The loneliest island

He spit out some water.

He was alive.

He looked at the waters and saw himself for the first time, covered in jet black plumes. Now he had an edge, a way to kill the old woman. He flapped his wings attempting to fly.

He failed.

After some hours of practice, he was finally able to take off. He scanned the land below for food, finding only a few berries. The waterfall was too high for him to fly over, especially now that he was weak and famished. Then he saw a little island not too far away. He didn’t know it then, but it was the loneliest island.

He flew towards it and crash-landed on a tree. There he ate some more fruit before flying again to a mount nearby. He watched closely the forest that stretched before him. He saw large animals moving through the forest, shaking the trees around them. Then he spotted a wild boar.

He descended on it like a hawk and tore it apart with his bare hands. Then he built a campfire with twigs and cooked some boar. While he rested after his meal, he felt the warm sun on his back disappear abruptly. He opened his eyes to find himself face to face with a giant, who said,

Are you man or beast?

The raven rushed to his feet and flew up into the air, where he felt safe enough to continue speaking to the giant,

I am neither and both.

What are you then?

The giant’s childlike innocence confused the raven, who replied,

First I was a man until I became a beast. Then I was a beast until I realized I was really a man. I was a man until my human heart rotted away and fell out my chest. Now I’m something else… I’ve gone beyond what any man has dared before.

The giant smiled, thinking the raven was funny,

Ok raven.

Listen giant, I am on a mission. I’m rallying an army to defeat the ultimate corruption.

The giant really didn’t care,

You know, I think I also used to be a man, but I somehow ended up stranded here. I don’t know what I am or who I was. Will you help me remember? I only want to leave this place, it’s been so long now…

The raven didn’t understand what was the giant’s problem. He looked behind him and saw the path back to the mainland as clear as he saw the giant. He started to think the giant might be brain-damaged. Then again, he himself had just grown wings, so anything was possible. He asked the giant,

Why can’t you just—

Leave the island? Believe me, I’ve tried. I’ve tried to escape, but whenever I walk in one direction I always come back to where I started. Carry me out of this island and I promise to be a part of your army to defeat evil or whatever.

It’s not ‘evil’, it’s the ultimate corruption. I’m not some delusional hero from a tacky legend. Do you promise to help me no matter what I ask you to do?

The giant nodded,

Anything is better than this island.

The raven guided the giant back to the beach near the waterfall. As the giant sunk his feet into the sand, he cried tears of joy. The raven, now recovered, flew to the top of the waterfall; the giant slowly climbed it. They headed for war.