Enchanted | KYS

Water bending

Sky watched the port get farther and farther as they set sail for the far-off Crescent Islands. The sun wasn't up in the sky yet, but the dawn was about to break any second now, judging from the faint light spreading in the east. They were to reach their destination about a week from today-five days if the water and air mages had to really hasten up.

'For a tribe under extreme danger, they sure look pretty jolly, don't you think?' Hongjoong wrapped his arm around her shoulders, watching the children run around and shout with glee. Sky nodded, laughing when one of the kids set his friend's hair on fire. 'It's the taste of freedom," he said, eyes still on the people who freely used their magic in the security of the vast sea. 'I wish things were like this all the time.' Sky understood what he meant. There was only so much you could do while bound to a village hidden behind a barrier. This might be the first time some of them have set foot outside of the village at all. 'Sky,' she turned her head towards Hongjoong at the sound of her name. 'I want you to start learning water magic.' Her eyes widened. She expected her lessons to start as soon as they reached the shore, but she never expected them to start right now, in the middle of the ocean. But of course, what better place to learn water bending than the limitless source of the water itself? She smiled at the captain, telling him she'd be ready in five minutes as she ran back to change into a suitable outfit.

'Alright for your first lesson,' Hongjoong and Sky sat face to face on the dock with a bucket of water right next to them. 'I want you to take this water and make it go from your right hand to your left, like a loop.' He explained the process as he did it in front of her. Sky nodded, doing exactly as told, but the water didn't even budge. 'You need to be more fluid with your motions,' he said, showing her the hand movements once again. His hands moved with ease, no tension in his limbs as he guided the water from one hand to another. She tried once again, this time actually managing to get the water to float, but it splashed all over her once she tried to get it moving. Hongjoong laughed, handing her a towel to dry off while he collected the water back into the bucket.

'I don't get it. I did exactly what you told me to!' Sky groaned.

'You're thinking of water as a separate entity from you.' The captain spoke as he set the refilled bucket back in its original place. 'You're not supposed to be commanding the element; you're one with it. They're supposed to follow you just like waves, one after the other.' Well, that doesn't help. 'Think of yourself as a leaf in a river, floating along with the waves down the stream.' Sky nodded, getting the water to float up on her lap once again. She moved her right hand, pushing the water towards her left hand before pushing it again towards her right.

'Hey! I did it!' She looked up to meet Hongjoong's eyes, who looked at her with a sense of pride, a smile adorning his face.

'Great!' He said. 'Now do it with no hands.'

______

'Useless, all of you.' Izar's cold voice echoed in the empty hall of the palace. 'How shameful it is that my three best trackers can't find a measly princess.' The three guards shivered under his cold gaze, their heads lowered in fear as they huddled together.

'Y-your majesty,' The captain fell on his knees, daring to look up to meet his eyes before he lowered them once again. 'Give us a little more time. We- we promise we'll find the princess in no time. I-'

'I believe one week was enough time given to find the princess, was it not?' He interrupted the guard in his pointless blabbering, stepping down the stairs till he reached the three. 'I gave you a task, and you failed. Yet you come back here to show me your face.' He leaned down, grinning deviously at the captain as he put a firm hand on his head. 'You know what I do to shameless failures like you, right?'

'N-no' The captain's eyes widened as he shook his head. 'Mercy! Mercy, your majesty! We'll find her we prom-' Screams echoed in the castle, setting a bone-chilling fear inside everyone who heard them. Even the animals ducked back into their burrows and nests.

'Oh?' The prince raised his eyebrow, hands still firm on the third guard's head as he choked on his own blood, eyes dripping the scarlet liquid down on the floor and the prince's boots. Izar watched from the guard's eyes a blurred figure clad in deep blue. He couldn't quite tell what he was wearing, but he could hear them talk. 'Do you think it would be safe for us to just leave them here?' He heard a voice from somewhere asking. The deep blue figure nodded his head. 'Granny erased all their memories. They should not remember what happened at all.' He reassured his friend. 'Let's head back to the village before they wake up and we have to knock them out again.' He said. 'I don't mind choking that one once again. His reactions are funny.' He heard one of them say with a snicker. The blurred guy shook his head before the vision turned black again.

It seems like you were of some use after all.' He threw the guard's body away, stepping over the other two as he wiped his hands on his kerchief before calling for a guard. 'Call the general. We're going for a stroll.'