UNDER WATER TRAINING WITH ENLIL PART 2-E

Enlil, grabbed her ankle and Astrid sat up abruptly. He motioned her to start swimming to the deeper end of the river and she followed. With the strings of air inside her lungs, she released truly little air and glided like an eel underwater. Once they reached the deeper part, where Enlil could stand completely plunged underwater, he motioned her to choose her stance.

Astrid dug her bare feet onto the pebbles and took her stance. Enlil was quick to throw a punch towards her, his speed astonishing her. He was fast underwater and barely avoided him. The water swoosh from his fist and she swayed from her spot. Now she knew, why Enlil wanted to train her fights underwater. He was lethal underwater.

She needed to concentrate on the incoming punches, as well as the movements of water that came with it. If his punches were powerful, so would the water displacement be. Not to mention both were currently facing the opposite side of the water current. Simple physics. She had to concentrate harder, throw formidable kicks and punches aiming for precision.

Unbeknown to her, her eyes blazed into a darker shade of brown. She was fully charged, and her tattoos were several shades brighter. Astrid started kickboxing him, directing to where she wanted them to be, and Enlil's eyes widen. She must have figured it out, the element of water and earth, he thought.

Enlil did not hold himself back anymore. He went all in. Astrid threw a kick and he held her ankle tight. Astrid twisted her entire body in the water and combined the force of air into her fist and strike his thigh with her other legs, crumpling his stand. She climbed over him and jab him on his shoulder, before moving behind him.

He spun his head only to be knocked back by her powerful roundhouse kick. He did not stop but lurched at her and push her shoulder away. She pulled him down completely by pitting her entire weight towards the bedrock simultaneously hooking her legs around her waist before twisting her body and choking his neck, pulling his left hand upwards.

Enlil used his free right hand, gripped her thighs and push it away from his neck. He pulled her towards her, causing her back to be scrapped from the sharp pebbles, releasing blood in the process, and riling her up. She scowled in return and Enlil turned to face her, straddling her and aimed to punch her face.

She used her free hand to block his punch and one of her knees kneaded his back. His stance loosened and she took the opportunity to change their position and pull him in a chokehold. She was smart enough to use her knees to restrain the back of his knees, rendering his legs useless and twisted his arms behind his back. Enlil released many bubbles of air and she let go, only for Enlil to swim upwards to breathe. She followed suit.

To her amazement, her breathing was steady, and she wasn't tired, but her mind was racing. Is it even possible to do what she did earlier again? It defies logic being underwater for so long, but then again, her ability to bend nature was weird as well.

Astrid felt the power of the earth when her feet remain steady on the ground. She did not remember summoning it, but she knew she must have because it would not have helped her otherwise. One thing for sure, she needed to get herself together and finish up the book on Earth elemental. Currently, she knew only the basics. So I can combine both the Earth and Wind power to my every kick and punch. That way I will always have the upper hand.

But for that to happen, she has to master either one of her element first, and it seemed under the tutelage of Enlil, she will be mastering the Wind elemental first. So I guess it is up to me to do trial and errors. Can I use to help people out there?

`You did good, kiddo', Enlil spurted water from his mouth and patted her shoulder, breaking her thoughts away.

`I never realized it was possible. That is, wow', Astrid exclaimed. `We should do that again'

`Imagine if we were under the sea. It would be much difficult, but the experience would do your good', Girra floated lazily on the water.

`What time is it? I'm hungry Enlil', Astrid pouted and swam towards the riverbank pulling herself up and donning a dry shirt to cover her body.

`I did some sandwich and protein shake', Enlil was still in the water, looking at Girra.

Astrid opened the picnic basket and helped herself to 2 sets of sandwiches. She always wondered where Enlil learned his cooking skills. He was extremely talented, better than pop at times. If he was not a God of Winds, he should have been an apprentice of Iron Chef, she thought and smiled absent minded.

After resting, she joined them back in the water and Enlil practised sparring again, but it was more intense than previous. She suffered several cuts on her feet, back and knees. By the time they finished at 4.00pm, her abdomen hurt, and her sides had bruises already. She sighed, knowing well that Ace will query her later.

Astrid was lethargic and had to stop several times to take a breather. Enlil offered a piggyback ride and she accepted, falling asleep soon after on his back, lulled by his rhythmic heartbeat and his warm body.