Moth & the Wings of Kalmera: Part I

It was a creature unlike any the Skaerguard had captured before. Morphed as it was by the strange magic of the Kalmera Forest, there was still something so eerily familiar about it that had every trigger-happy, sword-swinging monster hunter in that clearing stand up on their toes just a little bit more.

Even beneath the thick, metal cables which pinned the beast to the forest floor, Moth could see the near iridescent scales catching the meager light filtering in between the giant trees. Beautiful, yet Moth - as well as the Skaerguard - were well aware of how the scales on this creature turned every one of their bullets into flattened pancakes upon its skin.

But it was the colored feathers and what lay beneath them that made this particular creature even more of a prize to be coveted, and even more of a threat to be smothered.

Deep blue, indigo, and evergreen feathers popped against the creature’s scaled flesh, covering almost every surface like a second skin. Many Kalmeran hunters would salivate at the sight of such colorful plumage, knowing it would fetch a high price on the market for Nobles to purchase and wear. Yet, beneath those flashy feathers were tiny, deadly metallic spikes that could be thrust out at attackers with a simple flick of a limb. Several of the Skaerguard were still lying on the ground from those attacks, their blood painting the undergrowth red.

Normally, this creature would have already been dead. Something so dangerous needed to be put down to preserve the lives of other Kalmerans, but hesitation was a thick vapor in the air, for beneath those deep-colored feathers and throwing spikes was a contradiction to everything they had been taught.

"Why do you hesitate, Skaerguard?" The creature hissed mockingly, its plump feminine lips pulling apart to reveal perfect, pearly whites.

A face beneath those feathers - a human face - glared out at the Skaerguard.

Moth watched from the back of the clearing as the commander of the Skaerguard, Emlyn, frowned deeply in response to the creature’s question, her sun-tanned left hand hovering wearily over her antique sawn-off shotgun. She stood in front of her subordinates, back straight, her brown leather jacket splattered in silver blood.

The creature pressed again, aiming its cruel words at the woman. "Is it because I wear a face that you have been trained to protect?"

“Silence, monster,” Emlyn commanded, un-holstering her gun and pointing it at the creature’s head. “You and your kind are a threat to the safety of the commonwealth of Kalmera.”

“Then kill me, Commander,” the creature spat. “Otherwise, I will break free of this retched netting and finish you first.”

Emlyn hesitated, a bead of sweat dripping down her left cheekbone.

No one wants to kill it, Moth realized as he looked around at his companions who all wore similar expressions.

After a few tense heartbeats of silence, Emlyn spoke, lowering her gun. “Moth, bring the crossbow.”

Moth snapped out of his thoughts, strolling forward with an easy stride, despite the tension hanging in the air. Resting in his long-fingered grip was a crossbow that had been readied with an arrow that was tipped by the hardest metal known to the commonwealth: everminium. It was the only weapon the Skaerguard had that could penetrate the creature’s flesh.

Bringing up the crossbow to his head, Moth aimed at a soft spot in the creature’s neck.

The creature smiled at the crossbow directed at her. “You don’t want to do that, boy,” she purred, her human face glowing unnaturally in the sunlight.

Moth paused, curiosity seizing him even as the other Skaerguard around him gathered closer, urging him to take the creature’s life and be done with it.

“Why shouldn’t I?” He asked, opening his blue eye and arching one dark eyebrow upwards.

This elicited loud sighs and groans from the other Skaerguard around him. "Too curious for his own good," they said to each other.

“Because once the other creatures of this forest hear about how the commander of the Skaerguard refused to kill me herself, they will know how best to ruin the Skaerguard’s reputation.” The creature's feathers rattled menacingly, its metallic surfaces scraping harshly against each other.

“Don’t let its words fool you,” Emlyn said to Moth, steadying his grip on the crossbow with her left hand. “She is not human; a creature of the forest who would love to kill innocent people, our people.”

“Then kill it yourself, Emlyn!” One of the Skaerguard said, a large, burly man with multiple scars across his dark face. “It is not human, as you say. Silence this weakness and pull the trigger!”

Emlyn frowned, her jaw clenching. Brashly, she ripped the crossbow out of Moth’s hands, positioning it against her shoulder and taking aim.

Silence followed as the Skaerguard waited for their commander to pull the trigger and put the monster with the human face to death. But the silence stretched long, and Emlyn’s finger did not move on the trigger.

Moth, who stood beside her still, could sense the energy of the Skaerguard around him go sour.

So Moth, with a careful step towards his commander, grabbed at the crossbow.

“Are you feeling ill, Emlyn?” He asked, eyeing her shaking hands.

“I’m sorry,” Emlyn said for his ears only, lowering the crossbow for Moth to take. “I can’t shoot her.”

What is wrong with her? Moth thought to himself. Can a human face really shake her that much?

“The other non-humans in this forest will hear of your commander’s weakness, young one,” the creature hissed at Moth. “They will start killing your people for skins to wear, that I am sure of. But, if you let me go, I will make sure your reputation will stay intact.”

“How?” Moth asked.

“Strike a deal with me,” it said, leaning forward in the mesh and fluttering its metal spikes. “Find me a pair of wings. Large, beautiful wings with metallic feathers. Find me such a pair, and bring them to me. Then, I shall ensure that the reputation of the Skaerguard and its commander remains intact among the non-humans of this forest.”

“How can we trust you?” Emlyn asked. “There is no guarantee that once we bring you your wings that you will do as you say.”

The creature’s human face pouted, as if hurt. “You will not trust me? Not even to save the humans who will come under harm because of your hesitation to kill me?”

Emlyn opened her mouth, but Moth beat her to it. “I will do it alone,” he said loudly, looking back at the rest of the Skaerguard as he spoke. “If the creature betrays me, there will still be the rest of the Skaerguard here to stop her schemes.” Moth then looked at Emlyn who gave a slight nod of her head, her jaw tight and her brow sweating profusely.

It is the right thing to do. It is what any Skaerguard would do. Moth said silently to himself, swallowing back his nerves. I will do it for the Skaerguard who raised me. I will do it for Emlyn.

“I will free you and bring you your wings,” Moth said to the creature, strapping the crossbow across his chest.

“Excellent,” the creature hissed, a grin splitting her lips apart.

END OF PART I

This was a piece I wrote back in 2018 for a creative writing course in college. It's remained tucked away in my writing folder for some time, so I thought I'd take it out, shake off the dust, and give it a new life here on Vocal!

"Moth & the Wings of Kalmera" was inspired by a 14th-century Middle English chivalric romance titled “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”. To write this piece I researched common folk motifs of the time period and used a similar format and plot within my story, and I also added a few of my own fantasy elements. (:

I hope you enjoyed PART I! Consider subscribing or offering a pledge or tip so that I can continue to write and make more content like this!

Check out Part II: