Amity and Enmity

Chapter 13

Day: 992

Days Left: 4883

Lives Saved: 5

"Very good," said Lili, retreating a step. "Your form and footwork have improved."

Corinna grinned, happy to receive a rare compliment; however, it was followed by a long list of criticisms that took her self-confidence down.

"Are you ready to go again?" asked Lili, stretching her arms and rolling back her shoulders.

Corinna nodded, and then when Lili wasn't looking, her true expression of exhaustion and fatigue broke through. She was glad that she had lost her voice for this moment as her staggered and desperate gasp of breath and panting could not be heard by Lili. Ever since Corinna had discovered her mask's powers, her sparring teacher had become even stricter, perhaps sensing the student's strengthened resolve.

I feel like I'm dying, Corinna thought, her arm at her chest though she had no hands to clutch to it to steady the pain of breathing. She glanced over at Lili, seeing her still stretching; perhaps Lili had noticed that Corinna needed a break and was making an excuse to pause.

Ever since Pearl, Princess Alfreda's seamstress, betrayed the group and left the Abyss, the princess and her servants no longer wore different outfits every day, no longer so colour coordinated. Before, all of the servants wore identical uniforms with capes and boleros, but now Lili, Calanthe, and Oscar wore whatever they liked. Lili opted for the more practical, her muscular and broad physique no longer so hidden by a uniform, and instead, the tank tops she wore flaunted it.

Corinna's eyes lingered for a moment longer before she snapped out of her daydream and focused on the lesson. She gave an affirmatory nod to her teacher, indicating that she was ready to have another go at a sparring match.

"Actually, perhaps we should focus on your mask this time," said Lili as she finished her last stretch.

Corinna bit her lip, glancing at the blue, glowing mask in her bag aside.

"You haven't used it since the blood moon," said Lili. "You made great progress with learning how to use its powers. All of that would be a waste if you did not practise consistently."

Corinna nodded, then headed to her bag against a nearby tree. She crouched down, staring at the glowing blue light, hesitating to pick it up.

"If you still feel like you need time, we can try another day," Lili continued. "But I just thought of something that you could try."

After Corinna gave a look of curiosity, Lili explained, "I wondered if you would be able to fly."

Fly...

Would I be able to fly?

It was a dream that almost everyone had, the ability of flight. What if she could?

No longer so cautious, Corinna picked up her mask with her forearms and nodded at Lili before donning it.

A light flashed briefly around the border of the mask; then, it enveloped her entire body. Corinna felt lighter as she transformed into the celestial, an odd sensation as she did it of her own free will for the first time instead of forced during a blood moon. She controlled her breathing, attempting to stop her feet from burning the grass, but it only lasted a few seconds before smoke started rising, and thus she had to pace around.

"We know that you turn into this... ball of light when you concentrate," said Lili. "And it can move fast. So, how about you try and imagine going up instead of forward."

The celestial gazed up at the towering thin trees, barely able to see the very top. If she could fly, perhaps she could locate the Land of the Lost and map the whole area.