The Birth (The Black Wing Book 1) (15 page)

I leaned closer and found the tip of her nose and cheeks are rosy.

She’s alive, breathing to be exact.

I can’t handle the disillusionment. Just last night I was in my bed, asleep. Now I’m here in the middle of nowhere. How did I get here? Am I still dreaming? 

A wrinkle folded over the woman’s face.

Her eyelids slowly opened, and our eyes met.

She didn’t look surprised to see me, instead she smiled.

“You’re finally conscious.” she said.

E
bon whispered to me, he said
it’s time
. The sun has finally returned to light up the sky, and the woman is here—awake.

Her lashes flicker repeatedly, she’s seems surprised, but I’m just as astonished as she is. If I could describe her physical traits among my people, nobody would believe me.

Her hair is dark, like it drank the colors of a white star, drawing in a black hole, and swallowing the remnants of everything that crossed its path. It hangs loosely over her shoulders, overlapping each other like the waves in the sea of
Vam
. My hair is the opposite, it’s composed of one color—straighter than the rays of light.

Her lips moved and murmured in their language, but I’m too preoccupied to catch her sentences. I analyzed everything about her—the color of her skin, it’s not that of the milk of a woman’s breasts. It is the color of the soil in our planet, a color visible once a decade. The color of her eyes bewildered me, how odd to possess the color of the terrain.

Beside her is a smaller creature, this one is enveloped in black fur with white patches at the chest and ends of the feet. It has the eyes of a beast, yellow with large black pupils.

We have our own beasts back home, but this small one impresses me. It suspects me—the clever thing. I can sense its awareness sending messages directly at my consciousness.

“You don’t belong here." it said. “Leave.”

The message has no voice or words. It doesn’t need to. Our muted thoughts connected, and travelled back and forth.

“Will you be at ease if I said that I am dying?” I replied. “By the way, what kind of creature are you?”

“My name is Kinoki.” she responded. “Let’s leave it at that.”

She is a smart one. Exposing her kind to me would put her race into a disadvantage. Just these short exchanges of messages and I already know her age and gender. In return, Kinoki received the same information, but her knowledge of me disturbed her. Kinoki wagged her tail back and forth. Her upper lips lifted exposing her fangs to me. 

“Why did you bring my friend here? She doesn’t know how or why she’s here."

“That’s the point.” I replied. “It’s best she doesn’t know.”

My attention returned to the human who remained silent. I sent her a message but she remained stagnant. I sent her another message but she only replied with blank stares.

“She won’t respond.” hinted Kinoki. “Humans are incapable of that ability. They communicate with speech, body language, and drawings.”

What Ebon said is true—these humans are lost. They traded their own existence to a thought. A form of thinking Ebon called…technology. Is it our kind of technology where one’s knowledge is synchronized with the soul?

Whatever the case, I now understand that Kinoki holds no audience with humans. The woman began to move her mouth, I followed her lips chatter this time, and understood it. She asking for my wellbeing. How dare you ask if I’m well when I’m clearly dying?

“I’ll call for help.” she stammered reaching for her pocket.

When I saw a device flash at the press of her thumbs I have concluded it to be true. Whatever this machinery is, they stunted their own biological bodies, and deprived themselves of spiritual awareness.

This device holds no impressive capabilities, it’s just a communicator. These beings have indeed devoted themselves to their imperfect—ignorant logic. The woman sighed and placed her device back in her pocket.

“How cliché.” She stammered. “It’s just like in the movies. I can’t get a signal—oh this is just perfect!”

Not her fault, I simply don’t allow it. Giving her access to her people may come as a disadvantage to me. That secret will stay with me. For now, I have to listen to Kinoki’s advice and communicate with my own voice.

“I must dreaming!” she said looking at me. “I’m dreaming right? I went to bed last night, and now I’m here—with you!”

Ebon’s plan was a flawless one. Even in his nonexistent body, his ancient insight works like a young, fresh mind.

“You’re in no form of illusion.” I replied.

She caught on to my personality, a cold one. I can see my detachment bothered her, but she’s doing her best to hide it from me.

“Who are you?” she said, stepping closer to me.

Replying will only burden me, I kept silent and watched her examine my torn fabric, and the faint blood between my legs. A look of pity ran through her face, her reaction disturbs me. You don’t deserve to pity me, you don’t know who I am, what I went through—what I had to do to get here! If I had known this planet held dangerous, uncultivated land I wouldn’t dare approach this planet. Well, no matter—I waited this long to make contact.

The woman unbutton the fabric on her body, and opened them. Now I’m amazed, her belly is a round one, the shape of a planet. Could she possible be…?

“You must be freezing—you barely have any clothes on.”

The heavy garment fell over my shoulders. I absorbed the heat, and used it to regulate my slow heartbeat. I felt a drop of guilt in me, and I ignored it.

"You are pregnant?" I said in their language.

She smiled and placed her hand over her belly. It’s confirmed.

My original plan has changed, but a new one is well at hand. The process will require a little more time, I must gather my energy, and induce her. This won’t be easy, but I must act quickly. I closed my eyes and evaluated my energy. My carbon-based cells organized, forcing them to animate. I successfully rounded 30 per centum. During the process, I couldn’t keep my eyes from her belly. When she noticed my behavior, I looked away.

“My belly really pops out huh? It won’t be long before I can cradle this little one in my arms.”

Envy began to scorch out of my heart. Human lives are easy, thoughtlessly confided to this planet. They’re even protected by a promise the Creator gave to their ancestors, yet you remain ungrateful, eager to repeat the same mistakes. Once again, she pulled out her communicator, where she grumble and mumble to herself. Her eyes returned to me, analyzing my physical state and returning to the device in frustration.

“This is ridiculous!” she exclaimed.

I found it amusing that she would elevate her voice for my sake. Other than my grandmother, nobody has regarded my health in such a way. When I continued to charge my cells, the woman unfolded her hand and reached out to me.

“Take my hand.” she said. “We need to go home.”

“Home?” I chocked.

The cells inside me retracted by those words. My blood pressure settled, and my heart took a rest. I held my smile within, her gentle words have struck me. How can she give me the kindness I thought died in me? A familiar guilt returned, what I plan to do to her is not a noble one. When the woman understood that I am not taking her hand, she placed it back in her pocket.

“Wait right here.” she said. “It’s best that I find my way back to the cabin. Some of these trees look familiar to me. When I find reasonable route, we can go together.”

How foolish, and yet—how strange. She addresses me like I’m her comrade, me—a complete stranger! While she trailed around the field, Kinoki faithfully followed her steps. I seized this opportunity to return to my task. My cells have effortlessly accomplished mitosis, and rose to 45 per centum. This is a good leap, but it’s not enough, I need more—I must concentrate more!

“I’m Lola” she said returning. “What’s yours?”

My name? How rude! I have never exchanged my name to anyone in such a fashion. Then again, she isn’t a Lenur. For now, that may be a good thing, our differences will give me the time I need to energize.

“Aveyonarisames.” I revealed.

“What—what was that?” stumbled Lola.

“Aveyonarisames, what’s so difficult about it?”

“Everything. Slowly…say it slowly” she said.

“Ah-veh-yoh-nah-ri-sah-mes” I pronounced

“Ahh…vee...va...yo marse.”

Lola is incapable of expanding her tongue. She tried again but only let out babbles. I asked her to give up, but she remains determined. Her efforts made me smile.

“Your name is a tongue twister. I’m good at them, but now my pride is a little hurt.”

“It’s not a common name.” I admitted. “But you don’t need to say my name to speak to me.”

“I can’t just call you nothing. Do you go by another name? Maybe I can I shorten it.”

Why does it matter woman, there’s no need for you to even try!

“You won’t give up will you?” I groaned.

“How about I call you Ave? No—that won’t work, what does your name mean?”

Her curiosity amused me. She’s interested in a language she can’t pronounce. What will she be interested in next?

“It means fruitful island.” I said.

“Fruitful island?!” she exclaimed in disbelief.

Alas, another insult. Her mistrust in my name is worse than her poor pronunciation. Who is she to decide if such a name could suit me? I must defend this.

“Solitude can be compare that to an island, away from a crowded of life. The first part aveyona means island, risahmes means fruitful because of my…aptitudes.”

“That makes it more complicated.” admitted Lola.

She seems ready to give up and admit defeat, then, a spark triumphed.

“Avalon!”

“Avalon?” I repeated. “That sounds nothing like my name.”

“It’s an old story I tried to read long ago. I never finished it because my mother used the poor book to keep her broken dresser from tilting. Avalon is the island King Arthur retreated after his last battle of
Camlann
.”

A short pain struck the nerve inside my heart, and the word King caused it. I haven’t heard of any King Arthur in this planet, it must be a folktale. 

After a long silence, Lola apologized, and decided the name was silly. I find no relation with the name. A fake one is inferior to my sacred name, nonetheless, I cannot discontinue her interest in me, I will have to adapt.

“No, I am pleased.” I answered. “You may call me Avalon.”

"Alright…Avalon, where is your group?" she asked.

Lola has concluded that I belong to a group of hunters and got lost. My troubles of adopting a new name is not as bad as evading the truth from this human. Unlike the Emperor, I have never been a deceiver of facts. Lying robs me of my natural abilities, a weakness I never told a soul.

“There is no group. I am on my own.” I replied with delay.

“Then how did you get here? Is your camping ground nearby?”

If I try to deceive her I will lose my confidence within my cells, but if I tell her the truth, my plan will be in jeopardy. My only option is to answer with indirect truth.

“Last month.” I delayed. “I arrived…last month.”

As if they shared a secret, Lola looked at Kinoki, but the creature didn’t look back. Kinoki is still upset with me. Lola’s questions ended and she insisted we start to plan a journey back to her cabin. I don’t know what a cabin is, but it must be her registered home.

“If the Cascade mountains are over here, than the cabin must be this way.” she said to herself. “Do you see those yellow aspens? They look like the ones that peak out from the kitchen window.”

“You don’t understand what’s happening.” I exhausted. “Time is more important to me than your desire to return home.”

“Avalon.” persisted Lola. “We wasted enough time, we need to get back to my home before it gets dark.”

“If you even attempt to move me, you might kill me.” I said. “I’m beyond what you would call, paralyzed.”

Lola is starting to suspect me, she’s more urgent to go home than before. I may have to reveal myself, even if it frightens her. If she runs, then my plans will be foiled. My cells pulsed, they’re at 60 per centum, but it won’t do me any good if she flees—what should I do?

My ability to hide my presence from the world has been ineffective. That night, Lola witnessed everything. After a few short stutters, she began tell me about the meteor shower in the sky, the large crater, and how she found my blood nearby. She leads on about her overwhelming desire to return and investigate more. When she started to describe the idea of sleep walking out of her home, the voice inside Lola died out. Her intelligence has just put the pieces together.

“Are you trying to imply something?” I interrupted.

Ebon has successfully lured her to me. Still, it is too soon for me to untie that knot in her mind.

“Well—no!” said Lola in defense. “I’ve been bothered for a while that I’m the only one who witnessed the meteor shower. Since then, I’ve been feeling uneasy, tired, and jittery. Now I’m deep in the forest, without any memory of leaving my home.”

Lola is about to unveil the truth on her own. My time has been spent. From now on, I will rely on force. If Lola runs from me, I will confine her. The energy may be too great that it will kill her—but that shouldn’t matter to me, she deserves it! When Lola shared the fears Ebon caused, I let out a shacking laugh. Lola’s body grew tense.

“You’re a smart one Lola!” I giggled. “But the person who gave you these disturbed agitations did not originate from me.”