Chapter 23: Nocturna's Promise
The ceiling, the walls and nearly every corner in the chalet was filled with hundreds of bats.
Bats from different colonies. There were Silverwings, Greywings, Brownwings, Brightwings and many more. Bats with black faces and small mouse-shaped noses, pale bats with funny looking large ears, bats with long multicolored fur and bats with huge snouts, dappled fur and small sad eyes.
A bunch of them detached themselves from their roosting place and fluttered around us with a warm smile on their faces and I noticed something that they all had in common. They were all banded.
''I can't believe it.'' Marina breathed with excitement, watching the bats.
Then a female with brown fur and red hair landed next to us on the bookshelf.
''Hi, I'm Betty,'' she greeted us friendly, ''What's your name?''
''I'm Marina,'' Marina said and pointing at herself then motioned towards Shade and me, ''and these are Shade and Vanessa. ... Hey, you are a Brightwing.''
Betty nodded, chuckling softly. ''They used to call me Penelope,'' she said.
Marina gasped and walked closer to her. ''Penelope Brightwing? You are from my colony! The elders told us you were dead; that your band was bad luck.''
''Your elders lied Marina, they were ignorant and superstitious.'' we looked up and noticed another bat landing among us. This one was a large adult male with green fur and impressive long ears. ''I'm Scirocco,'' he said smiling, ''Welcome.''
I couldn't help noticing that his greeting was directed mainly at Marina while he gave Shade just a short nod and ignored me completely. Well, this could be because I was kinda hiding behind my friends with my hood covering my face. So he probably didn't see me at all. But still ...
Scirocco walked over to Marina and gently took her by the hand, eyeing her band.
''Hmm, yes ... very nice. And it's new.''
''The humans banded me in the spring,'' Marina said smiling.
''And do you know the importance of it? Do you know it's part of Nocturna's Promise?''
Marina looked over to us, then looked down with a sad sigh.
''What's the matter?'' Betty asked.
''I used to think that,'' she breathed, ''I really thought my band was special, but then we met those giant southern bats.''
''They're cannibals from the jungle!'' Shade interrupted her quickly, ''And they have bands too.''
There was an instant turmoil among the banded bats and everyone chattered with fear about what they just heard.
''Oh, no!''
''Cannibals!''
''How can that be?''
Scirocco, however, didn't seem to be alarmed like the rest. Instead, he looked back at Marina with a calm expression on his face. ''Ah- but did they have bands like these?'' he asked, pointing at his own silver band, shining on his left wrist.
''No, they aren't shiny like ours,'' Marina replied, looking down on her own band.
''Obviously, those bands aren't part of the great plan.'' Scirocco placed his claws together, smiling haughtily.
I exchanged a short look with Shade. Both of us wondering what this guy was talking about. But Marina was immediately hooked.
''Plan? What plan?'' she asked excitedly.
''All in good time, Marina.''
''There is a plan? Tell me. Please,'' Marina begged and I have to admit that I was also interested to know the secrets of the promise of a goddess I barely knew much about. Betty also seemed eager to tell Marina about Nocturna's plan and looked up at Scirocco, who nodded shortly, allowing her to speak.
''The humans banded us as part of Nocturna's Promise to return as to the light. We're going to reclaim the day as humans.''
''Say what?'' I was dumbfounded. ''Humans? Seriously?''
''Hold on a wingbeat. You're gonna turn into humans?'' Shade asked raising an eyebrow in confusion.''
Penelope nodded. ''The transformation has already begun.'' Shade huffed and rolled his eyes in disbelieve.
''Let me prove it to you,'' said Scirocco before swooping down from the bookshelf onto the wooden floor. Around us, the banded bands began chattering with excitement.
''He's gonna do it.''
''The transformation!''
''He's going to transform!''
Scirocco stood before the cold fireplace and ambled back into the darkness while the bats started to chant in chorus.
''Transform ... transform ... transform ...'' Repeating it over and over. It kinda reminded me of some sort of weird cult and their creepy rituals. The banded bats kept singing with excitement and to my shock, I noticed that Marina was now singing too. Her eyes were focusing the fireplace with aspiration, and she made no sign that showed she still perceived that Shade and I were still here as well. She was totally hypnotized by their singing which got louder and louder. Then it suddenly stopped and out of the fireplace came a bat-sized human male with dark skin and abnormally large ears. He was wearing a yellow basketball tricot and yellow shorts while holding a little basketball under his left arm.
I gasped softly not believing my eyes. This can't be. I thought and looked closer. The human on the floor looked up at us with a confident smile on his face. But there was something odd.
I blinked thinking I was seeing things but no. When I looked back at it again, I could clearly see that the tiny human was flickering like a hologram. I hummed and looked suspiciously at all the bats around in the room. There was certainly something fishy going on here. I felt it in my guts.
The human went back into the fireplace again and this time Scirocco flew out, looking like his normal bat-self and flew back to us on the bookshelf.
''That was unbelievable,'' Marina breathed.
''You said it,'' Shade agreed but the sound of his voice told me he meant it differently.
''I always knew the humans had a plan for us.''
''What?'' Shade exclaimed and I also could not believe what she just said.'' He grabbed Marina by the shoulder and pulled her towards him.
''Marina, he echo projected that human.''
''No, it was real,'' Marina insisted, glaring at him, ''It wasn't all blurry like your echo projection.''
''Hey, I'm still learning,'' Shade protested, looking hurt by her words.
''He's right, Marina," I whispered, trying to talk some sense into her. ''The human was not real. It may have looked that way, but it was definitely a fake.''
''How do you know if it was fake or not? You aren't even able to see echoprojections at all. And that you saw the human just proves how real it is.''
''Yeah, but...''
Marina turned back to the leader of the banded bats not wanting to listen to Shade or me anymore.
''Join us,'' Scirocco said, looking at her kindly, ''Wait with us for the coming of the light. It won't be long.''
''Yes, stay!'' came a voice from among the banded bats. And another one: ''Please stay!''
''Yeah, please stay with us!
Soon a chorus went up from all the other bats: ''Stay, stay!''
''Yes, please stay Marina! It already feels like we are friends,'' Betty pleaded and Marina looked at her and all the other banded bats who wished for her to stay with them. A bright smile appeared on Marina's face. Then she looked back at Shade.
''Why don't we stay here?'' she asked him.
I blinked. Staying here? Just like that when we surely have a mission to accomplish? Before Shade could say something I stepped out from behind him and walked up to Marina, ignoring that everyone could see me, right there on the spot.
''Are you out of your roost?'' I snapped at her furiously, ''Have you forgotten that we need to find Shade's colony, to warn them because of the owls and Goth and Throbb? How can you just suggest that we stay here among bats we know nothing about and forget about our mission? How can you be so naive?!'' The more words went out of me the angrier I got. I really couldn't believe that Marina was just thinking of staying here instead of continuing our way to Hibernaculum. Eventually, I stopped and just stared at her with my arms crossed before my chest waiting for a response coming from her. Instead, it was Scirocco who spoke once more.
''Tsk, tsk. You earthbound rodents have no understanding for Nocturna and her great promise to us bats.'' He said, thinking I was a mouse because of my fluffy white coat and crossed his arms before his chest while looking at me condescendingly, as if I was not worthy to learn anything about it at all. ''You just don't have the connection to the humans like we do.''
''Oh, I believe my connection to humans is way closer than yours,'' I replied glaring at him.
Scirocco rolled his eyes with a huff and was about to make another remark when I threw my hood out of my face, revealing my human face to everyone.
''Great Nocturna!'' The surprised look in the green bat's eyes was priceless. He for sure hadn't expected to see a real tiny human. Suddenly there was a turmoil among the other banded bats and I glanced up to see them all staring down at me with their mouths and eyes open wide. I couldn't help but started to feel a bit embarrassed by the attention I got.
''Who is this?'' one of them asked.
''Is this a real human?''
''How could she transform herself so perfectly?''
''Yeah, I thought Scirocco was the only one who could do this by now?''
The banded bats started chattering louder and louder, wondering about what and who I was. I felt so uncomfortable at that moment that I wished nothing more than to disappear right on the spot. Too bad, I couldn't teleport. Instead, I just looked down and stared at my feet.
''Indeed, what a surprise'' Scirocco said, causing me to look back up at him. ''My Lady, may I ask what's your name again?''
''Eh...ehm Vanessa.'' I replied.
''A beautiful name. Excuse my curiosity, but when did you manage to transform yourself completely into a human being?''
''I beg your pardon?''
''Your hands, your face. Everything is most perfectly shaped for a human body instead of a bat. Even your scent smells like the one of a human my lady.'' Scirocco said while gently taking my hand up to his nose, sniffing it softly.
''Eh, yeah ... that's because I actually am a human and not a bat that got transformed into one.'' I explained and carefully pulled my hand away from him again. But the long-eared bat didn't seem to be convinced by what I said.
''I see you've already moved on from your former life as a bat to fully become a part of Nocturna's great plan.''
''What? No!'' I exclaimed, ''I really am a human. I just got shrunk. That's why I'm so small. If I had been transformed into a human, I would be much larger. Also, I don't have a band like you guys have.'' I held up my arm, showing him and the others my left wrist with the healing scars I got from Goth.
''I think I know what happened.'' Scirocco said, grasping my hand once again, eyeing the scars on my wrist, ''Someone must have ripped off your band as you were changing. That's why your transformation isn't complete and you are still the size of a bat.''
''That's it. This guy is nuts,'' I thought and didn't say anything more.
Scirocco smiled, probably thinking he guessed right. Then he offered me to stay here among him and the banded bats as he did earlier with Marina. ''Your knowledge and your experience of being a human for much longer than every one of us is of great importance. Therefore, I hope that you and your friend here will accept our offer and stay with us.''
I gulped and thought about what to say now. There was no way I could bring some sense into his mind and convince him to believe my words. So letting him and the rest of the banded bats believe I was the only bat that already managed to change herself into a complete human more or less, seemed to be the only option for now.
''Come on Vanessa, Shade... Why don't we stay here? It doesn't have to be forever guys.'' Marina said, having a pleading look in her eyes.
I looked away, avoiding her gaze. ''Fine,'' I muttered softly under my breath and turned to Shade. ''Maybe staying here won't be so bad. At least for a few days or something.'' Shade wanted to say something but Scirocco interrupted him quickly.
''I'm sorry but the Silverwing can't stay.''
''Why not?'' I demanded to know, even though I had kind of expected something like this.
''He is not one of the chosen ones,'' Scirocco replied, ''Nocturna would be angry if we let the unworthy stay. She might decide to hold all of us back from the transformation. Without a band, there is no promise.''
''Hey, I don't have a band ... anymore.'' I reminded him.
Scirocco nodded. ''Yes which is why your transformation never got finished. Now think about what could happen to all of us if there was someone among us who never got a band in the first place.
''But my father had a band,'' Shade protested, ''and the elder of ...''
''That doesn't matter,'' Scirocco interrupted him, shaking his head, ''Those who are not banded will never become human. They will die in the dark with all the others who haven't been chosen.'' He turned and looked directly at Shade with a sympathetic look in his eyes. ''I'm sorry but this is the truth.''
Shade looked away, his expression hardened.
''Shade?'' Marina asked worried and put a hand on her friend's shoulder but the Silverwing gently brushed her hand away.
''You stay,'' he mumbled. She shook her head, sadness filling her eyes. Shade smiled softly and turned back to Marina and me. ''You've got to,'' he said,'' You've got to stay. Both of you. Marina, all the time you wished to be part of a colony again after losing your former one because of your band. Here none will send you away because of it. And you Vanessa ...,'' he stopped shortly, letting out a deep sigh, ''You know we never knew exactly why you got so small and why you are able to understand our language. But do you remember what Frieda said about Nocturna's Promise? Maybe it means that you had come here to be with all these banded bats.''
''But ...'' I started but Shade shook his head.
''I'm going to find my colony.''
Marina blinked, trying to hold back her tears as she unhappily scratched the wood beneath her feet.
''It's not that far, right? You are probably almost there.'' She looked at him desperately. ''You will be alright, won't you?''
He nodded vigorously. ''Oh sure, I know the rest of the way. I've got the map. You guys helped me a lot,'' he said then took a look out of the window. Following his gaze, I noticed that the storm outside was over and that it won't be much longer until sunrise. ''I should get going.'' Shade looked back at us and gave us another soft but sad smile.
I felt tears burning in my eyes. I didn't want him to go. He was my best friend. The only one I ever had. I liked Marina too but Shade never judged me because of anything from the day we met. How could I just let him go like this? Then again, maybe he was right and the reason I got shrunk was to be here with the banded bats. But what if not? Would I ever be able to see him again?
Not wanting to lengthen this farewell more than necessary I walked up to Shade and hugged him tightly while Marina did the same.
''I'll miss you guys,'' he whispered, hugging us back.
''We too. Goodbye and good luck. Hopefully, you will find your colony.''
Shade nodded once again, then he carefully went out from our embrace and flew off from the bookshelf and back up into the chimney, without looking back.
''Don't be sad Shade will be fine,'' Betty said, giving us a comforting smile, and I really hoped that she was right.
AN: I'm having a flow :D XD Jokes apart, this chapter is another one I didn't need to change much from the old version. That's why I could upload it so quickly.