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[ Note: The story's dialogue is written in Esperanto, a language which is mainly clustered in Central Europe, where the story takes place. Translations can be found on the right of the story. ]
- Some time ago, when the earth was just a few centuries younger, the quiet city of Agartha was formed. Located in central Europe, Agartha was destined to be a thriving city. Although it would ultimately remain small, quiet, and tucked away, it would prosper as a city of trade.
A family of ravens found this trade city to be the perfect place to settle. The influx of foods and resources would mean easy pickings for the birds. They found the rooftop of a simple store to be an adept place for raising their future generations.
Over the years, siblings had been born and raised over and over on the rooftop of that same store. Generation after generation, the siblings would go off to start their own families. Some might have ventured to the surrounding cities, and others may have gone off into the woods and returned to the wild. However, in each generation a single raven managed to return to that same place, to raise their own family and continue the cycle again.
Our story begins with the descendant of that same line of ravens, a female who had built her nest upon the same roof her mother and grandmother before her had. She had lost one of her two eggs the day before, due to a thunderstorm which wreaked havoc upon her nest. She had been deeply mourning her loss as she tried to rebuild what she had before.
As she went off to gather food, an object seemed to appear from the skies above. The minuscule red and brown item was falling, falling right above the simple store and the raven's nest. It kept falling and falling until, almost miraculously, it struck the edge of the raven's nest and fell in. How and why it was there in the first place is still a mystery, but one thing was certain: it was there. Small as it was, this red object remained unseen to the mother raven as she returned to her nest.
Nearly a weak later, the mother raven was blessed with a single, healthy, hatched chick. She was eternally grateful that her remaining egg was not taken form her, and she joyfully rested with him as he recovered from hatching.
Oh, but wait. What was this she felt? Something else was moving beneath the mother raven. Standing, she moved her head close to the base of the nest to get a better look. Some other creature had just been hatched as well. But, what was it? It was certainly not her lost chick, she was certain of that. This thing was no bird. Could it possibly a sign? Her lost son giving a sign from some afterlife that he was alright?
The mother raven had no idea, but she wasn't about to give this poor scrap up. It was helpless. She decided she would raise it up with her own chick to the best of her abilities. How could she not?
She would give this poor little creature a chance.
Wait for me, brother!
"Atendu min, frato!"
A red blur laughed as it raced after a flying grey and blue object. It skidded around a corner, head to the sky, as it's eyes searched the air for it's friend.
You'll have to catch me, first!
The red blur pouted, but followed with scurrying paws.
His troubles were soon forgotten as he gave into the chase. Red and grey chased one another through the city, expertly dodging vegetable carts and trade posts. They nearly tipped over a baker, arms filled with stacks of bread, as they whipped past him. A couple of bread flats dropped from the stack onto the ground.
Watch it, fox, raven!
...Gah, stupid fox and raven...
"Rigardi ĝin, vulpo, korvo!" The baker was shouting to them down the alleyway as he set his bread onto his food cart in a huff. "...Gah, malsaĝa vulpo kaj korvo..." he grumbled, picking up the fallen loaves.
Both red and grey paused, mid-chase, to look behind them.
What was that for?
"Kio estis tio?" The grey shape chuckled, half to himself. He looked to the red blur, who had paused and seemed to be deep in thought.
Vulpo? Korvo? What does that mean?
Do you know, brother?
The grey shape shook it's head, still in mid-flight. "Mi timas ke ne, sed..." He suddenly brightened, a cheeky grin obvious on his face, "Raso min al la vendejo, kaj ni demandos patrino!" He shouted deviously
I'm afraid not, but...
Race me back to the store, and we'll ask mother!
The red shape laughed, running after the grey as he tried to keep up on foot.
As they whisked through alleys and around corners, the two blurry figures stirred up the townspeople in their wake. All throughout the city, the words, "Korvo! Vulpo!" popped up in harsh tones. The two brothers were confused at first. What were these strange words everyone was using? They consulted one another throughout the chase, still ever confused at these bizarre labels they had been given.
The flying grey shape suddenly stopped, landing onto a fence post to turn to the pursuing red blur. His eyes were lost in thought, and he nearly fell to the ground as the red creature thrust itself against the fence post.
Got you, brother!
Your turn to chase me now!
"Atingis vi, frato!" It laughed happily. "Via vico por persekuti min nun!"
No, we were paused.
Besides, I've figured it out.
At this point, the red blur's interest seemed lost. He was rather pleased to have caught his brother,
Oh? And what is that, brother?
Don't you remember what mother used to say to us?
Allow me to refresh your memory.
Mother never named us, but she would always say,
"The city will name you, as it did me and my mother before me".
Don't you see brother?
These are the names the city has given to us! Vulpo! Korvo!
Well,
If you're so smart, then what name is mine? Am I Korvo or Vulpo?
Well, brother, I decided that...
...Because I am older than you, I will
the better name of Vulpo.
Hah! No matter, I preferred Korvo in the first place!
Well then, Korvo, where do you think you're off to?
Home, of course! I want to tell mother of our new names!
And so the newly named brothers of Korvo and Vulpo raced once more to their home, where they would learn the true meanings of their names. They had unknowingly named themselves in such a way that, even when separated, one would be in the other's mind, heart, and soul; at all times.
