Flight For Peace - On Hold

Chapter 2

I do not know how long I have been alive. The sun has risen and fallen countless times and I've watched small families of creatures grow and die. Is this the endless cycle that I will live in? Unknowing how long I have lived and unknowing of when I will die?

    My head shakes and the tendrils on my face slap against my cheeks. I'm sitting on my throne again, I have fallen into a daily routine. But this time it's different. My soul whispers for me to fly and involuntarily my wings beat against the air. And with a burst of courage, I did what I had never done before, I jumped.

    Wind whips at my face as my body fell down to the earth below me. My mind said I will die but my heart says I will fly. My wings beat furiously against the swooshing air and soon--almost as I had never been falling in the first place--I was flying.

    A song of joy rings in my ears. It was as if bells were ringing, birds were singing, and the wind was whistling all at once. A roar of happiness echoes as I cry out in joy. Instinct takes over and I am flying, really flying. I spin in circles, make loops in the air, and slice the water as I fly. I've never been this happy in my life.

    The beat of my heart rings in my ears, adding to the song that fills the air. I fly and I fly and I fly. Soon enough I am towering above my home, above Veiled Isle. I feel like a bird, free and unstoppable.

    But all too soon the wind picks up and my wings, not used to all the strain I've put on them, give way. Once more I am falling down to the earth. A terror-filled cry leaves me as my body plummets like a meteor. As the land nears I can't tell if I'll land on the rocky shore or in the water. Fear grips my chest and I can hear the blood flowing through my veins.

    And then my body hits the water's surface. My eyes involuntarily shoot open and bubbles fill my vision. I gasp from shock, letting the liquid fill my mouth. There's an unknown cold that seeps into my skin as I thrash and struggle to swim to the surface. Panic makes my attempts feeble and pathetic, and I know I won't be able to reach the surface.

    As the realization hits, I give in. My body relaxes and I allow myself to slowly sink into the depths of the water. It seems as if I've been under here for hours, the previous adrenaline rush has worn off. My eyes snap open.

    There is no sting in my lungs, no pain in my eyes. The pain that I had been expecting was not here. I fight against my knowledge as I breathe in. And then out and then in again.

    I can breathe underwater.

    As soon as I acknowledged this, all the panic leaves my body. I wouldn't die, of course I wouldn't die. With this in mind, I was able to swim up to the surface, panic no longer hindering my swimming. When I break through the surface and clamber onto the rocky beach, the unusual cold stayed.

    Nervously, my eyes flicker to my scales and I almost jump in shock. Icicles were jutting out of my scales like armor. I stood captivated by this and watched as they slowly disappeared back into my scales.

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    I'm flying again. I've flown several times since my first flight yet everything still feels the same. I still hear the song that my soul sings and amplifies, I still feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins, and I still feel like a bird.

    It's as if a piece of my soul that was previously hollow has been filled.

    The wind and I are the same. The gentle breeze that is present leads me in my flight. My wings flap gently and I close my eyes as I enjoy the wind on my scales. And then I dive.

    Wind whirs in my ears as I get closer and closer to the water below me. A nearby flock of birds scatters away in shock. I began to spin, my wings pulled flush against my body. As soon as I make contact with the water I switch directions and fly out, an explosion of water droplets in my wake. And then I dive again and again. I am like a dolphin as I jump in and out of the water, enjoying the adrenaline that it gives me.

    When my heart beats with exhaustion I fly up into the sky again. I become one with the wind, letting it guide me on a journey above my home.

    Below I can see my throne, jutting out of the beach and reaching up to me. And I can see the forests that litter the island. Their leaves turning from greens to reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. I can see Petal Glade and the herd of deer grazing there. And Elder Tree and Sky Rock. The large landmarks I have become accustomed to look so small from this height.

    My breath is taken away by the beauty of it all. How can other creatures be blind to the beauty of nature? How can they ruin the purity of life?

    The beat of my heart has calmed down and I take off to the clouds. My wings flutter as I pierce the white mist. I hover above the clouds, admiring how large the world truly is. The sight is ethereal. Something that only few can see. The clouds below me drift delicately through the sky. Above where I fly floats even more wispy clouds that I didn't know existed.

The horizon line shows no sign of stopping and I can't help but wonder if there ever is an end.

    What is out there? What lies in the horizon and what floats above the highest altitudes? Is it possible to know all of the wonders of this world?

    I feel more at peace than I have ever before. Here, I do not have to worry about survival. There is no need to worry about food or sleep or shelter. If only the creatures below that disregard the beauty of our world could see this. Then they would no longer crush flowers, rip apart the earth, and leave food to waste. They would cherish our world like they never have before.

    All too soon the sky darkens and stars begin to speckle the night sky. Exhaustion begs my eyes to close and I dive down through the clouds. I land elegantly on the edge of Isolated Sands. I hurry back to my shelter, brushing against undergrowth and my wings catching against trees and sticks.

    The hoots of owls and the scattering of mice fill the air. Crickets are chirping and there is a faint buzz. The song of the night, as I like to call it, always lulls me to sleep. It is peaceful yet full of life.

    Exhaustion tugs me down as I make my way to my shelter. Cursing silently to myself as I always do when I stay out too long, I spot my shelter.

    My den opens up for me, welcoming me back. It always does. My feet drag against the ground as I trudge inside. As soon as I am curled up in my nest, my eyes close and sleep overtakes me.

    Everything is okay, except the loneliness that flows through my veins.