Roaring Thunder

Chapter 4: Water God

'That guy's troublesome, wasn't he?' Hex says as he turns to me and smile. I remain on the slab of ice he manages to summon underneath me before I dropped face-first. It is cold, really cold and it is hard. But somehow, I just feel like lying there, not doing anything. Dane is still next to me, motionless. Blood covers his head and my view is slowly getting clouded by red.

'I will just res-' I mumble as my eyelids slowly slam to a shut but not before I watch the shocked expression displayed on Hex's face.

I drop into an abyss. About five minutes have passed and yet, my fall seems to be in a constant pace. It seems endless. Somehow, my girdle is not tied around the tunic at my waist. WHOOSH! I could feel my tunic touching my belly slightly. Isn't it a little cold suddenly? My hands feel heavy even though I want to move it to my belly where the cold seems to be at its peak. Let me just open my eyes at the very leas-

My eyes widen at the ball of wind floating and swirling above my centre. 'What is-' I unconsciously uttered as I turned my head around, only to find myself a fearsome fact. I am falling to my death! And an unpleasant one at that too, I think, as I lock my sight on the ball. I heave a sigh of disappointment before shifting my eyeballs upwards and gaze into the sky through the gap of the rocky area, gradually narrowing into a blue line.

'So, this is how I am gonna die eh?' I ask softly. 'Although I am kinda glad that at least, I will not be alone at the other side. ' And, I close my eyes.

I feel so light suddenly. Have I hit the ground? Well, not that I want to feel the pain though. That's when a violent gale comes rushing upwards from below, lifting me upwards. The ball sinks into my belly and I let out an agonised pain. The wind is cutting through the tunic then my skin followed by my flesh. 'AAARGH! WHAT IS THIS?!' I paused, my heart's racing. ' I-I AM TEARING APART!'

The ball enter my guts and before long, my eyes widened abruptly at the sight of a white surrounding. Where...How? Nevertheless, I am still in the air but, not sinking.

'Rex!'

My closed eyes widened again. However, this time, I wake up to worried stare of three people: Dane, a woman in her eighties and... Hex. 'Rex! You're awake!' Hex says.

'Nope, I am still asleep.' I reply jokingly before entering a serious tone. 'Why are you here?'

Hex says, ' Hey! Don't be so cold. I just saved you so I have settled your debt from when I lied to you.'

'Fine.' I nods.

Dane rushes over to my side, pushing Hex away. 'Dane, you sure you should be up already?'

The old woman says, ' Yes. He's in a better condition than you. The person you faced-' Her words make me recall the pathetic loss I suffered at the hands of Ale. 'You are no match for him from the beginning, I would say, seeing the price you paid.' I lift my hands and look at the bandages wrapped around them.

'Sigh.' I utter when suddenly, I remember something important. 'The shadows in me...'

Hex regards me with a curious look then, put on a smile. ' The shadow in you is gone.'

'Gone? How?'

'I destroyed it. Took quite a bit of an effort though.'

'The wind!' I exclaim.

'Yup. You are sharp, indeed.'

'How about Dane?' I ask.

'He somehow has it overcame with his own shadow. It's really impressive to see that someone could actually deny Ale's skill. But, given the ability Dane has, it's no surprise, I would say.'

Dane nods. I try to lift myself from the bed but, as I exert force to my muscles, the pain amplifies and I frown before falling back down. 'Just rest and recover.' Dane says. 'Hex says the other knights won't be coming after us in the meantime.' I turn to Hex and he smiles again. I adjust myself comfortably in the bed after hearing Dane's reassurance. Time to rest, I think, and I fall asleep.

It is in the middle of the night when I find myself roused by the owls' hooting. Everything is dark around me except for a small stream of moonlight outside the window. I strain myself and step out from bed and towards the door, holding tightly onto the walking stick I found by my bed. From where I walk, I can see the exhausted looks on everyone's face, sleeping quietly. Dane at the sofa and Hex at the wooden chair. The elderly woman seems to be not here.

The night breeze blows calmly, brushing against my skin. The leaves rustle and the thinner trees sway along. I look back to the cottage that houses us. It is a small brick house with long and wide leaves tied together to some wood planks to serve as roof.

'Not a bad one, isn't it?' A voice says from behind me. I turn my body around and see the elderly woman from earlier looking in the same direction. 'The cottage, I meant.'

'Yup. It sure is.' I replies.

'So, well enough to sneak out at night? She asks. I giggle slightly at the question before nodding.

'Yea, I guess.'

She gives me a curious look, arching an eyebrow then smiles. 'So I heard that you can summon the attributes of lightning. Well enough to display a few moves, I supposed?'

I raise my hand and direct it at a nearby tree. 'If you don't mind me burning some trees, that is.' She gives her assurance. 'Here I go.'

'Spark!' I say in my mind. And in the next second, a flash of lightning shoots out from my palm and lands on the tree. Streams of currents crawl up the trunk to the leaves quickly and before long, flames engulfs the entire tree.

'Still weak.' She comments.

'That's just the basic skil-Aargh!' I place my hand on my shoulder. Looks like the internal injury is far from healed. Afterall, it has not even been a day of rest yet. The white-haired woman shakes her head. Mumbling some words, water droplets condense from the air then, a line of water and in the next second, a floating lake circling around the burning tree. The water falls upon it as she clutches her fingers into a fist. I stand there, my mouth gapes open at the power displayed by her.

She returns the stare and says, ' You abilities are still immature, Rex. In comparison to Raijin, you are nothing but a toddler.'

'Raijin? What are you talking about?'

'The Thunder God, of course. You have met him before.' She gives off a weak smile.

My eyes widen. 'Just who are you?'

'Aquae Deus or most commonly known as Suijin.' She paused, with the moonlight slowly shifting towards her and illuminates her face.

'I am the Water God.'

An eye melts and reveals a bluish glimmer behind it. 'Gods don't reveal their true form to everyone unless necessary.' I am rooted to the ground, still and stunned at the words she says.

'Gods...' I mumble.

'Fear not, Rex. God is but a calling given to us by commoners. We too are beings of this world, only slightly more powerful.'

'So, why show it to me?'

'I am only showing you an eye, not much. Plus, if Raijin acknowledged you then, perhaps, you are really something. Though the fact that you are defeated by a random guy does lower my trust in your capabilities.' She explains then, places one hand to the eye and restores it. She turns her back to me and trudges away.

'G-Gods are strong, right?' I ask. 'Gods are master of their respective elements, right?' She halts and looks at me over her shoulder. Her eyes giving off a curious look. I lift my head up from staring at the ground. 'Teach me then.' She arches an eyebrow. Then, as if she finally grasps my words, she turns her head back to the front and a faint smile traces on her lips.

'Adios, Rex.' She puts out a hand and waves at me without looking behind. I am left standing under the watchful eyes of the moon, in the cold night. Disappointment fills my heart as I look at her disppearing into a corner. About to walk back into the cottage, water splashes down on me. My clothes are soaked through.

'Don't forget to rise early tomorrow!' Her voice comes from the back of the building.

'Savage, isn't she?' I mutter to myself.