TRC - Searching for the Sky Ch. 10

Sitting back in his chair he considered what kinds of things he might specifically need to know when flying. An image of Felli's mountain came to him, along with the thought of crashing into it headfirst. Knowing how close to the ground he was would be useful, along with what was in front of him. Looking over at the parchment on the table he couldn't help but smile, Kal could already see where it would go within the flight rune.

There was another place that used the glyph, but it appeared intertwined with two others. As he filled in the symbol for 'Scio' the other two began to look familiar. With a whoop of excitement, Kal drew more ink from the inkwell and filled in the symbols for magic and energy. Smiling, he sat back in his chair looking over his work with pride.

A moment later his expression turned to a frown. It was too complex.

Kal was confident in his abilities but looking at how the three glyphs intertwined into a single rune left him thinking there was no way he could have just come up with this on his own. He noticed that each of the runes he had filled in were ones he had been exposed to previously. Looking over the rest of the larger flight rune he could see two areas that tickled his memory. He knew that he had seen something vaguely similar but couldn't remember where.

One area of the flight rune was an exception. The harsh angles of the glyphs were completely foreign to him.

Kal glared at the flight rune, his lips pursed together in anger. He thought back to the day in Ikuno's pool when he received the flash of insight that let him begin work on the complex piece of magic before him. The mage had managed to come up with bits and pieces of the flight rune later that night when he finally had access to something he could write on. Unfortunately, time had taken a toll on his memory and he was only able to dredge up broken impressions of what went where. When he was done it hardly looked like a rune at all.

Now that things were starting to come together, he had a better idea of what he needed to complete the runic spell. He also knew beyond a doubt that he had never seen the angular glyphs before. Kal's conclusion made him want to rip the parchment to shreds and throw it into the fire pit out in the main room.

The flight rune wasn't his.

Standing up, he paced back and forth trying to cool his head. For the past year, he had believed the rune before him was a testament to his growing knowledge. Now he saw it as a handout, someone pitied the young and growing mage and handed him a rune to let him fly.

Stopping, Kal looked at the parchment again. No, that wasn't right. Ikuno had said that making two runes work together was difficult. Getting three or four to mesh into a single spell was something only a highly experienced magic-user could do. The flight rune currently contained six runes and he had areas for three more.

He leaned over, his hands resting on the table as his eyes darted around the paper before him. This was far from pity. This was a challenge.

The mage had no doubt that many magic-users would have given up on this long ago. He had to admit that if he weren't able to see how magic moved through and between the different glyphs, chances were good he would have given up as well. It wasn't as though the symbols fit together like puzzle pieces, there were hundreds of potential orientations for each one. Seeing the magic flows let him align the glyphs, and sometimes even interlace them, so the rune wouldn't shatter when powered.

Kal closed his eyes, recalling the day he got the fleeting image of the flight rune. That was the day of Adalena's conception and all of the women were worked up because of it. Ikuno was actually the only one he didn't make love to that day. Instead, they'd had the sparring match and that was the first time his eyes glowed blue...

That was it.

Given the extremely brief flash of the flight rune's image, only someone with his ability, or a spell that mimicked his ability, could assemble and complete it from such little information.

Unless they were a prodigy, like Prentas.

The mage shook his head and sat down in his chair. Now he was comparing himself to the genius mage who created the monster girls. If he kept this up he'd be so full of himself he wouldn't fit through the dwarven tunnels.

Questions flitted through Kal's mind. Who gave this to him? Was it Ikuno? She was there when it happened so she would have had the opportunity.

He quickly dismissed the idea. Their bond didn't allow her to keep secrets of this nature. She could hide her intention to jump his bones later if she wanted it to be a surprise, but Ikuno and Bea were open books when it came to bigger secrets.

The other big question was: Why? What was the purpose of giving away a rune so powerful that only one wizard, that he knew of, had mastered it?

Kal sat there and rubbed his temples, frustrated that he didn't have any answers. Yet.

"Ria, switch the books back out for the ones I was pulling from earlier please."

The sprite sat on the back of the chair across the table from the young mage. She had stared wide-eyed at the human for the last few minutes, unwilling to speak as a range of thoughts and emotions ran through the wizard. It was a relief when he calmly tasked her with switching out the books. For a few seconds she had wondered if the man was about to explode with rage.

"Sorry you had to see that," he mumbled in apology as specks of light flew to and from the bag on his hip. He felt bad that he had forgotten she was even in the room.

Ria only nodded in response, she could ask what had gotten him in such a state later.

Kal plucked another book off the shelf and began leafing through it.

---

There was a soft tapping at the door of the farmhouse. Perra already knew who it was as she opened the door.

"I'm leaving," said Elta.

"Why?"

"I can't... I can't do this. I can't stand before the believers and tell them they should hate and fear monster girls. There's no conviction behind my words, no purpose. I need to find my path in a world where the adversary in front of me has vanished and left me stumbling into the unknown."

Perra reached over and lifted a thin belt off of a hook next to the door. She hadn't been able to wear it in quite a few months because of her size. A small sheath held an equally small utility knife which she plucked out before hanging the belt back up. Elta let out a small shriek as the pregnant woman drew the edge across the tip of her finger.

"Heal me, please?" she asked, holding the finger out to the cleric.

In a flash, Elta summoned a magic circle and healed Perra's finger. "What is wrong with you!? Why would you do that!?"

Perra stuck her finger in her mouth and sucked off the little bit of blood that was quickly drying. "Your goddess hasn't abandoned you during this change of heart," she said checking her finger. "Perhaps, she approves of your new direction."

"Perhaps she thinks this is only temporary and is waiting for me to come to my senses," snarled the cleric, still upset about the woman's stunt.

"Do you really believe that?"

"No," she growled through gritted teeth. The admission felt like a punch in the gut.

"I want to let you go, Elta, but I'm afraid to."

"Why," she sneered, "It's not like I can tell anyone about you and what you do here." The cleric's face and voice softened, "Besides, I'm not really sure I want to anymore."

"That's a good sign, it means we are one step closer," said Perra, moving around the other woman and stepping to the edge of the porch. Facing north she brought her hand to her mouth and whistled.

"Closer? To what?" asked the bewildered cleric.

"Releasing you from this oath," the farmgirl replied.

"Why not just tell me to believe everything you say and to be your friend until I die. You know perfectly well you could do it and I'd happily believe my life is better," said Elta, her anger plain on her face.

Perra sighed, "Yes I could, but I won't. Ordering you to do something like that would have no meaning. I have no desire to destroy who you are, only to open your eyes."

"You've already destroyed who I am. Why do you think I feel so lost?"

"Fair enough. But you are lost because you are still you..." Their conversation was interrupted by a high-pitched shriek of joy as Ruce landed in front of the farmhouse. The noise hadn't come from the harpy with the falcon markings but from the ball of fluff hanging tightly to her back, who was now giggling with happiness.

"Down Lada," said the harpy as she squatted. Lada let go of her mother's feathers and slid down her back. The chick took a quick tumble as she hit the ground but bounced back up on her bird-like feet as if it hadn't happened. Letting out another excited shriek she raised up her wing-like arms and wobbled towards Perra's outstretched arms. "How can I help you, Lady Perra?" Ruce asked, glancing warily at the cleric.

"I mean you no offense, Ruce. But I need Kuto to take care of something important. Would you deliver a message for me?"

The falcon nodded and looked down at her daughter. "Careful, Lady Perra, it's almost time for her next meal."

"Scamp!" cried Perra, laughing as she pulled the little girl away from her chest. Lada's wiggling had hidden the chick's attempts to get at the meal contained within Perra's dress. "That's not for you little one but I won't mind sharing once my own is here."

"You would share your child's milk with one of them?" asked Elta, incredulous.

Perra rubbed noses with the little girl making her giggle. Without looking over at the cleric she asked, "If you had milk and your nephew was hungry would you not offer your breast? These girls are like my family. Besides," turning the little girl's head to look over at Elta, she pressed her cheek to the chick's, "how could I say no to this cute little face if she was hungry?"

Before the woman could respond Lada raised her arms towards the cleric and leaned forward as though she wanted to be held. Startled by the little girl's behavior, Perra looked over at Ruce. However, the harpy's gaze was directed at Elta.

"You understand what will happen to you if you hurt my chick?"

"Wait, what? I don't want..." the cleric held up her hands defensively in front of her. Lada saw it as an invitation and nearly jumped out of Perra's arms. Instead of taking a chance on the chick's sharp little talons getting purchase on her arm, she stepped forward and pressed the child into Elta's chest. The priestess's body went stiff as a board, but her hands came up instinctively to cradle the little girl.

"Careful of her feet, they may be small, but they're still dangerous," warned Perra.

Eyes that seemed a little too large gazed up at the woman. Fine white down covered the child's body except for her face and legs. The down was slightly longer on her head where they turned into the harpies' hair-like feathers and a bit more sparse in other places, probably for easier cleaning. Elta carefully shifted Lada into a more comfortable hold, amazed at how light the child was for her size.

"She hardly weighs anything, are you producing enough?" she asked Ruce looking down at the woman's smooth chest.

Ruce stifled a laugh as Perra rolled her eyes. "Those cause problems when we try to fly," said the harpy. "You'll see in a minute whether or not I'm producing enough. Lada will need to be fed before I deliver Perra's message."

"Wait... you don't..." Elta stretched out her neck and let her tongue hang out as she made a slight gagging noise.

"What? Eww! No!" cried Ruce, aghast. "I have... wait." The harpy took a moment to collect herself before turning to Perra, "Can we go in the house? I'll just show her."

Perra stepped back and allowed the falcon to pass. Elta held the chick out expecting the harpy to take her.

Ruce smiled at the woman, "Human arms are better for carrying little ones. Since she seems to like you, would you please bring her in for me?"

The cleric gave a slight nod and the harpy continued inside.

Perra held an arm out, inviting Elta and the chick into her house. She was glad the cleric couldn't see the look of glee on her face as she closed the door behind them.

---

Elta looked around, the cavern was the size of the entire town of Telsin. Small rocks, similar to the one she found on Perra's stove, were scattered about providing light. The harpy named Felli explained that Kal and someone named Ikuno made the stones to help the harpies clean out the caves easier. Despite the fact the cave was set into the heights of a snow-capped mountain, the floor of the cavern radiated warmth. Besides her own breathing, the only sound was the flowing of water coming from the pool at one end. After taking a deep breath of the clean mountain air she knelt down and began setting up the small tent Perra had sent with her.

It had been a day of revelations, something she could do with less of in her life right now. Ruce suddenly growing breasts so she could feed her chick had only been the beginning. Once the little girl was fed, her mother put her down on the floor and the darling little girl unsteadily made her way back over to the cleric. It wasn't long after Elta finally picked her up that the chick fell fast asleep in her arms.

While the child slept, the harpy flew off on Perra's errand. Elta was shocked that a monster girl would leave her child with two humans. The farmgirl explained that Ruce, Ghoss, and Kuto saw her in very much the same way she saw them, like family.

The falcon brought back three other harpies with her. Kuto, whom she remembered from before. Ghoss was slightly larger than the falcon with a white breast and brown feathers that had white edges on the tips. Last to enter was Felli, who resembled a sparrow hawk with her rich blue, orange and tan feathers.

Felli walked up to her, her face severe. A moment later Ruce came over and took Lada from the cleric.

The sparrow hawk glared at the woman. "I am Rone and your sister's mate," she declared. As the priestess reeled in shock, Felli grabbed the woman's hand and placed it on her stomach. "I'm also carrying your niece."

Elta fainted.

When she came to a minute or so later Perra was yelling at Felli for trying to scare the cleric to death. Felli cowered in front of the human and explained that she did exactly what Marda had told her to do. The other harpies quickly backed up the sparrow hawk's story. They explained that when they told Marda and Rone of Perra's plan, her sister had given Felli step by step instructions, even making sure that the harpy had the proper look before letting them come back.

As all of this was going on, Lada woke up from the noise. Since her mother was talking with Perra and the other harpies, she wiggled her way out of her mother's lap and wandered over to the only person being quiet. Giving the cleric a sleepy smile, she raised her arms. Elta picked up the chick and laid her in the crook of her arm, the little girl falling asleep almost immediately. When the other women got particularly loud, Lada's face screwed up for a moment before settling back into sleep.

Elta placed a hand on the side of the child's head and pressed it to her breast, not realizing that the reason something felt strange was the lack of human ears.

"Shhhhhhh!"

When all of the women turned to look at her, she continued more softly, "You're going to wake her."

Ruce had been watching her daughter's actions out of the corner of her eye from where she was sitting on Perra's lounger. She turned toward the cleric and smiled. "She seems to have made a friend."

Elta sat with the sleeping chick as Perra informed her of what Felli's cave was and how it would be perfect as a place to meditate and reflect. Because Felli was Rone and Marda's mate she had just needed to get approval from them since Rone spent the night with the harpy on occasion. Marda hadn't visited Felli's mountain since their child was born. Supplies would be dropped off in the storeroom across the cavern from Felli's home. The harpy would show her how to use the bathroom for when she wanted to clean herself. If she didn't want to use the magical shower or bath then she could also use the pond in the area she would be staying. The cleric would just have to find a way to warm the water on her own.

Some time later Lada began to stir. Ruce had switched seats earlier, giving Perra her chair back. The chick's mother stood and pumped her wings a number of times. Within seconds, the woman's breasts had disappeared, leaving her feather-covered chest perfectly smooth. The pregnant woman got up and escorted her to the door.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked the farmgirl. "You tore down almost everything I believe in and you're trying to help me get my head straight. I just don't understand."

"Not my idea, actually," Perra admitted. "This was suggested by Kuto. While Dax and I were telling you what we knew about Prentas, she was watching you carefully. She was the one who had an inkling you might need some time away to digest and adapt to how this has changed your view of the world. I just agreed to it if you ever showed up needing to escape the world for a while."

"I don't get you, Perra. You have the power to make me get on my knees and bark like a dog, yet you are investing all of this effort to help me find my way through it. I can't figure you out."

The farmgirl's expression turned serious. "I didn't, and don't, want to kill you, Elta. Nor do I want this control over you. This only leaves me one option: turning you into a friend."

"Doing so may kill me. I've already thought of it," she mumbled in shame.

"What stopped you?"

"I don't know. Cowardice?"

Perra shook her head, "If you were a coward you would have gone through with it. It takes strength to keep going. I couldn't tell you how many times I wanted to kill myself after my brother beat me. Even held the knife in my hand more than once. Each time I convinced myself that taking my life was the path of the weakling and that I was stronger than that.

"I fully believe you are stronger as well," the farmgirl held up the finger she had cut earlier, "and I think your goddess agrees with me."

They'd made their way onto the porch as they spoke. Elta looked at the bottom of the steps and there stood Kuto and Felli with her saddlebags and a two-person tent. Ghoss stood next to them empty-handed, or empty footed in this case. Elta knew why the large harpy wasn't carrying any supplies and the idea scared her more than a little.

"I'll have one of the boys take your horse back to the stablemaster tomorrow and get your money back for her. If this isn't working out, let Felli know and the girls will come to get you and your belongings."

The cleric nodded and turned towards the largest of the harpies. Taking a deep breath to quell her fear, she strode forward.

---

Now that her tent was set up Elta dug out a prayer mat. Rolling the small rug out in front of her home for the foreseeable future she knelt on it and clasped her hands in front of her.

"Goddess, please help me for I am lost..."

---

Sandy explained that on one of her previous visits the dwarves had set a room aside for her to come and go. They asked, for security's sake, that she only use the one room and never bring guests in without prior approval. Two weeks ago, she had gotten that approval from the watch captain and set out to meet up with Kal and Gerda.

As his and Sandy's heads came up through the floor the room was filled with a loud growl that echoed off the stone walls. Kal was immediately on guard but hadn't bothered to recast his darkvision spell since it expired a few hours ago. He had expected the room they were now standing in to be lit.

The growl stopped for a moment and was replaced by a high-pitched whine. The mage jumped away from the source of the noise, the runes on his bracers lighting up in preparation for battle. Kal finished summoning a small light as the whine faded and the creature began its rumbling growl again.