Flames with Fire

Chapter 4

Aiden

I've been to the academy dozens of times.

Walked down this hallway, down other, identical ones.

I'm terrified.

We're following a white-clad woman through the school, and I'm terrified.

We pass an engraved archway proclaiming, 'Nil satis nisi optimum'.
Nothing but the best.
Just like Father says.

Eliot materializes behind me, and I can feel nerves radiating off him.
He and Andie have more to prove than most- a double birth, a mother hailing from a disgraced family- their stakes are high.

We enter a doorway, walk in to a round room- empty other than a glass pedestal and a glass bowl.

The woman in white stops behind the pedestal as we gather around in some weird clump/semi-circle cross.

"I'm Commander Steele. Some will know me after the next months, others won't. You're here because you've passed the first stage of methodical sifting meant to find people who fit our program, CDET."

I don't listen to the rest of her explanation- it's for the city kids' benefit , but I refocus after she pauses for a moment.

"Mister Ambrose, please?"

A tall, freckled boy with dark red hair and pale skin walks in through a hidden door, a smile stretching his features.

"Hi, I'm Everett Ambrose, third year here at the academy in the CDET program. I'll help Commander Steele with a demonstration." He grins and says, "You just put your hand in the bowl- there's water, don't freak- and visualize something. It's best to focus on something with a strong emotional connection."

Everett follows his own instructions and then the room...disappears.
We're standing in a daffodil field, wind blowing, sun shining.
Everything is serene, 100% aligned and calculated.

Everett withdraws his hand, making the scene shimmer and vanish.

"That's all- good luck!"

Okay.

Sure, sounds easy enough- hand in bowl, visualize, make impossible possible.

"Miss Valentine? You're first, come on up!"

Valentine's a city kid- the pink streaks scattered throughout her dark hair are a dead giveaway.

Her 'projection' (for lack of terms) is an amusement park- but something is off .

Unlike Everett's field, the park seems pale, dead, an echo almost.

I realize the point now- the stronger you are, the clearer your projections are.
Commander Steele runs through her list, and after each kid projects they're sent back, with no words (encouragement or otherwise).

"Mister Curwood?"
I take a few moments before moving towards the pedestal.

The liquid inside the bowl is cold and tingly, but otherwise it just feels like...water.

I close my eyes.
Something with a strong emotional connection- A happy memory should do the trick?
My Mother.
I must have at least one o- "Mister Curwood?"

I need to start.

When I reopen my eyes, I have replaced the room with a cliff's edge, country scenery spreading out as far as the eye can see, fields glimmering like multicolored gems in the sunlight, wind whipping through everyone's hair.

My projection is sharp, and I can't stop the proud smile from stretching across my features as I hear awed murmurs emanating around me.

I return to the semi-circle clump, relief coursing through my veins like a drug, lips still curled in a smile.