HER CHOICE

WHAT IS THE POINT OF IMMORTALITY . . .

If you don't even get the chance to be happy?

If you can't enjoy a single ounce of happiness?

If you won't experience the pure bliss of love?

She knows that they're different worlds. She belongs to an exiled clan of species that cannot control how long they will live when she deserves to be flying high in the clouds with her siblings.

He's a mortal, on the top of luxury, he has everything he needs but he still has to survive the few remaining years given to him. He will age and wither until his flesh left his bones.

She knows that he will not live longer than him but for once, she wants to feel it. She wants to feel being loved by someone. Not the usual Iris, but with a mortal. Someone whom will give her ache because there's a due date that he will leave but also someone whom she will cherish in her heart and mind forever. Because his time is limited, time is precious.

She can't wait any longer, knowing that every second is getting closer to death. There are thousands more, millions, billions! Many more humans spreaded out the Earth but she doesn't treat them like playthings. Every breathing creature is special. They each have their own lives, pains, fears and dreams. There's only one Jeong Yo in the world.

Forget about being part of the Kidemónes. She has a whole eternity for that. There are still three left, they can manage it even if one leaves for just a few years.

"They can manage. My brothers will be just fine." She told herself despite knowing that sadness will take over them.

For a whole month, she took her time gaining knowledge about the humans. Her actions were suspected but the elder Aedima who observed her well, thought that she was only becoming more responsible.

Callista flew back and forth from the rocky mountain to the village. Winter will arrive in a few more weeks, the people were busy preparing for the season when pure white cold dusks would fall from the sky. They call it, snow, a soft substance like a mixture of ice and sand but if near fire, it will melt into liquid.

The Iris clan, however, appeals to the season like a threat. It would be harder to find more food even though starvation wouldn't kill them. They still need energy to function like mortals. They would only send less of hunters to fly out atleast twice a month.

Callista saw it as an opportunity. It's her chance to leave the place and explore what it's like to live like mortals.

As one of the Kidemónes, she had the priviledge to read from the library of the elders. The library contained all the knowledge about their existence and their secrets that most of their fellow creatures don't even know.

Some would be inscribbled in stone, others were in cutted wooden trunks until paper was invented. All the characters evolved but she understood all of them.

The greatest ancestor Kyrie, an Irris with fury red wings, who was born a hundted decades ago wrote the Irris' laws. He disappeared when the mortals first attacked and scavenged what was rightfully theirs. No one knows whether he's alive or dead like her parents. According to the old scripture he wrote:

'Give the second heart and a mortal's wish will be granted. Hide the wings and an Irris will be forced to survive.'

Many have been trying to solve it. They couldn't understand what it meant but the elder quoted only someone who entered a forbidden attachment has the capability to understand. A forbidden attachment, said by Kyrie himself.

The Irris creatures, are different in terms of gender like the humans too. It's the same with the genitalias but their hearts. Two beating hearts act like one.

A male Irris can only attach himself to one certain person and that's it. He can only bound himself to someone once and that's it. Which is why it takes longer for the men to make up their mind on who they mate with. Those who bound their hearts to someone who cannot love them back the same way, take their lives as torture.

The females, on the other hand, can attach themselves to three or less. They would have a special place for those people, an irresistable attraction to them. Perhaps Callista was on the beginning of the process of attachment but she knows she's not completely bounded to that afflaunted prince yet.

Which is how she understand what the scripture meant and the elder's saying about a forbidden attachment. Because mortals and immortals are forbidden to attach to each other. It is the absolute law or they would only suffer their entire lives.

She still hasn't figured out the first riddle but from searching more about the Irris, she found a grave secret that could change their ways.

'Hide the wings and an Irris will be forced to survive.'

On one of Laureitum's books that contained about the old tales that the elders used to tell. About an Irris hiding his true form by becoming like humans. Everyone thought it was a dream of the elder, a wish that some of them secretly want.

An Irris must cast a spell during a full moon and stab the second heart. Sure,  their people were once associated with witches. Spells were once used by their kind before but they destroyed that dark culture of theirs in order to reassure that humans shouldn't fear them but instead they ended up defenseless for centuries.

Atleast there was a spell. One spell along with the scripture. Spells are delicate at this time, they keep the remaining hidden but they banned themselves from using it. Humans are weak and cowards, Halcassi says. But they can never do something like that against them who are powerless. It's unfair yet they let those mortals treat them like they weren't living aswell.

The full moon of the month arrived. It was finally winter season, frostbites attacked them when they were outside. The elders were confident sending the Kidemónes to hunt this time before they do a ritual fire dance. The lava kept them all warm but still, the cold outside couldn't be stopped.

The four siblings both had their furs on to keep them warm. Zamilioxan had his from the skins of a grizzly bear that Aedima hunted half a decade ago. Laureitum's were sewn from white foxes. Halcassi was comfortable with anything, his were from tiger skin. Callista however, kept hers simple with a thick layer of knitted cotton. She couldn't carry heavy skins from wild animals, mortals would suspect her origins.

No one knew a clue about Callista's plan. She was going to leave her clan tonight. She will leave her brothers. All because of that prince whom she only met once.

She's not even sure of how she feels for the prince but it's that voice speaking inside her. That keeps telling her to grab the opportunity and learn the real meaning of living.

If the spell doesn't work and it's all just a lie, she won't lose anything. But if it does, she will have to live like a mortal in given time. She will search for that prince and be at his side though she really has no clue about the life of the royals.

Her brothers might hate her for it. Especially Halcassi. They would search the entire forest for her, she knows it. They love her so much, they would do anything for their only sister despite Aedima's teachings that the entire clan is your whole family. Laureitum, Halcassi, Callista and Zamilioxan, it's been the four of them since the start and now she has to be on her own.

She's not doing the wrong thing and not the right thing either. She keeps reprimanding herself.

It's not just because of that prince. I'm doing this for me. For my happiness.

Zamilioxan carried a sewn bag filled with carrots. He plans to leaen about the livelihood of rabbits. Laureitum played jokes about rabbits like coming out in the cold but really, the snow- covered forest is mostly just wolves. Wild wolves that survive the frost. His bag helped Callista make an excuse to bring her own aswell. Secretly, it contained all the stuff that she would need in the future and lied to them about it containing radishes.

Since fishes are no longer available because all the lakes and rivers are frozen which Laureitum is thankful for, they only plan on picking winter fruits and catching wild boars. Halcassi paired Callista with Zamilioxan this time because he knew how much she hated chasing animals and having to lure them with her voice.

Each of them, were all surprised when Callista gave them warm hugs and kisses on their cheeks. She would miss their creative pranks, their laughter, their awful spoilsport, their comforting hugs when she can't fall asleep and their care. They're her brothers after all.

"Goodbye Halcassi, goodbye Laur! Take care and...don't hurt yourself catching boars!" She forced herself to let out a small laugh to not make it obvious. Her eyes were glossy with tears that she prevented from falling.

"Don't worry, we're experts in this activity!" Said Laureitum, proudly covering himself with the white fox fur.

Halcassi patted her untied hair. She usually ties it no matter what, he noticed that today was different. "You two stay safe, I'll see you both later."

Callista could only force the corners of her mouth turn upwards. Halcassi wasn't going to see her again. But he could handle a few years without her. She will return to him when her wishes are fulfilled.

"Did you bring enough radishes?" Her older brother asked as they made footsteps on the snow. "Yes, I did. When will the rabbits show up?"

"Um, anytime now?"  He was unsure because after all it was Laureitum's  joke. They don't know if rabbits do come out during winter season. Where do they even hide their babies?

Suddenly, a faint sound came from a bush. Their eyes focused at the thick plant of thorns and leaves that shook not because of the wind, there was something moving in there. Zamil took two step near and the movement stepped, before he could reach his hand in, a light brown creature hopped from the hiding spot.

It's furry and fluffy like they were told. Its ears are long and its two front teeth are flashing. "It's a rabbit! We found a rabbit Cal!" Zamil pointed.

"Feed it! Feed it, you idiot!" She chuckled, she'll surely think about him when she's gone.

Zamil slowly took out a tiny carrot from his bag. The orange vegetable hasn't reached its full growth. It was about the size of a regular mushroom.

He threw the crunchy carrot at the rabbit who began to chew it with his visible teeth. "It's adorable, can we keep him?" She nodded approvingly but then again, that tiny innocent creature is mortal and she won't be there to watch her brother grow fond of it.

They only stared in delight and continued feeding it. They still haven't closed the distance when a growl erupted. A fierce hungry wolf jumped all of a sudden and took the little thing with its sharp teeth. Its fur is dark like the coat Feliz wore that covered his wings. Blood oozing out from its small body.

Her brother pulled her back while she stared at the growling beast. "Za- Zamil, it's a wolf. A really big wolf." Laureitum was right, the forest was indeed filled with dangerous wolves. Two more trailed from behind the first one and they were clearly bigger in size, a mixture of brown and black.

"I need you to fly to the highest tree. I'm going to lead them away." He said and taking out his daggers from his pockets. They slowly step backwards while the beasts neared, any second they would prance at them.

"On the count of three," he whispered. He was trained for these situations and she knew he can easily kill those wolves. This was her chance.

"One..." Callista took a tight grip on her sewn bag and removed her coat. "Two..." She spreaded out her wings while glaring at the wolves threatening her brother. She took one last look a him, "Three!" And fled to the nearest tree. The third wolf jumped high, trying to reach her but it failed until it had no choice but to follow the other two chasing Zamil.

"Thank you for protecting me again brother, your courage is appreciated." She mumbled. If she only had the courage to tell them what she truly feels. Then she could have persuaded them to join her embark on an adventure of a lifetime.