Chapter 42 - Wind Freak?

Clouds. Endless blue sky. A figure sleeps amongst the clouds.

"Time to rise, my Guide." A voice from everywhere speaks to the sleeping figure.

Gradually, the male figure's eyelids flicker open. He awakens. He stretches as one would from a long-overdue rest. The type of sleep that reshapes a mind and changes something. Everything.

"Woah!" The male figure shouts as he becomes cognizant of his environment. He is floating in midair, suspended here by unknown forces.

"Your metamorphosis has only just begun." The voice from everywhere speaks.

"What's going? Where am I?" The male figure asks.

"My aviator, you are awakening." The voice from everywhere speaks, "This is your Dao-Heart."

"Awakening? Dao-Heart?" The male figure asks while looking around.

"Always so many questions, Haneul." The voice from everywhere speaks, "Choose wisely."

"Then I will ask the most important question." Haneul says, "What do you want?"

"You wished to Guide." The voice from everywhere speaks, "I am here to facilitate."

"What? I do not understand." Haneul asks, "Who are you?"

"Perhaps this form will suffice." The voice from everywhere speaks.

A cloud forms right in front of Haneul. It shapes into a bird. A parrot. A familiar from childhood.

"Do you still remember me?" The parrot asks.

"Han?" Haneul asks even more confused, "How? What is going on?"

"You did name this form of mine after yourself. Unfortunately, we do not have much time together at this moment." Han the parrot says, "I have expended a lot of Cosmic Qi to jump-start your metamorphosis earlier than intended. Sadly, it is incomplete."

"Metamorphosis?" Haneul asks.

"Have a look." The parrot says, conjuring a mirror out of thin air right in front of Haneul.

Haneul stares at his face. His once 59-year-old face has melted away back to his youthful days of around 25. His previously jet black hair is now silvery white. His eyes, once black due to his Asian heritage, is now stormy blue. His body is slimmer yet his muscles feel denser than before.

It finally dawns on Haneul, 'I am naked.'

"What happened to me?" Haneul says, unbelievably still touching his face.

"First, call forth the wind." Han says.

"What?" Haneul asks.

"Manifest your desire to touch the very skies." Han says flapping its wings, "Feel the air!"

As if on cue, the surrounding clouds begin to dance. They swirl around the duo. Haneul feels them. Their freshness. Their formlessness. For the moment, Haneul is one with the sky itself.

"Unfortunately, I can not answer all of your questions right at this moment." Han says as its form begins to grow transparent, "Just know that help is on the way and around the corner."

"Hold on!" Haneul says as he snaps out of oneness, "Do not leave me now."

"Have no fear. I am around you and with you, always." Han says, "We will meet properly soon."

"Wait!" Haneul shouts at the rapidly fading parrot, "I still have questions."

"Stick together!" Han shouts, "Time to shine."

The world around Haneul melts away.