Amalia, please don't abandon them, he begged. She heard, but she would not listen, and her lack of concern for their friends frightened Jigano more than any strange doors or infinite darknesses. Once again he found himself given an impossible choice, put into a position that tore him in two as he watched one friend - beloved, the sister of his heart - go one way while others that he cared for had been stolen away against their will to another. Those who had gone into the book could not follow them behind the waterfall. The girl behind the waterfall would not return to help those who had been swallowed by the book.
He could not win. No matter which way he choose, no matter who he went after, he would be leaving someone behind. He would let someone down, betray someone's trust.
With the cry of a heart breaking the raven launched himself from behind the waterfall, arrowing through the spray on agile wings, tear-blind eyes missing the shift from woman to qilin. He knew already, could hear already, the anger of those who loved the baker, but they'd had no choice.
Amalia did.
Raven turned to man, stumbling as he landed beside his pack and slung it over his shoulder. The Portal Book was easy to find; it was the one without rope wrapped around it, and he pulled it out and flipped it open, heedless of the page it turned to.
His heart yearned to be back with Amalia, exploring the unknown, captive to his own curiosity, seeing new wonders and learning new things.
His honor, his duty to those he had lost, called him back to the book and those it had already devoured.
Jigano begs Amalia to turn back a final time, then returns to the shore. He turns back into a human, picks up his pack, and opens the portal book.
He could not win. No matter which way he choose, no matter who he went after, he would be leaving someone behind. He would let someone down, betray someone's trust.
With the cry of a heart breaking the raven launched himself from behind the waterfall, arrowing through the spray on agile wings, tear-blind eyes missing the shift from woman to qilin. He knew already, could hear already, the anger of those who loved the baker, but they'd had no choice.
Amalia did.
Raven turned to man, stumbling as he landed beside his pack and slung it over his shoulder. The Portal Book was easy to find; it was the one without rope wrapped around it, and he pulled it out and flipped it open, heedless of the page it turned to.
His heart yearned to be back with Amalia, exploring the unknown, captive to his own curiosity, seeing new wonders and learning new things.
His honor, his duty to those he had lost, called him back to the book and those it had already devoured.
Jigano begs Amalia to turn back a final time, then returns to the shore. He turns back into a human, picks up his pack, and opens the portal book.
