Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 68: Serious Talk

"VORDT!" she shrieked, skipping to the edge. "VORDT, COME BACK!"

There was no response.

Already growing smaller in the distance was a small speck that rose towards the clouds.

"Vordt," Zelphira whispered, voice beginning to crackle with static, "you must understand... I---"

Xaphile jumped, startled awake by something he couldn't name. 

Lying there for a moment, he tried to figure out what it was, but then, something warm twitched against his side and a gout of searing pain made him jump a second time. 

He lay still, confused and in pain, until the twitching motion came again.  

What is that? he sleepily grumbled, flinching as a dull ache washed across his back. Ugh...

He let out a tired groan and shifted his body, but with an unexpectedly acrid flash, a spurt of acidic fire shot through his nerves. He gasped and abruptly lifted his head, but he realized all too quickly that he could only open his eyes halfway, and even doing that was a struggle. 

"Ow!" he squeaked, voice coming out far more hoarse than he was expecting. "Ow... ow...!"

After several moments of baby-like struggling against his exhaustion, he sagged in defeat and let his head plop back down on the ground. He hadn't even realized how tired his limbs were until that moment.

He struggled to open his eyes for several more minutes, but just as he was about to give up he felt something on his back give a little jerk. 

His eyes instantly snapped open wide with a burst of clarity as another little jerk came again soon after that, making him wonder if something weird was crawling around on him.

They were sleeping sprawled out together on the furs beside him.

Struggling to move his deadened limbs, he managed to glance over his shoulder and looked at himself, but when he did, his eyes jolted open wide.

He swallowed as the memories of the previous night's agony came roaring back.

No way, he silently droned. There is no way...

But there it was, in plain sight.

There were two enormous wings sticking out of his back.

For a moment, he wondered whether or not he was dreaming.

A calm smile spread across his mouth, and he carefully pinched himself. Letting out a chuckle, he hesitantly poked his new feathers, then pinched himself again.

"Okay," he murmured. "So I can feel that... I'm completely aware of my surroundings... I must be wide awake."

Coming to this conclusion, Xaphile smiled even wider before nodding twice.

Then, he took a deep breath...

And let out a hysterical scream that made Ella and Sinmir both jump halfway across the room in alarm; Amelia, Gus, and Vrael all jumped and flailed around in a blind panic. 

"What is it?!" Ella squeaked, drawing one of her daggers with groggy eyes. "Attack?!"

"Wha's happenin'?" Vrael rasped, hair sticking out in every direction. "We in danger?!"

They all looked slightly cock-eyed due to their rude awakening and obvious exhaustion, but that didn't stop Xaphile from letting out another bloodcurdling screech and tearing to his feet.