Chapter 7 the last two

Melay looked at the silver lake reflecting the full moons serenity. Akuwa could be seen in the distance at the edge of the lake. The waves lapped affectionately at the horses hooves and they walked peacefully along its side listening to the song of the crickets. Nothing was said, and nothing needed to be. They were all quite content to sit, watch and live in the moment. As the city grew ever closer the horses became restless so the warriors left them outside the gate pitched to the ground where they could graze on a small grassy patch. Melay took off her hood from her blue night cloak which they had bought back in Cirium and the others followed.

As they neared the blue and silver gate they saw it was not locked and was in fact swinging slowly on its hinges. Yochinn went inside first and saw the city deserted. On top a hill stood a large temple. If anyone was here they would be inside that temple he thought. As they walked through the town it seemed to whisper as the breeze moved the curtains behind the open windows. There was no sign of recent civilisation the walls and floors were clustered with dust and the grass had grown long. As they ascended the hill a roar of sound slowly became louder and as they opened the decorated door to the temple, creaking as it moved millimetres above the ground they saw a beautiful fountain. Six female water warriors stood in different stances around a male water warrior with his hand and face towards the roof of the large hall in which the fountain stood. The statues had water rushing from there hands and on closer inspection the fountain seemed to be carved completely out of crystal. The moonlight shone on the fountain from a circular window above illuminating it softly. The hall floor was tiled with white pearls and four large stone archways lead away from the fountain. On the walls hung hundreds of mirrors, reflecting moonlight coming from windows and lighting up the room dimly. A sound of soft footsteps echoed around them.

"Hello," Melay called.

"Is any one there?"

"Who are you?" a mysterious voice came as a young girl peered from behind an arch. She stepped out when she saw Melay. She was much smaller than the other warriors and looked innocent and sweet in her white flowing dress. Her untied hair flowed long and wavy in front of her face, hiding most of her features.

"Where are the others?" Asked Melay.

"Gone", whispered the girl.

"What's your name?" Melay asked her kindly.

"Ajein," The girl replied.

"I'm a water warrior," she said as if reciting an old memory from lost times. Yochinn realised that even though she was small she must be the one they were looking for.

"How long have you been here?" Melay asked, tilting her head sympathetically.

"I'm fourteen and I've been here since I was eight," Ajein replied holding on to the archway to support her.

"Well don't worry we'll get you out of here," Yochinn said stepping forward confidently. Ajein looked betrayed.

"No! Don't take me!" she said scared,

"Don't take me like you took the others."

Her eyes closed squinting hard then she opened them and flicked the hair from her face.

"I won't let you take me!" she said in a different, less innocent tone. She ran toward them. As she reached the fountain she pulled all the water from the bowl which the statues stood in and shot it gushing toward the warriors. Narim stepped forward and shielded them with a dome of air. Causing the water to splash onto the ground around them.

"Were not here to hurt you," Narim said, she turned to him as if only just seeing him and pulled more water from the fountain. She swirled the water in a circle around her before pulling six large tentacles from the stream creating a flower looking formation around her. She moved her palms towards them and the tentacles shot out towards the three ready to grasp them and pull them back in. Narim spun the dome again but the streams of water pierced the barrier and wrapped Narim in a bond of water. The dome vanished and the other tentacles wrapped around Yochinn and Melay. She froze each one of them to the spot with a gesture and walked closer. She started to tighten the ice around the warriors.

"Melay, do something!" Yochinn pleaded,

"Just try I know you can do it!"

Melay closed her eyes and pushed the ice off her.

"My first water move!" Melay said. "

You're a water warrior?" gasped Ajein.

"Yes," replied Melay. Ajein ran up to Melay and hugged her. She turned and released the other two.

"I haven't seen another water warrior for six years."

"Why?" asked Narim.

"They where kidnapped by these horrible people dressed in red.

"I wasn't taken because I had run away, even when I went to the other water cities I was the only one there. So for the past 6 years I have practised the water element everyday."

"Can you teach me in the morning?" Melay asked hopefully.

"But you can already do it, cant you?" Ajein said.

"No, I wasn't taught," Melay sadly said. "Where did you live?" Ajein asked.

"In a small village on Moapi I left for a trip to learn healing as I was the only water warrior in my tribe. They had no need for fighters so I was only taught to heal. When I returned, the men had been killed and the women and children were left to die. Without the men our village faced famine and plague. I was the only one left in the end as I could continuously heal myself, I tried to heal others but……" Melay trailed off not wanting to say the final words. Ajein hugged her again and created some ice seats for them to sit on so they could continue to talk comfortably.