The Realm Protectors

Chapter 3 - Avani

Why in the hells is this damn labyrinth so big? I think to myself as I search the doors for room number 11. I must've taken a wrong turn somewhere...

"Avani Gipson?" Someone asks behind me. I spin around and see a man leaning out of a doorway. Engraved on the door is that damn number 11 I've been searching for.

"Yeah, that's me." I grumble. "I missed the door."

The man nods and motions to the doorway. I walk inside and look around at the wooden walls. So much wood, I think to myself. For some reason it's calming – the earthy smell of it reminds me of the woods back home.

"Go ahead and stand on that X there on the floor." The man says. He leans against the wooden desk against the wall. "My name is Mr. Kruse and I'll be administering your test."

"Cool," I shrug.

"Do you have any questions before we begin?"

"Only if I get a prize for asking."

Mr. Kruse smiles at me. "I like your attitude, kid. Now, go ahead and close your eyes. Listen carefully to my instructions and this should be easy."

I close my eyes and listen as Mr. Kruse keeps talking. "Cup your hands like you're holding a bowl. Good. Now, I want you to picture a well filled with power. Do you see it?"

I feel my face scrunch up in concentration as I build a well in my mind. It's overgrown with moss and vines, crawling up mud-caked stones. "I see it."

"What's inside of it?"

I look into the well in my head and see–

"Dirt."

Mr. Kruse chuckles. "Dirt?"

I nod. "And... and rocks. And there's moss too, smooth green moss that's rippling like water."

"Good, Avani, that's really good." Mr. Kruse says. "Now, I want you to stick your hand into that dirt. Slowly."

I take a deep breath and slide my fingers into the dirt. It's cool and just the slightest bit wet, like it rained recently.

"Open your eyes, Avani." I open my eyes to see branches growing up from the floorboards, sprouting buds and blooming cherry blossoms as they grow up towards my hands.

"I can control earth!" I laugh. Kruse nods.

"Yes you can. Remarkably well, if I might add." He looks up from the plants. "Now I want you to take your hand out of that dirt, Avani."

I close my eyes again and slide my hand out of the dirt. I feel the branches recede into the floor and suddenly I feel pulls on my subconscious.

"What's that pulling feeling?" I ask, turning towards Kruse. As I ask the question I can already sense the answer.

"Earth elementals have the ability to sense life." Kruse explains. "What you're feeling is the life forces of the things around you."

I lower my eyes to the little sprout in my hands. "What's this?"

"I'll take that, actually." Kruse says, opening up a little box with my name on it. "Don't worry, it'll be returned to you at the Welcoming. It's the first spark of your element. A keepsake."

I nod as he slides the box in with a crate of other boxes, all with different names on them. He hands me a green card from the desk.

Avani Gipson

Dorm 245

"What's this?" I ask.

"That is what you give to a teacher behind one of the desks in the Dorm Assignment room." Kruse explains. "Just take a left from the door and keep going until there's a split. Take another left and keep walking. You'll know the room when you see it."