The Heir of the Lost Wings

The awakening

Saars woke up to a quiet room, the kind of quiet that pressed against her ears and made her feel uneasy. The dim light filtering through the small, curtained window offered no clue to the time, casting soft shadows on the bare walls. The air was cool, almost chilly, and carried a faint earthy scent, as though the room had absorbed the essence of the forest outside. She glanced around, her gaze falling on the worn wooden furniture—a single chair, a plain dresser, and the neatly folded pile of clothes Kas had left for her. There were no clocks, no ticking hands to mark the passage of time.

With a sigh, she swung her legs off the bed, her bare feet brushing against the cool wooden floor. The silence felt heavier now, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Kas had been thoughtful in her selection of clothes—a practical pair of pants, a simple t-shirt, and sturdy boots. Grateful for their comfort and utility, Saars dressed quickly, tying her hair into a loose braid that hung over her shoulder.

Her boots thudded softly against the floor as she made her way out of the room, into the narrow hallway that led toward the kitchen. The house was eerily still, the kind of stillness that made her skin prickle. She half-expected to hear the sounds of footsteps or voices—Rhaes grumbling, Kas laughing, Rayl's calm tone, or even Zeyd's faint cough. Instead, there was nothing but the muted creak of the floorboards beneath her weight.

When she entered the kitchen, she froze. The long wooden table was bare, its surface wiped clean, with no plates or cups left behind from breakfast. The air smelled faintly of herbs and smoke, but it was clear the room had been empty for hours. Her eyes darted to the small stove in the corner, the stack of firewood nearby untouched.

"Hello?" she called out hesitantly, her voice breaking the oppressive silence. "Is anyone here?"

Her words echoed faintly in the empty space. There was no reply.

Climbing back up the creaky stairs, she ventured into the shop above. Sunlight filtered in through the windows, catching on the dust motes that floated lazily in the air. The shelves were lined with jars, vials, and mysterious trinkets, their labels unreadable in the dim light. The shop had an oddly lifeless feel to it, as though it had been abandoned rather than simply closed for the day.

Saars stood in the center of the room, her arms crossed, the quiet gnawing at her nerves. It wasn't like them to leave without a word, was it? Had something happened? She chewed on her bottom lip, glancing around one last time before sighing in defeat.

She had expected to wake up to the clamor of training, the chaos of plans being made. Instead, she was utterly, unsettlingly alone.

Bored and restless, she decided to step outside. The fresh air greeted her with a crisp, invigorating coolness, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine. She wandered behind the store, where the dense forest surrounded the clearing. A soft trickle of water caught her attention, and as she moved closer, she discovered a small river winding its way through the trees.

Kneeling by the riverbank was a black cat, its glossy fur sleek and shimmering in the faint light. Saars froze, watching in awe as the cat darted its paw into the water with precision, trying to catch a fish. She couldn't help but smile. Don't cats hate water? she thought, amused.

After a few failed attempts, the cat finally hooked a fish, dragging it out of the water with surprising grace. Saars clapped her hands, unable to hide her delight. The cat's yellow-green eyes snapped up to meet hers. It stared at her for a long moment, its gaze unblinking, before turning back to its prize as if she were of no consequence.

Saars chuckled softly and sat down at the riverbank, her boots just inches from the water. She closed her eyes, letting the cool breeze wash over her. Her thoughts drifted to her adoptive parents, and a pang of longing gripped her chest. She missed them terribly—their warmth, their love, their steady presence in her life. She wondered if they were searching for her, worried about her safety.

A sharp splash in the water jolted her from her thoughts. She opened her eyes, scanning the river, but the cat was nowhere to be seen.

Her heart raced as she spotted bubbles rising to the surface. Panic set in. "Oh no," she whispered, scrambling to her feet.

Without thinking, Saars waded into the cold water, the current swirling around her calves. She searched frantically, and then she saw it—the cat's limp body submerged a few feet away.

"Hang on!" she shouted, her voice trembling. She plunged her hands into the water, pulling the cat's sodden form out and rushing back to the riverbank.

Laying the cat gently on the ground, she stared at its unmoving body. Its chest didn't rise, and its fur clung to its body in wet clumps. "No, no, no," Saars murmured, tears welling up in her eyes. She knelt beside it, her hands shaking as she tried to shake it awake. "Please wake up. Please don't be dead."

She cried harder when the cat remained lifeless, her sobs echoing in the stillness of the forest. Then, a desperate thought struck her. Kas had said she might have the power to heal. Maybe she could save it.

Saars placed her hands over the cat's small body, closing her eyes tightly. "Come on," she whispered. "Work. Please work."

Nothing happened.

Her tears fell onto the cat's fur as despair overtook her. "I'm sorry," she whispered brokenly, stroking its wet body. Her fingers trembled as she caressed the lifeless creature, the weight of her helplessness crushing her.

As she leaned closer, something caught her attention. A faint warmth began to pulse from her hand—her left hand. She froze, her gaze dropping to her finger. The ring. The one Kas had given her.

It shimmered faintly, almost as though responding to her emotions. The realization hit her like a jolt. The ring wasn't just concealing her light and wings—it was suppressing something within her. Something she didn't understand but suddenly felt desperate to release.

Her breath hitched as she gripped the ring tightly. With a deep, trembling breath, she slid it off her finger.

The moment the ring left her hand, a surge of warmth exploded from within her. It was as if a part of her that had been locked away was finally free. Light erupted from her skin, a brilliant, golden radiance that illuminated the riverside.

Saars gasped as the transformation overtook her. Her back tingled, a strange yet exhilarating sensation, and when she turned her head, she saw them—wings, shimmering and ethereal, glowing with a soft golden hue.

She stared at her reflection in the river, her glowing figure casting a luminous aura on the water's surface. Her wings fluttered gently, as if testing their newfound freedom. Then, movement caught her eye.

The cat.

It wasn't still anymore. The tiny creature stirred, its body shivering slightly before it lifted its head weakly. Its piercing eyes met hers, and Saars let out a breathless laugh, her tears flowing freely as relief and wonder collided within her.

"You're alive," she whispered, her voice trembling.

The cat stretched lazily, shaking its fur with surprising energy. It let out a soft meow, almost as if amused by her reaction, before standing on wobbly legs.

Saars reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing over its sleek black fur. The warmth still pulsed within her, a connection to the magic she'd only just discovered. The cat tilted its head, watching her with an intensity that felt almost... sentient.

She sat back, her wings folding instinctively behind her as she tried to process what had just happened. The light around her dimmed slightly but didn't disappear entirely, leaving her surrounded by a faint golden glow.

The cat circled her once, its tail flicking in a manner that seemed almost affectionate, before sitting a few feet away, its sharp gaze locked onto her as though it was assessing her.

Saars looked down at the ring in her hand. It no longer felt like a simple piece of jewelry but a key—one that had been holding her back from her true self.

"What... just happened?" she murmured, her voice barely audible over the soft rustling of the leaves around them. She placed a hand on her chest, feeling the lingering warmth of her magic pulsing beneath her skin.

The cat let out another soft meow, almost like a response, before it lay down beside her, its eyes half-lidded but still alert.

Saars stared at it, her mind racing. Whatever this was—whatever she had just unlocked—she knew it was only the beginning.