Scene-The Heart Beneath the Feathers
The Traveler landed on the creature's back.
The black bird screamed.
Its wings snapped open.
The force nearly threw him immediately.
He dug his fingers into the thick feathers.
The beast twisted violently.
The Traveler held on.
Then he struck.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
His fists crashed into the creature's back.
The bird shrieked and slammed itself against the mountainside.
The Traveler released one hand.
He sensed the movement.
Pulled himself away from the impact.
Then drove his other fist into the creature again.
The black feathers scattered.
The bird twisted its enormous neck.
Its beak snapped toward him.
The Traveler moved.
He grabbed a section of its neck.
Pulled himself closer.
The creature thrashed.
He struck again.
The impact traveled through its body.
The bird screamed.
Then—
the Traveler stopped.
Something was wrong.
He could sense something beneath the creature's flesh.
Not its bones.
Not its heart.
Something deeper.
A dense presence.
Hidden.
Protected.
He placed his hand against the creature's body.
His expression changed.
"There."
The bird suddenly became still.
For one heartbeat—
everything stopped.
Then the monster reacted.
Violently.
Its entire body surged upward.
The Traveler's grip slipped.
The bird twisted through the air.
Its wing struck him.
BOOM.
The Traveler was thrown from its back.
He flew through the air.
His body struck the ground hard.
He rolled several times before stopping.
The elder sister ran toward him.
"Traveler!"
He pushed himself up.
His burned shoulder trembled.
Blood ran down his face.
He slowly stood.
The bird descended again.
Its enormous wings beat once.
The mountain shook.
The Traveler raised his head.
He couldn't see it.
But he could feel that hidden presence.
Deep inside the creature.
A core.
Something keeping it alive.
The elder sister reached him.
"Are you hurt?"
The Traveler didn't answer.
His attention remained on the bird.
Then he spoke quietly.
"It's not the body."
She looked at him.
"What?"
"The body isn't the real target."
The bird opened its mouth.
Fire began gathering again.
The Traveler lowered his stance.
His fingers curled.
He had found something.
But reaching it—
would be much harder than killing the creature's flesh.
The black bird fired.
The Traveler vanished.