Komo-Doubutsu

Chapter 11: The Incarnate - Part 1

By: Midori Ushi Law

The well-dressed man with giant pearl-like eyes knocked on the rain-stained window, staring at Ray. She dropped her ticket and debit card as she jumped back from the windowsill.

The man knocked again. His white, curly hair was soaked with rain. He motioned with his hands for her to raise the glass communication barrier. Still in shock and fear, the muddy teenager hesitantly walked towards him. He saw her ease quills from her upper wrist and aim them at him as she unlatched the frame and lifted the window.

Though she readied her poisonous quills at him, the man raised his hands and whispered, "Sorry for startling you. You are Rachel Harin, no?"

The cautious young woman nodded, making more quills emerge from her arm.

The man smiled and sprouted large eagle-like wings from his back,  saying in a whisper, "Your friend, Lipagron is alive. He passed the Preliminaries."

Chapter 11: The Incarnate - Part 1

"I am one of the people who tests the participants in the Preliminary Trials. I heard from the others that a girl named Rachel demanded a refund and took the PreLims. Apparently, you kept yelling at them and asking if Lipagron was alive. They were told by this year's testing leader to not answer you. I heard you were a little beat up, but you passed the PreLims rather smoothly. Then, I witnessed just now why you refunded your money. You assumed he was dead, and you wanted to contribute to his funeral. That's very noble, Child. Your loyalty to your friends is one even old men can learn from," the man spoke softly.

Ray's dark-brown eyes softened with hope as she recited, "L-Lipagron is alive? You said that, correct?"

The mysterious man smiled and nodded.

The teenager felt a warmth of relief rush over her, causing her quills to retract into her body. "I must see him. If what you're saying is true, I must know for sure."

The man let out a light chuckle. "You're right," he answered. "Though he survived, and he's eligible to enter the Great Quest in a week, his body will not recover in time. If he misses the first part of the event, he will be disqualified."

"What? But that's not fair to him. He deserves to participate."

"I have helped him as much as I'm permitted. I transported him to the hospital. It will take a nice amount of money to pay for a doctor with healing powers to get the boy back in shape before the start."

Ray thought for a moment then looked at her debit card on the floor next to her feet. She could pay for her friend's instant recovery. Just moments ago, she was willing to pay for his burial. Now, she could help him get the reward for his struggle.

"I will do it. I will pay for Lipagron to be healed. Take me there," the young woman demanded. She was dirty, sore, and hungry, but Ray was dedicated to help Lipagron. It was she, who was responsible for him entering the Preliminaries after all.

The man extended his large hand towards the open window. Ray blindly took it. He helped her step outside in the rain, grabbed her other hand, and with two huge flaps, they ascended into the dark-blue sky. The moon was almost full, glistening its light off the raindrops.

With only his wet hands holding her hers, fear sat in Ray's stomach. Her body dangled like a dead leaf on a thin branch. She was tempted to add extra friction to his grip by extending quills a few millimeters from the skin on her palms; tempted but soon resolved when he spoke.

"He did nothing, you know."

"Pardon?"

"The boy, Lipagron, didn't do anything at all during the PreLims. He did not activate any abilities, yet his will kept fighting. He said he had the powers of the Light Beast. Even after we convinced the PreLim leader into simply failing him, the boy still persisted. Then, the unspeakable happened..., " the leader reminisced.