[Short Story] Week 398: The Peaks Above

[Redfin]

Word Count: 19121

Chapter 1​

The village of Antia was a simple, quiet place. The buildings had wooden frames and sandstone or clay for walls. The surrounding areas were covered in fields of crops. There was a main road leading into the town with a smaller road heading past it towards the mountains and deserts beyond.

The town was located within Aridus. The temperature was usually hot with Caesar shining bright. The people there had a slow pace of life to keep from overheating. Most everyone there was a farmer or did business to help the farms, such as a farrier or harvester engineer. They lived away from the desert that claimed most of the land. The nearby low mountains funneled in water from torrential downpours.

There was a secondary hotel business within the town. The accommodations weren't luxurious, but there was always a steady stream of customers. Their goal was always the same, to go further into the deserts seeking lost ruins and buried treasure.

While nothing usually happened in Antia, there was a commotion on that day with a group of locals gathering around something they found out in the fields.

"What is that?" one man asked.

"That looks disgusting," a woman said.

A young girl had her eyes covered and was cowering behind others.

Another man had a stick and was using it to prod at something "What should we do with this? Just get rid of it?"

"Hey!" a rough voice barked out. An older man held up his hand. "We should be careful. I have no idea what's going on here, but we shouldn't touch it." He glared at the man with the stick. "Let's call Father Halen. He'll know what to do about this." The old man turned to a young boy. "Go. Get the father."

The boy sprinted through the fields, jumping over the fence at the end. He scrambled through the town to the annoyance of people trying to enjoy their slow day. The boy was sweaty and panting when he came to a stop in front of the church.

It was the most ornate building around with sculptures and murals decorating the gables and walls. The structure used to be white, but sun and dirt had turned the exterior into a musky yellow tone. The steepled roof reached up to the skies. Colorful stained glass windows were kept clear to show the images of the vis. Flowers were planted around the grounds giving life to the otherwise dirt-filled area.

"Father Halen! Father Halen!" the boy shouted as he stumbled into the church.

The peace and quiet of the inside was shattered in that instant. Father Halen was standing at the front of the room. He turned around with a concerned look. "What's the matter, Brisk?" Father Halen was an enlil. He was not a native to the area as shown by his more tropical feather colors. They were bright green and red, standing out against his more plain white robes. While he wasn't tall, his long face and limbs gave him that kind of feeling.

"We found something," the boy gasped, "something strange out in the fields." He took another deep breath. "We have no idea what it is and thought maybe you might."

"Okay, okay. Is that thing still there?" Father Halen said.

Another member of the church, a teenage girl, brought over some water for the boy. She patted him on the back. She was of mixed race, part laicar, part enlil, and she was short for her age. The most prominent feature was a strong ridgeline of a beak surrounding her mouth. It brought sharpness to her otherwise round features.

Brisk had drank so fast some of the water spilled onto his clothes. "Yes." He wiped his mouth. "We think the thing is dead."

Father Halen raised a brow. "Thing? Dead? This does sound serious, but nothing so urgent that you needed to barge in here screaming and shouting."

"Haha," the boy laughed. "Come on, hurry up, Father Halen."

The father sighed. He turned to the girl. "Spuri, stay here and keep an eye on things. I'll return shortly. Lead on, Brisk."

The two of them returned to the fields at a more reasonable pace. Father Halen had to move slower due to a limp in his left leg. The group of farmers was still gathered around. They parted when the father approached.

The older man nodded. "Thanks for coming, father. We're not sure what to make of this." He scratched his graying hair. "We're hoping you have some more information about this, but whatever it is, we're pretty sure it's dead."

"Only pretty sure?" Father Halen asked.

"I kept anyone from getting too close."

"Yes, that was a good thing to do. Let me see just what it is you've all found."

Father Halen grimaced when he saw what was lying on the ground in between everyone. A wave of revulsion washed over him. His stomach churned and knees buckled. It was a feeling he hadn't felt since his days tending those that died in the war. Father Halen gulped and steadied his nerves. He knelt down for a closer look.

There was a body on the ground, but it wasn't that of man. It was a vulture, or something similar to one. There were humanoid fingers on the bird's wings and instead of talons, it had feet. There were no signs of injury on the creature. From the smell in the air, the creature had been dead for a while, though it was tough to tell with how hot the day was. Had it died from exhaustion?

The eyes of the creature were haunting. They looked exactly like a laicar's. There was hurt and fear etched into the lens. Even lifeless, they stared out in a terrified scream.

Father Halen snapped out of his daze. The farmers were still nearby wondering what was going on with the strange creature. The enlil had no answers for them. While he had traveled a bit around the world, he wasn't an expert on animals, magical or otherwise. Something about the vulture in front of him felt unnatural. He had no idea what to make of it right then and there.

"A sack or some kind of wrapping," Father Halen said.

One of the farmers ran over with an old sack they used for crops.

Father Halen carefully used a stick to nudge the bird creature into the container. "I'll take this back to the church for now. It was smart of you to bring this to my attention." The creature was surprisingly heavy for its size.

When he got back to the church, the front doors were wide open and a lot of people were inside. What was happening?

Spuri saw him enter and ran over. "Father Halen! Yes, here he is, everyone. Father, come quickly, people need your help."

There were two people lying on the tables in the room. They were a husband and wife, Groos and Belda, that worked at the farms. Both of them had their faces flushed and contorted in pain. The tables were covered in their sweat. Pillows had been provided for them.

Father Halen handed over the sack. "Take this to the back room. Do not touch what's inside." His eyes sharpened to emphasize the message.

"You got it!" Spuri said. She almost dropped the sack upon receiving it but managed to hold tight.

Father Halen sighed and walked forwards. "What happened to these two?"

One of the villagers stepped forwards. He was their manager. "I have no idea. When they didn't show up for work this morning, I went looking for them. I found them both lying on the ground like that and hurried to bring them here."

"Okay." Father Halen stood over the couple. He clasped his hands together and closed his eyes. A fervent prayer brought out a glow from his body. He put his hands on the couple's foreheads. Their breathing began to steady.

Groos, the husband, opened his eyes. He looked around the room in a daze. "Father Halen? Where am I?"

"You and your wife are at the church. How are you feeling?"

"Horrible. This is the worst case of food poisoning I've ever had."

"Food poisoning?" Father Halen asked.

"Yeah. My wife is usually good at cooking."

A hand swung over, smacking Groos on his stomach. He let out a pained grunt and rolled over.

"Don't you blame me," Belda growled. "This is your fault for bringing back that strange bird. I told you it was weird, but you insisted that I cook it."

"What? It was huge. I wasn't going to let it go to waste," Groos said.

"Bird?" Father Halen said. His eyes widened, and a curious tilt came over his head. "Do you still have it?"

"We had it for dinner last night," Belda said. "The leftovers are still in the house."

Father Halen turned to the manager. "Can you go get it? I would like to examine it."

The manager looked confused, but he went off.

Knowing that it was possibly food poisoning, Father Halen was able to fine tune his magic. He watched over the couple, saying a prayer for them to feel better. Light flowed to him from the vis. From him, he turned the curative energies to the two on the table in front of him. They no longer had a sickly look, but they were still too weak to move.

"You should rest for the day at least," Father Halen said. "Remain here so I can check on your progress. If it is food poisoning, that was a serious case."

Groos shifted and rolled around on the table. He almost fell off a few times.

"What are you doing?" Father Halen said.

"I'm so itchy," Groos complained. He managed to pull open his shirt. There was a gasp of horror from everyone around, and the reason wasn't because of his overworked, oversunned skin. Feathers had started sprouting from his chest, and the holes caused bloody stains.

"I knew it!" one of the onlookers shouted. From his style of dress, he was not a local, but one of the many people coming to treasure hunt around the desert. "I knew spurii could shapeshift between their forms."

"What?" the teenage girl cried out. "That is not a thing! I don't know what's going on with him."

Belda grimaced and said, "I feel it, too."

"Alright, everyone out!" Father Halen said. "I'm sure you all have tasks that need to be done. Let the couple rest."

The outsider shrugged. "I don't have anywhere to be right now. I want to see them turn into a full enlil. I knew it could be done."

"No, it cannot," Father Halen said. "These two are laicar and have been since the day they were born." He forcefully herded that man out. Once everyone was gone, he shut the doors to the church.

"Spuri, see if we have any salves that can help their discomfort and keep an eye on them. I have things that need tending to."

"What things?" Spuri asked.

Father Halen looked at her. His eyes softened. "I'm not certain, yet."

He retired to his room, waiting until the Groos and Belda's manager brought back the remains of previous nights dinner.

"I'm telling you, this thing is weird," the manager said. "I wouldn't have eaten it." He left a large, heavy sack on the ground of the church. I hope you figure out what's wrong."

Father Halen brought the sack to the back room where the other bird creature was waiting. Even with the windows open, the air was getting foul. He looked into the sack containing the dinner. The bird had been cooked and butchered, but there was something wrong with its body shape. The head was included in the bag as well.

Father Halen recoiled back. The eyes. That bird also had the same, man-like eyes filled with sorrow.

 

[Redfin]

Chapter 2​

It was later in the evening. Caesar had descended leaving the sky a crisp blue. The stars shone brightly bringing beauty all through the horizon. The cooler temperature brought about cooler heads and a better working condition.

Father Halen had set up a special area in the back room of the church. It looked something similar to a surgery room, only without all of the cleanliness protocols. He wanted to better examine the two strange vultures. To help with that, he had a normal vulture brought in as an example of what they should look like. He was garbed in a protective apron and gloves.

"Scalpel," he said.

"Scalpel," repeated his young assistant, Spuri. The girl handed over a tiny blade. Her red hair was tied back into a tight ponytail.

Father Halen cut open the example vulture. He set it aside. Then it was onto the first of the strange creatures. Though it was long since dead, Father Halen covered up the eyes. He didn't need the accusatory and unnerving stare.

"That thing is gnarly," Spuri said.

As the blade got close, Father Halen hesitated. He was worried the creature might spring to life in protest at any moment. As he cut in, nothing unexpected happened. Then he saw what was inside. The organs were a twisted mess that was different than normal. It even looked like some of them were in the middle of changing. He picked up the heart.

"This looks like that of man," Father Halen commented.

"Really?" Spuri said. She was peeking through the gaps of her fingers. "I'll take your word for it."

"Just what is this monstrosity?"

At the conclusion of his examination, Father Halen disposed of the gloves into the waste bin before giving his hands a long wash with lots of soap. The two strange vultures were wrapped up tight in several layers of cloth fabric. He still wasn't sure what to do with them.

Spuri was sitting on the table nearby. "So what do you think?"

"I'm not sure what to make of it. All I know is that whatever happened to those vultures is not natural. I am getting strange feelings from them."

"Demonic?"

Father Halen tensed up as memories of burning streets and rampaging monsters filled his head. He shook his head. "No. It's not that. The feeling isn't that of a vistra, either. I can't tell what it is. We'll just have to keep an eye out for things."

A loud clattering came from the main room of the church.

"What was that?" Spuri asked. She was the first out of the back room.

Father Halen groaned and hurried after her. While he wasn't old, his body felt weary and tired. The injury on his left leg felt worse that night.

Spuri was holding down Belda. The woman was trying to stand up. While she didn't look any worse compared to earlier in the day, she also didn't look any better. A glazed look covered her eyes.

Spuri shouted, "Groos ran off somewhere. I have no idea where! Belda, you can't go. You need to stay and rest."

"My friend is here," Belda said. Her voice was faraway as if something else was speaking through her. Though she tried to get up, there wasn't enough vigor in her movements. The girl could keep her down.

More noises came from outside of the church. Father Halen ran out. Groos was trying to climb onto the roof. He had set up the ladder meant for maintenance work and was already partway up.

"Groos!" Father Halen snapped. "What are you doing?"

"I'm off to join my friend." Groos stumbled on the steep roof, but he managed to hold on. Along the way, he took off his clothes to show just how much of his body was sprouting feathers.

Father Halen scowled as he scrambled up the ladder. He had to take things slower due to his leg. "Come back down." He unsteadily and slowly made his way across the roof while leaning forwards and using both hands for support. It had been a while since he worked out his leg like that, and it was complaining.

Groos was standing at the front of the building and holding onto a decorative statue. He stared at the skies. Father Halen followed his gaze and saw some kind of bird flying over.

There was enough of a commotion that drew a few people down below. They spread the word until much of the town had gathered. Most of them were looking up in horror at what was happening on the roof. A few people were looking to the skies. They had noticed the flying creature heading their way. Among them was the outsider. He even had a pair of binoculars to get a better look.

Father Halen inched closer. "Groos. What are you doing?"

"I'm going to join my friend." The man spread out his arms. "We're going to fly away."

"You can't do that, Groos. You don't have the right body for flying. Believe me, I know about it." Father Halen spread out one arm while keeping the other one on the roof. Enlil had feathers and lighter bones, but they still couldn't fly. They didn't have the proper body shape or wingspan. "All you're going to do is fall."

"You don't need to worry about me, father."

Father Halen shouted to the people below, "You and you, get something to catch him!" He tried to stall the ill man longer. "You don't have to go. What about your house? What about Belda?"

"Belda?" Groos looked around. "She should be joining me."

"She won't. She's waiting down below. We should climb down and go see her."

"No. It's alright. She will join us later. I have to go."

"Go to that?" Father Halen pointed to the large vulture-like bird coming towards them. It was a strangely solitary animal. There were no others of its kind in the sky. The way it moved looked strained and painful.

"Yes. We shall take to the skies." Groos let go of the church roof and leaned forwards. His arms were spread out. The man disappeared below the edge of the roof.

Cries of surprise erupted from below. Father Halen grimaced as he rushed to see what happened. The townspeople had managed to catch him within a tarp. Groos was looking dazed and confused as people held him down.

Father Halen let out a relieved sigh. When he looked back to the skies, the shadowy shape of a bird had vanished. "Wait there. I'm coming down." He grunted and complained with each step down the ladder.

The people had brought Groos back inside the church. Others were helping Spuri keep Belda down. Father Halen turned to the town's apothecary. "Mirian, get a couple of sleeping draughts."

"Are you going to pay for them?" an old woman asked.

"No! Now do it."

The old woman cackled. "Alright, alright. I was just asking." She used a cane to hobble off.

Once everything was calm and the couple was sleeping peacefully in the back room, a different one than the makeshift examination room, it was time to get down to business. There was no time for rest. People were worried about what was going on. They had gathered into the church as a community meeting place.

"What should we do?" a frightened woman asked. "Are we being invaded?"

"No," Father Halen said. "We are not." His hands were gripped tightly around the lectern in front of the room. "I have no idea where this is. Did anyone get a good look at what was flying in the air? Where did it go?"

The townspeople looked around in confusion, but one man stood up. It was the outside, a laicar man with a charming smile and light stubble around his chin. While he wasn't a young man, there was a youthful wonder in his round eyes. He was dangling the binoculars from his finger. "I saw what happened. The bird looked much like a misshapen vulture. It was exciting! Anyway, it ran out of strength and fell somewhere out in the desert."

"What should we do?" an anxious man asked. "What if they keep coming?"

"We need to stop them at the source!" someone else shouted to the agreement of several people.

Father Halen held out his hands. "We don't even know where they are coming from."

"I do," the outsider said. "From the direction the vulture was flying, I'd wager it was coming from the mountain." He walked out to the center of the room while shaking people's hands to their confusion. "Hi there, Marston. Nice to meet you. Hello there. Good evening. The name's Marston." When he got to the front of the room, he extended his hand towards Father Halen. The father merely glowered at him. "Alright then. I'm Marston, an adventurer."

"A treasure hunter, you mean?"

Marston laughed and tapped his chin. "Sort of yes, but no. If I find something while exploring, you'll bet I'll sell that so I can continue to explore. I've been all through Araevis and there is still much more to see."

"So what can I do for you, Marston?" Father Halen said.

"I just have a suggestion. If you want to know what's going on, you just have to go out and look for it! The answers are out there."

The people of Antia looked around nervously. They knew well what kind of dangers were out in the desert and mountains. None of them were adventurers. They liked staying safe and home. Those that wanted a more exciting life had already left for the large cities by the coast.

"What will we find out there?" someone asked.

"Answers," Marston said. He swept his arm around the room. "The answers to all of life's questions. That's what."

"We do need to know what's going on, but who should go?"

No one rushed to volunteer. They looked towards the important figures of the town for help. the overseer of the farms wasn't going to be useful out there, neither would the head engineer. Father Halen sighed as eyes fell upon him.

"Alright," he said, "I will look into where these strange vultures are coming from and put a stop to it."

Cheers erupted from the townspeople.

"I'll need help, though. I can't go out there alone."

Spuri threw up her hands. "I'll go, father. You know I'm always with you."

"Of course. If your parents allow it. But who else?" Though Father Halen didn't say it, he didn't consider Spuri alone adequate help. His eyes looked among the people of Antia.

It was the outsider, Marston, that stepped forwards. "You want answers, then I'm going. I want to know what's out there hidden within the mountains. I've been looking for someone to help me. Now I have just that." He leaned over and whispered, "You'll be providing supplies, right? I'm a little light on funds at the moment."

Father Halen rubbed his eyes. "Yes, we will. You know your way out in the wilderness?"

"You bet I do. I've been in the jungles of Paludis, the oceans of Copiae and the mountains of Boreas. Now I haven't been out there just yet, but I think I can figure it out easily enough."

"Fine. I accept your offer." Father Halen extended his hand.

Marston shook it to seal their deal. "Alright. I can finally go out there and start picking at the fabrics of the world. The answers are out there, somewhere, and I'm going to find them. So get ready because we're leaving tomorrow morning! Do I have your authority to get what we need for the trip?"

"My authority?" Father Halen asked. "I am the town's spiritual guide, not their mayor or leader. But yes, I think people would be more inclined to help if they know what we're doing. What time shall we set out?"

"Early, before Caesar fully rises. If you can secure us a ride, that would be fantastic, because walking out there is going to be harsh."

"I will." Father Halen turned to the people of Antia. "Worry not about this wickedness. I will get to the bottom of what is happening. For now, do not touch any strange creatures. Burn the bodies to keep the sickness from spreading. Also, Mirian, can I trust you to watch over Groos and Belda?"

The old woman cackled. "Sure, sure. I've always liked those two. I'll make sure they don't try to fly away again anytime soon. Just don't take too long."

With a plan in place, the townspeople had calmed down. They were ready to return to work. Father Halen wasn't feeling nearly so confident, but he held a reassuring smile on his face all the same.

 

[Redfin]

Chapter 3​

It was so early in the morning that the skies were still dark. Only the faintest bit of light could be seen peeking over the horizon. The rest was dreamy and filled with stars.

The people of Antia knew what it was like to wake up early. Some of their best work was done before daybreak, so a lot of people had gathered to see Father Halen, Spuri and Marston off.

Marston had a large backpack filled with needed supplies for an extended trip out to the mountainous region of the desert. Father Halen didn't bring much, but he had his book of scripture. He trusted the adventurer to have things covered.

Father Halen had gotten one of the locals with a sturdy off-road utility automobile to take them out into the wilds.

Marston was looking at the vehicle with appreciation. "Now this is what I'm talking about! With this, we'll get to where we need easily!" He looked at the driver. "So you're willing to go out when Father Halen asks but not when I do it? Come on, man."

The owner of the off-roader was a demvir man. The demvir were people of metal and volantis instead of flesh and blood. He had an average frame looking much like a display mannequin at clothing stores. His face was full of sharp personality, though. He wore thicker clothes meant to keep the dust and sand out of his joints.

The demvir snorted at the adventurer.

Father Halen said, "Thank you, Z. This will bring about peace of mind to the town."

Z nodded. None knew if Z was the demvir's full name or just the first letter of his name.

Spuri was saying goodbye to her parents. Her father was a laicar while her mother was an enlil. They both looked on proudly at their daughter for stepping up and trying to help the town.

"May the vis protect you," the mother said.

"They will." Spuri had a big smile. "I'll be back soon!"

She joined the other two as they were loading up the off-road utility automobile. "Let me get that for you, Father Halen." She put a small backpack into the storage compartment.

"Hey," Marston said. "I don't believe we've been officially introduced. I'm Marston, world traveler."

Father Halen was the one that said, "This is Spuri."

Marston tilted his head in confusion. "Yeah, I can see that."

"My name!" the girl sputtered. "Spuri is my name!"

"Is that so? Spuri the spurii, huh?"

"Yeah," Spuri said with a long groan. "My parents, I love them," she turned to wave to her folks, "but sometimes they suuuuuuck. My father wanted to name me Spatha. My mother wanted to name me Yuri. They evidently decided to compromise to Spuri. It wasn't until a few months later that someone pointed it out to them.

"And it's not like I can shorten my name either. Can you imagine Spu? Or even worse, Pu?" The girl shuddered. "No thank you." She climbed into the back of the off-road vehicle in a huff.

Marston finished loading up the rest of their supplies. The group was ready to set off. The vehicle's loud roar shook the morning air and caused the ground to vibrate. Father Halen glanced back at the townspeople that had gathered. He nodded to them. Everyone strapped on seat belts, and Z drove off.

The ride was bumpy and rough. They traveled along the mountain while trying to look for any signs of something strange. Marston was doing his best to direct the driver, but he was being bounced everywhere. They headed in the direction he saw the other vulture come from.

The world beyond the town was dry and rocky. The plants that grew there all knew how to deal with arid and hot conditions. Their thick leaves and spikes kept them safe. Large rocks were home to all manners of critters that kept to themselves during the day and hunted at night.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Marston called out. "Go there!"

Z turned to the indicated direction.

Marston jumped out of the automobile and then ran over to a dead animal on the ground. "Yes! I knew we were on the right path!" He waved over the others excitedly.

Father Halen groaned as he set foot on solid ground again. It took him a few steps to regain his composure all while his body ached and complained. Spuri was able to bounce up fast, though. The two of them went to see what had gotten Marston so excited.

The adventurer was standing over the body of a twisted vulture. "It's the one we saw flying over! I knew it fell somewhere out in this direction."

Father Halen nodded. "Yes. So you do know what you're doing."

Spuri found a stick to poke at the dead bird.

"That's right." Marston looked around. The mountain ridge loomed ever closer. The rocky slopes were a haze of heat. Caesar had risen fully and was beating down on the land with its hot rays. "Let's get going!"

Father Halen held out his hand. "Hold on. It's the middle of the day. We don't want to do too much when it's hot like this. Let's find some shade and take a rest."

"Okay. If you say so."

The group got back onto the utility vehicle. Z found a shaded spot next to the mountains. As soon as Caesar was no longer shining on them, they felt much cooler.

Spuri set out a simple picnic with a blanket on the ground and their packed lunches of dried meats and stale bread. There was a large jug of water as well. Since Z didn't need to eat, he remained with the vehicle.

Throughout the meal, Marston was looking at his traveling companions with great interest. He wasn't coy about it either.

"What are you staring at?" Spuri asked. in a huff.

Marston pointed a stale piece of bread at the girl. "Come on, you can tell me. Spurii can change forms, right? You can choose if you want to be a full enlil or a full laicar."

"No, we really can't," Spuri said. "I don't know where you got that idea, but it is absolutely wrong."

Marston chuckled. "Alright. Keep your secrets. That's what the church is good at, after all."

"And what," Father Halen said, "do you think the church is hiding?" He had a dry expression and was holding his food in his lap.

"A lot! There is a secret sect of underground lizard people that actually control everything, for one. They tell the prophet and the magisters what to do. They are the true church."

Spuri sputtered so hard she almost spilled her drink. "That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

"Bah, you probably just don't know, what with you being a small church out in the middle of nowhere."

"I'll have you know that Father Halen used to be in Terminus where the head of the church is located! So he knows, alright, he knows that whatever you're saying is pure squash."

Father Halen held out his hand. "That's enough. People will believe what they want to believe despite our best efforts to show them the truth. We can only shine the light, but they have to be willing to walk to it."

"It's not always a good idea to go to the light, you know," Marston fired back. "Haven't you heard of angler fish? Just because it's bright, doesn't mean it's right."

Spuri asked, "Then what do you do? What are you out here looking for?"

Marston leaned back and sighed. He looked up at the sky. "Everything and anything." His voice became forlorn and thoughtful. "There are many mysteries out in the world, many truths that need to be uncovered. I want to find them, find the answers of the world."

"How do you know when you've found something?"

"It's just a feeling." The adventurer put a hand to his heart. "When you see it, your heart will skip a beat. A tingle passes through your body. The thought of, 'You've found something important,' fills your mind. You just know when you're peeling back the unknown."

"Huh," Spuri said. "That actually sounds really profound. I do admit there is a lot we don't know about this world."

"And do you want to know some of my conclusions?"

"Yes!"

Marston spread out his arms in a dramatic fashion. "We are all living in a simulation."

Spuri's face fell. "What?"

"This world isn't real. It is a simulation by those far greater than us. We are all here to be part of their experiment. What do you think the cataclysms are? They are those above resetting the simulation!"

"Nope. You lost me now."

Father Halen let out a long sigh while shaking his head. "The man is a lacunatic."

Marston turned to you and said, "I know you're watching. I'm watching you, too!" He pointed two fingers to his eyes.

They finished the meal and waited until the worst of the heat was over. In the afternoon, they set off again. Father Halen was not looking forward to getting back on the utility vehicle. It beat up his body like a long day of work but at a much faster pace. Z clanged against the metal side, but the driver didn't mind the roughness at all.

The group continued driving along the mountains searching for any signs of something strange. There were vultures circling in the sky, but they behaved like normal birds. Father Halen used the binoculars to confirm that nothing was strange with them. They had probably seen the body of a dead or dying animal and were going in for a meal.

The day came and went leaving the skies dark. Even with all of them scanning upwards for signs of strange vultures or other animals, the group saw nothing more. So far out in the wilderness, it was too dangerous to travel without light, and the headlamps of the off-road vehicle weren't enough. Marston decided to call for a camp. They would pick up the next day.

The night had fallen so cold that they needed blankets and a fire to keep warm. Marston was tending away at the flames while deep in thought. Spuri had already fallen asleep in the back of the vehicle. Z was taking first watch against any animals that might try to go in for a snack, either from the people or from their supplies.

That left Father Halen sitting away from the others. The book of the vis was in his hands. The events of the previous day still weighed on his mind. Burning fire, blood covered hands, the stench of foul flesh, all of those sensations pushed back into his mind. The screams of terror started. People fleeing from monsters. The father's grip tightened around the book.

"Vis, grant me strength. I am but your humble servant, and I am in need of aid."

Sweat rolled down his creased forehead. His eyes stared blankly at the cover of his book.

"Hey." That one word from Marston broke through Father Halen's wall of memories. "What are you doing all the way out there? It's cold. We need our rest if we're going to be ready tomorrow."

Father Halen gasped. "Yes," he said in a ragged voice. "You're right, Marston." He walked back to the campsite. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Marston said with a questioning look.

When morning came once again, Marston was the one up first. He had the last watch of the night and was also boiling some water for a cup of coffee. Once again, the skies were still dark, but the adventurer was looking ready to go. He was also looking at one particular location in the sky with his binoculars.

"Father Halen," Marston called out.

It didn't take much to wake up the servant of the vis. Father Halen opened his eyes. "What is it?"

"I'm not seeing things am I? This isn't some kind of desert mirage trickery, is it? Because I see smoke coming from the mountains." Marston pointed with one hand while handing over the binoculars.

"What?" Father Halen peered in that direction. Indeed, smoke was coming from somewhere within the mountains. It could have been a normal wildfire, but it looked too small for that. Father Halen wasn't knowledgeable enough to tell.

"I say we go check it out."

Father Halen grimaced. He didn't have any other ideas and nodded. "Yes."

They roused the other two from rest and after a simple meal of warm porridge and coffee, they were off.

Finding a way to the smoke was easier said than done. It was coming from somewhere deep within the mountains, and there were no easy ways in. That was until Marston held up his hand. "Hey, Z, stop here."

The off-road vehicle rumbled to a stop.

Marston pointed to a part of the mountain. "Doesn't that look like a trail?"

Father Halen shrugged. "It could just be a natural formation."

There certainly looked to be an easy path into the mountains. There was even something that looked like steps. The way could only be traveled on foot.

A smile spread across the adventurer's face. "I say we go check it out. You know how I said I get feelings that something will be important to figuring out the mysteries of the world? I'm getting that tingle right now."

Spuri had a look of disgust. "Please don't call it a tingle."

"Alright," Father Halen said. "Z, stay here and wait for us to return."

Z gave a grunt of acknowledgement.

Spuri pointed to him and forcefully said, "You had better be here when we get back. If you abandon us out in the desert, I'm going to be really upset."

Z laughed.

The adventurer and his traveling companions grabbed their supplies off the back of the vehicle. It was time for a trek through the mountains. Marston was bouncing excitedly, eager to set off. He was already on the trail while waiting for the other two. Father Halen and Spuri followed their guide in hopes of finding the mysterious source of the smoke within the mountains.

Z drove the off-road vehicle to a spot that would be shaded during the hottest part of the day. The demvir went into a hibernation state while awaiting the others to return.

 

[Redfin]

Chapter 4​

Father Halen, Marston and Spuri trekked through a path in the mountains. What they were looking for was the source of smoke in the sky. Was it natural or was it unnatural? Increasingly, it was looking like a man-made event.

As much as Father Halen didn't want to admit it, the road they traveled was constructed to smooth out some rough spots and make it easier to get through. Metal rings embedded into the mountain walls was incontrovertible proof that people had been there before and made the place walkable. The rings at one point must have held rope or some other handhold. They were empty now, though.

Deeper and deeper the group went into the mountains. They stayed on the trail the entire time. Father Halen needed help at a few points. Pain flared up in his left leg, especially when he needed to climb up on a ledge to reach the next part of the path.

"Are you alright, father?" Spuri asked.

"You don't need to worry," Father Halen said, though his face was strained. "I can continue."

"Here, I found this for you." The girl handed over a long stick.

Though Father Halen didn't feel he was old enough for a walking stick, he took it anyway. "Thank you." After a few steps using it, the stick did help.

"Did you know there were people here?" Marston asked as he examined one of the metal rings poked into the side of the mountain. It was loose and easily moved.

"I did not," Father Halen said. "I thought I knew of all the towns around here."

"Well, if we do see people, be wary," Marston said. "Folks don't live way out here and tell now one about it because they like visitors. Believe me, I've seen a few reclusive tribes before, like those spider people in the caves of Secare."

"There are spider people?" Spuri said, her mouth ajar.

Father Halen merely rolled his eyes. "Let's keep on moving, though I hope we get to the end of the trail soon."

"We might be." Marston shielded his eyes and looked upwards. They were almost on top of the smoke. Only the winding of the mountain path blocked their view. He went first, but slower. With each step, he stretched out his neck to see around the bend. "Yes! There is an entire village here."

"Really?" Father Halen said. "I was not expecting that when we came out here."

Spuri asked, "Do you think they know anything about the strange birds?"

"There's only one way to find out," Marston said. "Shall we go in?" He flashed a bright smile.

The village in the mountains was a small one with only twelve wooden buildings. They were built on any available space and had to use wooden logs as legs to stand on the sloping mountainside. Wooden boardwalks led between the major areas. The smoke was coming from an open air building in the center of town. From the many seats and tables, it looked to be a gathering area of sorts.

There was a hostile feeling in the air. Spikes littered the top of the buildings. There were long posts in the ground that held up nets attached to the mountainside. It made the area feel closed in even as it was open to the skies.

The people of the village were all laicar. They were dressed in simple clothes without much design. It was functional for protecting them from the heat and rays of light. Overall, there were few colors in the town. Everything was in earth tones or drab grays. The orange of the flame popped out against such dullness.

Marston held out both arms and stepped forwards. "Hello!"

The closest person to him happened to be a teenage boy. Upon being spoken to, the boy's eyes widened and he ran off.

"Okay, then," Marston said.

It didn't take long before a group of people showed up at the entrance of the town. None of them were carrying weapons, but they all looked apprehensive and defensive. A stern woman stepped forwards. Her hair was gray, though she was only middle-aged. A stony expression was held in her face. She stood straight and resolved.

"We are not used to visitors," the woman said. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

Marston wiped his brow. "Oh great, you can understand us. Hello, good morning. I'm Marston, an explorer and adventurer." He held out his hand, but the people of the strange village only stared at him. He stepped back. "Yes, well, um."

Father Halen looked among the people. "I am Halen, a servant of the vis. This Spuri is my assistant."

"My name!" Spuri proclaimed. "My name is Spuri." When the confusion remained in the townspeople's faces, she quieted down.

The woman in front examined the father. "You are a member of the church?"

"I am."

"Alright." Her expression softened somewhat, but it was still harsh. "My name is Halbahalba. What is it you are looking for?"

Father Halen said, "We're having some trouble in our town of Antia. We've been plagued by strange vultures, and we're trying to find the source. We merely chanced upon this town in our search."

Marston pointed upwards at the nets suspended over the town and the spiked rooftops. "It looks like you might be having some bird problems of your own?" He gave his best friendly smile.

Halbahalba did not return the expression. Her glare grew icy. "Our town has no bird problem. Everything is fine here." She turned to the others. "Everything is fine. You may all return to your business. I don't think these people are here to cause trouble."

The villagers slowly dispersed.

The adventurer pressed on with hand over his chest. He pulled back on his hat. "If it's all the same to you, we would like to stay here for a bit. We have been traveling for a while and need a place to rest."

Father Halen nodded. "Yes. Please."

Halbahalba had her arms crossed. "I will agree to that, if you all agree to do something for me." She was looking at Father Halen specifically.

"What do you want?" he said.

"Father, it would be our honor if you would teach a class on the ways of the world. We would like to know more, and to have someone of your knowledge here is invaluable!" Halbahalba looked to the others with more disinterest. "Marston, you can help our villagers forage for food in the mountains. Spuri, you may help mend our tools."

If that was the price of staying and looking around, the three visitors agreed. Marston and Spuri were led away by other people while Halbahalba personally accompanied Father Halen. In such a small town, the other villagers already heard her proclamation and were ready to receive help.

"Come with us, please," a stocky man said to Marston. "We have much to do before it becomes too hot."

"You can leave your belongings here. We'll watch over them," a reedy woman said. Her long hair fell across her face, making her expression hard to read.

Rather than wait for Marston to take off his large backpack, they pulled it off for him. The gear was left behind next to the lone storage hut of the town. Marston looked back with worry at his belongings, but he was being dragged away by the two villagers.

The group headed off towards a back path out of the mountain village. The road was rougher but there were metal bars nailed into the rocks to help people out. The villagers carried ropes, harnesses and other climbing tools.

"So," Marston said, "how are you two?"

The woman looked at him in annoyance and didn't say anything. The man responded with a simple, "We're fine." He wasn't trying to be rude. He just didn't know what else to say.

"Has there been any problems in your town?"

"No," the man said. "No problems."

"What's your town called, anyway?"

Both villagers looked at the adventurer with confusion. The woman said, "The town is the town," and shrugged.

"And you don't have any bird problems or anything?" Marston pressed. "Come on, I know you have a great little place here, but being out in the mountains must bring some troubles."

The man started to say, "There is—"

"No," the woman snapped. "We are fine. No more talking. We need to move."

They continued deeper into the mountain. The total distance traveled wasn't far but the trip took a long time due to how rough the terrain was. The village was still there, only hidden away by the many folds and walls of stone.

The man peered over the ledge. "Down there is good."

Marston glanced over as well. There were shrubs growing on the side of the mountain, and it looked like they held large blue berries. "Are we getting that?"

"Yes." The man was already setting up climbing equipment for a rappel down.

"Whew. We are high up, though. Any small slip and we're going to fall all the way down the mountain." Marston had a smirk as he said that, but a cold sweat formed on his head. "You guys aren't afraid of heights or anything?"

"No, I'm fine," the man said. "Are you?"

"Yeah. I'm an adventurer! I deal with high places all the time, though I admit, I always have a healthy respect for it."

While he was talking, the woman had already finished putting on her harness and was climbing down the mountainside.

"Oh, we're going," Marston said as he hurried to put on his equipment. "We are going."

Back in town, Spuri was taken over to their workshop. It was a simple hut that included tools and workbenches. The teenage boy that they saw when they first came was there. He was tall and strong with wild, unkempt hair. The boy had the beginnings of a stubble on his chin.

"Hi there," Spuri said. "My name is Spuri. Sorry for just dropping in on you like that."

"It's okay," the boy said. He cast a sideways glance at her. He was squatting on the ground. In front was a collection of sturdy wooden strips being woven into a basket.

"I'm here to help." Spuri had a big smile. She knelt down next to him. "What's your name?"

"Kortkort." The boy handed over some strips of wood.

Spuri let out a nervous chuckle. "Okay. I have to admit that I am not that handy in domestic stuff much to the annoyance of everyone. So how do you do it?"

Kortkort shifted so Spuri could get a better view. His hands slowed down from their flurry of activity. He didn't explain anything, though.

Spuri did her best to follow along. Her basket seemed to be going well for a bit before it became a complete mess. When she tried to force a wooden slat through, it snapped causing her to yelp and drop the woven materials.

"Sorry," Spuri said with a sigh. "I'm not getting this."

"Start it like this," Kortkort said. He shifted over to help, using his hand to guide hers.

"Like that?"

"Yes."

Spuri still didn't understand it, but she enjoyed the process. Kortkort's hands were bony and rough. Even the joints of his fingers seemed to dig into her hands. "Your hands sure are tough," she said.

"Huh?" Kortkort said. He looked over to find the girl's bright smiling face mere inches from his. The boy jumped back with his face flushed red.

Spuri laughed. "Don't be shy. Thanks for getting this started, though. I think I'm getting it." With a smirk, she went back to work.

Nearby, Father Halen was preparing his lesson. The classroom in the village was also the gathering place in the center of town. There were no walls, but a roof provided relief from Caesar.

There were six students in the class, though only four of them were children. The other two were adults. They both had shackles around their ankles attached to an iron ball. It wasn't large enough to slow them down much, but it was a constant drag on their everyday life.

When the children saw Father Halen, they shrieked. "Ahhh! Feathers! Bad feathers, bad!"

"Children!" Halbahalba snapped. "Remember what we discussed? This is an enlil. He's supposed to have feathers. Be polite now." Her voice was firm, and her glare was cold.

"Yes, Matron Halbahalba," the young ones said in unison.

Father Halen furrowed his brows. He glanced over to the two adults in the room with shackles on them. "Have they committed some kind of crime?"

"Don't worry about them, father," Halbahalba said. "They are not dangerous. They merely have their heads in the cloud too much and need to be reminded of what's going on down here. A good lesson in the world will help them get their heads right." She looked at the two adults in the room. "You had better pay attention." There was a trailing threat left off the end.

Father Halen started his sermon on the world of Araevis, the ancient Viskar and their servants, the Vis. While Viskar no longer touched the world, the Vis yet remained to watch over all of the childrens of Araevis. The students all listened in earnest, especially as Halbahalba was watching over everyone from the back.

It was later in the day when everyone finished their tasks. Marston returned with the other two villagers. Each of them had a basket full of fruits, vegetables and herbs that grew on the mountainside. He was tired and sweaty. It was not how he wanted to spend his day.

On the way back, the group passed by a part of the village he hadn't seen before. A staircase led upwards, but it didn't look like there were any more buildings. It circled around the mountain to one of the peaks. The only problem getting up there was that all of the lowest steps had been destroyed.

"Hey, what's up there?" Marston asked.

"It's nothing," the woman said firmly. "We don't go up there because there is nothing."

Marston sensed he wasn't going to get any further answers. He shrugged, shifting around the basket on his back, and continued on. There was a lot more going on in that town than they let on. He was going to find answers. Whether it had anything to do with the strange vultures or not, he didn't know, but he was going to reveal it all.

 

[Redfin]

Chapter 5​

Father Halen, Marston and Spuri ate apart from the other villagers. Halbahalba was the one that insisted on it. According to her, it was for their comfort, but they felt it was more to keep them from asking any more questions. The visitors were put in a small room. The original contents, old boxes and tools, had been moved outside for the time being. It was a simple space without any furniture. For seats, there were crates. For beds, it was sheets on the ground.

Their meal was made from the fresh wild ingredients gathered previously. There was a rustic charm to it. The hunters of the village had brought back meat as well. Seasoned and seared, the outside was crispy while the inside was juicy.

"What do you think of this village?" Marston asked. "Because I think they are suspicious!"

Father Halen nodded. "I agree. But do you think they have anything to do with the strange vultures we're seeing in Antia? Can we be certain this is where the vultures are coming from?"

"At least I think those vultures are passing through here," Marston said. "The villagers must have seen it, but they don't let me ask any questions at all. I found some strange staircases leading up the mountain, but it looks like they've banned anyone from going up there."

Father Halen sighed. "I've seen strange things as well. These people seem to value understanding, but they have no desire to dream. People have been marked with shackles for thinking too much outside of the allowed norms."

"That's horrible!" Spuri gasped. She was having trouble holding onto her spoon after hours of making and repairing tools. "I didn't see anything like that. I spent all day with Kortkort, the boy we first met. He's nice."

"Can you press him for more information?" Marston asked. "The adults aren't giving me anything."

"I can try."

"We also need to poke around some more." A wicked grin emerged on the adventurer's face. He pointed his spoon at the others. "We need to go to the places they don't want us to go."

"Isn't that trespassing? We are guests," Spuri said.

"People won't volunteer information on their own. Sometimes, and by sometimes I mean all of the time, you have to go find that information yourself. If we wait for them to tell us what they know, we'll be here forever."

"Still! I don't want to just come into someone's village and then go rooting through their things. We don't even know what we're looking for!"

"But you'll know it when you see it," Marston said while wagging his finger.

Father Halen said, "I agree there is more to this town, but we don't know if it relates to why we're out here. They've chosen to live secluded from everyone else. I won't bother them for no reason."

"Don't you want to know their secrets?"

"No. We should go to sleep. It has been a long day."

Spuri let out a long yawn with a mouth big enough to swallow a chicken whole. "Yeah. They work me harder than you do, Father Halen. Today felt like a really long day. Tomorrow. I'll go talk with Kortkort more tomorrow. Maybe he'll answer my questions away from the others."

It was a small room, but the three of them found places to sleep. Compared to camping out in the desert, the place was possibly less comfortable.

There were sounds of footsteps. Father Halen sprang awake. The hard floor mixed with the unfamiliar location meant his sleeping was even lighter than normal. The noise was faint, but he shifted over to the window to see what was going on.

It was the middle of the night, and a group of villagers were heading somewhere. They were all dressed in robes and had on snake masks. The torches they held were a beacon drawing in the curious. But was it an anglerfish?

Marston was correct, though. They had to push a bit to find out what was going on. Father Halen glanced over at the other two. The adventurer was deep asleep after having the most tiring day. The assistant was turning around on the uncomfortable floor but showed no signs of being alert. He would go alone. The hard bed left his body stiff, and he needed a walk to loosen up.

Father Halen slipped out. It took a bit before his left leg warmed up to moving again. The torches were easy to follow, but he had to be careful on the rocky paths. Any wrong step would send him tumbling. The light of the moons above were barely enough for him to see.

The villagers headed down a narrow trail that led to an open spot of the mountain. There were three of them. Several cages stood around the area. Most were empty, but one held a bird, a vulture. Father Halen shuffled forwards. He crouched down behind a rock. Under the shadows of night, no one knew he was there.

One villager stood back, looking over things.

Two others circled around the filled cage. "My, my," they chanted. "Look at you with your eyes in the clouds. Preening and pruning there all proud. Do you think, nay you do not. You have left your brain to rot."

The one in back said, "It's such a shame. Why do you do this to me? All I want is for us to remain safe, yet you decide to go off and do things on your own." The voice sounded familiar. It belonged to a woman, and there were sharp, stern tones within the words. "You are a lost cause, and you must be ended lest you bring more trouble to our town like your friends."

The other two chanted, "My, my. What goes on within your head? The answer is nothing because soon you shall be dead."

One pulled out the vulture by the neck and then slammed the bird into the ground. The other began beating on the defenseless creature with the torch. Three powerful strikes left the scavenger limp on the ground. The light of the flames bounced off a pool of blood.

"My, my. Look at you with your eyes in the clouds. Preening and pruning there all proud. Do you think, nay you do not. You have left your brain to rot."

The one watching over the proceedings said, "That's enough of this unpleasantness. We shall have to redouble our efforts to keep this from happening. Let us go."

Father Halen held his breath and pressed tight against the shadows of the rock. The footsteps came and went, and the light disappeared. Father Halen's exhale was the only sound in the area. It was as loud as the wind howling through the mountains. He carefully moved to the dead vulture.

Upon getting close, his body froze. It wanted to turn and run away, but his mind told it to stay. They needed to investigate. His breath was short and shallow, but he forced himself forwards. The moonslight reflected off a pair of knowing eyes. The vulture was the same as the ones he found previously. The creature had humanoid features, just like the others. There were ears on the side of its head.

Father Halen knelt down for a better look.

A hand reached towards him. The wing of the vulture had melted away into fingers and a palm. It grabbed the father's collar. A face emerged. "Help me!" a weak voice choked. "Help!" The twisted form coughed, sending out droplets of blood.

"Gah!" Father Halen jumped back with a yell coming from his body that he didn't know he could produce. His heart was racing and his head was spinning. He reached up to his face where the blood had splattered.

When he looked back down, everything returned back to the way it was before. A strange vulture was lying on the ground still and silent. The blood hadn't even been smudged. It was as if the creature hadn't moved at all. Had Father Halen really been accosted by a dead strange vulture? His vision was blurry. His heart jumped against his chest trying to escape . The enlil stumbled around in the darkness of the mountain.

What had happened?

What had happened?

What?

Father Halen woke up. He was back inside the small room. Spuri was there and so was Marston. They were both still asleep. It was light outside. Father Halen stood up. He stumbled forwards a few steps, knocking over a box.

"Huh?" Marston sputtered. He looked over. "Hey, Father Halen. Good morning." He stretched out while yawning. "Oof. I am going to be feeling yesterday's work today. Maybe even tomorrow. So are you ready for another day of investigating?"

"What?" Father Halen said. He shook his head to clear away the fog. "Hold on a moment. Spuri, wake up!"

The sharp voice roused the girl from her slumber. "What can do you?" Her words were still slurred. She rubbed her eyes until they could open. "Oh, Father Halen. Good morning."

Father Halen looked at the two of them. He wasn't sure what happened the previous night, or if anything even happened at all. He cleared his throat. "Yes. We must continue to investigate. I have a feeling it does have something to do with our problem."

"Sure thing, Father Halen," Spuri said. "Oh, you should probably clean your robes, too. It looks like you have some stains on there from last night's dinner."

Father Halen looked down to see a few dry dark red droplets.

 

[Redfin]

Chapter 6​

"Will you be staying longer?" Halbahalba asked as she delivered breakfast to the guests. That morning, it was porridge with desert fruit.

Father Halen's ears prickled at that voice. "Yes. We will. There is still something we need to do."

"Very well. We would be glad to have your help again today."

Marston let out a weak laugh. "I hope it's easier than yesterday."

"We shall see. Come see me when you are finished with breakfast, and I'll assign tasks for you." The woman gave them a sharp smile before she left.

Father Halen took a deep breath as he stared into the porridge. "Something is going on in this town that relates to the strange vultures we have been seeing. I don't have any confirmations, so you two need to investigate. Spuri, go speak with Kortkort and see what you can learn. Marston, you are good at poking around where you shouldn't. Check all of the smaller trails leading out of the village."

"Sure thing," Marston said. "Am I looking for anything in particular?"

Father Halen paused. What should he say? He still wasn't sure what he experienced the previous night. It was all a strange blur. Most of it had faded away yet some remained vivid and powerful. "You'll know it when you see it."

"Yeah!" Marston exclaimed. "That's the way."

After finishing their meals, The three of them headed out. Halbahalba was waiting for them at the gathering place in town. Once again, Spuri was sent off to help with making and repairing tools. Marston talked himself into getting random tasks around the village. Father Halen was asked to teach another class about the world.

"It would be my pleasure," Father Halen said.

"We are so lucky to bask in your wisdom," Halbahalba said. "This village needs you. Your knowledge about the world will bring us to new heights where we leave behind old ideas for good."

"That is not what I preach."

"It is what will be taken."

Father Halen sighed. "I'll go prepare on what to talk about today." He shuffled off to the side with his book of scriptures in hand.

"Escape."

The father looked up. "What?" No one was nearby.

"Run away from this confinement."

Father Halen shifted around, checking in all directions. The voice didn't seem to come from anywhere. It was low and raspy. If he didn't pay attention, the words would easily be mixed into the wind and carried away.

"Is anyone there?" he asked.

"The ground imprisons! The sky is freedom!"

The violent words shook the enlil into standing. He wiped sweat from his brow. A dark feeling crawled across his body. Something poked at his head. He looked upwards. Strange colorful spots littered the skies. They were like splattered oil stains, and they continued to grow with swirling hues. The clouds were being swallowed up.

Father Halen blinked. Everything returned to normal. The sky was just the sky. It was blue and full of clouds. His left leg ached, and his entire body shivered. A foul evil lingered in the air. He couldn't stand breathing it in, but his body needed to lest he choked.

Father Halen slapped his face knocking him out of the trance. He shut his eyes tight and tried to slow his breath.

"Vis above, grant me strength. Glorious Castus, your humble servant is in need of your aid. Please, tell me what I should do."

Elsewhere, Marston was looking around the town for anything that could be improved or fixed. Not that he knew anything about it, but he talked like he did. "Hey, Halbahalba, I have some questions about this town."

"What is it?" Halbahalba said.

The two of them strolled through the area while Marston pretended to look into things that could do with some fixing. Even to his untrained eyes, it looked like a lot of the structures were cobbled together and heavily patched up. He wondered how some of them were still standing.

"How long have you been here?"

Halbahalba paused. A thoughtful look came over her face that slowly creased into concern. "I am uncertain," she answered at last. "It feels like we have been here as long as we've existed."

"Why did you come out here away from everyone else?"

"I didn't come here. I was just always here. This is our life."

"Oh, I see," Marston said. "And how is life out here? Quiet and peaceful?"

"It is indeed."

"You must have some problems, though. Is there anything I can help with?"

Halbahalba's fierce glare was all the answer he needed, but she added, "No. We can deal with our own problems. If you have nothing to do, I can assign you something."

"No, no. I have seen lots of little things that I can fix or make better. Just point me to where you keep your tools." Marston gave a smile and a wink.

"Over there. I'll come back to check on you at a later time. I have other things to attend to." Halbahalba left the adventurer alone.

Marston picked up a toolbelt and some nails. It certainly made him look handy. Along the way, he swung back over to the strange staircase leading to the peak of the mountain, except someone was standing there keeping an eye on things. It was the woman he went with the previous day.

"Good afternoon," Marston said. "Why are you standing out here?"

"I'm making sure no one tries to go up here," the woman growled.

"Is that something that happens a lot?"

"No." But her pointed words were aimed at the visitor.

Marston hid his grimace with a grin. "Keep it up. You're doing a fantastic job!" He walked away without looking back. If that place was going to be out of bounds for the time being, then he might as well do what Father Halen suggested and see what else was around the village. There were a few other paths into the mountain, some obvious, some not so obvious.

Marston glanced around and saw Halbahalba was busy helping Father Halen with his lesson. That was the perfect time to slip away and do some investigating.

In a small room, Spuri and Kortkort were getting ready for work once again. They needed to braid new rope for the others to use while out in the mountains. Bundles and bundles of long plant fibers sat in baskets all around the room.

"Uh," Spuri hummed, "are you sure you want me to do this? People's lives will be depending on this, and like you know, I'm not that good."

"Don't worry," Kortkort said while staring at the bundle of fibers. He was squatting down. "This is easier, and you can always use more than you think." He handed over a basket without looking over. "Start with twisting two fibers together and weave in a new strand towards the end. Continue doing that until you have over a hundred feet. Then we'll weave together all those strands into one larger one. That will be our rope."

"Yes. I think I can do that." Spuri let out a cheer. "Okay, let's go!"

Kortkort was taken aback by the girl's vigor. "Um, yes."

"This is fun, you know," Spuri said. She sat down directly in front of Kortkort. The boy caught her stare and glanced away. "I come from a small town, too, though it is much larger than this one. I don't have many friends, actually, so I'm glad I met you."

"Why don't you?" Kortkort asked. "Have friends."

"I spend all my time working with Father Halen at the church. Not many kids want to hang around the church, I suppose. I'm just strange like that." Spuri laughed. "How about you? It doesn't seem like there are any other kids your age here."

Kortkort shook his head. "There isn't. I completed all my lessons about the world, so I don't have to attend. Instead, I get to do this."

"About those lessons, I was told there were people in shackles there. Why do they need to do that? That sounds cruel."

"Matron Halbahalba does it when we have flights of fancy. We must always remember what to strive for." Those words sounded rehearsed. "A true understanding of the world, not one of fantasy." Kortkort sighed. "Anytime we start to stray, she puts those shackles on us to remind us."

"That sounds horrible," Spuri said with her mouth covered. "Why do you let her do that?"

"Matron Halbahalba is our matron. We have to listen to her."

Spuri leaned in. "Is she keeping you trapped here?"

"Yes." Kortkort blinked and jolted. "No! I mean, we can't leave, but we don't want to."

"You've never been outside of this town?" Spuri said, her eyes full of sadness.

"I haven't."

"There is so much out there. Even just within Aridus, you have amazing things like stone spires to the north. You can tell me if there's anything I can help you with or anything that's going on around the town. Father Halen and I came here to help. I guess Marston, too. We need to know what's going on, though."

"I don't know if I should."

Spuri shifted closer. "We're friends, right?"

Kortkort looked over. His body shifted around, and his face was growing red. "We are? What does that mean, exactly?"

"I'll help you if you need it. You'll help me if I need it. And in general, we enjoy being around each other and have fun. Right? We're here doing this," Spuri pointed to the bundles of fibers, "and we're having a good time."

Kortkort nodded and looked away again. "I guess we are."

"So can you tell me a bit more about what's going on? Do you have a problem with strange vultures? They have the most piercing, man-like stares and they have strange body parts all around."

Kortkort took a deep breath. He walked over to the window and looked to the skies. "We are cursed. We want to reach out for more." He extended his arm upwards. "We can't, though. We must remain grounded because." The boy shook his head. "Because...."

(Marston had managed to slip away to somewhere interesting. He had already seen a strange part of town with empty metal cages set upon wooden posts. They were of the perfect size to hold large birds of carrion. The part of town he currently found himself in held human-sized cages made out of wood, and there was one occupant.

It wasn't easy to find that place. The path he walked down could barely be called that. The only reason he went down there was because he noticed scratch marks on the floor that meant people had gone there at one point. The place was hidden from the rest of the village by the bends of the mountain. It was far enough away that no sound could travel between the two points.

A figure was huddled in the corner with a cloak draped over their body. When the person heard movement, they shouted, "Get away! Get away, get away, get away!" The voice belonged to a man, but it was screechy. "I don't want what you want, Halbahalba. Leave me be!"

"Whoa, whoa," Marston said. "I'm not Halbahalba."

"Who are you?" A pair of sharp eyes peered out from underneath the hood. The man shifted back. "I don't know you."

"Nope. I'm a visitor from outside of the village."

"Outside of the village?"

Marston nodded. "That's what I said. The name's Marston." He stepped closer to the cage, but stopped upon seeing the writhing recoil from the man inside. "You don't need to be scared. I want to help."

"Help? Help? Yes, you can help. Let me out of here." The man grabbed onto the bars of the cage and used it as support to help him stand. There were feathers poking out through his clothes. His breathing was ragged, and his knees were buckling.

"Why are you in this cage?" Marston asked as he examined how to best get the door open. There was a homemade lock keeping everything shut tight. It looked like it needed a key to open, and it was big and heavy enough that his usual lockpicking skills wouldn't be of much use.

The man paced around. His words were fast with shallow breathing. "Halbahalba. She doesn't like it when we have our own thoughts or when we question the way things are. I want to leave this village, but she won't let us. She won't let us. I want to, want to." He let out a wheezing cough.

"That's not right," Marston said with a grimace. "You should always be allowed to ask questions. You can't take anything for granted, like do we really have four moons? Are the vistra space aliens from another world? Is Halbahalba dangerous?"

"That last one I can answer. Yes," the man responded with an energetic nod. "She keeps us all low. She is the only one that decides what we can think or do. My friends. Have you seen them?"

"I haven't seen anyone else imprisoned," Marston mumbled. After examining the lock, he determined it was old enough that he might be able to wedge it open. All he needed was something solid. Something like one of the bars of another cage that was loose.

"Three of my friends managed to escape and fly away. They are free from this place, free to live how they want."

"Fly?"

Marston didn't have time for more questions as he placed the wooden bar against the old and makeshift metal lock. With one giant heave, using all of his weight, he snapped the lock. The man inside scrambled to open the cage door.

"Yes. I'm free!" The man pulled off his cloak. His entire body was covered in feathers, and his feet had turned into bony talons. His fingers were mere nubs on the wings. As his smile widened, he began to shrink. The body twisted and melted away until he was more bird than man. Before the transformation even finished, the vulture started flapping his wings. He took off from the ground, aiming straight for the skies.

"Wait!" Marston called out. "What's happening?"

The strange vulture flew away without looking back.)

"...when we dream too much, we turn into vultures," Kortkort said. "That's why we must listen to Matron Halbahalba and reject freedom to keep our humanity."

Spuri fell back in shock. Her mouth was open trying to search for the right words, but she couldn't find any.

 

[Redfin]

Chapter 7​

Marston was hauled through the town. He was looking ruffed up with dirt and blood on his face. There was a tear in his clothing. Two villagers held him tight by the arm. The other people in the village were staring. They had all seen a vulture fly away and knew what had happened.

Father Halen paused in the middle of his lesson. He sputtered, "What's going on here?"

"That's what I would like to know," Halbahalba said, though she was eying the adventurer suspiciously.

"He freed one of our villagers!" said the man holding onto the adventurer.

Marston struggled against the tight grips on his arms, but he remained in their grasp. Through gritted teeth, he said, "Father Halen! This town is keeping people trapped in cages. Not only that. Those people, those people are turning into vultures!"

"What?" Father Halen said. His book of the vis dropped from his hands. "Are you sure?"

"Yes! I saw it with my own eyes!"

Before anyone else could say anything, Spuri came charging into the area. She was breathing hard and wary eyes looked at all of the villagers. "What, what's going on here?"

"I'm trying to determine that, Spuri," Father Halen said. "Why are you in a rush?"

"I've discovered that the people of this town are cursed," Spuri proclaimed. Several of the villagers gasped in alarm. "Oh why are you surprised? You know this. I know this, too. If they dream too big or something they turn into vultures."

Father Halen glanced between his two traveling companions. Then he turned to the class and Halbahalba. "Is this true, Halbahalba?"

At first, Halbahalba's face was twisted with fury and sadness. Her teeth were clenched, and her hands turned into fists. The sharpness of her eyes were enough to cut. Then a calm fell over her, and she nodded. "Yes, it is true, Father Halen. Our village is cursed. If we are to lose our sense of self and our grounding, we turn into vultures. That is why I keep people focused on work and away from dreaming big. That is why I asked you to teach us about the world, so that we may better understand it."

"My child," Father Halen said, despite them being approximately the same sage. "You do not need to keep things from me. I'm here to help. How were you cursed?"

"Our ancestors trusted the wrong thing," Halbahalba said. She wrapped her arms around her body and let out a sigh. She no longer stood straight. It was all she could do to stay standing. "There was the one above." Her eyes flicked upwards. "We listened to him when we should not have. When we tried to turn away, he cursed us."

"What is the one above?" Father Halen asked.

Halbahalba shook her head. "I'm not sure. I've never seen him, nor do I know if he is still there."

"Help them."

Father Halen tilted his head and strained his ears. There was that voice again.

"Free them."

"I will," Father Halen said. "I want to."

The others around looked at him in confusion. What was that in response to?"

"Help them. Free them."

"Yes, of course," Father Halen said. "I will help these poor wretches. I will free them from their delusions. The curse shall end. They will be plagued no more."

"Um, Father Halen?" Spuri said. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you not hear the commands?" Father Halen asked.

"Hear who?" Spuri asked. She clutched her hands close to her chest and looked around. Her eyes flickered, but they didn't see anything.

Father Halen stared at the sky. "I suppose you are not yet in tune with the world. That is fine, my child." He saw the sky as it truly was, bleeding colored ooze from tears and rips. It slowly swallowed up the clean blue air and the pure white clouds leaving things an ever shifting nightmare of colors. "The foul shadow falling over this village must be cleansed. I will save the people of this village! Halbahalba, do I have your support?"

"Yes! Of course you do, Father Halen. That is all I've ever wanted."

"The one above must be a demon," Father Halen explained. "Only that kind of wicked creature would curse a village. Your failures are not your fault. You are not equipped to fight something like that, but I am. Now gather everyone up. We need to keep even harsher control over the people to stamp out the corruption in their bodies. I will help them. I will free them."

The matron nodded. She looked at the nearby villagers. "You heard Father Halen. Bring everyone here."

Marston looked with his mouth hanging open. His face twisted into anger. "Are you kidding me, Father Halen? This isn't right!"

Spuri uncertainly nodded. "I agree. You're not acting like yourself."

"These are extraordinary times, Spuri. Extraordinary measures need to be taken. Marston, I cannot have you running around causing trouble right now." He turned to the matron. "Do you have a place to contain him?"

"We do," Halbahalba said.

Father Halen extended his arm. "Then put him there. Spuri, I can count on you, right? I need your help now more than ever."

Spuri looked back and forth. Marston was cursing as he was being dragged away. Father Halen had always been a harsh man, but there used to be compassion in his eyes. That had vanished and was replaced by a deep, reflectionless darkness. The girl gulped. "Of course, Father Halen. We are here to help the people." She started to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"To help round up the people of the village?"

Father Halen nodded. "Good. Go."

Spuri was panting heavily as she left the area. Her head was spinning. She had to hold onto the mountain to keep steady. It felt like she was dragging her legs through a swamp. What was happening? Why was it happening? Her racing heart made it difficult to keep focused. Each of her thoughts were interrupted by a pounding against her chest.

Tears were streaming from her eyes despite her best efforts to stem the flow. She wiped her face with her sleeves as she entered the work room.

Kortkort looked over. His head tilted back and forth. "What is wrong? Are you sad?"

"Everything is messed up right now! I don't know what's going on," Spuri said, her voice more shrill than normal.

"Is there something I can do?"

"No. I don't know why Father Halen is acting like this. He's gone crazy!" Spuri grabbed Kortkort by the shoulder. "You need to get out of here."

"This building?"

"This entire town! Father Halen and Halbahalba are rounding everyone up, and I don't like what's going to happen next. Please, to stay safe, you have to leave."

A frown came over the boy as he shook his head. His wild hair flew around. "I don't know where to go out there."

"You can't stay here, though. Stay nearby. I'll find you at night and bring you food, but you must go, now!" Spuri pushed at Kortkort in a panic, but he was surprisingly sturdy and hard to move. "Go! Please."

"Okay," Kortkort said. "Don't cry, Spuri. That makes me unhappy." He brushed the tears away from her face, replacing it with the dirt from his hand. "I will see you later?"

"Yes, you will. Make sure no one sees you. I just need to figure out what's going on."

Kortkort crawled out through a back window of the room and disappeared from view. Spuri stood there. Her entire world was spinning as she stumbled back outside.

The center of town was packed full, and Marston was nowhere in sight. Father Halen and Matron Halbahalba stood in front of everyone. The rest of the villagers were trapped underneath the open-air building. Several people in robes and snake masks stood watch.

Halbahalba was busy taking attendance.

Spuri shuffled up behind Father Halen as she cleared away the tears and dirt from her face with her sleeves. "Father Halen, what do you plan on doing?"

"What is necessary. These people need our help. They need to be saved," Father Halen answered in a cold voice.

"Kortkort?" Halbahalba called out. "Has anyone seen Kortkort?"

The villagers shook their heads. "He must still be in the village somewhere." She pointed to one of the people in snake masks. "Find him."

Father Halen glanced over to the girl. "Do you know where he is?"

"No," Spuri said. "I haven't seen him since I came to see what was going on here."

"Very well. No matter. Halbahalba, we can start without him. The sooner the better."

"Yes!" Halbahalba cried. "You are correct, Father Halen. I leave my people in your care."

Father Halen strode through the room. "You, let's start with you." His finger aimed at one of the adults that were shackled. "You are the closest to fall, so we must prevent that."

The room was cleared away of furniture. The shackled man was placed on the ground in the center. It was starting to get dark, so candles were lit up all around. Father Halen drew magical symbols on the ground. He beckoned all of the vis for their aid, and Spuri had to help.

At last, when it came time to start the ceremony, Spuri backed away. She was feeling exhausted, but her attention was as sharp as ever.

Father Halen started. He stood with his arms out and face upwards. "Oh, mighty Castus, your humble servant requires your aid. Help me banish the wickedness within this man's body and allow him peace and tranquility." An ethereal glow covered his body. The markings on the ground sparked up all at once.

The shackled man cried out in pain. His body twisted and strained in an unnatural position. He tried to crawl away.

Halbahalba pointed to him and ordered her followers to, "Hold him down!"

Two people came, holding down the shackled man's arms and legs. The man continued to cry out. The sounds were horrific, gnawing deep into the pits of those that watched. Father Halen showed no signs of stopping. Rather, he pushed forwards further.

"You must accept the grace of the vis!" he proclaimed. "They will reveal the truth. Reject your wicked influence." The light around his body glowed even brighter.

The man contorted so much muscles started to tear and bones began to fracture. With one final jolt, the man fell limp. His breath had ceased.

"What happened?" Halbahalba said.

Father Halen looked down at the shackled man with pity. "He was too far gone, and I was not powerful enough to save him. Do not worry, my child. I have not given up. With each attempt, I learn and grow. I will succeed, but give me time to rest and recover."

"Of course, Father Halen."

"It is getting late. We shall continue tomorrow." Father Halen sounded weary with a raspiness in his voice. He rubbed his eyes. "Make sure no one leaves. Here, they are safe under the watchful eyes of the vis. Here, they will not be tempted by dark thoughts."

Halbahalba pointed to her followers. They gathered everyone up again. "Stand watch and make sure no one leaves," she ordered. "Use force if you need to."

One of the masked villagers distributed spears, clubs and other weapons among the group. "My, my. Look at you with your eyes in the clouds. Preening and pruning there all proud. Do you think, nay you do not. You have left your brain to rot.

"My, my. Give up your worries, don't run away. It is here, your lucky day. Through wonders and faith you shall be saved. Keep ready you filthy knaves."

Father Halen retired back to their small room for the evening with a simple dinner. Spuri followed after him, but she didn't have an appetite at all. Holding her stomach kept it from jumping out of her mouth and dumping its contents all over the floor. The one good thing was that the masked villager sent to find Kortkort had returned empty handed, and it was too late to continue searching.

 

[Redfin]

Chapter 8​

Spuri carried a tray of food down a precarious path of the mountain. With all of the villagers at the town center, she was the only one free to do so. It was morning, and Father Halen was getting prepared for his rituals. Spuri didn't want to be there for that. She readily agreed to take Marston his breakfast.

The girl slowly made her way over to the part of the mountain where large cages were kept. Marston was in the only one that still looked structurally sound. When he saw her, he leapt over, pressing his face against the bars.

"Hey!" he barked.

"Gah!" Spuri yelped.

"What is going on with that Father of yours? He's gone crazy!"

"I don't know why he's acting like that!" Spuri said. Her eyes were red, and there were rings around them. Her face had puffed up. "He's so different from his normal self. I don't know what to do."

"You can get me out of here!" Marston said as he beat on the wooden cage.

"Yes! Of course!" Spuri said. She slid the meal into the cage and then started trying to open the doors. In a bit of a daze, she spun around the area finding nothing that could help. "Um, well. I guess I can try this."

Spuri tapped on her pronounced beak structure around her mouth. She started ramming her face against one of the wooden bars trying to take it apart, splinter by splinter.

"Whoa, whoa! Are you part woodpecker or something?" Marston asked.

"No!"

"And why do you look so bad?"

Spuri threw up her hands in exasperation. "I was a little too paranoid to sleep last night, alright? So forgive me for not thinking clearly right now."

"Spuri?" someone else called out.

The girl yelped and spun around. Her heart almost made it out of her body before she saw who it was. "Kortkort! There you are!"

"I heard strange noises." Kortkort climbed down from the ledge on the mountain where he was hiding. "What is going on?" He looked around the area. "Can I go home?"

"No, not yet. I'm sorry. Things are looking bad right now, and I don't know how to fix it." Spuri clapped her cheeks. "I saw one of the villagers die last night. I'm sorry this is happening to your town."

"I want to help," Kortkort said.

Spuri motioned to the cage. "Can you figure out a way to get Marston out? I should return before they send someone out here to see what's taking me so long. Also, have some food. I took a lot." The girl pointed to the tray on the ground.

"What will you do?"

"I don't know," Spuri said. She didn't fidget around as much, and she looked more focused. "Just stay out of sight, okay?" She put a hand on Kortkort's shoulder. He glanced over, meeting her eyes. She hurried back to town.

Already, Father Halen was getting prepared for the next ceremony. Another man with a weight attached to his leg had been led to the center of the room. He was lying on the ground. That time, instead of people holding him down, they had prepared chains and shackles.

"This is barbaric!" Spuri protested.

"It's necessary," Father Halen proclaimed. "Stand back."

One of the villagers in a snake mask pulled Spuri away. When the center was cleared, Father Halen went to work. The other villagers all looked terrified, tired and hungry. They hadn't been fed at all since the previous night. According to Father Halen, the weaker they were, the more easily he could get through to them.

Spuri looked away as the cries of pain started. The second attempt ended much like the first with the villager twisting so hard, they snapped their own body before expiring.

Father Halen stood there, breathing heavily. "Oh great Castus, grant me more strength! I do not yet have enough to save these people. I am understanding more and more of what is happening here. I will succeed on the next one. Let's prepare." He motioned for another villager.

Spuri stood in front of him. "Father Halen, don't you want to rest first? You're tired from the previous attempt."

"No. I can continue. If I stop, I will lose what I have gained. Hurry up."

The people in snake masks dragged over one of the villagers, a woman that was sobbing. Tears flowed down her face and dripped onto the ground.

"Stop!" Spuri cried out. She shoved the masked man holding onto the woman. "You can't do this, Father Halen. This isn't right! You can't just hurt people like this. You're not helping them at all!"

"You do not know demonic influence, Spuri," Father Halen snarled. "It is never pleasant. This is how it has to be."

Halbahalba grabbed Spuri by the arms and then dragged the girl away. "Child, you may be an assistant to Father Halen, but you have none of his knowledge or wisdom. You must leave this to him."

"I know that this is wrong!" Spuri said.

"Why are you going against Father Halen?" Halbahalba asked. "He is a servant of the vis, and he is trying to help us. If you're going against him, you must be trying to perpetuate our curse. Have you been tainted?"

"What? No!" Spuri struggled against the woman's grip.

Father Halen looked upon the girl with pity. "Is that so, Spuri? I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner. I shall perform my ceremony on you, before the influence has taken a deep hold. Bring her to the center."

"No!" Spuri shrieked, but one of the masked villagers came to help Halbahalba. She had no way of overpowering two of them. Even as the strength left her legs, she was dragged ever closer to Father Halen.

"Stop!" a faraway voice shouted. It was full of strength and determination. Kortkort stood at the edge of the village proper with a large stick in hand. "Let Spuri go!"

Halbahalba smiled upon seeing the boy. Her grip relaxed on Spuri. "Ah, there you are, Kortkort. Come over here. I know this looks harsh, but it is for your own good. Stop trying to resist." She stepped forward and beckoned to him.

"Don't do it!" Spuri called out. With only one person holding her, she managed to shake free and tackle the man right in the chest. Spuri ran forwards but a powerful pair of arms wrapped around her body.

"You, child!" Halbahalba hissed. "You will stop trying to corrupt my people!" The matron threw the girl hard.

Spuri was sent tumbling until she crashed into one of the pillars holding up the roof. There was a harsh crack as the blow sent her to the ground.

"Spuri!" Kortkort cried out. The boy charged forwards. He swung the stick wildly, keeping at bay the masked villagers. His eyes were full of fury and focused on Halbahalba. Everything around him was a blur. The only thing he knew was that if it came near him, he would strike at it.

"Calm down, boy!" Halbahalba ordered. "You are forgetting everything you've learned, everything we've strived for!"

"I don't care!" Kortkort said.

When two of the snake-masked villagers came to stop him, each holding clubs of their own, he didn't stop. The two followers of Halbahalba swung their weapons, but all they hit was air. In one mighty leap, Kortkort had sailed over them by using the great wings growing from his arms. He came down near Halbahalba swinging with all of his might.

The matron barely managed to dodge, but Kortkort wasn't finished. He leapt forwards, shoving the woman back. She tumbled off the boardwalk around the town center. Her yells ceased as she fell down to the hard mountain slopes. Her body cracked and twisted as it bounced on the rocks below. She only came to a stop when her head smashed into the bottom of the ravine.

Blood flowed out of an open wound on her temple. She was still and lifeless.

"You!" Father Halen roared. "You vile, vicious fiend! You are too far gone to be saved." He extended his arm forwards. A magical portal appeared, one the size of a dinner plate. From within, he drew out a destructive magic blast that knocked Kortkort to his back. The portal remained, ready to finish the boy.

Spuri jumped in between Father Halen and Kortkort. "Stop this!" she wheezed. "This isn't you, Father Halen."

"Stay out of my way, Spuri," Father Halen said. "Wickedness needs to be purged." He changed the portal to another one that glowed red and radiated heat. Flamed licked the air waiting to burst out. "I am only trying to save everyone. Why can't you see that?"

"You aren't! Why can't you see you're making everything worse?"

Kortkort crawled back to his feet. He was clutching his chest and struggling to breath. He let out a fierce cry from his beak. More and more of his body had been taken over by that of a vulture. He still had the size and shape of a man, but feathers were sprouting fast all over his body.

Father Halen stared at the boy with disgust. "Stay back!" He aimed the portal towards the boy. Right as he fired, Spuri lunged forwards, pushing his arm away. It guided the flames in an entirely different direction right into the roof of the town center.

Fire spread quickly and had soon engulfed the structure. In a panic, the people inside scattered. Spuri helped Kortkort hobble away. They were only just clear of when a huge crack shook the air. The support beams of the roof had started to snap. Father Halen watched in shock as he backed away.

The town center was barely clear of people when the roof came crashing to the ground. The entire structure was engulfed in a huge pyre.

The villagers began to screech. The sounds coming from their mouths weren't human. Their eyes reflected fear and terror o the uncontrolled fire. Bodies twisted and convulsed. Feathers were growing so fast they burst out from clothing. Even the followers of Halbahalba were doubled over on the ground as beaks poked off their snake masks.

Those that changed faster began to fly, but they were still too large to maneuver effectively. Their bodies got tangled up in the nets above. Then a magical blast sent them hurtling back to the ground.

"You cannot leave!" Father Halen proclaimed. All vestiges of composure left his body. Though he was still in the cloth of the vis, he was looking like a beast, hunched over and ragged. "If I cannot save you, I can at least prevent you from spreading your infection to the rest of the world!" Extending both arms, he tore open a portal in the air. It was jagged and crackled with energy. "Sometimes, the best thing to do for an infection is to purge it out completely."

"Sleep!" Marston lunged forwards with a parchment in his hand. Drawn on it was a symbol in thick black ink strokes. Under all of the chaos, no one had paid any attention to him at all. Magic flowed out from the paper, encircling Father Halen. There wasn't even time for surprise before the enlil fell unconscious. Marston let the body thump to the floor.

None of the villagers calmed down, though. They had grown even more frantic and chaotic.

Spuri called out, "Marston! What should we do?"

"This way," Marston pointed to a path that wouldn't take the girl through the fire in the middle of town. "Come with me."

It took some time with Spuri helping Kortkort along, but the two sides met up. The girl was breathing heavily and covered in dirt, but she kept going.

"What are we going to do?" Spuri said.

Marston took a deep breath and composed himself with a big smile. He motioned to the nearby pathway that led up to the mountain peak. The base of the stairs had been destroyed, but the rest was still in a good enough condition to travel.

"What?" Spuri said, her voice shrill. "You want to go up there now? What about the people? Father Halen?"

"What can we do here? We don't know anything. But you heard Halbahalba, right? The one above?" He pointed to the mountaintop. "Once we have answers to our questions, we'll have solutions to our problems."

The adventurer wasn't waiting. He already started to climb upwards using his hands and feet.

Spuri grimaced and looked back to the village. What could she do, though? She didn't want to stay without someone that could help her. "Come on, Kortkort. We're going up. Maybe something up there can help you."

Kortkort had shrunk even more with a beak replacing his mouth. His arms had almost entirely turned into wings. One foot was a sharp talon. He nodded.

The two struggled up the initial rough slope, but they made it to the steps portion of the way up. There was no turning back. Spuri and Kortkort hurried after Marston.

 

[Redfin]

Chapter ⬆​

Marston; the adventurer, Spuri; the assistant and Korkort; the villager traveled up an old set of stairs carved into the mountainside. The way was precarious with loose stones and uneven footing. One misstep would send them tumbling all the way back down to a harsh landing.

The skies were clear blue and dotted by white, fluffy clouds. Bright rays of Caesar beat down upon them, but the cool air kept the heat at bay. Only the whispering of the winds went with them. It was a peaceful trek up the mountain.

Higher and higher they went. The town within the mountains long disappeared from view. The three were the only people around. The only thing they could do was continue the climb.

After a long time, the end of the staircase was in sight. Spuri and Kortkort were breathing heavily. Marston waved to them as he rushed ahead. "Come on. We're almost there!"

At the top of the mountain was a large, flat area. The air was thin. The light from the skies was piercing. Marston stood there with a hand shading his eyes. Spuri and Kortkort reached the top, and they looked out upon what was there.

A wall of branches, small trees, shrubs and more met them. It was a tangled mess that also contained manmade objects such as ropes or fabric. It was anything and everything that could be cobbled together into a structure.

Wait. No.

It wasn't a wall. The shape was circular. It was a nest. A giant nest that stood taller than Marston.

"Does this," Spuri panted, "belong to the one above?" She kept her arms around Kortkort, trying to hold onto him tight enough to keep him from changing further.

"Maybe?" Marston looked around. There was nothing else in the area. He stepped forwards. "Hello! Is anyone there?"

"It has been a while since I've had visitors," a voice responded. The sound was oddly smooth and clear, like it there was no interference from the surrounding noise. It cut through the wind and sounds of the world to directly reach the ears of the listeners.

A form emerged from within the nest. The shape was simple, like that of a worm's, only it was much larger. The body was thick like the ancient trees, and it stood just as tall. Even then, the form wasn't fully out. The body was covered in shadows despite the bright clear skies. The thing had a pair of blood red eyes that saw everything. A wide grin was full of sharp teeth.

Spuri and Marston were frozen in place. The air had been sucked from their body. Neither of them had an awareness of what to do.

It was Spuri that recovered first. "Are you," her voice raspsed. She cleared her throat. "Are you a demon?"

"Nay. I am not."

"Are you a spirit?" Spuri continued.

"Nay. I am not. Nor am I a fish, a bird, a ghost or a post."

Marston let out a yelp that cut through the tension. "You're the one above! Aren't you?"

The lifeform laughed. "I suppose that's what I've been called here. Are you from the village below?"

"Yes. No," Spuri said. "Sort of. We have been staying there, and we have no idea what's going on! Everyone there is turning into vultures." She motioned to Kortkort. "Please, you know something, don't you? Help them!"

"There is nothing to help," the one above said. "They are as they should be. You should be thankful for that."

"Thankful?" Spuri sputtered. "Everyone is in pain right now! What is there to be thankful for?" She glared at the one above, her chest still rising and falling with fury.

Marston inched forwards. "Hello. Marston here." He waved. "I'm an adventurer and explorer. Can you explain what is going on with the village below? Why they are changing into vultures?"

"Yes. I can." The one above leaned forwards until the face was hovering over the visitors. The unnerving, unmoving grin remained. "That is who they are. They are vultures."

Spuri held a hand to her mouth. "What?"

"I came to these mountains a long time ago. For a while, it was quiet, until I was discovered by people living below," the one above recalled. "There, they found me at the peaks. I have no idea why, but they decided I was worthy of worship. That was until they decided I didn't do enough for them during their times of hardship.

"During a harsh period, the villagers ran out of food. In their desperation to survive, they decided I was more worthy as a food source than idol." The one above wiggled, perhaps as a sign of sadness. "It didn't work. The villagers all died out, and their bodies were littered on the mountainside.

"That was when they were set upon by the carrion scavengers of the desert, the vultures. They partook in the villagers who partook of me, and in doing so, they gained something. A sapient mind and form to match.

"What is happening now is that they are merely changing back to how they should be."

Spuri looked at Kortkort. She stroked his face. He had almost completely turned into a vulture. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say he turned back into one. His knowing eyes were the last thing that remained, but how long would they last?

"Kortkort?" Spuri placed her forehead against the vulture's. "Do you still understand me? Are you still here?"

Kortkort looked up at her.

The girl squeezed tears out from her eyes and then turned back to the one above. "What about Father Halen? What happened to him?"

"Your father, Halen, came into contact with something he shouldn't have. His body isn't ready for it." The one above laughed. "Not to worry. The effect shall fade soon, though whether he recovers from the ordeal mentally is another matter."

The one above changed perspective and asked, "Do you dream of flying?"

"I suppose so," Spuri said.

"These vultures, do you know what they dreamed of? Understanding. They could see it all from the sky, yet they had no context for anything. That was what they wanted."

Spuri knelt down with Kortkort cradled in her arms. She closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened them again, there was only a vulture in her arms. The light had vanished from his eyes. They were fully that of a carrion scavenger. After hearing the truth, he accepted it and stopped fighting the loss of his mind.

When she let go of him, the vulture took to the skies and flew away.

Marston wasn't finished yet. "We know what they are now, but what are you? Which plane did you come from?"

The one above said, "I am what I am. I am from beyond your five planes."

"Beyond?" Marston's eyes widened. "What's out there? What do you know?" He reached for the lifeform.

"So much," the one above said. "It is time for me to leave. My sojourn to this world has caused much commotion. You will return to your simple lives only a little worse than before."

"Wait!" Marston called out. "Take me with you! I want to see what else is out there!"

Spuri said, "Are you crazy? You want to go with that, the one above?"

"Yes! Don't you see? Our world is so much bigger than anyone of us have ever thought, can ever imagine! This is my chance to see truly what is out there." Marston beseeched the one above. "Please! Take me with you. I need to know what is out there."

"Your mind may not be able to handle it," the one above said.

"I don't care. If there is even a chance, I'm taking it."

Spuri grabbed onto Marston's hand tightly. "No! You can't leave, too!"

Marston looked at her with his most charming smile. "Sorry, kid. This is what I live for. You'll never find the answers if you don't take chances." He pulled his hand away and stepped to the one above.

"Very well," the one above said. Another long, dark tendril reached out of the nest. It wrapped around Marston, picking up the man.

The sky vanished, and Spuri was able to get a glimpse at what was beyond. What she saw was a swirling mass of colors. It was bright and chaotic. Each moment everything shifted, up, down, left, right, forwards, backwards, in ways she couldn't even describe. Silhouetted against it all, Spuri saw the true form of the one above.

She blacked out.

 

[Redfin]

Chapter 9​

Spuri made her way down the side of the mountain. It was a tough journey. Her legs threatened to give out multiple times. At the base where the stairs ended, she slid the rest of the way down. Spuri landed in a sprawled out position. All she wanted to do was just lie there and never move again. Through the strength of the vis, she forced her body to rise.

The village felt empty and quiet. There were no people, though fallen bodies still remained as they were. Clothes, tools and other signs of civilization were strewn on the ground. What was left of the town center was smoldering ruins. Vultures were everywhere. A lot of them had gathered at one location.

"Stop that!" Spuri yelled. She ran over, waving her arms. The vultures scattered away from the body they had been pecking.

The girl knelt down beside Father Halen. The enlil was still breathing, though also still unconscious.

How was she going to help him get off the mountain? Try as she might, she could only drag Father Halen a few feet before getting tired. There had to be a better way. Spuri pulled the father into one of the buildings to keep the vultures from getting at him. She had to go and find help.

Spuri gathered as much food and water as she could carry. But there was another problem. She had no idea how to get off the mountain! She forgot which path they used to come in. One trail was the same as any other. The girl spun around from confusion.

A vulture let out a chirp and landed in front of her. He remained there, waiting.

"Is that you, Kortkort?" Spuri asked.

The vulture didn't answer.

When she got close, however, the vulture flew further away, almost as if he was leading her. She followed the bird to one of the trails.

"Thank you," Spuri said. She started her descent down the mountain.

All while she was traveling, the same vulture circled above her. He was not waiting for the girl to fall dead for an easy meal. The vulture simply cared for reasons even he didn't know. It wasn't until Spuri made it all of the way out did the vulture fly away.

"Z!" Spuri shouted as she stumbled back into the desert. "Z! I need your help."

The demvir and his off road utility vehicle was parked in the shade nearby. Hearing cries, Z awoke from his hibernation state. Before he could do anything, Spuri pulled him into a hug. She broke down sobbing.

Though his body was hard, it was still warm. Z uncertainly wrapped his arms around her. Spuri remained there, her body shaken by endless tears.