Dancing on the Wind

As Xiao bathed under the sunlight, memories of her previous life began to flood her mind. Eight years ago, she had lived as Amalia, and on her wedding day, by some twist of fate, when struck by lightning Amalia ended up traveling to another world where it seemed she'd lived many lives before. After spending some time sunbathing, Xiao decided she would make the best of her new life.

Song looked at her with concern, not how her so-called family had looked at her when she was Amalia; no, this was different. It seemed as if Song was genuinely worried about her. In her previous life, Xiao's family had only cared about the fortune she had amassed and would do anything to get their grubby hands on it. Yet, in this new world, she had nothing but herself and Song, who seemed relieved she stood before him.

With a smile, Xiao outstretched her hand towards Song, who moved as swiftly as the wind and gladly took her hand into his own.

"Shall we go over the horizon?" Xiao asked Song for once in her life, deciding not to hide her real emotions; Xiao gave Song a warmhearted smile. In the last eight years, while she slept, Song had told her stories of his adventures; all the while, Xiao wished to see the world with him.

Song followed Xiao's gaze over the horizon towards the Lands of Old, a place filled with immense darkness.

"Why do you wish to go over the horizon?" Song studies Xiao's smiling face. Could something have happened when he left her alone?

Xiao tugs Song closer to her, "I want to dance on the wind swore over the clouds and touch the seas," The pure joy Xiao gives Song makes his cold heart stir the same way it shifted when he first came across her.

Song had been alone for a long time, resigning himself to being the forgotten fox king. With a heart made of frozen stone and a penchant for bloodshed.

"Song, Song," Xiao chimes, "what are you thinking?" At Song's silence, Xiao begins to tug Song closer to the edge, where she pulls him against her as they fall off the edge. Giant butterfly wings sprout out of Xiao's back, a vibrant orange glistening under the sun's rays.

Xiao lets out a giggle that quickly turns into a manic laugh, "I can fly," she says as if in disbelief. With one of his eight tails, Song sends a gust of wind, allowing Xiao to fly up even higher but not too high that the sun may scorn her. As if wanting to join in, cherry blossom petals swirl around them, wrapping Song and Xiao in a flower chain.

Song and Xiao spend a better part of their day dancing on the wind with the occasional cherry blossom chain wrapping around them as if to keep them from harm's way.

A lovely song catches Xiao's attention, followed by the sight of iridescent feathers. Circling around Xiao's tree, a bluish-white bird sings a merry melody. Xiao swoops down Song returning to his human form as they land, watching the little bird cautiously. For the last week the bird had appeared near Xiao's cocoon, Song didn't think she'd return, but here she was.

"So pretty," Xiao scops the little bird into her hand and gently runs a finger over its head.

The bird chirps excitedly, "Master, you have finally returned," the little bird flaps its wings in excitement, "oh, Master, Caihong missed you the most."

With a little push of her wings, Caihong lifts herself from Xiao's hand and transforms into a beautiful maiden with hair that matches her blue and white feathers and eyes as black as black pearls. Even Caihong's dress resembles the coloring of her feathers.

It seemed to Xiao that keeping the little birds a pet wouldn't be possible, but the girl had called her Master; perhaps she wouldn't be alone. After all, while Xiao felt great comfort in Song's presence, she knew the day would come when they would not be together.

"Caihong," Xiao repeats the little bird's name, smiling yes, the name seemed to suit the little bird well, "How am I your Master?"

Caihong flaps her arms as if remembering they aren't wings; she stops and places them at her hips, "Has Master forgotten Caihong?' The worry in Caihong's eyes would break Xiao's heart if her heart could be broken.

Xiao gives Caihong a pat atop the head, hair as soft as feathers, "I have been asleep for a very long time; thus, some things are a bit fussy."

Caihong nibbles at her lower lip before deciding on something, "Master went to the secular world a thousand years ago and had yet to return. Caihong traveled with Master from the Land of Souls and across eight worlds before Master finally found the last piece of her lover's soul."

"Is that why when came here?" Xiao asks as she rakes through her memory to see if any of the things she saw while she slept holds a whisp of what Caihong mentioned.

"This world is where the last piece was, but Master could not bring herself to kill the child the lady immortal carried and instead placed all the pieces within her so that the baby would grow strong."

"Then what happened?" Song asks, jealousy evident in his gaze.

Caihong looks at Song as if he were not quite right in the head, "then Master went to the secular world to train while she waited for you to be born."

Song and Xiao stare at Caihong, stunned, so they are connected in the past. How fate makes a fool of us all.

Xiao had crossed worlds looking for Song, only to have to leave him and go to a world void of magic for the sake of Song's safe rebirth. Then, Xiao could return as if by fate when the time had passed, and Song's soul had once again become corrupted by bloodlust. How cruel of the gods to treat them this way.

At that moment, Xiao swore to make the heavens pay even if it killed her, for as Caihong spoke, memories continued to flood Xiao's mind, and with them came the opening of her third eye, which allowed her to see how Song's soul had been corrupted by the gods.