Wings Against Reason

Yesterday, after visiting priestess Nabbi, I returned home in a hurry. I didn’t explain to my parents, well, my second parents, the truth that I had learned. I lied to them and told them the pendant she gave me would help me escape the war. In reality, I wanted to start searching for Maria as soon as possible. I left the house this morning, while my parents gave me a farewell. I noticed tears on my mother's cheeks as I turned my head back to give one final wave of my hand.

On my way out of town, I heard people talking that the army is gathering near the town of Dyg on the southern border. My best bet is to avoid the south completely. But since I don’t know where Maria could be, I might eventually need to go there too. As far as I know, she might even be on a different continent!

For now, I’ll head north…

…

It has been two days since I started my journey. The food supply my mother prepared for me has all but vanished. If I don’t reach a town soon, I might be in trouble. I haven’t really hunted much, but if worse comes to shove, I could probably catch something using magic, if I don’t obliterate it, that is.

The path that I was walking on led into a forest. I had my suspicions, but I decided to follow it. Not long after entering the forest, I heard voices talking in the distance, quite a few of them. For a split second, I thought that they might be thieves or robbers, so I went off the trail, walking alongside it from a safe distance.

As I approached them, with stealth, I heard a lot of squealing, wings flapping, and animal cries. I noticed it was a caravan. Iron cages clank, and the helpless creatures inside, crying for help… Those must be smugglers. All of the creatures they carried seemed as though they had magical properties. But I couldn’t be sure; it was quite a distance from where I was standing.

I decided to get closer and listen in on their conversation.

“Keep that bird quiet, for damn’s sake. If it flaps any louder, the whole forest will hear us.” Said the guy with a brown hat.

Another one responded. “Bird? The fatso with the wings? That ain’t no bird! It’s a walking ball of fat! Can’t even fly!” He seemed proud of the way he insulted a helpless bird.

The third guy seemed like the leader and the most knowledgeable of them, based on what he then said. “You have no idea what that is, do you? That’s no common fowl! Nobles across Tepis’Ha would pay mountains of gold for a creature like that. It’s extremely rare.”

“Yeah, and if the guards catch us, they’ll throw us into the pit before sundown.” The first one started angrily, taking his hat off. “This many cages aren’t exactly subtle," pointing at them with the hat in his hand. "especially with all of them squabbling. We should’ve taken the other route.”

“Quit whining. The army is preparing for the war; they’ll all be focused on Dyg. No guard is patrolling this area deep into the kingdom! Besides, as long as we deliver these beasts to the auction, we’ll be swimming in coin. And if one or two of these die on the way - ‘kicks a cage’ - nobody’s gonna care.” Their leader then turned to the fattest bird I’ve ever seen. “Except the fat bird. That one stays alive. Our source said it’s worth more than the rest combined.”

I heard enough. My suspicions were correct. I have somehow stumbled upon a group of smugglers. My head is telling me to ignore them and go on my way, but I simply can’t. I can’t leave these helpless creatures on their own. Who knows what might happen to them.

After I was close enough, I swung my hand back, drawing in magical energy. Fire started surrounding my hand, and a fireball was created. I quickly stood up, swinging my hand forward at one of the smugglers, who was the furthest away from the creatures. It was a direct hit. He went flying from the sheer force, and he was set on fire.

The other two immediately noticed what was going on, and they drew their swords. Seemed like they had no magical abilities, but I cannot be even more reckless.

I hid behind a tree, glancing for a moment in order to see their current positions. As I glanced, my heart skipped a beat. They were nowhere in sight, as I turned my head back, one of the smugglers was charging his sword at me.

I had to think quickly. I placed my left hand on the ground, commanding the earth before his feet to rise, launching him into the air. But, as I still hadn’t mastered geomancy, I couldn’t stop the wave, launching myself in the process as well.

Luckily, I landed in a bush, with a few scratches, but so did he. Suddenly, the third guy yelled. “Be careful! This nuisance is a ‘Blessed’ one.”

I shouldn’t have shown them my ability to control multiple types of magic, but I had no choice. If I hadn’t done that, I would have been dead meat by now. This might also be a bonus; they might get scared now. - That’s what I foolishly thought.

The first guy, the one I set on fire, returned, glowing in a yellowish aura. – His wounds all healed.

While the first two might not have magical abilities, this guy does. I have to hope that he isn’t a ‘blessed’ one as well. The pendant should tell me, but I’ve no idea how close I need to get before it reacts.

This needed to be ended quickly. I engulfed my hands in poisonous green, striking him with paralysis. But I should have been more careful. In the same moment, the other two attacked simultaneously, and I couldn’t do much. I tried to evade, pushing my feet hard against the ground and jumping backwards. My left arm got a deep cut in the process, as one of the guys managed to swipe it with his sword.

I screamed in pain.

With nothing else in mind, I pulled the ground up once more and launched us into the air. While in the air, Pain throbbed through my wound as I tried to heal it with magic. But I was no healer. I barely practiced it at all. All that I managed was to stop the bleeding, but the wound was still there, throbbingly painful.

This time, I was prepared to be launched, so I swiftly landed on my feet. I called upon the winds to my fist and punched the air in the direction of the two smugglers, launching one into the bushes, and the other one straight into a tree.

By now, the paralyzed smuggler had been freed from my spell, and as I turned around, he was already running, screaming as he went. “Screw this guy! Everyone, fall back!” The other two did not hesitate and ran straight after him.

“Finally..:” I mumbled, holding my throbbing arm, still painful from the cut.

At least they’re gone, too bad I couldn’t capture them, they must have imprisoned many more creatures. Oh… what am I going to do about these ones?

I approached the wagon that had multiple cages. They held a multitude of amazing creatures that I have not seen before. A rat with stone for its skin, a glowing, magical fox, a half-cat-half-dog, and many more, including… An interestingly round, plump green bird with a big white belly, and also weirdly small wings…

I released them one by one, and all of them appeared to nudge my hand, I guess as a sort of thanks, before running off into the forest. All but one.

The biggest of them all refused to leave my side and watched on as I released the remaining creatures.

After I released all of them, I turned to the giant bird and softly asked him. “Aren’t you going too, big guy?”

“Noo, noo, Botto no go! Graak!” He screeched to my utter shock. I hadn’t expected this giant bird to be able to speak, although his speech wasn't perfect. I immediately thought about parrots from my other life. But this thing ain't no parrot!

“So you can talk, huh?” I asked, still shocked at the fact.

“Botto speak, Botto know tongue! Graak! Graak!” His screeches pierced my ears.

“So I guess your name is Botto, right?” What am I doing, talking to a bird? - I thought.

“Botto is Botto! Mgraak! You call what?” He appears to have some intelligence; it seems as though he is asking me for my name.

“I’m Kaerith. Nice to meet you Botto!”

“Ga ha ga ga! Kaerith! Kaerith! Kaerith good human!” He flapped his small wings. “Botto stay! Botto like Kaerith!”

Huh, it appears as though this bird has taken a liking to me. Well, I did save him and other creatures; I guess it makes sense. But I simply can't carry this giant bird. I don’t know if he can even walk! What should I do?

I then patted him on the head, and in that instant, I felt a magic flow exchange. I felt some came to me, and some went to him. Suddenly, this giant bird was engulfed in a green aura, he started flapping his wings as he… Flew???

What? This giant bird can fly? How? He was the height of two chickens stacked one on the other, and a weight of ten!

But then I remembered. The smugglers said that he was special, that he was extremely rare.

It appears as though he can control wind magic; aeromancy must be his native power.

“I guess we are companions now, Botto.” I smiled at the bird, patting his head. “Follow me!”

“Botto follow! Guuraaak!”

I walked as Botto flew alongside.

I yearned for a companion on my travels. Maria was always there with me in my previous life, and these last few days felt unbearably lonely…

Taking him alongside me on my journey might be nice. I won’t be alone as I search for my love. It is always nice to have a companion on your travels. But I must make sure to find him a proper owner before we part ways…

Although, my search had just begun…