Soar

393 AC - The chimeric swan slowly unfolds its azure wing, and the Rear Admiral plucks a few feathers to give to us. I take one, glancing at the Leviathan, which almost fills the whole sky. Its shrieks rend the air, and I have to stop myself from covering my ears with trembling hands. A reassuring hum breaks the surface of my consciousness. It's Osoyo, urging me to stay calm with a caress of his mind. I glance at him before attaching the feather to the strap of my breastplate. I try to clear my mind, to pull out the ideas contained within the feather and translate them into signs, letters and words. I conjure sheets of paper on which the Glyphs are then progressively inscribed.

The letters become words, the words become sentences, then lines, then paragraphs, spreading from sheet to sheet. I know I need to focus more than the others, but the process is taking less and less effort. Little by little, the paper wings that unfold on my back are becoming more natural, like extensions of my own body. I flap them to test their weight and lift. It hadn't been easy at first, but with practice, I had gotten the hang of it. I approach the edge and see the clouds floating beneath us. Falling down there would be certain death… I take a deep breath. It's not always a good idea to think too much about these things. It's my turn, so I let myself fall. And then I unfurl my wings.

AEDYT