Henry. Just. Henry.

Chapter 26|Guardian of the Oceans

"Something?" Miyu recited. "Something?" She turned, eyes still in the shape of wall nuts. "That was... transcendent. Ethereal. Mystical even, more than a mere something."

"Cedric, has this happened before?" Fallon asked.

"No." He said, so shocked into stillness he wasn't hovering like a ghost would. He was absolutely motionless in the air. "I've read many, many history books, and this was never written. Not to mention, she said Miyu is the first, which could only mean there was never another."

"Holy shit." Miyu said. "Holy mother of chicken soup shit!"

"Okay, that made no sense." Fallon mumbled

"I can't frickin' believe this." She paced, rubbing her hands. "I'm a...no... the guardian of the oceans!"

"Wait." Ezra said. "She said you can summon her water creatures from her realm. So Miyu... does that mean..." Ezra trailed off and everyone caught on.

After minutes on end in utter disbelief, Henry spoke. "That means you're the first human in the world to perform magic... true, real magic."

"Well..." Cedric corrected. "She's the second. Kazimir sucked the magic out of the stone."

"But did he get to use it?" Henry asked.

"No, they took it from him before he could. So... Miyu, if you can perform magic, you truly will be the first human."

"Try it, try it!" Fallon encouraged.

"Okay, okay, just... be quiet." Miyu said, trying to hold back her camera flashing smile.

She turned to the river and breathed in... then out, controlling her heart rate and giddiness. Excitement bounced off the walls in her chest and she could barely keep her foot from jittering. So she stiffened her feet, driving them into the ground and taking a wide stance.

Did she even know what she was going to do? What animal would she call? Guess that should be the first thought.

Wivoza said she could call on water creatures, which she thought meant she couldn't summon any animals that aren't of the sea.

With that in mind, she closed her eyes and pictured the creature. A common fish of Uldine. Small as an index finger and harmless. It travels in groups so massive they could circle the Asian Continent twice. Golden scales would reflect the sunlight glimmering into the ocean and its brown eyes were on top its head. She compressed the wave symbol on her wrist and said its name. "Popper fish."

When she opened her eyes, a single golden popper fish swam out of the river to circle Miyu. Then another, then six, then twenty.

So many poppers whirled around her, they shimmered gold in the sun, as if a shield of golden reflection surrounded her.

The boys gawked at her. Not just at the fact that she summoned magical fish from the water realm, but also at how these fish were swirling around her as if they breathed air.

"Guys! This is fantastic!" She said, caged in by the fish. "But how do I return them?"

"Trust the animals?" Fallon said, guessing based on Wivoza's word.

Miyu took the advice and relaxed her muscles, breathing in, then out. She listening to the popping of the fishes' mouths, the scent of their sea salt scales, and a connection buzzing to life between them.

"Return." she whispered and the fish swarm uniformly into the river, magically vanishing to nothing.

Everyone stared at her as she faced them, an unbreakable smile spreading. No one knew what to say but-

"Wow!" They blurted in unison.

"Wow indeed." Miyu said, the first magical user in the history of the world.

✧✧✧

Henry sat on the patio's couch of his house, staring at the weak light stretching above the horizon, until it disappeared.

Nightfall was approaching, and with a chill too as he rubbed his arms. The rings twinkled in the last drops of light receding from the world and Henry rolled his eyes, scrutinizing them.

Red, green, yellow, and blue rings glimmered as he moved his hand. His expression of judgement, like a king on a throne, now fell sullen as a king who lost that throne.

Footsteps were approaching and Henry gathered his emotional strength to build a wall.

"Henry?" Ezra said, walking outside in one of Henry's blue PJs. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." He smiled. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Ezra sat next to him and held his hand. "I know a fake smile when I see one. Royals learn to perfect that."

Henry sighed, the wall being too weak to cast an illusion of positivity. He gave into the raw guilt nibbling his consciousness, and honestly, he wouldn't want anyone else to comfort him right now. "I failed, Ezra."

"Failed what?"

"My training, it was all for nothing if I couldn't remember that damn name. I'm happy for Miyu, of course I am. But I felt so useless in the moment. Everyone needed me. All I had to do was say a god-damn name, and I fucked up."

"Can you remember the name now?" Ezra said, squeezing his hand.

"Wivoza."

"Good." He leaned back on the couch. "Then that's what matters. You might not have remembered it then, but you do now. Even if you're not in Rion, you're still training, and this minor incident shows you what you can work on. So don't scold yourself. Encourage yourself." He lifted his hand and kissed it. "I believe in you."

Henry smiled, the genuine thinning of his lips bubbling up a calm wave in his chest. He placed his head on Ezra's shoulder and relaxed, sinking into the feeling of relief.

"There's the smile I know and love." Ezra said, holding his chin and leaning in for a slow, tender kiss.

The two cuddled on the couch and watched the sky's transition from daylight to nightfall; the hues of pink, orange and blue shifting to a deep purple then black.

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Hello dearest ones(⁠人⁠*⁠'⁠∀⁠｀⁠)⁠｡⁠*ﾟ⁠+

Hope you've been enjoying the adventures so far! There is a good chunk more to come✧⁠◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠✧ and a good chunk more of loving too(⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠) And not just of Henry and Ezra(⁠◠⁠‿⁠◕⁠)

Thank you for all the support♥️ and I hope to see you for Chapters 27🙌