Sparnas

Descend

Liath descended slowly down to Plaz. The Fourth Face of Morsterra looked like a beacon of gold and blue from above. With all the snow up in the hanging isles of Svarga, Plaz with her beautiful green ocean and soft sandy beaches became the favorite place for Sparnas to spend time with their families. The twin suns who were nearer to Morsterra than the Svargan isle, shined bright and brought much-needed warmth.

She landed near a lifeguard post where a pretty BlueWing was putting sunscreen on her already tanned shoulders. "You're not decked out for swimming, and I don't see you bringing sandwiches."

"Then I'm just flying around," Liath said. She tucked her wings under her black robe.

"Ah, the plight of being a GrayWing, I see." The lifeguard sighed dramatically. "Be careful of the crabs. The tiny one pinches until you bleed. And the jellyfishes-"

Liath ignored her, took off her boots, and started walking along the beach holding them in one hand. She loved how the sand felt under her steps. The warm grains would rise enveloping her toes. Her bell anklet jingled merrily to her steps. GrayWings had all their girl babbies wearing a golden or silver bell anklet as they learn to walk. Eons ago it used to be a safety measure, so they could hear their babbies all the time. As the GrayWings amassed their wealth, they had nannies and minders. They had continued making their babbies wear the anklets as a custom. Liath liked her bell anklet so much she continued wearing it.

Plaz had a long, wide stretch of golden sandy beach facing the ocean. The face was only open for visitors during the sparnas winter months, from the thirteenth to the third month. No sane sparnas would come during offseason because of the frequent tsunamis aggravated by the strong pull of a nearby black hole. Less than 3,000 light years away was Mustauk, a small but dangerous black hole. Despite the aggressiveness, the tsunami brought forth beautiful seashells and led tiny ocean creatures to the seashores, for the sparnas to marvel during winter season such as that day. Inner Plaz had thousands of lakes. Some were made of saltwater, some were safe to drink and live on, some were lakes of liquid sulfur.

It seemed like all families of RedWings, BlackWings, BlueWings, WhiteWings alike all went down to Plaz. The golden sand of Plaz was dotted with colors. The long rows of brightly colored changing rooms, private gazebos and beach chairs were almost all occupied. The stark gap within the otherWings showed the flutter of reds monopolized most of the gazebos. There were not any GrayWing that Liath could see. As they were all at a ski lodge up in one of the Boz's isle. The Boz was celebrating one of their daughter's birthday. Liath had feigned a headache and were driven back to her islet with her private guards. It was easy to sneak out then.

Her eyes were fixated on a little BlackWing family near the water. A young set of parents with three little kids. The father was swimming in the ocean with his two eldest boys. The mother was making a turtle out of the sand with their youngest, a sprightly two-year-old boy. The boy flew over to his father, hugging him. He poked his brothers teasingly, laughing as his elder brothers splashed water on him and came flying back to his mother. He looked so happy without a care in the world.

That day was particularly filled with sparnas as it was only a few days before the Sparnas New Year before the children went back to school and the parents back to their routines. Their happy cries filled the air, making the air felt light all around. Liath laid down on the sand, soaking the beams of life emanating from around her. How lucky were they, spending time with their loved ones creating memories. They might not have everything but they had a purpose, they had happiness.

The only two things Liath did not have and could not buy. She had no purpose, she just lived. Her parents were there, but they were both content with spending time the GrayWing way, decadently. Maybe she was happy, but it faded fast. All the balls and lavish feasts they had hosted meant nothing to her once it was over. She never longed to relieve a time or a special memory. She felt nothing, she did not even anticipate the new year because it was all the same to her. She had been everywhere, she had done almost everything but none filled that gaping hole in her heart, that soul-wrenching pit of banality.