Yamada awoke to the sound of heavy knocking against the wooden door. He perked his heavy head up, parched and weary. His vision was still clearing up for the morning. Each knock rung in his head, like a loud gong. What had made him so thirsty and tired? He tried to sit up, unable to feel his right arm. Shock ran through his body as he looked to his arm, suddenly breathing a sigh of relief. Gwyneth had fallen asleep on his till it fell numb. Yamada brushed her face, before carefully and gently pulling his numb arm out. As he freed his arm, her eyes shot open, bloodshot and irritated at the knocking. "Enough!" She shouted through the door. The sound of scurrying feet scrapped against the stone floor. Yamada begun to get out of bed, when he felt Gwyneth pull him down. "Where do you think you're going?" She growled.
"To train?" He said anxiously. "Can you seriously not take a small brief moment to lay with me?" She said glaring at him. He cleared his throat, awkwardly humming and hawing for a response. She let out a sigh. "You know most men, would kill to be in this position, and rather do anything else but train." She groaned sitting up. "Very well, get dressed and meet in the courtyard, I'll be there shortly." She said waving him off. Yamada pecked Gwyneth on the cheek. She blushed as he thanked her, getting dressed in his new leather clothing, swiftly and rushing out the door.
She chuckled to herself, holding her cheek. Gwyneth left the room dressed in her armour, wearing her hair ribbon. The handmaidens snickered and whispered, giving her coy smiles. "Something you girls wish to ask me?" She said with a stern voice. "We've just never seen you so happy before. We were wondering..." The girl blushed. "What makes him so amazing?" She said covering her shame, with the others joining. "He's an earnest boy, and does what he's told." She said giving them a sly smile and wink, before leaving. Encara watched the commotion from above the second ring, sitting over the ledge with his legs crossed, leaning on his elbow.
Gwyneth strolled to the courtyard seeing a large congregation of squires and mages circling Yamada. "I'm not telling you people anything! Now leave me alone!" She heard Yamada shout. "Come on! Don't be selfish!" A familiar shouted back. "Tell us! Tell us!" They chanted. Gwyneth cleared her throat. The crowd instantly parted way. In front of Yamada was Urkse still chanting 'Tell us!' He looked around seeing the crowd go silent. "Why'd we all stop?" he asked looking around. "You all have training to do!" Gwyneth shouted. The crowd dispersed with alacrity and in silence. Urkse tried to blend in with the crowd, and was grabbed by the scruff. Gwyneth spun him around. He locked eyes with her vicious scowl, cowering in like a scared puppy. "You ask him or anyone else about my sex life again. I will cut those grapes, you consider to be your balls, and feed them to you. Am I clear?" She growled. "But you will be touching my balls?" He asked cocking an eyebrow at her. She grit her teeth and hurled Urkse high into the sky, over the second ring. "I'll take that as a yes!" He shouted, his voice fading into the distance.
Yamada stood in an open spot with his armour on, with Harbinger over his shoulder. "Turn off your armour. You won't be needing it to train with me." She said, walking over to a barrel filled with blunted training swords. Yamada turned his armour off, cocking an eye brow at her. She pulled out a dull arming sword. The blade was cracked and rusted, with the round pommel barely clinging onto the handle. "This will do." She said walking back to Yamada. She took the en garde stance, holding the sword out and lowering her stance. "Disarm me." She said. Yamada scoffed smiling at her. "Are you serious?" He asked. "Are you disobeying an order?" He went red. "No, I just...I don't want to hurt you..." He said bashfully. She laughed to his annoyance. "Don't worry, you won't hurt me. I'll honestly be surprised if you manage to touch this sword by midday." Yamada let out a low groan. "Are you sure about this?" He asked once more. "Yes, I'm sure Yamada. Now come at me like you mean it, or I tell everyone that you like it when I-"
Yamada slammed Harbinger into the ground silencing her. He pouted at her with a flushed face. He held Harbinger at his side, readying to throw a wide sweeping arc. An attack that Gwyneth could easily dodge, for when the sword inevitably shattered. Yamada leapt in throwing his attack. He held his breath waiting for Gwyneth to jump over the swing, but she stood steadfast, deflecting his blow. Harbinger was blown away instantly, dragging Yamada with it. He stumbled backwards, recovering and looking at Gwyneth baffled. He definitely knew had swung Harbinger, with enough force to cut open the Third Ring. To parry his weapon already seemed impossible, but to effortless block and deflect it? And doing so, with a dull and rusted sword. She smirked at him. "Are you hurt?" She asked.
Yamada took a fighting stance again, gripping Harbinger in front of him. He lunged in, bringing Harbinger down with all his might. 'Move out of the way. Just let me destroy that sword.' He pleaded in his mind. Gwyneth raised the sword up and again deflected Harbinger. It was blown backwards dragging Yamada with it. Yamada did a kip-up, dragging Harbinger out of the ground. He held Harbinger down near his feet, charging in throwing a rising strike. He swung the great sword upwards with all his strength, filling it with arcane energy. Harbinger cut through the air. Gwyneth stepped into Yamada's reach, driving her fist into his gut, and disarming Harbinger.
He retched falling back with Harbinger smashing into the ground. Gasping and wheezing for air, Yamada forced himself to his feet. Gwyneth took a few paces away from Harbinger. He cautiously approached it, picking it up. 'She can't lift this much Deiridium. She struggled to carry Vexgar's armour, but she can deflect my strikes?' "You're cute when you start thinking. Makes you look like a scholar." Gwyneth said wearing a smile. He pouted with a flushed face, his gut still aching. He steeled his emotions, taking a deep breath. 'How is she doing this? Is that sword made of-' "This sword is made of common steel, its why it has rust on it." She said breaking his train of thought again.
He reeled back looking at her baffled. 'Can she read my mi-' "No I can't read your mind." She said with a big smile. "How are you doing that!?" He yelled. "Disarm me, and I'll tell you." Yamada grit his teeth charging in, throwing a flurry wild wide arching swings. She wore the same confident smirk, deflecting Harbinger with ease. Each deflection made Yamada's hands rattle and weaken his grip. After a few solid minutes of swinging, Yamada was exhausted and had done nothing, but cut air. "Are you done already?" She asked. "The sun has barely started to rise. Sharpen your mind." She said, flourishing the poor blade. Yamada let out a grunt, raising Harbinger up to a ready position. "No. I'm just....I'm just thinking." He said staring at her sword.
'I can see our swords clash, and hear the metal. But no matter how hard or fast I swing, she's making Harbinger seem like it weighs nothing. How is she...' Gwyneth could see something clicking inside of Yamada's mind. He bent down picking up a handful of dirt and dust. A proud smile came across her face, as Yamada sprinkled the dust over Harbinger. A cloud of dust gently flittered around the blade before falling. Yamada took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He felt the arcane energy flowing through him and Harbinger. 'My arcane energy flows like water, but water does not cut. Its greatest strength is crushing and drowning those who oppose it.' He looked down to Harbinger at its fine edge. When is water at its sharpest? "No time to dawdle in a real fight!" Gwyneth said charging in.
At the crest of the wave? No, at the crash of the wave? No, at the tail end of the Maelstrom, where things are violently thrown out? Where is water the sharpest? Yamada let out a deep breath. The Maelstrom sat in his mind. The water being sucked into the deep sharp vortex. Yamada opened his eyes. Gwyneth had closed the distance, with her fist cocked back, ready to deliver another strike to his gut. She stopped leaping back sensing a dangerous aura around him. Yamada threw a thrust attack. Azure arcane energy spiralled down the blade towards the tip. Gwyneth raised the sword, attempting to block the attack. The sword was ripped out of her grip, with a violet twist. She stood stunned as the blade flew through the air.
"You were focusing arcane energy into a singular edge. While I was simply flooding it, and dispersed it. That's how you were deflecting me with such a small weapon." He said inspecting Harbinger. 'He figured that out in less than an hour. It took me nearly two months to learn that.' Gwyneth thought, filled with annoyance. She steeled her emotions, under her cold expression, walking over to the barrel of training weapons. 'If I ever see that Chieftain again, I'll be sure to kill him, for letting this boy go to waste on those Islands for so long.' Encara thought as he watched on.
She riffled through the barrel before letting out an annoyed sigh. Gwyneth marched back drawing her long sword. "I was going to teach you through example, but you're a very fast learner." A proud smile came across Yamada's face, hearing her words. "So, I'll just tell you, everything you need to know, about fighting." She said planting her long sword into the ground. "Deiridium is obscenely heavy, and so people rely on its weight and strength alone, to finish a fight. As you have seen, by manipulating my Arcane energy at the right point. I can deflect it." Yamada nodded eagerly taking mental notes. "Adamantine has the finest edge, and with condensed and refined Arcane energy shaped over its edge. There's nothing it can't cut." She said taking a fighting stance. "Finally, Orichalcum. A metal that can be moulded with the touch of Arcane energy. Knowing this, how would you fight against those wielding the other two materials?" She asked.
Yamada thought back to his fight with Yssac. How easy he found it to disarm a Grand Knight, and how there was no weight in the weapon. "Those who use Adamantine, depend on its cutting edge, and do not use strength. They use speed and precise movements, letting the edge do all the work. The best method of defending against, it is to blunt the attack, and not it let it follow through." She wore a proud smile hearing his answer. "The opponent has Orichalcum weapons, what do you do?" Yamada thought back to his fight with Fervias. How none of his attacks made sense. They could stop in mid air, or made him vulnerable. Yet Yamada was on the back foot the whole fight. When he grabbed the chains, they moulded over his arms ensnaring him. "If they can mould Orichalcum, with the touch of Arcane energy. Then so can I. Fighting those with Orichalcum is a battle of who has more arcane energy. I have to make sure they can't change its shape, when I fight them." Yamada said looking down at Harbinger deep in thought.
He had not noticed Gwyneth had snuck up on him. He jerked back in shock, before being pulled in by Gwyneth for a kiss. She pulled away a little, wearing a warm smile. He blushed seeing everyone glare at him, feeling their jealously. "You're a very quick learner. I expected this to take you at least a month to grasp. But like in the bedroom you continue to surprise my expectations." She whispered. His ears felt like they were burning feeling her breath brush past him. "From now on, you'll start your drills in the morning. Spar with me in the afternoons. And then at night, train with me again." She said kissing his cheek and walking away. Yamada bowed down covering his awkwardness, his body on fire.
As Gwyneth made her way back into the Keep. Encara approached Yamada, who now wore his armour and swung Harbinger. "You're training is going well." He said, taking a seat in front of him. "Grand Knight Gwyneth is a really good teacher." He said continuing to swing. "Stop what you're doing and take a seat with me." Encara said waving him down. Yamada cautiously planted Harbinger into the ground, turning off his armour to sit crossed leg with Encara. "Have you given any thought about opening the gate to Water magic?" Encara, taking out a flask. Yamada scratched the back of his head, awkwardly looking away. "Not really, my King." He said shying away. Encara emptied the flask, to Yamada's confusion.
Water pooled out, splattering in between them. "Put your hands into the water." He said, tossing the flask away. Yamada cocked his head at Encara, before slowly placing his hands into the puddle. What could this possibly do? "Close your eyes, and pour your Arcane energy into the water." He ordered. Yamada felt confused about Encara's instructions, but followed. He felt the puddle against his skin, and let out a deep breath filling the puddle with arcane energy. Encara watched as the puddle between them began to grow in size. 'So that's what the water affinity does.' He thought, taking another flask from behind his cloak. Yamada heard the distinct sound of another cork pop, and the contents of a flask emptying.
"Should I keep going?" He asked, keeping his eyes closed. "Yes, keep going." Encara said, emptying the flask filled with red wine. The puddle grew even more the wine and water expanding. 'He's creating more wine and water, by filling it with his arcane energy.' "Keep your eyes closed Yamada. I will be back in a moment." He said clapping his hands together. The blinding flash of light made Yamada wince away, but he kept his eyes closed. Encara appeared in the kitchen, blinding the cooks. He grabbed a bowl of stew filled with vegetables and meats. Encara disappeared with another clap, leaving the cooks covering their eyes and complaining. He reappeared in front of Yamada, the puddle of wine and water, had turned into a swirling mass.
Encara tossed the bowl of stew into the mass, watching as the clear broth grew in size, but not the contents. 'So he can create any fluid so long as he has a base. It's a good thing there aren't any others with such a powerful affinity.' Encara thought feeling a sense of relief. "Ummm, King Encara, should I keep going?" He asked anxiously. "I can't feel the water on my fingers anymore." Encara placed his foot on Yamada and clapped his hands, the two of them disappearing. The two of them appeared in the forest again. Encara was breathing heavily, the trip exhausted him more than it should have. He could feel the sweat beads forming on his forehead. "Can I open my eyes yet?" He asked, still sitting on the ground. "Yamada, I want you to do one last thing for me." Encara asked taking a knee beside him. "I want you to shape your arcane energy. And shape it to what you think water is." He said breathing deeply. Yamada frowned. He felt like Encara was asking for nothing. What would be the point to opening a gate, if no one knew any magic to use with it?
Yamada let the arcane energy flow through his hands. 'What is the shape of water?' He asked himself. Encara watched Yamada switch between, shaking his head in frustration, and grimacing about potential answers. "Don't think about an exact shape, use what you've seen. Think back to your years on Yamata." Encara said. Yamada thought back to the years he spent on Yamata. The gruelling years of punching Kaioni wood and mountain sides, till he lost sensation in his knuckles. How much it hurt to breath, after running across the islands. How angry and lonely he felt, watching the other children be loved. Encara watched Yamada's expression change to anger and malice. His skin turning to scales and knuckles clenching. "Focus yourself Yamada. There is good within you." Encara said softly. He
Yamada thought back to standing next to his father. He stood waist deep in the Oeo, whereas his father stood knee deep, spear fishing. The beautiful serene water, that stretched endlessly, with gentle small waves. Encara took a step back, gazing in awe. A large wavy azure ring appeared in front of Yamada. He remembered sitting in the canoe with his father, riding the rivers that coiled around the islands. An azure Ryū coiled around the ring. Yamada released his knuckles. Encara dumbfounded at the beauty of what he was seeing.
Yamada clung tightly to his mother's leg, as they stood at the edge. He felt terrified to peer down towards the Maelstrom. The memory of his mother comforting him at the ledge, gave him a melancholic smile. He stared down into the eight raging whirlpools, clutching his mother tightly, as she laughed. "Don't be afraid Yamada. One day you cross over the Maelstrom with ease." She said kneeling down hugging him. "As a Draken with wings!" He said confidently. "Obviously, Mama doesn't want you swimming in there ever." She said rubbing his back. Tears started to stream down Yamada's face. The azure ring began to drip, crying with Yamada. "I'll fly back to you Mama." Yamada whispered, clenching his fists tight again.
He stood over the ledge alone. Now a young man, feeling nothing but anger as he stared down at the Maelstrom. Eight spirals formed along the dripping azure ring, the Ryū continued to swim along the ring. The middle of the ring was empty. 'That can't be it. He's missing something. Come on Yamada, find the answer.' Encara begged in his mind, scared to disrupt Yamada's concentration. Yamada remembered falling into the Maelstrom, sinking to the dark cold bottom ocean floor. Encara lurched forward looking at the centre of the ring beginning to change. The water dripping from the ring started to take shape. Yamada's armour suddenly appeared, taking Encara by surprise. He started to transform and grow exponentially. "Yamada focus!" Encara called out.
Yamada continued to grow with his transformation, the gate expanding with him. Encara took a step back, watching the centre of the azure ring fill in with the visage of a serpent. "YOU'VE DONE IT YAMADA! YOU OPENED THE GATE COME BACK TO YOUR SENSES!" Encara called out. Yamada stood in front of mother, with Begron behind her, as a young boy. "RUN YAMADA!" She yelled. "I can't save you. But I will avenge you." He growled. "I will drown him in his own blood. I will kill everything and everyone he loves. I will make sure he suffers!" Yamada shouted. Encara watched on in horror as Yamada reached his full transformation.
Standing at 50 meters tall, with his wings spread, the gate of water magic hovered in front of him. "DROWN!" He roared. Encara clapped his hands together, branding Yamada's tail with the True Strike blessing. He sent the other golden cross high into the sky. Yamada reeled back forced to bellow out a torrent of high pressure water into the sky. The torrent parted the clouds above. "YAMADA COME TO YOUR SENSES! YOU WON'T GET YOUR REVENGE LIKE THIS!" Encara shouted. Yamada reeled back to bellow out another torrent of water. The first torrent came crashing down as a torrential down pour. Encara fell to his knees, exhausted from redirecting Yamada's attack. The trees around him bent from the pressure of the water, and the ground warped to the water.
Encara scanned the area shocked seeing trees broken and shattered from the attack. The water around Yamada began to expand rapidly, submerging the area in water. Panic and fear started to fester inside of Encara. "Forgive me, for what I'm about to do Gwyneth." He said clasping his hands together, and opening the gate to curse magic. "Des-" The ground beneath him parted. Soel appeared with Gwyneth. "YAMADA!" Gwyneth called out, her voice breaking. She held her long sword at the ready, shaking with an aching heart. Yamada let out another roar, the gate expanding even further. Gywneth's heart sank. Yamada had not responded to her, and readied himself to deliver a powerful slash with his claws. 'Not again.' She thought, with tears streaming down her face. 'Please don't make me kill another.' She pleaded.
Soel opened the Earth gate, with Encara opening the Curse gate. Gwyneth was frozen in place sobbing, her sword arm shaking, her head bowed. Yamada bent down to swing his claws. Soel and Encara readied themselves to stop his attack. Gwyneth's tears fell off her face into the small pools. Yamada froze suddenly clutching his head. He stumbled backwards shaking the ground, with each step. "KILL!" He hissed. The three of them watched on dumbfounded with bulging eyes. "NOT HER!" He roared falling to his knees. He thrashed and writhed in anguish, starting to shrink down. "KILL AND DEVOUR ALL!" He hissed. "NO! NOT HER! I WILL NOT HURT HER!" He roared.
"SHE MAKES US WEAK!" He hissed. Yamada let out a visceral roar, grabbing his lower snout and tore it off. His draken transformation shattered like glass. He appeared on his knees, drenched in sweat, swaying back and forth in a delirious state. Gwyneth sprinted through the ground, catching him, before he toppled over. "Yamada, can you hear me?" She said shaking him with tears still streaming down her face. He weakly reached up wiping them off. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean...to make you cry..." He said before fainting in her arms. Gwyneth pressed her head against his, rocking him back and forth. A wave of relief and happiness spread through her body.
"How did you two get here so fast?" Encara asked. Soel grabbed Encara by the collar, pulling him down to her level. She stared at him with a scowl, so furious it rivalled staring down a dragon. "I know why you have an obsession with that boy. But if you ever stop, Gwyneth from being happy and smiling again. It doesn't matter how long we've been friends for Encara. I will kill you myself. Am I clear?" She growled. Encara looked over to Gwyneth holding Yamada in her arms. "I won't go near the boy anymore. You have my wor-" Soel cracked his nose with a head butt. Blood sprayed onto her furious scowl. "Your word means nothing to me. It hasn't meant anything since you lost Rin." She growled tossing him aside. He's body begun to heal slowly. "I see you running any of your experiments on that boy again. I'll kill Jacara in front of your eyes." She snapped, walking away. Encara bowed his head in shame.