The Seventh Element

Chapter Ten

"Tor, I need to speak with you," Val said, beckoning me to her room.

I had been at the Academy for a moon now. I was improving, slowly but finding my way was proving to be every bit as challenging as I expected. Apparently, Val was not as content with my progress as I was. By now, I could navigate the Nox dorm in the dark but I kept the moon pearl with me as there were some things where it helped to see, like cooking, cleaning or reading someone's facial expression.

Like now.

Val looked serious, more than she typically did. "As a nova, there are certain milestones a student is expected to reach. Every student is different but I feel that your training with Nox is not as productive as it should be."

I felt a jolt of fear, my anxiety triggered.

Val was quick to put a hand on my knee in reassurance. "You are still welcome to train with Nox and we aren't kicking you out of the dorm. We just want the best for you and we believe that having you train with another element may be beneficial to you."

I took a deep, shuddering breath, my anxiety easing. "Which element?"

"Lux."

I froze. "Lux? But I thought-"

"They hate Nox?" Val's mouth twitched. "They do but you're not Nox and they've finally agreed to help you."

I dropped my gaze to my hands. I didn't like it but I trusted Val. She'd been nothing but good to me. I nodded slowly. "If you believe this'll help, then I'll do it."

"Its not going to be easy. Lux is...precise but that isn't always a bad thing and Nox will be here to support you, still."

"Nothing has been easy since I woke up to these powers of mine. I can't do anything except keep trying." I looked up at Val. "When do I start?"

The answer was immediately.

I felt odd climbing the stairs to the sixth floor. I'd never been higher than the fourth floor before. I hurried past the Ignis floor knowing they would not be pleased to see me outside. Thankfully, the higher I climbed the less people I saw. At last, I reached the Lux floor.

I entered the room to find the walls made of glass, light streaming in. Almost as one the other students cast me indifferent glances though, after spending the past moon with Nox, I knew they harbored deep-set prejudices. While I couldn't feel or express emotion, at least that wasn't an act or one I would drop immediately if it were. Lux chose to present themselves as unfeeling though I didn't see the purpose of why. Of course, I wasn't here to learn about their reasons for stifling their emotions.

I was here so that I could begin to make real progress in controlling my element.

"You're late." The Lux High Mage that Val referred to as Noon but-unlike Val and Rip-always went by his title of High Sun, narrowed his hazel eyes at me, lips thinned with distaste.

"I came when Val told me to come and it doesn't look like I've missed anything," I said, looking around.

"If you don't arrive with the rest of the class, you're late."

This was unfair but I wasn't one to argue, even before I lacked emotion. So, I waited, meeting his gaze with my own, unflinching. There was no satisfaction for me when the Lux High Mage looked away first.

He waved a limp hand. "Go stand over there. I'll deal with you in a moment."

The Lux students stood in two rows of five, all blond and hazel eyed, dressed in white without a hair out of place or smile among them. They couldn't be more different from my Nox friends.

I had been directed to stand as far from the Lux students as possible without me being out of the room. I was right next to the glass wall with a panoramic view of the Arrow. I was used to heights and breathtaking views having been raised in the mountains. Though, this was the first time I'd come anywhere near it here. I took the opportunity to get a good look at school grounds and the surrounding area.

For the first time, I was able to see why this peninsula was referred to as the Arrow, the triangular point of land jutting out into the ocean that surrounded it. All six dormitories were fully visible, the distinctive shape of the Nox dorm standing out like a black stain while the Terra dorm blended in seamlessly with the surrounding land. Allowing my gaze to travel back I could see the train that transported students and supplies back and forth between the Arrow and the mainland.

"Are you going to stand gawking all day or are you here to learn something?" The Lux High Mage asked in the same clipped tone he'd used to address me on my very first day here.

"Are you going to ignore me the entire time or are you actually going to teach me?" I asked back.

I heard a gasp from one of the other students.

The Lux High Mage's eyes flashed and his hand flexed; I could see the effort it took for him to keep his composure. "Impertinence will get you nowhere."

"The only place I want to go is home." In my mind's eye I could see snowy peaks set against a clear sky. It was the place I had been born and raised. For some reason, I suddenly felt as if I'd seen that view many, many times before, far more than I actually had seen as a thirteen-year-old. I couldn't explain that feeling but I brushed it off. The mountain was the only place I wanted to be and if I had to take lessons from some self-important elemental to get there then that's what I'd do.

"High Shadow told me that you still lack basic control of your element. She lacks the skill to help you improve and believes that I do. So, you need me far more than I need to tolerate you," the Lux High Mage warned.

The threat was clear. Though I had never been threatened before in my life, I suddenly felt as if I'd seen this all before. As if this were not a completely new experience for me to be threatened. I did not feel fear, merely cautious. I knew I had to tread carefully. Much as I didn't like it, the High Mage was right and we both knew it.

Thankfully, the Lux High Mage didn't gloat. "Now, let me see what you can do."

I was beginning to get a grasp of my powers or at least recognize that I had them and what they felt like. I didn't have to worry nearly as much about turning everything to frost or randomly making it snow though that did still happen occasionally. The bad thing was that I couldn't do anything beyond that. I could feel my power lurking just beneath the surface but I couldn't get it to work for me no matter how hard I tried.

I hated to show weakness to a man that already wielded immense power over me but I had no choice. I spread my hands in a helpless gesture. "I can't."

The Lux High Mage flicked his gaze over me in disdain though he refrained from scoffing at me. "Camillo, you will help Tor learn how to channel his power and perhaps actually do something useful with it."

One of the nova boys flinched and I wondered if he were afraid of his High Mage or just unhappy about having to help me. I had never seen a student afraid of their High Mage before but the Lux High Mage was definitely the sort to incite it. Perhaps it was both. Regardless, he came forward to stand beside his High Mage.

"Show what a properly trained nova can do," the Lux High Mage said, with a satisfied twitch of his lips and a hard glint in his eyes. He was insulting Val with that comment of his but I knew better than to try to defend her surrounded as I was by people intent to see me as nothing more than an outsider.

Though,I was determined to show him just what thiselemental could do.