Gedhyr's Clan

The Wayal Talik

He had heard of it once, back when he was One of unnamed Many. His pack then would tell stories as they roamed the land like nomads, ever restless and hungry. Whispers and hisses made to keep the young Ones from wandering too far, tales meant to entertain and thrill the elders. It especially became louder when they settled down to rest in the outskirts of the Metal-Benders' territory, dangerously close to the arid land of the Gear-Talkers and Thunder-Harnessers.

It had been his sixth settle-down since he hatched, his first in that particular area. He listened as the elders regaled of unforeseen attacks that had taken few from the many, of the gnarled spears of electricity that would strike out of the blue. There would be no cloud in sight, they say. There would be no indication or warning. Just a sudden white hot, blinding blue flash and then death.

Flash Death, they called it. For once struck by Flash Death, the unfortunate One is no longer of the Many. They mocked it in light jest, but feared it immensely.

They, except he.

Ever since his hatching, he would always turn to one direction. He knew it from tracking the Sky Fireball in the day and the Twin Sisters at night. Whether asleep or awake, he would find himself facing a certain horizon, hearing a call only he can understand.

And on his sixth settle-down, he finally knew why.

He had broken away from the Many while they slept, sated by meat and tales that thrill. Nose to that specific direction, he ran and ran for a day and a half. He could feel electricity thrum through his flesh and shock his bones, stronger and stronger as he got closer and closer. He found himself responding to the surge, found himself bursting forward at speeds no one before him had ever reached. He felt like speed itself, like the electricity fueling him.

Like Tal'Ik. Like Flash Death.

But he never did fear it. So why stop now?

Why stop when he felt more than just One of unnamed Many?

When he first stepped into the cracked soil of the arid land, he knew he had answered the call.