Back to the Forge

“At last!” Betta cries as he sees the forge with his eagle eyes in the distance.

He and Zyno have been slowly making their way to the forge for days. Betta is at the point of exhaustion from having to carry both Skymen’s weight; nut soon he will be able to rest.

As he surveys the mountain top, he sees Kobi and Ayepex talking with a few other Skymen. Without hesitation, he lets out a screech. The emergency signal of the Skymen.

At once, all the Skymen turn toward them, with Ayepex and another jumping into the air to meet them, The fresh Skymen relieve Betta of his load. It takes a few minutes for the to return to the forge. They land near Kobi.

“Zyno, what happened?” Ayepex asks.

“He was attacked by a group of knights near the city of Rhoan.” Betta replies.

“Nunley the Hunter! He snatched me out of a tree! He took my wing as a trophy, then he hunted me for days to collect the other! He’s wearing my wing as a cape, and he wants the other one! We aren’t safe here. We aren’t safe on the island. He’s coming!” Zyno says breaking down again.

“He’s been like this since I found him. I think the trauma has gotten the best of him. He needs rest but he will not keep his eyes shut.” Betta tells Ayepex.

“I will make a bed for him in the forge, it won’t take long.” Kobi says.

“We don’t typically stay in beds, but he needs one.” Ayepex replies.

“No! He is coming! It’s not safe!” Zyno screams.

“Borma, set up a guard rotation at the door to his room, and the main door to the forge. We need to show Zyno that he is safe here. Umph, return to the island and request more volunteers for guards. Tell the elders that they have returned and that there were complications.” Ayepex commands.

Kobi and the other Skymen lead Zyno into the forge to make him rest. This leaves Ayepex and Betta alone on the plateau of the forge top.

“Tell me everything! How did this happen?” Ayepex says.

“My journey took me through some very underpopulated areas. I thought I was lost so I landed when I saw a boy sitting alone. That boy was probably a wizard or something because he knew everything about me. Told me that Zyno was in trouble but that I had to make it to the city of trees immediately. When I arrived, an old man claimed to be the boy. He said that I was a year early to Tree City but needed to know the way because the next time I wouldn’t have time to waste.”

“A wizard? They are all gone, have been for centuries. You know that there are no wizards on the mainland.”

“Well he said that Zyno was in trouble and that I had to get to him directly. He gave me a stone to rub, and it transported me across the continent to near Rhoan. From there I followed the directions the old man gave and found Zyno. We have been on the run ever since then.”

Kobi returns to Ayepex and Betta. “He is in bed but is restless. He is too frantic to relax.”

“Do you have anything to help? Will you check the magic library?” Ayepex asks.

“Of course.” Replies Kobi who hurries off to find a magical remedy.

“A stone transmitted you from Tree City to Rhoan?” Ayepex asks Betta.

“I appeared in an old magic temple. I had to drop the stone into a bowl and leave to find him.”

“Do you know how far it is from Tree City to Rhoan?”

“A long way…”

“Yes, it is. So, you saved him with the help of a young-old man who knew everything about you and also gave you a stone transmit you across the kingdom? You believe magic has returned?” Ayepex says before taking a pause. “We weren’t ready for this, Betta. We were fools to think we could return to the mainland; to our home.”

Both Skymen look over the horizon as the first sun sets.

“We need to hear from the elders, they must know what happened to us.” Betta says as he the last glimpse of the sun fades from the sky.

A few hours later, Kobi approaches Zyno with a drink. Ayepex makes him drink it all. Before long, Zyno is out cold. Finally sleeping. He gives out a loud snore with each breath.

“Good, maybe he will feel better after he gets rest.” Kobi tells the others.

The men walk into the forge dinning room and set at a table. Each man carries a burden for Zyno. They know he has suffered the worst kind of trauma.

“What happens when a Skyman loses his wing like that?” Kobi asks.

“They typically die.” Ayepex says.

“Or they kill themselves.” Betta replies.

“Yes, our people are identified with the sky. To have that removed, they often lose purpose and direction. They feel less than they once were. They feel defeated and lose their identity.” Ayepex answers back.

“Maybe there is something in the library about broken Skymen wings.” Kobi jumps up and leaves the other two again.

“Let’s hope so.” Betta says.

For the next hour or so the Skymen discuss the issues together until Kobi returns.

“I can cap the wing at the back to heal, but it won’t grow back. I’m sorry.” Kobi says.

“It’s okay, a healed broken wing may give him some peace. Try your method on him in the morning.” Ayepex rep;ies.

“I will.” Says Kobi.

For Zyno, he sleeps in the room made for him. The concoction that Kobi gave him seems to be doing the trick.

As he rests, he feels something on his leg, then the sound of metal locking. He sits up to find Nunley standing over him with a chain in his hand. Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees the dead bodies of Skymen guards who were tasked with keeping him safe.

“Found you! Flightless birds are easy prey!” Nunley says as he pulls Zyno out of the bed by the binds on his leg. Nunley pulls him through the floor and they fall into darkness.

Zyno lets out a huge scream as he startles himself awake. It was a nightmare. Nunley has truly gotten inside Zyno’s head.

As everyone piles into Zyno’s room, he weeps from the fear in his mind.

Ayepex pulls Kobi and Betta aside. “I am departing for the island. I will see if I can get him some help back here by morning. If I do return with help, I need you to be prepared Kobi. The legends are true, when I return it will be with a real witch.”