~*~

"Juli," Ten held my shoulder. "Come with us. The guys are waiting outside."

I didn't answer.

It's been three days and Hendery is still not waking up. No one was able to explain why he wouldn't wake up.

I out for a while when Hendery— when the dark witch was using Hendery to get to me. The other guys said that my eyes were glowing with white light.

That's how I escaped him. 

When I regained consciousness the guys were holding me, like they were trying to stop me from getting to Hendery. He was laying on the ground, blood trailing out of the back of his head.

The Avatar State, that's what Yuta told me.

The block in my mind is fading away slowly and that allows me to invoke the Avatar State. It is the most powerful and strongest ability that the Avatar can invoke, allowing the Avatar to channel the knowledge of the previous Avatars. Granting me strength and the ability to perform the most powerful and extraordinary feasts of bending. 

But I need to master it so that I can control myself while I'm in that state. Another thing that I need to learn before the war.

"You need to eat." Ten sat on Hendery's bed next to his legs under the blanket. "More importantly you need to practice more moves today."

I knew my own responsibilities. 

"You don't know when he's waking up." Ten said. "We don't know if he's ever..."

"Would you stop that?" My voice was shaking. "He's still ing breathing, you guys talk like he's ing dead."

 

"Is everything alright?" 

Jaehyun got into the tent, and approached us in a calm manner. I think he noticed that I looked a little upset.

"I'll get my own food later." I said and looked away from him.

Ten exited, leaving Jaehyun inside with me.

"I'm sorry about Ten." He said. "I'll bring you lunch soon."

"Who's gonna train me later?"

"Me." He grinned before turning around leaving the tent.

 

~

 

The heat from the sun was piercing through every inch of my skin. I almost got burned a few times by Jaehyun.

Guess he wasn't holding back this time. Or was he? I didn't know. It was too soon for me to be able to fight any of the 127 in a fair battle. 

I threw a kick of fire stream at him, hoping that it would be my final blow. He bent his body back in alert, which made him fall to the ground. Before he could get up, I quickly ran to him. As he was about to get up and face me, he stopped when he realized my fist was in front of his face.

I got him. I actually won this round.

I relaxed my body and I fell to the ground on my . 

"Another round?" I said as soon as I got back up.

Jaehyun snickered, still sitting on the ground. He shot me a smile, "look who's talking." 

"You were holding back."

"You still beat me."

"Don't hold back." I said as I got my fists ready.

Jaehyun got up immediately and fire was coming at me. He was suddenly standing so close to me and we were exchanging punches and kicks. My arms were numb. The muscles around my feet felt sore. I stumbled back when I blocked a strong kick from him.

He pulled my wrist before my head could meet the ground. When I stood back up, his face was extremely close. I held back my heavy panting.

"The last lesson of the day: know when to retreat." He said before releasing my wrist and walked away.

"I still can fight. Just give me a minute." I said between my breaths.

Jaehyun bent down, pulling something from his bag. He got two bottles of water and threw one for me. "I admire your enthusiasm for today, but no. We've been here since lunch and it's almost sunset now."

"Why did you hold back?" I insisted.

He poured the fresh water to his face, before looking back at me. "I didn't... Well, maybe I did."

"I want you to fight me with everything you got. Or else how am I gonna get better?"

"Okay, calm down." He said. "You need to rest, we did a lot today."

"I've had too much rest."

"Okay..."  He said as he sat down in front of me, and handed me a mini towel. "What is it? Tell me."

I snatched the towel from him, "I want more training." I insisted.

"No, this isn't training anymore. You're punishing yourself. Why?" He said.

"What's important for me right now is to get better, and better. I cannot waste any more time." I dabbed the towel around my face and neck.

"Trust me, you are better." He said. "So much better." He chuckled to himself. "You don't have to be so hard on yourself. Kay?"

I wasn't expecting him to say that.

"How's your wound?"<