Chapter Thirty-seven: Lifting Islands

Yup, that's right. Islands in the air. Sounds impossible? It's not. The birds needed a safe habitat since most of them were rare. What better place than an island others can't reach by normal means? I scratched my chin as I figured this would need some kind of power source, but one such animal was perfect for those needs.

She came from the plane of energy, and her large body was in the shape of an eagle. She was so powerful, that crackles of lightning surrounded her figure. Instead of feathers, she had light blue crystals that seemed to blend into the sky. It was a great camouflage feature, which it made that much harder to find the damn thing and let her power up the floating islands.

"Elioh!" I yodeled, which was how she communicated with her kind. It was embarrassing, but I didn't mind so much once she responded.

"Budioh!" she yodeled back before she landed on the ground in front of me. She was twice my height, but she lowered her head for a good scratch.

I obliged and took off an energy-draining tick while doing so. Elioh shook her head in relief and yodeled some nonsense until I realized she was trying to speak to me.

Her sharp, crystal beak pecked lightly at my hand and then at the ground. She spread her tail and nestled there for a moment. Her intelligent ocher eyes stared at me until I kneeled beside her.

"You'll need a safe place for those eggs," I muttered. "It doesn't feel like you're the only one left, though." I sighed as I gazed at the northern stretch of forest. "Sometimes I feel like I'm not alone, too. Maybe it's our stubbornness." I chuckled as I scratched her chin.

"Jopp does have a soft spot!" Tark blurted as he appeared beside me.

Elioh squawked at him until he kneeled as well.

"Jeez. She's a regal one, isn't she?" Tark muttered as he scratched his head.

"Yodel her name Elioh, and she'll decide whether to trust you or not," I notified.

"Elio gi yo gi yo gi!" he uttered.

I slapped my forehead. "That's not her name! She'll get mad at you and shock your lights out! Her name is Elioh. Elioh Elioh Elioh hoo hoo!"

"Budioh Budioh Budioh hoo hoo!" she sang back.

"That's so cool!" Tark beamed. "Okay. Let me try." He cleared his throat. "Elioh yodee yo, Elioh yodee yo, Elioh hoo hoo!"

She squawked at him again, but it wasn't as loud or angry. She bashed her lashes at him, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Was that okay?" Tark asked, sounding unsure.

"She might follow you home, Tark," I snickered. "You have to tell her your name, now. Make it easy for her and take off the 't' and 'k' sounds."

"Ardioh yodee yo, Ardioh yodee yo, Ardioh hoo hoo!" Tark yodeled.

I burst out laughing when Elioh slapped him with a crystal wing.

"Ow! What did I do?!" Tark blurted.

"That means you need to practice," I nodded. "Elioh, are you ready to help?"

Elioh tilted her head, but I had a feeling she knew what was happening.

"Give me your best shot!" I demanded as I held the round island floater device in my hands. The different planes had technology that fell right into our laps with the summoned creatures. It made me wonder if there was a weapon out there that could ensure our victory against King Ozzim.

The beam of light from Elioh lasted less than a minute, but it filled the device with enough energy for two years. I sighed with relief that it was a success. I placed the device under the cluster of vines that I made, and they twisted before separating, wrapping themselves around each of the three islands that had rocks and earth for plants. A circular waterway floated through and around them. Tark stared in awe as the floating islands revolved around each other. The main island, which was the biggest, stayed in place.

"Jopp, this is amazing!" Tark beamed. "Let's make more!"

"There are other creatures that need a home," I reminded. "These islands are for the birds."

Tark nodded in agreement.

Elioh screeched before she took to the air and flew high enough to reach the clouds. She swooped towards me, the device reflecting her determined eyes. I wasn't sure what she was doing, but I held on to the device and set up my barrier.

A loud roar pierced the air, and I noticed Tark had a summoned creature from the plane of energy. Its feline body was just as tall as Elioh, and it was covered in violet crystals. The sight of it made Elioh turn around and perch on top of the main floating island.

Tark rubbed the creature's short snout, and it purred with content.

"That's your newest addition?" I asked as I encased the device in a clump of dirt and rocks with my vines. I let it float underneath the main island, wondering if it would be safe.

"She was starving when I found her," Tark admitted. "She uses sunlight to recharge, and her world didn't have a sun."

It made me wonder what could've happened to the plane of energy. A feeling in my gut made me think King Ozzim had something to do with it. I gulped as I thought he must have found a way to cross planes.

The planes we had discovered so far were of energy, light, shadow, clouds, ocean, and a strange one we decided to call Efference. It seemed to consist of illusions, making things appear that weren't really there. Tark was shaken by it, and my vines had delved into the portal and pulled him out. Its recognizable shimmer of red and green light around the portal warned us of its presence, and we shut down the summons afterwards.

I glanced at Tark, who was happily petting the feline creature. I released the birds in a portal near the islands, and they chirped and squawked as they filled the sky and claimed their homes.

"Don't fight," I told them. "There's enough room for everyone."

They seemed to understand me as they flew close to us. Many landed on my head and shoulders, prompting a laugh from Tark until he was covered in birds as well.

"Don't poo on me," I grumbled, and they seemed to oblige as they flew back to the islands.

"You're becoming more like a forest nymph every day," Tark remarked. A vine slapped his forehead. "Ow! What was that for?"

"It must've been the wind," I responded with a hidden smirk.