As the sun dipped lower, casting a fiery glow over the sand-swept village, Kairo and Yuki moved deeper into the district. The whispers hadn't stopped — if anything, more people had noticed them now.
Some Sand tribe members stared at Yuki like she was a ghost from their past, while others tried to figure out why a stranger like Kairo, clearly not one of their own, was holding her hand so firmly.
Kairo's grip tightened. His mind spun with violent thoughts — if Yuki wasn't by his side, he would've flooded this place already. The way they dismissed her, treating her as if she were less than human, made his blood boil. But for now, he held back, biting his tongue for Yuki's sake.
Finally, an older man approached them, his face weathered by age and sandstorms, his golden hair streaked with gray. He wore the traditional sand-colored robes of the tribe, a symbol of authority — perhaps a village elder. His eyes narrowed at Yuki first, then at Kairo.
"Who are you?" the elder asked, his tone firm but not hostile.
Yuki opened her mouth to respond, but Kairo spoke first. "We're passing through," he said coolly, his voice sharp as a blade. "Is that a problem?"
The elder's gaze lingered on their intertwined hands. "This is a quiet village. We don't usually see outsiders... especially not someone guiding a blind girl like her."
Kairo's jaw clenched. "She's not just a blind girl," he snapped. "Her name is Yuki."
The elder's expression didn't change, but Yuki gently squeezed Kairo's hand. "I'm from this tribe," she said softly. "I was born here."
A flicker of recognition crossed the elder's face. "Ah... the girl without sight."
Kairo nearly lost his temper right there, but Yuki's calm presence held him back.
The elder continued, "I see you've returned. But why? You were cast out... weren't you?"
Yuki's smile remained, though Kairo could feel the sadness hidden beneath it. "I came back because I still believe in the kindness of my people," she replied gently.
The elder's lips tightened, as if struggling to find the right words. "Kindness... does not always come easily."
Kairo scoffed. "Clearly."
Before the conversation could spiral further, a loud voice interrupted them.
"What is SHE doing here again?"
A middle-aged woman stormed forward, her golden hair pinned tightly back, her eyes brimming with disdain. Several villagers gathered around, curious.
"She doesn't belong here!" the woman snapped, pointing a finger at Yuki. "She's a disgrace to the Sand tribe — blind, useless, and past the age of marriage. Why did you come back?"
Kairo's blood ran cold.
Yuki, still calm, simply said, "Because I still love my people, even if they don't love me."
The words cut deeper than Kairo expected.
The woman sneered. "You're pathetic."
Kairo let go of Yuki's hand — not to abandon her, but to step forward. The air around him seemed to ripple, a faint mist swirling from his fingertips as his fury simmered just below the surface.
"You want to say that again?" Kairo's voice was deadly quiet, his ocean-blue eyes darkening. "Say it one more time, and I'll drown this entire district."
The woman paled, stepping back as the villagers murmured in fear. The elder raised a hand. "That's enough," he said sternly. "We will not have violence here."
Kairo's fists clenched.
Yuki reached out blindly, finding his hand again. "Kairo," she whispered. "Please."
He didn't move for a long moment — the mist around him thickened — but then, slowly, it faded.
Kairo's breathing slowed, though the storm within him hadn't settled. The mist evaporated into the dry desert air, but his grip on Yuki's hand remained firm — almost as if letting go of her would set him off again. The villagers stared, now fully aware that the stranger wasn't just some wanderer but someone with dangerous elemental power.
The elder cleared his throat. "You speak of drowning this district," he said, his voice calm but cautious. "Who exactly are you?"
Kairo didn't answer at first. His gaze remained on the woman who had insulted Yuki, daring her to open her mouth again. When she didn't, he finally looked back at the elder.
"I am Kairo," he said, his voice steady. "Prince of the Aqua tribe."
A ripple of shock spread through the crowd. Whispers erupted like a sudden breeze, and the fear in their eyes deepened.
"The Aqua tribe's prince?" one villager muttered.
"The one leading the violent faction?" another added.
"He's the one trying to drown the land... What's he doing with her?"
The woman who had insulted Yuki took another step back. Even she seemed to realize she had crossed a dangerous line.
The elder's gaze darkened. "So, the rumors are true — you're the one threatening to flood the Sand territories."
Kairo smirked, his cool demeanor returning. "And yet here I am, walking through your village without a single drop of water out of place," he said. "Seems like I'm more patient than you expected."
The tension was suffocating, but Yuki's soft voice cut through it. "He's not here to hurt anyone," she said gently. "He's traveling with me."
The elder studied Yuki carefully. "Why would a prince of the Aqua tribe be traveling with an outcast of the Sand tribe?"
Kairo's grip on Yuki's hand tightened just a bit, but before he could speak, Yuki answered. "Because he's helping me," she said simply. "And I'm helping him."
The villagers exchanged uneasy glances. It made no sense to them — an exiled, blind woman standing beside a feared prince.
The elder finally sighed. "We don't want trouble," he said. "If you plan to rest here, do so without disturbing the peace. But I warn you — if you bring harm to this village, the Sand tribe will not stand idly by."
Kairo didn't respond. He didn't care about their warnings — if he wanted to flood the place, he would've done it already.
Yuki gave a small bow. "Thank you," she said softly.
The crowd slowly dispersed, though the whispers continued.
Once they were alone again, Kairo muttered under his breath, "I should've drowned them right then and there."
Yuki turned her face toward him, her unseeing eyes somehow still full of warmth. "But you didn't," she replied softly. "Because you're not as cruel as you want them to think."
Kairo felt a strange twist in his chest. She kept saying things like that — like she could see through the violent storm he had built inside himself.
He shook off the feeling. "We should keep moving," he said, leading her away from the village square.
Yuki smiled faintly.
As they walked, Kairo found himself glaring at every villager who dared to stare at Yuki — but his hand never let go of hers.