“Child, your life will begin anew.” Consciousness swam in and out, slipping between nothing and… something.

“You are a special one indeed, for I have chosen you as my herald.” How was it that the thing could hear without hearing? It could not see nor feel for that matter, just a swimming consciousness.

“This was not my desire. What was created is something that cannot be accepted by this world.”

“Child, when you are ready, come find me. You must prepare yourself, and the world, for The Severance.”

Enix awoke with a start, sitting up. Ingot perked up, its large round eyes staring at the boy.

“Sorry buddy, didn’t mean to wake you.” The boy patted the metallic creature’s head as it softly bumped him back. “Come on. It’s a new day, that means a new place to explore.”

Enix sat up, stretching while examining the valley before him. A lush forest layered the valley in a thick green, the walls surrounding it coated in moss and ivy. A waterfall lined the corner of the valley, expanding into a lake at the bottom. The valley was generally small, but what stood out the most were the stone ruins smack in the center.

“Time to go little guy.” Enix grabbed his stone shortsword, tying it around his waist and began the descent. Ingot followed closely behind, its tiny stubs for legs making it difficult for him to cross the dense undergrowth without leaping over the roots jutting from the ground. As they reached the cliff’s edge, Enix scanned for a way down. He noticed the roots that spread throughout the rock wall, and the narrow pathways that offered a way down.

“Better hurry, Ingot. We have no idea when it’ll come back.” Enix kept his eye on the sky as he took a carefree step over the cliff, stopping as he grasped one of the roots. “Think you can climb down?”

The metal beast eyed him before carefully stepping onto the inclined pathway.

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“Good. Don’t worry, I'll keep an eye out.” Enix began to climb down with his friend at a brisk, but careful pace. They were about halfway down when Enix felt a prickling on the back of his neck.

Then a shadow passed over him.

He whipped his head to the sky, spotting the massive creature circling above them. From it’s distance it looked like a regular bird, but Enix wasn’t fooled.

The Roc had found him.

A massive vulture-like creature, with a plumage of dusty red. It’s wings and tail black, and a bristling black visage around its face. It’s wicked beak curved to a sharp point briskly, and its wicked talons outstretched.

“Ingot, go!” He barked at his metal friend, who leapt from the cliff to cling onto his friend. Enix gritted his teeth at the sudden weight, nearly losing his grip.

He felt the pressure in the air changed, and knew the Roc was coming.

“Hold on!” He yelled as Ingot clambered it into his bag for safety as Enix let go of the roots, dropping as he fell, feeling the air on his head from the beast’s momentum.

How is it that this thing can chase me to the ends of the earth?! Enix wondered as he sparsely grabbed roots to slow his descent, practically falling only to catch himself again.

He got near the tree line before another cry from the Roc sounded. As it circled back for another dive, Enix got an idea.

He waited for the massive bird to draw closer before he leapt upwards with as much strength as he could muster, launching himself just over the outstretched beak until he grabbed a hold of the back of the massive bird’s head. Enix could barely wrap his arms around the thing’s neck, and he nearly lost his hold as the vulture crashed into the rock wall, slapping its wings against it, dazed. Enix felt a tingling in his stomach as it began to fall.

He held onto its neck tightly as it flailed its wings to regain control, the leafage below gaining distance. It was only until he could see the details of the leaves that the Roc finally corrected itself, and in doing so threw Enix off. He scrambled to catch himself on the branches as Ingot’s bag was unceremoniously torn off Enix’s back and the metal thing plummeted to the floor below.

Enix landed roughly, thankfully not as hard had he not scrambled to catch himself. A distant shriek alerted him to the Roc flying away, and he lay there gasping for breath.