Sky : Journey To The Light

prologue

A woman wept, her nine-month pregnancy nearing its end. Her husband tightly held her hand as she screamed in agony. "Push!" urged one of the elders. She cried out once more, AH...AHHH...PUSH. A head emerged, followed by the rest of the baby's body moments later. Overwhelmed, the woman lost consciousness, while the others took charge of the newborn. "It's a boy," declared an elder, gazing at the baby as they dressed him. Marco, the husband, accepted the child from their hands. "What were you doing?" he asked. "We had to check if he's the one," explained another elder. Marco shook his head, dismissing everyone from the room. Once alone, he turned the child over, revealing his distinct white wings. Marco possessed black wings, while his wife, Geena, had wings with a yellowish color. "Don't tell me..." Marco began, his expression filled with concern. "Don't tell me you're the one. It can't be."

Two weeks passed, and the baby remained unnamed. It was customary for their culture not to name babies until they reached one year of age, though they could assign them nicknames. Geena, wanting to name him Blue, met resistance from her husband. "What do you wish to name him, then?" Geena inquired. "Anything but Blue," he replied. "Well, I have to go," said Geena. "The children still can't fly." "They're seven, Gee," Marco reminded her.

Marco rose from his seat and entered the room where the baby lay. He marveled at the sight before him, witnessing the emergence of pure white wings from the child's back. A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, prompting him to hastily cover the baby's wings with a blanket. It was the Elder Leader. "Marco?" he called out, his voice calm and gentle. Marco acknowledged his presence. The Elder Leader gestured for Marco to sit, though the small house made his towering figure seem even more imposing. With a bushy white beard flowing down to the floor, he wore a silver robe and held a staff. "Is there something you wish to tell me?" he began. "No, my leader," Marco replied, averting his gaze.

The Elder Leader observed Marco intently, as if peering into his very soul. His yellow eyes fixated on the room where the baby rested. "I heard Geena gave birth recently, didn't she?" inquired the Elder Leader. "Yes, my leader," Marco responded nervously, stealing glances toward the room where the baby lay. "May I see the child?" the Elder Leader requested. "He's sleeping, my leader," Marco interjected, his voice raising in an attempt to dissuade him. "I don't believe it's the best time to check on him." Smiling gently, the Elder Leader continued, "Do you know why I've come here, Marco?" Marco shook his head, his eyes fixed on the leader's lengthy beard, which ants had begun to crawl on. "Well," the Elder Leader began, "Last night, I had a dream. A child born exactly two weeks ago will be the one to save us all." Startled, Marco questioned, "Save us from what?" "From the End," the Elder Leader replied. "You see, Marco, it has come to my attention that it may be yours."
"The End won't happen. It hasn't been fifty years!" Marco exclaimed, refusing to surrender his child to the Elder Leader's care at such a tender age. "Do you know how many years have passed since the last End?" Marco shook his head.
Thirty years ago," the leader said. "By the time your child turns fifteen, it may be too late." He maintained a calm voice as he spoke. "I order you—"
"No! You can't, he's still a baby!" Marco interrupted, his voice filled with desperation. "You can't train—"
"I am not finished, Marco," the leader snapped, cutting him off. "You will give your child to me once he turns fourteen. That way, he will be prepared. I also order you to impart knowledge to him, preparing him for the challenges that lie ahead. It will be a terrible journey, Marco, and if he is not well-instructed, his life will be in vain."