Flight

It was a dark and quiet night. Only the soft hooting of an owl, somewhere in the trees, broke the silence from time to time. The air in the park felt heavy with the scent of summer flowers and freshly cut grass. Slowly, underneath one of the big trees, there appeared to be a shimmer, accompanied by a steady electric buzz. A small fissure appeared as if reality itself was cracking in two. It got longer and wider, then a leg, followed by the rest of a body, stepped through it.

Ozodia had done it. The old witch hadn’t lied after all. Her chest was heaving and perspiration was clearly visible on her face. Her long copper hair was tangled and muddy, her arms and legs wore small cuts everywhere. The dress in tatters. But she had done it. Gently she put her hand on her belly as if to make sure that the child under her heart was still safe and sound.

Her gaze rose to the portal and what lay beyond. A gray, misty forest, the earth wet from rain. Her home, everything she had ever known. A huddled shape lay still on the ground. He had saved her and for that, she would forever be thankful.

Now came the last part. She had to close the portal. At the thought of what she had to do, a small shudder overcame her. The spell required a sacrifice. Already, the blood on the left side of her back was drying. One pearlescent wing left. Closing her hand around the ornate dagger that was strapped to her belt, she hesitated only for a heartbeat. This time she had no one to help her, to keep her from moving.

The same moment that the sharp blade nicked her wing, she heard loud shouting and hooves from the other side of the portal. They found the sacred site. No time to lose now. With a quick motion and a small scream, she cut off her second wing. Crimson blood ran down her back, just like the heavy tears that streamed down her face.

Carefully, she laid her own wing in front of the portal and started reciting the words, as the old witch had taught her. When she was done, the portal slowly started to close. But not fast enough. A face full of rage appeared behind the closing rift. He had found them. Just as he tried to reach through and grab her, the remaining gaping cracks closed with a sizzling sound. The last thing that she heard, was his dark voice ringing with anger: “I will find him!”

Him? He knew about the child. Shocked, she stumbled a few steps back and fell to the ground. For a minute she sat there sobbing, her face and body dirty and wounded, holding her belly.

After a while, she stood on shaky legs. A resolved sigh escaped her mouth and her eyes wandered far into the darkness. A new world awaited them. Cruel and dangerous as she had heard. But also beautiful.

And for the first time in a long, long while, a sense of freedom overcame her. She took the first step towards it. Not noticing the three-eyed owl that sat above her in the trees, watching silently.