Hh
hardly had time to breathe before the forest seemed to press in around me. Smoke from the burning village lingered in my nostrils, curling like restless spirits. Aiyana—the old woman I'd barely managed to save—pressed herself against a jagged root, her robes soaked with blood.
"You must follow me," she whispered, voice trembling but firm. "The Noxians will return. They are relentless."
I swallowed hard. "I… I don't know if I can keep up. I've never done anything like this."
Her gaze sharpened. "You are untethered. That is your gift. The land recognizes it."
I stared at her, still trembling from adrenaline, pain, and shock. Untethered? Gift? I wanted to argue, but the distant sounds of war reminded me words were worthless.
"Quickly," she said, struggling to her feet. I reached out instinctively to steady her. The moment my hand touched her shoulder, a subtle warmth ran through me, almost like the soil itself was breathing. The faint hum I'd felt earlier pulsed through my body. My heart skipped a beat.
She didn't notice. "Stay close. Move like the water."
"Like… the water?"
Her voice carried no room for argument. She was already sprinting through the forest, and the only sensible choice was to follow.
Branches whipped against my face and arms, but something strange happened. My legs moved faster than expected, flowing around obstacles instead of pushing through. A chill ran down my spine as petals swirled around me, trailing my movement. I blinked and shook my head.
"What… what's happening?" I gasped.
"The land answers you," Aiyana said over her shoulder. "You do not yet understand, but your spirit resonates with the Flow. Water bends to your survival instinct."
I stumbled over a root, then laughed nervously. "Bend water? I don't even know how to—"
A scream cut me off, sharp and high-pitched, echoing through the forest. Aiyana froze. "They've found us."
Before I could respond, a volley of arrows slammed into a nearby tree, splintering it. The forest shook. My instincts screamed at me to duck, but a surge of something unfamiliar jolted through my arm.
A thin stream of water from the nearby river leapt as if alive, intercepting the arrows mid-air. Sparks of light danced along the stream, and the arrows clattered harmlessly to the ground.
I stumbled back, eyes wide. "I… I did that?"
Aiyana's eyes softened. "Not entirely consciously. The Flow obeyed your instinct. You are the untethered seed, and it is beginning to awaken."
I sank to my knees, overwhelmed. "I'm just… me. I'm not supposed to do this. I'm not a mage."
"Perhaps not yet," she said. "But the land does not lie. It speaks through you. And now, it has chosen to keep you alive."
We moved quickly through the forest. Aiyana led me to a hidden path, obscured by dense foliage and fallen trees. Streams and glimmers of sunlight guided us, as if the forest itself was showing the way.
Finally, we reached a small clearing. A simple hut of wood and stone nestled against an enormous root, almost hidden in plain sight. Smoke curled gently from a tiny chimney.
"This is a sanctuary," she said. "Those who resist Noxus gather here. It is safe… for now."
I sank beside her, exhausted and shaking. "I… I don't know what to do next."
"You will need training," she said quietly. "The Flow is your starting element. You can bend water instinctively, but you must learn to listen before you can control it. Without control, it can hurt you… or those you try to protect."
I frowned. "Control? I can barely understand what I just did."
She reached out and pressed her palm against my forehead. Warmth spread through me, and for the first time, I saw it: faint streams of water, glowing slightly, swirling around the forest, flowing toward me, connecting to me.
I gasped. "I can feel it… the water…"
"Yes," she said softly. "And that is only the beginning. Soon, you may feel the air, the roots, perhaps even the fire hidden in the land. But you must master Flow first. Your spirit is not of Ionia, yet it resonates. That is dangerous. But it is your path."
I nodded, still shaking. "I… I'll try. I have to."
A sudden rustling outside drew all our attention. The small child nearby clutched Aiyana's robe, eyes wide. "They're here," the monk murmured.
Aiyana's eyes narrowed. "Good. Let us see how well you listen to the Flow when danger arrives."
The hairs on my arms stood on end. My first real test wasn't about survival anymore—it was about learning to wield something I barely understood, something alive, something that could kill or protect at my whim.
And the forest around us seemed to pulse in agreement, as if the very trees themselves were whispering: It is time.