For two long months, Marshall sat on the stone bed in the emerald pond for hours on end, weaving through his memories and twirling the demonic energy between his fingers with attempts to get it to bend at his will.
At the end of every day, he would approach Gi Gaia with one question: 'Can you still sense my demonic energy?' to which he would receive a bored nod and a dismissive wave of a hand with the instruction to keep trying.
The white owl had visited him a few more times, occasionally checking up on him, but it had been two weeks since it last showed up. Perhaps Wyn had moved on or forgotten about the disciple, or assumed he was dead.
Marshall wasn't sure whether the owl had told the snow deity about his demonic energy. However, since the owl didn't carry any notes or letters, it might've been visiting him on its own volition.
Autumn was at its peak, scattering red maple leaves into the cavern. Plenty of them dropped into the pond, and some landed onto the disciple's head with soft taps, as if telling him to stay hopeful.
By that point in time, Marshall had surveyed every corner of the rocky area and had run into every wall at the end of the tunnels. The stone walls were unbreakable for everyone except Gi Gaia, who used them like ordinary doors, making them crack open and rumble shut at the flick of her fingers. Gi family wielded spiritual terra, so it didn't surprise him. Yet, it left him wondering how many 'rooms' were in the cavern behind seamless doors of stone.
One unusually sweltering fall day, Marshall's dark hair was soaking up the sun's heat, his shoulders burning under the black shirt, yet an unusual coolness spread through his chest. He gazed at the blue sky, memories of careless days flooding his mind, serving as both a blessing and a curse.
➳ ➳ ➳
Marshall's days on Avidity Premises had went like this: studies, training, goofing off, sleep, repeat. Aside from a periodical sense of looming danger, Marshall lived at ease.
Another practice had ended, and most of the disciples had dragged their feet into the study halls to cool off.
Three disciples stayed behind, lying sprawled in grass like starfishes. Marshall was on his stomach, face in the grass, basking in the coolness that flowed up from the ground.
The summer rainy season had been scarce, but last night a storm had left the grass so crisp that he almost had an urge to chew on it.
A labored huff gave way to Lai Rylan's complaint. "I barely survived Liangdu! Why is it so hot in Sky Oriels too?! Marsh!"
After being shaken out of his idyllic relaxation, Marshall groaned, plucking a fistful of grass.
"It's summer, what do you expect? And it could have been worse!" Marshall retorted, throwing the grass at Lai Rylan.
Before Sun Hayden could stuff in any comments, Lai Rylan had already pulled out two chunks of grass along with all the roots. He hurled them at Marshall, who evaded the retaliation.
"Ha! You missed!" Marshall rolled into a shadow under the trees, giggling.
"Hey!" Sun Hayden swatted away the hand that had been reaching for more grass after the missed shot. "Don't ruin the field!"
Sun Hayden pushed Lai Rylan to the ground. "If Master Gi Shan sees any missing patches, he will make us replant the whole thing!"
Marshall snickered at his friend's failed revenge, wiping the sweat off his face.
Lai Rylan struggled to fight off Sun Hayden, who was still sitting on his back, unbothered.
"How many times do I have to tell you to stop touching me?! If I get angry, I'll start sweating again!"
Marshall moved over to join the fun, prodding Lai Rylan's sides in attempts to tickle him.
"Hah! As if you're not already angry and sweating right now!"
"Hey! Don't gang up on me!"
Merciless kicks were sent out in self-defense, hitting anything and anyone in the way.
"Ow—?! Why would you kick me?!" Sun Hayden cried out and Marshall laughed harder.
"You started it!" Lai Rylan retorted, then glared at the laughing disciple. "And what are you laughing at?!"
He kicked Marshall away next, freeing himself from the obnoxious tickling.
Marshall rubbed his side with a grimace, but quickly recovered to keep teasing. "At your face! You look like a blushing maiden, sweating nervously!"
Lai Rylan's angered face didn't look coy in the slightest, but Sun Hayden flopped on the ground, laughing his head off.
"That's why you can't find a date! Because you're a maiden yourself!" the blond disciple chortled.
"What are you talking about?!" Lai Rylan yelled out, sitting up.
Marshall put a hand on the midnight-robed disciple's shoulder with a sympathetic act.
"That's alright, these two men will defend you, handsome lady."
Sun Hayden grabbed Lai Rylan's other shoulder, unable to suppress the chuckles.
"Your life is, pfft, in good hands, madam."
Lai Rylan's face darkened. "Get the hell away from me before I send both of you rolling down a hill!"
His shout echoed over the grassy field and the two hyenas broke into the another wave of giggles.
➳ ➳ ➳
Marshall opened his eyes to the bleak cavern, snapping out of the memory. Another evening rolled around and Gi Gaia returned to the cavern to set the table for dinner, as usual.
The disciple remained seated on the rock platform, listening to the sounds of cutlery clattering against the foldable table. The smell of grilled meat mingled with the musty odor of the cave, inducing feelings more akin to nausea than hunger.
"Dinner's ready! Come down! This time, I'll tell you about labradorite!" Gi Gaia's voice echoed through the hollow area, jolly as usual.
Marshall watched her tinker with the lantern she had brought in—the flame inside seemed to sway along with the song she was humming.
Glancing up at the rock platform, Gi Gaia urged again, "Come to the table before the food gets cold! Tonight's menu is roasted duck with the side of root vegetables! I've perfected the spice blend! It's going to be the best meal you've ever tasted!"
He slowly stood up, rolling his pants up to cross the shallow part of the pond. Once the disciple had taken a seat by the table, she looked him up and down, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
"You're awfully quiet today," Gi Gaia noted.