Navigation lessons were going to take a few days. In the meantime Saiyi and Wep enjoyed each othe at night. Then after they would sneak out and go flying. They were learning together. While they had no idea how or why the flying was transferring to Wep they took full advantage of it. They knew it had to be given and transferred by touch. Initially the two lovers suspected it came from physical intimacy, but they soon found out that Saiyi could will Wep to have her ability. After they discovered this, there night time flights were often done in the bare. They would share each other high above the city. Bodies pressed together for warmth, Saiyi's hair blowing around them like a golden-white cloud. They had to be careful to not be seen as they did not want their relationship to be too public.
In the second week Saiyi and Wep landed on the desert floor to soak up the remaining sun. They stolled through the wastes. It struck Saiyi that the very sands that once threatened to take her life, were now no more than a curiosity. She kicked at the sand.
"Not so tough now." She bellowed a faux sinister laugh.
"Well that was odd." Wep was looking at Saiyi as if she had lost her mind.
"Yes, well…" She told him the tale of her village raid accompanied by her doomed trip into the wastes. She explained about The Mother Goddess and her subsequent rescue by Kez Visat. They sat on the warm sand as she told her story. Wep leaned forward listening intently. His dread was visible as her story continued. He had not known her at the time, but the thought of Saiyi going through such an ordeal churned his stomach. Afterward she flung her arms open in display.
"And now. Well now it no longer frightens me. It's just sand." In demonstration she picked up a hand full and let it run through her fingers. Wep pulled himself out of his daze.
"You know Saiyi. You amaze me more each day."
"Don't start with your flattery. I don't want sand in my crack." She formed a sphere of stone from the sand and lobbed it his way. Wep caught it and when he tried to put it down it started to flow again, returning to the desert as sand once more.
"Did you...?" Wep wasn't sure what he had just witnessed.
"That wasn't me." The young Chosen grabbed the man's hands and cupped them. She placed a heap of sand in the bowl they made.
"Go on. Make a ball."
Wep focussed on his hands, willing the sand to obey. The grains swirled but otherwise did not obey. Perhaps, Saiyi thought she had just not made a solid enough ball. An idea came to her. She took Wep's hand, looked him in the eye and remembering the Mother's words she said:
"With love I give you this power Wep."
Her amulet briefly glowed bright, illuminating the wastes around them. The Goddess gestured to Wep to try again. He picked up a handful of sand. Staring back at her he replied.
"With love, I take this gift with my heart." The dark haird man closed his eyes and focussed on his hand. The sand swirled and reformed. In Wep's hand sat a perfectly round stone ball. He dropped it in shock. Saiyi catching it mid-air with telekinesis. She lifted it to inspect.
"Wep. I think I just figured out what my ability is."
"Isn't it too early?"
"Well, Mother told me that my power is undiluted. She said my heritage would make me powerful."
"Clearly."
The two decided that they would leave further experimentation for another day. They flew back to the tower slowly, excitedly discussing their new revelation. The extent of Saiyi's power was beginning to become apparent to Wep. He feared that before long she may become bored with someone of his status. He resolved to make the most of what they had while he could.
The next day Saiyi went on a solo flight. Shiwa had issued her a task to test her navigation. Without knowing that the young Goddess could transfer power and how much flying experience Wep had, she had naturally never considered sending him along. Though the task was a simple one.
"Go brag." Shiwa had told Saiyi.
"Just like that. Go brag."
"Just so."
Now Saiyi found herself flying high above the desert sands, not another human in sight for hundreds if not thousands of kilometres. A few hours into her flight another island came into view. She had passed the first half of her final navigation test. The island's name was Beetor. The central tower was similar to the one on Hagoa but the water from this tower flowed in a single laminar sheet, giving it the appearance of a massive sheet of glass. She landed at the tower base. Her amulet and arrival made it very clear who she was. Not a single person stood in her way as she entered the elevator to the throne room. Arriving at the top she made her way to the ornate doors. The doors of the Beetor tower had stars twelve stars circling Cyla etched into it. The young Goddess knocked.
"Hallo, what? Enter." The voice came from the inside. Saiyi put her arms out from her sides, elbows to her midriff. The doors swung open at her will as she floated through.
"Good grief. Saiyi. Amazing." Zago could do little to hide his admiration for the young Chosen's progress. After some pleasantries and well deserved bragging Saiyi set off once more. She headed back to Hagoa. She felt truly like one of the Gods of Cyla from her father's stories. She supposed she was, but was determined to become more still.