Aimless Ascension

"So, how's your elder sister now?"

"She's. . . doing better, I guess." Xiaolin let out a deep breath to answer. "She's cycling wholeheartedly now, a bit excessively to be healthy, but I think she will be fine. All she needs is time."

Xiaolin had feared her elder sister would leave everything and wallow in misery after all that happened. However, that didn't seem to be the case, much to her delight. Although she was practising spirit arts exclusively now, probably mostly to do with what Gu Dong said and how it affected her, Xiaolin was sure it was merely a phase.

Wang Li would get better. It was just a matter of time.

Gale nodded thoughtfully. "You can stay as long as you like," he said.

"Thank you, master," Xiaolin said, bowing curtly. Then she remembered the other task she was given. The task she failed to complete. To be honest, it wasn't simply a failure to complete, she hadn't even done anything to get started in it. "Also, I forgot to look for a maid that you entrusted to me. I'm sorry, with everything going on in the inn, I couldn't be bothered with it."

"It's alright," Gale said. "The house will be ready around the festival. I'm planning to find a good maid by then. So we have some time."

Xiaolin nodded, though she didn't seem enthusiastic about getting a maid that would leash her around if she became even a little disobedient.

"Master, do you have any instructions for me?" Xiaolin asked, hesitating.

"Recover well for now," Gale said. "Then you'll go back to your training. I also plan to give you some practical experience in the field, but that will have to wait for some time. Enjoy these days now."

They talked about random topics for some time as they watched the sunset. It was getting even colder as the chilly wind blew from the mountains. It didn't take long for the sky to turn starry. They eventually stood up, as there was no topic left to talk about.

"It's getting late, let's get out of here," Gale said. He stood up and took a deep breath. Her master looked around the surroundings and at her. He hesitated for a moment, but decided to ask her about it. "Linlin, would you like to go back to the inn flying?"

"Umm, yes," Xiaolin said immediately as her eyes gleamed. Flying had been one of her long desires since she started practising spirit arts. Although this wouldn't be the real thing as she would only fly with the help of her Master, it was still something she had been looking forward to for some time now.

"Well, I promise to give you a ride," Gale said with a thin smile on his lips. "Alright, give me your hand."

Xiaolin did as Gale clutched her by the shoulder. However, they remained in an awkward position until Gale moved his arm around her waist to get a better grasp of their position.

Xiaolin was flustered, obviously. Thankfully, her master couldn't see her face.

She heard her master say: "Ready?"

Xiaolin hummed in agreement and turned to find the white hound looking at them adorably. "What about Vale?"

"I guess he has to go back running," her master said, drawing his sight towards Vale. "Trust me, he doesn't like flying."

Vale woofed a couple of times, circling them as her master started. A swirl of steady wind formed under them, swaying their robes and hair. Xiaolin sucked in a deep breath.

They hadn't lurched even a metre up in the air, as Xiaolin unwittingly clutched Gale tighter, fearing that she would fall. However, her master's arm was clutched firmly on her waist for her to be worried.

"Stay steady," Gale reminded as they went further up in the air.

They were propelled forward as a strong wind thrust behind them. The chilly wind kissed her cheeks as Xiaolin looked, squinting her eyes. She found Vale running after them, lunging on the way, moving through the Wheatfield. She saw the farmhouse and all the other houses in the vicinity as they became smaller.

Excitement coursed through her and Xiaolin closed her eyes, feeling the chilly wind stroking her face, swirling around their body. Xiaolin took a deep breath as a charming smile crept on her lips. The excitement hadn't diminished inside her. It only rose as she felt the freedom of flying.

"Want to go faster?" her master asked, his eyes locked on forward.

"Yes," Xiaolin said without thinking, drawing her sight towards him.

"Clutch tighter and brace yourself," Gale said as the wind thrust behind them started to rise.

Xiaolin pulled her arms around Gale's chest and clutched as tight as she could as the pace at which they were going almost doubled within an instant. Xiaolin's heart skipped a beat as the speed kept on rising.

She kept her eyes closed, and her head struck to Gale's chest. Eventually, she opened her eyes when their speed reached a constant mark. Xiaolin had the urge to yell in the open air.

"If you have trouble handling the wind, I can protect you with Qi," her master's voice reached barely as winds literally slapped her face, buzzing in her ears.

"It's alright," Xiaolin said and repeated it again as the first time she was barely audible with the rising speed of the wind.

"Looks like Vale is going to win the race today too," Gale said.

Xiaolin drew her sight on the ground and quickly found the white spot, keeping up with them easily, leaping through the fields.

The Inn wasn't that far away, considering they were taking the skyway. They would be there within ten minutes, however, to give her a better experience of flying, Gale took a roundabout way, flying encircling the way.

At last, it came to an end as Gale landed with her in the centre of the garden.

Xiaolin still had her face down on his chest and seemed to have forgotten that they landed. However, she didn't have the fortune to remain in her master's embrace for long as she heard a voice.

"Girl, aren't you a fast one?"