[Trade] Brighteyed Wonder

Flynn glanced toward the sky, a smirk playing on his lips as he scanned the horizon, already giddy at the thought of what they might come across. To his right, a starry-eyed Tyrian who had introduced herself as Maple walked with an eager bounce in her step. Trotting happily beside her was a small Chaser named Varos—who prided himself on his skills as a chef.

The two had met Flynn while exploring the Below, learning about the various Haedian clans. Upon hearing about the surface, Flynn knew they had to see it for themselves—Vitalus, a continent he had only ever experienced from beneath, was now theirs to explore.

“The sky is beautiful,” Flynn mused, his fur ruffled slightly by the breeze as the sunlight warmed his back.

The tiny floating islands scattered across the sky were lazily drifting through the clouds, truly driving home how different this place was for Flynn from home.

“Mhm. Vitalus has a lot to offer," Maple agreed with a nod. "I almost fear that you’ll find Warrenfall, Thedale, and Roenden a bit boring by comparison—Vitalus is definitely the wildest of them all, thanks to the sheer amount of untamed magic flowing through these lands.” She was practically glowing with excitement at the chance to show Flynn around. There was something special about seeing the world through his eyes—how his face lit up with wonder. She knew the feeling well. It hadn't been all that long ago that she'd experienced setting foot in Vitalus for the first time herself.

Varos let out an exasperated sigh, fiddling with a scroll that kept rolling up on its own, refusing to stay open.

“How do Reoseans read these things? They have a mind of their own!" He huffed, extending the stubborn parchment toward Maple as though expecting her to solve the problem.

Maple chuckled at the audacity of the scroll and held out a clawed hand. "Here, let me see."

After a few practiced movements—carefully bending the parchment just right—the scroll still curled slightly at the edges but at least remained open, allowing Varos to finally read its contents properly.

“What are you reading?” Flynn asked, curiosity piqued just enough to momentarily pull his attention away from a crystal formation that grew out of the ground and hummed lightly, causing fallen leaves to float around it. He slowed his pace, allowing Maple and Varos to catch up.

Craning his neck, he tried to glance over the Chaser’s shoulder at the scroll’s contents yet he wasn‘t the stealthiest in his attempt, causing Varos to pick up on Flynn’s interest, turned with a kind smile and extended the scroll toward him.

“It’s a bit difficult for me to read and fully understand," he admitted with a sheepish chuckle. "I’m much more used to reading recipes, to be honest." His tail flicked slightly as he looked up at Flynn with hopeful eyes.

Flynn, a native of Vitalus who had grown up surrounded by wild magic, might be able to make sense of it—something Varos had so far failed to do. 

Just then, the beating of wings caught the party's attention, and a sudden gust of wind almost swept the scroll away. The trio of Reoseans instinctively looked up, only to meet the piercing gaze of a scaled face glaring down at them. A deep scowl twisted its sharp, tooth-rimmed maw, and elemental fire flickered at the corners of its jaws. Steam escaped its nostrils, and its spike-adorned eyebrows, furrowed in anger, made it clear that this creature was less than pleased with the band of adventurers.

Flynn stared in awe. This was his first encounter with Vitalus' wildlife, and it was as fearsome as it was majestic. Quickly, he pushed the small Chaser's scroll back into its owner’s hands, his gaze shifting to the fiery aura emanating from the massive winged reptile in front of them.

“A dragon,” Maple whispered, her voice barely audible, as if she wanted only Flynn to hear. The Haedian couldn’t help but smile at her words, a mixture of nervousness and wonder crossing his face. The dragon wasn’t attacking—at least not yet. It simply watched them, its gaze sharp and unblinking.

They had wandered too close to its territory.

"My apologies," Maple said softly, a nervous smile plastered on her face. She knew well that dragons were not to be trifled with, and the last thing she wanted was to provoke a fight. Stepping back carefully, she tugged at her two companions, urging them to retreat slowly and quietly.

The dragon’s gaze bore into them as they backtracked, its eyes never leaving theirs. Only when the party had put a sufficient distance between themselves and the creature did it finally retreat, vanishing into the vibrant, sprawling forest of Vitalus.

The group paused to catch their breath, relief washing over them. Soon, the mood lightened, and their conversation turned to more mundane topics.

“So, about the scroll,” Flynn began, using the question as an icebreaker. His curiosity was evident as his eyes darted toward the small Chaser. “Why are you trying to learn fire magic?”

The question was simple, but it gave Varos pause. He fell into a moment of quiet reflection.

“It’s about a lot of things. Mostly cooking.” He tapped his trusty traveling gear with a paw. “That shouldn’t come as a surprise, with me being a chef.” he added with a chuckle, meeting Flynn’s gaze.

“Do you need a more extensive reason to want to pick up magic?” Varos asked, as if second-guessing himself.

Flynn shook his head vehemently. “Any reason, as long as it’s important to you, is good enough to want to learn magic. I’d say it’s just a matter of time and practice for you.” he said warmly as they passed through the hollow trunk of a massive tree.

Just as Flynn was stepping through to the other side, he felt a sudden tug on his tail. Startled, he turned to see Maple holding onto it with her teeth, her expression one of sheer panic.

“What is it?” Flynn asked, his voice calm but concerned. He could tell something was wrong so he turned around, or wanted to at least but this caused Maples expression to intensify in panic. Picking up on it being related to where he was standing, Flynn elected to stand still, allowing Maple to speak her mind now that it was clear that he would remain still.

Maple finally let go, her voice slightly trembling as she pointed to a strange patch of moss growing in front of Flynns paws. “Don’t touch that moss,” she said firmly, realising she had just avoided catastrophe. The patch was an odd, desaturated orange color, with fine, spindly vines sprouting from it.

“It’s poisonous. Just touching it can cause a lot of pain,” she explained, her worry evident. “Please watch out for dragon’s heartburn next time,” she added with a nervous laugh.

Flynn couldn’t help but chuckle lightly at the name, though he promised to be more cautious moving forward. Despite the dangers of the topside, the thought of exploring and uncovering its mysteries filled him with excitement.

The trio continued their journey, marveling at the wonders of Vitalus. Bridges made of vines and floating rocks stretched across vast chasms, semi-sentient plants swayed gently as if greeting the travelers, and gem formations pulsed with a steady, rhythmic light were among a few of the many things they encountered on their trek.

As the sun began to set, Maple glanced over at Varos, who had been absorbed in memorizing the contents of his scroll. Meanwhile, Flynn was still taking in the scenery with wide-eyed wonder, while Maple trotted contentedly beside them.

“Hey, Varos,” Maple called, her voice light but pleading.

The Chaser looked up from his scroll, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m hungry, and it’s getting late…” she said, trailing off, hoping he’d take the hint.

A mischievous grin spread across Varos’ face. He had been eager to show off his cooking skills but couldn’t resist teasing his friend first. “Sorry, Maple, but those puppy eyes don’t work on me,” he said, clearly enjoying her reaction.

Maple exaggerated her pleading gaze, making Varos laugh. “How could I say no? Set up camp, and I’ll see what I can make for us,” he said with a warm smile.

Flynn, whose curiosity had kept his hunger at bay, suddenly realized how empty his stomach felt. “I’ve got to say, I’m looking forward to trying one of your dishes,” he admitted as his stomach growled loudly, earning a chuckle from the group.

Once camp was set up, Maple and Flynn sat down to watch as Varos worked on starting a fire. It took him a few tries, but soon small sparks escaped from his maw, followed by tiny puffs of flame. Before long, the fire was crackling brightly, ready for Varos to cook a meal that he hoped his friends would enjoy.

Maple glanced at Flynn once more, contently reading the expression on his face, as happiness. This was enough for her to know that the Haedian had enjoyed the day of travel they had spent together.