Pentathrones

7. The City of Idaris [1]

📍Idaris City, Gamara Kingdom

Raido wakes up as he is swept away by the sound of his feet clashing with the linoleum floor outside his room. It must be Fredo, his sister who was in a hurry to go to the academy so that she missed this item and then panicked herself.

Raido is still sleepy, but this morning he also had a training schedule at the academy. Rubbing her eyes, she walks into the bathroom, opens the water tap, and holds it slightly in the bucket.

He raised his right index finger, made all the water in the bucket fly coagulate before him, and let the floating water blob envelop his face.

After being satisfied with the cold sensation - and unable to hold his breath any longer - he dropped all the water on the floor, causing the splashing sound of a chipped lump of water crashing into the ceramic floor.

Fredo seems to have left first. Now what was heard were the noisy voices of Raido who was getting ready.

Raido's residence is on a wide road occupied by various buildings. On the right is a lodge and a hot spring. In front of him was a butcher shop, a flower shop, a temple, a bar, and the houses of others.

The territory of the Arkage Water Academy was to the left of the Raido family home. His family, which currently consisted of only two people, was the owner of the Arkage Academy.

Since their parents died, Fredo served as the head of the academy. Although Raido was older and always mistaken for a successor, he was not at all interested, overwhelmed, and rejected the inheritance outright.

When forced, he said, "I am lazy. If no one wants to continue, just close the academy" with an expressionless face in front of the teachers so that they almost spit out their own hearts. Finally, Fredo advanced, and Raido was only one of the teachers.

Raido set foot out of the house and was greeted by the clear blue sky of the beautiful city of Idaris. The streets of Idaris City are mostly lined with plots made of andesite stone which is given a light blue color.

The light blue streets seemed to fit perfectly side by side with the beautiful fountain circles that were everywhere. The water seemed to be beaming in the sunlight.

Idaris is a city of water.

Most of the city's residents are water-controllers - though not a few among them don't actually develop that ability, and are used only for small things like bathing and watering flowers.

Temples also stand at dozens of points in the city of Idaris. Although not all, the people in this Water City were devotees of the Water Goddess. Every day, they do not tire of thanking the figure of the Water Goddess for all graces and blessings. When faced with difficulties, they begged the Water Goddess for help.

Raido passed through the blue-colored high gate that fenced off the Arkage Academy. Behind the gate, there was a small field, an east building, and a west building.

The field is lined with brightly colored natural stones with a fountain in the middle. In the center of the fountain, stood a stone statue of a smiling curly-haired woman, wearing a long loose dress to her ankles. She is the embodiment of the Water Goddess.

The academy buildings were not too big. Both are old and only two stories. The west building is a dormitory for children's residence, and the east building is a classroom for theoretical learning.

Behind the east building was a wider field. The field was made of fresh green grass, and there was a lake on the edge. The field was the main place for the academy's children to practice their water control skills.

Raido glanced at the fountain in the middle of the field. At a glance, everyone who often sees it will realize that the water shower is a little weak than usual. Raido clucked in annoyance and went to step through the east building.

He arrived at a grassy field containing several groups who were training with their respective escorts. Raido approached three children - one female and two male - who were chatting on a large rock by the lake.

"Teacher is coming!" Saina gave a small shout at Lato and Arden. They are compact standing parallel.

All three were sixteen-year-old children. They are close to Raido, but still have to call him "Teacher". Raido - of course - never liked the call, but he was too lazy to protest, because it was not important.

After all, outside of the classroom, the kids usually call him "Kak Raido".

The water control abilities in the Arkage Academy were divided into three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. A beginner can basically just lift the water and move it slowly. Most are unstable and still drop a lot of splashes and water droplets while doing so.

An advanced level was a level where the water controller could use his ability to fight. Water can be used to hurt enemies.

Because it is the highest level, the range of ability of a proficient level will vary, depending on the experience and journey of each person.

Saina, Lato, and Arden, who were in Raido's hands for this school year, were children who had already almost made it past the intermediate level.

Just practicing a little more, they will enter the advanced level in the near future. After graduating all compulsory subjects - for example the History of the Gamara Kingdom, the Laws of the Water Tribe Fight, and the Theory of Elements - then they could already graduate from this academy.

The greeting of the three was only replied with a nod by Raido. "Teacher Raido, can you smile at least once today?" Lato asked while giggling. He always asked questions, even though he was ignored.

"What the hell are you. People must not be comfortable being asked so tau," whispered Arden as he elbowed Lato, then replied with a blow to the head.

"Can you stop?" Saina pulls them away from each other. "You're not polite!" Saina stared fiercely at the two. Then he moved to stare at Raido beamingly.

"Kak-Eh, Master Raido, I've been training hard for an entire week. I can't wait, let's get started!" Saina was still as usual, so excited.

"good. Wait a minute." Raido answered his potluck, then walked closer to the edge of the lake.

He stretched out his palm so that it was parallel to the surface of the water. He closed his eyes for a while, then the lake water let out a slight ripple, and opened his eyes again.

"What's wrong?" Arden approached and looked at the water of the lake in confusion, while a little bit of caution in case Raido was taking out a strange water creature that was lost in the lake.

Raido was just checking, but it turns out that the lake's water level is getting lower lately. Raido exhaled, hoping that all the problems that were spinning in his head would come out with that breath, but unfortunately not.

"There's nothing. Let's start," replied Raido.

Raido completed a training schedule with Saina, Lato, and Arden for approximately two hours. The sun is getting brighter. His stomach is hungry too.

After telling the three to disband, Raido was already able to leave because there were no other activities in the academy. He went out the gate, and re-entered the boisterous, low-lying streets.

There were noisy voices from some people passing by while chatting, the shop clerks were spreading leaflets, and one or two horse carriages passed by many times. Raido walked towards the inn next to his house.

On the ground floor of the inn was a restaurant. He entered a bright wooden room, ordered a plate of mashed potatoes with meat, and sat on a one-seat table.

"Eh? You were the one at that time?" A woman at the next table let out a small scream.

Raido never likes to be spoken to, so he hopes "You" is not him. However, who else is being referred to by the girl if not Raido who is now pointed right in front of the nose.

Raido glanced and thought for a moment. It didn't take long for him to realize that this girl was the person he had met accidentally in the Zelicia Forest back then.

***

To be continued.

Published: 9 July 2020