Chapter 5: One Last Night
Arteus carried Abigail in a princess carry, his wings neatly folded behind him so tightly they almost looked like a cape. But because their length was nearly double his height, the tips dragged across the ground, leaving a faint trail behind them. It was uncomfortable, but it was the only way he could deal with it. He had already tried willing them away—tried imagining them turning to dust or fading into light—but nothing worked. So he folded them in tightly, hoping anyone who saw would just think it was some childish, fancy feathered cape.
'I mean, it's not like the first thing they'd assume is a pair of actual wings sprouting from my back, right?' he reasoned to himself as he walked through the dimly lit slums. Houses were tightly packed together on both sides of the dirt road. People glanced at him and the strange feathery "cloth" trailing behind him, then quickly looked away and went about their business.
After a while, he reached the open expanse near the canyon wall—a field where the massive broken smelter loomed in the distance. A flickering campfire came into view, and around it sat Derek and the others. Their expressions were sullen.
'Guess they think we got caught,' Arteus thought. 'Well... they're in for a surprise. And I've got a believable excuse for how we got down, too.'
As he approached, Derek noticed him. Surprise overtook his face, and he stood up.
"Arteus?"
...
"Damn! You're so lucky! A passing Awakened saved your ass?!" Derek laughed heartily, slapping Arteus on the back. "And he even gave you this long-ass cape? That's awesome!"
The gloom around the campfire lifted instantly. They joked and celebrated their loot, the night shifting back into something more familiar. Amid the laughter, Arteus brought up what had caused the whole mess.
"Speaking of which... where's the fucker?" he asked, his voice low, almost a growl.
"Ah, Jackson? Yeah, I beat him to a pulp, kicked him out, and confiscated his spoils. Oh, and since you two lost your loot, his stuff is yours now. Sounds fair, right?" Derek said, trying to calm Arteus down while outlining plans for tomorrow.
...
Just like that, life returned to normal—or at least close to it.
Abigail was grounded. Carter had scolded her for staying out all night, even though she technically had been unconscious since 8 PM and they wouldn't dare say what really happened.
It was late at night, Arteus was back in his small home next door. Carter, his neighbor and guardian, had already gone to sleep. Arteus sat quietly, staring at the $200 in his hand. Apparently, the bag Jackson had stolen was worth nearly $400. He and Abigail split it.
He tucked the bills into his hidden stash and counted the total: $5,000.
That was the money he'd spent nearly his whole life working for. He started at eleven, doing odd jobs and saving every cent.
With a sigh, he tried to lay back on his bed—only to awkwardly feel the bulky wings beneath him.
"Now that I think of it... I awakened, didn't I?" he muttered, gazing at the folded feathers. It had been nine hours since they appeared, and he'd spent most of the night studying them while Derek and the others were distracted.
He discovered something strange: his wings were absurdly strong. Logically, they shouldn't even lift him into the air—and yet they did, even with Abigail in his arms.
A single flap produced the force of a hundred wings. And it wasn't just physical; there was something magical about them. He wasn't sure how it worked, and frankly, he didn't care. It just did.
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Days passed. Arteus kept up his disguise as a kid obsessed with a "cool cape."
It was difficult. Dragging his wings around was uncomfortable. Worse, during the busy daytime streets, people often stepped on them. But due to their strength, a light tug could send someone tumbling.
Eventually, the wings got dirty. And after much internal debate, he and Abigail finally told Carter the truth.
...
"You're telling me... that I'm not going insane? And those are REAL wings on your back?" Even stoic Carter was speechless. Looking at the slighly spread wings behind Arteus. He have unfolded it a little to show that it wasn't actually a cape.
He leaned back in his chair silently, then got up, bent under his bed, and pulled out a bottle of rum he'd been saving for special occasions. He took a long swig, as if trying to swallow down the entire situation.
"Sure... okay... that's totally believable," he muttered, sitting back down and rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Agreed. I definitely did not pass out the first time I saw them," Abigail added, standing beside him.
"So... what should I do now?" Arteus asked, breaking the awkward silence.
Carter sighed. "Well... it's only natural now. You should head to the Academy. Since you're officially an Awakened, they'll take you in for free. I'll ask my friend who may know something about that place tommorow.."
He knew what that meant. It meant Arteus would leave. It meant he probably wouldn't see him again for a long time. But it also meant a better life—a real future.
"See? I told you you're an Awakened!" Abigail beamed, ruffling Arteus' hair.
But Carter noticed. She was trying her hardest not to show how much it hurt.
"F-for real? I'll be one of the Awakened? A student of the Academy?" Arteus' face lit up. He was too caught in the moment to notice the redness forming in Abigail's eyes.
...
The next few days were a blur.
Arteus bathed, carefully washed his wings, and prepared the best clothes he had. He even cut two large holes into his jacket, with Carter's help, to make room for the wings.
But as he got ready, it slowly began to sink in.
He was leaving.
And he didn't know when he'd be back.
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In front of a circular plaze, Arteus, Carter, annd Abigail stood. The plaza seems to be attached into a giant chain on the center in which the chain is attached in the Ceiling in the sky.
"So... huh... this is it, kid. All you need to do is travel west for a few weeks... or maybe fly, if you can, from the western gate of Ambrosias Kingdom. You'll see it from miles away—the floating islands."
"Just get to the grand-looking building under it and talk to the people there. That's all I know. I mean, that's all my friend knew," Carter said.
They stood at the slum's official exit — a large platform elevator used by workers to access the upper layers. Arteus' wings were once again folded tightly behind him, disguised as a long feathered cape.
Abigail stood beside Carter, watching him. They had spent the past few days doing everything they could together, savoring every moment.
"Take care... dummy. Don't let your impatience get you killed... or I'll smack you myself," she said, smiling proudly.
"Make sure to write weekly or I'll hunt you down. Got it?" she added, crossing her arms and trying to look intimidating.
Arteus didn't respond. Instead, he gave them both a tight hug.
"Thank you. For everything," he whispered, holding back tears. "And yes... I'll write to you. I promise I'll take care of myself."
He looked at Abigail. She gave a small smile before pulling him in for one last hug.
"Now go... you're making it awkward," she laughed.
Arteus stepped onto the platform, surrounded by hundreds of others. He turned around, waving at them as the elevator began to rise.
He waved until they were gone from sight.
And when he disappeared, Abigail's waving slowed.
Then she broke into tears.
Carter hugged her, holding her close.
"You did well," he whispered. "You stayed strong so he wouldn't falter. Don't worry... he'll be back one day."
"As a renowned Awakened of the Empire."
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