Month 1, Day 2, 23:15:31; Arvium, Western Fields, Jakki's Field

Aella glanced around at the hillside, looking beyond the fields to the cliffs where the waves roared their mournful cry. The moon was in full force, illuminating the golden heads of wheat in their seeming endlessness. With each brush of the warm breeze, they swayed like waves. The rustle sounding peaceful, and the air was filled with the scent of summer and earth.

Aella leaned against her staff, her head rested on her hands. This side of the island was deserted, and was silent. In the distance, she could see the waves rolling in on the white beaches, and she smiled. Above her, in the silent symphony of gravity and forces beyond her control moved the stars and planets. It was as if the earth and the universe were playing a song just out of range of human hearing, a song to be felt rather than heard. It was enveloping and warm and felt like home, the way home feels when you've been away too long, or you've discovered you've found a new home.

She sniffed, feeling a tear slide down his face. She closed her eyes and laughed. I never dreamed I would be doing this.

She tensed as a light lit up a patch of field a few yards in front of her. The orb of soft blue light hung in the air, silent then zipped off to the side, going around her. She gasped, twisting on her heel. Another light popped up next to the first, and the two circled each other.

She stepped forward, then glanced up as she heard a swish. Several more of the orbs fell from the sky in the distance and sped over the tops of the wheat, their light sending fairy shadows wherever they went. More started ascending from the wheat, filling the entire field with soft blue light, each dancing and flickering as if they were fireflies.

Aella laughed, twirling as she looked at them all. One of the orbs stopped in front of her, making a quirky, musical chirp as it floated in front of her, then hummed as it zipped off to the side. She began to follow it, plunging through the wheat toward the center of the field.

The wheat swished around her as the breeze blew, enveloping her senses with the soft roar. The orbs began to move, heading toward the edge of the field and the cliff just beyond. She followed them, jumping as she ran. Her limbs felt light, and the chirps began to grow softer, as if they were singing.

It was a peaceful song, and ancient, and she could almost make out words. It was as if a heavenly choir had started singing in a language she should have known. The sound of strings and voices, and the occasionally hiccupy trumpet filled the air, growing louder as the orbs rushed past her.

She paused at the edge of the field a foot from the edge of the cliff, listening as the hundreds of orbs dashed and danced past her, a music from their chaos. She sank to her knees, her eyes stinging as tears started to drip down her cheeks.

The wave stopped just briefly for a moment, then the orbs kept going, effortlessly sinking down the cliff face and racing towards the waves.

She crawled forward, looking over the edge.

The orbs flowed like a waterfall, their music intensifying. When the reach the bottom they spread out over the waves, hopping over and under the waves, dashing side to side. The waves sparkled as if diamonds had suddenly been infused with moonlight and life.

"Keep going," she shouted, her voice breaking. She laughed, reaching one hand out to wave goodbye as the last of the orbs plunged over the cliff and followed after their siblings. The orbs kept spreading out, and began to plunge into the water, their light illuminated the depths for several minutes before disappearing.

She rolled over onto her back, hearing the roar of the waves beneath her. She choked up, her chest spasming with pain. She sobbed, letting the pressure in her chest out.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled through heaving sobs. Her hands gripped the dirt beneath her and she pounded her fist against the soft dirt. She let out a scream, then broke down into silent crying, tears streaming down her face. "Chloe, I'm sorry."

She closed her eyes, her body going limp. Her body ached, and her breathing slowed. I don't know if I can keep doing this. I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

A soft flapping sound filled the air, growing louder.

She growled, gritting her teeth as she rolled over. "If that's some kind of animal, I'm going to--"

She paused, her eyes growing wide.

She scrambled backward, her hand reaching for her sword as the massive head moved closer, the gaze of two glowing snake-like eyes piercing through her own. The smoking dragon's massive wings beat the air, creating less sound than they should, and the figure dressed in black armor sitting astride its back raised its hand.

She turned as she heard footprints behind her, then everything went dark.

Hi everyone! As you've noticed events have started to pick up and the timeline is moving faster! So much has happened to Aella already in the span of one day, that I'm almost afraid of what the rest of the Game will be like!

Who rides the dragon, and why have they taken Aella?

Tune in next week to find out!