Inside the Cave

  After Okays told Kalira what he heard from the bird and how he communicated with it:

  Kalira: (Astonished) "Are you saying this bird can talk?"

  Okays: "Yes, it speaks through blood as I expined to you."

  Kalira: (In disbelief) "I’ve never seen or heard anything like this! Did you ask if it would help you?"

  Okays: "Not yet."

  Kalira: (Sighs) "Then, what are you waiting for?"

  The bird's voice inside Okays' head "Yes, tell me, Okays, what do you want from me? I'd be happy to help."

  Okays: (Seriously) "I want to leave these walls, and I need your help."

  The bird: (Annoyed) "Why do you always come to me for this purpose?"

  Okays: "Because you're the only one who can help me, and I'll give you what you want in return."

  The bird: "Even if it’s half of your life?"

  Okays: (With a serious face) "Yes, if that’s the price of my freedom."

  The bird: (Laughs) "You’re very serious! Do you think I’m a demon that takes human souls?"

  Okays: (Sighs) "I thought you were serious."

  The bird: "Alright, alright. Since you're talking about offering something for my help... how about you become my friend?"

  Okays: (Smiling) "Of course."

  The bird: "My master has been gone for a long time, and I haven't had anyone to talk to. I'm gd to meet you. My name is Torrance."

  Okays: "Nice to meet you, Torrance."

  Kalira: (Looking at him skeptically) "Are you sure you’re okay? You’re talking to a bird, and it’s not talking back."

  Okays: "Do you really not believe me?"

  Kalira: "Of course not. It might get hungry and eat us."

  Okays: (Looks towards Torrance) "Are you going to eat us?"

  Torrance: (Looks at Kalira)

  Torrance's voice inside Okays' head

  : "Ask her to put her hand on my head."

  Okays: "Kalira, come closer and pce your hand on his head."

  Kalira approaches cautiously and pces her hand on the bird's head.

  Voice inside Kalira's mind "Hello, miss, I'm Torrance, nice to meet you."

  Kalira: (In disbelief) "H-H-Hello!"

  Okays: "Do you believe me now?"

  Kalira: (Raising an eyebrow) "Well, I didn’t say I didn’t believe you... but I said it was weird!"

  Torrance: (Laughs) "It's been a long time since I spoke to anyone. It’s quite fun."

  Kalira: "So, will you help us, Torrance?"

  Torrance: "Of course! Okays promised to be my friend."

  Okays: "Shall we set off now?"

  Kalira: (Hesitantly) "Wait! I want to come with you."

  Okays: "You can't. You'll make Tariz worry if you leave without telling anyone. And we don’t know what we might face out there."

  Kalira: "If I wear a mask like yours, they won’t know I’m from the monsters. Let’s tell my grandfather first what happened."

  Okays: (Looking at Torrance) "Wait here. We'll return ter to set off."

  Torrance: "No need for that. I'll come with you."

  Okays: "But you’re big. You can’t accompany us like this."

  Torrance: "I forgot to tell you... I have a smaller form."

  Torrance shrinks into a small bird and speaks in a regur voice.

  Okays: (Astonished) "That's amazing! How did you do that?"

  Kalira: (Sarcastically) "Have you decided to finally be edible?"

  Torrance: (Embarrassed) "What?!"

  Kalira: (Looking away) "I was joking."

  Okays: (Laughs) "You just got scared! So, how did you do that, Torrance?"

  Torrance: "It's a skill I learned from my master. It’s one of the abilities of flying monsters. It lets my body expand or shrink, but I can’t speak normally when I'm in my rge form."

  Okays: "That’s incredible! So this is your real size?"

  Torrance: "Yes. Now I can go with you. Shall we set off?"

  Okays: "You seem very excited."

  Torrance: "It's been a long time since I st went to the city."

  They finally left the dark cave, heading towards Tariz's house in the city.

  Torrance: (Talking along the way) "Okays, are you sure you want to cross these walls?"

  Okays: "Yes. I promised my mother I’d leave here and search for my own life."

  Torrance: "Alright, I’ll accompany you. But let me warn you... there are huge monsters guarding the walls from above."

  Okays: "I know that. I think we’ll have to fight them."

  Torrance: "Don’t underestimate them; they're very strong. If you want to leave peacefully, you should ask the king for permission."

  Okays: "I don’t think he’ll grant me permission. And if they discover I’m a hybrid, they’ll execute me."

  Torrance: "That's bad... we’ll have to find another way out."

  Kalira: "We're here!"

  Kalira opens the door, followed by Okays with Torrance perched on his shoulder. They enter the hall as Kalira goes to prepare some tea and bring her grandfather, Tariz.

  To be continued...