★ By your side ★

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- Believe -

Taehyung's POV

Training kicked back up again, and as the gods warned us before, it got harder. We worked in pairs in the training room, but ultimately we worked as a team, all seven of us. Glacius, Drift, and Smoldris worked with Jungkook and I to help us improve, showing us not only different fighting strategies but also spells.

I've learned spells ranging from long distance to short. I can now recreate a tsunami just like the one in our simulation training. It takes heavy concentration, but I can make the tsunami cover a whole city. I tested it out in another simulation training.

Jungkook, on the other hand, is learning how to simulate a volcano. He possesses lava now, giving him the ability to recreate a volcano natural disaster. All in all, we've been improving tremendously, and the gods have high hopes for us to be the first humans to return to earth as Elementals.

"Jungkook, dodge!" I shouted, an ice spike being sent flying straight at Jungkook by Glacius. He didn't question me, instantly ducking down and dodging the attack. I used my water magic to encase the spike, slowing it down completely. Then, I took it into my hand, spinning around and sending it flying straight back to Glacius.

Smoldris shot a fireball at me, my eyes narrowing as I somersaulted away, standing right back up and sending a giant wave at Smoldris. I felt myself falling, arms wrapping around my waist, water catching us. Jungkook was on top of me, fire around his body, both ice and water flying above us.

"Sorry," He rushed out, looking up and rolling off me when the ice and water vanished. "That was going to take us out if we didn't duck." I nod, standing up as well, glancing at Jungkook. "We can't defeat them if we work on separate gods," I say, glancing around the training area. Three against two, this was highly unfair.

It didn't matter though, we had to eliminate them. "Remember, we're a team. Work together to get rid of the source." He nodded, eyes locking onto Drift. "First target?" I heard him ask, a smirk twitching up onto my features, eyes darkening in color. "Drift."

"Think you can give me some cover?" He asked, spinning around and shooting fire onto the ground around us, a circle of fire surrounding the two of us. I snicker, pressing my back to his. "Gladly." Water shoots from my fingertips, hitting the fire dead on, smoke filling the training area.

It's so thick, covering us completely. "What's the plan?" He asks, his tone sounding hurried and rushed. I don't blame him, we're on a time limit. "Try not to slip," I say, palms hitting the floor, a strip of ice making its way straight over to Drift.

"I'll freeze his feet, when I give the signal, jump out of the smoke layer and blast him with a fireball," I say, seeing him nod, orange eyes glowing in the smoke. We have to work fast before this smoke makes us choke. I shoot ice onto his shoes, allowing him to slide easily.

Then I'm off, rushing down the ice-covered floor, palms outstretched. I hit Drift's feet, circling around him, ice gluing his feet to the ground. I see Jungkook through the layer of thick smoke, shouting. "Now!" He uses fire to blast him over the smoke, a fireball forming in his hand.

I'm barely able to make out what happens over the smoke, but I see the fire shoot away from Jungkook, hitting Drift straight on. The power from the blast sends him backward, falling onto the floor of the training room. I smirk, knowing it didn't hurt the god but it did take him out.

"Smoldris now, Glacius will know our strategy if we go after him now. Let's take them by surprise," I say, pouring ice onto the ground, skating along the surface. "What's the plan for Smoldris then?" He asks, following alongside me, skating over the ice with ease. I hum, making out Smoldris' frame from the layer of smoke that's finally dissipating.

"Think you can cover me?" I tease, seeing his eyes flash with mischief. "Your plan?" I stop, taking his hand and pointing it to the ground. "More smoke. I'll use those wings of darkness to fly up, the wind that generates from them will clear the smoke." He nods, listening.

"You'll be in their line of sight clearly, but I'll hover over Smoldris. When the time is right, I'll freeze his arms, where the source heavily lies." He nods again, glancing back. "And Glacius?" I snicker, eyes meeting his. "Run like hell to avoid him. We'll work together on him."

Jungkook smiles, fire hitting the floor again, forming another circle. There's more this time, my eyes lighting up. I hit the fire with my water, sizzling heard and smoke rising up. My wings form, my eyes locking with Jungkook's one last time before I'm pushed off the ground at a rapid pace, flying straight up to the ceiling.

And just like I predicted, the wind that was generated from my wings was enough to make the smoke vanish, leaving Jungkook out in the open. I barely catch Smoldris' surprised look, his eyes scanning around the training area. He's looking for me.

"Hey, Smoldris," Jungkook says, smiling and waving up at the god. I smile, flying around Smoldris, hovering over his backside, looking at Jungkook. I wait five more seconds before diving down, ice forming on my hands. I know Glacius sees me, but it's already too late, my ice hitting Smoldris' arms, freezing them.

I fly over the ground, dodging a hit from Glacius as I fly faster, my arms wrapping around Jungkook's body, lifting him up and off the floor. He clings to me, eyes shut as I fly over the training area, glancing down. Glacius is watching with amused eyes, ice spikes forming on the ground.

"Jungkook," I say, hitting the ceiling, back pressed against it, "think you can make a volcano come to life?" His eyes widen, lips parting. "I'm not sure. Every time I try, I fail." I hold him tighter, partially afraid he'll fall. "Do you believe in yourself?"

His body seems to tense up, his head moving back and forth. "We don't have much time. I've seen what you can do, Jungkook. Believe in your power and your capabilities. Most importantly, believe in yourself. You can do this." My words seem to make his fire come back to life, a nod sent my way.

"Make this volcano, for real this time." My wings send me flying again, the two of us preparing our attack on Glacius. "I can't defeat him with my magic. He knows his magic more than I do. Although, he doesn't know yours," I say, feeling Jungkook's body grow hotter. "Take him off guard. You can do it."

"Drop me. I can do it." I nod, letting go of Jungkook, watching him fall down. Panic fills me, but I stay above, watching his moves. Lava pours from the walls, his body stopping mid-air, my eyes widening again. It's like that time in the simulation training. Half his body turns to magma while the other half has flames all over.

He's levitating above the ground, eyes glowing orange and red, lava flooding the floor. The spikes that belong to Glacius are melted in seconds, the heat from the lava rising up and filling the atmosphere. If I can't defeat Glacius with his own magic, then I'll use one he isn't familiar with.

Darkness.

Darkness wraps around my arms, tendrils forming from my palms. They shoot down, snaking up around Glacius' arms. I motion for the tendrils to pull back, pulling Glacius' arms behind his back, making him unable to use them. Jungkook smirks from his position above the lava, tilting his head.

The lava forms a wave, almost, rushing straight at Glacius. Jungkook sends a fireball his way too, hitting Glacius straight on, eliminating the last god. The tendrils seem back into my palms, darkness, water, and ice circling around my body. I slowly descend onto the ground, the lava disappearing.

"You did it. I told you you could." Jungkook flashes a smile my way, his eyes glowing. He doesn't look as tired, meaning he's either controlling the amount of magic he's using, or he's growing stronger. The gods laugh, clapping loudly.

"Good work," They say, getting up on their feet, looking completely normal and fine. They don't even look like they just fought. "Your teamwork is fantastic. I loved the way you used the smoke to hide yourselves." I high five Jungkook, the two of us excited as we listen to the gods talk.

"You two are growing stronger with each day we train. You make us proud to call you our Elementals," Drift says, smiling down at us. I smile too, pulling Jungkook in for a hug. "We know we're pushing you to train for hours every single day, but we promise that there's a purpose."

Both Jungkook and I nod. We know very well. We want to train hard, to grow stronger. "Keep working hard and keep making us proud, Elementals. Take a break and we'll continue training soon." The gods walk away from us, talking amongst themselves while Jungkook and I head towards the wall, sitting down, backs pressed against it.

"See? I told you that you can do it." Jungkook laughs, nodding. "Thanks, Kim. I don't know what it is, but it's like you give me hope in some way." I raise my eyebrows, laughing. "Pretty sure that's Hoseok's job, isn't it?" Jungkook laughs again, nodding.

"I'm just stating the facts. You're strong, Jungkook. Trust me you can become so powerful, but you need to believe in your magic and yourself. Let it, in a way, connect with you." He cocks an eyebrow, glancing my way. "Connect with me?"

"Magic isn't just some tool, Jungkook. Sure, it's amazing and cool, but it's much more than some tool, some weapon," I say, reciting words. "When you see magic as more than just your weapon, it becomes extremely powerful and extremely beautiful," I say, seeing ice, water, and darkness form on my palm.

"Magic is an amazing thing, as long as you see it that way. Magic connects with you if you let it, but you have to see it as something beautiful." I let my magic form something, watching intensely as it forms. It just does the work on its own, my mind clear.

I'm not telling it what to make.

"Is that why you're so strong? That's why you possess three magic elements?" I look at Jungkook, nodding. "Yeah. My magic doesn't just flow through my veins, it comes from my heart. It connected with me in a way that your magic didn't. That's why my magic never runs out, that's why I don't get tired." I say, confessing it all.

"My magic isn't a weapon, not in my eyes. It's not my tool either, it's my friend, my personality. My magic is based around my emotions, it'll double in power depending on how I feel. My magic protects me. That's why water and ice circle around me when I'm near Smoldris." His eyes widen, his lips parting in shock.

"How?" I smile, looking at the object formed in my hand. I close my fist, compacting it. I turn towards Jungkook, making a chain of water, ice, and darkness, attaching the little sculpture of all three magics onto the chain. It looks like a bird, and I don't know why my magic made it, but I trust it.

"What is it?" I shrug, smiling. "I think that's for you to figure out," I say, nudging him gently. "Truthfully, I think you have the potential to have magic just like I do. I'm what Soros calls an Infinite, one that doesn't run out of magic, of hope, of power, of love, of everything."

I see his eyes widen, a small smile placed on his face. "I truly believe you can become just like me." He scoots closer to me, our shoulders pressed together, his eyes flashing with excitement. "How? How can I become like you?" I smile, looking him in the eyes.

"Believe."

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Can Jungkook become like Taehyung, an Infinite? It was pointed out in the last chapter. If Jungkook has been through similar experiences as Taehyung, then doesn't that mean he can become an Infinite too?

Or is it something only Taehyung possesses?

Taehyung's magic formed a bird, but which? Let's see if you can guess (:

I purple you 💜

~Pisanthrophobia.