haven - zb1

11

After the intense match, most of the heirs simply bathed then collapsed into bed for the first time. And majority of them fell asleep instantly.

Not Zhang Hao. Despite every muscle screaming in pain from any movement and his brain so weary from the day's flurry of activities, he remained wide awake, thoughts racing. He thought about how much it took out of him to spar with Quanrui. And Quanrui's last words to him still lingered in his mind. "You truly are the best of the best."

What a heavy burden but an incredible achievement. Zhang Hao wondered if that was truly what he was made for, what he even wanted. He lay flat on cool sheets, from where he was, the curtains of the window parted with the wind to reveal the shining bright moon, hung on an inky black, cloudless sky.

"Are you still awake?"

Zhang Hao jerked up, pain shooting through his body. When he recovered, Hanbin stood before him, apologetic and concerned. "Sorry," Hanbin whispered, offering a cup of warm water, "You just seemed a little restless." Accepting the cup and drinking gradually, Zhang Hao couldn't help but smile as he noticed Hanbin watching him worriedly.

"I'm okay, you know," Zhang Hao said as he lowered the cup. Hanbin quirked his lips. "You seemed really...agitated when Quanrui asked for the spar. Me and Woohyun are kinda worried."

Zhang Hao's eyes fell to his hands. Honestly, he couldn't even say why he was so emotional, couldn't process the feelings he felt into words. Quanrui didn't look like he wanted to bring him down, he just looked like he wanted to try fighting someone supposedly stronger than him.

"Maybe you...just wanted to prove yourself?" Hanbin suggested kindly, sitting on the edge of Zhang Hao's bed. Unable to muster a response, Zhang Hao stayed silent, lips pursed. Sensing the other was both tired and frustrated, Hanbin let out a soft chuckle, "I'll let you rest. But Hao-ah-" As he got up, the absence of his weight shifted the bed. "-you did well today. So well. We've never seen you fight like that."

Maybe those words were what he needed to hear, as he slipped into a restful, easy slumber.

-

Jiwoong thought to speak to Quanrui before they went to bed, but after he had washed up and returned to their room, Quanrui was already passed out, his hair still damp from his bath, his blankets barely covering him. Zhang Hao was more impressive than their elders had made him out to be. He knew Quanrui was in no way on par with Zhang Hao but still, the boy was on a whole other level. Especially because he had never encountered a fire user before.

But then again, neither had Quanrui fought against a water user in his life. In his sleep, he looked at peace, his cold facade dropped and he looked boyish and almost playful. Jiwoong knew Quanrui would have avoided any conversation about the match, but he wished he could have at least told him that he performed exceptionally. But it was what it was. Hopefully, tomorrow had something better in store for them.

-

They awoke to rain. Pouring, gushing rain that pummelled the ground relentlessly, plants swaying and spirits scuttling across the gardens to get to shelter. Most fell back to sleep, the wet weather perfect for sleeping in.

The House of water was surprisingly not the cause of the storm, when Yujin, out of pure curiosity, went to take a peek, all three were still snoring peacefully, unbothered despite the harsh noises of the rain.

The youngest boy was able to keep himself dry with a little dome of constantly churning air around him. After checking on his House of water seniors, he decided to continue to stroll about, since he reckoned he wasn't able to fall asleep again.

He had randomly followed stone-lined paths, so enamoured in the beauty of the rain-drenched gardens he hardly noticed the way he was walking. Then, when Yujin snapped out of his dream-like state, he realised he was standing somewhere he hadn't been before. Which made sense. He had been here for a day.

It was pretty though. A wide pavilion overlooked a lake, seemingly stretching a hundred metres, its surface rippling as raindrops met the water. A large weeping willow bent towards the lake, swaying in the wind. Yujin thought to tell Gyuvin about this enchanting place, he'd like it.

-

When Yujin finally found his way from the pavilion back to where Jiwoong called the Solar Hall, Yujin noticed that despite the rain, someone was at the training grounds.

With a sturdy shelter of hardened earth above him, Gunwook had set up a target about 15 metres away from him. It was held up by a tree and was shaking desperately in the rain, but the added difficulty hardly fazed him. His bow was raised to his face, his eyes so focused on the target, before he quickly drew the bowstring back, a thin arrow materialising, and he sent it soaring, striking the centre exactly when the target was facing him. He looked satisfied and the arrow was plucked off by a vine shooting from the ground, where a whole collection of arrows lay abandoned.

"Have you been up for a while now?" Yujin called to him over the howling rain. Gunwook finally noticed he had company, after the shock wore off his signature smile bloomed on his face. "I've been awake for hours," He grinned cheekily, making his way towards Yujin. The shelter above him grew and shifted, allowing him to remain dry as he reached Yujin. Once he was in the building, the earth seemed to swallow everything, the dirt, the arrows and his target.

"I see the rain isn't enough to deter you from training," Yujin asked, as Gunwook wiped stray droplets from his cheeks. "Nah," Gunwook replied, "Especially after yesterday's match, it really got me thinking, you know? We haven't even reached nova yet, but those high rankers, they're already so strong. So I feel like I've got to get stronger too." He flashed Yujin a smile, "Can't lose to them, you know?"

Yujin was about to reply, when chatter made them turn. Gyuvin and Taerae walked side by side, followed by the House of fire heirs. They greeted each other, before Taerae remarked, "Oh, the water boys aren't here yet?" Most of them lost their cool at "water boys", even Quanrui chortling at the endearing new nickname. "Nope," Gunwook replied, and Yujin added, "Last I checked, they were still fast asleep."

"Huh, strange. You'd think since it's raining they'd be here basking in the wetness," Gyuvin said. Quanrui made a face, "And I don't enjoy being set on fire. There's no correlation to-"

"You're immune to fire, aren't you?"

"Well, technically-"

"You threw fire at me yesterday! How can you not be immune to-"

"Children, children-" Jiwoong tried to calm the bickering crowd, but to no avail. Yujin giggled at the sight of the stressed mediator Jiwoong was.

"There they are!" Taerae successfully grabbed everyone's attention as they watched the "water boys", as they were now fondly named, arrive sleepily at the Solar Hall. "We thought you were never coming," Gunwook teased, "We're all hungry." Apologetic and groggy, the House of water heirs followed the group as they entered the hall.