"What are you talking about?" Xiaolin asked, evident confusion in her tone.

"Well, there aren't many people of the spirit race in our world, so the legend is mostly lost, but with me being one of the very few of the spirit race, I did an extensive study on the matter." Maya paused to consider her words. "Apparently, most spirit creatures from birth have the ability to bond with another same or different racial folk. The bonds aren't the same though.

"Like a higher intelligent spiritual being than most others, your bond is one of the superior spiritual levels. You might not have a clue of this, Xiaolin, but you're one of the royalties of the spirit race."

"Huh?"

"Of course, there are other criteria you have to meet, but that's none of your concern now," Maya continued. "Basically, your bond is to make sure you don't die at an earlier age, as you are pretty weak at the lower ranks."

Xiaolin had no words to refute that. She was weak, even after her advancing a step. Her physical self only grew a little, and even though her spirit advanced, she was still left with the detriment of her physique.

"You won't grow much in physical strength," Maya told her, "however, your regeneration would reach a degree that you could even survive a head explosion. Of course, you have to transcend. That's still three Calamities away."

Xiaolin had no words to describe what she was feeling. "What about how spirit energy keeps leaking out of my body?"

"That?" Maya considered. "I think I have to do a thorough examination to come to any conclusion, but I feel that was because of your incomplete lineage. Your human side makes it difficult for your spiritual side to prosper.

"Supposedly, you aren't supposed to accumulate spirit energy, but just use the natural energy as you see fit."

Xiaolin grew more confused as she heard that. "Are you like that too?"

"No," Maya laughed, "actually, it's quite the opposite. Some of us are born with a part of our predecessor's power, and we accumulate more from there. That's why bonding isn't too serious for us."

Xiaolin was jealous of her. Eventually, she sighed. Maya was of the legendary Celestial Radiance, although their numbers had dwindled, they were still a powerful force to reckon with. She was no match for the angelic being.

"Your problem is that, unlike most people with pure spiritual nature, you have to alter spiritual energy into Qi to use it," Maya said. "I think that will stay the same until you transcend. I fear nobody could do anything about this other than hastening the process, but that was a detriment on its own."

Without a significant time, Xiaolin wouldn't be able to grasp her power, which would be her demise if she went through another calamity like that. She wouldn't have survived her first if it weren't for Gale, no point calling another one to her demise.

After finishing the initial examination, Maya told her she would help her more after they had some food.

***

Gale's nerves went numb as he couldn't feel the burning pain in his body anymore, however, he was hating every moment of the terrible migraine that came with staring right at the source of the light.

Alas! There was no other way.

His eyes stopped bleeding a few minutes ago, as the next step of the text began. Now it wasn't constant light anymore, but a constant flicker of the blinding light.

Gale was blind now. One moment it was all darkness, and the next he was blind with the golden light again. The fate lock made a mess of his senses.

[Hmm,] Saarya's voice came into his head. She was silent for most of the time during the process of the ritual. But now, it seemed something had piqued her mind. [Should I help you get the most out of this inheritance?]

'What do you mean?' Gale asked, his mind buzzing with a constant clamour of a beeping noise, even though there was no white noise in the room.

[I have a way for you to inherit the Radiance of our race,] Saarya told him. [I don't have to tell you how important that is, do I?]

"No," Gale croaked. Basically, Radiance was a higher form of general light attributed spirit energy, which can be used for both creation and destruction. Of course, there was a limit to its power, providing one's rank, still, it was one of the most overpowered powers of this world.historical

[Of course, the pain you're feeling currently will be nothing compared to what you'd feel if you agreed,] Saarya said, her voice soft and soothing as always. [But I can guarantee, all will be worth it if you succeed.]

'What are you implying?' Gale asked, having a little suspicion of what she was telling him.

[You won't like hearing it,] Saarya laughed dryly.

"Just say and get done with this," Gale said, insanity growing in his head of the alternation of light and darkness.

[What I'm implying is for you to introduce more of the radiant power into your spirit and change your spirit nature.]

Gale groaned, understanding how troublesome that would be. 'That would be as devastating as how when I got those spirit scars.'

[And more,] Saarya agreed. [However, it will render you half-step into Gemheart level as well, how do you feel about that?]

Gale didn't say for a few seconds, considering her proposal. "What are the chances of survival and success?"

Saarya took her time to answer. [Survival is guaranteed with my presence,] she said. [As for success, that would depend on how much you can endure. We aren't intending to change your nature completely, you already have all kinds of inheritance to block that path, but a good enough portion to make you more of a spiritual entity.]

Gale remained silent for a little longer. "Fine, do it."

[You're agreeing that easily?] Saarya asked, a little startled. [I thought you were human. I mean yourself.]I think you should take a look at

"I like being alive even more," Gale said in a sombre tone. "Anyway, being human is overrated, but I do like how I appear. Will that change too?"

[Somewhat,] Saarya said, not too certain. [Of course, you won't be an angelic beauty with this, but it will change you, more than how transcendence can change you. As for your mindset, I fear nothing changes that you wouldn't like.]

There was a deep seethed pride in her tone as she mentioned the last line. Gale found his confidence grow, hearing her pride in him.

"Okay, what do I have to do?" Gale asked.

[First, I would need some blood of your Senior sister,] Saarya said. [Do you think she would agree to if you ask?]

Gale frowned. "You know I'm really uncomfortable with how you guys lose your mind over blood. But I guess I have to be damn convincing to get it from Maya"

[I would have given you mine, but I have no way to do so, how I am now.]

"Don't mention it," Gale said with a sigh. Weirdly, he was feeling less of a problem with blinding as he was talking to her.

[Okay, she was coming in, be as charming as you can be. I have faith in you.]

Gale snorted. 'Do you have any idea how much charming I needed to be to impress someone of your race?'

[Good for you, you already impressed me.]

Maya came into the chamber, completely unobstructed by a blinding light. She found Gale's bleeding figure, and burned skin. His clothes were non-existence, but she wasn't focusing on that.

"How are you holding on?" she asked.

"Just an itch in the body," Gale said with a laugh.

"And the mind?"

"I feel like my mind would explode."

"That sounds just about right," Maya said, his lips curving up into a smile. "You know this is just the exact trial I went through as my first calamity?"

"That's how you get your head screwed, huh?" Gale joked, which earned him a glare from her. "Of course, I'm joking and you know it. You're pretty cool, for being a bird."

"I'm not a bird," Maya yelled at him, her voice enraged.

"Then let me count," Gale said and started to count his fingers. "First, you came out of an egg. Second, you have wings like birds. Third, you look.."

He didn't voice out the third, because that would really be a bit out of line.

"That wasn't an egg," Maya shouted at him.

"It was, in crude language," Gale laughed.

[I asked you to be charming, not infuriating, dear Gale,] Saarya's voice came into his mind, full of disapproval.

"Fine, since you're having so much fun, I'll leave you to it, without healing you," Maya said, snapping back at him. She was ready to leave, but Gale stopped her.

"Maya, wait," Gale called. "There's something I need your help with."

"Huh, you need a help of a bird?" Maya snorted.

"No, I need your help, my dear sweet senior sister, who has the softest heart and most brilliant among master's disciples."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere with me," Maya sneered, still in a bad mood.

"But all of it was true though," Gale said.

"You have the softest heart," Maya said.

Gale tilted his head, considering. "That's a close contest," Gale said, "but I guess you have some credibility."

Maya sighed, no way for her to stay mad at him. "So what do you need my help with?"

"It's pretty straightforward," Gale said, hoping she wouldn't make a scene out of it. "I need your blood."

______