Skyfall

The Other

Briih pulled me out of the apartment, into the long hallway with the glowing lights on the walls.  I tried to stop and admire them again, but he didn't let go.

"Where are we going?"  I asked, hurrying to keep up.  

"I will show you why forgetting your past is not what you must do.  We have to remember, Isra, where we come from."  He pulled me into the elevator, then released by arm.  He held the ground-floor button down, and we shuddered into motion.  

I squawked at the sensation, my wings trying to flutter, but they were bound.  Briih looked at me.  "Sorry.  You aren't used to elevators yet, are you?"

"I haven't been in one since the day I came here."

He nodded.  "I am sorry for that.  Assuncao apologized for his rudeness, but he doesn't know our language or our culture."

"Why haven't you taught him?"

"Because I have been busy teaching what you are about to see."

I frowned at him.  "That was vague."

"I'm afraid it's all I can say.  There are no words to describe what lives in the basement of this building."

"What is it?  A monster?"

The elevator shuddered to a stop.  "Definitely not.  It - she - is an Avatar."

I cocked my head to the side.  "Avatar?  Is she Masli?"

He sighed.  "I can't say.  She isn't Masli, but not any others, either.  She's a... well," he paused.  "There are no words."

"Does she have a name?"

"She calls herself Kensa."

He opened the doors, and led me into a large, dark cavern.  It wasn't man-made - the building was built on a cave system.  "How did you find this place?"

"By accident.  Exploring the building when I first moved in.  Remember how Masli choose their nesting trees?"

I nodded.  We didn't just choose, we made them our own - gouging marks in the wood, creating nesting holes, picking at the bark to find a wormy meal.  A strange custom, considering all that work was wasted on one night of rest.  "We're very thorough."

"Yes, and I was the same way with this place.  I know every nook and cranny, and am the only tenant who can get here.  Good thing, or Kensa would have been found."

I looked around; there was no light except from the elevator.  It was so dark, I couldn't see more than a hundred feet in any direction.  "Where is she?"

"Likely hiding.  She is very shy."  He took a step forward, and let out a high-pitched cry.  I ducked at the noise, and he gave me an apologetic look.  "She responds to noise best."

There was an answering cry, but more gutteral; like metal screeching on metal.  A rush of movement somewhere in the darkness.  I shivered, wings straining against the belts.  "What is she doing?"

"She's coming, Isra.  Be calm, and don't be afraid."

Another screech, closer, the sound echoing around us.  I hissed, dropping into a crouch, wings still straining in their bonds.

"Isra, no!  You'll only antagonize her!"  He tried to drag me up, but I slashed at him with my talons.  "Brakk, I should've seen this coming..."  He turned to the darkness and uttered another shriek, this time with a hint of warning.

But it was too late.  A black shape hurtled through the air towards me, vaguely Masli sized but nothing the flock could boast.  It landed two feet in front of me, crouched like I was, hissing.