In the east lies a great valley of blue and green. A calming region, where the sun crawls across the landscape; green plains stretch from corner to corner, its tallgrass constantly rippling; smooth-stoned mountains, with their gentle peaks covered in overgrowth, no taller than the tallest hills, lining the horizon; fresh winds that carry the nomadic cumulonimbus, caressing the peaks with their cotton sheets, bringing flash storms that pelt the land, only to disappear as fast as they came.
In this region, there lives a mage. A very powerful mage. Legends claim a variety of things the mage can do. Some say he lives in the sky. Others say he can move mountains. Some say he bears the sun. Others say he commands the rain. He is the guardian of the plains. He is also the guardian of the sky and clouds. The courier of the winds. The one who watches over the valley, protecting it from the disasters of the outside world; protecting it from the evildoers who would dare to touch it with their spoiled hands; dare to cultivate the land for its fertility and purity. The one who also watches over its denizens who wandered the plains, borrowing from it only when they needed, then providing their gains back to the land. What could this mage not do?
Though people seldom speak of the mage, his name long lost, he is ever present in the minds of anyone passing through. Even the most ignorant eventually discover his existence. Some attribute the land’s purity to this mage’s enigmatic power. Others say he simply coexists with the land, just as any other nomad, and his dedication to keeping it pure has kept it fertile. Whichever was the case, it doesn’t matter to me.
I lazily watched the clouds as they rolled by. They brushed the peaks as they always did, though it was a bit cloudier than it usually was. The sun darted in and out of the clouds, lapsing its vigor for only a moment. A mild breeze swept by, ruffling my robes against my skin. Being as high up as I was, surrounded by nothing but the open sky, it came as no surprise. I was leaned-back against a solitary boulder, its face weathered smooth over the centuries, basking in the sun with my arms crossed behind my head. I did nothing but let my thoughts wander. I had no plans for the day, nor did I wish to. Watching the clouds, with their different faces, gradually crawl across the plains was all I could wish for. It was a sublime feeling that never grew old on me. I sighed, took a deep breath, and closed my eyes, nestling even further back onto the rock face.
Sometime later, I detected a new scent upwind. Waking up from my musings, I quickly glanced to the left without turning my head. I saw a boy, fitted with a leather vest and a bag slinged across one shoulder. He wore tall boots and baggy pants, and appeared to be tip-toeing his way around to get a better look at me. The boy was perhaps three dozen skips away from where I rested. Once he realized I was watching him, he froze in place, his eyes wide with uncertainty.
I narrowed my eyes. “How did you get here?”
The boy was still in disbelief. It took him a while to respond. His voice trembling.
“Are you the legendary mage?”
“No,” I dismissed. “Do you think such a person would let any typical explorer peep at them?”
The boy blushed. He straightened up and put a hand behind his head, staring off to the side. “Ah… okay. I was surprised to find a woman.”
I scoffed and turned back towards the sky. I didn’t understand what he meant at first, but knew the comment was negligent either way.
“S-sorry, if I… offended you. I mean… all the legends tell him as a man… So…”
“So what made you think I was him, then?” I didn’t bother to turn back and judge his face.
“Well… This levitating mountain…”
“It’s hardly a mountain.”
“Well… levitating… rock. That takes magic, doesn’t it? You’re a mage, too?”
“Just another mage. Nothing special about me or this rock.”
“What do you mean? This is splendid! I’ve never seen such a thing!” I could tell he was getting excited and heard him stomping around. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him walk over to the cliff face. As tempted as I was to shake him off and reclaim my peace, I restrained myself. It would be a long fall.
“Are you searching for the legendary mage?” he asked.
“No, there’s no point in doing so.”
“Why not?”
“They’re all myths.”
He looked confused. I wondered how old he was. “How do you know?”
“How do you know?” I repeated with added emphasis.
“Well, I guess I wouldn’t know. But, how should you know they’re just myths then?”
“It’s a myth until proven otherwise.”
He was finally silent for a while, simply staring at me. This annoyed me a little.
“What’s this floating mountain for?”
“Myself.”
“Could I ask you a favor?”
“No.”
He asked anyway. “How high can you fly? Can you take me up to the clouds?”
“Why?”
“You’ve never had the urge to?”
“That’s not what I meant.” I sat up. “Why should I grant your request?”
“To be a nice person?”
“When you’ve been this rude so far?”
“… Sorry. How can I make it up to you?”
“Don’t bother.” I leaned back again and closed my eyes. “I’m not in the mood to talk.”
He was silent once more. I didn’t hear from him again, and the sound of the grassy valley returned. However, as the breeze continued to caress my hair, I picked up traces of his scent every once in a while. I took a peek from time to time and saw the boy sitting at the cliff’s edge, staring out at the same scene I had gandered. It was hard to relax when I knew I was not alone, but at the very least he no longer spoke. Perhaps he did know how to listen.