System Break

The trees bent and the wind lifted me as I ran west. Reyas was becoming acquainted with the artisans and the guardians while I searched for the strange bird.

The forest felt like home more than ever, they say distance makes the heart grow fonder and its not just about the person you're banging. Although I admit Gisael looked especially tasty on my return.

I didn't move like Tarzan from the movies, but I did leap, swing, jump and run along the wide branches as well as the forest floor. Unlike him, the forest sung to me. 'Run this way Benzhi' it would say. 'Jump you'll be fine.'

It wasn't actually talking to me, nor singing, but we were in tune.

It took over half a day for me to run to the deep forest in the west. It would have taken me much longer if I were with Reyas, Ailen or even Talila. Only Gisael could travel at this speed.

I played with Reyas' qi tricks from time to time. My qi licked down my stomach and legs rejuvenating my muscles and when I was on a wide path, I attempted a burst of speed. With each leap I pushed off with qi in my legs, lapping my tendons and coiling for the spring.

I had a long way to go, but I felt great even with the tiny amounts of progress I was making.

When I was near the bird's nest, its home, I stopped and listened. The wind lapped the leaves like waves on the beach. Rustling and flapping in tune with the gusts. There was a far-off bird call, but that was no it. Too far and it was wrong. Elred had planted a firm idea in my mind.

I had no idea how it was with him; he was strange and powerful like Mother yet completely different to her. I laughed when I recalled him scolding her. It was a sight I never thought I'd see.

My laughter halted suddenly when I heard it. It was more of a croak than a chirp and it was near. I climbed up and across the largest tree. I listened and could hear it ruffling its feathers, so I rolled over my branch and looked down.

There is was - less than ten yards away. Its nest was a shamble of brown bark and green leaves. It looked like a malformed crow. It had a red growth around its head and beak but was otherwise black. I couldn't quite make out what the growth was, it wasn't a beak, it wasn't feathers. It was like an exoskeleton on its head.

Its feathers were a mess - like it had been in a fight with the mud and the mud won.

I was alone, which was unusual these days, I was usually with someone and my mind wandered. How could this be an artificial world programmed by the technicians. Who had the imagination to make this bird and leave it here to possibly die and never be found.

It had to be real. This place. This unknown qi world. And this strange bird was my proof. I know my logic was stupid but it's all I got.

It was decided. The bird would live if it would let me rescue it. It was like me, a strange thing in a strange world.

I crept as quietly a I could, but its little head turned as it sensed my approach. It flapped its wings and I jumped with my hand out in front of me.

I saw it take off and pulled my hand out of its way. I didn't want to smash it just to grab it. And then I fell to the branches below - bouncing off them like a hard-hit pinball – before I came to a stop a dozen yards below with my stomach bruised over a thick, lower branch.

I moaned and felt sorry for myself for a minute before I jumped up and put my feet on the branch that caught me. The bird was flittering between the trees, it wasn't graceful at all.

I didn't see any food in its nest, and I knew the best way to any animal's heart, myself included, is with food. I reached into my pouch and began putting small seeds and nuts down on my branch and sat down with my legs hanging either side. I leaned back against the trunk and waited.

I folded my arms but was otherwise motionless. It knew I was there, but so was the food.

My brown skin matched the bark of the tree and I looked at my shoulder and arm. My skin had a grain, like the tree and I smiled at the thought of my natural camouflage. Ailen was right my lump's muscles were really coming along.

I waited for the rest of the day and as the sun was setting the bird hopped down onto the branch in front of me. I smiled, like me, he couldn't resist food forever.

As he pecked and ate. I said, "You need to come with me. The forest has plans for you."

He looked around and peered at me with an eye. I was lost in his eye for a moment and then I noticed a small stream of qi come out of his beak as he called. His squawk was like a deranged crow but with it came his qi.

The stream floated and stretched all the way from his beak to my stomach, then to my core. And we connected.

My mind was blown. I could see me with his eyes and him with mine. I looked as odd to him, as he did to me. I was a scary, giant tree man. I chuckled and said, "True. I am. But we can be friends."

I slowly moved my hand along the branch, and he hopped on the back of it. He hopped up my arm and down my chest. He found a vine above my hips which was where I tied my pouch. The pouch with the food and he hopped inside.

"Oh."

A moment later his head popped out.

"Oh, good. Don't eat too much. But it's yours now." I stood slowly and kept an eye on him. My movements didn't bother him because we were still linked. He was sensing everything I could see and hear. And he probably knew when I was about to move and in which direction.

"East, back to the glade," I said. More for my own sanity, he couldn't understand my words, only my thoughts.

My little deformed crow was impressed with my speed. We ran through the trees, climbing, leaping, diving, and swinging. He felt safe. I was his giant protector, a monster in my own right.

I laughed at his perspective. I was just me, I never thought of myself as a giant monster.

"That's right," I said loudly and laughed. "I'm your giant monster. Everything else needs to be afraid."

When I reached the glade, it was dark, and my first stop was Mother. I sat down in front of the willow and she appeared within moments.

I held out my hand and the little bird hopped out of the pouch and onto it. He was afraid of her, but I reassured him that all women were scary so he better get used to it.

She stared at the bird and then at me. She had not said a word. She sat down in front of me and held out her hand. I reached for her and with encouragement he jumped from mine to hers.

She sniffed the air. "You are linked."

I nodded.

She stared at the bird and said, "The forest brought you together?"

"Yes, and Elred."

She sighed. "I wish he would not meddle with you and let you find your own way."

I tilted my head to the side and curled my lip. "I don't care about your politics. I like the bird, he's like me."

"Politics? We think our own thoughts and disagree on some things. This is all."

I laughed. "That's what politics is, disagreements and arguments."

Her laughter was light and melodic. "We do that." Then her eyes met mine. "Benzhi. I do not know about your life before. The place where you come from. What you were. But you are going down a path that few have trodden even amongst my kind. Is this what you want?"

"Mother, I have no idea what I want. I just do whatever feels right when it comes up. There is something wrong with our little friend here, and I had a choice. I choose life, not because I felt sorry for him, but because he is like me. A strange thing in a strange place."

She smiled at me. "That you are. Both of you." She handed him back to me and the bird was happy to hide in my pouch once again.

She stood. "Take him to see Soora, the healer. She will care for him tonight. And come to me tomorrow at dusk. Now you have chosen this path, I will help you."

I stood and grinned at her. "It's a date."

Her wry smile showed she new I was making a joke. Then poof she was gone.

I blinked. That trick never got old.