Prologue - The Gust

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It brushed against the side of a tree, flowing across it, swirling and twisting. Then it continues, gliding across a leaf, which flutters from its touch. Then it moved on, flowing over the grass, a rock, another tree. As it whirled, through the air, twisting, whirling, spiraling, and changing, it touched something new, something different. Something, alive. As it trailed across this new, interesting thing, the thing moved. Nothing much, a simple flick of the ears, but it pushed against the wind, and the wind moved, spiraling back and then pushing around its body, twisting and turning. And then it continued on. It touched more things, people, insects, houses, rivers, and lakes. Many things felt the winds touch as it went anywhere and everywhere, always changing, always moving. But one thing never changed. The gust never grew, never shrank, never slowed its wonderful, intricate dance. And when it was scattered by the forces of the wind, it gathered back together and continued on. Even in places where the air was completely still, where everything was motionless, nothing there to keep it moving, still it blew. This continued, the gust always blowing, always moving, forming wonderful shapes and patterns as it moved through the air. It came across many things, wonderful waves of water miles high that thundered across the ocean waters until they slammed into the shore, washing away cities, forests, fields, and much more. Huge kingdoms bustling with people, magnificent castles rising above the city, dwarfing everything around it. Fantastical beasts with unimaginable strength, or speed even the little gust couldn't compete with. People, seemingly normal people, flinging fire with their bare hands, creating plants in places that looked more lifeless than deserts, and drawing huge amounts of water from the earth below. But the wind kept moving. It didn't stop to marvel at these awe-inspiring things, to gape at the beauty the world had to offer. For it did not feel, it did not see, did not think, did not care. It was simply there, always moving, always changing. It was not alive. Not yet.

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