The Grimm Dossier

Chapter 23 - The Fall

England, West Coast
Devonshire, Dartmoor
Forest of Dartmoor
5 November 1898, 02:56 hrs.

Kyle blinked. Wide eyes closed and opened again and the wind caressed his feathers. Below him, the tops of the countless fir trees looked like spearheads of obsidian stretching towards the sky. As if they wanted to fight a battle against the night sky, they stood close together like loyal soldiers of Queen Victoria and, to his annoyance, hid the view of the forest floor. The sky was relatively clear, the air current only moderate but cuttingly cold at higher altitudes. He resisted the urge to shake himself, instead stretching the long wing feathers a little more and feeling for the wind flow to loop a little lower. A few seconds earlier he had detected movement in the undergrowth.

He had been disappointed to find that it was villagers making their way through the forest with lanterns. He could not make out the doctor, the men disappeared too quickly into the darkness of the forest, but that was not important for the time being. So he took up altitude again with powerful wing beats and peered intently with his sharp eyes at the treetops.

Whoever looked up into the sky that evening, however, would see nothing more than the inconspicuous shape of a barn owl. Kyle had many talents, his repertoire of spells was considerable for a Seeker recruit and he was proud of it. But few he mastered as well as shape-shifting. As laborious as this magic art was, it always provided him with advantages and unusual perspectives. That night was no exception.

The world shone in his eyes, it almost glowed. The colours of blue and green stood out far brighter and made otherwise inconspicuous contrasts stand out for him. He could not see as much at once, but he could see it far more clearly. His keen hearing picked up the numerous trudges through undergrowth that rose above more subtle sounds, much to his annoyance. But then... something stood out. A sound that seemed brighter, more insistent among the others. Could it have been another scream or shout? He turned away, passing over the flickering little dots beneath the outstretched fingers of needle-like branches. Away from the lonely paths and roads that stood out like earthy rivers between trees, a little to the west where the forest deepened. Then it struck him again... Silence. Was he near the spot where they had found the animals?

The thought had barely entered his head when all at once something gripped tightly around his chest. Kyle felt his heart falter for a moment and, seized by the unexpected sensation, he swayed sharply to one side in mid-air. He lost a good bit of height, then regained his composure and his wings gripped the wind again. Excitement throbbed in his chest, at the same time it felt like a fist wrapped itself unyieldingly around his comparatively small body. Kyle swayed as the vision blurred before his eyes. The flapping of wings suddenly became more difficult and, confused, he tried to pinpoint the source. Stumbling, his heart drummed faster. The beat picked up, then he found it harder to breathe.

At that moment Kyle remembered the bones and the bird. Of all the ravens and the other animals. Of the ruptured heart. Panicking, he flapped more frantically and trundled towards the tree tops far too quickly. He had to land somehow, it didn't matter where. If he lost his form from this height and fell, his fate would most certainly be sealed.

His thoughts blurred. The pressure in his chest hurt. It was a horrible feeling and panic gripped the mage. The pointed crowns came within reach as a rattle occupied his breaths. A metallic taste pressed into his mouth, thick and warm. The world began to spin, white dots flickering before his eyes. Then, all at once, the pitiful remnant of concentration slipped from him and the delicate fabric of the spell burst like a soap bubble. Kyle felt his bones shift. Cracking and crunching filled his ears. The unpleasant sensation of a shape returning to its origin, like dislocating all the limbs at once. Instantly he plummeted like a stone.