Meraki

The Prologue Chapter 7: License to Glide

Aether and Sying walked around the Barbatos statue after a long day of exploring. It had been a few days since the duo helped the Knights of Favonius with the Temples and decided to do commissions for the Guild in their spare time. Amber ran up to the two boys with a smile on her face.

"Hey Aether! Sying! I've been looking for you guys everywhere! How is your Wind Glider doing? I hope it wasn't damaged in the Stormterror attack." Amber said.

"I keep getting too carried away and gliding too high." Aether admitted. "Mr. Sying is always correcting me."

"That's right. I wouldn't want you to blow away." Sying laughed. Amber smiled.

"Hey, do you two have gliding licenses?" The outrider asked suddenly.

"I got mine renewed last year." Sying responded.

"A gliding license? What's that?" Aether wondered.

"Isn't it obvious? You gotta have a gliding license to legally glide in Mondstadt." She explained.

"I see. So you came looking for us because you want to give my buddy a gliding license?" Sying inquired.

"No way! The Knights of Favonius have strict rules. You need to pass an exam, and only then will the Knights issue your license. Today, I'm here as an examiner, to oversee Aether's official gliding exam! I gave him his Wind Glider, so this is my responsibility. At least, that's what Acting Grand Master Jean would say. I'm sure he'll glide through it! The whole city saw how well he flew the day Stormterror attacked, so I'm sure he'll have no problems! But we do need to respect the rules and glide properly." Amber handed Aether a book. "Take this gliding manual. No need to memorize it, just be familiar with everything in there."

"That's the same as memorizing it." Sying sighed.

"Come find me when you're done. I'll be at Windrise." Amber told them.

"The Knights of Favonius gliding manual does not sound like a fun read." Sying said.

"Well, I guess I'd better get started." Aether announced. The two boys sat down at the foot of the Barbatos statue to read the book Amber gave them. Aether opened it to the first page and after a while looked confused. He showed it to the adeptus who began to read.

"When the first wisp of wind brushed across the land. Birds that yearned for the sky had wings, but no way to fly. They asked the Anemo god: "How can we reach the heavens?" To which the Anemo god replied: "You have yet to find that which is most important." As the god spoke, the wind thrust the seeds of a dandelion high into the sky. The birds thrust out their wings, but the breeze was all too mild leaving them to stumble across the earth. So they went to the gorge where the wind showed off its wild and incomparable strength. They threw themselves off the cliff and flapped their wings amongst the howling winds until they were able to fly freely in the sky. To the Anemo god they went, to gleefully say: "We understand now! All we needed was a stronger wind to fly." In reply the Anemo god said: "What you lacked was not wind, but courage. It is courage that has allowed you to become the first flying birds of this world." Sying finished and closed the novel. "I think she gave us the wrong book."

"It was a good story though." Aether pointed out.

"Only if you're into childish things like this." Sying mumbled as the duo went to Windrise to find the Outrider. They found the girl on a cliff overlooking a giant tree.

"Great, you're here! Did you have a good read-through of the gliding manual? Got all the rules down?" Amber asked.

"I mean, I read it but..." Aether trailed off.

"Sounds like it was a real drag. I would know, I've been there... The gliding manual is super dry... I couldn't get into it at all. Don't tell Jean though..." Amber told the two.