Son of the Raging Tide

Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry for not posting yesterdayyy

. . .

The Destiny's Bounty swayed gently from side to side. Kai stood at the deck, watching the water rolling underneath the boat. Beside him, Misako was keeping an eye on Morro's lackeys in the other ship in the distance. Kai took deep, steadying breaths, trying to push down his anxiety. The ship was just as steady in the water as it was in the air, he reminded himself. Besides, she'd sailed in the ocean before. There was nothing for him to be afraid of.

In fact, he was in far less danger now than the others were.

According to the coordinates Ronin had given them – the real coordinates this time, Kai hoped – the tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master was underneath the ship. His friends were currently submerged under tons of pressurized water. Anytime he managed to stop thinking about the possibility of the ship sinking, his mind instead thought about his family drowning beneath him.

I should be down there, he thought. But truthfully, he was grateful that he wasn't.

He took another deep breath. He tried instead to think about the things that Cole and Ronin had said to him recently. About perspective and the way he wanted to protect his friends.

Kai tried to imagine the water as a barrier. Instead of threatening to crush his friends, it was protecting them. After all, it was the one thing keeping Soul Archer and Bansha from going down there as well. Miles and miles of water stood between the ghosts and the tomb. Perhaps the others would even stand a better chance against Morro.

Kai was stirred from his thoughts by Sensei Wu's approach. "Why so concerned?" Wu asked, referring to Misako.

Kai noticed for the first time how tense she was as she lowered her spyglass and answered, "Their ship went behind that rock five minutes ago but still hasn't passed."

Sensei Wu clearly found this just as concerning. "Raise the sails," he urged. "Now!"

But before any of them could act, the missing ship came barreling around the rock spire towards them. It was soon accompanied by the high-pitched whine of one of Soul Archer's arrows zipping through the air.

"Kai!" Wu exclaimed.

Kai already knew what he was going to say and his heart lurched at the thought. It was now or never!

Raising his arms, Kai pulled at the water with all his might. The arrow's screams rang through his ears as it drew closer. If it hit, then he would be at the mercy of the ocean.

No, he thought. Forget about me. I have to protect Wu and Misako! If they went in the water, it wouldn't take long before the ghosts reached them, or worse, another one of Soul Archer's arrows. Right now the water was their only hope.

Kai closed his eyes and grit his teeth as he pulled, willing the ocean to obey him. He could feel it now, the power of the ocean swelling in his chest as if it came from his own strength. The sound of rushing water nearly drowned out the whistling arrow as Kai lifted a curtain of water high over their heads. Only when he was sure that the arrow had been disintegrated did he release the water. It dropped into a wave that rocked the whole boat.

Kai clung to the railing again, breathing heavily. He'd actually done it! And on purpose, this time!

"Hurry Misako," Wu was saying. "I said 'Raise the sails!'"

"Not Misako," the older woman said in a voice very unlike her own. She turned to Wu, her eyes lit by an unnatural green light. "Only Bansha!"

Kai would have stopped her before she could attack, but another shrill cry signaled more arrows approaching. Kai braced himself and raised the sheet of water again. It was slightly easier this time, but heavy as it was, Kai knew he wouldn't be able to keep it up forever.

Behind him, he could hear Sensei Wu struggling against the possessed Misako. "I can't hold it for long!" Kai warned.

"Bansha is controlling her, and I can't remember how to stop the spell," Wu said.

Thinking quickly, Kai gingerly lowered one hand, making sure he could keep the water high enough with just the other. "Does this refresh your memory?" He summoned a jet of water from his palm, dowsing Misako.

She gasped and then looked around herself in surprise. "What just happened?"

While Wu made sure that she was okay, Kai realized that the scream of arrows had stopped. Slower this time, he set the water back down, making sure to be ready for any more surprises. But when he finally let it go and could see across the ocean, he found that the ghosts had crashed their ship against one of the rock spires. They now struggled to hover over pieces of the boat that were still protruding above water.

"Well done, Kai," Wu congratulated him. "It seems you've gained control of your element, after all."

Kai breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the ship's rail. Maybe he and the water could learn to work together after all.