Sky looked back as Songbird squawked and saw the figure advancing towards Ty. In the two seconds, he had he decided on a very stupid idea. He stepped in front of Ty. The figure tried to stop but crashed right into Sky. Knocking Sky off his feet and pushing him to the floor. The creature looked down before looking up at Ty. Sky grabbed the figure and looked up at Ty as the figure struggled in Sky's grip.
"Run! I'll hold it off!"
Ty looked at Sky, wanting to help, but knowing that the creature wanted him and, probably, wouldn't hurt anyone who wasn't him. Songbird had flown and grabbed Ty's shirt with his claws, trying to pull Ty away from the danger.
"But what about you!?", Ty yelled.
"Don't worry about me! Just run!"
'I'm so sorry Sky', Ty thought as he turned and ran towards the house.
The figure looked up and saw Ty running away. It looked down and dove a transparent hand into Sky's head. It stood up as Sky's grip loosened and jumped from Sky's side, running towards the house.
Ty kept running. His feet thundering and heart thumping as he pushed another door closed behind him. He ran as fast as he could towards the front door. He reached for the handle and gripped it turning it. Finding it locked he turned around and ran back the way he had come. He could hear the creature and slowed his steps trying to make his way as quietly and quickly as he could up the stairs and towards the others bedrooms. Songbird landed on his shoulder and Ty gently grabbed the bird, holding him in his hands like a chick. Songbird nestled into Ty's hands, trying to comfort him.
Ty realised that if he tried to get help his friends could end up like Sky. Something must have happened to Sky for the creature to be roaming, trying to find him now. Ty leaned against the wall and let himself fall down to the ground, his mind going blank. He couldn't do this. He was just a human. He didn't want to die. He promised someone. His mind felt fuzzy, but it all disappeared when he heard the scratch of sharp metal on wood. He could hear the creature walking slowly up the stairs. Ty got up and moved shakily across the hall. He opened a closet door and hid behind an arrangement of hanging coats. Ty stopped breathing as the figure slowly passed his position. He could see it turn and look straight at the closet, but if turned and kept walking towards the end of the hallway. Ty took his chance and opened the door, he ran down the stairs and out to the back garden. He saw Sky laying there unmoving, his heart clenching as it feared the worst. He heard the creature as it closed in on him, screeching like a wounded banshee. He turned to face the creature and stepped back.
The creature advanced on him slowly, going in for the kill. Their movements like a dance of hunter and prey, but now the chase and dance was over and it was time for the prey to die. Ty backed up and his back came into contact with the fence. His breath halted as he stared at the glowing eyes that glittered like jewels. With the fire of a ruby, but the ice of a sapphire. They had a beauty that kept you enthralled in them, and Ty would have gotten closer to see them. That is if it weren't for the owner of those eyes, the deadly beast that sought his death to come. Ty's world was coming crashing down and there was nothing he could do but watch as the creature struck fear into his heart. The creature crouched down, and like a cat with a mouse pounced forwards with an unrivalled speed. Ty dodged at the last minute and circled around to face the creature again. The dance continued and the prey stayed unharmed. Well, mostly. With Ty's escape, there had come a cost; Ty now had a shallow gash where a loose nail had caught his shoulder. His hand came up on instinct to cover the wound. Even with his lack of medical expertise, he could tell it wouldn't be long before it got infected.
Ty looked up as he heard the creature get up, a clicking sound emitting from behind its rows of sharp teeth. It turned, stunned at its prey's escape. It seemed…pleased that Ty had put up some sort of fight. Maybe it liked that, Ty thought as he watched the creature. He felt like crying, so he let out a sob. The creature's head perked up and Ty heard it make a clicking sound again. Ty got an idea and made a clicking sound with his tongue. He almost stumbled back in surprise when the creature's eyes lifted at the ends and it opened its mouth and said, in a husky, broken voice.
"Not meant to be dead?"
Ty opened his mouth and shakily replied with a "No".
"You speak like us, yet you are not of our kin. You are the child of the stars. The child of our king. You are meant to be dead, star child. You were meant to have died a long time ago."
Ty looked at the creature bewildered.
"Then…how come you only appeared now?"
"Your father forbade us to harm you until you came of age. But even then we were sceptical of coming after you. We have waited many years now to come and kill you off."
Ty shuddered at the thought.
"Why do I have to die so early?"
"Because star child. Your life was never yours to begin with. You and all other humans were only ever puppets that the Aether conjured for its amusement. We say when you live, how you live and when you die."
Ty looked at the ground.
"Why don't I have a say in this?"
"Because an angel saved you."
Ty looked up suddenly.
"What? An angel?"
"Yes. That little bird in your arms is no bird at all. Merely a vessel that Songbird, angel of melodies, has taken. Your protector in the Aether, but also on Terra."
Ty thought back to his vision. It all came rushing back like a tidal wave of information. He grabbed his head, almost dropping the bird in his arms.
"I know. But I didn't know until a couple of days ago and until now I hadn't pieced it all together."
The creature sighed and looked to the starry sky above.
"Well, Songbird and other creatures of the Aether have to possess an animal or human forms to be able to live here. I and my race are but a rare few who can come and go from Terra as we see fit."
"Uh, thanks for that information, I guess."
The creature made its clicking sound and let its head drop to look at Ty. Its eyes bright and filled with mirth.
"If you are not ready to die. I may, perhaps, not bring you back to the Aether just yet. We will make a deal. The next time you are close to death both you and Songbird will die and come with me willingly. A fair deal is what I give to you."
Ty thought about it for a minute. The creature pushed a clawed hand toward him. The nails shining like silver knives, glinting with a hint of death. Ty slowly moved his own hand forward and felt the cool, silk-like skin below his fingers. It was as if the creature were made of one singular floating piece of black, opaque silk. He took the hand and shook it firmly. The creature gave a small smile, polite and comforting, in a strange way. The creatures hand pulled away but came back to Ty's hand. Their palms connected and their fingers facing each other. Ty could now see the difference between their hands. His was smaller than the figures, livelier than the figures and had more colour than the figures. The figure straightened and stood. Now they were facing each other, looking at each other like two sides of a mirror. Then the figure's skin began to crumble and crack, gently falling away like leaves in autumn. Bright, pure white shining through from the cracks. When it all had fallen away Ty saw a new creature in front of him. It was tall and pure white. Its human-like face laden with four bright green eyes. The figures shape now was more bony and thin than anything that lives should be. With its two new pairs of arms, it looked more like an angelic being than anything Ty could otherwise think of. Ty took a step back to look at the figures new appearance. The figure smiled and looked up at the heavens. Ty shuddered and looked back at Sky.
"What did you do to Sky?"
"Your friend is just in a dream. He is watching his fears play out in front of his eyes. But do not worry. He will be fine."
"Okay. I'll just have to take your word for it then."
Ty watched as the figure began to fade. Its body went from pure white to transparent, until nothing remained.