Chapter 10 - Training
"Concentrate..." Lady Agua said, watching Alexis struggle,
"I... am," Alexis said. And she was, eyebrows furrowed, teeth clenched, the whole nine yards of the "I'm concentrating" look.
Ever since Alexis has summoned Lady agua on the clifftop and Lady Agua had taken her to her home in a cave underneath the Arctic ice shelf, she had been put through a strict training regime, designed to increase her control over water. It was tough, much tougher than Aunt Clara's gardening, but Alexis undertook the grueling tasks with a kind of savage pleasure, knowing every task she mastered brought her one step closer to avenging the murder of her family and her boyfriend.
What she still wasn't comfortable with was the fact she was underwater and breathing normally. When she had first been teleported she was utterly terrified, convinced in her heart of hearts that Lady Agua had taken her to her grave. She had floundered about like a fish out of water, watched impassively by Lady Agua. She held her breath for as long as she could and when she couldn't take it anymore she opened her mouth and took a huge gulp... and found she could breathe normally.
"You could have said!" Alexis said, outraged,
Lady Agua just shrugged and beckoned her to follow.
Three weeks on Alexis had made huge progress with her water control. She could move significant amounts in whatever direction she wished and she could halt big waves. But she was still struggling to make water do her will, such as heal her or twist into unusual shapes.
"You must focus. Feel the water molecules and force them to do your bidding. Impose yourself upon them." Lady Agua floated around, Alexis, watching her struggles.
"I know... You floating around isn't helping my concentration to be honest,"
Lady Agua didn't even flinch.
"Again," she said,
Alexis took a deep breath (Still shuddering slightly at doing so) and extended her hand palm up over the great vat of water that had red food colouring added so she could see what she was doing.
Rise... Bend into an arch... She implored the water, RISE AND BEND
Incredibly, miraculously, the water began to rise in a painstakingly slow arch. Alexis bunched her face up, straining every muscle in her body to keep the water moving how she wanted it to. Thankfully her hard work paid off. The water hung suspended in an arhc for a minute before Alexis let it drop, gasping for breath.
"Again," Lady Agua said, unmoved.
Alexis looked at her disbelievingly, thinking at how much effort it took to do it once.
"Seriously?" She asked,
"Seriously," Lady Agua replied sternly, "Again,"
Alexis sighed and turned back to the water and once more began to try to create her arch.
Slowly, over weeks and weeks, Alexis became strong. Very strong. Finally the time came when Lady Agua visited her during her designated rest period.
"You are ready," she said with a rare smile.
"For?" Alexis asked,
"I will take you to meet the other Balancers and together you will save this Earth."
Alexis nodded nervously, but she run her hand through the water and could feel the infinite power of the ocean in her.
"Ok," Alexis said,
Lady Agua closed her eyes then muttered a few indistinguishable words. Then the world turned upside down and Alexis could see nothing but white. There was a table with nine seats there.
"My brethren are not yet here. They ahve not found their Balancers,"
"What do we do?" Alexis asked,
"Nothing. Time does not pass here. We wait. You are the Balancer of Water. You have a destiny. Fulfill it."
Alexis sat down and waited, waited for the moment when she had to step forth and save the world.
A/N: BAM! I FINISHED!
YAY! "cough" Chloe.. "cough" I can finish 'em. I hope you liked this story. Do not despair. The pair will return.
Thanks for reading
Aaron x