An iridescent glow cascaded through the bedroom window, awakening him.
He’d seen the glow before in his dreams, but his mind had buried it deep within his subconscious. The reality this was not a dream scared him, even more than the memories.
The glow compelled him to go outside. Outside clad only in his t-shirt and boxers, he was oblivious to the cold despite his icy breath. The glow emanated from somewhere near the horizon and spread through the sky, creating the sacred bird’s image. His eyes never leaving the light source, he started walking across the snowy ground.
He stopped when reaching the source of the glow, only to find he was not alone. A dozen villagers stood near him.
A voice reverberated through the air from all directions. “You are here because your ancestors promised you to us.”
Glancing at the others, he recognized the same fear that he felt on their faces.
Someone spoke. “What gives you the right to drag us out of our beds in the middle of the night?”
Murmurs of agreement echoed through the gathered.
“This,” was the immediate answer.
A human-like figure materialized from the green haze carrying a ball of light in his hands. As the figure reached them, the ball of light became filled with images. The villagers peered into the ball, amazed. Images of their ancestors stood before the same figure they stood before now.
They could hear their elders speak to the figure. “If you help us win this war, we’ll do anything you ask.”
“My only request is that at any point in time in the future, I would like to have your children or relatives return with me to my homeworld to teach their history to our dying world. And perhaps save my people.” The glowing figure spoke again.
“I am here to collect your elder’s promise to return with me to my world to save it.” The majestic bird swooped toward the ground from the sky, collected the villagers, and vanished in a blinding flash.
He’d seen the glow before in his dreams, but his mind had buried it deep within his subconscious. The reality this was not a dream scared him, even more than the memories.
The glow compelled him to go outside. Outside clad only in his t-shirt and boxers, he was oblivious to the cold despite his icy breath. The glow emanated from somewhere near the horizon and spread through the sky, creating the sacred bird’s image. His eyes never leaving the light source, he started walking across the snowy ground.
He stopped when reaching the source of the glow, only to find he was not alone. A dozen villagers stood near him.
A voice reverberated through the air from all directions. “You are here because your ancestors promised you to us.”
Glancing at the others, he recognized the same fear that he felt on their faces.
Someone spoke. “What gives you the right to drag us out of our beds in the middle of the night?”
Murmurs of agreement echoed through the gathered.
“This,” was the immediate answer.
A human-like figure materialized from the green haze carrying a ball of light in his hands. As the figure reached them, the ball of light became filled with images. The villagers peered into the ball, amazed. Images of their ancestors stood before the same figure they stood before now.
They could hear their elders speak to the figure. “If you help us win this war, we’ll do anything you ask.”
“My only request is that at any point in time in the future, I would like to have your children or relatives return with me to my homeworld to teach their history to our dying world. And perhaps save my people.” The glowing figure spoke again.
“I am here to collect your elder’s promise to return with me to my world to save it.” The majestic bird swooped toward the ground from the sky, collected the villagers, and vanished in a blinding flash.
