Beyond the Rift ✔ (Completed)

Chapter 12 : The Shape of Water

Alexis

"Where are we going again?" I ask Nick while shoving a tree branch out of my face. It is 5 in the morning and we are trekking through the dark forest. The sky seems calm and the lax morning mist snuggles the tall trees and bushes. The birds are chirping; Clark's nutcracker grants furiously in the distant. It is a pleasant morning like every other.

Since I started my water essence training, Nick and I have spent a great deal of time on the river banks. Every day for the past 7 days, we would meet up and he would swirl streams of water into the air and back in the flowing river. At first, I thought controlling water would be just as arduous as the earth essence, when in reality, it is a piece of cake.

Handling water is like breathing, once you get the knack of it; you can subconsciously guide it to do your will. But levitating water is not all. Nick morphed the currents into weapons, like spears and spikes that would pierce through tree trunks and slice stones like they were dumplings. It was pretty impressive. I tried to follow his guidelines and the closest I got to, was spraying a jet at a leaf.

Meanwhile, I got hold of the earth essences too. Commanding rocks is cool, but telepathically controlling roots is a whole other league. It was only yesterday, that I was able to uproot trees using those roguish ropes. Every time, I use my powers, I would get stronger; like my benchmark would upgrade by each training. 

Unlike Elvira, Nick isn't disappointed in my tardiness in learning new skills, in fact he himself gets sidetrack and we end up chatting for hours.

Nick was born in a family of Altruist; his father and mother researched about creatures of various realms. Since childhood, he had a keen inclination towards secrets of the Aether realm. Which is kind of concerning because the Aether is so mysterious and unexplored.

There are times when I would rant to Nick about my college or other problems and he just looks at me with fascination in his blue eyes. 

Yes! Blue eyes so alluring that I waver from the subject, at loss for words. The thoughts will just disappear and ultimately make me stutter. The feeling of attraction is different. Like I'm spellbound or something.

Although, my feelings are starting to grow unstable around Ethan. Around him, Nick just doesn't exist. Like the foreign feeling will make a current jolt in my stomach or I will accidently spill the glass of water when he happens to be around. It feels dangerous to have feelings for a guy like him, who can't get through his day, without breaking someone's bone. Also, he hates me, which was the same emotion I felt the first time we conversed, but unknowingly I don't feel like it anymore.

Marty on the other hand was getting on my nerves, despite of giving me his word, he would shift and show up as Elvira or Nick on my door, at 2 in the morning. Shapeshifters in my imagination, were gruesome looking monsters, who would transform into other humans. But, Marty is like a small boy who just learned a new card trick and wants everyone to know it. One of the things that gave him away was that Elvira would never run her hands up my thigh. Other than being extremely horny, Marty is fun to be around. He would keep things light and would entertain everyone, unlike Ethan who just keeps glaring at Marty for no apparent reason.

"It's a pond; I used to practice here when I first discovered my essence." Nick's voice brings me back to the present.

"I'm not very good at swimming Nick. I thought you already knew that!"

"That's why we have come here. In case, the tridents decide to hurl you into an ocean, you should find a way to stay alive, until your other essences come to your aid."

"Whatever." I hunch sulkily. I have always hated swimming. When I was 12 years old, I drowned in the public pool; and I hated the sensation; the feeling of getting dragged to the bottom, the gasping for air, until my lungs were filled with water, void under the feet. The fear. The cry for help. Luckily, mom finds me struggling and I'm saved. Now that I think about it, the pool wasn't that deep, but the experience was terrifying.