Chapter 1
A Demise Behind the Steel Door
"There's only blasted rubble out there, what did you expect?"

Dull and monotonous…

I was staring at the same wall of my room, the exact same wall that had greeted me since I was able to see. The row rumble of humming noise from the generator above me pierced the silence in my room; while still casted no effect on me whatsoever as I'd started to get accustomed with it, and the usual broadcast from the Overseer resonated through my eardrum.

"Good morning citizen of Aviary 31, enjoy the wondrous day with the sun on the atrium, the temperature is humid and as usual, radiation level is zero. Have a nice day and let blessing be casted upon us."

Blessing? Talk about something else rather than that, because in here, blessing was basically a non-existent thing. I lifted my PipLon and checked the timer counter, my eyes shrunk into pinpoints the moment I realized it told me I was late for my work… yeah, work.

Here in Aviary 31, inhabitants were put to work when they got their PipLon and after finished their C.A.T test. Even with my supreme ability in hacking terminals and lockpicking from my youth, my C.A.T test showed me that I was more a protector rather than a scientist… I mean- while I did gain some high numbers in technological science and repairmen, the highest rank of my result told me that I was a guard… in a closed Aviary…

Didn't help the slightest when I begged to the Overseer that my test must be a mistake, I didn't have any abilities nor experiences in fighting, or perhaps merely having a mundane ability to shout out my voice- The reason from my chickhood-filled-with-exile was probably the shape of my personality, I didn't have any friends – aside from the differences of my color plumage and species – they looked at me weirdly, and in some occasion, they also started to taunt me. The Overseer however having a different thought about my condition, she told me that the test had never wrong and I probably should just enjoy my occupational right now. I couldn't pass the barrier to ask her more, when your leader is a Harpy eagle, you better listen.

Here in the Aviary 31, we have so many varieties of birds, or perhaps I should start by explaining the layout of my Aviary first. Aviary 31 basically consisted of long (and I mean LONG) hallways across the entire Aviary, except for the atrium. The atrium is a wide space of green grass and trees, a perfect place for some family or anybird to relieve some stress accumulated. While their colors aren't exactly green like the one I read in my book, at least, the Atrium is the second-most colorful place in the Aviary, after the grove. Oh yeah, the atrium also provided with the artificial sunlight from the massive generator underneath the aviary, where periodical maintenances are required to keep them working.

Atrium also provided some trees complete with hollows for anybirds that wanted to experience "life in the open" – ironically – while the ideas seems fascinating, it actually attract no interest. Mainly- well let's just say there was once a family that decided to take the idea and... Ugh, I still remember their shriek and loud noises when they decided to have some "fun".

So instead, the atrium was mainly used as a place where birds could enjoy a picnic or simply relieving themselves from the confined-space-sourced-stress – I mean, birds… they don't belong to a cage. But then again, the idea that had been planted to your brain since you were chick that there was nothing out there, that the world out there is oblivion restricted any possible idea to escape from the Aviary and see the world out there.

The next section I need to tell you perhaps is the grove and the generator room, but since the generator room isn't exactly opened for public (and for a good reason), I'll spare you the details and heading straight to the grove. The grove is another wide space in the Aviary 31, consisted of food resources for vegetarian birds. They are… well, mangos, star-fruit… and did I say mango? Because we don't have so many varieties of food in here.

The grove also provided with an artificial sunlight, the differences, however, while the atrium "sun's ray" will be turned when no one is around, or simple it was night (I don't even know what night is), the lights in the grove are eternal.

In here we have owls, macaws, eagles, and other birds I don't exactly paid attention of. The rules for the community are simple.

First, obey the Overseer; Second, No hybrids; Third, don't eat other inhabitants; and the last one, the Overseer is always been an eagle.

Yeah I know, they are weird rules, but for almost as long as the Aviary 31 has been operational, those rules allowed us to survive in here.

Now then, let me remember what do I miss? Oh yes, some trivial details about the Aviary. In here, we are monitored 24/7 with the surveillance cameras here and there (We are ensuring your safety!), the Overseer's office is located in the upmost of the atrium, with round glass to see right through them.

And I believe I already bored you with the explanation, so let's get back to the story.

So I was late, and late, especially with my job wasn't something tolerable, so I hastily brushed my messy plumage and fetching my ordinary guard's vest and racing my way into my station, hoping my superior didn't yet notice my absence, albeit the chances had been reduced to merely 10%.

I didn't need some fancy calculation nor did poetic explanation to tell me that a barrage of so-called-advice would soon be hammered into my skull the moment I registered my superior stern glare into my prefrontal cortex, and quickly his beak formed a tighten-stereotypical-frown. "I think I've told you that you didn't have any concession to get late? You know how important our job is now, right?"

Sure, and if what do you mean by "important" is basically perching here and there… do nothing? Or simply reading the same ancient transcript from my terminal that- I don't know, existed for almost as long as the Aviary has been functional? Sure, really are important. I mused.

There is a slight issue in my job that I loathe to my bone; basically, guards aren't necessary required in Aviary 31, aside from we never exactly having any issue with the inhabitants, the Aviary is simply a desolated land, it is always been peace and quiet… it's like a graveyard…

Then again, since the day first of the its operational, I'll say that Av-Tec has been thinking about the possibilities of riot and restrain from within, and I suppose they did the right thing to just be prepared. The muffled noise from my superior started to cease and replaced with a straight command. "Now you already understand our duty has you now?"

I nodded my head, affirming whatever he was saying to let me get away from his stare. "Don't just nod! I'm talking to you! Am I make myself clear this time, Fralxen?"

"Yes sir." I affirmed lazily.

"I should have known that guards aren't a perfect job for a macaw, mainly a macaw like you. I don't know what the Overseer was thinking until she placed someone like you in here." He shook his head.

Ugh, damnit… that hurts.

I seriously tempted to return his verbal jab, bur considering my position, not to mention he was a Tyto alba (Barn Owl for you who didn't know), and it would be pitifully unwise to get myself a trouble with him. So instead, I silently nod and listened to his insult against me. It didn't last very long (thankfully!) until someone interrupted his "counseling" towards me. "Hey Splaso, here is some of the new recruits for us, I hope you can show 'em around."

Splaso nodded his head. "Sure, and ah! Owls! Welcome to the guard station of Aviary 31, you won't get anything else better than this job." He then shot me a look. "Even someone didn't exactly suited for this."

Thanks a lot, sir. I got your message loud and clear, now will you please shut up?

I hastily retreated into my desk the moment Splaso aided the rest of the new recruits across the Aviary to show them "training" about what matters in here – even nothing was really important. Their massive wing provided a very audible noise before their presence faded and left me with some of the other guard to just enjoying the kind of stereotypical day as a guard.

Regulations and instructions:

Congratulations! You have been chosen to become an Aviary 31's security service, your job is very essential to make the peace last until the outside world will be safe to live once more. We issued each of you with a standard anti-riot vest and baton to help you in the matter of chaos, because we here in Av-Tec believe that we can't just ignore the fact somebird will go uncontrollable, and that's when your job come to aid.

Now first, you have the privilege to use a little physical punishment towards the accused IF ONLY they restrain, but keep in mind that you AREN'T allowed to kill any of them. Because we believe violence isn't the answer, and so, each of you must bring them into the custody and let them think about their mistakes.

Failure to oblige the rules will result a permanent withdrawal from your occupation as well as a time in the custody for counseling on how to behave as a protector of the Aviary 31.

Thanks for loaning your time to read the message, have a nice day and be Glaux, Arbox, Frouz and Vibra blessed us to safely return to Terra. Long live for all of us, long live Terra.

I issued a muffled groan the moment I finished reading the same message I'd been reading since the first time I got my personal terminal in the post. But before I powered down the device, a new message just relayed into the glowing green screen in front of me.

From Overseer (Mandatory)

I clicked that message opened as my terminal deciphered its binary codes into text:

To all the security guards from the Overseer.

Lately I had been informed from some of the birds in the Scarlet wing that they heard something hissing during the night, I want some of you to spot any particular source of the noise and get rid of them. I'm quite sure it was nothing but a Radont, but for precaution, please send some of patrol there and check.

I was surprised the moment I finished reading the message and quickly walked towards Splaso to inform the updates. "Sir, we have something from the Overseer to be taken care of, it was in the Scarlet wing."

He looked at me disapprovingly. "So? Do you need any companion? Or perhaps you are telling me to go?"

My claw was seriously itched to scratch that smug expression from his face, but before I could lost my common sense, I nodded my head and soared into the Aviary's skyline, heading straight towards the Scarlet wing with my baton on my talon.

To be honest, to even beat a radont with my baton's condition was something I must caution about, while my PipLon told me that it was still rather functional, the way they looked didn't convinced me one bit that it wouldn't shattered the moment I used it, but with a limitation of how we used violence in here, asking for a better weapon was out of question. The atmosphere was seriously quiet the moment I arrived at the Scarlet wing, I quickly activated my E.Y.A.C and scanned the surrounding for any hostile activity.

The lights on my E.Y.A.C told me that two friendly entities were present. Two sights of Scarlet macaw finally brought me into relieve, I wasted no time and rushing towards them. "Sir, madam. Good morning." I stated politely, the kind of thing we as a patrol guard required to be addressed. "But may I ask you something?"

"Sure, what do you need to know?" The male macaw replied.

"Do you, by any chance, hearing any hissing noise from here? The Overseer told me that she gained some report regarding a disturbance that happened in here." I inquired.

His face then turned into terror the moment I finished my question, and hastily he replied. "That's a MONSTER!" He exclaimed. "It's slithering… I could see its yellow eyes last night, it was staring at me, it was a very horrifying sight!" he then stuttered. "It wants to kill… "

The female macaw, which I presume as his mate consoled him with her wing. "It's just a nightmare, don't you remember?"

"No, Lucry. It's not a nightmare. I saw it… I saw it myself… It wants to kill."

"Okay, sir. Please do calm because the Overseer told me that it was probably just the radont, I will take care of this matter. Do you know, by any chance where did you saw it?"

He pointed his primaries to the ventilation system above me. "There, it lurked up there. I always heard it hissing at night."

"Okay, you can go now. Thanks for the information; I will take care of this matter as fast as I can. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the sun in the atrium." I donned my face a smile.

"Thank you." They replied in unison before leaving me alone once more with the silence.

The way he explained such imaginary creature was something too real to be an imagination. I brought up my compass once more and spotted a red pulsating light, a hostile entity somewhere up there in the ceilings, I prepared my baton and hovering silently, the low rumble from the generator was the only one penetrating the silence that engulfed the room, while occasionally, I could hear something rammed against the metal plate of the ventilation.

The blob in my compass died soon after. I walked my way across the dim lit hallway when the red light once more appeared in my compass. The thudding noise from the ventilation intensified as it reached the opening, revealing a scary looking creature on my very eyes. The yellow creature turned its malformed eyes at me, radiating a sense of predatory instinct when it spotted my presence. I was frozen in place, the disgusting looks from the creature makes me shudder my spine off, and I screamed the moment it reached the ground with a meaty thud and started its pursue towards me.

The terrifying creature was slithering towards me with a trail of disgusting lubricant in the place it was recently reside. I was frantically hovering as high as I could, but panicked once I realized that I already reached the ceiling.

I didn't even want to touch it, the horrid sight was beyond words to describe, and I let out a scream once more when it started to open its massive "mouth", revealing a series of massive teeth in spirally order, promising not only a slow death, but also a painful one.

Frantically, I kicked A.A.T.S and frenetically aiming for its torso, hitting the elastically body, it didn't even flinch the moment A.A.T.S was recharging, and prayed to Arbox for a fast and painless death – even I know that it wouldn't happened to me.

I shut my eyes tightly and waited for the monster to devour me, but the moment never came when I saw Splaso with a blade on his talon slashing the monster into pieces. It released a massive roar of pain the moment Splaso stabbed his blade deep into its flesh, puncturing a deep gash that spurting its purple liquid into me. Splaso did some more stab and slash before the monster started to spasm and exploded, and that moment, I lost consciousness.

The beep from the familiar machine was registered into my brain the moment consciousness started to return to me, the scent of alcohol and drugs rapidly formed my assumption that I was in the Aviary's Infirmary. I could hear the murmur from the attendees, my eyes yet stroked into vivid focus when the Overseer's voice reached my ear. "This is dire… Never had I seen a giant monster like that able to penetrate our walls."

"We have examined the corpse and it seems the creature had just been irradiated the moment it penetrated our wall." One of the owls stated. "This creature is diagnosed as 'Levae', it is a small creature like worm that lived underground."

"For Frouz sake!, somebird checks if there are more of them in here!" The Overseer exclaimed. "And make sure to kill all of them, I don't want to hear any more death caused by them."

Wait, death? Who did it kill?

I stirred my stiff body, and realized that I was completely paralyzed. I tried to open my beak but their weight felt like somebird was sitting on it. The Overseer then noticed my arousal and quickly she fluttered to my bed. "How? I thought you were dead!" She stated and then placed her wing on my forehead. "No burn up symptoms…" She rotated her head and facing the other owl that acted as the nurse. "What did you do?'

"While the blood was seriously high in radiation, it didn't immediately put him in the radiation-poisoning state the moment it made contact with, we also gave him a large dose of RadAway, and thankfully our efforts come to fruition."

The Overseer was nodding with smile on her beak. "Welcome back, Fralxen. I thought we lost you."

I stared her face for a few second, trying to open my beak once more with the same result as before. The Overseer was observant enough to notice something was wrong with my silence. "Something wrong? Hey you, something is wrong with him."

The nurse came across me and looked over my petrified condition. She scrutinized the graph and checked for my vital signs with her stethoscope. "He is currently experiencing the after-effect from the radiation sickness earlier. The effect will wear out in two or three minutes depending on how fast his system will flush the radiation, and also his resistances as well towards them played a big role on his recovery."

She beamed with satisfactory the moment the nurse finished her explanation. "Okay then, I suppose, two hours in here won't kill you huh?" She joked. "Now, rest. You have done something miraculously ludicrous. You were lucky that Spalso was nearby the moment he heard your scream."

Ugh… not only I made myself like a fool, I also got saved with that bastard… my life is complete!

I clenched my eyes shut the moment her presence fading as I dwelled myself once more into a restorative sleep.

I was awaked when I heard something thudding the ventilation system of the Aviary, and rapidly the fragments from the horrible experience of my encounter with the repulsive creature brought a distressed over my soul greater than ever. I tried to void myself and believed it was probably just radont or something. But my sanity was tested to the limit; simply, I couldn't sleep that night with peace.

My stiff body was already returned to its proper function the moment somebird turn on the switch in the infirmary. I found myself face to face with a charming bird-of-paradise. "Ah, good morning. Having a nice sleep?" She asked warmly. "The guards found some of the creature that attacked you yesterday and took care of them." She beamed. "I suppose, we can breathe in relieve now."

No, they were still up there. I know it, I can feel them.

She then induced me with a mild dose of a potion. "This will help you back on your feet soon after, I know it tastes so bad but please bear with flavor, okay?" She then passed me a spoon filled with a brownish liquid; I was hesitated to take it, but for the sake of my health – not to mention I was in front of a lady, I swallowed them in one big gulp, shuddering with vigor the moment it slide past my throat. "I know Terran potion isn't as good and effective as Gaian potion… but well, still better than nothing." She placed the spoon and gave me a big tray filled with diced mango. "Here eat up, and after that I will get you checked for the last time before you are free to go."

I nodded my head and let out a hoarse reply. "Thank you…"

"Syreanna, my name is Syreanna. You can call me Sy if you want to."

I cleared my voice and repeated my earlier response. "Thank you, Syrea.. I mean Sy."

She chuckled lightly and replied. "It was my job, Fralxen."

She knew my name? Well…

She then helped me back on my talon the moment I finished my breakfast and aided me to do the last check on my body. I lifted my PipLon and it told me the same thing the nurses told me, that I was practically healthy.

There was one thing, however, that didn't healthy, my sanity. The encounter yesterday succumbed me into a state of paranoia when even a slightest noise could send me flying. And with the fact I didn't get any compensation job from my health (healthy as a hatchling!). I soared and heading towards my room, grabbing my best before I reached my guard's post where several recruits were talking in whisper magnitude while Spalso shot me with a bored demeanor. "Enjoying the sleep, little bird?" He taunted me. "You can't even face a soft creature like that, what a pathetic."

Did he really need to do that right now? A voice in my head asked. We just facing a mortal crisis and he didn't show any care about it.

A small groan escaped my vocal cord, and thankfully that he didn't notice that. "Yeah, I was pathetic and useless, what else you expect? A tyto alba with gleaming armor, the moon rising behind him? No, I am not an owl, I am a macaw."

He snorted. "Well, you got some balls already! I shouldn't have saved you yesterday then." He unfurled his wing until it reached its full span. "And perhaps, you should have been a meal for that monster… because, oh right! You are the last spix macaw… and good riddance that your species will likely to vanish from Terra when we emerged."

That's it, he means it. He really means it.

My eyes were filled with a blazing infuriation the moment I showed him my discontent, alas, the Overseer came to us before I could leave a scar on that face. "Hey, morning you two." She greeted, noticing our angry demeanor. "Now stop that before I myself stop you both." She commanded sternly. "You are an example for the birds living in here, and I certainly don't want to hear a guard fight, you suppose to protect them, not scare them, understood?"

"Yes." we both said in unison.

"Good, now I need you to help me doing something else Spalso… here come with me."

Spalso shot me with a look that mutely implied. "This isn't over, just wait." when he followed the Overseer into whatever they were going.

I screamed my heart content from the pressure I was gained, hoping I could escape the cage that caged me from my liberty. My scream attracted the attention from the recruits, fixing me with a baffled looks. "What?!" I asked sternly when I realized their sight towards me.

"Nothing sir, nothing." They replied hastily, returning on their respectable activities. I walked my way into my desk and smacking my head hardly into the table, hoping such act would cease away the train of stress that running in the process of my head. It was also when I realized the topic of their conversation. I mutely listened to their conversation while my head ingesting every single bit of their discussion.

"Do you see the big creature yesterday? Man that's was disgusting!"

"Where did it come from anyway?"

"Oh you idiot! Of course from up there! The world was crumbled to pieces remember? Hello? History book?"

"Well, they told me that there is no outside! It was completely void out there!"

One of them let out a groan. "Then how do you explain that monster? Portal? Sometimes I wonder why I have such stupid friends."

All of his peers shot him a look. "Okay, Okay. I was joking!"

"But the door never was opened right? I mean- it's a door, then it can be opened…"

"Of course, but you will need a code to active the terminal in the front door."

One of them shot him a look. "Where did you know all of that?"

He beamed with pride. "I know everything!" His peers returned the cold glare. "Okay fine! I was accidentally hear the Overseer discussion with one of the guards, and they told me only the Overseer knows the passkey, it's stored deeply inside her terminal… and knowing her… no one will dared to do such atrocity, the consequences is just too big. Besides, There's only a blasted rubble out there, what did you expect?"

My eyes were widened in shock the moment my brain finalize its effort to put the jigsaw puzzle of their conversation into a big picture, a plan to escape this enclosed atmosphere that slowly eat me out, even with such prospect from the probability of the outside world might be no more than rubble and dust, at least I managed to gain a more bigger place to live on, a place where no brim would ever put me to a limit.

Sneaking to the Overseer office probably one of the most easiest activity I could do. Aside from I already do such endeavor in the past (which greeted with a lot of success until the Overseer caught me on act) and the fact that the Overseer rarely present in her office was also lubricating my way to achieve my goal. I lifted my E.Y.A.C and scanned the vicinity of any existences from the birds that could jeopardize my plan. I smiled the moment it showed me that no one was around to caught me on act. I slipped silently into the Overseer office…

and found out the door was locked.

No problem.

I lifted my bobby pin with my talon while my wing holding the screwdriver and began my attempt to crack the lock of the Overseer door. With the familiarity from my chickhood experience to crack open the door; it wasn't a hard task to do as the door finally ring out a satisfying click. I turned the doorknob and immersed myself with the scent from the stacking paper and decaying sofas, while the beeping and soft glow from the terminal illuminating the dark room.

I hastily moved to the terminal and began my efforts to hack it. Ever since I was caught up with the accident of me hacking her terminal, the Overseer ordered an enhancement to her security system, decrypting the message not only to binary, but also required a conversion from the hexadecimal from the matrix foundation as well. It didn't falter my determination to gain a privilege access and found out the passcode.

Frustration was started to accumulate inside me the moment I kept losing time hacking the stubborn terminal, I kept backing up to the start as the terminal would likely to get locked out permanently if I made a mistake on my move. My heart was racing faster than I ever had in my life; the time was the essence, because if the Overseer found out that I hacked her terminal once more, she would never let me saw a light anymore. After it seems like the thousandth time of my trial, the terminal gave away its secret.

I skimmed to a long list of journal and log from the Overseer, fixing my eyes on the key-search of "Override" "Passcode" "Aviary's door" but none of them bore any signs of existences. I repeated my search from above to bottom but to my despair, I didn't see any of them. I groaned in frustration as I lost my hope to escape from this Aviary until I spotted something in the list.

Curiously, I stabbed the button with my talon and read the message:

Reemerging:

Dear Overseer of Aviary 31, we are here to inform you about the time when you must lead your inhabitants to the Terra once more, and that's why we told you about the proper way to do it.

The Aviary is equipped with a sensor to scan the circumstances of our world above, which as you know… probably blasted to rubble. While the Aviary is purposed to contain as much survivor as we can. We still know that to go back to Terra is our ultimate objective.

Procedure:

The Aviary will relay a message and log every ten years to inform the kind of situation our beloved planet is, and you as the Overseer will be informed when are the proper time to do it. And when you do, you must use the code to activate the door of your Aviary and ensuring your inhabitants to start repopulate Terra by leading them to face the outside world. Here we are on Av-Tec want to ensure the best for our future.

The override code is: A1R2G3C4GX

Please only use the code when the Aviary relayed the message.

Sincerely, Av-Tec president,
Rafael.

I downloaded the message into my PipLon and hastily retreated into my room and fetched the kind of supplies I thought was necessary. Canteen, check; food, check; bandages, check; and I also included my book if I ever got myself bored in the outside world. My soul was filled with triumph and joy, knowing that I would gain my liberty soon after. But all of that eclipsed the moment I heard the Overseer's voice booming through the Aviary's broadcast.

Every guard get to the entrance, stop anybird dare to show himself there!

Oh crap!

I hastily soared into the direction where the entrance of the Aviary was located, and sighed the grandest when I hadn't yet seen someone else in there. I quickly fluttered towards the terminal, entering the passcode when I heard a massive noise from multiple wing's flaps edging towards me. I frantically shoved the lever of the Aviary console, my heart was racing with adrenaline that injected into my bloodstream, and before I knew it, the massive gear-shaped door started to groan. The mechanical arm slowly dragged the massive steel door open when I heard the Overseer voice booming throughout the speakers of the Aviary.

Fralxen… why did you do this? We are your family, and why you abandoned us?

"Freedom, Overseer… I'm a bird… I should've been free." I shouted.

If you get out, you will never be allowed back in.

"I…" I stated.

The massive door was hissing loduly the moment it swung open, the bigger world out there awaits me. I walked closer to the opening when I heard five voices filling my hearing senses. "Good riddance that you want to get out, I suppose you won't survive a single day out there." Spalso remarked. "I won't stop you from doing that."

I tighten my beak and made my decision and stepped into the other side of the door. The sterile floor replaced with dirt and dust the moment I touched my talon on its ground as the massive door swung closed,

And filled me with darkness…

Footnote: Level up.

New Perk: Sentinel – you gain bonus defense up to +1 damage threshold for medium and light armor, while +2 damage threshold for heavy armor.

Thanks for HeadHusky and Jesus Loves All for the Beta reader.