Page 70 of The Song of Sunrise
The beast straightens to standing. Its feathered chest puffs as its wings spread open, beak sharp enough to break bones. The bird is four times my height.
Not a bird,a roc!
Distantly, the audience hollers and claps, somehow excited at my potential demise. Their laughter only fuels me to succeed.Think, Akemi.
I need to find cover. With no time to doubt my decision, I run toward a patch of tall grass. The roc takes flight with a massive beat of its wings, screeching so loud my eardrums ache.
I pump my legs faster, grateful for all of my training these past few months. I throw myself into the grains of wheatgrass, landing hard. My left shoulder slams into a rock and erupts with pain. I swallow my yelp, not wanting to give away my position and crouch low, grateful for the refuge.
Think, think.
My foot snags on a long stick. Perfect! I break it in half over my knee into a make-shift spear. Staying low, I run as quickly aspossible, switching directions in an effort to lose the beast in the sky. My gut tells me that rocs can see incredibly well.
They wouldn’t let champions die in here, would they?
“Ow!” A jagged rock slices my foot as I fumble into shallow water. The stream!
A slimy fish brushes my calf—
THUMP!
The roc slams into the stream twenty paces away, pecking the water vigorously. It’s… fishing?
I gawk at the giant bird, and that’s when I notice it: fluttering on its ankle is a red ribbon clashing almost comically against the white of its feathers.
There is no way. This cannot be the first task. How in the stars am I going to get that from its ankle?
Another set of slimy scales scratches my leg as my toes sink farther into the murky bottom of the creek. An idea dawns. A wild, silly, and risky idea, but it is all that I have.
I stab the spear into the water, missing the fish by inches. Freezing muck squelches between my toes.
After a few more attempts, I successfully skewer two fish.
“Thank you for your sacrifice and for the sustenance you provide,” I echo the words Row would always say after a long day of fishing.
Taking a deep breath, I step out of the tall grasses, holding the spear of fish in front of me.
THUMP!
Just as I suspected, the roc slams into the ground, yellow eyes trained on the two fish still wiggling on my makeshift spear. The red ribbon flutters around its ankle.
“Um, hello,” I say, trying not to let my voice shake and step forward. “You are one pretty bird.”
The roc snaps its beak at me, but I hold my ground.
“I mean, you are a very formidable creature. Terrifying really.”
The beast puffs out its chest.
“Even the most gruesome of beasts deserve a little snack. I have these fish here for you. See?” I poke the stick forward.
The roc’s head tilts, intelligent eyes full of hunger.
“These fish could be yours soon. I just need to get a little closer.”
Another step toward its giant claw.
“What is your name?”
