Beyond the Stars

Chapter 3: Therondia

"The cape has decided that you will join the group with telekinesis," the principal finally managed to announce. She stood tall, her posture stiff and intimidating, but her voice betrayed her. It shook slightly, faltering at the edges. She was trying hard to sound natural, but the tremor in her words was unmistakable. The entire lobby was filled with silence, then whispers, then the rustle of students craning their necks to see me better. Dozens of eyes stared at me in awe, disbelief, maybe even fear. They were still reeling from what had happened with the cape, but none of them could possibly be more shocked than I was.

Telekinesis? That was supposed to be the ability to move objects with your mind, right? I swallowed hard. I didn't have that power. Since when did I ever use it? My thoughts raced back to Manila, to the day when that man grabbed me and tried to drag me away. I had panicked, wanting so badly for him to let go, wishing with every fiber of my being that he would fall. Then, somehow, he did. He crumpled to the ground as if invisible hands had shoved him. At the time, I had dismissed it as luck or coincidence, maybe he had lost his balance or cramped up. But now? Was that my telekinesis? I shook my head. No. I refused to believe it.

But I didn't have much of a choice. All eyes were on me, and the principal had spoken. I walked unsteadily toward the group of students sitting at the table covered with a blue cloth—the mark of telekinesis. My stomach churned as I took my seat among them.

I tried to watch the rest of the sorting ceremony, though my thoughts were spinning. Then I saw Blessica step forward. My first and only friend here. She beamed with confidence, and just as she had predicted, the cape declared her an animal shifter. She smiled proudly, and the group under the yellow banner cheered for her. I wanted to be happy for her, but disappointment tugged at me. She wouldn't be in my group. I was already a stranger in this world; now I'd be alone in my class too. Could I really make new friends here? Did I even deserve to? Among all these powerful people, I felt like a fraud.

The ceremony ended, and the principal instructed us to head to our respective classes. I followed the others into a classroom with tall glass windows and shelves filled with glowing orbs and thick tomes. The teacher, a stern woman with sharp eyes, introduced herself and began to explain the basics of telekinesis. Surprisingly, the lesson wasn't too hard to follow. The way she described the flow of energy, the focus of the mind—it all sounded eerily similar to scenes I'd watched in movies or read in fantasy novels. Maybe pop culture had been onto something after all.

The teacher placed a glass of water on the desk at the front of the room. Its surface glimmered in the light, still and serene. She told us that our task was to lift the glass using telekinesis without spilling the water inside. The simplicity of the instruction only made my nerves worse. How was I supposed to do that? I barely believed I belonged in this group at all.

One by one, students were called. Some succeeded but spilled water in the process. Some tipped the glass over, splashing the desk. Others accidentally shoved the glass sideways instead of lifting it. The air filled with groans, laughter, and the teacher's occasional sigh. My stomach twisted tighter with every turn, my anxiety mounting.

Then came Amelia. She was tall, elegant, her posture perfect. The teacher called her "outstanding Amelia," and everyone already seemed to know her reputation. She closed her eyes, focused, and the glass rose smoothly into the air, hovering perfectly steady. She lowered it back down without spilling a drop. The teacher clapped. "Outstanding, Amelia! It is indeed clear how you achieved the highest marks in Therondia Middle School." The room buzzed with admiration. Amelia smiled gracefully, but when her eyes flicked toward me, there was something sharp in her gaze, like a warning.

My turn came sooner than I wanted. I stepped forward, my palms damp, my heart hammering. I could feel everyone's eyes on me. The teacher instructed me again: concentrate on the object, think about what you want it to do. I shut out the whispers, the rustle of robes, the scratching of quills on parchment. I locked my gaze on the glass of water. I breathed deeply and thought: rise.

To my shock, the glass trembled, then slowly lifted from the desk. It floated upright, steady, just as I had imagined. My breath caught, but I forced myself to remain calm. Gently, I lowered it back down, willing it not to tip or spill. When it settled safely on the desk, I let out the breath I had been holding.

The classroom erupted in applause. My classmates stared at me, impressed. I couldn't understand why. Amelia's display had been flawless; mine was nothing compared to hers. Yet they looked at me like I had done something extraordinary.

"For a transferee who has never studied in our middle schools, that was remarkable," the teacher said warmly. "Next only to Amelia, you show great promise." The words stunned me. Next to Amelia? That was saying a lot. I bowed my head awkwardly as the others clapped again.

But Amelia's glare burned into me. Her eyes narrowed, her jaw clenched. It wasn't admiration—it was resentment. A cold shiver ran down my spine. With her power, she could probably hurt me without lifting a finger.

When class ended, it was announced that the queen had invited all freshmen to dine at her castle. The thought of returning there made my heart skip, half in excitement, half in fear. We lined up and marched through the castle's ornate halls until we reached the dining chamber. Queen Mirikit awaited us, regal and composed. The boys bowed, the girls curtsied. Her presence was overwhelming, her authority palpable.

I was fortunate to be seated beside Blessica. I clung to her presence like a lifeline. Across the table, Amelia sat with her friends, but even there, her eyes occasionally flicked toward me, sharp and hostile.

"What did you do to Amelia?" Blessica whispered. Her brow furrowed with worry.

"Nothing," I whispered back. "I don't even know her. All I did was what the teacher asked. I didn't even match her skill."

Blessica sighed. "No one is supposed to be as good as Amelia. She doesn't like others excelling. Maybe you really are special. You came close to her level on your first day. That's... unheard of."

Before I could respond, a cheerful voice interrupted. "Hey, Blessica! Introduce us to your new friend. I've never seen her before."

Another voice quickly followed, teasing, "Don't go scaring her, Alon. We don't want you hitting on the transferee already."

Blessica rolled her eyes but smiled. "Angeline, this is Alon from the benders and Danilo from the teleporters."

"Nice to meet you," I said nervously.

"You're with the telekinesis group, right? That's perfect!" Danilo exclaimed. "We've got four different powers among us already. Together, we can make a great team."

Alon smirked. "Or at least make a lot of trouble."

The meal passed in a blur of introductions, laughter, and stolen glances at the queen. When we were dismissed, we returned to class—this time, Defense Against Enemies, where all groups trained together. The lesson was lively, filled with demonstrations of bending fire and air, shapeshifting into animals, teleporting across the training field, and telekinetics hurling practice dummies. For a while, I forgot my worries. I almost forgot about Manila, my mom, my birthday. Almost.

When the class ended, I stayed behind with Blessica, Alon, and Danilo. We wandered toward the courtyard, the air crisp and sweet with the scent of blooming flowers. My thoughts were far away. "I really need to go home," I murmured. "Nanay must be worried sick."

"Angeline!" Alon suddenly called, but when I didn't respond, he picked up a small pebble and tossed it toward me. It hit my shoulder lightly—not enough to hurt, just enough to startle me.

The world blurred.

For a heartbeat, I wasn't in the courtyard anymore. My chest tightened, the air folded in on itself, and suddenly—I was standing several meters away, right beside the apple tree at the edge of the field. The shift was instant, disorienting, like the world had skipped a frame.

I spun around, wide-eyed. Blessica, Danilo, and Alon stood frozen, staring at me with their mouths open.

"Did you just...?" Blessica whispered.

"I... I think I..." My voice shook. My legs felt weak.

Danilo's eyes gleamed with shock and excitement. "You teleported."

The words rang in the air like a bell. I hadn't meant to, hadn't even tried. It had just happened—born from surprise, instinct, maybe even fear.