Chapter 12-Atlas

I was investigating one of the pairs of wings when I heard Nymph scream. I jerked my head in her direction and saw her pair of wings had attached somehow to her body.

This could be bad. "Are you okay?" I asked, jogging over.

"It hurts!" She exclaimed.

Jacob was examining her back.

"What's going on?" I asked him.

"It seems that the wings are fusing to her shoulder blades." He said. "It doesn't seem to be a very pleasant process."

"Shouldn't we stop it?" Nick asked, readying his sword to chop off the wings.

"I don't know." Jacob seemed torn. "I can't decide if we should stop it to ensure her safety or if we should let it be and see if she gets the ability to fly."

The wings that had attached themselves to Nymph's back abruptly changed colours from the green, scaled wings of the wyvern to feathered wings. One wing was a fiery red and the other wing was an ocean blue.

"Why didn't you stop it?" She asked Jacob.

"I couldn't decide if it was good or bad in time." He said helplessly.

"Does anyone have a mirror?" She asked.

Atlas pulled one out of his pouch and handed it to her.

She took one look in the mirror and cast it into the distance.

"Now I'm even more of a freak!" She screamed and broke down crying.

Jacob looked shocked for a moment. "You mean you don't like the fact that you can fly?" He asked incredulously.

She didn't reply.

Jacob looked to us for help.

Nick shrugged and positioned a pair of wings on his back, while I did the same.

Jacob turned back to Nymph. "Why don't we all be freaks like you?" Jacob asked her.

She looked up tearfully and saw me and Nick both positioning the wings on our backs and grimacing with pain.

She looked at him, wiping her tears and nodded.

Jacob positioned his wings on his back and they started fusing to his shoulder blades.

My fusion completed first.

I examined the wings that had fused to my body with interest. My wings were a forest green with some of the feathers being the pale blue of mana.

It was strange to have two extra appendages on my back, but I figured I'd quickly get used to it.

I looked over at Nick, who's wings were as red and burned with actual flame. He was grinning like an idiot and flapping his new wings, testing how they felt and trying to take off.

I did the same, killing time while I waited for Jacob's wings to completely fuse.

Jacob's fully fused wings were white as snow. Jacob didn't really examine his wings because he was more concerned about Nymph's mental state.

When she saw all of us with our wings attached, she relaxed somewhat and hugged Jacob.

"Sorry I yelled." She said, not letting go of him for a while.

Jacob just stood there and returned her hug, rocking her back and forth slightly.

After a while, I actually managed to take off, though not for long. Nymph saw this and finally let go.

"Since we have wings now, why don't we try and use them?" She asked.