Chapter 21 – If Walking Doesn't Work, Then Let's Fly
Adriano stretched slowly, feeling the lingering warmth beneath the makeshift blanket of leaves and fabric.
Adriano: "That was a good sleep..."
Cordélia sat near the small, extinguished fire, idly twirling her dagger, her gaze distant.
Cordélia: "Well, since you slept so well, it's time to hit the road again." She tossed him a piece of grilled meat, still warm.
Adriano caught the meat mid-air, frowning at the strange yet not unpleasant smell.
Adriano: "Where did you get this meat?"
Cordélia: "While you were sleeping, I scouted around the camp and found some mutated birds nearby. Killed one for us to eat."
Adriano examined the meat carefully, noticing bluish veins between the fibers.
Adriano: "Is this edible? Isn't it dangerous?"
Cordélia: "If we were ordinary people, the corrupted energy inside would poison and kill us quickly. But since we're heirs, as long as we don't overdo it, it's fine," she said casually, finishing her own meal.
Adriano took a cautious bite and was surprised by the intense, almost smoky flavor. Still, the idea of eating something 'corrupted' unsettled him.
Adriano: "This world is so cruel for ordinary people... one wrong meal could be fatal. If it weren't for the city barriers, no one would be safe..."
He turned his gaze away, lost in thoughts about his old school and the children at the orphanage.
Cordélia: "Yeah... we should be grateful to those who built the barriers," she replied, her voice briefly soft.
Adriano: "Hey, Cordélia, how much longer until we reach the marked place?"
Cordélia: "Two more days," she answered, sheathing her dagger.
Adriano: "Seriously?! That long? It'd be so nice if we could just fly there... we'd get there quickly."
Cordélia glanced at the cloudy sky and sighed.
Cordélia: "Yeah, too bad we don't have an inheritance that gives us wings or some kind of flying power..."
Suddenly, a wild smile lit up Adriano's eyes.
Adriano: "Wait! I just had an idea! But I think you're not going to like it..."
Cordélia: "Oh no... you know what? Fine. What's your idea?"
Adriano: "You and I don't have wings... but I know someone who does," he said, nodding toward the carcass of the giant bird Cordélia had killed earlier.
Cordélia raised an eyebrow.
Cordélia: "You're not thinking..."
Adriano: "I am."
Moments later, they stood in front of two stunned, still-living giant birds, struggling to get up.
Cordélia: "Well... here they are. So, what's the plan?"
Adriano: "Plan?" he replied, jumping onto the back of one of the birds with a wild grin. "Come on, Cordélia! Wahoo!"
Cordélia: "You maniac! Argh, you know what? Never mind! Aah!" she shouted, running and jumping onto the other bird instinctively.
The bird tried to escape, but she held on tightly.
Adriano: "Gotcha, buddy. Now I need a ride! Let's go! Sonic Punch!"
He punched the air, creating a sonic explosion that startled the birds and forced them to fly.
In seconds, they were airborne, the cold wind whipping their faces as the clouds raced by.
Adriano: "This is amazing, Cordélia!" he said, pointing to her on the bird to his right.
Cordélia: "Adriano... I'm going to kill you!" she shouted back, holding tightly onto the feathers.
Adriano: "Cordélia, open your eyes!"
She hesitated, then looked around — and froze.
Before them stretched an otherworldly landscape: golden mountains floating in the air, rivers of light winding through the sky, and trees with crystalline leaves glowing in the sunlight. It was a divine domain — unexplored and majestic.
Cordélia: "What a beautiful view... a divine domain..."
Adriano: "Incredible, isn't it? I know we can't always stop to admire the view, but we still need to relax sometimes and smile at life," he said with a sincere smile.
Cordélia was silent for a few seconds, then something strange happened: she sighed.
Cordélia: "Hmm... just this once, it's fine."
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