Beyond the Stars

Chapter 4: Multi-Powered

Did I just teleport? My legs were still shaking as I ran back to Blessica, Alon, and Danilo. Their faces mirrored my shock. Blessica grabbed my arms, her voice urgent. "What happened?"

I tried to explain, stumbling over the words. I told them about the strange shimmer I had seen earlier — a portal hanging in the air, tugging at me like a doorway. Alon frowned. "Only teleporters can see the portal, Angeline. When you think of a place you desire and carve it deep into your heart, the portal appears to take you there." His eyes widened with something like excitement. "If you saw one, that means you really... you can..." He trailed off, his grin spreading. "You can teleport!"

Danilo clapped his hands like a child with a new toy. "Two abilities! That's amazing!"

But Blessica cut him off quickly, her voice sharp. "Don't celebrate yet." She turned to me and said, "Try animal shifting."

I hesitated, but her expectant look left me no choice. She guided me through the basics, showing me how to focus on the creature in my mind. I thought of a rabbit, small and quick. Suddenly, my body shuddered. The world around me grew larger, towering over me. My ears twitched, my nose wiggled. Blessica gasped.

"You just turned into a rabbit..." she whispered.

I stared down at my tiny paws in disbelief before shifting back, stumbling on weak legs. My heart hammered in my chest. This was impossible.

"Try bending," Alon urged, his eyes gleaming. He demonstrated a simple swirl of wind with his hands. I mimicked his stance, expecting nothing — but a weak gust of air brushed across my face. Not perfect, but enough to prove it was real.

The three of them stared at me like I was some mythical creature. "You're still a rookie," Danilo said, awe coloring his voice, "but for a beginner, you're... incredible."

But Alon's excitement faltered. He leaned back, his brow furrowing. "Wait. This shouldn't even be possible."

Blessica turned sharply to him. "Don't."

"No, she has to understand." He looked at me with wide, worried eyes. "Angeline, every person in Cassiopeia is born with one gift. One. That's the law of our world. No one has ever commanded more than a single power. It's impossible."

I swallowed hard. "Then why can I—?"

"That's the problem." Blessica's voice dropped low, almost a hiss. "You shouldn't be able to. If anyone finds out you can do more than one, they'll see you as a threat... or worse, a weapon."

The air grew heavy between us. My heart pounded louder with each word.

I sank onto a stone bench, my thoughts whirling. "If I can do all four, then why did the cape put me in telekinesis?"

Blessica tapped her chin. "Maybe it reflected the last ability you used before the ceremony. The cape is old magic. It only chooses one color, even if there's more beneath the surface."

Her words made my chest tighten. I thought back. The man who had grabbed me in Manila — had I pushed him away with telekinesis? Was that why the cape chose blue?

Blessica leaned closer. "In middle school, we weren't trained with real powers yet. Just books, theory, and exams. The cape often knows us better than we know ourselves."

I wanted to go home more than ever, but something inside me whispered that I needed answers first. Who was I, really? Why had my mother kept secrets from me?

Almost without thinking, I closed my eyes and pictured my mother, our small house, the streets of Quezon City. If I can teleport, maybe I can go home right now. I focused so hard that my temples ached, willing a portal to form. But when I opened my eyes, there was nothing. No shimmer, no doorway.