And so she would go to Ufashwe.
At the margin between her Realm and the Wind God’s, there was a blue space that was neither sea nor sky ... more than either, but less than both. There, Nama-kwah had metamorphosed. The scales on her skin merged into a single, smooth, opalescent covering that contained a second skin of water that would keep her body moist in Ufashwe’s sky-beyond-the-sky.
Then she raised her arms, and gossamer growths like the specialized fins of a flying fish formed between her arms and her sides. She stretched experimentally, and was satisfied that her makeshift wings would endure the buffeting of the winds in Ufashwe’s Realm.
Turning, she looked back at the multi-hued swarms of fish that thronged behind her. Where she would now go, none of them could follow and survive. With a gesture of farewell to her Children, Nama-kwah launched herself forward, out of her Realm and into Ufashwe’s.
As she propelled herself through the blue border, Nama-kwah could feel the resistance of the water diminishing; at first gradually, then more and more rapidly until, finally, it was gone. The blue lightened, until it became not the color of a calm sea, but the shade of a sunny, dry-season sky. But there was no sun in this sky, even though it was bright rather than dark, and the air was warm, and white wisps of cloud dotted the blue like flowers in a field. Ufashwe’s Realm was like a daytime that had neither sunrise nor sunset.
Beneath her, Nama-kwah saw no ground ... only more sky, and more clouds. Gentle winds swirled around her, lifting her translucent wings, keeping her aloft. The warmth of the wind caressed her, even through the protective covering she had created for herself.
One moment, Nama-kwah was flying alone through the infinite sky, well aware that her presence would soon be known to Ufashwe. Then, without warning, she was surrounded by birds that seemed to have materialized from the sky itself. Avians of all shapes, sizes and colors swooped and swirled around Nama-kwah, subtly guiding her toward Ufashwe. The songs and cries of the birds mingled into a chorus rather than a cacophony, and their music was pleasing to Nama-kwah’s ears.
These variegated birds were Ufashwe’s Children. Like the fish that were Nama-kwah’s Children, the flock mirrored the birds that existed in Beyond World: eagles, flamingos, parrots, ibises, ox-peckers, guinea-fowl, marabous, honey-guides, hawks and songbirds. Ufashwe’s sky-Realm lent beauty even to the vulture and other despised scavenger-birds.
Birds of other types flew amid the flock – creatures that would never be seen in the sky over Abengoni. Large in size and wingspan, with long, elegant beaks and crystalline, almost transparent feathers, these birds were of Ufashwe’s own making; manifestations of his dreams. They looked at Nama-kwah with eyes that glinted with intelligence, and when they opened their beaks, they sang like no bird had ever sung in the World Beyond. They mingled freely with their fellow Children, neither receiving nor expecting any deference because of their differences.
In Ufashwe’s Realm, the birds that were his Children enjoyed eternal flight. Never would they need to alight on the ground or cling to a tree-branch. The sky was theirs – forever.
More of Ufashwe’s Children appeared, until they almost completely surrounded Nama-kwah. Although the birds conceded her the space necessary to spread her wings, she could no longer see the sky. She could see only an ever-changing mosaic of feathers, beaks and eyes. Other birds joined the song, and their music echoed in her ears as she flew.
She allowed Ufashwe’s Children to carry her along with them, knowing that they would eventually take her to the Wind God. She listened to their songs, and thought about what she was going to say to her fellow deity when she saw him.
After a time, she could sense that the flight of the flock was slowing. Then, abruptly, they were gone – vanished, as though they had never existed. And Ufashwe hovered before her, suspended in the never-ending sky.
3
Like the birds of his own creation, Ufashwe was covered with feathers that were made of clear crystal. But the wings that spread from his back to encompass a wide swath of sky were pure cloud ... white, billowing, beautiful. His face, like Nama-kwah’s, was similar those of the Matile. But, also like Nama-kwah’s, Ufashwe’s visage was a vision of perfection, without any of the blemishes and irregularities that characterized human faces.
Ufashwe’s eyes shone like diamonds. Those eyes looked deep into Nama-kwah’s, and probed even deeper into her being. He knew why Nama-kwah had come into his Realm. And he knew how he would answer her still-unspoken question. And he knew how she would respond.
Regret is certain to come, he thought.
Even so, he greeted her by reaching out with a hand that was bedecked with tiny, crystalline feathers. In turn, Nama-kwah extended her own hand, still sheathed in its protective covering, which was sufficiently translucent to show the jewel-like scales that covered her skin.
Their fingers touched, and a current of ashuma passed between them in an exchange of warm feelings.
A moment later, they withdrew from the contact. With a gesture of his pinions, Ufashwe beckoned Nama-kwah to join him in flight. Together, they winged through the endless sky of Ufashwe’s Realm, floating over or arrowing through the clouds that formed a white landscape amid the bright blue background.
Soon, they were joined again by Ufashwe’s Children. The flock kept pace with the two deities. This time, however, the birds’ songs were stilled, out of respect for the silence Ufashwe and Nama-kwah maintained as they allowed the eternal wind to buoy them through the sky.
Finally, after a period of time that could not be measured by any reckoning humans employed, Nama-kwah spoke. Her
