Chapter 11) Elsa, The Snow Peacock.

Xavier felt something wet and warm on his face the moment he regained his senses. Whatever it was, soft and thick, slid down the front of his face and lapped at the tip of his nose.

"What is going on?" He muttered, eyes still closed. Whatever he was lying on felt so soft and comfy, better than even the bed he had back home.

He shifted into a more comfortable position, and would've gladly snored off into a couple of more hours of sleep if not for a slight fluttering sound in front of him. Something brushed against his face again, tickling him.

Xavier moaned in displeasure but got up into a sitting position. He rubbed his eyes open and....

"Oh my Goodness!" He scrambled to his feet and took on a defensive pose. The ground beneath him shifted and he lost balance, falling face first into something fluffy and white. He hurriedly got up again but ended up flat on his butt this time.

"Relax, Xavier." said Master Kim Sao from somewhere on his right. "Elsa is simply messing with you. She's a real joker, that one."

"Elsa?" wondered Xavier before recalling something the Astral Mystic had said before. His eyes went wide. "This is Elsa? I thought she would be a little...smaller?"

The creature called Elsa was not small or normal in any way. Yes, the system had called her a snow peacock but she was a lot more than that. White as fresh snow, she had a birdlike curve to her face and the slender length of her neck. But instead of feathers, she had fine fluffs of furry hair that covered her everywhere and also formed her expansive wings. A beautiful crown crested over her head and streamlined down her back into a wide tail of fur on which Xavier was currently sitting on.

Her four limbs were long and slender, but ended up in paws with three toes each. She was huge enough to be as big as an Elephant but had a feline grace to the mass of muscle around her shoulders and waste.

Elsa regarded him with huge sapphire eyes and pulled back her pointed lips into what would've passed for a smile on a human being.

"How does she eat?" asked Xavier, both mesmerized by her beauty and confused at the same time.

"What?" Master Kim Sao approached with something blue in a small crucible. "I prepared this potion for you. It'll help the healing process of your body."

"Thank you, Master Kim." The liquid tasted sweet and tangy as he threw it into his mouth. He immediately felt energy travel all over his body. "Elsa doesn't have any teeth. How does she...chew stuff?"

Master Kim chuckled. "Oh, she has teeth. They're just invisible."

"What?"

"All her internal organs are invisible. Same goes for her blood and waste. She could be relieving herself right now and you won't even know it until a sweet fragrance fills your nose." He patted the side of her neck fondly and she dipped her head down to nuzzle his stomach. "She is calm and gentle, but fierce in battle. She came to our rescue in the dungeon and single handedly vanquished the Boss."

That was when Xavier recalled that before he had passed out he had been in the heat of a battle against Ripper Roses in a Grade B dungeon. Last thing he remembered was staring into the bloody eyes of one of the Roses as it dropped over his head, chains at the ready to cause him pain.

He looked around, dread pooling into his stomach. But on observing his surrounding, he discovered that they were certainly not in the dungeon anymore. He knew that because he had been here before...back when hanging out in public places was not a nightmare for him. That was a long, long time ago.

"What are we doing in the city park?" Xavier had to ask. He simply needed to know.

Ferling City park spread out vast and beautiful around them. There was the playground hosting its multitude of laughing and crying children, the Pet Walk for the dogs, cats and pigs, snack bars, ice cream parlors and stretches of green lawns for picnics and relaxation. Somewhere deeper into the park was a wide stretch of game arcades, blossom gardens and fun pools for swimming.

A smiling couple walking their five shepherd dogs waved at Master Kim Sao jovially as they went by and he returned the favor with a wide grin on his face.

"The people here are so friendly." He stated afterwards. He looked so at peace sitting crosslegged on the blanket spread out over the fine carpet grass.

Xavier frowned at the creature still staring at him in expectation, her pink tongue occasionally coming out to flick over her equally pink lips. "Shouldn't they be screaming their voices out? I mean...Elsa must surely be something they don't see everyday."

Kim Sao waved his concern away. "Humans see what they want to see. Some may look at Elsa and see a white horse, while others will see a handsome peacock. A few might see her for what she truly is, a magnificent creature beyond the ordinary. But since she's of no harm to them, their spirits won't judge her as a monster. Are you hungry?"

Xavier's stomach growled in response. "I'm starving. It has been a really long and unpredictable day."

Master Kim Sao rose to his feet. "Don't give up on it yet. There's still more to come. Whether good or bad it's an adventure all the same. An adventure means the opportunity for growth and leveling up." He looked down at Xavier. "I'll get us food from the snack bar over there, while you get ready. Once we finish eating we will set off for the Academy. We are behind schedule as it is."

Xavier watched him leave with a funny feeling in his gut. Celestial Academy...he would be there in about an hour or two depending on how long the journey would take. He didn't know whether to be happy or worried about the great change that was sure to come to his life once he registered at the academy. He was also nervous. The Academy was not for the faint at heart. And Xavier's heart was as weak as it could possibly be.

"Don't be anxious about anything, Xavier." The Astral Mystic approached with a couple of the park themed bags in hand.

Xavier was amazed by his quick return. "That was fast. The line at the snack bar is usually five streets long."

Master Kim Sao smiled mischievously. "It helps a lot when you're an Astral Mystic. We have excess number of tricks up our sleeves." He gave the younger Mystic a meaningful look. "Every Mystic had to start somewhere...from the beginning. That's where you are at the moment. It depends on your strength of will and spirit to take you further, raise you higher to the very peak."

Xavier nodded in understanding, feeling much of his anxiety sip away. He was not any worse or better than the other Mystics of his year. They were all equals until their souls were tested at the Academy. He had nothing to worry about for now.

Master Kim Sao handed Xavier a combo bag of hamburger, chips and milk tea, while he settled beside Elsa with what looked like a fruit-vegetable salad. Kim Sao had bought an entire fried chicken for his soul creature, too. The Snow peacock swallowed the whole thing in one gulp and belched proudly.

Xavier wolfed down his food, giving bits and pieces to Elsa whenever she nudged him with her nose. Her every movement was swift and graceful, like the ballet dancers in some of the old movies he had downloaded on his phone. He found himself daydreaming about finding a soul creature just like her. Something string and powerful to bond with for life. A true companion, something he lacked ever since he was born.

Once they finished eating, Master Kim Sao glanced at a device he pulled out from his breast pocket. It was an antique looking pocket watch that was made of pure gold and had runic inscriptions all over it.

"We are so late that I don't see why we can't spare a few more minutes. Let's pay your mother a visit."

Xavier visibly perked up. "I thought you forgot about that. Since we were in a hurry, I assumed it would be selfish of me to talk about it."

"Though I am a grown man, I make sure to tell my old mother every little new step I take in life. Letting her know beforehand serves as a motivation for me to do exactly what I intended. It could work in same manner for you." Gathering mana around his body to bend the wind, He boosted up into the air to land gently on Elsa's waiting back. "She would get us there in no time."

The lotus symbol for Air Elemental, the White Pearl Unicorn flourished around Master Kim Sao in concentric circles as he prepared another spell. They sparkled and glowed with power, creating a mixture of purple, blue and pink shimmers around the Astral Mystic. He muttered something and Xavier felt the air around his body go dense. He gasped as his feet left the ground, his body rising up on cushions of wind until he was sitting comfortably on Elsa's back as well.

The Snow peacock spread out her wings and broke into a short sprint before lifting off into the air. Xavier was nearly thrown back from the rush of wind against his body, and had to clutch at her fur for support. Once he got used to it though, he began to enjoy the ride.

"What are people going to see when they look up at us flying in the sky?" He wondered loudly.

Master Kim Sao smiled. "A flying horse, maybe? Nobody knows." He chuckled.

Xavier felt a sizzle of happiness go through him as his body relaxed. The wind was chilly against his skin, but he didn't mind.