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Noaru lifts another stone off of the ice coated earth. He was preparing to throw the rock, so that it could dance across the water’s surface before sinking into the cold dark depths of the lake. However, a strange noise captures his attention. The spirit’s instincts told him to hide and so he did, concealing his form and appearance: ceasing to materialize to be concealed from sight; invisible. The sources of the noise burst from the treetops in a flock and soared over the lake. There were a few of these birds that decided to roost on the ice coated shore. Noaru was puzzled by the sudden intrusion of hawks, why were these birds flying around this lake so early in the morning?
Noaru watched the birds as they encircled the lake and notices that the salt pillars were steadily being filled with their numbers. A few of the birds on the shore were too busy scavenging off of a dead rabbit corpse to notice Noaru’s presence. Noaru vanishes and seizes the opportunity to be able to have a hawk’s body as his own. The spirit extends ten tendrils of soulmist and grabs a hold of the startled creature’s wings. A frantic squawk resonates through the silent and serene environment, giving it an ominous atmosphere once the animals cry for help stops abruptly.
Noaru noticed an immediate difference within the hawk’s body; it felt similar to a human’s body, except it had wings and feathers, including the
primal feel it held. He watched as the whole flock began to panic, squawk and flap their wings in blind terror. The hawk’s didn’t know what caused a member of their flock to squawk so loudly and grew worried at the fact that he was quiet afterwards. Noaru watched and observed the birds, they amused him. A chime or so passed before Noaru had taken complete control of the hawk’s body, he could sense its nervousness but all he wanted to understand was how to fly with its wings.
The spirit scrutinized the hawks, carefully observing their flying forms and formations. He, in his observation, notices a young hawk preparing itself for flight—running and flapping its wings. Noaru wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass him by and he gives pursuit! The spirit does the same; he runs along the cold ground and flaps his wings. Noaru tries to maintain his balance while flapping but found it difficult to do. However, he doesn’t give up! The spirit picks up the momentum and jumps once he felt that he was moving fast enough for flight.
The rest was exhilarating, he felt so alive—ever more so than he did when he flew in his original form. The flock takes off also. Noaru couldn’t believe that not only was he flying and learning how to with wings but also leading a flock. The sun shined behind him, illuminating the forest below and the great distance beyond his sight. This greatly changed his view of the world and allowed him to see just how small he was…in this vast existence. However, he does not allow his “smallness” to take the best of him; he rode along the winds of time and allowed them to carry him—within the gales of fate.
Noaru would not allow no being who belittles him, or any law to bind him down. He’s withstood the boundaries of which destiny had set forth and persevered over the destruction that overwhelmed the world before. Noaru flies down onto the largest tree overlooking the forest in front of him. He could see the ocean and the sun was still rising over the horizon, casting a gold and orange glow onto the sea. The spirit could only smile in amazement—even though his memories were not completely intact and jumbled beyond comfort. He would not forget or grow tired of the beauty of his home.
Noaru releases his hold on the hawk and descends into the forest below, his day wasn’t quite done. There were many others things to see and explore: possibilities and mysteries to be held. He could now feel and remember what it felt to look forward to something. The sense of adventure and wonder came back to this spirits blackened soul and his hatred of life faded: now that he remembers the importance of life and what it felt like for life to slip through his fingers. Noaru looks again into the rising sun as it smiled on his translucent state, it was the same as before: unchanging and beautiful. The spirit departs into the wilds. In order to embrace the wild nature he held, deep within.
