Solis tensed and steeled himself for whatever came next. It couldn’t be good, and he couldn’t shake the instinct that shouted in his mind for him to run and hide. Not the voice, but a simple survival instinct that wanted to see him alive. Get away, you fool. Freeze, drop, run away, whatever it takes!
Phoenix rushed in, wings exploding in dual trails of red and gold, and he cried out, calling her name futilely. Telsan, too, called for her to stop as he zipped out of ranged. Phoenix’s approach was blindingly fast, but Solis could swear that time slowed down in that instant, either that strange phenomenon people report in emergency situations or some effect from today’s strangeness with the voice in his head.
All he knew was that he stood watching, shouting, and then had dodge aside, left wing retracting just short of the blast of fire she’d thrown his way. His heart was pounding a mad to freedom from his chest. “Phoenix—” he started to say, but she skidded on one foot and turned his way.
She muttered something that sounded like, “I’m sorry, Solis,” but just as easily could have been a quick dismissal of all their protests. He hesitantly raised his sword this time. “Phoenix, I’m warning you.” Even as he said it, he stepped aside once more, unsure how he had done so with such smooth speed. This time, she swirled forward in twirling wingbeats: back and forth, swinging viciously with her fire tentacles with each passing. He darted back, sword still outstretched, knowing it would do no good.
Dimly, he was aware of noise from around him: The Magnates, the crowd. Then he saw the dark streak, the shape that seemed to blot out an amount of light from the entire sky. He fell upon her like a bird of prey, arms and black wings closing about her flailing streams of fire as he pulled her to the ground, into a roll. Solis blinked, unable to believe what had just happened. The Harbinger stood up from the roll, unfurling his wings around Phoenix’s body and hoisting her into the air with one arm, fingers wrapped around her neck. She thrashed for only a moment, until he did . . . something, and she went still, head lolling back as far as his hand allowed. The dark man-beast said nothing during this time, but only slowly, ever so slowly, set her down, feet first, skirted rump, back, and then head. Almost gently, if not for the way he’d held her.
The huge figure turned, cloak-like wings sweeping to one side, revealing his black-haired body and great horned head. “Boy,” he said, deeply but softly, so that he didn’t think any others could hear. “To violate the orders of a Harbinger of the Lords Above is a crime deserving of death, but I will let it slide here. Your friend sleeps for now, but after tonight the Magnates will have to deport her to Fenaback . . . if she wakes. There, she may meet a terrible end.”
Telsan was creeping closer, but the Magnate paid him no mind. Frozen by fear, Solis said nothing. There was something about the dark creature that invoked primal terror. Finding his voice, he said, “Give her back. She’s our friend.” Voice dry, it came out almost like a growl.
The Harbinger showed no emotion. “You will ascend, boy, and your Ornis friend with you. This Flamekin is in a state between sleep and death, but can be awakened in the world above. You know what you have to do.” He beat his great wings, lifting off and going to speak with Melka and Donnor. Spore merely stared at Phoenix with something between fear and stupifaction.
“Solis, I—” Telsan cut off, looking back at Phoenix. “I’m sorry.”
Solis just shook his head, moving in closer and whispering, “We’ll take her with us. Don’t worry. The Magnates can’t disqualify us now.”
“Solis Lightwing and Telsan Speedfeather,” Melka called out from behind. “You will Ascend. The games are now done, citizens of the Tapiq Islands.” Lower, she called with a hand motion, “Come here, boys.”
They did so hesitantly, Solis looking back twice at Phoenix’s prone form. The Harbinger flew off as they approached. Standing before the Magnates, Solis glanced at Telsan and saw grim determination reflected in his beaked face, feathers rustling in the breeze.
“The Harbinger left us specific instructions,” Donnor said with a pointed look at Melka. “Thus, we shall follow them to the letter. Phoenix stays here until tonight, when we will move her and the island will fall apart into the sky. Be back by last light to Ascend.”
“Whenever we want?” Solis asked. The looks he got in return forced a coughing laugh from him, one with no mirth. “Okay, I get it, I get it.”
“Thank you, Magnates,” Telsan said simply.
Speak for yourself, Solis grumbled in his head. Thanking the Magnates was something he would hopefully never have to do again, one of the bright points of this day. He turned, looking out at the dispersing crowd, searching for his family. It was unnecessary, as they would no doubt find him shortly.
The questions. The congratulations. It all came at once, as soon as his supporting parents and sister found them, which was not long. Floris was jumping up and down and trying to cling to him, telling him how scared she was. Caris and ____ Spinner were there, and the boys, as well as a few aunts and uncles who only showed up for events like these. Most were wide-eyed, some like his mother even crying from the stress of watching Solis and the others in such peril.
Telsan had a few friends from the Megeth Academy approach him, like Master Jeyga and his fellow apprentice, Corwin. They both offered nearly apologetic congratulations to the birdman, with Jeyga clapping him on the shoulder and saying that his folks back in Orniteia would be proud of his accomplishment. The praise seemed to stir a restlessness in Telsan, who was perhaps wondering about the games up there. Or simply questioning his choice to accompany Solis on his unwise journey to the Earth. Then came Erika Dolce, who offered surprisingly heartfelt congratulations before looking worriedly at her sleeping cousin. She approached the girl, and Solis followed after, murmuring caution. When she bent at the girl’s side, he said more forcefully, “Erika, don’t! The Harbinger said she’ll be fine, but we have to take her up to the Earth with us.”
She stopped, looking up with distrust in her eyes. “And you believe that thing?” she said through gritted teeth.
He tilted his head from side to side. “I think we have to. We’ll take care of her, Erika. I promise.”
She stared for a few seconds longer, then lowered her gaze. “Very well. Good job out there, Lightwing. Don’t get yourselves killed.”
She took off, leaving him to breathe in a long breath and sigh, looking down upon his black-haired friend. We’ll be back, he whispered to her. He turned, seeing Floris close behind. “Sol, she’s . . . she’ll be all right?” the girl asked.
He nodded, throat feeling tight. Seeing the look on her face, he pulled her into a hug, which pressed her forehead against his shoulder. “Flory, we’re all going to be fine. Me and Telsan, we’ll take good care of her. I promise not to be too reckless.”
“I just . . . I was so scared, watching the games today,” she said, voice hitching a couple times. “That was frightening.”
Solis could tell that she meant in a way beyond simple fear for his or anyone else’s safety. “I’m sorry.”
She hugged him back now, fiercely. “I’ll miss you. Please come back. Please. And—and when you do . . .”
“Tell you all about it?”
She pulled back, wiping at her moist eyes. A trembling smile tugged at one corner of her lips. “Yes.”
He smiled back, patting her back as he reapproached the others. One more had joined them, who was talking with Solis’ mother and father, pointing in his general direction and speaking in a low voice.
“Miss Falla,” he greeted her, hoping the dismay and reluctance at seeing her did not enter too strongly into his voice. She fixed her eyes on him. Red-rimmed eyes.
“Boy . . .” She sniffed, bobbed her throat, face tense but slightly unreadable, and then walked directly toward him, as though to pass right through. He stepped aside, allowing her to approach her sleeping daughter. She crouched at the still girl’s side, stroking her skin with one hand. She cupped her jaw, letting her hand fall lightly on her breastbone. As though in afterthought, she flipped her hand and held a palm to her chest. It rose and fell very slowly, satisfying Falla’s concern after a minute. Standing, she said to Solis and Telsan—who had just approached—“You had better take good care of her. Understand?”
They both nodded furiously and offered words of assent. Then she surprised them by moving in and gripping their shoulders tightly, as though for dear life. “I mean it!” she hissed in a low whisper. “What has happened to her these last days . . . eludes me . . . but it is an evil omen. I’ll ask my family about it, but—of course . . .”
Solis hugged her back, hand finding poor purchase on her thin, jutting shoulder blade. “I know, ma’am. We’ll get to the bottom of it somehow. I think the Harbinger might have some clues—he hinted as much already.”
Her face softened a degree. Then she looked into Telsan’s avian eyes. She departed without a word, and Solis and Telsan said goodbye to the rest of the well-wishers. “Are you coming back to the island?” Pim asked hesitantly.
Solis looked to his friend for confirmation.
“We . . . should probably go back for at least a couple things.”
“Then . . . I’ll stay with her just in case.”
The two departed to Megeth to fetch their personal belongings, and were back a half hour later. The Sun was already beginning to set, nearing the upper horizon that was the earth. The barrier that would soon allow them into a whole new world. Pim Lightwing rose from her haunches, giving the boys a sad smile. There was no ill will in it, to her credit. She embraced each once more, and then clutched Solis’ hand. “One last thing, son. It’s . . . about your grandmother.”
“Oh.”He hadn’t expected this.
She shook her head to stave off over-excitement. “Nothing major. She never told me any more than you, I’m certain. Or if she did, I’ve forgotten it all. I was . . . I was angry at her for a long time, and angrier still at her passing. For that, I should apologize. I never understood her, and it was hard to accept her love.” She sighed hollowly. “I know I seemed—was—unsupportive, honey. I thought I had cured Caris of that same enthusiastic curiosity, and I never thought you’d actually succeed at the tournament. But I’m proud. Scared, but . . . proud. Of both of you.”
Solis nodded, and he and his friend stooped to lift their unresponsive friend. Solis took hold of her legs at the knees, trapping her feet under his chest to stabilize the grip, while Telsan supported her torso under her arms. “You have her?” Pim asked worriedly as they lifted off. Solis rolled his eyes to Telsan. “Yes, Mother.” Belatedly, he added, “Goodbye.”
Characters
- Solis Lightwing (SOLE-iss)—The main character, a white-winged boy of unceasing curiosity who longs to see inside the forbidden Earth.
- Telsan (TELL-suhn)—Solis’ best friend, a young man of the Bird Tribe.
- Phoenix Dolce (DOLE-chay)—Friend of Solis and Telsan, a Flameborn girl of sixteen years. Daughter of Falla Dolce.
- Pim Lightwing—Daughter of Fey of Longfell and mother of Solis and Floris.
- Arthur Lightwing—An exterior miner, husband of Pim, head of the Lightwing household.
- Faridi (fuh-RID-ee)—A Tapiq man who frequently volunteers for lookout duty.
- Colla—A female Tapiq; often works with Faridi.
- Melka—One of the three living Tapiq Magnates.
- Donnor—Said to be the eldest of the three living Magnates.
- Spore—One of the three living Magnates. Doesn’t say much.
- Fey—Solis’ deceased grandmother, a former Magnate.
- Floris—Solis’ younger sister. 11 years old; aspires to be a physician.
- Caris—Eldest of the three Lightwing children, now married and residing in the neighboring Tapiq village of Dram.
- Falla Dolce—Phoenix’s mother, a Dustborn from a powerful elementalist family of Fenaback. Kept her family name due to unfortunate events she’d rather leave buried.
Terms
- Earth, The—An immeasurable continent that looms over the entire sky. Forbidden to all save those whom the Magnates choose each year.
- Tapiq (tuh-PEEK)—The tribe of winged men who dwell in Ameros and the surrounding islands. As with most tribes, they have adopted some from other tribes and races as their own, while others are visitors.
- Ornis—Also called the Bird Tribe, though this isn’t entirely accurate, as there are multiple; most simply live farther north.
- Hiding, The—The six hours in the middle of the day when the Sun’s low-angled course takes it behind the infinite cloud layer that looms beneath the sky world.
- Magnate—One of the three living souls of the Tapiq tribe who have ascended to the Earth and returned, bearing supposedly infinite knowledge that they choose to keep hidden.
- Ameros (AM-uh-ros)—Largest island in the southeastern quadrant of the sky, where the Tapiq village of Megeth lies.
- Megeth (Meh-GETH)—Capital city of the Tapiq people.
- Grimstaf VI (GRIM-stahf six)—An artificial island created west of Ameros by the Harbinger.
- Elementalist—One born with a Kinship to an elemental force. They usually lack wings.
Kinships
- Flameborn—Kin of flame. They form their own wings as needed from tongues of fire that sprout from their backs.
- Dustborn—Artists of soil and dust. They fly with wings created from nearby dust particles.
- Windborn—Wind kin. Unlike other elementalists, these often grow wings just like any other, though some possess heightened abilities allowing them to fly without wings—and thus lacking them.
- Waveborn (aka Watchers)—Keepers of the invisible wards that protect the sky islands from falling hazards. Also, those with the rare ability of sound manipulation.
- Dewborn—These control moisture and redirect water.
- Stormborn—Creators of small storms and electrical currents.
- Snowborn—Bringers of frost and snow on a small scale.
- Sunborn—Manipulators of light.
- Beastborn—These rare kind, seen largely in the northwestern isles, come in different orders according to a certain class of living creature.
- Cragborn—Manipulators of stone.