Part IX: The Greatest Cause (A):
The Abyssal Jungle officially ended in the North Mountains, though the thick forest did not cease and simply made land travel even more difficult as the terrain became more broken. Vines and branches dominated the undergrowth and made flying at any speed treacherous for birds as large as wingtails, so they were forced to make their way above the canopy. It was the afternoon, and the sun shined down from the sky like an eye of gold warming all in its presence with its rays. Yet in the distance, more bad weather was brewing as ominous dark clouds hinted that another great storm was on the way. So it was that the elements were trapped in the cycle between warm and cold, clear and raining, uncaring of the activities of the mortal beings that strode and flew across the lands below.
Star felt just like them – trapped in a place she could not escape from, being forced to love someone she cared nothing for. Eybron was a cruel master and a dominating mate… a wingtail she could never live with even if her life depended on it. His ambitions were just as mighty, stomping all over others like they were nothing in his mad quest to get what he wanted. Star knew that the white wingtail wanted her, but also that he wanted to rid the world of all sharpteeth for unknown reasons.
With her in a good position with the male wingtail, she decided to ask him about it while they were on route to wherever they were going.
“Why are you doing this Eybron?” the scarlet wingtail inquired as strongly as she could while flying next to him, “Sky is gone… what reason do you have to do such terrible things?”
Eybron shut his eyes for a moment and grinned, amused that for the first time she had actually come to him without being forced. Perhaps they were finally making some headway.
“The end justifies the means,” he replied with a bit of a hiss, “one way or another, I will see to it that every creature with sharp teeth comes to a slow and violent end. As for where we are going… well… you will just have to wait and see my dear.”
Star’s face contorted with annoyance.
“You wanted the sharpteeth to attack us didn’t you? I can tell… you’ve talked about hating them ever since…”
The scarlet wingtail paused, not wanting to talk about their first encounter.
“Our little exchange in your family tree…” finished the white wingtail slyly.
Eybron flapped a few times, rising a few feet in the sky to clear some high canopy trees.
“…Yes, I did want them to do it. I wanted them to reveal their true colours, and give me the power I needed to finally mash them into bones. The Tyrant King has unwillingly planted the seeds for his own destruction.”
Star’s curiosity had been sparked, and despite her revolt at the conversation she pushed farther.
“But… why do you hate them so much? What did they do to you?”
Eybron’s facial expression hardened and he growled at her.
“I will not talk about things that are not your business, Star. All you need to know is that they are my enemy, and I intend to make them all suffer before they die.”
Biting her lip a bit, Star decided to pull the ultimate trump card to get what she wanted.
“If we are to be mates, then we have to open with one another… I want to know why you feel that way.”
Eybron turned to her with a look a mild surprise, before actually sincerely smiling. It was a look that didn’t suit him well, and it sickened her. After a moment it was gone, replaced by his typical visage of sinister concentration.
“Hmm, I didn’t expect you to open up so… quickly.”
Star tried to keep up the lie, and dawned a look of sadness.
“Sky is gone, so whatever I felt for him it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Eybron eyed her critically, as if trying to spot a trick or incincereness in her voice. Thankfully, he didn’t pick it up.
“Alright,”
The white wingtail banked slightly left, causing the other wingtails to follow his course. Star readjusted to keep up.
“When I was young, I was abandoned by my father… he cared so little about us that rather then tend to the nest he gathered support for a position on the council of elders…”
“Us?” inquired Star.
Eybron frowned. He didn’t like to talk about his past, especially when others start asking questions.
“My unborn sibling… killed by the sharpbeak that robbed our nest.”
Star looked surprised, and pushed a bit further.
“But, how did you survive the attack?”
“In the sharpbeak’s nest I was dropped as feed for its hatchling,” replied Eybron with a grin, “we fought, and I killed it.”
Star turned away… maybe this story wasn’t worth hearing.
“And before I left I did to it what it would have done to me… devoured its flesh right down the bones.”
She had known for a long time that Eybron was a monster, but just then Star realized that fate had made him that way. Growing up without her parents had made her timid and careful as a wingling, so she could only imagine what growing up feeling betrayed by her parents might have felt like. Despite the sympathy she had for him, it certainly wasn’t enough to make up for all the things he had done to her and her family. She wouldn’t have Eybron if he was the last wingtail in the forest.
"My lord," we've been searching all day," breathed Barrau as he swooped in to join Star and Eybron, "the Eye isn't here."
"Perhaps it just lies beyond our sight," suggested Eybron, "I think it's time we used a more productive method."
Pulling the Coridan out from under his wing, the wingtail eyed the swinging bob of the small bell with concentration. Smartly, he removed the Occular from his other wing and placed it in his mouth so it couldn't vibrate as well. With a flick of his finger Eybron ringed the Cordian, filling the air with it's crisp and sweet sound. After a moment the note faded leaving Star, Eybron, and Barrau soaring in silence. The white wingtail sneered as it became clear his little solution didn't work.
“My lord,” started Barrau smartly, “it would appear that-”
Eybron silenced him with an abrupt hand gesture. There was a small vibration in the air, a manifestation of a weak returning signal. Soon it grew in intensity until it nearly matched the Cordian itself.
“It would appear that we have found our mark Barrau,” corrected the white wingtail with pleasure, “our informant didn’t lie after all.”
...
Eybron was glad that Tyrus had told the truth about the Eye of the World’s location. Part of him had doubted the sharptooth knew anything at all, since most of them were just dumb brutes out for a meal or a hand for sadistic amusement but it appeared the Prince had proven him wrong on some accounts. In the back of his mind the wingtail knew that Tyrus would survive the ëjustice’ he hoped to inflict upon his family, and could even prove to be a powerful foe in days ahead. Not that he really mattered... they would all suffer in the end.
Being the appointed guardian of the Sonicron for so many seasons, Eybron had been required to learn its history as well as the history of its creator. Most of it was ridiculous superstition and wise tales only told the frighten hatchlings, and he made a point of letting the elders know he thought that way on numerous occasions. It was only during his final initiation that he was taught by a very unique wingtail named Aizon. Even though he was Benzon’s direct descendant, the encounter had hardly gone smoothly.
“I have no time for this babble about speaking to the dead and touching sound old one... just give me your blessing and go,” he had said as he stood face to face with the navy wingtail.
“The Sonicron is quite sacred my dear Eybron son of Tenebron,” Aizon had chided, “these are not mere stories but detailed recounts of events past and present.”
“Hah, next you’re going to tell me it causes earthshakes...”
Aizon’s expression changed from one of a caring mentor into one of dire warning.
“The greatest discoveries are made by those who look for them, son of Tenebron.”
The navy wingtail removed his crystal glasses.
“You will have my approval, but know this: The Sonicron and the Eye of the World were abandoned for a reason, lest the young abuse their power.”
Eybron had taken the words to heart, and it was one of the main reasons he had begun testing the Sonicron in the first place. Now that the horn was lost to the wingtails, the only other solution is the one found within the Eye of the World. He was so close to finding it, he could almost taste it on the wind.
The flock of wingtails ended up on a surprisingly clear hilltop overlooking all the forests and valleys beyond. In the far distance the Black Mountain, or at least what remained of it, could be seen cloaked an in inky black cloud that blocked out the view behind it. The hazy outlines of the Icy Peaks could even be seen, though they were mere shadows against an ocean of land and sky. Eybron couldn’t help but marvel at the amazing view, and took a few moments to relish it as the wind of the high altitude blazed around his feathers.
“It is here Barrau,” declared the white wingtail as he turned towards the rest of his group, “the Eye of the World is here...”
“How do you know my lord?” inquired Barrau timidly.
“Because if I were Benzon, I would build it in a place where I could see…”
Eybron spread his wings.
“…everything.”
Barrau looked around, and seeing nothing remarkable he didn’t look too sure.
“I don’t see how it can be my lord, there is clearly nothing made of glass in this place.”
Eybron glanced around too, and eventually his eyes settled on an oddly shaped tree. It wasn’t so much the tree that stopped him but the position on which it sat. The canopy tree was nothing more then a jumbled mass of vines, but it rested right on the top of the rise isolated from the surrounding forest. Something in the back of the white wingtail’s mind told him that it was too conspicuous to pass.
“We will see.”
Eybron chimed the crystal bell yet again, only lightly as he didn’t want to be deafened if he was right. Sure enough, the signal returned immediately and the tree began to vibrate, dropping its leaves on the ground.
“Ah ha, it’s within the tree itself!” proclaimed Eybron.
The surrounding wingtails whispered amongst themselves, some with amazement and others with stern acknowledgement. Star was impressed that Benzon had so long ago thought to hide his creation within a tree to keep it safe. She wondered what could have made him do it after spending almost his entire life making it.
“Well what are you waiting for?” shouted Eybron with impatience, “all of you… get to work. The growth must be cleared!”
…
It took the army of wingtails almost an hour and a half to rip away the curtain of vines and claw down the various branches and twigs that were intertwined within the glass framework. As time went on and more and more of the material was moved away, the Eye of the World revealed itself one piece at a time. To wingtail eyes it was a symbol of mastery and intelligence that had been made long ago in a much more well off generation. The fact that the entire thing had been hand-shaped while still molten (Star silently wondered how the ancient wingtails had protected their hands) and then pieced together one part at a time was astonishing and unheard of. Were a human present to look upon it, it would appear very similar to a three dimensional model of the solar system. A glass shaft started from the ground and carried up to a metre in the air, and on top of it in the centre rested the largest piece of concaved volcanic glass ever created. The massive lens was about half the size of a wingtail and was concaved to look similar to an eye. Surrounding it were numerous curved glass rods ending in smaller lenses that could rotate around the main iris.
Everybody gaped at the wondrous object, and Eybron was the first to snap out of it and give it a try.
“And now to see just how dangerous this object really is,” he said with mild glee.
Hopping up onto a glass ledge just large enough to hold his feet, the white wingtail gripped the sides of the Eye with both hands, and looked through the large lens. The vision was good up to a few metres, but turned blurry soon after making it inferior to wingtail sight. Undeterred, Eybron grabbed one of the curved rods and positioned the second biggest lens right in front of the first one. The vision suddenly became even clearer and doubled the distance of sight. Energized, he grabbed all the other rods and positioned them until all were in line with the first one. All five glass panes lined up to allow him to see all the way to the Icy Peaks, and even view the dispersed poison clouds in the Valley of the Mists. Turning a full 90 degrees, the Tyrant Spire came into complete and clear sight.
“Incredible,” remarked Eybron.
“My lord,” interrupted Barrau politely, “…may I see as well?”
The white wingtail didn’t answer, as he was looking with curiosity at a final very small rod that was left without a lens at all. How strange. After moment the answer came to him, and he withdrew the Occular from within his wing.
“So now the final piece is adjoined with the Eye,” remarked Eybron as he dropped the Occular into place and moved the rod, “to complete the cycle and unlock its full potential… quite poetic don’t you think my dear?”
Star ignored the statement in her direction, as all she wanted was to know what would happen when the alignment occurred. Despite all that had happened up to this point curiosity burned within her mind, since this was her subject of teaching.
Eybron slipped the final rod into place, and peered through the iris with a look of anticipation.
“Hmm, not much difference at all,” commented the white wingtail with disappointment, “oh well I suppose the matter can wait…”
He hopped off the pedestal and glided down to where Star was watching, her guard Edwin moving out of the way for his master.
“…for now we must discuss our mating,” the villain finished.
Star’s blood ran cold. She was hoping to stall this for as long as possible, as the white wingtail had thus far been very courteous in giving her time to come around. Apparently his patience was running out. He took her hand with his own, and kissed her finger.
“Do you, Star; take me to be your mate and partner for all eternity?” Eybron recited, more out of tradition then anything else. A small hint in his tone implied ëor else’.
The scarlet wingtail whimpered softly, and she looked around for some way to get out of the question. All attention was on her right now, and by all accounts it was probably the most important decision of her life. On one wing, refusing would enrage Eybron and she could get seriously hurt or even killed for embarrassing him. On the other wing however, if she said yes it would mean betraying Sky and breaking the laws of trust within wingtail society. It was a no win situation.
“Well?” pushed Eybron and he squeezed her hand tighter with impatience.
Thankfully she didn’t have to answer, as the tense moment was interrupted by the shout of one of the other wingtails.
“Fire! The Forest is on Fire!”
Eybron and the rest of his wingtail army turned immediately on the spot only to see a wall of smoke and flame erupting on the other side of the clearing. The white wingtail gasped in surprise; trying to gather what caused the blaze… it wasn’t there a minute ago.
“Flee, fly away!” squawked one of the wingtails in the trees.
Suddenly almost every one of the thirty wingtails was in the air and soaring rapidly away from the burgeoning wall of fire. Star felt a pang of fear as the heat started to brush against her feathers. To his credit, her guard Edwin stepped in front of her to block it. The green wingtail then turned to look over his shoulder at Eybron who was standing all alone beside the Eye of the World.
The white wingtail looked once at the angle of the Eye and then again at the flames. All at once it occurred to him… now he knew why Benzon had abandoned it so many years ago… it could start fires! And not just any fires, but blazing infernos in less than a minute. Combined with a line of sight that was nearly limitless, it could be used to burn anywhere the Eye was pointed. The thought was immensely relishing, and Eybron rubbed his hands together with glee.
“And the world will burn at my whim,” he declared, almost a bit too loudly.
Edwin turned back towards Star.
“Fly away… let the council know about what has happened here,” he insisted desperately.
“But Sky is…” she began
“Alive?” questioned Edwin, “then you must find him too… the Occular was his charge only he will know how to stop this from becoming another Sonicron.”
Star nodded, and as the green wingtail released her she spread her wings and took off.
“So,” stated Eybron coldly, “you’ve revealed your true colours dear Edwin… I was wondering if you had any loyalty to your former friend and I see you have proven me right.”
“I was not in with Sky, Eybron,” the green wingtail answered, “but these atrocities go against all our values as wingtails… more innocents are going to die by your wings if I do nothing.”
“And unfortunately, so are you.”
Two wingtails, former trained members of Eybron’s Sonicron guardians, flew in and pinned Edwin to the ground. The green wingtail struggled but was unable to free himself.
“You will be a fitting example to those who betray me.”
Eybron nodded to another group of wingtails that had remained despite the encroaching fire.
“Find her, bring her back or else you three will be next.”
The three wingtails bowed slightly and took off in sequence. Seeing the matter as resolved, Eybron turned back to Edwin as he lay pinned to the ground.
“It’s a shame really,” he chided, “you held such promise.”
And on that note, the white wingtail cracked his knuckles in anticipation.
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