Ultraviolet

Chapter 5: A Friendly Crow

(Author's Note: In some places, you will see three dashes in a row. Those are meant to resemble an em dash. I just put them there because there's not an actual character on the keyboard for the em dash, so I would have had to go copy one to paste every time I wanted to write. It was easier for me to replace them with three dashes.)

"So, you said I would meet a friend of your's now, huh? Where are they at?" I questioned.

"Yes, of course! I almost forgot. Give me a second, I'll call them over here."

He began to whistle a cheery tune, for no apparent reason, while looking up into the sky.

"I've never been more confused in my life."

A crow descended from above, appearing out of what seemed to be nowhere. As the crow flew down, Nopira lowered the volume of his whistling until it came to a complete stop, and the crow landed on his head. He turned to look at me, smiling.

"This is Rukni. He's my best friend. Say hello, Rukni!"

The crow let out an annoyed squawk. I gave him a mean look in return.

"Don't be rude, Dianne! He can understand your gestures and body language just as well as any other intelligent being. He is a brilliant bird!" Nopira scolded.

"What are you on about? He's just a bird!"

"Excuse me? How could you say such--- wait, oh, oops. I guess you didn't know this already, but birds in the First Reality can speak and are actually just as smart as a human, inyanga, or ilanga. All birds that you find here will be like Rukni, they're called Tragic Birds, to connect to the formal name of this reality. However, don't let the name fool you, Tragic Birds are very friendly. The same goes for birds of the Third Reality, they are often times called Miraculous Birds, and are quite friendly as well."

"That's nice and all, but how would I communicate with him? I'd love to have a conversation with a crow, but when you told him to greet me, he just squawked! How am I supposed to be able to understand what he's saying?"

"You need to learn how to speak to him. It's very easy, you must say a keyword, and then just speak to him as you would a normal person. You don't have to worry about trying to speak more slowly or clearly, either. He is fluent in all human languages, as long as you say the keyword before you begin speaking. After you say the keyword, the effects of it will last roughly ten minutes," he clarified.

"That's amazing! Rukni really is a brilliant bird! Now, what is this 'keyword' you speak of?"

"Yenyanga. Say it and you will unlock his language. Go ahead, try it out!"

I turned to Rukni, fearing what he might say to someone who had previously insulted him.

"Yenyanga," I said.

"Greetings, Rukni! My name is Dianne. How are you?"

"Hello milady! I'm doing just fine. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me. I appreciate your patience with Nopira. I'm sure being a neutral being must be hard, especially with him spouting information all the time. He never gives you any time to sit back and analyze a situation or a new concept. He hasn't said the keyword in a while, so he can't hear what I'm telling you right now. I trust you not to tell him. I'd never hear the end of it if he found out I was complaining about him!" Rukni responded.

"Tell me about it! He's always saying such weird things. I've come to believe them, but I still wish he would give me some thinking time. It's rather overwhelming to learn so much all in one day, after all, I only arrived in the First Reality not too long ago."

"I'm glad that you have been faring well so far. I see that you and Nopira passed through the Misty Forest. That forest can be incredibly dangerous, but fortunately, you seem to have escaped without a scratch. You know where you must go next, yes?"

"No, where do I have to go now?" I asked.

"The Great Labyrinth. It is a terrible maze in which you can get lost for a really long time. Some people say that once, someone was trapped in it for so long that they died, or, at least, that's what they think. It's not like anyone was willing to check, so we'll never know if it's true or not."

"That's horrible!" I exclaimed, "Are you sure there isn't a way to avoid having to go through the labyrinth? I don't want to risk my life again."

"If you're planning on going to the Third Reality, then no."

How did he know that I was planning on going to the Third Reality? It's impossible that Nopira could have told him because Nopira was with me whenever I arrived. Maybe it was just common knowledge that any human who came here was seeking an inner truth, which to find, they needed to cross each reality. I didn't even know the basics of the universe until Nopira educated me, so who was I to doubt Rukni? I decided not to say anything as not to anger him.

"Dianne, I will accompany you and Nopira on your trip. It is my duty. I do not fear the Great Labyrinth. I want to conquer the maze. There's a part of me that knows that no matter the challenges, if we combine our powers, we will not lose ourselves in the maze. Eventually, we will make it out. Literally, and metaphorically-speaking."

"That's a really inspiring thought, sir. Thank you, you will help us so much on our adventure. I suppose I need to go discuss the Great Labyrinth with Nopira now. I'll make sure to have another conversation with you soon! It was great talking to you," I told him.

I was ready. Not quite eager, but ready. I would have to face the labyrinth eventually. It was the only way to find the answer I was searching for. It was the only way to get my revenge. It was the only way for me to go home. I wanted to see Elizabeth, Clarence, my mother, the doctors, the nurses, everyone. I had only realized how much I missed them all when I wasn't with them anymore.