After a few moments of total chaos, the bird flew into the ravine created by the earthquake. The falling rocks and dust showers didn’t stop as the earth cried for its salvation. The far-off lightning strikes came closer as rain rushed in, hitting the bird with wet and heavy drops—it was a catastrophe.

However, he persevered. He evaded the havoc with all his might to save the unknown girl who didn't even know him.

Nonetheless, his humanity won over as he hoped for the best for the girl.

“I need to help her. I hope she’s fine.”

Although he was now a bird, his desire to help someone still holds and to see a damsel in distress flares up the man in him.

However, as he drew near, the ravine was different from what he had expected. It was deep and dark while rain poured into the hole like a waterfall.

"I need to help her. Fast!"

Uttered the bird as he willed himself to dive into the unknown.

***

Outside the weathered forest, to its western shores, was a lone man holding a massive anchor. His drenched body roughly breathed as he stood in front of the raging waters. His sharp and keen eyes looked through as he waited on an enormous fire slowly getting extinguished by the sea at a distance.

The whole place was littered with bird corpses. From massive eagles to the tiniest swallows, their bodies were displayed and ebbed with the ever-changing waters.

“I was late.”

The man spoke sincerely.

Out of the blue, a glass-like rift opened as a massive barbarian walked with heavy steps.

“No. You’re not, Anchor. We are.”

The barbarian wearing a furry cape with two blades on his back replied to the man standing on the shoreline clad in a usual villager’s outfit.

“Do you believe so, Blades?”

“Yes. Demon Lord Farta had the power of flight, and we mortals can only hope to catch it.”

“But I was close.”

“Close, but not where he needed you.”

The man in a villager’s outfit sighed as he looked beyond the fire into the night sky.

“I’m tired, Blades.”

“Go home, old friend.”

The barbarian responded while a young girl walked out of the portal with a marble staff.

“Come now, Anchor. I’ll open a way for you home,” said she as another portal appeared near the man.

“Thank you, Staff.”

“I’m going in.”

The man replied as he swung a massive anchor to his back and walked into a mirror with a visage of a village surrounded by golden rice fields.

“I hope the next demon lord will be a bit easier.”

Said the barbarian as he looked through the closing rift with a tinge of sadness.

“Everyone dreams of hope, Blades. Come, let’s go back to Napsaki city. I need to rest for a bit.”

The young girl spoke to the massive man while a portal opened before her, and the man walked into it.

“Creating a portal to Satony sure is taxing.”

She sighed as she dived into the glass doorway, following the massive man she called Blades.

***

The bird looked through the crevices of the ravine as he tried to find the girl who fell earlier.

His pitch-black surroundings didn't help him in his search, as minor aftershocks still lingered in the area.

However, he kept searching out of his 'humane' concern or whatnot.

Bumping his head to rocks, getting dirt on his face, and even the usual fall from being overburdened by the downpour didn't hold back his desire to help.

A few moments later, he heard a gasp nearby with the constant coughing of a teenager.

Cough. Cough. Cough.

"She's close."

The bird uttered as he hastened his flight to help the girl.

Then, he saw it. The girl kept the wolf above her head while the debris buried her neck deep.

"How can I help?"

The bird chirped while looking at the situation.

He looked at the girl who was profusely sweating while drenched in the rain as he perched on an exposed root of a nearby tree.

His mind raced to think of a solution but didn't seem to have one.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

The wet pup, saved from being buried underground, wailed to the sky as the water level rose.

The mashed rain, debris, and soil created a mushy land that pulled the girl deep into the quicksand.

A massive lightning flashed behind him.

Then, the bird had an idea as he saw a protruding root near the girl with its trunk falling towards her.

He swooped.

"Here! Grab this!"

The bird chirped as he tried to pull the root to have it extend towards the hands of the girl, but the pup got scared of the flier and barked at him.

Nonetheless, the girl saw the bird and thought the same. She tried her best to grab the root while holding the pup in one hand and stretching the other for a chance at life.

"I'm still sowing."

She loudly said.

As the waters began to rise, she kicked to help her legs loosen from the hold of the earth. However, the mud kept her stuck and pulled her legs stronger.

"I'm still sowing."

She uttered the sentence again as she resolved to move away from death into life—prison into freedom.

Then, she tried to jump, but the mud wouldn't leave her.

"I need to put you somewhere, Hukis."

The girl said as she curved her hand while holding the pup and seemed to throw him away to safety.

Then she threw the puppy.

The pup fell into a wet but hard rock chamber carved on these newly created cliffs.

After that, the girl looked at the bent tree and willed herself to move.

She jumped once. Failed.

Jumped twice. Failed.

Jumped thrice. Failed again.

The more times she jumped, the deeper she went into the mud.

The bird, seeing this torture the girl is going through, chirped hard.

"Loosen one leg first, then step on that one!"

The bird chirped hard as the pup inside the chamber barked.

This torment went on for a few minutes. Suddenly, the girl's hand turned blue, and she then waved to the bird to come.

The mud was already on her mouth as she spit occasionally. She was drowning.

The moment was dire.

"I don't know what's happening, but, woman, you should stop moving!"

The bird chirped with extreme frustration.

However, the girl committed as she continued to wave to the bird—inviting him to come closer.

"This is nonsense, but let's try."

He chirped with surrender as he greatly desired to save the girl.

Nonetheless, the bird flew towards the girl's hand as he felt a warm feeling from the light. Then, out of the blue, a monotonous voice echoed in his mind saying:

'Companionship Contract initiated.'

"What is happening!?"

The bird chirped with confusion.

'Can you now hear me?'

Another childish voice echoed in his mind.

"Who are you?"

The bird replied.

'I'm the drowning girl.'

The voice responded.

'Do you want to help me?'

"Yes. But you need to listen to me."

"Listening."

The bird explained to the girl how she could leave the mud. Then, the girl followed.

Under the sudden catastrophe, the girl and the bird started their friendship.

***

The night was still unpleasant, but the girl, the bird, and the pup were now inside the cavern.

The water was still pouring, but the storm was now subsiding.

"Let me introduce myself. I am Mira Hiwa, your human contractor."

The girl with dirt all over her spoke to the bird, who was now perched on a rock inside the newly-created cavern.

The fire from a small campfire they created revealed their complexions.

The girl had dark brown and wavy hair, a few freckles, and a dimple on her left cheek. She looked like someone from Russia back on Earth.

Her large and round eyes were gorgeous. She also had fair skin.

The sleeping amber pup, on the other hand, had brown fur.

Furthermore, the pup had a black mark that started from both eyes and went low into his mouth. He looked like he was crying with black ink.

"This is Hulkis, although he hasn't gone through a naming ceremony yet."

The girl said as he carried the wolf.

"How about you? Do you prefer a name? Or do you want me to create one for you?"

"Nicco."

"Nicco? That sounds like an Erfastian name! Wow! You're the first companion I know that has already chosen one for yourself."

Mira rambled her thoughts.

"Really?"

"Yes! You see, it's normal for monsters to not choose a name for themselves since they don't particularly need one. However, you're the first one I know that already has a name. I think Uncle would be amazed."

Mira was chatty, which caught Nicco off guard.

'She talks a lot!'

The bird thought. However, Nicco didn't know that the girl heard and understood him since her eyes lit up and turned sad while looking at the bird.

"What do you mean chatty? You don't like me?"

"No. I mean. I didn’t communicate for almost a month, and you talk a lot now. I'm just transitioning."

Nicco explained so as not to offend the girl.

"Okay. So, by the way. I want to say thank you. I almost died out there."

Mira expressed her appreciation of Nicco's actions.

"You’re welcome. By the way, can you also hear two voices in your mind?

"Yes. I can hear you and Hulkis."

"How about a girl's voice?"

"Nope, you and Hulkis sound like young boys, maybe because you two are newborns."

Mira explained and started being chatty again.

However, Nicco was not listening as he pondered and thought about the monotonous voice he heard earlier.

Nonetheless, he cannot do anything because Mira can hear him if he tries to talk inside his head right now. Whether her ability is limited or not, Nicco still doesn’t know about it.

"Mira, is it okay for me to sleep now?"

Nicco said as he kneeled and looked up to see Mira's eyes.

"Yes, you can. You sleep now, and make sure you have at least an 8-hour sleep!"

"Mira, I need longer than that."

Nicco replied, knowing well that he did not sleep for 8 hours. Instead, he was resting for at least 10 hours.

"Okay. I think you do. I'll sleep now, as well."

Mira replied and stopped being chatty.

The bird, the cub, and the girl slept inside the cavern for the night as the sudden storm stopped. The three individuals rested under the canopy of the night sky.

Today was the first time the bird found companions. Although he became Mira’s companion, it was a trade-off he’s happy about.

***

Nonetheless, the bird didn't sleep through the night as he woke up after an hour and mused in his head about the power of Mira and the voice he heard earlier.

'Mira, can you hear me?'

He tested Mira’s ability, but Mira didn't reply.

'Mira, do you hear me?'

He asked again. However, this time, the girl still was silent.

'I think sleep hinders her from hearing me. I think distance can also stop this mental pepping.’

The bird thought as he tried to initiate his investigation. Back on Earth, he loved reading novels as his pastime and knows of some perks of reincarnators who happen to move into different worlds.

So, out of his great curiosity, he initiated.

'Status.'

Suddenly, a blue rectangular interface popped out from thin air, giving details of his current self.

Character Information Name Nameless Species Black Summer Bird (E) Rank Inferior (E) Level 2 Traits

F

Cursed by a Demon Lord (E) Doubles pain sensation felt by this creature Reincarnated (E) Access to the System and memory depending on the level Current Power Level Current Retrievable Memory 2%

'Dang! This is an isekai, after all.'

Nicco smiled as he watched his character interface, becoming more excited about the world ahead.

He also thought about the sudden information he got after saving Mira. The memory of him being betrayed by the brother whom he loved.

“I hope Sebastian won’t have a good time,” he said as he sighed his frustration.

However, far from him was Mira, who woke up because of his murmurs.

'Nicco, you should sleep.'

Mira suddenly said as Nicco looked at the laying girl on the other side of the cavern.

'I'm sorry for waking you up, Mira.'

'That's fine, you should sleep. Talk to you tomorrow.'

The sudden pep talk took Nicco from his wrathful stupor as he focused again on his rectangular interface that Mira didn’t see.

The bird kneeled and then moved his head sideways as he tried to act the part of ‘sleeping.’

His heart was heavily pumping as he tried to control himself.

Nevertheless, the interface not seen by Mira was a good thing.

'Good night, Mira.'

Nicco thought as he tried to confirm that Mira couldn't see the interface that was supposed to be floating in front of the bird's eyes.

'Good night, Nicco.'

The girl’s response was what he needed as he calmed down and tried to contain his excitement for his future ahead.

Today was the fifteenth day of being alive in this exciting world of myth and magic, and he was free.