The dark clouds briefly part as Amor makes his way through them. However, these small glimpses of what could be are soon overwritten back into their defined shape. Nothing can dispel the storm as defined by the Leviathan.
"Libertad! Libertad, where are you!?" Amor screams into the sky, clinging to a faint hope his friend would answer, as she brags about how she managed to defeat the monster.
But he is met only with the loud roaring of thunder, proof of his trespass into a place forbidden to him.
In that case, there was only one being that could give him the answers he desperately needed.
"Leviathan! Hideous monster! Here I am, intruding in your territory! Where are you!? Come out and face me!" He shouts even louder, challenging the creature inside their own den.
Lightning courses through the clouds. The sky flashes, followed by loud roars of thunder. They start from faraway, but soon close in.
The blinkering lights in the sky reveal an approaching dark shape. Small at the beginning, it approaches quickly, soon taking the size of an island.
The dark clouds roar, the rain intensifies and lightings cut across the sky forming deadly flowers.
And finally... Silence.
The storm parts and makes way to its tyrant.
In the eye of the storm a giant figure is revealed. With a dark blue hue, their humongous body occupies all of Amor's vision. Their body seemed to be an unified mass, resembling an island from far away. However, watching it closely, now Amor could see that the creatureâs body resembled that of a great serpent, coiled on itself so many times it gave shape to something akin to an island. Instead of a skin, the creature was covered in thick scales, with a myriad of patterns--- Just like those in the wings of fairies⦠And considering its size, the monster should have even greater wings that would allow it to remain at the sky. However, the boy couldnât see any. How could they keep flight without wings? Itâs almost as if⦠They had become an island themselvesâ¦
Fear, curiosity and even awe grappled inside the boyâs heart. A first impression that mixed many different emotions. But Amor managed to remain impassive, there were far more important matters at stake.
Then, an elongated head uncoiled itself from the greater mass and approached him.
It finally stops, frighteningly close to Amor. Revealing two slits that soon open. Amorâs vision is covered by great amber-yellow pupils, that seem to stare right into his core.
Amor feels its humid hot breath directly into his skin. Finally, the sky starts to tremble as their lips part and a coarse voice echoes and reverberates through all.
"Foolish child. It hasn't been long since the last intruder violated the rules that shape the sky... Yet here you are, with a direct challenge to me what's more. You have me curious now as to what type of wings could possibly lead their fairy to such pointless death."
"If so little is enough to sate your curiosity, monster, then stare all you want! Make of them what you will! However, answer me something in return! What happened to the last fairy whom came to challenge you!?"
Thunder rumbles in the distance, and their eyes tremble at Amor's words.
"You dare insult me at my own territory. And for that, you will suffer more than is needed. You have no need to be curious for the previous invader's fate, as you will be joining them soon enough. All who trespass into my territory have the same fate, and you shall be no different."
The leviathan opens their mouth menacingly, before quickly closing back their jaws. A clear threat of what is to come.
"Soon you'll be consumed and your wings will be nutrient to increase my ever expanding reign!"
As the Leviathan raises their voice, an ominous wind makes its way into the heart of the storm.
Amor is hit by a sudden blast of violent tempest. And splashed by the cold rain taken in from the outer storm. Yet, he remains unshaken.
"Have you finished analyzing my wings?" He asks the Leviathan without a care for their display of power.
Their head approaches him once again.
"Those are some uncommon wings you have. Easy to notice, yet difficult to define."
"Then answer me again! Who was the last fairy to suffer your fate!?"
"Huu, a friend perhaps? A bright young child, spewing dreams and fantasies that will never come to pass. She aimed for the impossible while facing the inevitable, and discovered the unachievable. Wretched wings of freedom, their taste as bad as their ideals. Now consumed, and soon digested. Her fate will be the same as all the others who came before. And all who shall come after."
Libertad!!! She's in there somewhere, devoured by the beast. But all is not lost yet, though time runs thin.
"Release her, beast! Least you wish to meet your end!"
"Hu hu hu!" The Leviathan chuckles slowly, the air trembles to each of his movements and thunders rumble as well in response. "They all say so at start, and they all beg otherwise at the end. Foolish child, all was determined from the moment you trespassed. I fail to recognize your wings. However, I'm sure I'll remember their meaning once I recall their taste. Feeble wings shall be consumed so I may expand through all of the sky."
The Leviathan backs away, preparing for their attack.
"And you're the one to call me a fool, monster!? The sky is endless! And as huge as you might be, you too are nothing more than a speck of dust in it! Just like me, just as anyone else!" Amor shouts back, while quickly evading the Leviathan's bite.
What was Libertad's plan to even try and defeat this beast? Amor asked himself, noticing once again the absolute difference between them.
"Ha! If the sky is endless then I am forever! I'll continue to devour and expand until all is under my control!" The Leviathan shakes their head using it as a whip, with a brutal hit to Amor. He gasps in pain as all of the air inside of him escapes and he is thrown far away, back inside the dark clouds.
The Leviathan feeds on the fairies that enter their territory. And by doing so, they can expand their control over the sky. Amor and Libertadâs island was trapped inside the storm they created, as if livestock raised for the slaughter.
Control. The life of all islanders was dictated by such meaningless intent. How could this beast possibly dream of engulfing all of the sky in their reign?
Freedom. Hopes and possibilities, all comes crashing down when met with the monster. A foreseeable outcome. The need to fly beyond oneâs limits, and throw everything else behind. Is there any content to be found, when what contents you is not the answer but to question?
All wouldâve been fine if it just remained the same. Pain and scorn could be easily endured in face of the alternative. Dreams and ambitions could be easily be let to flown only on oneâs imagination, if all that remains from searching for them is this spiteful monster.
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Here is the monster that devours.
And inside them is Libertad. She who was showered with the affection of all in the island. She who could fly in the blue-sky as limited as it was. She whose dreams could not content with all she had and chose to throw all away to face the beast. In search of an endless sky⦠And now devoured by this monster.
Amorâs heart begins to beat faster and more intensely than ever before. The dark wings have already blossomed. Now itâs already pointless to show restraint, for I too have already thrown the little I had away. Then fight! Scream! Let my flawed wings fly as they please!
Wings of wrath!
âWings, wings that shape my heart!!! Why have you bloomed!? When others use their wings to shape the world, you only blossomed as my world was destroyed!!! For so long I have wanted! Want and envy my only dreams! Only my friend can cause all of my pain! Cruel wings!!! Then break and destroy! Myself and the others!!! Wings of wrath, burn! Burn and spare none! The tyrant, the fool, and all of those in between! Ah, feelings whose only function is to burn all other feelings, until nothing is left! To destroy with my own hands what I wanted to protect! I scream these pathetic feelings to all who can hear! Yet unheard to the one I saw next to me! Damn my heart! To hell, all reason! To fight a monster, I too a monster shall be!â
Spread wings of wrath, and burst your intent for all to feel!
The dark clouds part in response. Not briefly, not for a moment. A clear path opens itself in between Amor and the Leviathan.
He flies furiously. Faster, stronger, all of his senses are left behind giving way only for the flames that threaten to consume him and all of the sky.
âGhaa!!!â All the Leviathan can feel is the sudden impact.
A power never seen. A pain never felt before. The Leviathanâs coiled body is untangled as they are dragged to the other side of the sky.
The dark storm clears itself if only for a moment, as the Leviathan gathers back their senses.
The attack might have caused some damage to the tyrant, but not as much as it caused to Amor. He with burnt wings and broken body now struggles to maintain flight. But his determined eyes never stop trying to find a possible weakness to the monsterâs now revealed body.
âReckless child, what am I supposed to devour if you turn yourself to cinders? Once again, your wings elude my recollection, for they are the contradiction of contrary. That which burns infinite, but not endlessly. Curious wings, so openly revealed and at the same time withholding your secrets close to heart.â
The Leviathanâs body that once covered all of Amorâs vision now extends itself far beyond its reach. The dark clouds once again return to their surroundings.
The monster readies another bite, just in time for Amor to recover from his stupor. He dodges once again and once more clashes against the beast. Battered as his body might be, one hit wasnât enough. Neither to defeat them nor to placate his rage.
Thunder roars and lighting crackles. The dark clouds part, disappear and almost immediately return. The boy and the Tyrantâs clash resound through the skies, filling with fear all who dare be close enough to listen. One seeks to exert absolute control above all, while the other intends to burn what is left to flames.
âRelease her beast! Release her before I have to look for her at the remains of your ashes!â
âHu! Hu! Hu! Burn as the forest may, the soil remains unbothered. A childish tantrum does not threaten the absolute. Struggle as you might; your fate remains one and the same.â
Clash upon clash, the monsters bodies are scorched and broken. However, there is no end in sight for the battle.
It is then that a metallic shine enters Amorâs vision. Impaled onto the beastâs body, next to a severe gnash in their scales, was a single sword.
Libertadâs star-forged rapier!!! The boy drags his bashed body and courses an impact through the Leviathanâs wound!
âOooogh!!!!â The serpentinous being roars in pain and for once in their life threatens to fall to the bottom of the sky!
Without letting this chance escape, Amor recovers Libertadâs rapier from the beastâs body. Its star ore yet shines brightly, undamaged by the wounds caused on their scales.
Nostalgia, shame and pain strike the child at once, as he takes hold of his friendâs prized possession. Not once in his life had he seen Libertad separated from her bound sword. Yet, the impassable wall crashed down to destroy all of oneâs being.
The senseless wrath gives place to despondent lucidity.
If only she hadnât left the island.
What is the point of dreams, training and choice, when you lose them all to this monster!
I should have stopped her before it came to this.
As his only friend, he had the duty to stop her reckless decision. Now, heâs here facing the beast, while she is inside them, waiting for her slow conclusion!
His body is battered, and his wings are charred⦠Meanwhile, the Leviathan damaged as they might be, has more than enough size to sustain their injuries. This battle isnât about brute force, itâs about endurance. And the monster has been feeding on fairies since the beginning of time, building his massive constitution.
An endless battle, and yet Amor cannot give up.
This is all her fault. She should have known to not leave the island!
Every time she brought up such dangerous dreams, he should have shunned her, in the same manner as the islanders shunned him. Instead of supporting and showing interest in her ideas, he should have confronted them. Shut her down.
He should have done whatever it would have taken then, because now it might be too late. All because of such selfish dreams and foolish hopes. The Leviathan cares not for the intents that makes ones wings, and neither should he have. What is the point of others intents, when they fail to achieve any results? He on the other hand knew his friend, and what she was capable of. Yet still allowed for her to depart on a journey he knew had no chance of success. A mistake that cannot be taken back now.
If Libertad truly wanted to defeat the Leviathan, then she should have stayed. Grown up. Spent more time preparing, forever if thatâs what it took. How could she depart to face this monster without any guarantee of victory?
Such an unreasonable friend devoured by this absolute monster.
In a moment, the Leviathan snaps out of their stupor. Then, once again they send their body crashing down against the boy.
The eye of the storm is overtaken by thick rain. The tarnished waters distort the vision, their cold grip trickles through the skin intent on dragging those it touches into the depths.
Amorâs heart is dragged into thick mud, from which thereâs no escape.
The leviathanâs body impacts against the boy. However, it is stopped on its track. The sound of the clash, and the resounding thunders from the encircling dark clouds, are drowned by the torrential rain. Amor holds off the beast with a single arm.
Dark wings, let there be a purpose. To take back what is mine, to never lose what is precious! Distort! Drag onto thy bottomless swamp! So that never may any escapeâ¦
Wings of obsession!
âWings⦠Oh, wings that shape my heart! Such is the reason for your existence! What can the others intend, when Iâm the one who knows whatâs best for them? I want no more, for dreams are merely illusions⦠What I need I take! For such is the grasp of reality. Pitiful wings! Delirious nightmare! Smother with your bitter embrace! The islanders always at your beck and call poisoned your mind with ideals that would lead you to your doom, and forsake you at your moment of need! The Leviathan swallowed your will with disregard! Then I too shall have a world capable of subscribing others with mine! When all freedom is gone, Iâll be the one in control! Heavy wings, unsightly flight! Sink the depths of my heart as those who plunge to the depths of the sky! And all those who agree and disagree, comply and deny, let them sink with me! Dark wings, impure heart, stain all of those who stand on my path!â
Plunge wings of obsession, until all they can feel is what impose!
Amorâs flight is slowed down, yet his path proceeds uninterruptedly. The Leviathanâs blows crash and are stopped on their tracks.
Using the cold rapier, the boy slashes and gnaws at their scales, slowly but surely damaging them.
The Leviathan chuckles beneath their breath. âHu! Hu! Unsure wings, heavy heart. What you seek is opposite to what you are.â
However, the monster does not waste this chance either. A slower prey makes for an easier target. The slam, whip and bite. The boy endures their attacks, but for how long?
âHideous monster, what I seek is plain as day! To see you fall and waste away!â
Clash upon clash, metal against fang. Neither stops, neither retreats. One of the Leviathanâs wild strikes hits the boy at a bad spot, making him gasp in pain. The sword continues to carve away at the beastâs scales, but not one attack is enough to tear them completely apart, nor to reach all of their immense body.
Amor paints and heaves in pain, while the Leviathan chuckles, amused by this lengthy altercation. What is the identity of the childâs wings? The answer finally drew closer.
âTo try and lay claim to control, yet dreams and plans do not even cross your core. Mysterious wings. To act as you feel, when feelings are but sparks, with momentary shine before oblivion. Pettines whittles, flames simmer, and even the mud will drain into brittle soil. What purpose is there in something that lives only to bear fruits and not to usufruct them?â
Slam, crash, bite! The monster finally manages to trap the boy in between their jaws. Amor precariously holds their fangs apart, close to permanently sinking into his skin. His battered body creaks and croaks under the beastâs strength. He pushes the rapier against the Leviathan, but their thick skin cannot be pierced without enough momentum.
Finally, the boyâs strength gives in as their teeth pierce through his skin and crush his body.
âAaagh!â
The monster letâs out a powerful laughter, that dissipates the rain and shakes the sky. Their breath strike Amour, causing further pain along his wounds. Finally, the beastâs voice resonates, causing shivers to the boy still trapped in their mouth.
âHu! Hu! Finally, I understand it⦠Perfect imperfection. You fly with wings that do not belong to you. Pfe-! Unappetizing bitter-sweetness. Those who have proved it do not wish to taste it more than once. Best to fall and be forgotten at the bottom of the sky.â
The Leviathan releases their jaws from Amor, and let go, condemning the boy to fall endlessly, to the bottom of the sky.