He finally reached the stream and every thought of the being who had fathered him, but was not a father to him, left his mind soon enough because of the sight he was met with.
He turned left and stopped in shock at the sight of a pink haired figure standing there, backing him.
Erisa, it was none other than the daughter of the Professor whose office he'd just stormed out of.
He could have sworn he'd left her there. How did she get here so quickly? And what was she doing?
The pink haired girl was moving like a ballerina, twirling and dancing by the streams. Ran knew nothing about ballet but he knew this was no ordinary dance. Most times he caught her legs hovering over the ground, sometimes she'd do a split jump and just hand on air for nothing but a microsecond.
He was entranced. She had a grace to her movement that he couldn't help just standing there watching her.
But that he was captivated did not make him less suspicious.
"Haru, is Erisa there with the rest of you?" He asked.
"No, she left a few minutes after I was done explaining what we needed her father for. Why do you ask?"
"Well, she's standing in front of me. Well, not standing, I think she's dancing."
"And where are you?"
"In the forest outside."
"What?! How did she get there so quickly?"
"That's what I'm wondering. You think she teleported here?"
"I don't know. Maybe she can do illusions like her father and what you are actually seeing is an illusion."
"If that's the case then maybe I never left the office and she's there with me?"
Haru hummed to him. "Maybe she's a demon that can travel through shadows?"
"Or maybe she flew over here, huh, how about that?"
Ran jerked and stiffened and the girl paused midair then turned around to look at him. She gestured and he found himself being lifted off the ground by an immaterial force.
A gasp tore out of him as he was levitated to hover beside her.
"You shouldn't gossip about someone like that, Kaito Ran?" She said.
He blinked at her, not remembering ever giving her his name. "Eh, you must be mistaken. I'm not Kaito Ran, my name is–"
She waved dismissively at him and interrupted him by saying, "Drop the act. Kenija of Kaitosan walks in with a young boy, who else could he be but the Kaitosan Industries' heir?"
Sighing he shrugged at her. "I will apologize for lying when you apologize for reading my mind."
She scoffed. "I don't need your apology."
Ran frowned at her. "What are you?"
"What are you?" She fired back then suddenly smiled and did a twirl mid air. "I am a fairy."
Ran blinked in shock. "You are Fey?"
She giggled. "Not to disparage my maternal side but a fairy is to Feys as am ape is to humans."
So she was a fairy. That explained a lot like her pin hair and her mind reading power. But it did not explain how she was flying without wings.
She read his mind again and supplied him with an answer. "Flying is natural to kin. I'm half fairy and half sprite, my sprite kin is what I'm using to fly. I can teach you." When he gave her a dubious look she shrugged. "My father would probably ask that you guys take me with you on this adventure so it's better we start building kinhood now."
That was likely true. And it would be nice to establish kinhood. Kinhood was like the relationship in a vampire coven or in a mage cult, just among friendly practitioners of kin.
He made his decision and five minutes later Erisa's slender fingers danced through the air, guiding his hands as they floated effortlessly above the rolling hills.
Like delicate scarves, they drifted on the gentle breeze, their bodies swaying to the rhythm of the wind.
"Feel the current, Ran," Erisa said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let it lift you, carry you. It's like riding the tides of the ocean, but instead of water, it's air."
Ran furrowed his brows in concentration as he focused on the sensation of the wind beneath him. Erisa's patient smile encouraged him to keep trying.
"You're thinking too much," she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Kin isn't just about casting spells; it's about becoming one with the world around you. Trust the air to hold you up."
As Ran relaxed, his body began to respond to Erisa's guidance. He started to rise and fall with the currents, his movements becoming more fluid and natural.
"See?" She said, her voice filled with pride. "You're a natural. Anyone with kin can do this; it's just a matter of tapping into it."
As they floated, Erisa started to chat, telling Ran stories about her own struggles to master the art of aeromancy. Ran listened intently, his laughter mingling with hers as they drifted on the breeze.
"I used to get tangled up in tree branches," Erisa said, giggling. "I'd try to fly, but I'd forget to feel the currents, and before I knew it, I'd be stuck in a tree, looking like a bedraggled bird's nest."
Ran chuckled, feeling a sense of camaraderie with her. He was still getting used to his telekinesis himself. "I can imagine," he said, grinning. "You'd make a lovely bird's nest."
He could not help teasing her. Flying, floating in the air, it made him feel free; free from his mother, free from his problems. It felt like an escape and he embraced it. Embracing it placed him in a lighter mood than anything he'd ever felt for years.
Erisa playfully nudged him for his comment and they both tumbled through the air, laughing. As they righted themselves, her eyes met Kael's, and he felt a spark of connection.
"You're a quick learner," she said, her voice sincere. "I'm glad I could teach you."
Ran smiled, feeling grateful for the opportunity she'd given him to do this, to relax. "Thanks to you, I think I'm starting to get the hang of it," he said. "You're a great teacher."
As they continued to float, Erisa pointed out different air currents, teaching him how to navigate them. The sun began to set, casting a warm orange glow over the landscape.
He took in the beauty. This was what he'd missed. All those years in hell, this was what he'd been away from. He took his time basking in the moment. It was refreshing and he might be going away soon, again, but he'll cherish this refreshing moment now and forever.
"This is amazing," Ran breathed, feeling the rush of the wind beneath him. "I never knew flying could be so... effortless."
Erisa smiled, her eyes shining with excitement. "That's the wonder of it," she said. "When you let go of your doubts and trust the air, it's like you're dancing on the wind."
As the stars began to twinkle in the evening sky, they gently descended to the ground, their bodies swaying softly as they touched down.
"Thanks for the lesson, Erisa," Ran said, his voice filled with gratitude. "I had a great time."
Erisa's smile faltered for a moment, and Ran wondered if he'd said something wrong. But then her face lit up with a warm smile.
"Anytime, Ran," she said. "I'm glad we could share this experience together. I hope this is the first step in us becoming friends."
Ran hoped so too, hoped that he'd found a true friend in her. As they walked together, the stars shining above them, he felt a sense of belonging he'd never experienced before.
At that moment, Ran realized that what Erisa could teach him went beyond just how to fly. She was clearly an expert mage who could show him how to harness his Kin connection, tap into the power of nature, and trust the world around him.
He hoped she'd be eager to teach him as he was eager to learn more.