Chapter 61: Devil''s Invitation


    The two spirits glowed brightly before they resumed their previous route. Due to Pavka''s threat of staying here, Tama grumbled a bit before allowing Nik to gain affinity with Gravitation, which was quite strange as he didn''t feel anything.


    ''Do I smell like... gravity?''


    Nik questioned Pavka through their shared senses to which he received an affirmative response.


    As it turned out, the spirits actually ''smell'' the other elements and spirits. Well, Nik couldn''t me them, Spirits smell great. He could tell from his personal... let''s call it a personal experience.


    ***


    "Is it done?"


    Yus asked out loud, hoping to hear the confirmation directly from the spirits only to hear a deafening silence as the two Koi spirits kept swimming in circles, chasing each other once again while floated in the centre of the pool.


    "Sigh..."


    Her expression fell as she knelt in defeat. This was the first time she ever heard the voice... no, a conversation of three spirits. While La seemed to be a man... no, a spirit of few words, Tui aka Tama, seemed to be the chatty one.


    Now that Yue concentrated on the two fishes, La seemed to have more steady swim, his body would turn around gently while Tama swam in stark contrast, his fins ying around while maintaining the same speed, as if enjoying the swimming itself.


    "Uhm... are you asking me?"


    Nik asked with an amused smile. Her expression tickled him while the change from defeat to annoyance and shame caused his grin to spread wider.


    Swimming forth, he reached the edges of the pool before picking himself up as a bone piercing chill immediately affected him, making him immediately put on his clothes instead of flexing his member in front of Yue as he had nned before.


    Damn that cold!


    "Huurrrr! So, Yue, can I leave?"


    He asked while rubbing his hands against the opposite arms while chattering slightly, his words immediately elicited a sad expression from Yue as she sighed and nodded.


    "Yes, let me lead you back."


    "Thank You."


    Nik nodded with a smile. He really wanted to try bending the gravity. Even the notion felt quite otherworldly, but still, it was possible.


    Yue had clearly shown how much she could affect inhumane people like Nik with the strengthened physique by bending the gravity.


    ***


    "So? How did it go?"


    Keeping her eyes on the receding back of Yue, Karna asked absentmindedly. Even her fist remained clenched as she could sigh inwardly.


    "Take a look for yourself."


    Nik grinned as the continuously rotating currents of energy seeped into the middle of his palm as Nik tried connecting with the water.


    Plop


    Almost instantly, Nik started to feel his energy being used at a slow pace while he maintained the fist-sized blob of water mid-air.


    "Hmm... let''s go."


    Karna nodded, expressionless, and sat back before picking her wooden pedal while hinting Nik to pick his own pedal.


    "Did something happen?"


    Nik wondered as they started rowing the boat towards his igloo.


    "Nothing of your concern."


    She snapped once again, making Nik raise an eyebrow before he smiled and nodded.


    "I see... well then, do I ssify as a tribe member? Can I learn waterbending from a master?"


    He asked once again, making Karna pissed even more. By now, Nik had already understood that her anxiety stemmed from him being able to ''officially'' bend the water. And what''s more? He was originally talentless before given a chance to bend the water, while Karna was always talented yet barred from practising publicly.


    Gripping her pedal tightly, Karna hissed back a reply.


    "Do whatever you want!"


    "Woah! Easy there, Aunt."


    "I"


    Karna''s voice increased before she looked at Nik''s unchanging smile and felt a bit defeated. Who was the older one on the boat?


    And, when did it be Nik''s fault? Why should she vent her frustration on him?


    Drowned in the twister of her ownplicated thoughts, Karna simply sighed while choosing to remain silent for the rest of the journey.


    She would rather stay silent than to speak something in a fit of rage that would negatively impact their rtionship, whatsoever it was currently.


    The silent journey continued before Nik and Karna stopped the boat at the Whale-Horse side of the tribe. Both of their igloos/houses were constructed over this tribe so they even walked together for a few minutes before Nik suddenly spoke up.


    "You know Aunt... I could learn waterbending and teach you during night time when no one is looking."


    Hearing his words, even though Karna felt her anger ease up a bit, she still shook her head in denial.


    "You think no-one has ever thought of that. Once found, the woman that broke the tribe rules is exiled and the tribesman would be punished with 50 wh.i.p.s.


    By now, the only two people who have been exempted by this restriction are the Cat-Seal Leader and Princess Yue."


    Nik nodded thoughtfully before his eyes narrowed and a weird smile emerged on his face.


    "What if nobody saw you?"


    "They always find out."


    Karna smiled bitterly.


    "Not necessarily. I have two ces in my mind that can... actually get the work done."


    Frowning, both of them stood in front of arge igloo that housed the mess as she turned her head and frowned at Nik.


    "What do you mean?"


    A dangerous feeling spread across her heart as she gazed upon Nik''s smile while he finally spoke out.


    "How would you like to meet me in my igloo at night?"


    ***