The Element People

19. "We're Still Learning"

Zayn saw how Niall was looking at Liam when they were working on their own bending.

"Zayn, what have you been working on?" Mark asked him.

The raven-haired turned at the man. He shrugged. "I haven't been training a lot."

The man raised an eyebrow at him. "You haven't bend once in all these weeks?"

A shrug again. "Maybe one time."

Now the trainer smiled at him. "Well, that's more like it! Show me what you did!"

Zayn hesitated. "I kind of did it accidently. I don't think I can completely control it."

"Well, that's what's training is for!" Louis said while working on his own move.

"Exactly!"

The firebender sighed, but took his position.

He started forming small flame, like he did last time. This time he let it grow bigger a bit faster and then took both hands to let the fire surround him. He let the walls grow as big as he could and after they reached his maximum, he let them immediately vanish.

Both Mark and Louis applauded for him.

"That was amazing!" Louis told him.

"I'd say that was a perfect defending wall," his trainer told him. "Good job. I honestly don't think you need more work on that. I'd say we start working on your attacks."

Zayn tried to think fast now. He had been working a lot on his defence moves through the last few years. He really didn't want to use his ability to attack people. He didn't want to hurt anyone.

Never again.

He usually came up with another defence move he wanted to try out. Though he didn't know any more moves.

Mark saw him think. "Erm- Louis. How about you get to work again and Zayn and I work out a new move."

The earthbender nodded and left the two on their own.

The trainer turned to the boy. "Zayn, I know you don't want to work on your attacks, but at some point you really need to. Postponing it is not going to help you."

The firebender shook his head. "Please, Mark. You don't understand. I'm not going to be able to control them. I just don't want to do it, okay?"

The man sighed. "Zayn..."

"How about fire-stepping? You talked about that as well. Wasn't that the thing where you used small bursts of fire beneath the feet to move fast? I want to try that!" He quickly brought in.

"Yeah, but Simon said-"

"Simon says so much. As long as I'm working on my bending it's cool, right? And I am! You told me I was improving. Just let me do my thing," Zayn firmly said now.

Mark knew that when Zayn started talking like that, he wasn't going to be able to convince the boy any way how. He decided to just let him be.

.

.

After half an hour, Lou walked up to Mark. Pointing with her finger to her wrist. The other trainer nodded and called his two boys over as Lou did the same.

Niall sat up crossed-legged now and leaned back on his hands.

Mark and Lou explained each duo what they were going to do. After they were done, they gave each other a sign.

Mark nodded at Louis and the earthbender created the lines of a large rectangle. He divided the rectangle in the middle.

Then he looked back at Mark, who had grabbed one of the sticks they had brought. Lou had one as well and they each put one in the middle of the line facing each other.