The Seventh Element

Chapter Fifteen

My return to the Academy was not seamless. I was still an outcast with only the Nox for company. However, I had come to the realization that I was stuck with my powers and I had to accept my new life. Now that I was actively trying things didn't get any easier but with a clear goal in mind, I was finally beginning to make progress. I was far from loving life and I doubted that I ever would but I was better than I had been.

The Nox continued to be there for me every step of the way.

I was back with the Aria for elemental training. As Vic had reassured me, they didn't treat me any differently. Even with my new mindset, it was a few weeks before I had a significant breakthrough. I had been working on forming an ice ball which was far more difficult than I expected, given how easily the other students seemed to use their own powers. It felt like an achievement when I formed my first snowflake because even that took a week of active effort.

After that, all I'd get was bursts of snowflakes. It delighted the Aria and they loved nothing more than to play with them, sprinkling them over each other or sweeping them around in gusts of wind. It now being full summer, they never lasted long, melting into droplets of water in mere moments but the Aria had fun while they lasted. Their positive energy went a long way in helping me keep up my own efforts. If I hadn't had that, it would have been all too easy to sink back into the despair I had just escaped.

Slowly, I was able to condense the snowflakes into a small ice ball. It didn't last long, usually spluttering snowflakes or shattering into shards of ice before I could marvel at this new accomplishment. I was encouraged by this sign and was determined to keep at it. I wasn't going to give up, no matter how long it took. At last, the ice ball stayed.

I stared at the ice ball floating in my hand.

"Hey, he did it!"

"Way to go, Tor!"

"That's great!"

I suddenly realized I had a new problem. Yes, I had created an ice ball but what did I do with it? I hadn't thought that far ahead. My eyes darted up and caught Lucy's. "What do I do now?"

"Congratulations, Tor, you've hit the first milestone in your training. The next stage now begins. One of the things a mage learns is to dissipate their element, absorbing that expelled energy back into themselves. Now that you've gotten to this point, I believe you're ready to return to training full time with Nox," Lucy said.

I felt a twinge. "You think so?"

Lucy nodded. "Aria don't really have to worry about that like other elements do. I don't want you to hit a plateau with your training. Now that you've got this momentum going, I'd like you to keep it up."

"I understand."

For my current ice ball, it dissolved into a pile of slush in my palm.

As class ended, I looked forward to sharing my success with my friends. I faltered, however, as I walked down the stairs and Noon fell into step beside me. He had avoided me since my return, pretending as if I were invisible which suited me just fine. I tensed, uneasy by this sudden change. I wanted nothing to do with him but I couldn't be rude to a High Mage so I stayed quiet, hoping that whatever he wanted would be quick.

"High Aria tells me you made a real breakthrough today in your training," High Sun said.

"Yes," I said with a stiff nod.

"So, let's see it then."

I flinched but could not refuse a High Mage's order. I took a deep breath to focus, trying to shut out the fact that I was surrounded by mostly hostile students. Doing anything on the move made this that much more difficult. To my amazement (along with everyone else's), I was actually able to replicate the ice ball.

"Tor!"

At the sound of my name, my attention slipped and the ice ball shot from my hand, hitting Clarice, one of the fifth-year Lux girls, right in the face.

She squealed as slush dripped down her face. She glared at me as her friends hurried to clean her off.

I hunched my shoulders. "I'm so-"

"Don't speak to me!" Clarice snapped, sweeping past me down the stairs, face now dry thanks to an Ignis' help.

As I reached Vic, he looked at me with glittering eyes, unrepentant that he had been the one to distract me. "That was amazing!"

"My ice ball or hitting a Lux in the face with it?"

"Both!" He shook my arm lightly. "Tor! You're doing great!"

Vic hooked his arm through mine, almost dragging me along as he talked, suddenly full of plans. I did my best to keep up.

"Hey, when's your birthday?" Vic asked, looking up at me as if the question just occurred to him.

"In a couple of weeks," I answered.

"Two weeks?!" Vic exclaimed. "That's barely flew back to the dorm."

Vic banged the door open. "Tor's birthday is in two weeks!"

This set off a flurry of activity and questions.

"Why didn't you say?"

"What's your favourite food?"

"How do you celebrate at home?"

"I didn't celebrate my last birthday and we typically don't make too big a deal of it. Perhaps eating a special meal or giving gifts but not much more than that," I said.

"Well, Dharkor love a reason to party and we do have something to celebrate." Vic filled in the others on my achievement.

This reminded me of what else had happened that day.

I looked at Val. "High Aria told me that I should go back to training with Nox full time because now that I can summon my power, I need to learn how to dispel it."

Val nodded. "That makes sense. Aria wouldn't really be able to help you with that. It may be tricky to have Nox teach you the skill and the other elements are-well, we'll figure it out." She clapped her hands together, eyes gleaming. "More importantly, we have a party to plan."