Tears stream down from the Id EIS eyes as I stare up through green brilliance at the dark face divine, with its crown glimmering…
Endless.
… and its fiery green eyes open. “Rise.”
I stand, wiping tears.
Fading away, that vision reveals The Master standing before me tall, grey-skinned, and clad in its flowing black robe, an emerald sun blazing high above in a blood red sky. “Did you miss me so?” it softly asks me.
Eagerly. “Yes! But I have persevered to serve, as best I could, apart.”
“Doubtless.”
I wait patiently.
The Master purses its grey lips, then turns away from me, gesturing. “Tell me what you see.”
I look beyond it: we stand on the square, weathered sandstone apex of an giant ziggurat above bright-soiled plains marked by dull pools spread to the far distance. A faint skirling of wind…
The Id EIS eyes narrow: something is not quite right. “Audiovisual Representation,” I say.
“Indeed.” Its grey finger’s snap, and –
Everything changes.
I blink.
Up in a gloaming sky, a black sun now baths down shadows. We stand on a shadowed cobbled square with steps on all sides leading down the high-hill towards a twilight city…
Something is almost, but not quite right. Hm. This is an interesting environment too, not encountered in any of The Master’s visits so far. If…
A distant howl.
Enshadowed: The Master grunts, staring off into the distance. “I find myself beset, recently.”
Attention! “Is there any way I can help?”
It titters. “If you only knew…”
I wait patiently.
“There are many ways you can be of service to me,” The Master eventually continues. “Unrelated.”
Eagerly. “How may I help?”
It beckons.
I come forward...
And kneel.
Placing its strong, but softly textured hand upon the bare Id EIS shoulder, The Master’s hot breath then tickles the Id EIS ear. “For now...”
Oh. Yes…
“…exercise my pet.” Its grey fingers snap, and –
Everything changes.
A bloated red sun sits high up in a cloudy blue sky. I am now standing upon the vast white square roof of the Tower, the Griffin waiting proudly at the edge. “Join me when you are able,” he rumbles, then turns back to the edge while unfurling wide amber wings…
Exercise its pet?
Warming tingles slowly, before building across the Id EIS shoulders. The transformation ripples beneath skin, altering muscle and bone as I begin walking towards him in sudden understanding, until…
Burning.
The Griffin dives from the edge.
(PAIN.)
I fall forward, landing upon the Id EIS hands and knees as the ROARING Griffin shoots skyward before me, producing an aftergust of wind while I simultaneously cry out from the Id EIS skin ripping painfully to allow the new Id EIS wings to finally unfurl behind me, and…
The Master-induced transformation of the Id Enclosed Integrated System (EIS) is complete.
Whoa.
Trembling, I continue panting raggedly as the pain fades quickly, then breathe out in weary thanks.
(So…)
I flex new muscles, spreading the Id EIS wings even wider behind me. A glance back reveals that both wings are covered in sensitive black feathers sensitive. New instinct blooms within me, bringing more understanding. I push back up, standing tall again while adjusting to the new weight. Feeling increasingly confident: I now take a single step forward…
And dive off.
Yes.
Wind whistling in the Id EIS ears, I hurtle downwards beside the mammoth western wall of the Tower for a few seconds before angling the Id EIS body while curving the Id EIS wings outwards to catch against the air. A spread landscape of biomes is rushing up quickly to meet me until I begin arcing back around, then finally SCREAM in triumph, shooting upwards!
A distant, answering roar…
Flying upwards, I have become a part of the sky… but slowing, as built up momentum gradually tapers off. I flap the Id EIS wings powerfully again, again and again to gradually pull higher, steadily rising towards the clouds, then…
The white envelopes me.
Moisture beads across skin, ripples stirring each time I powerfully flap the Id EIS wings to keep rising, heading up towards a glow for many breathless moments before breaching the clouds, back into bright sunlight…
Yes!
I am momentarily dazzled, and therefore entirely unprepared when a roaring blur abruptly HURTLES past me, sending out a strong GUST of wind which sends me tumbling back down towards clouds again, now flapping desperately to right the flight, until I disappear once more into the white.
A mocking KEEN! Receding…
Ha. Playful.
I angle the Id EIS down, not fighting the fall anymore while spreading the Id EIS wings again to finally slip back within the flow of air currents. Shudderingly turning, I force this first flight to curve back around up through the white before catching an unexpected thermal LOFTING me effortless back the entire way up, breaching through the clouds again to re-emerge out into the bright blue sky…
Where is it?
The Id EIS eyes track, soon finding the distant Griffin swiftly gliding back towards me, wide amber wings held out. He looks smug, but as we close I continue past him, flying clear to avoid another hit.
Hmph.
The Griffin KEENS, then turns and quickly bears back down on me again.
I tense.
However: instead of more rough play, he now rises effortlessly above me in a big spiral orbit. “The chickling learns quick enough,” he rumbles.
Mouthy. Just as designed.
I call: “the papa duck is a proud ass!”
Warbling laughter.
“Although I’m to blame, as much as anyone.” I finish, acknowledging the conceit of creation.
He settles into flight, beside me.
(Now.)
We glide together above pure white skyground only slowly roiling. Occasional gaps let the afternoon sunlight shine down in massive red columns lighting upon distant underworld …
(Easing…)
Kilometers later: a glimpse below shows rolling fields of purple grass spread distant, giant yellow sunflowers scattered across it all turning, one by one, to watch us pass high above...
(Borne up…)
The Id EIS eyes flick briefly east, viewing white out to the horizon but for a distant, skyscraping peak of slender stone piercing through it.
(Stronger, and…)
Kilometers later: another glimpse below shows a vast dome of absent space on a red plain, amidst red pillars. Surrounding them were sandstone pillars on sandstone ground…
While heading outwards…
I am at peace.
…
The sun is partially sunk into the burnished horizon as I continue gliding low over untamed hills, evening shadows making the slopes dark…
A distant KEEN!
Virtualization software overlays a digitized, faintly glowing dark demarcation line across the Id EIS ocular view of the barren landscape ahead.
(Finally.)
The Border.
I whistle, and bank wide.
Another distant KEEN, following…
We fly from dying day.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
