The Start of the End

Himari got up from the grass, dusting her clothes off. "So, it's a new day, where shall we go?"

Suddenly, the creatures of the forest began to cry out and escape to the sky out of fear.

While the small creatures ran away, in the distance, the large birds are screaming out and flying at top speed to get to the island.

Himari's eyes widened. "I've never seen anything like this..." 

Just then, the ground began to shake violently, knocking the girls off their balance.

The girls hold on to a nearby tree for stability. 

"What's happening?" Sachi cried out.

"How should I know!?" Himari gripped the tree harder.

The rumbling of the ground echoed far and wide, piercing their ears.

The trees swayed as if caught in a violent wind, their branches thrashing against each other.

The lake beside them rippled rapidly, spilling over its banks.

Rocks danced across the ground.

A tree in the distance split down the middle and fell with a deafening crash.

"I don't think holding on to a tree is a good idea anymore..." Worry filling Sachi's voice.

"Sachi, how much do you trust me?!" Himari exclaimed.

"Huh!?"

"Don't question me! Do you trust me!?"

"Yes, I trust you!" Sachi yelled back.

Himari lets go of the tree and grabs Sachi's hand, pulling her along. 

Another tremor strikes, stronger than the first, it sends cracks zigzagging through the ground like lightning strikes made of earth, leaving gaping wounds in the forest floor. Himari ran narrowly avoiding them. 

Sachi's heart pounded. "What are you doing?"

"Trust me." Himari didn't look back. She kept running with Sachi in tow. 

Sachi's eyes wandered to the falling trees and dying forest behind them. Fear reaching her heart. There was no way they could outrun the cracks in the ground. 

"Don't look back. Keep running." Himari's eyes didn't falter.

The quake didn't give up either though. Another tremor exploded underground. The ground moved so violently it felt like the island itself was to tip over.

The girls ran hand and hand out of the forest avoiding the cracks and tremors. 

Once out of the forest, they see the edge of the island. 

Over the edge there is nothing but air.

Himari's pace didn't let up.

Sachi saw the edge. "Himari, what are you doing?"

Himari didn't answer. 

Instead, Himari's grip on Sachi tightened and then she jumped, taking Sachi with her over the edge.

Sachi screamed in fear. The feeling of the fall nauseating. She grips both her hands around Himari's arm in hopes that'll keep her safe.

Himari was unfazed by both Sachi and the fall. 

Himari took a necklace out that was hidden within her clothes. The necklace held a small whistle at the end. She took a deep breath and blew into the whistle.

There was no sound.

Sachi's panic starts to take over. "Himari, please do something..."

Before Sachi knew it there was a strong gust of wind, but it was not from the fall, rather it was from being caught.

It was warm.

It was safe.

A large crow with a strange red beak had caught the girls. 

"Don't be scared, he's a friend." Himari comforted as she signaled Sachi to hold on tight.

The magnificent creature flew high into the sky giving the girls the view of the islands before them.

All the islands in the sky were shaking, some falling apart. 

The people of the lands screaming and running, some escaped to the skies on their birds.  

Towns, cities, nature, lives ruined in a matter of minutes. 

Sachi's chest tightened. Could this be the Collapse?

-

When the tremors and shaking finally stopped, the crow flew the girls back down to the island from before.

The sight before them was devastating. The ground full of cracks threatening to open, the forest trees halved in size, the town unrecognizable, and the people full of terror.

Before the towns people could see them; Sachi, Himari, and the crow ventured deeper in the forest. 

Sachi broke the silence. "This is my fault..."

Himari stared blankly at Sachi confused. "Are you telling me you've been keeping a secret about having strong magical powers that can destroy islands this whole time?"

"That's not what I meant, and you know that."

"Prophecy or not, you didn't cause what happened. What do you think Nobu?" Himari turned to the crow.

The crow started to glow a faint red and slowly transform. 

What was once a large crow changed into a strong tall boy with long thick black hair and dark crimson eyes that cut like knives. The boy's muscles attempting to escape his modest clothing. On one hip sat a long sword and on the other a small handheld fan. 

The boy let out a sigh and started to put his long hair into a ponytail. "This is indeed how the Collapse is supposed to start. And I told you not to call me Nobu. My name is Nobutoshi."

"That's way too long, plus Nobu is cuter, don't you think Sachi?"

Sachi didn't respond, too confused by the sight before her.

"Oh, right how rude of me. Sachi this is Nobu. Nobu this is Sachi. Nobu once saved me so since then we've been good friends, right?" Himari smiled at Nobu.

"I didn't save you. You fell on me. And we're not friends either!" Nobu replied.

Himari got closer to Sachi to whisper. "He's a little shy."

"I'm not shy either!" Nobu yelled. "Listen, I came when you called and that was the deal so I'm going now."

With that Nobu's wings sprung from his back and with a strong gust of wind, he was gone.

"He's always so fast to leave." Himari pouted.

"What even was that...?"

"Oh, Nobu? Nobu is a Tengu. They're the people that roamed our lands before the humans came about and ever since then they went into hiding in the mountains. No one has seen a Tengu in centuries. People thought they went extinct, so imagine my surprise when I met him." 

"How did you meet him?"

"It's a bit of a long story... More importantly, we need to figure out what to do next. If this is really the beginning the Collapse, then we need to find a way to stop it or something, right?"

Sachi lowered her head. "I don't think there's anything we can do..."

"Hey, you can't say that when we haven't even done anything yet."

"But what can we even do? All those people got hurt because of me. Their homes ruined because of me. Look at the forest, it's such a mess and it's all my fault!" Sachi's voice broke.

"If you care about the forest, the people, and the homes then let's look for a way. Remember, we are going to break that fate written in stone. We can't give up before we even try."

Sachi was quiet for a moment. "You're right... We should at least look for a way."

-

The faint sound of a bell.

The faint sound of a crack.

-

Sachi paused for a moment. She heard a noise so far in the distance, yet it felt so close. She looked around her trying to pinpoint the source of the sound.

"Is something wrong?" Himari asked.

"I thought I heard something."

"What was it? I didn't hear anything."

"I don't know... Maybe I imagined it."

Just then a memory came to Sachi's mind. "The old woman!"

"The old woman?"

"Before I met you, I met an old woman who told me about the prophecy. Maybe she knows something or can help us."

"That's a good idea. Do you remember where you met her?"

"I'm not for sure but I think I can find my way if I see something familiar."

"Well then I guess we better start walking."

The two girls began their journey back into the forest. 

"You think you can tell me how you met the Tengu on the way?" Sachi curiously asked.