As the sun rose on a brand new day, Yamada was tossed into a mountain side, with Hakai planting his foot through his chest. "Do you-" Yamada threw him off, swiping at his throat. Hakai took him by his tail hurling him into sky. Yamada burst through the clouds roaring at him. He rolled his eyes. "I'm getting too old for this shit." Hakai opened a Curse Gate above him. The hands shot into the air, each one grabbing a limb and the last grabbing Yamada's throat. "Severe." They tore Yamada limb from limb, and tossed his throat aside. Yamada fell to the ground has a limbless husk, gurgling and choking on his own blood. Hakai stood over him feeling nothing but a cold shiver run down his spine. Even on the brink of death. Yamada glared at him with burning anger and without fear. He stretched open his jaw weakly biting Hakai's leg. 'What tenacity...'
Yamada fainted, and Hakai quickly healed his wounds. He sat down by his side, catching his breath. Yamada groaned clenching his fists. Hakai hammered his skull into the ground. "Enough of that. I need a break." He groaned walking off. Yamada was woken up to a sharp slap across the face. Looking around stunned, he found himself tied to a tree in mythril chains. "Will you let me go already!?" "Not until you finish your training." "What training? Become water? I already understand that." "If you did, you would have defeated me." "You destroy everything you touch. How does water beat destruction?" Hakai flicked him on the head. "Remember the Oeo is stronger than the Maelstrom." "Enough of these damn tests and riddles! Just give me the answer!" "Stupid like your father. If you want the answer, figure it out." He left a bowl of water in front Yamada. "Hey! Let me go! Enough of this." Yamada snarled and thrashed, shouting and screaming, yanking on his chains.
Hakai sat in his hut shaking his head, with Yamada screams still ringing behind him. He stuffed his ears with rags, and laid on his bed, letting out a sigh of relief. Seething and boiling with rage, he slumped against his chains staring at the bowl of water just out of reach. The surface reflected the crystal blue sky above him. Yamada slunk further down in his chains, watching as the reflection changed. He cocked his head to side, forcing himself up. He observed how its reflection changed, quickly shaking his head. "I don't have time for this." Pulling the chain taught, Yamada mustered all his strength slowly making his way around the thick oak tree. The chains dug into the bark. He gnashed his teeth, feeling the splinters and bark tear his back up. Grinding away at a layer of the thick bark, Yamada shimmied the chains below his arms, sliding them off quietly, careful to not alert Hakai.
Yamada followed the sun, knowing that he could at least find east and west. Hakai sat up with an ominous feeling. It was too quiet. He rushed outside finding the chains on the ground, and the bloodied bark. "Grrr, stupid child." Following the bloody trail, Hakai found Yamada lost at the base of the mountain, trying to recount his steps. "You seriously cannot be this terrible at directions. Just keep walking straight. You'll head east and find your friends. Just..." He trailed off in complete shock, as Yamada headed towards him, completely oblivious to his own blood trail.
Hakai slowly and sceptically made his way back to the hut. Hiding behind a tree, he watched as Yamada stumbled back onto his camp. Yamada threw his hands up into the air in frustration, letting out a silent scream, before turning around. "Osore...if you're guiding you're son. I can't tell if you're doing a horrible job at it or not." Hakai sat patiently in front of his hut, looking out the window, as Yamada returned bright red and filled with anger. He stopped in front of the tree, without a word went to banging his head against the tree. Snickering Hakai left his hut. "What happened thought you were leaving?" "Shut up! I just need to think." "You got lost twice." "No I didn't!" He blushed. "I'm just here to...I'm here to beat you before I leave!" Hakai opened his arms. "I'm ready to fight if you are." Yamada's stomach growled. "Come on. We can fight after you eat something. Unless you know how to hunt and find things?" Yamada sat down pouting. "Now don't go anywhere. Wouldn't want you getting lost." Hakai smirked. Yamada scowled even harder.
Hakai returned a few minutes later with a dead Wyrm. Dragging its lifeless corpse by the tail. He ripped out its heart tossing to Yamada. "Is this all you do? Eat Draken hearts?" "No I detest them, but they're an excellent source of Arcane Energy." "Then why give them to me, fighting me, must be draining. I hope." Hakai said down across from Yamada, ripping a piece of the Wyrm and tossing it over the fire. "I admit, you are stronger than most of the people to live on Jux. However at your current state. You're still weaker than Begron was over 20 years ago." Yamada snarled devouring the heart in one bite. "If you want to defeat him. I can teach you." "With more riddles and tests." Yamada scoffed. Hakai took out one of the logs holding its flaming end towards Yamada. "How would you snuff this fire out with your Magic?"
Yamada cocked an eyebrow at him. "Put water on it?" Hakai picked up a rock. "What about this? How would you break this rock with water?" "I'd break its base and attack it from all sides, chipping away at it." "Good. How do you beat wind?" "I'd make a barrier?" "Show me." Yamada stood up creating a wall of water. Hakai threw a punch and Yamada was blown clear into the tree line, gasping for air, he stood up clutching his chest. He crawled out, ready to fight Hakai. "A weak barrier means nothing. Try again." Yamada gnashed his teeth, creating another one. Hakai threw another punch. Yamada was blown away again. This time Hakai stood over him, healing his wounds. "Punch me." Yamada happily obliged punching Hakai in the chest. He flew back over the camp fire. "Did that feel strong?" "No. You didn't move..." Hakai smirked. "Again!" Yamada created a barrier in front of him. Hakai threw his punch. This time Yamada spun the barrier as if it was an eye of the Maelstrom. The attack dissipated with a fine misty shower.
"Good! A shield is not static. It absorbs, and then redirects. Anyone dumb enough to stand still with a shield is asking for death." He pointed to the dark sky, opening a Lightning gate. Yamada thought back to the countless nights, that he watched the Storm passed by. How it's terrifying lightning struck the Maelstrom with untamed ferocity. However it always disappeared under the waves. Being forced to travel along the waves. Hakai shot a bolt of lightning at him. Yamada made a small ball of water in front of him, catching the lightning inside, and quickly threw it away. Hakai watched on proudly as the lightning bolt crackled and dispersed into the night sky. He created a Blessing, sending the brand towards Yamada. He leapt out of the way. "Why did you dodge?" "Kapuna always said too much of a good thing becomes poison." "Smart woman." Hakai created a Curse gate. The hands shot out reaching for Yamada. "How do you stop them?"
"I don't know." Hakai was stunned by Yamada's acceptance of his ignorance. "Curse Magic is no different to any other element. Destroy the Gate or don't let the hands touch you." "That's easier said than done." "How much water can you hold in your hands?" "I..." "People fear the hands, not realizing their just hands. You can trick them." He said banishing the gate. Yamada sat down stunned, eating in silence. "Is that straight forward enough?" he nodded. "What did you mean that the Oeo is stronger than the Maelstrom. It's just calm water." "It's endless water." "So is the Maelstrom." "Has anyone ever found the other side of the Oeo?" "But it's still just calm water. The Maelstrom is powerful." "And yet, so many have found a way to traverse it. You may not know this, but back in Shizukana we use to sail out into Maelstrom for the best catches. I would never sail aimlessly into the Oeo." Yamada shrugged. "Still just water." Hakai sighed. "Water is not an element that can be defeated." "I've lost fights." "Because you're stupid, weak and improperly trained." Yamada pouted.
"And you're going to fix that?" "I will do what I can, but this is your own journey. You must learn to master it on your own." Yamada grumbled. "There are no shortcuts to mastery." "It would help." "Each shortcut you take, will leave you unbalanced. A warrior must be balanced at all times. In the mind, and heart. Let either take over, and you will be defeated. In your case, you desperately need to put more weight onto your mind." "You didn't have to add that part." Yamada glared. "Well here is my last lesson of the night grandson. Begron is not only a master of the sword, but the master of an Element deemed to be a gift from Vasha herself. Light. How will you defeat him? I'm sure you've seen how fast a warp can take someone." Yamada went deep into thought. "Your strength with that hulking weapon is devastating, but it means nothing if you cannot touch him. "You're only hope is to master your Magic. For water can defeat light." "You're not gonna tell me the answer are you?" Hakai smirked, shaking his head, walking off. "I want you to know this makes me like you even less. When do I get to leave!?"
Hakai spun around raising his finger. "What is that? One day? Week? Month? Year?" "When you create your Magnum Opus, I will let you leave." Yamada's jaw hit the ground. "That's impossible! I'm not Jacara! I don't know how to make Magic like he does." "You're welcome to leave at any time." Yamada looked into the dark forest. He shook his head grumbling. "Fine! I'll make my damn Magnum Opus in a week!" "Interesting. If you do, create something that could resemble a Magnum Opus. I'll help the Citadel with their little war. How's that sound?" "What if I lose?" "I'll keep you here, till you make one." "Fine. Pack your things grandfather. You'll be leaving here in a week!" "Look forward to it." He said slamming the door shut. "Hey wait! Where am I sleeping?" "Make your own hut!" "Fine! I will! How hard could it be to make a hut?" Yamada scanned his surroundings seeing nothing but darkness. He let out a sigh, lying against the Wyrm. He had forgotten how accustomed he became to sleeping on a bed.