseum, and invested in the goings-on of the clan. When it was explained that one of them must stay behind to train future exaltees, it seemed natural that she should be the one to volunteer.
This was easier said than done, though. It had been less than a week since she'd parted ways with her two dear friends, but it felt like forever that they'd been gone. Yes, they'd visit when they could... still, there was a kind of emptiness in their place that Thalurania couldn't seem to fill.
She shook her head. During this of all weeks, they'd want her to have fun. After all, they had left in preparation for the Jamboree. And truly, she'd made the right decision, not only for her clan, but for herself. She felt now a sense of belonging that she wouldn't have summoned as a fighter in the Windsinger's army. Thalurania drank the last of her tea and took flight back to the central raft, where a fireworks display was about to begin.
The pyrotechnics were spectacular, full of rich greens and oranges, outbursts of vivid, riotous color. They gathered energy, momentum, and tension, and then released it all in one satisfying pop. The show culminated in a depiction of the Windsinger, which seemed to burst out of the sky with no warning but a whistle, then hung in the air before drifting into darkness. The display received hearty applause from everyone gathered to watch.
After that, the crowd dwindled. but Thalurania remained a bit longer, gazing up into the star-dotted sky. She imagined two blurs, gray and purple, streaking through the air far above, on some important mission for the benefit of the plateau. She sighed, smiling. It was a beautiful night.
Her day at the Celebration was drawing to a close, and she'd enjoyed every moment of her time there. Kite contests, artist seminars, balloon races... as everything was on the Plateau, the Celebration was creative, inclusive, and fun. There was no better way to spend the Jamboree. Still, she couldn't help thinking every so often about how much her friends would have enjoyed it.
Thalurania had trained with Phoebe and Lamprotornis for months, and the three of them had been practically inseparable. When they were younger, all three of them had dreamed of going on to serve the Windsinger, of leaving their humble clan for a greater purpose. As they aged, though, Thalurania became quite attached to the Coliseum, and invested in the goings-on of the clan. When it was explained that one of them must stay behind to train future exaltees, it seemed natural that she should be the one to volunteer.
This was easier said than done, though. It had been less than a week since she'd parted ways with her two dear friends, but it felt like forever that they'd been gone. Yes, they'd visit when they could... still, there was a kind of emptiness in their place that Thalurania couldn't seem to fill.
She shook her head. During this of all weeks, they'd want her to have fun. After all, they had left in preparation for the Jamboree. And truly, she'd made the right decision, not only for her clan, but for herself. She felt now a sense of belonging that she wouldn't have summoned as a fighter in the Windsinger's army. Thalurania drank the last of her tea and took flight back to the central raft, where a fireworks display was about to begin.
The pyrotechnics were spectacular, full of rich greens and oranges, outbursts of vivid, riotous color. They gathered energy, momentum, and tension, and then released it all in one satisfying pop. The show culminated in a depiction of the Windsinger, which seemed to burst out of the sky with no warning but a whistle, then hung in the air before drifting into darkness. The display received hearty applause from everyone gathered to watch.
After that, the crowd dwindled. but Thalurania remained a bit longer, gazing up into the star-dotted sky. She imagined two blurs, gray and purple, streaking through the air far above, on some important mission for the benefit of the plateau. She sighed, smiling. It was a beautiful night.
