The Realm Protectors

Chapter 51 - Nikolina

"Become one with the shadows around you," Mr. Karras says. "Find them. Call them to you."

Breathe in, breathe out, I tell myself. Today's umbraekinesis class was all about doing the most with as little darkness as possible. The Darkness Facility was built especially for darkness elementals to practice this skill: giant stadium lights are perched in every corner both on the ceiling and on the ground. The result is blinding, and slightly painful. It both increases our endurance to light and makes us work harder to find shadows.

The other elementals around me struggle, shielding their faces from the lights. They turn their heads back and forth, searching for shadows in the room.

"Don't use your eyes to search, use your powers!" Mr. Karras huffs exasperatedly. I grit my teeth against the blinding light, closing my eyes. I can still feel the light on my skin like the sun in Saari on a summer day, but now I can actually focus. My breath fills my chest, in and out, while I reach out with my abilities. I feel them hiss at the lights around me, but I gently reassure them and go back to searching. The lights point at us from every direction, but maybe if I search behind them...

There, I think to myself, a smile spreading across my face. I reach my hand out, and the shadows sequestered underneath the lights in the corners rise to my call. They warp around me in a chilled embrace, blocking out the light. I finally open my eyes when I can no longer feel the scalding lights on my skin.

"Very good, Miss Voronkova!" Mr. Karras claps from his perch in the rafters of the ceiling. A few seconds later, the lights turn off, allowing everyone to see again. I release the shadows, letting them melt into shapeless puddles around my feet. They curl in tendrils around my feet like a purring cat.

"Of course, she gets it right," One of the other girls says behind me. I feel myself bristle and blush.

You're safe here. It's just a couple of bullies.

"That will be all for class today," Mr. Karras dismisses us, clapping his hands twice. He disappears into a tendril of shadow and slips out the door. The other students gather their bags from the locker rooms on the side of the facility before walking outside. I take my time getting my things from my locker, making sure everyone else is gone before I leave.

I have to shield my eyes when I step outside. The sun is really bright today – brighter than it has been these past few weeks. I already feel myself start to sweat in the end-of-July heat. Avani's waiting for me outside the Darkness Campus archway. She inclines her head in a casual nod but offers me a bright smile. Something in me flutters at the sight. I smile back and quickly walk over. She matches my pace, and both of us turn onto the main campus to head out onto Academy Avenue.

"Stop by the hospital on our way home?" Avani asks.

"Sure," I shrug. "Might as well see if anything's happened with Ciana."

Avani nods. "Ten bucks says that Faris is there when we get there."

I look up at her strangely. "'Bucks'?"

Avani waves off the question. "Otherworld currency."

I make a sound of understanding as we pass through Asavanra's gates and out onto Academy Avenue. Students stream back and forth between restaurants and shops, meeting up with friends and grabbing a bite to eat.

"Cinnabuns," Avani gasps, staring at a bakery a few stores down. Two people walk out the doors with some kind of frosted pastry in hand, both smelling like cinnamon.

"What's a sin-uh-bun?" I ask, testing the unfamiliar word in my mouth. Avani skids to a stop, staring at me with her jaw dropped.

"We are fixing this now," She declares, grabbing my wrist and dragging me into the bakery. The bell above the door jingles merrily when we walk in, alerting the staff behind the counter of our presence. The entire store is decorated with warm lighting and comfy furniture, making the whole place feel like a sigh of relief. I take a deep breath and breathe in the smells of countless different pastries and fillings. My stomach rumbles embarrassingly loud.