Shadow Lights and the Forbidden Crossings

Chapter Three: Evergreen

The plain clouds rolled away.

"Like scrolls," Argos said of their patterns, while flapping his wings with a flourish. Reducing the sky to an empty, stagnant blue, he expected to find Prince Elijah caught like a deer in headlights. However, he remained missing in action.

"I can't wait to say you're it," he fretted, flying in circles. "Argh! Where's the Chronicles of Light? Why didn't you give it back, Prince Elijah? We don't have much..."

The sun cooled down on him; sweat sticking uncomfortably as a chilly breeze pushed from behind.

"... time?" Wondering how it passed so fast, being day mere moments ago, he blamed Prince Elijah. "You took the game too seriously, Eli!" His scaly eyes stung, upsetting him more, knowing that he didn't have much time left with the fast approaching night. White mists gathered around, turning colorful with gray undertones.

"You painted me into a corner!" He clenched his fists and punched the air.

Spring wind blew, as if retaliating.

Flapping his wings gently and keeping quiet, he hoped to hear the draft carrying Prince Elijah's voice. When hearing none, he concentrated further. Dogs barking, frogs, slow footsteps, and nondescript voices, he took in all noises. Finding nothing notable, he stopped sifting. "I know you can hear me!" he grumbled, flapping his wings hard. The clouds moved away again, revealing a small village below.

"Euw!" Argos faked a retch, disgusted at the humans moving back and forth. From his view, they really looked like ants: small, walking in straight lines, holding items, and occasionally stopping in front of each other. "Dark, wingless, and slow." He clicked his tongue, observing their dark shadows. "Yu—"

A slap in the face stopped his rant. Not noticing its approach, too preoccupied with the villagers below, his hand smoothed over his punched nose.

"Oops."

About to ask who did it, he immediately toned down at the sight of a speckled goose thrown off-course, spinning slowly. It left the flock's V-formation, letting out a surprised, sluggish honk; a funny noise that was followed by another, this time to complain his blocking the way. Its flock turned around, rallying to the protest with similar honks, backing up their fellow goose. Filled with uncoordinated honks, the sky resounded loudly with their blaring. In a growing panic, worried of being exposed to the humans, Argos flashed away to hide in an approaching cloud. The squawking softened, their animosity leaving, to his relief. Not wanting to wander, he lagged at the flock's tail, pretending he was one of them; migrating back home. He hoped the humans wouldn't notice him if he tried blending in with other winged beings. For only a moment, he glanced back to the west and felt a tug in his heart. "I just escaped the winter." Looking down, he followed the stretch of fields, his face growing long, pricked with envy. "Evergreen's full of life, unlike Shadow Lights," he whispered, feeling downcast.

No matter how hard he tried to fix the situation, he wasn't strong enough to do it alone. Evergreen was thriving, and he believed it was because they had the Chronicles of Light to protect them. Even back then, he barely escaped with his life. If only the book never left Shadow Lights; then his world would be thriving, even more than the current Evergreen. But, he believed the current reality wasn't what it could've been.

Drumrolls played.

His leafy ears wiggled. The upbeat noise came from the flock. It spoke to him as if they were pointing to a revelation ahead. Hoping so, perhaps there was something certain for him to look forward to. "Tell me," he told the closest goose in a friendly manner; his arm reaching over, only to halt, realizing that would be too much. Not put off by his arm that went out and back to his side, the goose replied with a throbbing throat. "What's the sweet matter?" he asked slowly, finding himself bobbing his head to the sluggish rhythm.