The battle unfolded.
Kairo's power surged like a relentless tide. The desert air, once dry and unforgiving, now crackled with thick humidity.
Kairo's massive waves roared across the district, almost drowning everything in sight. Water flooded the streets, toppling makeshift barriers of sand with ease. It was not a simple attackāit was a violent, unyielding flood.
The Sand tribe warriors struggled, their sand shields crumbling under the weight of Kairo's water.
Despite their combined strength, they were no match for the Prince of Aqua, whose control over water overwhelmed their defenses.
Desperate cries echoed as the water levels rose. The tribesmen, loyal to their rules and blinded by their authority, soon found themselves struggling to standāsome already submerged up to their necks.
Kairo's expression remained cold and unbothered, though a storm raged in his chest.
In the chaos, he spotted Yukiāher delicate frame still held by the tribesmen, their grip slipping as the water swirled around them.
With a sudden, forceful wave, Kairo sent a blast of water that knocked the warriors back, their hold on Yuki breaking instantly. She began to sink into the swirling currents, but before the water could claim her, Kairo darted forward and caught her.
He held her tightly, lifting her fragile, soaked figure into his arms.
Yuki coughed softly, her head resting against his shoulder as he carried her to the only dry patch of land he could createāa small circle of untouched sand where his water couldn't reach.
When Yuki's eyes fluttered open, her unseeing gaze searched for him. "Kairo...?"
He knelt beside her, his hand still gripping her arm protectively. "You're safe now," he said softly, his voice a rare mix of relief and controlled fury.
Her hand reached up, gently resting on his shoulderāalmost an embrace. "You kept your promise," she whispered, leaning against him.
Kairo blinked, his usual coldness faltering for a moment.
"You didn't hurt them," Yuki continued. She could sense it due to her strong senses. Anyone with sight would have failed to notice it."The Sand tribe... You could have drowned them all."
He exhaled sharply. "I didn't kill them because I didn't have to." He gestured toward the flood still covering the district. "The desert's heat will evaporate the water soon. I didn't drown the place entirely... I only needed to rescue you."
Despite the chaos, Yuki smiled softly, still resting against him. She seemed oddly at peace with his presenceālike she had found her place, even in the arms of someone the Sand tribe considered an enemy.
But their moment was short-lived.
In the distance, a sudden ripple of sand rose like a tidal waveāan unmistakable surge of power.
Dune had arrived.
With a single command, the Sand tribe leader summoned a fierce storm of sand, sweeping across the district. His elemental force collided with the floodwaters, and in mere moments, the water began to drain and vanishāevaporated by the combination of desert heat and Dune's control over the land.
The district was left soaked but intact, with no casualties.
Dune's sharp, weathered gaze scanned the area until he spotted the surviving Sand tribesmenāthe ones with higher authorityāemerging from shimmering water bubbles.
Kairo had encased them in water orbs, giving them air to breathe while submerged, a clear sign that his intent had never been to slaughter themājust to escape with Yuki.
Dune's jaw tightened.
Turning to the tribesmen, he asked with a stern voice, "Where is Kairo?"
The tribesmen, still catching their breath, pointed in the direction Kairo had fled.
"He escaped... with the undesirable girl."
Silence.
Dune's eyes narrowed. "Yuki?"
They nodded. "Yes. She was here... protesting against us."
Dune's face darkened.
"Not only did she disobey my warnings to stay away, but she openly resisted your authority?" His voice was a dangerous growl.
The tribesmen nodded. "Yes. That's why we sentenced her to death by guillotine."
Dune's fist clenched at his side. "And Kairo rescued her?"
"Yes, Lord Dune."
For a long moment, the Sand tribe leader remained stillāhis face a mask of stone, but his thoughts a storm of fury.
He had always warned Yuki not to step into these territories, yet she had not only disobeyed him but dared to resist his people's authority.
"I have no sympathy for her now," Dune said coldly. "She made her choice."
His mind shifted to Kairoāthe Aqua Prince who had not only tried to flood yet another Sand district but now openly defied him to save Yuki.
Dune's usual patience cracked.
"If Kairo resists me for her... I will execute him."
His voice was calm, but the intent behind it was deadly.
Even if it risked their alliance with Kairo's sister, the Aqua Queen, he didn't care.
He would pass Kairo's death off as an accidentāa necessary consequence of his reckless actions.
Without another word, Dune's sandstorm spiraled higher, and he moved forwardāhis mission clear:
Find Kairo.
And ensure Yuki faced the death sentence she deserved.
Meanwhile...
Kairo didn't hesitate.
Without a word, he swept Yuki into his armsāher small frame light as a feather against his chest.
She didn't protest. She simply clung to him gently, resting her head on his shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world. For once in her life, she felt comfortableāsafeāeven as danger loomed behind them.
Kairo moved swiftly across the desert, his water abilities allowing him to glide over the sand with surprising speed. He knew Dune would come for himāit wasn't a matter of if, but when. And Kairo wasn't foolish enough to think he could defeat the Sand tribe leader in a fair fight.
Dune was too experienced, too strategic.
And with Yuki by his side, Kairo couldn't afford to be reckless. She would only slow him down if she walked, so carrying her was the only option.
The desert wind howled around them as Kairo pressed forward, his jaw clenched, his mind racing.
Yuki broke the silence first. "Lord Dune will never forgive me for this," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kairo's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"
She sighed. "I defied him... I went to the district after he warned me not to. He won't forgive meānot this time. It's my fault if he comes after me now."
Her calmness caught Kairo off guard. He was used to people begging for mercy or cursing their enemiesābut Yuki simply accepted her fate, as though she'd already resigned herself to Dune's wrath.
Kairo scoffed. "It's not your fault," he said firmly. "Dune doesn't have the right to decide your fate, no matter where you go."
Yuki shook her head. "He follows the rules of our ancestors. It's not about crueltyāit's about tradition. Dune doesn't act on his own will... He prioritizes the rules over everything."
Kairo was silent for a moment, processing her words. He never thought about Dune in that way. To him, Dune was just another obstacleāanother leader standing between him and his ambitions.
But now, he realized there was more to Dune than he thought.
Still, Kairo's anger simmered beneath the surface. "Even if that's true," he said, "I'm not going to let you die because of some stupid rules."
Yuki's fingers tightened slightly on his shoulder. She could feel his protectivenessāit was raw, almost overwhelming.
Kairo kept running, pushing his speed to the limit, until the sand dunes gave way to a rocky terrain.
Finally, he spotted a caveāa dark, secluded place carved into the side of a stone ridge. It wasn't much, but it was a place to hide.
Without hesitation, Kairo carried Yuki inside, his breathing heavy from the long run. The cave was cool and quiet, the sound of the desert wind muffled by its walls.
Kairo carefully set Yuki down, but his hand lingered on her arm for a moment longer than necessaryāhis grip firm, as if letting go would mean losing her.
He sat beside her, his back against the cold stone wall, his body tense.
Meanwhile, Dune's fury was spreading like wildfire.
Posters of Kairo and Yuki were plastered across every Sand district, each marked with a clear message:
Wanted: Kairo, Prince of Aqua
Wanted: Yuki, the Undesirable
Dune was relentless. He combed through the districts with his soldiers, his control over the sand making it easy to track any movement.
His rage wasn't just about Kairo's defianceāit was about Yuki's betrayal.