Nocturnal Lazarus

CIPHER DUSK

Summary: Noctekho has lived at a bat conservation for as long as she could remember. Raised by a great-grey owl, Atticus, whose connection to the humans is as mysterious as his past, teaches her in the ways of future survival in the wild. However, lessons are cut short when the two are separated during a transportation to the south. Noctekho must now face the challenges of 'survival of the fittest' in a world she has no experience in and goes up against her irrational fear: Chirotophoba. (Follows the TV show)

A/N: I've been meaning to write a Silverwing story, but never got around to it. There was a strange time, months ago, of developing it into a comic...Unsuccessful...And my OC's appearance has been altered so many times for reasons alone but to also avoid similarities with Lilgrimmapple's OC, Melody from Gone Batty I & II. There has been multiple name changes until I eventually got one that is odd and possibly there will be a pronunciation debate for it in the future.

No longer my OC is a silverwing, but a barbastrelle/common noctule hybrid. Which both are European bats, though the common noctule can be found in Asia and North Africa.

The chapter has been updated.

Prologue

There were once two gods. God and Goddess. Brother and Sister. They were equals to each other and lived amongst the other peacefully. The Goddess ruled over the world of the living ushering in the dusk and bringing on the dawn for her beloved bat subjects. Whereas, the God ruled over the world of the dead where all bats go after they die and he would sing his kingdom into being for his echo-projections were so perfect that they could be seen and felt.

One day, the God asked his sister if she would allow his subjects, in the afterlife, to return to the Upper World. The Goddess refused for she feared it would divide the two great kingdoms even corrupting the balance of life and death itself. The God then struck down the Goddess, his sister. Whereupon she died, grew a tree created of fire and life allowing the God's dead subjects to return to the Upper World without his knowledge.

Noctule, warrior of the Goldwing colony, became a speaker for the Goddess by preaching out a message to all bats, "Even though she is dead, her presence among us mortals is still felt. Her gigantic wings is our night sky and the stars amongst them is the Asterwing colony filled with our spirit guides and ancestors. She is the dusk. She is the night sky. She is the deliverer of dawn. She is our Goddess. Our.. Nocturna!" The Goldwing warrior was revered as a legend. To most, Noctule has been forgotten but he is still remembered through simple bat fables.

It has been many seasons, time flew by and so did the passing of the great treaty. My colony resides in a conservatory created by the Humans, where they care for and observe us as if they were gods themselves. We, tame bats, are simply known as outcasts to ferals who deem themselves as true bats for they live and hunt to survive in the wild. Whereas, us, tame bats survive being given food by the Humans.

It doesn't bother us. We simply live on with our lives.

There are a variety of colonies among mine; the Orion, the Nebula, the Whirlpool, the Pleiades, and the Proxima. My colony is the Andromeda Colony. Altogether our growing colonies create an empire: The Cosmos Empire.

Someone once said; yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift.

Indeed today has given a gift.

Dusk is approaching.

The great-grey owl wasted no time to head to his destination. He never liked being late. Even for an important ritual - Noctule's Blessing. Selected few newborn bats are chosen to be given a name by guardian or parent and as dusk arrives, the given name is cried out to Noctule. The ritual is performed by

He flew throughout the vegetation passing by each bat colony's havens and hunting grounds. Higher he went as he neared his destination; an ancient tree resting on the edge of a cliff. It is there were the ritual has always been performed. The tree wasn't alone; a lone Cocowing waited there with a wailing newborn cradled in its wings. And so, the owl flew to where the bat was and landed on high branch next to it.

"Atticus, I thank you for coming." the Cocowing spoke sincerely. "You have no idea what your arrival means to me."

The owl, Atticus, bowed his head. "It is a honour to be apart of Noctule's Blessing." He raised his head and noticed only that the Cocowing was alone with the wailing newborn. There was no else except them. "Elder Rolo, where is the newborn's parent?"

"There is none." Elder Rolo replied gravely.

Atticus stared, alarmed by this. "What? You mean to say they are dead?" Why was the newborn brought here? Even when its parents are dead. Where is the guardian?

All his questions were answered with a reply. "We found her at Nocturna's Well. Alone." At this, Atticus became enraged.

"The parents abandoned her? Disgraceful!" Atticus's feathers puffed up in anger.

Elder Rolo shook his head correcting the enraged owl, "There was no scent of bats on her." Atticus's feathers rested as he calmed down while his head tilted and his confused amber eyes narrowed. "Humans."

Atticus's eyes widened in shock as if being an owl with big eyes can't get any wider. ".. Humans? Why leave her?"

"The Humans' motives can never be understood nor interpreted. This child will never be accepted in our colony nor others. For she has no one but herself.. unless."

"Unless?"

"You become her guardian. Please.. let me explain... She has no one, and isn't a Cocowing. Nor is she any other bat we know of, she is.. new." Atticus listened attentively and took note of the newborn's fur. Yes, she is new. "You know how my colony acts with new things; they never got along with the Goldwings since they won a majority of the hunting grounds." Atticus remembered the the Goldwing colony's arrival, five seasons ago. "She won't survive long with us. But with you, she will. You won't be alone caring for her, a female outsider has offered to help nurturing the child." Atticus grumbled as he looked at the still wailing newborn.

"How long has she been crying like that?" He asked gruffly.

"Ever since we took her from where we found her. She fears bats."

"Her.. own kind." Rolo nodded slowly. Atticus sighed gazing at the newborn with pity. Rolo was right. She wouldn't survive long in a colony, even this irrational fear of hers is a problem. A bat fearing another bat is blasphemy. Incomprehensible! And the Humans must've separated her from her parents for so long that their scent faded away and was replaced by the Humans. "The female outsider? Do I know her?"

"Her name is Venus. A feral Cocowing captured by the Humans in the Out World." Rolo briefed the owl. Atticus has heard of the female, she is known for trying to escape to the Out World and spreading tales of banded bats believing in "Nocturna's so called Promise". Even if the newborn cries at the sight of Venus now and again, it would still ensure her survival and once she is a few months old, Venus may no longer be needed. After a few moments passed, Atticus bent his head down to Rolo who still cradled the still wailing newborn in his wings. By Phoenix, where does Rolo get his strength?

"Place the newborn on my head. I accept." Atticus said securing his decision. Rolo gently placed the newborn on the owl's head where she slowly began to quiet down as dusk neared.

"Are you sure?" Rolo asked. "It will not be easy for you both. More so for her."

"I know what it is like, my friend."

"Very well," Rolo raised his withering wings to the sky as Atticus stood with his head held high while the newborn clung to his feathers squeaking. "Noctule! This child needs a name by which to know her," the Cocowing cried out, "that your courage becomes hers. Your wisdom becomes her guide." Gathering as much breath as he can, Atticus prepared himself for what was coming. "And may your passion burn her soul as the dusk burns the sky! Declare her name!"

Atticus screeched long and loud to the dusk-filled sky.

"Noctekho!"