Peace. It's the word that comes to Marko's mind as he sits on the edge of the tallest cliff in Moto Graktha. He takes a deep breath as the cool air and the saltiness of the sea whips around him. He hears the sound of the ocean crashing against the rocks, the rocks which have endured for countless ages.
Marko finds the sound of the waves relaxing. It reminds him of a time when he was younger, afraid of the height and the ocean. He didn't belive him when his father told him he had to jump into the ocean from the highest part of the cliff. Not even after his father told him all boys had to perform this ritual to become a man. He was very young at that time and had never seen it himself.
He still remembers the moment he first saw it. He remembers watching an older boy do it. As High Commander to the people his father was there right next to the boy. The boy walked to the edge of the cliff. Then the boy jumped into the cold embrace of the ocean. Marko remembers being terrified, but at the same time, curiosity crept over him. He ran towards the cliff to see what had happened. The boy had timed the jump perfectly and avoided being crushed by the waves. After a few minutes under water the boy
surfaced with a small orange fish in his hand. Everybody cheered and small Marko sighed in relief for the boy. Then the around the boy started rising and it brought him swiftly into the cliff's edge. It was his father controlling the water. The jump and capture of the small orange fish was a rite of passage to represent a boy was ready to be considered a man and part of the people.
After Marko saw that, he felt no fear to when his time came. He was excited to prove to his father, the great High Commander of his people, he was worthy of becoming the next leader. From that day forward he worked hard to become the best warrior in the land. He became even more driven when he discovered his abilities to control certain elements. Many people from Moto Graktha have abilities to control elements. Some control earth, others control air. His father had the ability to control two elements at a time, fire and water, so it didn't come as a surprise that Marko also had the ability to control both elements. The real surprise came when, a few years later, he discovered he could also control a third ability, thunder. Having control over three abilities hadn't occurred in centuries. It was a privilege he was not going to take on lightly.
For years he trained with the best warriors the bluffs had ever seen. Many traveled from neighbouring tribes to see the Elemental Prodigy and help him train. Marko was a skilled warrior by the time he had to make the jump.
A footstep brought Marko back to the present from his memories.
"I knew I'd find you here." Marko's dad said as he approached the young man.
"This is one of my favorite places. It's so relaxing hearing the waves splash against the rocks." Marko turned around to see his father and was surprised to see him dressed in his formal High Commander outfit.
"Welcome back father. I hope the trip was pleasant!" Marko said walking close to his father and greeting him with a warm hug.
"The trip was fine, even though I didn't have much time to dwell on the landscape when my mind was wandering in the times to come." His dad said with a well concealed worry.
Marko knew his father very well. He knew when his father was hiding something from him. Right now his dad's words sunk heavy in his heart.
"Is everything all right? What did the council say? I'm still amazed as to why a meeting was set? Why couldn't they send a bird?"
"We will have a gathering tonight. We will eat, we will drink, and after that an announcement will be made. Your questions will be answered. Now, son, I need to rest. Riding horses is not my thing." Marko's dad said while he walked away.
The words his father said left Marko wondering. A council meeting is a rare occasion. The realms rarely interacted between them and meetings were only required once every 10 years. This was the second meeting in 2 years. There was much uncertainty in the land. Marko decided to let the chips fall in their place and see what the announcement was at night.
Meanwhile he had a training practice to attend. That would ease his mind. He started walking towards the place where Ca'el and him like to practice. He walked passed the great white oak that's said to be the source of all the powers in Moto Graktha, then he descended from the highest parts of the vale towards the places where the land fights the ocean. A shore of a hidden beach.
Ca'el is waiting for him there, sitting in the sand, dressed with simple training garments. Ca'el was a few inches taller than Marko's 5'8". Everyone seemed to be taller than him, but he didn't care, he was better at fighting. They didn't call him a prodigy in vain. Yet he never let that title get to his head.
"I was thinking you weren't coming today." Ca'el said standing up.
"And leave you here all alone? I wouldn't dare waste this opportunity to show you how a real fighter moves," Marko said laughing while he removed his shirt, revealing his chiseled abs and pectorals. He was very proud of his body; years of training had made his body a sight worth seeing.
"You do know my trainer would kill me if he found out I'm practicing with you." Ca'el said getting into a fighting stance.
Marko imitated the stance, raising his hands in front of him.
"And my dad would kill me if he found out what we do after practice." Marko said smiling.
With swift movements of the hand and body, Marko controlled water from the shore into a stream that surrounded him. Ca'el saw eyes changing colors to a glowing blue, a clear sign of water control.
"Today we will practice water, and how to control a water attack from an opponent. Remember what it takes to control an element that's already being controlled by someone else?" Marko said turning the water into a small ball floating in his hand.
"A much stronger force from me!" Ca'el said as he raised his hand and tried to control the water in Marko's hand.
Marko could feel Ca'el trying to take the element from his control even though the force wasn't strong enough he knew the boy was making progress. This was after all a very advanced technique. He wasn't expecting him to do it perfectly.
"I know it's hard; you just have to practice. Some people have weaker control than others, so it's always good to try it. Now something that's a bit easier but not normally thought is that you can control an element that's is used to attack you. For example, let's say I throw this at you you're going to try and and sense the element, just as you would an inert element and try to drift it away from you, not dodge it. Let's give it a try."
Marko wound up his attack and sent the water flying towards Cael, not strong enough so if Ca'el missed the movement it wouldn't hurt him too bad.
Ca'el acted quickly, feeling the attack and just as it was about to hit successfully deviated the attack to one side.
This was a great achievement and Marko was going to make sure he remembered the feeling of drifting an attack, this could save his life. Quickly he controlled two streams more of. Water and sent them flying towards Ca'el, who quickly realized what Marko was doing and dodged them too.
Marko started running towards Ca'el and controlled three more streams, sending two towards Ca'el and one wrapped around his fist. Ca'el diverted both streams but just as the second one was drifted away Marko was close to him ready to punch him in the face with his fist covered in hard iced glove. Ca'el tried very hard to drift the punch away and successfully deviated the attack. Marko realizing his attack was dodge tumbled w into
the ground. Leaving him resting over his friend's body. He was panting hard. Ca'el even more so.
Marko's face came close to the pinned boy beneath him and slowly nibbled on his ear. He felt a heat rising up inside him. Slowly Marko lowered his lips to his lover's neck, who was now panting even harder. Marko skillfully removed Ca'el's shirt and continue making his lips go south through his pectorals then his abs.
"I'll now teach you another technique," he said to Ca'el as he removed his pants.
