I blinked, confusion clouding my face. "Huh?"
Out of nowhere, my oldest brother emerged from the conducting room, his sharp eyes scanning the scene, pupils relaxed into perfect ovals. He looked me over, his gaze steady as he walked closer with deliberate, heavy steps, his boots making a clear, loud sound on the floor.
"Oh, you already packed, lil' guy? So excited, huh?" He chuckled in a teasing, relaxed tone. "Yeah, I guess being suspended earlier gave you a bit of a break, huh?"
"Huh? What? What?" I stammered, my confusion only deepening. My eyes flicked back and forth between my mother and oldest brother, my pupils shifting and dilating in response to the overwhelming stream of new information.
Suddenly, he opened the door, his calm demeanor unchanged. As usual, he adjusted the pressure and other settings with his Soulnergy, ensuring everything stayed in perfect control.
Hold on—I have a bad feeling about this.
"Urmmmm— Mom…? Bro…?"
My oldest brother walked back to me, his expression confident and pleased. He tapped my shoulder and head, the gesture meant to reassure me, but the smile on his face only made me feel more uneasy.
"I'm proud of you, my lil bro."
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?—"
Puing—Huh? HUH?! I was thrown out of the freaking room, and now I was literally falling through the free sky. LITERALLY, HELP—
"WARGHHHHH!" I screamed, my face frozen in shock and panic. My pupils constricted and narrowed to tiny slits, every muscle in my face tightening in pure terror. I couldn't believe this was happening.
"Have fun, girl! Ahahaha!" My second brother yelled from above, his voice carrying over the wind as I fell further away from them, the terrifying sound of rushing wind filling my ears.
"YOUR GUYS!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN HAVE FUN?! Do I… lu… lai…"
The words faded midair for them.
The two brothers stood at the edge of the door, casually peering over as their little sister—or brother— disappeared into the distant sky.
Her— or his voice became fainter and fainter, swallowed by the wind and height, until it was barely more than a whisper.
They blinked slowly, their eyes calmly following the trajectory below. Their pupils were rounded, relaxed… unbothered.
Then, as if on cue, their pupils subtly shifted back to a relaxed oval.
One of them turned to the other, expression as casual as ever.
"Yep, nahh. He's aight."
"WAAARGHHHHH!!"
My panic filled out the sky, my voice echoing through the air.
I could see birds beside me—
"BIRD! MISS BIRD, HELP!"
One of the birds turned its head mid-flight, clearly surprised.
It blinked once… then widened its eyes.
With a flap of its majestic, wide, muscular wings, it bolted away with a human-like expression of shock and disbelief.
"WAIT—NOOO!"
As I continued to descend, I passed by more birds, insects, mosquitoes—
All of them stared at me for a split second before darting away like people avoiding responsibility after crashing on someone else with their ride.
"URGH—COME ON!! THINK—THINK!!"
I gritted my teeth, my face scrunched up in panic.
"I GOT THIS! I'M A SMART KID!"
"IQ! KNOWLEDGE! BRAIN FUNCTION—PLEASE!!"
I squeezed every last bit of thought I could summon, digging deep, searching for any kind of miracle, any kind of logic or method to survive this unsurvivable situation—
And suddenly—
A spark of an idea!
A SOLUTION!—
I tried moving my arms and body, desperate to do anything that would stop my descent.
"Flap arms! Arrgh!" I flapped my arms frantically, trying to mimic a bird.
"WAIT, IDIOT—HUMANS CANNOT FLY!" I screamed at myself, the panic and confusion overwhelming me.
"WHAT DO I DO? WHAT DO I DO? WHAT DO I DO?!" I repeated, each word more frantic than the last as I plummeted closer and closer to the ocean's surface.
From far below, people on the shore looked up in awe at the sight of the Dragorn, their attention quickly turning to the small, shiny object that was slowly descending through the sky.
"Mom, look! The flying monster poop!" A young girl with pointy ears, resembling an Elf, exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the sky.
"Wow, I never knew their poop emits light!" Her mother responded, just as surprised, her voice carrying a tone of amusement.
Clearly, they didn't know about the Dark Human's Visitation.
"WAAARGGGGGGHHH! HOLD ON, DON'T PANIC, GIRL— I MEANT BOY, THINK SOMETHING, THINK SOMETHING!" I screamed at myself, the fear making my heart race as the sea approached rapidly. My pupils were now pinpricks, dilating and constricting as every instinct told me I was about to meet my end.
The people on the shore, who had no idea what was happening, were now focusing intently on the sky. One of the mother casted a magic spell to record using her Soulnergy and a special tool
"Uwooo, looks like poop generates sounds as it falls! Gotta take a video!" She said, a weird mix of fascination and amusement in her voice.
Some of the others, seemingly unfazed by the gliding event happening nearby, barely glanced up from their relaxing positions, enjoying the spectacle. They adjusted their sunglasses, preparing for the next lap of the gliding event as if my falling from the sky was nothing more than a casual side show.
OH NO, NO, I'M GOING TO PASS OUT IF I HIT THE CONCRETE SEA!
For a split second, a flash of memory came rushing back, almost as if it was trying to save me from the endless spiral of panic.
"Don't forget to push the button!"
The BUTTON?? WHERE? WHERE?! UGH!
I frantically fumbled for the button, my hands shaking from the adrenaline and panic. I was gasping for breath, my body trembling as I finally gripped the button and—
Click.
I pressed it with all the force I could muster, but then—nothing.
The button disappeared, just… vanished. What the hell? My heart sank.
"MOM, DO YOU GUYS WANNA GET RID OF THIS LONELY AH THAT BAD?! AT LEAST MAKE ME GO IN GLORY OR HONOR, NOT IN A CONDITION LIKE I'M THE DRAGORN'S SHIT!"
The words escaped my lips in a rush of panic and despair, my face contorted with frustration. I felt completely abandoned, as if I was being thrown into the worst situation imaginable. My pupils, already wide from terror, now began to constrict, the pressure of the moment building up as I continued to fall, utterly helpless.
But just as I gave up, something unexpected happened. BAM—a mechanical tool appeared on my back, attaching itself to my body with smooth precision. I gasped in shock as it slowly began transforming, almost like I was becoming a cyborg. The metal contraption expanded on my back.
"A WING?! WAIT, DOES THAT MEAN?!" My heart skipped a beat as the real possibility of surviving this crash hit me. Just as I was dangerously close to the water's surface—
The wing burst out in a rapid mechanical way with some aura of soulnergy. It flapped once and adjusted my position, halting my fall as if the wing had a life of its own, pushing me up at an angle, saving me from certain doom.
Instead of crashing into the water, the water beneath me split apart with the force of the winds, creating intense waves and massive splashes in all directions. It felt like the sea itself was being torn apart by the sheer velocity of my descent.
I flew out of the splash like a bird shooting out of a storm cloud, my body suddenly weightless, my heart racing. The shockwave from my sudden movement hit the water so hard that it generated even more smaller waves, spreading across the surface.
"ARGH!" I couldn't help but cry out in surprise, both terrified and exhilarated all at once.
For a brief moment, I spun rapidly in the air, a whirlwind of disorientation, my stomach doing flips before the full mechanism of the wing locked into place, stabilizing me.
Then, everything clicked.
I was no longer falling. I was flying. Fast. Elegant. A blur of motion across the water, gliding smoothly just above the surface. As I soared, the water beneath me created a trail of splashes that seemed to follow my every move, adding to the chaos of the air. I felt an odd combination of lightness and power, like I was one with the wind.
I could hear the gasps and murmurs from the crowd on the beach as they watched, stunned and confused by my sudden transformation. They didn't know what had just happened, but they were captivated.
I dove, I flew, I glided—slicing through the water's surface with ease, weaving through the waves as if I had been doing this all my life.
Then, with a rush of adrenaline that surged through my veins, I charged—literally rocketing across the water like a professional glider, just above the surface, skimming between the waves.
It was horrible and fantastic at the same time. My heart pounded in my chest, my body humming with a combination of fear and excitement.
"WUUU WAHAAA!" I screamed, the words escaping from me like a mix of panic and pure joy.
The adrenaline coursing through my body made me feel light, strong, and powerful. It was like I could do anything. My body, once frozen in terror, now felt unstoppable.
The crowd on the beach erupted into applause, clapping their hands in amazement as they watched this slim, toned figure in modest dress—me, I realized—glide effortlessly across the ocean. They were completely mesmerized, thinking I was just another contestant in some grand, professional event.
My trajectory shifted, slowly rising as I flew higher to avoid the people below. The crowd's cheers and laughter filled the air, the joy of the spectacle fueling my ascent. They didn't know who I was, but they were certainly impressed.
"Wrrshhhhhhh…" The sound of the water rippling beneath me became louder as I got closer to the beach. My wings kept me soaring, my body tilting slightly to navigate the currents in the air.
I could see the people, their faces full of joy, their eyes wide with wonder as they cheered me on.
Kids waved their hands at me, their tiny figures barely visible from below. Still riding the adrenaline rush and overwhelmed with unexpected joy, I waved back at them with a big smile plastered across my face.
The crowd's cheers grew louder as I came closer and closer, flying through the air like a jet plane. Their voices echoed across the water, making me feel like I was in the spotlight.
"GO GO!"
"COOL HELL YEAH!"
"MOM, THAT AIN'T POOP! IT'S A SUPER SISTER!"
Some of the people cheered for me, and despite the wind filling my ears, I could hear their words, their excitement. Their enthusiasm made my nerves settle—no longer was I worried about falling or failing. Even though the gliding was automatic, likely controlled by some form of advanced technology and enhanced by Soulnergy (magic), their cheers made everything feel real, like I was truly part of this wild adventure.
Wuuushhhh—
The roar of the wind slammed into the audience as I flew past them, rising higher into the air. The heavy gusts tousled their hair, and the sand whipped around them, but it only made them cheer louder, their energy feeding off my wild flight.
"YOOO, SHE FLEW PAST US!"
"PFFFTTT"—someone let out a whistle.
I couldn't help it. I turned my head back to glance at them, my heart swelling with joy. WOW, this is one of the most fun, exhilarating experiences I've ever had in my life!
As I glided gracefully, I flew towards the distant forest, passing small villages along the way.
The villagers' expressions were a mix of awe and disbelief. They had never seen anything like this before. They never thought that a professional glider would be flying this way, let alone a tall, slim, and tone looking girl—lady on a dress.
"Sister!!"
The kids screamed in pure admiration, waving their arms with big, gleaming eyes.
"Oh HALLO kids!"
I waved back, genuinely smiling, eyes closed for a moment—relaxed, joyful, the wind brushing my face.
The kids were mesmerized—locked on the figure gliding with elegance, dress fluttering, waving hair flowing—
Until suddenly,
"BEWARE TREE! BEWARE TREE!!"
Huh? Whoa…What? OH SHI—
My eyes snapped open, and in that split second, my pupils shrank into sharp slits, then erratically twitched between dilated and constricted in pure, wild panic.
My brows raised and the muscles on my face froze like a deer in headlights.
"MANEUVER! MANEUVER!! Heimlich maneuver?! NO, DUMMY! THAT'S FOR CHOKING!!"
I screamed internally as a massive ancient tree came into full view ahead—its bark thick, twisted, and completely uncaring about my existence.
I could see every leaf, every branch, every ring on its cursed trunk—
and I was heading straight for it.
"DUDE—AREN'T YOU AUTOMATIC?! THERE'S A TREE!! DO SOMETHING!!"
But none— nothing. The equipment stayed as it is.
If this keeps up—
I'm not gonna be a Dark Human anymore—
I'LL BE A TREE-HYBRID OH GOD—