Chapter 10: The wrong tower
For the next few hours, none of us spoke much besides Shade telling us more details of what we were looking for until we reached our destination, the city. To my current size, it seemed like a huge place with an endless grid of light, streaming hypnotically in all directions. The air itself was filled with the sound of cars beeping and honking that you might wonder how someone could sleep by all this noise.
We kept flying close to the buildings to be able to quickly hide in small spaces in the walls in case of an emergency. But for now, everything seemed fine.
Besides, it wasn't like we had to be afraid of anything anyway. The owls got their revenge and according to the law, no bats were to be harmed in the night. So everything was fine.
Yet I would have felt much better if we finally found the Silverwings. Who knows how far ahead they already were or if they even waited for us on the landmark.
Speaking of it, we just passed another corner and there right ahead of us stood a square stone tower. At least hundreds of feet high and decorated with lots of ornaments, carvings and numerous windows. Some bright, some dark.
Near the top was a massive white clock with roman numerals, whose black hands showed it was close to ten pm.
The top part itself was a steep spire with a gabled window on the sides which was blocked by beams of wood.
''Is this it?'' Marina asked as she flew closer alongside me and Shade.
''It must be,'' Shade beamed and swung in towards the top where he landed himself and me on one of the beams next to Marina, who let out a sigh in relief.
''Finally,'' she said but Shade, who looked closely around didn't seem much happy about it like he was before.
''Uhm guys,'' he said unsure, ''I'm not sure this is the same tower on the sound map.''
''Sure it is.''
''Well, it doesn't have a cross. The tower in my map had a cross on top of it.'' We all looked up at the top, seeing that he was right. There was no cross just an ordinary point.
''Well, did you see any other tower in your little sightseeing tour?'' Marina asked sounding quite exhausted.
''Eh, no but I ...''
''Ok,'' she said, interrupting him, ''Then what else could it be?''
I was just about to say something when suddenly there was a huge banging sound coming from the inside of the tower that made me and the two bats flinch. The sound was so loud we had to held our ears in pain and waited for it to turn off.
''Agh my ears.'' I hissed waiting to be able to hear again, feeling glad the vibration didn't shake me off the wood, otherwise I would have probably plunged towards my death.
Marina shook her head then looked back at Shade. ''That proofs it, you said you heard a loud bong.'' But Shade still didn't seem confident about it.
''This isn't it,'' he said, causing Marina to groan in annoyance.
''Then where is it? Honestly Shade, I feel like I'm doing everything.''
''You're doing everything?'' Shade frowned ''It was my sound map. That's just...''
''Stinks,'' I burst out, pinching my nose in disgust. Shade looked at me funny and shook his head.
''That's not what I was going to say.''
''No, really, this place smells. Bad.'' Shade and Marina now started sniffing as well and wrinkled their nose by the scent coming from the inside of the tower.
''Ugh, you are right Vanessa. It smells ... foul.''
Suddenly a pair of wings appeared at the opening and snatched the two bats inside. Before I could even realize what was going on, another wing appeared and pulled me into the tower as well.
Meanwhile, not too far away from the city, the Silverwing colony kept on moving down south above the forest. Thanks to the lighthouse they used to wait out the storm everyone was fine. Well, everyone except Ariel.
Anxiously she kept looking around, hoping to find any signs of life from either her son or Vanessa.
''Any signs of them?'' she asked hopefully looking at Mercury who flew down beside her his own eyes mirroring the worry of her own.
''I'm sorry Ariel, nothing,'' he softly replied, shaking his head, causing her to sigh deeply.
"For your own good you two should forget about those two," Bathsheba spoke up and the two bats turned around to look at the chubby elder flying up to their side. "There's no way that they could've survived that storm.''
"You're wrong, they're still out there," Ariel retorted shaking her head. "I can feel it." She looked up into the starry sky with hope in her eyes.
''A mother's faith. Touching but foolish."
''No, Ariel is right they ...'' Just then Frieda joined their conversation, interrupting Mercury in his words.''
''We must continue on to the cathedral where we can wait for one more night, together,'' she said ignoring Bathsheba frowning at her while Ariel and Mercury gave their leader a generous smile.
''As an elder, you have to think about what's best for the entire colony,'' Bathsheba reminded her.
''We are way ahead of schedule we can afford an extra time in the city,'' Frieda said smiling, earning a thankful smile in return from Ariel.
"Fine," Bathsheba growled. "But if they don't show up by then we move on." And with that, she flew ahead leaving the three bats behind.
Ariel sighed ''Thank you, Frieda,'' she said while Mercury nodded.
''Yes, thank you.''
"I think your faith in Shade and Vanessa is well-placed. But listen," Frieda said, giving them both a warning look, "a word of caution, watch what you say to Bathsheba." Ariel and Mercury both glanced at each other or a second then nodded understanding and continued to fly along with the rest of the Silverwings.
The city wasn't too far now and Mercury still kept looking for both Shade and Vanessa while also keeping an eye on any dangers for the colony. Like Ariel, he too believed that they were both somewhere out there still alive. The piece that ripped off Vanessa's dress was stuck on his thumb claw, giving him hope as well.
And as long as he had this he felt sure the small human was alright and there was nothing to worry about besides ... that what was flying straight towards them.
''Dive! Take cover!'' he called out and without hesitation, every bat quickly dove and hide under the rooftop of a nearby building.
Seconds later a squadron of owls rushed past them towards the old clock tower, led by General Brutus himself noticing none of them.
''What was that about?'' Mercury asked, catching his breath.
''I can't imagine. I thought the score was settled with the owls when they burned down tree heaven,'' Frieda replied, looking worried.''
''I guess they didn't consider that punishment enough,'' Bathsheba said glaring at Ariel right next to her, who slightly glared back.
''Owls in the city are uncommon and those owls were in battle formation. That's never a good sign.''
Frieda let the colony stay hidden a couple more seconds before thinking it was safe enough to continue on. She couldn't help but grow a bad feeling about those owls she just saw.
Inside the tower, everything was dark and awfully smelling, like rotten junk in an unclean garbage can or a toilet not cleaned in weeks.
The stench was so bad I felt sick in my stomach. Any worse and the blueberries I ate would surely come back up again to say hello.
Shade, Marina and I got thrown on the floor by three birds who kept us down with their feet on our back and wings, so we won't escape.
Besides the smell, the room was filled with a curing sound that seemed to come from everywhere, especially above us. Glancing upwards I noticed more birds sitting on wooden beams, crisscrossed over our heads like a giant web.
''Pigeons,'' Marina breathed and thanks to a ray of light that shone from an opening in a corner I could see she was right. Around hundreds of thick grey feathered birds glared down at us with small menacing eyes.
''You've seen them before?'' Shade asked looking up at the pigeons as well
Marina nodded. ''They run the sky in the city. They are everywhere.''
''But ... why weren't they asleep?
She shook her head, ''It's like they were waiting for us.''
''They can't do this,'' he frowned, ''We weren't doing anything. The night is ours.''
''Somehow I don't think they care Shade,'' I said, watching the pigeons glaring at us angrily from above.
''We must have hit a patrol roost or something,'' Marina said, glancing up, ''Lucky us.''
''Captain, here are the renegades that Hegland saw kill our friend.'' spoke one of the pigeons who was holding us down.
The birds on the lowest beam parted respectfully and a large pigeon swooped down to us with his chest thrown out, head held high. A menacing emphasized scar run from his face down to his throat.
''Silence!'' he called out and quickly the crowd grew silent. ''More light!'' A piece of paper was pulled from the opening on the floor and dazzling light, which I assumed to be coming from the giant clock below us, brightened the room a bit more.
The captain studied us with an ice-cold glare. He pulled Shade's hair causing him to cry out and hit Marina on the head with his wing. Then he walked over to me and I could see the surprise sparkling in his eyes for a second.
''What is this? A tiny human?'' he frowned at me incredulously then called out for one of his soldiers. ''Hegland, come forward,'' he ordered, and another pigeon appeared from the shadows.
Walking slowly with his head hung low in order to avoid the gazes of the other pigeons, came a poor-looking thing who seemed to have witness something horrible not too long ago. On one side of his neck was a nasty scratch, that was still bleeding a bit. He took a short look at Shade, Marina and I then shook his head.
''Eh, these aren't the ones. I ... I told you they were huge and there wasn't a small human with them.''
I raised an eyebrow wondering what he was talking about.
"Are you sure, tsk, what I'm saying you are never sure." The captain said rolling his eyes in annoyance.
''Oh, what if the giant bats come back?'' Hegland said quivering with fear. ''Their wings were...''
''Enough!'' the captain snapped, causing the poor bird to lower his head in shame. Then he looked back at us and I couldn't help but gulped in fear the way he was looking at us. Observing us with his deep orange-red eyes before turning his attention to Marina.
''How about it Brightwing,'' the captain said staring down at her, ''You look like the smart one.''
Marina just glared back at him, so he nodded towards the pigeon pinning her down and who then squeezed his toes tighter around her arms, causing her to cry out in pain.
''Hey, Featherhead leave her alone!'' Shade growled earning an angry glare of the captain who was then just about to stomp his feet on his head as one of his other soldiers cleared his throat.
''He has arrived sir,'' he said and out of the shadows came a huge bird, much bigger than the pigeons. By the shape of its head and beak, I quickly figured that it was an owl but not any ordinary owl.
''B-B-Brutus.'' Shade stuttered, recognizing him too and my eyes widen in fear.
The owl general averted his big yellow eyes from the pigeon captain, who gave his salute and turn over to us. ''You,'' he said deprecatingly, focusing on Shade and I. ''Wasn't breaking the law enough for you bat? You and your colony have now graduated to murder?''
''Murder? My colony would never murder.'' Shade exclaimed glaring at him but the owl general wasn't impressed at all.
''So,'' he said, ''you admit it was just you and you two friends here.''
''We didn't do anything,'' Marina called out trying to help.
The pigeon captain spoke up. ''My sentry described them as giant bats, unlike these two.''
''Preposterous, the Silverwings are obviously killing innocent pigeons as retribution for our burning of Tree-Heaven.''
''That's insane. No bat can kill a pigeon.'' Shade said.
''No one bat perhaps,'' Brutus agreed, ''But an ambush by the entire colony ... Besides, I've heard tales of cornered bats and the wiles they employ. A bat scorned will stop at nothing.''
''That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.''
''Yeah,'' I agreed with a frown, causing the owl general to look down on me now as well.
''I've also heard stories about humans using their strange magic that can turn any harmless creatures into furious beasts,'' Brutus said, looking at me, eyes squinted.
''What? That's ridiculous.''
"So? Then how come a human being like you is so small and understands the language of animals?
I had no idea what to answer. I didn't understand the whole thing myself .
''A strange blue pearl magically shrank me,'' I finally confessed. ''But I don't know...''
''Ah!'' the general interrupted me. His white feathered face only centimeters away from mine. ''So you admit that there is magic involved.''
I flinched as far back as I could for fear of being impaled by the sharp beak of the owl. Thereupon, the pigeon that held me tightly reinforced its grip and pressed me firmly to the ground.
"Don't even try to play any magic tricks human!'' Brutus warned me: " It won't help you at all.''
"I can't do magic,'' I tried to explain, but he didn't listen. Instead, he turned his attention back to Shade.''
"Where is your colony Silverwing?''
"I don't know, honestly,'' Shade replied, causing Brutus to glare at him more.
Visibly dissatisfied, the general shook his head and stared back at Marina.
''Why exactly is a Brightwing in league with those puny criminals?'' he questioned, frowning down on Shade and me.
''Answer the general!'' commanded the captain of the pigeons, as Marina didn't reply immediately.
''He is not criminals!'' she growled, glaring at the birds.
I couldn't help but felt disappointed that she apparently only defended Shade but Brutus didn't seem to care about it, anyway. He just huffed and shook his head as if he had expected such an answer coming from her. ''Blech bats. Your ancestors couldn't see who to side with and neither can you. And then you're also hanging out with creatures make me sick.''
I glared at him angrily, wishing to give this overgrown chicken a piece of my mind but stayed silent, knowing it would just make things worse.
''Captain,'' Brutus spoke up. ''post sentries all over the city.''
''It's already been done, General.''
''Fine,'' Brutus said and turned back to us, ''you bats are no longer protected in the night. Any bats seen in the sky, night or day, is sentenced to death.''
''No! You can't do this.'' Shade shouted in fury and I too watched the owl who was about to leave, with horror not believing my ears. The nights closed. That meant no one was safe now. Not them, not the Silverwings, not all the other bat colonies who are just flying towards their winter roosts having nothing to do with this all.
''I'll alert the owls in the northern forest,'' Brutus continued. ''Oh and captain ... torture those three prisoners until they reveal the colony's whereabouts.'' He gave a pleasant smirk before flying out of the clock tower and disappeared into the night.
Back with the Silverwings, the colony had almost reached the cathedral when Frieda noticed something odd at the landmark. Sending out her echo vision she saw three pigeons guardian the place like they were waiting for them
''I don't like this,'' she muttered softly, ''we should skip this landmark and move on to the next one.''
Bathsheba rolled her eyes, hearing this. "Don't be so dramatic Frieda they're just pigeons. So what?"
"First, owls in battle formation now pigeons on guard duty at night. Something is wrong." Frieda replied.
"You are the leader, do carry on but I still disagree." Bathsheba said and took off to inform the others about their leader's decision. With a sigh Frieda glance at Ariel to her left, noticing the worried expression on her face and tried to soothe her.
"Don't worry Ariel, I promise we will stop and wait for Vanessa and Shade later but for now we must fly on." With that Frieda led the colony away from the cathedral. Ariel stood behind for a moment, looking anxiously at the building before following as well.
Unknown to them all, two giant bat-like creatures, the ones the pigeon soldier named Hegland described, were feasting on yet another bird they've just caught as one of them noticed the colony passing by. His companion noticed them too and an evil grin appeared on his face as a malicious idea formed in his mind.
''Prepare the bats and that human for the amputation,'' ordered the captain and soon a bunch of pigeons started sharpening their beaks on the stone walls between the wood beams.
Knowing what they were planning to do I gulped and felt my heart sinking into my stomach with my blood froze with fear.
''What does that mean?'' Shade asked, looking scared as well ''Amputation?''
''You don't want to know that, Shade. Believe me,'' I said, trying my best to stay calm.
''Oh and you know that of course,'' scoffed Marina, causing me to glare at her.
''What's your problem? It's not my fault we ended up in this situation.''
''Maybe but that still ... ''
''Girls, can you please continue this conversation one other time,'' hissed Shade, ''we need to get out of here as fast as possible.''
I looked away knowing he was right. This wasn't the time to quarrel, we needed a plan. A plan to escape. Looking around, I couldn't find anything useful except for the piece of paper next to the hole where the light came out. Remembering the captain calling out for light earlier brought me an idea.
''Shh Shade!'' I whispered to him, ''Pigeons can't see in the dark.'' I nodded towards the hole, and he smiled at me, understanding my plan. Seeing his captor now sharpening his own beak, completely ignoring him, Shade didn't waste a second to squirm out of his grasp.
Ignoring the pain of his wing getting sliced by the pigeon's claw he plunged forward and quickly covered the hole with the paper.
Immediately everything went pitch black, and the pigeons fluttered around in blind panic. Shade hurried back to us and bite my capture into his toe which made him let go of me. He then grabbed my hands with his feet and soared back into the sky after Marina freed herself from her own capture.
''Don't let the prisoners escape!'' one pigeon cried out. But the birds were all confused and scared. They tripped over they own feet and bumped into each other's heads. One bird accidentally gave me and Shade a massive hit with its wings that catapulted us out of the tower. I felt dizzy from the triple somersault but luckily Shade was able to catch himself again.
''We made it,'' he cheered.
''Yeah, but what about Marina?'' Shade looked around and noticed that our Brightwing friend wasn't with us.
''Oh no, she must still be inside the tower,'' he said. Right then we heard Marina calling out Shade's name in fear from the inside of the clock tower.
''We need to save her,'' I said.
''Right.'' Shade nodded and flew back inside the clock tower.
Inside it was still chaos with birds screaming and fluttering around, making it nearly impossible to fly around without getting hit by wing again. Not too far fluttered Marina but her way out was blocked by a pigeon. Without hesitation, Shade flew over to help, and I kicked the bird on its head to knock it away. Together with our Marina, we managed to kick another bird down to one of the lower beams as then a third one appeared and captured her under one of his wings but Shade quickly bite it to make it let go, and we soared back up to the exit. Still trying to avoid pigeons who kept blocking our way.
Suddenly Shade hissed in pain and I looked up in concern seeing him folding his right wing to his body. ''Shade what's wrong? Why are you ... WAAAH CAREFUL!'' I called out, but it was too late. Without looking where he was flying Shade crashed against the hard stone wall, hitting his shoulder and my head before plunging down on a wooden beam below.
I heard Marina gasping in shock and felt dizzy with my head hurting like hell.
''Are you ok?'' she asks, helping Shade back up who just told her to fly before lifting off himself with me dangling under his feet and out of the tower.