Feathers of Bravery

Meylo

The second that I heard the relay of the chirp, signaling that Aihla was going to put the wall of mist, my heart thudded hard against my chest for a few seconds. When I was told about the exact spell and its details I hid it well, well as best as I thought I did. The truth was that I was worried. I saw what had happened when she used her magic. I saw how she fell from the sky. Then, I was in the same field as her and we were able to catch her in time. I can't even mention the incident that followed in the middle of the night.

Now, while it was for the sake of these towns people and their safety, it didn't mean that she had to extend herself so much that it could kill her. Yet this was all just worry. Both Aihla and Jessica have explained that the charms that they use for their magic would only burn out as their energy was depleting. Otherwise, in theory the charms could work on infinite.

Forcing myself to clear my head, I focus on the sounds of things crashing and exploding. I can faintly smell the fires and feel the heat passing. Soon the noise increases as they thrash about the stores in their rage. The first pirate came flying through one of the windows after the chair that was tossed into it. He was a large albatross. I might have been intimidated by his large wingspan and what he can do with it but I knew that "magically" there was something wrong with him and that he was hurt from the mist and fire.

I don't know if it was normal mist that she used but it's almost clinging to him like a second coat. The moment he locked eyes with me he let out a sound that was more of a snarl than an angry squawk. One that chilled me to the bones. I know it scared the birds that were at my back. I can feel their unease and their shuffling to take a step back from the crazed albatross.

"Don't let him wrap his wings around you. Nor let that beak get too close. It's bill will hook into you and tear you to pieces!" I shout to the others.

His large wings can easily wrap around five of us and that bill of his is strong and has a sharp edged hook that wasn't an exaggerating when I said it can tear you to pieces. I try to focus without getting to distracted looking at his bill for the two little holes that are his nostrils. Until I find them and get them covered, we have to keep this fight on the ground. Although that is a challenge in itself since these large aviary can walk on land better than most birds including myself.

He rushes forward at the young warrior who flew to stand beside me from Riverira. He was a young crow that was orphaned there when he was just a fledging, too young to find his way back to Baldir. Using my wings, I flap them hard enough to stir up the dirt and rocks around us. One pebble manages to hit him in the face causing his attention to turn to me. Right where I need it to be. But now my own dilemma begins.

I can't fly just yet and he can walk better than me. He marches towards me angrier than before but in doing so he shows me his bill fully. I see those two little holes right up top at the start of the bill. Flapping my wings again to create a cloud of cover I rush over to one of the town's water buckets. The moment he's close enough, I throw all the water on his face and toss more dirt onto him. Giving him a terrible mud mask.

While he was able to get it off his eyes, he couldn't get it out of where I was truly aiming at. The others see what was attempting to do and follow through with the other albatrosses that made their way into the center of town.

I fly up as fast as I can and weave my way through the remnants of the town's buildings. Trying to pick up speed, I circle back and head towards the port's lighthouse. The previous night's attack left most of its bars and glass exposed. My relief when I see the broken structure is short lived when I feel my hind feathers being nipped at constantly. A few of them actually being pulled off.

As soon as I'm a few yards away, I curl and wrap my wings around my body so that I can instantly drop from the sky and out of the albatross' reach. Normally these behemoth birds would be able to out fly even the best flyers from my kingdom, but not today. I wasn't throwing dirt on him simply to create mud to be an immature hatchling. With his nostrils blocked up from the mud, he can't judge his speed correctly and is flying way to fast to stop.

Unfurling my wings so I don't come crashing down to the ground. I didn't see it but I heard the sound of his terrified squawk and then the crunching of glass and his body hitting the metal bars. Soon, after all the crashing, his lifeless body landed on the few boxes that were stored on the ground level.

With no time to celebrate, I head back to the center of town. Evading the other fighters that were leading the invaders to the same fate.