Fight or Flight

CHAPTER ONE

With a deep breath, I unfurled the wings at my back and launched myself from the cliff's edge. The wind swelled beneath me and interlaced through my feathers, gnawing my exposed skin with its familiar, penetrating chill.

I dipped lower, flirting with the seam where land met sky. Below, the floating island's edge was silhouetted against the ocean. Foliage clung to the rocky outcroppings and dangled precariously off the edge. I felt the corners of my mouth broaden as I watched the skyblossoms shift gleefully in the breeze, petals shimmering with a purple iridescence– a prized pigment for local painters. I was no such artist, but that certainly didn't stop me from enjoying the view of Riem's flora and fauna.

The island's underbelly emerged as I continued further. Massive roots jutted from its bottom, a tangle of wooden tentacles that stretched hundreds of feet down into the open air. Whispers of clouds snaked through them, pushed along by the same winds I rode. Open ocean now expanded below me and my sinuses stung at the scent of a salty updraft. I pictured what it must be like to fish among the endless waters, praying to the deities that I would eventually muster the courage to learn to swim. Until then, the sky was a safe alternative . Flying was thrilling enough to last me a lifetime of enjoyment.

After a short ascent back to the topside of Riem, my spirits soared as I embraced the familiar view of home— a collage of lush forests, sprawling meadows, and glinting freshwater lakes. Terraced farms clung to the short mountains that corralled around our singular, bustling city. The marketplace, I noted, seemed a bit busier than usual. The typical muddle of movement now stirred and whipped impatiently. I would have to shop for this evening's meal later once the crowd died down.

I savored the stretch in my feathers a few moments longer, then tucked myself into a tight line and plunged through the air. My destination, I decided, was a tranquil grove at the island's center. It would be a perfect spot to witness the sunset.

The Sun Father's rays fell in soft puddles that pooled around me as I landed among the litter of fallen leaves. Pine and decaying plants entwined with the faint perfume of grass, filling my chest with a warm familiarity.

Normally, at this time of day, the grove of nettled trees was alight with the chatter of avians enjoying the last moments of sunlight: fledglings playing among the treetops and elders sharing stories. Oddly enough, I found myself completely alone in the clearing. For a moment, I considered investigating the strange absence, but the rare allure of solitude was far more tempting.

I stretched out on the ground, my wings sprawling at my sides. The delicate falcon feathers, usually sleek and compact, were spread wide and disheveled in a moment of relaxation. My wind-churned, auburn hair lay in shreds around my face, locks splashing vibrantly against fall's colorless grasses beneath.

With my ear pressed against the earth, I could sense a bassy, rhythmic throb deep below, hundreds of feet within the island's bedrock. This core, known to many as Riem's Heart, was no ordinary geological formation. It was an ancient source of energy, as old as the stars, pulsating with a power so profound that it defied the very laws of nature. This heartbeat of Riem not only sustained the island's altitude, it also invigorated the land above and everything on it. This life force was essential to the avians' connection to our ancestral refuge. The Heart was what bound our souls to the sky, thrusting us high above the malicious world that festered below.

I closed my eyes and let the comfort of safety wash through me. Here, I was a child cradled in the protective embrace of a nurturing parent. Here, I was safe inside myself.

"Aria!"

I wasn't sure how long I had been lazing beneath the trees, but Eylan's voice broke the stillness. My attention was suddenly pulled upward as his shadow played briefly across my face, and I watched him descend gracefully into the clearing. His wings folded smoothly at his sides after he touched down.