"V—Vincent!" Eric asked, practically drowning in panic, "What was that!" The earth shaking started again, and a huge roar erupted from the mountains behind them. Vincent didn't say anything, but continued to look in the direction of the sound. Eric turned his eyes in the same direction, and saw a huge tongue of flame shoot up into the darkening sky.
"What is that?" he asked again, his voice a terrified whisper.
"A red dragon…." Vincent replied, his voice having only the smallest amount of fear in it.
"A dragon?"
Vincent didn't answer, but instead turned and started to walk back down the path. "Stay close and move fast," he ordered, and Eric did not have to be told twice.
"Vincent? What are we going to do!" Eric asked, following as closely as he could to the man.
"You are going to calm yourself," Vincent hissed, not stopping or even slowing down. "And will not speak," he continued, "If you must, do it in a whisper."
"But-" Eric started again, but stopped when he realized he was still talking loudly. He started again, this time whispering. "But, what about the dragon, what if he finds us?" Suddenly, another roar came from behind them, this time closer, and the two twisted their heads around. When no flames leapt up this time, Vincent looked down at Eric, and for the first time since he had met him, Eric saw a look of slight fear and anger mixed together in the man's eyes. "If the dragon finds us, heaven forbid, we shall have to defend ourselves. Until then, we shall remain silent, keeping your ears and eyes open for any signs of the beast, understand?"
Eric said nothing, but nodded his head quickly, his fear evident on his face. He had never seen a dragon before, let alone fought one, and now, he was in the middle of the mountains, being chased by one. How Vincent expected him to remain calm was beyond him, but he decided to give it a shot. It was better then panicking, anyway.
The two continued on in silence, and came to a ravine. The grey stone path they were on wrapped around the mountain and led onward towards the other side. The path itself was narrow, just enough for them to walk sideways along, and below, the ravine opened like the maw of some gigantic beast, with nothing but darkness below. Vincent started along the edge, and Eric watched him move gracefully along the edge, and found himself both envious and fearful. What if he couldn't get across as well as Vincent?
"There is no time for hesitation," Vincent said as he looked over at Eric, "You must make your decision now…..stay or go."
Eric nodded, and then gulped hard. Sweat beading on his head, he placed his back as flat against the cold stone as possible, and then took his first step onto the walkway. He looked up to Vincent, fear in his eyes, his stomach flipping so much that Eric was afraid he may heave right then and there.
"Do not focus on what is below you," Vincent instructed, "It is there, yes, but there are other things to focus on. Look only at me, not at your feet and not on the chasm….only on me."
Eric tried to squeak out a yes, but it didn't come, so he looked straight at Vincent. He took a step, but found himself looking back down at his feet again.
"Look at me!" Vincent shouted. Eric jerked his eyes back up and looked at Vincent again. He took a step, and found that it wasn't as hard as he thought it would be. His eyes never left Vincent's as he came around the path. He sighed with a certain amount of pride as he came to the end.
A screech wiped away the pride at that moment, and startled him. He came forward off the wall and started to fall forward, just as a huge, crimson shadow passed below in the chasm. Eric, his arms flailing for something to grab onto, started to fall forward. His footing slipped and he fell forward towards the inky blackness below.
Suddenly, he felt something grab onto the back of his collar. Eric looked up, still completely breathless from seeing his entire life pass before his eyes, and saw Vincent, his right hand gripping Eric's shirt tightly, his clawed hand digging deeply into the stone wall. For a moment, it seemed as if time had stopped, for Eric was too paralyzed with fear to think or feel anything else. He probably would have hung there for a while if Vincent hadn't grunted.
"You do not honestly think I am going to hold on forever, do you? If you wish to, I can let go…"
"Oh, sorry," Eric called up, brought out of his daze. "But, how do you think I should get back up?"
"Use your imagination," Vincent replied, and Eric could tell he was getting annoyed. Suddenly, the dragon roared again, and Eric saw in the distance, what seemed to be a blot in the setting sun. After a moment, it got larger and larger, and Eric came to the horrible realization that it was the dragon. The beast was coming straight at him, its huge jaws open, its sharp fangs glimmering in the sun.
"Vincent!" Eric screamed as the monster came but a few yards away. Smoke hissed from the beast's nostrils, and Eric closed his eyes, not wanting to see his end.
When he did, he felt himself being lifted, and Vincent growling as he pulled him up. Eric flew through the air, sailed onto the rough stone area connected to the ravine path, and rolled across for a moment before stopping. He looked up to see Vincent standing over him, his normally cool eyes blazing. In an instant, the fires died, and Vincent's visage returned to its normally unreadable calm.
"Th-thank you," Eric stammered as he rose to his feet. Vincent didn't say anything, but simply turned away. Eric thought he saw the man trembling slightly, but decided that it was simply his eyes playing tricks. After all, he did just survive a near-death experience.
"We must hurry forward," Vincent said as he headed towards the path that continued onward. The area they were in looked like it had been a cave at one point, with high walls that started to curve overhead; the only thing missing was the ceiling and the walls, and by how high and wide the whole thing was, Eric could guess that it had been a large crevice indeed. He hurried to catch up with Vincent, though, his fear of the dragon much greater then his curiosity for geological formations.
"Vincent, wait for me," he called as he ran to catch up. As he approached, Vincent motioned for silence, and Eric obeyed. The sound of a small pebble clicking down the side of the wall was the only sound Eric heard, but before he even processed what the sound was, Vincent grabbed his shoulder and pulled him backwards.
Right before his eyes, Eric watched a cascade of boulders come rumbling down the side of the mountain. Huge boulders rained down onto the path they had been standing on just a moment ago, and as the dust and rumbling ended, Eric saw that the entire path had been blocked by the debris.
"What…was…that?" Eric asked, completely stunned by the avalanche.
"Company," was all Vincent said before a huge slamming sound came from behind them. The two jerked around to see the dragon standing before them, its huge red eyes smoldering with hunger and rage.
Eric looked at the monster, his mind and eyes almost entranced by its appearance. Its scales shimmered in the darkening light like thousands of rubies, catching and reflecting the light in a beautiful, almost intoxicating way. The only thing that reminded Eric that the thing before him was intent on devouring him was a the roar that it unleashed.
"Eric!" Vincent called, and Eric came to his senses just in time to see the beast inhale deeply. The force of the wind pulled Eric towards the beast's maw, and Eric looked to Vincent for help. Just as suddenly, the wind stopped, and the dragon released a huge plume of fire, the heat sucking away Eric's breath as he leapt to the left and Vincent to the right. The dragon whipped its head around, searching for the younger, less threatening target.
Eric saw the dragon turn its burning eyes on him, and a burst of sparks spouted from its nose, falling and bowing through the air. Eric managed to avoid some, but as many as he dodged, he got burned by just as many. The dragon growled, though it sounded more like a chuckle, and for a moment of either stupidity or pure courage, Eric glared at the beast. This was, though, not the most intelligent thing for him to do.
The dragon curved its body around, forming a semi-circle around the trapped Eric. His back to the wall, there was nowhere for Eric to run; he was trapped. A slight wimper escape his lips as he hoped that it didn't hurt too bad when the dragon chewed on him, and that he would be dead quickly. Still, he wouldn't go down without a fight, so he threw a Blizzard spell. It struck the dragon's side, hissing when it touched the burning scales. The dragon did not even flinch, and Eric knew that his time was up. As the great creature's maw inched closer, Eric nearly swooned.
Suddenly, Vincent appeared on the dragon's neck, holding tightly onto its horns for support. The man's eyes burned almost as brightly as the dragon's, as he aimed his rifle expertly in between the monster's eyes. The sudden jerk of the dragon's head when it realized it had a passenger knocked of Vincent's aim however, and he ended up only shooting the dragon's upper jaw. It shook its head violently and Eric saw that it was all Vincent could do to hang on.
Moving quickly, Eric cast another Blizzard spell. This one was slightly larger then the last, and certainly took more energy, but he didn't want to waste the opportunity. Unfortunately, it reaped the same effect as the last spell, with it turning into a mist the moment it touched the ruby scales. Eric actually growled in frustration at the ineffective spell, but didn't get too much time to think on it.
The dragon lowered its head with a jerk, flipping Vincent forward. The gunman rolled swiftly toward the stone wall, but rose to his feet and skidded the last few inches expertly. Taking aim once again, Vincent released a flurry of shots all over the dragon, each bullet shattering its scales and burying deep in the creature's flesh. Eric stood amazed as he watched Vincent's entire visage and movements, each deliberate and thought out. He could see that the man was aiming with eagle-eye preciseness, and felt somewhat envious of his abilities.
The dragon was obviously growing irritated, and started to inhale for another blast. Vincent and Eric prepared for another dive, but instead were both met with a surprise. Instead of searing flames, the dragon released a huge billow of foul smelling, black smoke. It rolled forward and caught Eric and Vincent in its choking embrace. Eric fell to the ground, gagging on the ash and smog that clouded his eyes and burned his lungs. He thought he heard similar sounds coming from Vincent's direction, and thought to crawl over to him. Keeping his head down, but still choking profusely on the air, he made his way over to the gunman. A sudden thud and grunt cause him to open his eyes, despite the ash that brought tears to them. Vincent's own coughs were suddenly silent, and Eric felt a terrible sickness in his stomach. Where was Vincent? What happened to him? Eric wanted nothing more then to rush to him, but the cloud of smoke, along with the threat of the dragon made him too scared to move. Vincent would have told me to stay put, he thought to himself as he tried to crawl blindly out of the cloud. Suddenly, and just ahead of him, Eric heard another grunt, this one louder. It was followed by a clicking sound, like something metal falling on stone. He struggled to where he had heard the sound, and as he felt around the ground with his hands, they encountered something cold and metallic. Trying his best to stay calm, he brushed his fingers along the metal and found it was the barrel of a gun.
Suddenly, the smoke disappeared, blown away by a strong wind. The force of the wind knocked him backwards, and he coughed one last time as the remainder of the smoke cleared his lungs. He picked up Vincent's gun, a long pistol, almost as long as a rifle, and looked for the man. His eyes met a horrifying sight.
Before him was the dragon, a wicked, triumphant sneer evident in its eyes. It was looking at Vincent, who, to Eric's shock, was ensnared by the dragon's tail. It had bound the man completely, so that Eric could only really see Vincent's head and shoulders. He watched as the dragon tightened its hold, and Vincent cried out in pain. A cracking noise made Eric's stomach turn as he realized that the beast was crushing Vincent's bones.
"Stop it!" Eric shouted as he lifted up Vincent's gun. He couldn't aim properly because his eyes were tearing up with both rage and the ash that still lingered in them. He simply tried to hit some part of the dragon. The gun fired, and he heard the dragon growl.
Eric's eyes cleared up just in time to see the dragon's claw swinging towards him. It struck him full-on, and the dragon pinned him against the stone wall like a butterfly on a board. He struggled to break free, but was too tired to go on. Everything was hopeless. He and Vincent were going to die, and it was entirely his fault.
He was the one who invaded the mansion, he was the one who had brought them out into the mountains, and he was the one who slowed down Vincent's escape.
Everything was his fault.
Using the last bit of his strength, he reached out to the materia on his belt, trying to use one…it didn't matter which. When he tried, nothing happened, his energy too depleted, and he thrashed about, not a hope to escape, but out of simple frustration.
"I'm so sorry Vincent!" he cried out before he turned to the dragon. "I hope you…choke…" he sobbed. Mustering the last bit of anger, frustration and remorse he had left he screamed out, "Forgive me, Vincent!"
Suddenly, a horrible pain in his head took him. It spread quickly throughout his entire body, and soon, he was thrashing around in agony. Something was screaming in his head words he couldn't understand, and on his belt a materia began to glow. A wave shot out from his body, blasting the dragon backward and freeing both himself and Vincent from the terrible monster's grasp. Eric was able to see Vincent fall to the ground, coughing for breath, and then another wave of pain came over him.
Just as suddenly as this pain started, it stopped, and was replaced with a cool, icy feeling. A woman then appeared before him, stepping out of tin air. She was beautiful, with piercing sapphire eyes and lustrous, robin-egg colored hair. Her skin was the color of the sky, and her very aura radiated wisdom and timeless beauty. Eric felt absolutely in awe of the woman, and suddenly felt the impulse to kneel before her as if she were a queen. He glanced over to Vincent, to see if the man was seeing what he was seeing, but Vincent was lying on the ground, his eyes closed. The dragon stood a foot or two back, but seemed to be frozen in time, a horrible roar on the verge of escaping its mouth.
"Do not be afraid," the woman said quietly, comfortingly. Her voice sounded like snow falling, and it carried the tone of a mother. "Time has merely slowed for you. Do not be afraid."
"But I-" Eric started, but stopped when the woman raised a finger to her lips, a gesture meaning for him to be silent.
"I have but a moment," she said quickly, "But do not worry for yourself or Vincent. I promise that you both shall make it back to Nibelheim safely." With that, the woman lifted her hand, and blew gently across her palm. A flurry of snowflakes blew towards Eric from the woman's hand and swirled around him. As they did, the woman disappeared, leaving the scene exactly as when she had arrived.
Eric watched her vanish, and suddenly became aware he was different. He couldn't tell what at first, only that he had changed. It wasn't until something very cold draped itself over his shoulders. He glanced over and watched a pair of wings, blue and crystal clear, unfurl to his left and right from off his back. For some reason, it didn't seem in the least bit strange. He looked at his hands and watched them take on a blue color that matched the woman's. His hair swirled around his head in the frigid air that surrounded him, and he caught glimpses of icy blue strands instead of his usual black. The entire transformation complete, he looked at the dragon with cold, blue eyes. The beast seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then charged forward. Eric flew upward with a simple thought, missing the dragon's charge. Smiling coldly, he fired a series of crystalline orbs, each one striking the beast's scaly spine. The dragon whipped its head around and launched a blast of flame, but Eric's winged curved around him, blocking the attack. His wings melted away as the attack ended, but reappeared just as quickly, growing from his back like frost spreading across glass. Landing safely on the ground, Eric spread out his wings, and they shattered into tiny shards. Pointing his hand forward, the shards reacted to this silent command and flew towards the dragon. It tried to move its huge frame, but was not quick enough, and its body was pierced by the hundreds of tiny ice needles.
His wings reforming once again, Eric waved his hand lightly in the air. A small cloud of snow flakes danced around his fingers, and he spun around on his toes, almost in a dance-like movement, which ended with him on his knees, and his finger once again pointed at the dragon. A blizzard seemed to appear out of nowhere from behind him, and as it blew across the area, it covered everything in a frost, from the rocks and boulders to the dragon and even Vincent. This caused the man to stir and look up, and Eric sighed with relief when he saw Vincent's red eyes again. They had a look of surprise in them, but seemed to be strangely curious. This pleased Eric, for he had finally managed to find a good, or at least not frustrated, look in Vincent's eyes.
Turning his attention back to the dragon, who was now actually shivering from the cold, Eric charged two orbs of freezing energy in his hands. They grew larger for a moment, then flew off on their own accord and struck the dragon. Thick sheets of ice crawled upwards on the dragon's skin, and with one final cry of pain, it became completely encased. Walking impassively over to monster, Eric blew lightly on the huge block, and sent it over the edge of the cliff, into the darkness below.
For a moment, there was silence, then a satisfying crash echoed from below, and Eric smiled grimly at the sound. Turning back to Vincent, he grinned somewhat sheepishly as he walked towards his friend. But even as he walked, he felt his energy start to seep out of him, and the pleasant cold feeling disappeared. In its stead, he only felt a weakness overcoming him, and darkness began to cloud his vision. He stumbled a few more steps before collapsing next to Vincent. With one final sigh, he felt the last bit of cold energy leave him and the darkness conquer his vision.
----------------------------------------
Eric groaned slightly as he opened his eyes. He was lying in bed, the one he had slept in the night before. The room was dark, apart from the light given off by the fire burning brightly in the fireplace. As he sat up, his head was suddenly assaulted by a huge headache. It made him dizzy, and he ended up putting his head back down on the pillow. Groaning as he rubbed his temples, he tried to look around without lifting his head from its place on the pillow.
"Good evening," he heard Vincent say from just beyond his peripheral vision. Slowly turning his head towards Vincent, Eric winced as the pain pounded in his head again.
"What happened…?" Eric asked, trying his best to prop himself up again. He managed to see Vincent leaning calmly against the window, looking through the glass. "What time is it?"
"It is 12:03 in the morning," Vincent replied without looking away from the window. "You have been unconscious for several hours."
"I kinda wish I still was," Eric grunted, holding his head. "I feel like I've got the world's biggest ice cream headache."
"Not surprising," Vincent answered, finally turning his gaze towards Eric. In the dim light, the man's eyes seemed to glow slightly, and it made Eric slightly unnerved. His head started to pound again, for which he was slightly glad….it gave him a reason to look away. "When you fell, your skin felt as cold as death," Vincent added as he approached, his shoes making only the slightest sound as he walked.
"So, how am I back here? I mean, it's obvious you brought me here, but I thought that you had been injured?"
"Nothing a simple spell could not fix. There will be a few scars, but nothing I haven't experienced before."
Eric just nodded, his mind not really even trying to process what the man was saying. "Give it to me straight, doc," Eric said somewhat jokingly, "Am I gonna pull through?" He knew that jokes were wasted on Vincent, but he just felt the need to throw it in there anyway.
"While I am no doctor," Vincent said, apparently ignoring Eric's comment, "You will be fine. A few bruises from where the dragon had pinned you down, but besides that, you will live to fight another day…"
"After that, I'd rather not fight again," Eric sighed.
"But you will. That is a simple fact you must learn, and the sooner you realize it, the better."
"But, why? What's the point anyway," Eric asked, becoming slightly frustrated, "I mean, we all die eventually, right?"
"While you are right in saying that people die, you are wrong in saying that it happens eventually…."
"What do you mean?" Eric asked, thoroughly confused.
"Now is not the time," Vincent answered coldly, "Now, I want to know what happened up on the mountain."
Eric grimaced when Vincent pushed aside his answer, but he felt too weary to say anything.
"I can't really say…" Eric mumbled, "It was like..like a dream. Like I wasn't even there, but could still see everything going on. How did it look to you?"
Vincent didn't answer right away, his eyes closed in thought. He sat silently, and the only sound in the room for a few seconds was the crackling sound of the fire. Eric propped himself up against the wall, now thoroughly intrigued. As unnerving as the whole situation was, how unfamiliar and strange, Eric was fascinated somehow….and of course had many questions about it as well. Finally, Vincent opened his eyes, and after a slight sigh, began to describe what he had seen.
"At first, I'll admit I was in a slight daze. The dragon's attack had left me in a slight state of shock, but I managed to regain my senses long enough to see you. After the initial shockwave you released, you fell back against the wall, your eyes empty, lifeless almost. I was unsure of what was happening, and thought that perhaps you were in a state of shock yourself. But then, snow fell around you, and you alone. A moment later, your skin changed color, as well as your hair, and eyes, and finally you had a set of wings on you back…..That was all I saw before I had succumbed to unconsciousness."
Eric noticed that Vincent had a hard time saying that last part, and realized that the whole thing must have been slightly embarrassing for the man, for Vincent didn't seem like the type to be taken by surprise.
"What happened?" Vincent asked quietly, "I want you to explain everything in detail."
Eric wanted to, but he wasn't sure he could. Things seemed so strange now, that if he tried to explain it, he would have felt like he was telling a fairy tale. Still, he remember some of it, and so he tried his best. He told Vincent about the woman, what she had said; everything that he could recall he told Vincent and described it as best he could.
"Which brings me to here," Eric finished. He couldn't express the confusion that was welling up inside of him, the confusion that had started building since he began re-telling his story.
Vincent didn't speak after Eric had finished, but instead looked into the fire, a look of deep thought etched upon his pale face. The two sat in silence once again, and this time, Eric started to fidget from the uncomfortable feeling that had fallen over him. Finally, he could hold the silence no longer, and turned to the man standing above him.
"Vincent….I'm sorry," he started. When Vincent didn't respond, Eric decided that he should explain. "See, I didn't mean to put you in danger….I didn't want to cause so much trouble. I should have….I should have just left when you told me too-"
"Indeed, you should have," Vincent suddenly interrupted, "And yet, you did not. Once again, Mr. Constantine, you remind me of a young acquaintance of mine. She also had trouble following directions….."
"I am sorry I almost got you killed-"
"That is one fault I shall not have placed upon your shoulders," Vincent said suddenly, surprising Eric by the sudden tone of his voice. It seemed slightly rushed, as if Vincent wanted to cut off the thought. "The dragon, and the threat to my personal well-being, was entirely my own fault. It seems that I have grown careless in these two years since I have been out in the world….."
Two years…
Eric wanted to ask what he meant, but certainly Vincent, seeming to already be a bit more melancholy then usual, probably didn't feel like having the subject pushed any farther.
"Even so," Eric continued, "I think that…that it would be best if I left as soon as possible."
"If I may be so bold," Vincent replied, "That is surprisingly mature of you. What has brought you to making such a decision?"
"Don't act all serious like that, Vincent," Eric chuckled, "You know you're just glad to get rid of me."
Vincent didn't say anything for a moment, but looked at Eric with his serious eyes, almost a small glare in them. "When do you plan on leaving?" he asked, without blinking or looking away.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Eric asked, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable again.
"I only wish to see in your eyes whether you are lying or not. I would hate to begin any celebrations if you are going to return in the middle of them…"
Eric, still feeling slightly awkward, simply nodded and said, "Tomorrow morning."
"Very well," Vincent replied, finally looking away and standing up. "I suggest you get some rest…your experience has left you quite tired….I can still see it in your eyes."
"Alright," Eric nodded, as he watched the man walk out the door. "Good night," he called after Vincent, but the man didn't respond with anything other than closing the door.
After Vincent had left, Eric became aware of the sleepiness that was creeping over him, and so he laid his head back down on the pillow and let sleep take him.
The next morning, Eric awoke to find that the sun was just peeking over the mountains of Nibelheim through his window. He stretched and yawned, the looked out the window again, mumbling to himself, "Vincent's early bird syndrome must be rubbing off on me…" before he resist the urge to go back to sleep and climbed out of bed.
He grabbed a red shirt and his black pants out of his bag, and threw them on before heading downstairs. Hoping no other creatures were lurking about, Eric stepped towards the front door when he thought he heard a sound in the kitchen. Something in his head said to not go towards it, that it was probably some other spirit, but his curiosity was greater. Besides, he told himself, I'll just take a peek. If it's a monster, then I'll just leave it alone.
He opened the door slowly and looked through the small crack. Nothing appeared to be stirring in the small kitchen, so he pushed the door further in and stepped inside. Glancing around quickly, he noticed a small stack of fresh fruit on the counter, with a small, white package next to it. He walked quietly over to the fruit and looked at the white bundle. It was small, about as long and wide as his hand, maybe a little longer. The white wrapping was paper, and it was tied with string. On the paper was the name, "Mr. Constantine" written in a beautiful, flowing script. He undid the string and paper, and found that it had been wrapping a small, black glasses case. The other side of the paper bore a note, written in the same handwriting as the front. Eric read over it slowly, and realized that it was from Vincent, though there hadn't been much doubt who it was from.
To Mr. Constantine:
I am writing this letter as a way of saying my farewell. I wish you good fortune upon your travels, and hope that perhaps, someday, you shall reach the end of your road. To help you along the way, I have left you this food, as a token of thanks for aiding me in my time of need. It should be sufficient for a day or so. I have also placed a small amount of gil beneath the fruit, which you may use as you see fit. Finally, the glasses case to which this letter was attached contains something of value I am sure you shall find most interesting. I only ask that, in return, you do not seek me out to say farewell yourself, nor should you open the case until you have left Nibelheim. These are the only requests that I leave you with, and I hope, though somehow doubt, you shall follow them.
Once again, I hope that fortune will smile upon your trip, and that you come safely to wherever you may set your mind on going.
Your Unwilling Patron,
Vincent Valentine.
Eric sighed as he folded up the letter. "How sterile," he said quietly, glancing around the kitchen, half expecting Vincent to appear. When he didn't, Eric sighed again and put the fruit carefully into his bag, but decided to put the note and case into his pocket. Under the fruit, he found a small bag, and within it was, from what Eric could tell, was about four thousand Gil. Eric was astounded by the amount, because he had never seen that much before, and only wished that Vincent was around for him to thank him, but the man never made his presence known if he was around.
As Eric walked quietly out the mansion, he stopped only once as he opened the door to look back into the dimly light front hall.
"Thanks, Vincent…" he said quietly as he stepped outside and closed the door.
Walking quietly through the streets of Nibelheim, Eric felt a heavy pull on his heart. Vincent was, although he wouldn't agree, Eric's first companion in quite some time. He had always been nervous about making friends, but decided that if Vincent was willing to risk his own life to save Eric's, then he was trustworthy enough. The moment he stepped out of Nibelheim, he pulled the glasses case out of his pocket and clicked it open. What he saw caused him to gasp slightly.
Sitting in the soft, black lining of the case was a single, crystalline, blue feather, catching and reflecting the rays of the early morning light.