Twisted Wings

Chapter 6

It had been about a week since the Heartslabyul incident and today Coach Vargas was giving them their first flying lesson.

"Myah!" Grim yowled when his broom flew up and hit him square in the face. Ace burst out laughing, losing control of his own broom.

"Trappola! Focus on your broom!" Vargas roared at him.

"Serves him right for laughin'!" Grim grumbled rubbing his face.

"Grim here. Place all four paws on the broom." Celeste said as she guided his paws into the right position. While the idea of using a broom to fly was strange to her, she still could give him plenty of helpful advice.

"There, like that! Make sure you stay balanced - don't be afraid to use your tail!" She hopped onto the broom behind him balancing perfectly on her feet as she stood on the narrow handle.

"Wha- Celeste?! What do you know about flying?! How are ya standing up like that?!" Grim looked back at her, startled and the broom started to wobble.

"Focus on the broom Grim!" She sat down behind him unfazed. They were hovering about three feet in the air now. "Now think of a happy thought!"

"What? How's that going to help?" Grim grumbled as the broom dipped lower.

"Think of the happiest things! It's the same as having wings!" She smiled telling him the trick she used to help young fledglings take off for the first time.

"Just trust me Grim! Flying is the only way to get around where I'm from so I know what I'm talking about!" She assured him, thinking of the floating land masses in the Celestial realm. The regions were separated by the cloud sea- a thick blanket of clouds that hid the realm from the human world. There were no oceans in the celestial realm only relatively shallow lakes and rivers.

"Hmmm. Well, that fried egg sandwich I ate this morning was pretty good..." Grim said and they started rising up in the air. Their classmates all turned to look as they rose above them.

"Aw Yeah! This is awesome! I'm going to be the world's greatest mage in no time!" Grim said excitedly. Celeste reached out and felt the wind with her fingertips, testing the air currents. Something she usually used her wings for.

"Careful Grim, there's a thermal about 5 feet to our left. We should avoid it since we don't want to go any higher." She said looking down at the coach. They were about 10 feet off the ground now.

Deuce and Harry rose up next to them without much trouble but Ace appeared to be struggling to keep his balance.

She reached over Grim and tilted the broom down so that they glided down to Ace's level.