Celestia
The Water Temple
Chapter 6

Getsu was bent over in pain. The digit he had lost was sent flying somewhere in the house. Rowin couldn't tell if the blood on the floor was from one of Craw's unfortunente family, or from the bleeding hand of his master. His thoughts broke away from poor Craw and he faced his master. The door behind the windweaver sang as its hinges <squeked> with a light breeze.
"You foolish boy!" Getsu was now stareing at Rowin. His eyes were full of rage. The windweaver thought of how Craw died, of his children, of his wife. This was no longer his master, and at last Rowin lost any compassion he had for his master, giving up on helping him.
"I will kill you!" Getsu scramed as he lunged across the table for his former student. With great reaction speed, Rowin gathered the wind that blew the door. It wasn't much, but the energy held in his hand could still be used to his advantage. In one shift movement he kicked the door shut, preventing his master from taking energy from the breeze. Getsu reached his hand for Rowins throat. At the last moment Rowin grabbed his masters forearm. Blood from the missing index finger <splashed> onto the windweavers clothing. With the help of momentum, Rowin flipped Getsu into the door. The solid wood frame stood firm and his master fell to the ground. This was to easy, Rowin thought to himself. Perhaps it was the preemptive attack that the windweaver had on the master, none the less Rowin grew arrogant. The wind energy he held in his hand began to glow green.
Getsu slowly made his way to his feet. When he stood he stumpled, slightly disoriented. Rowin knew his former master wouldn't dare try to open the door, it would leave him open to an attack. Rowin's arrogance almost got the best of him as Getsu grabbed a book and launched it across the room. The window to the left of Rowin was Getsu's target, his master needed the wind to fight. At the last moment Rowin brought his hand to catch the book. His hand grasped around the spine and came to rest in the windweavers hand. A brethe of relief left Rowins mouth. Something then struck the young mage in the back and he introduced himself to the ground.
Village bullies, small game, sparring with other windweavers, all the rules of the battles Rowin had fought in life were now out the window. It would not be easy to defeat his master. This fight was different though, but Rowin could not determine what. The thought of Getsu standing above him, and what he did to Craw, caused the windweaver to turn swiftly. As sure as his thoughts, Getsu now stood over the young mage, holding a chair above his head. Rowin reacted and lunged out of the way of his masters swing. The chair broke and splintered into a hundred pieces. The windweaver rose to his feet and aimed him hand at his former master.
Rowin began to form a spell in his mind. The green energy began to swirl around his hand. At the last moment, before his spell was complete, Getsu turned to face him. Rowin stalled for a moment as his former master's sinister eyes met his. That moment was all Getsu needed. The wind master held the hand, which contained all his fingers, in front of him. The wind that Rowin had gathered leaped from his hand and found a new home in Getsu's palm.
"There is still so much you don't know." The wind master's words were mixed with laughter. Rowin froze, all his concentration on his masters hand. It had only taken a moment, but the tide of battle had turned against him.
"Allow me to be your master once more, i can teach you a few things before you die!" At the moment the threat left Getsu's mouth, the energy flew from his hand. Rowin reacted a moment to late, attempting to jump from the path of the spell. The wind caught him in the stomach and changed the movement of his body completly. He felt his feet leave the ground. The wind seemed to hold still for a moment, gathering on the outside of his stomach. The wind exploded and Rowin was sent flying. The room moved to fast to record itself in Rowins memory. The windweaver was thrown through the window of the room. Broken glass found a new home in Rowin's back and with great force, he hit the ground outside.
Getsu wasted no time in continuing his attack on the young windweaver. By the time Rowin's blurred vision returned to normal, and he was able to push aside the pain in his back, Getsu had moved to the frame of the broken window. Rowin paniced as a mighty gust blew his hair from his eyes. Getsu would have all the wind he needed to fight now. Rowins legs told him to run, but his pride fought against his will.
The wind master had already summoned a great amount of wind, the green glow from his hand reflected on the broken glass. With no warning, Getsu released his spell from its prison. The dirt around Rowin was thrown about. Rowin brought his arms up to protect his face. He felt like a hundred knifes had stabbed his forearms and warm liquid, blood, broke through his barrier of flesh, coating his forehead. Moments passed and the stabbing sensation did not fade. Rowin felt that he would give into the pain at any moment and black out. He fought with his mind, he could not die like this. The only thing that kept him from unconscios was the thought of Avonelle.
The stabbing from the wind spell Getsu cast began to lessen and Rowin brethed deep, thinking the worst was over. Surprised filled his face as he was lifted from the ground slightly, and thrown back a hundred paces. His legs met the ground first, and hope came to him as he tried to land on his feet. He was moving so fast however, and his knees buckled. His back landed hard, but the cushion of Craw's legacy helped him to keep conscious. For a split moment he laid in the golden wheat, stareing at the sky. The windweaver had forgotten the humidity of the day the moment he had seen what had happened in Craw's home. The sky was a dark grey, <yet rain had yet to bless the ground.>
For a moment, Rowin was lost to his thoughts. He wondered how he had ended up here. All the years of training, every childhood memory, Avonelle, was everything he did in life just actions that would lead to this moment? Was this his destiny? He couldn't defeat his former master, he knew this in his mind. Thoughts of Miranda's shop and the crimsom letter came to him. Rowin needed answers, he needed to know what was going on in the village.  He would force the answers from Getsu. Something urged Rowin from deep in his soul, why couldn't he defeat his master? What was stopping him, he was a great windweaver! Hope ignited inside of him, he could do this, he could defeat Getsu.
Rowin sprang to his knees, making sure to stay low, staying under the cover that the tall wheat gave him. He held his arm to his left. The gusts around him began to lessen as excess wind found its way to the windweavers hand. He had one shot to end this. He set his mind at peace, preparing to cast the spell. The first raindrops began to fall, greeting Rowin's arm, finding a new home. His dry skin absorbed the water, and at last he was ready for the battle.
Rowin lept to his feet and broke into a swift run. He was fast, and with the wind at his back, he was even faster. As soon as his eyes broke the <plane> of the wheat, he located Getsu. His former master had been slowly walking toward him and was startled for an instant when Rowin came into view. The windweaver had expected the master to be ready, and he was, having his own spell formed in his hand. For an instant Rowin imagined what this fight would be like if Getsu had use of both his hands. In another instant the thought was gone and Rowin continued his run toward his master.
<"Lesson two young one, suicide won't win you a battle!"> Getsu yelled at his fast approching enemy. With the yell Getsu thrust his hand forward releasing his spell. An orb of green energy shot towards Rowin at great speed. The unfortunente wheat that was in the orbs path was shreaded instantly, throwing seeds into the air. Rowin smiled as the green orb approached. At the last second he let his own spell fly free. The green orb met the energy the windweaver had gathered. The wind danced together in mid air, and the orb began to dissapear. As the green began to fade from the sight, there was a great explosion of air. The wheat where the spells had met was instantly torn into thousands of pieces and scattered to the breeze, along with the seeds of its cousin.
Getsu watched as the spells battled each other. A great gust, the excess of the two spells, blew his clothing around. The master shielded his eyes for a moment, making sure not to let the wheat enter. When he could no longer feel the breeze, he lowered his hands. A great blow sturck him directly in the nose. A strange feeling shot through his face and he fell to his knees. Blood began to pour from his newly broken nose. He cursed in utter disbelief. How could his former student be this strong.
Rowin retreated from where Getsu stood on the ground. He moved to a safe distance, he wouldn't allow Getsu to get the upper hand again. Getsu had always taught him to be careful in battle, you could never know what your opponent could do next. Rowin's hand screamed at him, still hurting from the blow he delivered to his master.
"What happened to Miranda?" the windweaver called over to Getsu. Silence followed as Rowin watched his former master make his way to his feet. His nose was broken and the blood had tinited the grey in his beard to a dark red. Getsu wiped his arm across the bottom of his nose. He drew his arm away and examined it. Rowin was taken back by the smile that crossed Getsus face. It was scary, a grin of insanity. The windweaver knew he would recieve no answer from the wind master.
The rain came  swiftly. Millions upon millions of small dots approched, roaring across the field. In an instant the sound of heavy rain came to Rowin's ears. The wheat began to sway violently as rain joined the two battleing mages. The curtain of water met them with ferocity and the warriors clothes were instantly soaked. The heat that had been trapped in Rowin's body instantly faded and he was cool once more.
Rowin wiped the sweat and new rain from his brow, running his hand through his hair, pushing his bangs from his face. Getsu had seen this oppurtunity and took advantage. The windweaver had only passed his arm over his eyes for a brief second, but that was all the time Getsu needed. When Rowin's vision was free from the water, <it was he who was then surprised.> Getsu stood in front of him and before Rowin could create a defense, he caught his old master's knee in the stomach. Spit flung itself from the windweavers mouth as he buckled over the knee.
"Another lesson foolish boy, never let up on your enemy." Getsus laugh was sinister as stood over his form student, gathering an immense amount of wind.

"Damnit." Avonelle cursed as she relized she forgot to lock the door to her home. Normally she would never forget such a thing, or anything for that matter, but today something was different, something was wrong. The lightcaller couldn't quite understand the feelings she had inside of her, but she just knew something was terribly wrong. It was as if something was living inside of her, giving her visions of horrible events. It had all started less then a day ago, when Avonelle saw her vision of Rowin and Getsu. But now they grew increasingly frequent. She couldn't describe what happened, but it was as if she lived on a seperate time line. She could see the paths that the birds would fly, before they did. She could tell where the children in town would be, even before she entered. What was happening scared her. If Rowin was here, she would be able to cope with her fear, he would be able to take it away. She had only been apart from the windweaver for a few hours, yet her heart hurt as if she hadn't seen him in years. She held the necklace he had made her in her hand and smiled. She felt a raindrop grace the top of her forehead. She looked to the clouds once more. It will rain in only minutes. She knew it, she knew where the first drops would land, and she knew the storm would take a day to pass. She was scared at her knowledge.
Avonelle walked through the town, everything seemed normal. The children were playing in the same fashion as she knew they would be. They waved to her as she walked by and she gave them a smile. She was very happy with the way she looked today. She had tied her blonde hair back except for two bangs. The bangs fell to each side of her eyes and curled naturally with the humidity of the day. She wore a sleveless white dress. The top hugged her neck, the see-through sides also matched the lace at the bottom, which cut off at her knees. Underneath she wore her training clothes, holding some hope that Rowin figured everything out with Getsu. As she thought about the two wind mages meeting, a flash of light filled her eyes. This had been happening often and when the light faded Avonelle began to run. She knew that something terrible had happened at Craw's home.
Avonelle reached the edge of the forest in no time. The grey clouds were lost and the top of her vision was replaced by thick brances. She stopped only for a moment to catch her brethe and was once again running. Sweat formed everywhere on her body and she began to question if the dress was the right attire for the day. <She decided it was fine, after all, she wore her training clothes underneath.> The songs of birds carried throughout the forest. The birds must have been blessed with the same foresight Avonelle had. Their songs warned each other to get to the safety of shelter before the coming storm.
It was times like these that Avonelle wished she had the stamina of Rowin. <On more then one occasion the windweaver had amazed her with great feats of energy.> She on the other hand, grew fatigued often. The heat was to blame for the fatiuque on this day. She wiped her forehead once more, coating her forearm with sweat. She continued her run through the wilderness, passing beauty in the form of flowers, animals, and geography.
The trees began to lessen and Avonelle found herself stareing off the edge of a cliff. The same flash of light, that was still very odd to her, filled her mind. In this vision she saw Rowin leap off the cliff. She heard herself gasp. The next moment she was standing at the bottom of the cliff, watching her lover land with a spell he had prepared. Time skipped ahead of itself and Avonelle watched a meeting between Rowin and a windwatcher. She remembered blinking and then, just as if waking from a dream, she was on top of the cliff once more.
These visions scared her. Had everything she just witnessed actually happened? Was she loseing her grip on reality? If she had to examine herself, she would've thought she had crossed the line of insanity. She knew the events happened though, somewhere in her heart she knew.
The lightcaller made her way down the cliff slowly, making sure not to fall. There was a small trail that wound down, the trail that she now stood on, but it was not to be trusted. Rocks broke away and fell with every step she took. Along the way Avonelle greeted a few random raindrops, but the downpour was yet to come. At last she made it to the bottom of the cliff and there she confirmed what she saw to be true. The physical evidence of Rowins footprints were embedded into the ground. She bent down and ran her fingers through the displaced dirt of his footstep. She wished silently that she had been with Rowin the whole time. Sadness came to her, it was an odd reaction. Being the same exact place that her lover was not so long ago, and not being able to be with him. This would not be the last time the feeling came to Avonelle.
A dozen birds scattered from the nearby trees, calling out to each other as they took flight. Avonelle quickly turned, her necklace swayed with the breeze from the flapping. She let out a gasp, startled as she met a stern face. The windwatcher had snuck up on the lightcaller. Something was wrong, the windwatcher's normal kindness was vacant from her eyes. She stood slightly taller then Avonelle and had a broader build. Years of training had conditioned the female windwatcher's body for combat, and defense, of the valley. Now, after years of vigerous training, the body of the watcher found itself standing in front of Avonelle.
"Avonelle, you are to come with us." The stern voice was cold. Avonelle examined the watcher. This women was the same guard that had confronted Rowin in her vision. Worry and confusion spread over Avonelle as the watchers words finally reached her mind.
"Is everything alright?" Avonelle wished that she could see what would happen, she silently prayed for one of her newly found visions to come to her. She waited, and nothing.
"You are to come with us now." The windwatchers voice frightened the lightcaller, this wasn't a request, it was a demand.
"Which way did Rowin go?" Avonelle found the courage to ask the guardian. The response from the watcher was not in words, but by the anger that  crossed her face. She hid it well though, with the emotion dissappearing as fast as it came.
"Rowin came with us not an hour ago, we will take you to him." The watcher answered the young lightcaller. Avonelle didn't need forsight to tell that the windwatcher was lieing. The guard took steps toward her, and her legs begged her to run. Suddenly the same flash of light that came to Avonelle so often, returned. The lightcaller prepared herself. Her arms raised in a fighting position she learned long ago from Getsu.
"Stand down!" The windwatcher yelled from only feet away. The guard then assumed her own fighting position. The two women stared at each other, moment after moment passed. Finally the young lightcaller put her hands down and stood straight, signiling her will not to fight.
The windwatcher waited for a moment. Finally she approched Avonelle. A raindrop, which had began its decent quite a while ago, hit the windwatcer square in the forehead. She looked to the dark grey clouds that moved <mightyly> through the sky. In a moment her vison began to blur. She grew dizzy and pain came over her. She fell to both her knees, fighting to stay conscious, and lost. Her body went limb and she slumbered on the soon to be wet ground.
Avonelle had never physically hit anyone before, yet her punch was right on target. <Her fist throabed with the pain the watchers ribs had given it.> She knew the watcher would glance to the skies, she knew that she would deliver the blow to unfortunate guard, she knew how and where to hit. She was scared again, this wasn't normal.
"What the hell is happening to me?" Avonelle questioned herself. She wanted this to go away. Sure the vision had saved her, but at what cost to her mind? She wanted Rowin, she needed him now more then ever.
"ROWIN!" The lightcaller gasped aloud, she needed to get to her lover quickly. Something very terrible was about to happen, something that would change the lovers for the rest of their lives, and she needed to be with him when it happened.

This was one of the times Rowin imagined what he looked like through another eyes. His former master stood over him, bearing down upon him, holding a huge wind spell in his hand. The rain washed over both mage's eyes. The spell was massive, bigger then any Rowin had ever seen. For a moment, Rowin imagine what it would feel like to hold the power that Getsu held over him. Then the windweavers survival instinct came to him.
"Farewell Rowin." Getsu's words were harsh and without emotion. He held his spell high above his head with both hands. He began to bring them down, the killing blow. His hands were stopped, Rowin had lept to his feet and caught both of his masters forearms in his hands. Getsu struggled to bring his hands down and finish the fight. Rowin summoned all the strength and spirit he could to hold his masters hands at bay. Grunts came through clenched teeth as both master and student used all they had.
Suddenly Getsu lifted his knee and delivered a blow into the windweavers ribs, still Rowin would not let go. Another knee, combined with the rain, caused Rowin to loose his grip slightly. Unfortunently for Getsu, Rowins resolve would not allow him to die on this day. The wind master tried with every muscle in his body to hold the spell together and bring it upon his former pupil. Slowly, his arms began to push Rowin down.
<"What do you think our kids will be like."> Avonelles voice called out to Rowin. The two lovers had just started their lives together, would this be how it ended? Rowin thought of Avonelle's beautiful face, her pale skin, her full lips, her piercing eyes. He thought of holding her hand, a  hand that took all his pain and doubt away.< Of her kiss, a kiss that could paint the sky.> He thought of her voice, an angel. Avonelle was all Rowin would ever need, and in this moment he would prove it.
"Lesson three.." Getsu had started to taunt his student once more, but for him it was to late. It was as if Rowin gained the strength of a thousand men. As Getsu brought his hands down, the wind raging between them, Rowin pulled with all his force. <Getsus hands seperated and his elbows writhed in pain as the windweaver pryed the spells catalyst apart.> In the end, the windweaver held Getsu's hands at his side, the wind and spell now gone. Rowin wasted no time continuing his attack. He let go of Getsu's right forearm and threw his weight into the stunned masters chest. Getsu's body was flung over Rowin and a metallic sound was heard as he hit the ground. The rain had fallen so hard that it now coated the ground,  the wheat unable to drink its essence fast enough.
"What is the advent." Rowin questioned his stunned master. Craws family came to his mind. His children would no longer play in the fields while Rowin practiced. Their laughter would no longer fill anyones ears. His wife could no longer love him in this world. They could no longer hold each other. <Rowin thought of how Craw had greeted him not even a full sun-cycle ago.> Holding his ravenesk, so excited to feed his family. Craw's promise of teaching Rowin how to catch the birds came to mind. Then it all dissappeared. Craw would never greet him again, he would never learn from him. This was Rowins first experiance with death. It was a terrible feeling. He felt so lonely, so sad, he felt like crying. Craw could never again feel the rain, see the sun, watch the stars, he could only rest now. Then an image of Miranda came to the windweaver. Her hair blew in the wind, then she was gone. The same sickness that came to Rowin over Craw's family returned. He would not let death come to anyone at the hands of Getsu ever again.
Rowin threw his hand in the air, this would be the killing blow. He put the spell together in his mind, and willed the wind to come to him. The rain drops danced on his hand, each moment more joined the waltz. A small breeze came to his hand, and worry to his mind. Something was wrong, he had called much more wind to his hand then the breeze. Something tried to pull the windweaver into unconscious, and that something was succeding.
"Lesson four, always remember what you are taught." Getsu laughed as he pulled a thin sword from Rowin's leg. Blood began to pour out from the wound in the windweavers leg. Rowin fell to the ground, the pain taking over him. The rain taunted him as drop after drop hit his wound, mixing with the blood, stinging the windweaver greatly. Getsu's words were lost to the windweaver as he was starting to shake from the pain. Never before had he been hurt like this, and it was not a good sign.
"Silly Rowin, your going to die, and after that i will kill your little partner." Getsus menacing laugh brought Rowin back to reality. He thought about what had just happened. He remember why the wind didn't come to him when he commanded it, it was the rain. The rain blocked the path of the wind, even confused it, leading it to many places but not his hand. Even if he had summoned the wind it would have been to heavy to cast the spell he wanted. This mistake might be his downfall. The windweaver's eyes looked to his tratiorous master. They became surprised to see that Getsu was walking away. He was now at least one-hundred paces away from Rowin.
"You are strong Rowin, stronger then most anyone in the valley. You have surprised me today, putting up a much better fight then i intended." Getsu yelled over the sound of rain hitting the ground. Pain returned to Rowin, the bleeding from his wound had yet to stop.
"You are blessed with strength, which means no normal spell could kill you." Getsu continued, loving to hear the sound of his own booming voice.
"Just as no normal spell can kill myself." The pain from the glass in Rowins back throabed as the windmaster bragged. Finally Getsu stopped walking away and turned completly and met Rowin's eyes. What his master did next both amazed and scared Rowin. At first the windweaver thought his eyes had decieved him, but upon further examination he knew what he was seeing to be true. His former master had left the ground and now levitated a hundred feet above it. Was his old master flying?
"Back when the first windmasters came to the valley, the discovered something special." Getsu's words were almost completly drowned out due to his height and the rain.
"They trained in different areas of the valley, learning new spells in different locations." Rowin never enjoyed Getsu's lectures. He had always spoke so condesendingly to the windweaver, and this time was no different.
"This place we stand now was not always a plateu, infact at one time it was called Windcutter Canyon." Now Rowin's old master was making no sense, but that didn't matter. The rain seemed to stop around Getsu, and Rowin watched in horror as an immense amount of wind gathered around his master.
"And i will kill you with the spell that this land teaches." Getsu's last words rang in Rowins ears over and over. When again he looked at his master, he was flying through the air toward him at great speed. A smile crossed Rowins face.

The rain was harsh against the lightcallers face. Her warm sweat mixed with the <sky's> cold rain creating an awkward feeling all over her body. The whole time Avonelle ran she was whispering silent prayers for her lover Rowin. The run seemed like forever to her, she swore the journey to Craw's home should have been much shorter then she had ran. At last a small sigh of relief came from her as the trees lessened and she stood at the beggining of the golden, drenched field of wheat. The grey sky was ominous and Avonelle took no time to catch her brethe. She began to run as fast as she could through the field toward the home of Craw. The wet wheat wrapped(ALLITERATION!) itself around Avonelles clothing but still she pushed on. She refused to slow down, and the seeds refused to let go. When Craws house was in sight she picked up her pace. Every muscle in her body burned badly(ALLITERATION!). She had never stressed her body to this point and for a moment looked forward to the rest she would have tonight. Suddenly Avonelle caught sight of Getsu. He was in the air. Was he flying!? Avonelle questioned herself. She watched as the windmaster began to fly toward something, no he was flying toward someone.
"ROWIN!" Avonelle screamed yet she knew the windweaver couldn't hear her. Suddenly a great wind lifted Avonelle slightly off the ground. Caught of guard, the lightcaller paniced. The wind blew the two bangs around her vision. It played with her hair violently. Something was different about this wind. Although it was violent, it was filled with something else. <She knew this wind wouldnt hurt her for some reason, this was the second time in her life she felt this breeze.> What was this feeling that the wind was so intamite with. Then something dawned on the young lightercaller. The panic was lost and replaced with horror as she set her feet firmly on the ground once more, the wind had passed her. She watched as the wheat in front of her was destroyed instantly as the gust rushed by. The feeling the wind had inside, the emotion that now caused the look of horror on her face, it was love. She had felt it before, the same instant before the tiger was destroyed so long ago. She knew what was about to happen, not through her new foresight, but from past experiance. She tried to call out to her lover and her master, but her voice was lost in the loud roar of rain and wind. She watched, horrified.

Getsu charged Rowin from the air, the wind he had gathered had so much energy that it turned a bright green. From Rowin's view, it looked beautiful. The color of the spell stood out against the <dark damp day.> His former master was closing on him fast, yet Rowin had no worry. The windweaver forgot the glass in his back, the wound in his leg. He closed his eyes and was lost in thought.
Rowin walked through a cold field. The snow covered the ground, making the dirt firm. The bitter air somehow found its way inside of his clothing, teasing his already frigid skin. The frost bit at his fingertips. Rowin blinked. Spring had come to the field. The wheat had just begun to grow and the songs of the birds returned. The air played with the windweavers hair, pushing the bangs away from his eyes. Rowin blinked once more. The heat of summer caused sweat to form on his brow and the wheat he stood in tickled his naked arms. The breeze was refreshing and cool. One final time the windweaver blinked. The remaining wheat was beggining to fall prey to cooler temperatures of fall. The gust went right to his hand and Rowin knew he had won this battle.
Rowin opened his eyes as Getsu was releasing his spell. The green energy in his hand raced from the air toward Rowin. It took a very distinct form. The crescent shape that was fast approaching the injured windweaver would cut through anything that was in its path. Flying from Getsu's hand, it would meet Rowin in only a few moments. <Then, Rowin felt his power grow inside of him, his second wind came to him. He felt as if Avonelle was right next to him, he always felt stronger when she was here.>
"Your final lesson master!" Rowin yelled as he knelt on his knees, facing the spell that could be his death. He placed his hand close to the ground. He held all his digits together, flat palmed, slightly above the earth. The windmasters spell was getting closer. Wind began to form on Rowins palm. Then with great speed, a massive amount of wind found its home, joining the windweavers <palm>. Rowin flung his hand back, and in <one fell swoop> brought his arm forward.
"Never underestimate me!" Rowin yelled as the energy erupted from his palm, the bright green fleeing from the spells origin. Just in time, Rowins spell formed the same cresent shape that Getsu had, and the two great spells clashed in mid-air. At first it looked as if Getsu's spell would break Rowin's own in half. Then something unexpected happen. A great gust of wind passed through Rowin from behind. Rowin had felt this wind before. He watched as the great amount of wind joined his own spell. Then as if Getsu's spell was nothing, Rowins own cut through it and sped toward the windmaster. Horror and shock filled Getsu's eyes as Rowins spell approached. The windmaster attempted to flee, but it was to late. As Getsu began to move, the spell passed right through him and dissappeared, lost to the sky.
For a moment, Rowin wasn't sure that anything had happened. It was like a dream. His vision never left his master. A light breeze blew his hair from his face. A single drop of blood slowly made its way from the top of Getsu's forehead, down his face. The drop of lifeblood hugged Getsu's face, falling complelty <word for straight> down his nose. The drop was lost in the beard. Rowin looked on as a deep red color began to show itself through his masters clothes. Blood began to drip from Getsu's ankles. Rowin watched as the full power of his spell came to be.
Getsu's eyes looked as if their was a coat of warm white water pasted over them. Then they were gone, rolling back inside his head. One moment Getsu floated ahead of Rowin, the red strip of blood perfect down his center. The next, a fountain of blood began to pour, coating the wet wheat with dark red. Rowin watched in horror as Getsu's body split in two and each half began to fall to the ground. The windweaver quickly grabbed his stomach, he was going to be sick. His eyes were less stressed now that they werent focused on his now dead master, but his mind was racing with thoughts of what he had just saw. He had never killed anyone before. <He knew he would have to fight his master the moment he saw Craw's family, dead on the ground. Never had he expected to take his life. >
"Rowin!" The voice was on top of Rowin as he looked up into the piercing blue eyes of Avonelle. Tears straked down her face and she flung her arms around the windweaver. Just as before, so long ago, at the waterfall. The necklace she wore was spinning, wrapping itself around its string as if the wind still blew. Rowin was reliefed to see his lover. For a moment, during his fight, he thought he might never see her again. The lightcaller pulled away from Rowin, breaking the embrace. The windweaver looked at her tear filled eyes. Now it was Rowin who put his arms around her.
<"I never want to let you go."> Rowin began, almost frantic. "I was so scared i was going to lose you." He continued, looking into his lovers deep, tearfilled, blue eyes. Tears now came to him as he held her close. Rowin had finally admitted his feelings for Avonelle, was finally able to hold her, to love her, and he had almost lost it.
"I love you Rowin."Avonelle whispered in the windweavers ear."You'll never lose me, i promise." The windweaver knew her words to be true. He sank his head into her chest, forgetting about the pain in his back and the stab wound in his leg.
"Rowin, somethings wrong." The lightcaller's emotions completly changed. As Rowin took in her words, a loud whistle came from the woods. Then, in response to the first, a dozen other high-pitched sounds reverperated through the brush.
"The watchers." Rowin whispered. He look in Avonelles eyes, they were filled with fear.
"Rowin, before i came, the watchers tried to capture me." Rowin almost couldn't belive her words.
"They were under orders from Getsu." She finished. The lightcallers knowledge of the situation came in the form of a light flash, the same she experianced before knocking the female windwatcher unconscious. She wished she knew more, the reason why he had given the order, or for what reason. Then Avonelle remembered what she say moments ago. Getsu, he no longer lived. <He would no longer feel the breeze, no longer brethe.> Avonelle became sick at the sight she had just witnessed. Never before had she seen so much blood, and never again did she want to. The lightcaller let go of her lover and looked him over. What terrible power her lover controlled. Dirt and pieces of wheat coated his face. Blood painted an ugly picture on his clothes. This was the first time she noticed he wore his training clothes. Maybe Rowin was suffering from the same future-sights that she was. Then, as if trigered by her thoughts, a flash of light filled her mind. It was a warm, comforting light. She walked through her mind. She was free. The light turned red instantly and Avonelles vision was filled with the deathbeds in Craw's home. She watched through the eyes of her lover as he found the grisley scene. Then all of Rowins thoughts and emotions came to her. It was as if she was him for a split moment, then her view returned to Rowin sitting in the rain.
"Oh Rowin...Craw.." Avonelle had shifted her vision to the ground out of respect for the departed souls. When Rowin did not give her an answer she looked up. The windweaver was on his feet, panic in his eyes. This was the first time she noticed that he was bleeding from his leg. A stab wound! Any remorse the lightcaller might have had for Getsu was now gone. Still the power that Rowin possessed frigtened her. When again she attempted to look to the windweaver, she was caught by surprise. Rowin had lifted her onto her feet.
"We need to leave, now!" Avonelle glanced at Rowins grief-stricken face. She had no idea what was going on, but she trusted him. She placed her hand in his and they began to run. They had not made it more then ten steps before Rowin feel back to the ground, grabbing his leg in pain. His adreneline had lowered which allowed the pain to return its hold. Rowin made his way to his feet once more, and pressed on.
"Wait a moment." Avonelle said to Rowin, worried for her lover.
"We don't have time Avonelle, if they catch you.." Rowin fell once more to the ground. Avonelle quickly kneeled next to him. The windweaver had forgotten what use she could be. She smiled to herself, this is what life would be like for two lovers, learning new things about each other every day.
The lightcaller held her hands above Rowins wound. It was then that the windweaver remembered his lover's new found powers. A bright, warm light formed in the flat palms of the lightcallers hand. Rowin watched as Avonelle pressed the white light to his leg. For a moment the sword wound tingled and threatened to flare up in pain. The pain never came as the light slowly faded away, leaving no trace of the wound. Not only was Avonelle able to physcially take away the pain that Rowin felt through injury, but her love helped him cope with the loss of craw, the killing of his old master. After the spell was complete Avonelle looked to Rowin, who was already laying a kiss to her forehead. The windweaver pulled away and looked once again into his lovers piercing blue eyes. Something inside his heart told him to remember every and every inch of this moment. To remember the smell of her hair, her beautiful smile, to remember the rain pusing down upon them, and to remember her love. Rowin was afraid of the feeling telling him to do this, it was as if he was going to have to say good~bye to her.
Another chorus of whistles reached the young lovers ears and Rowin was instantly on his feet. He did not know exactly what was happening with the guard, but one thing was for sure, Getsu had wanted Avonelle dead.(explain earlier more about Getsu wanting Avonelle dead). He took the young lightcallers hand in his own, and again they were off. If Getsu had gave the orders to the windwatchers, then they were after her too. He wouldn't let them have her, he would fight tooth and nail for her, using all his strength, he would die for her.
As the young lovers reached the end of the brush, opposite of where they both entered the plains not so long ago, Avonelle gave a glance off of the giant plateu. She looked as the dark grey clouds pushed across the valley. <She gazed at the grounds that the festival took place.> <She looked at the village that both Rowin and she had shared so many memories at.?> Finally, she gave the Valley one final stare. Rowin squeezed her hand slightly. She took in the sight, this would be the last time that she <saw> the Valley of the Wind.
It seemed like the young lovers had been running for hours. They had climbed down huge walls of rock, they had run past several different types of trees, they had pushed their bodies to the limit, all the while the whistles of the watchers grew closer and closer. Rowin was in no condition to fight and if they were caught, it would be the end of them. At one point Avonelle had noticed that Rowins back was bleeding, glass had been lodged into it. She was glad she did not witness the battle, the lightercaller was convinced it would have driven her to <sadness>. The sweat that formed between Rowin and her hand threatened to tear the lovers hands apart, but she would never let go. The great cover that the branches of tress provided blocked most of the rain from the mages, yet their bodies let of steam from the increase in temperature from running. Avonelle held tightly to her lovers hand.
Rowin had no idea what he was going to do. There was no way they could run forever, and he was loosing stamina fast. He was very proud of Avonelle. She had a very petite form and was known to get winded easily, but not on this day. She held his hand tight, as if it was the last time she would. Rowin refused to let this be the end, he would save her whenever she was in danger, he would save her now.
The trees began to break and the rain greeted the young lovers once more. Rowin hoped that neither of them would grow sick after this day from the constant change in body heat. The view that now filled both the mages vision at first gave Rowin great hope. The whole time they ran through the woods the windweaver was trying to think of a plan to escape the guard on their trail. He had failed in that time, but now the answer stared them in the face.
The main docks of the Valley were grand. It was the only place that foreign influence had settled in comfortably. The buildings bore the signs of different nations, the shops in the streets were speciality. The docks though had pushed a lot of fishermen out of the area, forcing them to construct makeshift docks, and the two tradgic lovers now stood on the planks of a fishers labor.
A flash of light came to Avonelle the moment she witnessed where they were. This was the worst vision she had ever had. Her heart broke and tears began to flood her eyes. The flash had left but the tears remained. As Rowin began to sprint toward the end of the make-shift dock, Avonelle finally let his hand go. She stood still, her head dropped, eyes stareing at the ground. The tears that ran down her face outnumbered the raindrops now. Rowin turned slowly, trying to meet the eyes of his lover.
"You have to stay..." Her words were low and hushed with sobs escaping between words. Her white dress was completly drenched and the black from her training clothes<was seeping through.> She put her hands together and looked up at her lover. The tears had no stopped. Never before had she experianced this amount of sadness, never before had Rowin witnessed it.
When the words left Avonelle's mouth, Rowin felt a hole form in his heart. He knew he had to stay, he had to give time for Avonelle to get away, but the reaction from Avonelle broke the windweavers heart. He stood in front of her, not knowing what to do, not know what to say. Their eyes met and danced with each other for a few moments. Rowin thought to himself, this would not be the end of them. Everything was going to be fine, the only thing he ever needed was Avonelles love, and he had it. No matter what boundaries they had to cross, no matter what barriers they had to break, Rowin and Avonelle would always be together. Avonelles tears still flowed as Rowin walked to her, and wrapped his arms around her.
Rowin placed his hand on the back of the lightcallers head. He ran his fingers through the drenched blonde hair. Still beautiful despite the conditions. He rubbed his lovers back with his other hand. Why couldn't this last forever. Avonelle <snuggled> her head into Rowins chest and began to let out loud sobs. Her crying slayed Rowin. The windweaver moved her hair from her ear and placed his lips next to <it>.
"Everythings going to be alright, i promise." With Rowins words Avonelle removed her head from his chest. Rowin moved his hand to her face, running his fingers down her smooth, pale skin. Avonelle stared into Rowins eyes and searched for meaning. She found it and knew, everything was going to be alright. Rowins eyes met Avonelles again. The windweaver swam through the deep blue, gathering all the love he could. The rain beat against the lovers scalps, tickling thier skin, but they were lost in the moment. Avonelle drew closer to Rowin and stood on her toes. Rowin brought his lips and met hers, embracing her tightly.
No flash of light, no future events, nothing was going to ruin this kiss. The sounds of the crashing waves nearby was the perfect lullaby for the passion. The lover forgot the rain, forgot the day, forgot the deaths, they were lost in their own world, where only they mattered to each other. A perfect world.
Avonelle didn't remember the kiss ending, but the next thing she knew Rowin was lowering her into a one person boat. Rowin was never very good at hiding his emotions, and this time was no different. Tears had come to him since the kiss, and they had not left. Avonelle wondered if they would be there as long as hers, as long as they were apart. Their final embrace was short lived. <Rowin had jumped in the boat and for a moment Avonelle debated on going against her vision and having him follow, but for some reason, they both knew that couldn't be.> Rowin leaped back onto the dock, his back had stopped bleeding.
"It's only a days journey to Aquarah, just sail towards the sun." Rowin said. He looked down at his lover with sadness. Without a word he pushed the boat off the moors. Slowly, Avonelle began to drift away from Rowin.
"I'll find you, i promise." Rowin never made a promise he couldn't keep, and Avonelle knew that he would find her.
"Good~bye Avonelle." Rowin said through sobs. Avonelle turned to him, she was beggining to gain distance from the Valley.
"Never say good~bye to me Rowin of the Wind, good~byes are forever." She faked a smile as she finished.
Rowin wanted to jump in the water and swim toward Avonelle. He wanted to go with her, he did not want to be away from her. Unfortuently before the windweaver knew it, Avonelle was only a spec on the horizon. Not once did he turn toward the ever growing sound of whistles. He just watched, as his lover was torn away from him.
"I swear, ill find you."