The Seventh Element

Chapter Seven

Lessons were put to a half while we enlisted the help of the Ignis. An Ignis girl arrived and she took in the Aqua room with a wrinkle of her nose.

"I can do this a lot faster with you lot out of the room," she said to Rip.

With a wave of his hand, Rip directed us into the stairwell. The other students huddled together, making no effort to include me in their group or conversation. I could tell that my first impression was lacking and their tolerant attitude was beginning to turn. Rip stood between me and the rest of the class. I stood, my anxiety gnawing at me.

We weren't stuck there long.

The Ignis girl joined us in the stairwell. "All fixed for you!"

"Thank you, Yara," Rip said before she walked past me up the stairs but not before giving me a dark look.

The rest of the class entered the room and I entered last. When water heats it becomes steam and the room was now full of thick, humid mist. At once I felt the problem. Ice thrives in cold, dry places and my body responded by controlling the environment. My powers once more swept through the room, freezing the mist to an icy rain that showered over everyone in it.

The students shrieked and ran from the room.

Once more, the liquid water had been frozen and frost covered every surface. It looked and felt worse than before.

Rip gave me a considering look. "Well, this isn't working."

Class resumed outside and Rip left me to my own devices while he focused on the Aqua students.

I kept my distance, not wanting to disrupt class any more than I already had. My anxiety was back full force and my powers reflected that. Every step I took froze the ground, anything I touched developed a layer of frost and my breath puffed in icy clouds. Much as I wanted to control my powers, I was failing miserably and worse, the very people that were supposed to help me weren't doing any better.

The rest of the morning passed slowly before we finally took a break for lunch.

Rip approached me. "I'm going to talk to the other High Mages. I still want to help you, Tor, but I have to think of my Aqua students first. I'll let you know what we decide."

I nodded, trailing behind the other Aqua who-no surprise-hadn't waited for me. I had nowhere else to go, as yet and I was hungry. I caught up just as the last student was entering the dorm. The students didn't shun me but they seemed to decide to pretend as if I wasn't there. I couldn't blame them but it didn't make me feel any better.

Things got worse as lunch was prepared. Whatever Aqua was making had a strong, unpleasant odour that turned my stomach. I gagged, fighting back my rising nausea.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Fish," one of the second-year Aqua girls explained.

"Its pretty much all that anyone eats in the Archipelago where most of us Aqua are from," the fourth-year girl said, with a slight emphasis on the word us.

"So, if you don't like fish..." the second-year girl shrugged her shoulders in a helpless gesture.

"We have salad and some fruit," the fifth-year boy offered.

My heart sank. That wasn't going to be very filling at all. Perhaps it was good that I felt nauseous since it had robbed me of my appetite.

"I'll just wait outside," I said weakly.

"Good idea," the third-year girl said.

I don't know which one of them parted the water wall for me to exit but I stumbled out, taking deep breaths of clear, fresh air. I stayed there, eyes closed and trying to reign in my anxiety. Now that I was no longer overwhelmed by the fishy smell, my appetite had come back. I couldn't focus on anything except for how hungry I was. I stood there, miserable and unable to do anything about it.

"Tor!"

I snapped my eyes open to see Vic looking up at me in concern, his hand on my arm.

"Are you alright?"

Seeing a sympathetic face made me want to let everything out but the flood was too great and I found I couldn't say anything at all. The only thing I could manage was a shake of my head.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you inside with the Aqua?" Tor pressed.

"I would like to know that myself," Rip said, joining us along with the Nox High Mage.

"They were cooking fish and I couldn't stand the smell," I said, pulling a face at the reminder.

"It's not for everyone."

"It's a large part of islander cuisine but its not the only thing you eat," the Nox High Mage said, looking at Rip.

"They didn't offer you anything else to eat?" Rip asked me.

"A salad but I couldn't stand the smell any longer so I came out here," I answered.

"A salad?!" Tor exclaimed, aghast. "That's not a meal. Come on, the Nox'll feed you right up."

My Nox mentor began pulling me across the open space to the Nox dorm. I let him, figuring my day couldn't get any worse.