The Children of Nihon (BOOK TWO)

Chapter 27 - The Attack

The Bayla flew into action. It actually flew. Out from Ami's pocket, out from its previous shape as a tiny mouse hiding away because it was not sure what to make of all the people around it. None of this timidity was left in the giant shaggy wolf that roared against the thunder as if trying to intimidate it right back. Its flews were dripping with spittle and its eyes were fiery.

It looked terrifying, but the thunder didn't care.

"What's that?" Piri screeched.

"It's coming from outside the island," Sofia said. She turned around her own axis, trying to determine the source of the storm, but she couldn't tell. "It's all around us."

"No," Piri said, pointing at the Bayla. "That!"

Ami stepped towards the Bayla without fear. He put a hand on its flank.

"It's a Bayla," he said, plainly not in the mood to elaborate further. "It's alright, boy," he said to the Bayla.

"Boy??" both Sofia and Orì said.

"Uhm." Ami didn't know what to say. "Or girl. I don't know. Does that matter now?"

Lightning bolted through the sky, illuminating the darkness much as the sun had done before. That was enough to answer his question.

"Who is that?" Sofia said, only realizing as she said it that she had used the word Who instead of What.

She looked at Orì, and then everybody did the same.

"I don't know," Orì said. Her skin was glowing with conflicted feelings.

Antibe's voice cut sharply through the noise.

"It is Master Zbgi's doing. But he's not alone."

"How do you know?" Sofia asked.

Antibe walked in a circle around them and the air became still like inside a bubble. They could feel the elements crashing against it, trying to break through, but for now, they were protected.

"We have to find the others," Antibe said, and she started in the direction of the landing port where they had first set foot onto the island. If they wanted to or not, they were transported along with her, walking with her outside of their own volition.

"How did they find us?" Inaan asked. He was still observing Orì, just like everyone else was.

Piri said what all were thinking.

"She did it."

Orì's face was dark and her eyes red but tearless.

"I didn't!"

Antibe fixed her with a deep stare. As they came nearer to the pier, they could see that it was becoming loose from the waves ripping through the planks. With a gesture, Antibe fixed it. It didn't seem to come difficult to her, but she still looked concerned.

"In hundreds of years, nobody has discovered us," she said. "Ships sail passed. Birds fly to other places to feed. Not even fish breed among the fertile reefs along our shores. We are apart from existence."

"I didn't tell anybody." Orì looked furious. "How could I have? I didn't know where we would go. I don't even know where we are."

"You might not need to know to let them know."

"I didn't do anything. It's the truth! You can look into me if you want, or whatever it is that you do."

"Orì doesn't lie," Sofia said. She went to walk closely next to Orì. It wasn't a mere show of solidarity. She knew that she could trust Orì. Maybe not always, maybe not about everything. But right now, Orì wasn't lying.