Avatar: The Last Airbender: Legend

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***

-Well, this is better than I feared and worse than I hoped.

Hiding one hand behind his back, the other teacher scratched his chin thoughtfully. Looking at Yu stuck waist-deep in the ground, he didn't know how to feel about the situation. On the one hand, the boy was making good progress over his own fear of subjugation, but on the other hand, he was doing it too slowly.

For two months now they had been meditating and having philosophical conversations. Kai was perfectly fine with this kind of pastime, it was the Viceroy who was against it. He needed a loyal land mage by the end of next year, and instead he was getting another swordsman. Certainly talented and with good potential, but that wasn't what was needed.

The boy resumed training with the glaive, devoting a few hours each day to practising the exercises. A couple of times Kai watched the boy's technique himself and was impressed. Quick and precise movements, filled with power and perseverance.

'Perseverance...'. The simple thought came to his mind belatedly. His apprentice was telling him about his style, which was based on earth magic. Hard, sharp techniques that required the body owner to be of the same nature.

'Why didn't I think of that right away. Inertia of thought, that's why.'

-Yui, get out. I've thought of something else.

Watching the amusing process, Kai hid a chuckle behind his sleeve. When the woeful apprentice stood in front of him, the master with a slight movement of his foot sent the glaive standing in the corner of the square into flight. Picking up the shaft in mid-air, the master twisted it around its axis, spinning the weapon into a swirl of dust and sand. Pushing the small particles with his magic, the man spun around a real hurricane.

In an instant, the entire site was hidden from the rest of the eyes by a dust storm in miniature. A sharp blow with the shaft on the ground and the sand flew in different directions, as if in fear.

The strokes and lunges of the halberd were accompanied by the movement of the ground. Following the blade, the wave of earth moved like a living creature. Enveloping the couple from all sides, the earth shaft exploded with chunks of rubble at Guan Dao's sharp swings. Stopping after a short demonstration, Cai, breathing heavily, handed the weapon to its owner. The stroppy weapon was very difficult to master, and using it paired with earth magic was beyond him.

A droplet of sweat ran down his temple, and his old hands were hidden in his sleeves to hide his trembling. The older man's back was soaked through, and his mouth felt unaccustomedly dry. Breathing heavily, he slowly calmed his racing heart, which had quickened its pace out of habit.

'I'm too old for new discoveries.' Feeling his body begin to return to normal, Kai turned his gaze to his apprentice, who was looking at his weapon with a strange gaze. Stroking the shaft, the boy cast rare glances at the traces of magic that were left all over the grounds. Frowning amusedly and solving his dilemma, Yu finally rested his weapon on the ground and nodded decisively at his teacher's mute question.

-Then let's start small. To feel the magic of the earth, you need to feel it on yourself.

-Will you lock me in a stone bag again?

With his halberd raised belligerently, the boy looked at his teacher with unfocussed eyes, expecting a trick at any moment. Trying to track the vibration of the ground, he missed the moment when the elderly teacher's foot made a smooth circular motion, as if drawing a comma with his fingertip.

The ground began to move quickly out from under his feet. At the last moment, the child managed to catch the edge of the glaive and hang onto it, escaping the stone trap.

-You're being a little impertinent, Guan Yu. -You're a little early, Guan Yu.

-I'm sorry, Master Kai. It's just that the prospect of being trapped under the earth again doesn't make me very happy.

Replying diplomatically and keeping a polite expression on his face, the boy noisily tried to get out, but a new movement of his foot pushed him to the surface. Shaking his head, Kai swung his hand, levelling the entire site from the traces of the demonstration. The smooth ground was evenly covered in sand as the master noted the boy's reaction with amusement. The trembling and sudden movements were gone, leaving only a steady gaze and a tense back.

-Then let's get started.

From that day on, Yu's training with guan dao was diluted with practice in earth magic. A determined Cai pelted the boy with stones, demanding that he repel them with magic. The first two weeks of these attempts brought only copious amounts of injuries. Dislocated fingers and many bruises. When Yui passed by servants or guards, they looked pityingly after the child that looked like a prisoner. Skinny and covered in wounds from head to toe, the child stubbornly returned to the training ground, trying his best to beat the stones time after time.

In time, his fear of earth magic was replaced by fatigue and anger. The inability to defend himself with conquest was annoying. With each failure, Yuu became more irritable and angrier. Letting his rage out, he began smashing rocks with his blade or the blunt end of his shaft. Cai only increased the pressure on these actions, throwing more earth at the child who was wild with anger.

When the orphan was once again hit in the forehead with a small pebble, a real growl began to erupt from his throat. Glaring angrily at the teacher, Yu imagined his face in the place of the next stone. Guan Dao's rough swing was more like hitting him with a stick, but it brought results.

Following the point, an earthen pillar burst out of the ground and knocked back the stone flying at the boy. Frozen with surprise, Yuu felt a strange mixture of elation and sadness. The feelings bouncing around in different directions tore him from the inside out, until Teacher Kai joyfully approached his student. Clapping the child on the shoulders, he danced and threw his hands up in joy.

-You see! You've got it, you've got it! Now it's going to work!

Further dialogue with the master passed Yu's consciousness. He answered something in vain, trying to come to his senses, but only the next morning, when he was able to use earth magic again, his mind began to return to normal.

The feeling of power that came from the base of his spine spilled over his entire body. Every time he used elemental conquest, the orphan felt an invisible energy flowing from his back all over his body. Strong and stiff, it filled his body with strength. After the first use, he began to clearly feel it every time. To Kai's fair question, the child received an answer.

-Every mage comes to this, sooner or later. I'm surprised you can sense earth chakra at such a young age. It usually takes several years of hard training....

Without dwelling on it, Guan Yu zealously started training. Confused by his feelings, the boy comprehended the basics of earth magic, turning the grounds into ruins after each training session. By simply channelling his power through his weapons, he could already create severe destruction. Using the style Ping had taught him, the young mage was doing an excellent job of comprehending his new knowledge.

One day, Viceroy Sun Jian himself arrived at the training field. Without saying a word, he watched as the teacher and his student comprehended earth magic at great speeds attacking each other. While Cai used a classical style filled with unwavering defence and counterattacks, Yu was flitting around in different directions, performing something incongruous. Confusing his movements, the boy was creating chaos all around him. Any swing of the halberd caused earth-shattering waves. Stone spikes grew all around, as if a drunken artist had drawn them from above. Lines of earth stakes and trenches were flying in all directions, and their centre was a dazed child that couldn't handle his power.

Spinning in place, Yu jumped into the air, making a guan dao swing, amplified by the inertia from the movement. As the blade soared into the sky, stone stakes flew out from beneath the boy, nearly stringing the boy like a kebab. Unable to keep his balance as he fell, the orphan twisted on his back, willing himself up without the use of his arms. The movement of his legs threw earth waves that spread out in all directions like circles on the water. A new movement with his glaive nearly sent Master Kai into a meeting with the spirits. Dozens of stone shells flew near the old man's head at great speed. The shrapnel flew towards the forest, knocking down trees and destroying everything in its path. When the dust clouds cleared, the Viceroy exhaled painfully and pressed his palm to his face, expecting a difficult conversation with his wife and daughter. His women were spending too much time on this garden and forest.

While the ruler of Lipin scolded the little bugger, his guards watched the ongoing 'fight' with shock. The realisation of what a boy of fourteen could do to a company of soldiers with a single swing of a halberd was depressing. Ordinary people, who could not boast of any special skills, could not withstand such techniques, for they did not have the same strength and stamina as the elemental conquerors.

The next half an hour of demonstration showed nothing surprising. Apart from the stone stakes that destroyed the forest, the rest of the boy's knowledge of magic was not very impressive. And the kid couldn't repeat the incredible manoeuvre anymore.

With a satisfactory nod of his head, Sun Jian headed inside the manor. The young mage's demonstrated talents pleased him. Of course, he still had poor control over his power, but it was a matter of time and training. Under Kai's careful control, the boy would make progress and work hard.

After seeing the Fire Giant's mighty back, Guan Yu tiredly collapsed on the ground. His breathing was ragged and his clothes were soaked through. Covered in a layer of dust and sand, he was a pitiful sight, but even so, the child was satisfied.

According to the teacher, the Viceroy was very pleased with his progress. If he continued like this, he could get some rewards and bonuses as well. Sun Jian had a lot of loyal people from the common people, if one lived up to the expectations of an aristocrat, one could rise well and live a good life. Considering that he was being groomed to join the retinue of the heir, even more so.

'Maybe I can get Uncle a promotion.' The thought of a relative fighting somewhere far away brought a nostalgic smile to his face. The last letter had come six months ago, and since then, Colonel Biao's unit had not heard from him. Whether they are still alive or lost in the forests, no one knows. With a long exhale, Yu picked up the dirty halberd and headed out. His teacher had long since left, promising to debrief the battle tomorrow, but now he needed to recover and wash up.

An unpleasant itch was spreading all over his body, and his face stung where sweat had mixed with the sand. Not tempted, the boy stubbornly tolerated the annoying feelings, promising to scratch himself plenty after washing.

Immersed in his thoughts, he didn't notice the obstacle growing in his path. Looking under his feet, it was only at the last moment that Yuu saw the bright red dress that appeared in front of his eyes. Quickly raising his head, he managed to recognise the girl in front of him a second before the collision. Brown hair and large eyes open in surprise at the unexpected encounter. A modest dress of bright colour and many clasps and jewellery covered her growing and forming figure.

Before they could utter a word, the two teenagers collided. The sturdier Yu would have been able to stay on his feet, but he got tangled in the girl's dress and piled on top of her. With a quiet yelp, the Viceroy's daughter froze like a frightened kangukrol. Her large dark brown eyes grew even wider, making her innocent face look defenceless. Realising the position they were in, Yuu jumped up from his seat to feel the coldness of the blade on his neck.