The Roc

We are both looking at each other.

3, 2, 1 …. Then we emerge!

"AHHHHHH!!!!!"

Yep, it is as I feared. In front of us is the roc I saw a while back. It still looks exactly the same as it did before. Still, it is hard to reconcile the intimidating appearance and the shy persona.

Picture the scariest-looking mythical bird there is. Then picture the same bird screaming in fright. Yes, the one that has a wingspan big enough to eclipse the sky. Yes, that very same one. Now it's busy flying away. Guess I'll let the bear settle it.

"It's me! Come back!"

"I am not flying down there! I still wish to live! You can keep this nest!"

"We don't care about your nest at all! Just hurry up and come back!"

"That's exactly why I am flying away! You won't catch me!"

"Come back here I need to introduce you to my teacher!"

"You can't fool me! I saw this man on Yggdrasil! He is scary!"

"What are you even going on about!"

"I saw how he looked at me! He glared at me with rapt attention! I've heard about this! This is called predatory behavior!"

"There is no way teacher would do such a thing!"

"Why would I believe you?! Bears are not tasty! I am!"

"What do you mean bears are not tasty?! I am way more appetizing than you! You are nothing but a stack of feathers!"

"Yes, but my feathers are also very silky and beautiful! Anyway, you can't trick me!"

First, this conversation doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Who even argues about who the tastiest is?! Second, this bird is clearly a coward. Third, for some reason, he is convinced I am powerful. Well, there was that Yggdrasil episode. Welp, time for a good old bluff.

[Actually…I know a good chicken recipe. If he insists on not showing me face, I don't mind using it. *Sigh* Not even ready to come and greet me.]

"Teacher, what is a chicken?"

[Oh? Some sort of bird. Very delicious.]

"I knew it! You clearly want to..."

[If you remain stubborn, I will catch you and cook you.]

"T-that. There is no way you can accomplish such a thing! You are bluffing! I can just fly away!"

[You can try.]

"HAHAHAHAHA Fool! The only reason I was able to climb up here in the first place was thanks to teacher! You think he'll have any trouble catching you?!"

I can see the bird becoming more and more nervous. I see him shake. Sometimes he misses a beat while flapping his wings. Then he loses a bit of altitude before climbing back up. I can see him considering every aspect of the situation. Or at least all the aspects he can fathom, I guess.

[*Sigh* Oh well, I guess I'll just start cooking and…]

"No, wait! I'm coming down!"

Yet he remains in the air.

"P-please promise you won't eat me first!"

[I promise I WILL eat you if you keep annoying me.]

He rushes toward us. Even makes an emergency landing.

"I'm here!"

[I can see that.]

"Y-you won't eat me, right?"

[Nope, you can stop repeating this for now.]

He shut-ups but keeps glancing at me fearfully.

[Is he always like that?]

"Yes. Ah, but it is the first time this bear sees him react so strongly!"

[I understand, you can leave us for now.]

The bear goes back to our previous hiding spot. This in turn only makes the bird more anxious. Then we have a long discussion. One that is unnecessarily long from all his hesitations.

I ask him about what he knows about this forest. Apparently, he only is on speaking terms with the bear and the tiger. They have one thing in common. They all are trying their best to survive an enemy that doesn't seem to be existing.

To be fair there was just a dragon's attack. For all I know, maybe they somehow survived some scarring event that made them that way. Probably the mother giving her life away for the child or something along the lines. I don't know.

Well, it's fine either way. I wasn't expecting too much from an acquaintance of my disciple. I was already disappointed with the turtle. Well, not by him, more by how they described him to me.

There is one thing I do want, however. I ask the bird to bring me for a ride. I missed my chance with the dragon, but it isn't too late to experience flight! He doesn't seem to mind that much. We promptly depart. I leave the sleeping hammer behind.

The view is similar to when I was high up on Yggdrasil. The feeling is different, however. There is a sense of freedom to be high up in the air without touching the ground. Or a tree. If my ride wasn't such a scaredy-bird I would be shouting right now. Don't want to startle him haha.

I can feel the cold wind on my skin. I can see the sun shine on me. The landscape looks so distant. I can see the green treetops. The forest feels vibrant. Ah, not only from the fauna or even the flora.

There is something more. Mana. Overflowing! It is only now that I notice it. It has the color of life itself. Nature magic is everywhere here. I didn't notice it on the ground…. But now it seems obvious.

My eyes can finally encompass all of it. Ah, there is one thing that is weird. Remember that huge lake? Well, it is nowhere to be seen. I ask him if he knows why that is. Formulated as if I was testing him on a quiz of course.

He tells me all he knows about it. Apparently, there is a guardian that got tired of it. He decided to organize all the special landscapes into their own pocket-dimension. More accurately half pocket-dimensions.

As in everything is still connected to the real world. It simply takes less space than it should. Space magic. This is something I want to learn.

*Sigh* This is the best.

I can ride for as long as I want, right?

My mount won't run out of fuel.

Isn't this just great?!

Time to have fun!