Beneath The Surface

1, Ixtal Academy

(This chapter was NOT written by me since it is under Evelyn's POV)

~Evelyn~

Evelyn's lungs were screaming for air as she thrashed and kicked in the deep icy waters of the sea. The ice cold sea gave Evelyn frostbites on her arms and legs as she tried to reach up to the surface.

The water was dark blue like the sparkling night sky that hung just a few feet above the surface. She was walking on the shore, listening to ocean waves while practicing her gift when what felt like a tsunami suddenly wrapped around her whole body, consuming every part of her.

She suddenly felt a sharp pain in her cheek, as blood spilled out everywhere surrounding her. She searched to see what had cut her so sharply, when she found what looked like a small glass shard of gold with blood floating around it. In the reflection of the gold shard was a beautiful young lady with golden blonde hair staring straight back at her. The last thing she saw was red water stained by her own blood, surrounding her face until she started to sink deeper and deeper into the deep ocean waters, farther away from the surface of truth.....

Evelyn gasped as she woke up. Beads of sweat were coming

down her forehead.

"Not again." She said to herself.

She had been having this nightmare for weeks now, and every time she woke up she felt that it was somehow now more familiar. Like she'd experienced something like it before. Every time she woke up she put her hand on her cheek to make sure the dream wasn't real. She quickly got out of bed remembering it was her first day at Ixtal Academy, so she couldn't be late. Evelyn climbed out of bed, quickly changed into her favorite cloud sweater, and brushed her teeth. She grabbed her backpack and suitcase as she headed down the marble stairs of her grandparents mansion. Evelyn's grandparents were waiting for her at the front door already.

"We're going to miss you darling," Her grandma said.

"Your Mother and Father would've been so honored to know that their daughter got into one of the best gifted schools in the world." Her grandpa told her.

"I'm going to miss you too." Evelyn said, hugging them both.

"Here," Her grandma handed Evelyn an extra large sized plastic bag filled with Evelyn's favorite cookies: Butter-cream cloud bites. Made with expensive European butter from England, Royal powdered sugar, and the secret ingredient, homemade cloud shaped white chocolate chips.

"These should be enough for a couple weeks at Ixtal. If you join a

baking club at Ixtal, you can make your own. I sent you the recipe."

"Thanks grandma!" Evelyn said.

"I guess I'll be off now," Evelyn said heading out the front door.

Evelyn opened the car door and climbed inside. She hadn't had breakfast yet because of today's morning rush so she decided to eat a couple cookies now. The sweet, buttery smell of the cookies filled the car the second she opened the bag. She took a bite out of a cookie and, and instantly, she just felt like she was melting into a land of creamy goodness.

"Okay L.O.U.I.E, take me to Ixtal Academy will you?" Evelyn requested.

"Yes ma'am." Answered the robotic voiced car. She caught her breath finally and continued chewing as she put a movie on her digital screen produced by lasers called a digi-screen. She couldn't believe it, Evelyn was on her way to Ixtal!

Ixtal, or Ixtal Academy is a school for 'Gifted Beings' and 'Non-Gifted Beings.' You see, in this world there are two types of

people, the Gifted and normal. The government estimated there are

about 10 billion people on the planet Earth now in 2034, only about 0.1% of people are gifted (Around 1 in 10,000 people are gifted) and Evelyn was one of them.

She was a hydronic, which meant she could control water around her. People are either gifted at birth or would have no power at all.

Gifted beings are usually very rare, so people make special schools for them and non-gifted beings. But the schools are so strict that non-gifted beings have to complete a test in order to get in. Most gifted beings go to these special schools to make their power stronger, and be great leaders. But some brutal schools train the gifted to become deadly assassins, ready for war. Suddenly the car came to an erupt stop.

"You've Arrived At Your Destination." Came the voice of L.O.U.I.E.

"Please don't suddenly stop like that L.O.U.I.E." Said Evelyn, a bit annoyed.

"Sorry ma'am" apologized L.O.U.I.E. She got out of the car and looked up at the school standing in front of her. "Whoa.." Evelyn gasped.

The building was beautiful. It was like a giant castle that had a deep

moat around it. The walls of the school were made of a pink rose

quartz, and the courtyard was filled with many kinds of plants.

Inside the moat surrounding the school, were giant monsters that looked like a dragon's head and neck but it had no body. Those must be the Loch-dragons I read about in the school's website! Evelyn thought. She started walking towards the start of a bridge that led to the island the actual school was on. Evelyn looked at her watch and saw it was 11:27 already, 3 more minutes before the ceremony started.

"I'm gonna be late..." She murmured under her breath.

The ceremony had tons of people, and to be honest, Evelyn was a bit overwhelmed. She looked up at the stage and saw a beautiful young lady with a black dress-suit with gold edges and gold glasses and golden blonde hair. Evelyn then recognized her. She's the lady from my dream.... Normal people would have panicked about seeing someone from your dream pop into reality, but Evelyn had been taught by her grandparents and teachers to always 'stay calm, and carry on.' The signature British line. She decided there was only a small chance that what she dreamed was going to happen. She estimated that she'd probably seen the lady with blonde hair on the school website. Then the lady started speaking.

"Welcome, young students, to Ixtal Academy! I am your Principal or Headmistress, Athena Williams."

She's my principal? Evelyn thought.

"Now students, I'd like to introduce you to our two gifted students this year."

Whispers came through the crowd.

"Amber Chen and Evelyn Foster, please come to the stage."

Evelyn started walking toward the stage. All eyes were on her as she walked toward the stage. She walked over and stepped on the stage, she could see the other girl walk up the stage too. She had dark hair and dark eyes.

She must be Amber... Evelyn thought.

They stood there while the principal told them what they would be doing.

"Gifted students will take special gifted courses to help strengthen your powers. Your parents have already informed us about your gift. We have prepared special technology you can use to train."

Principal Williams started to talk about who got the highest scores in the non-gifted entrance course. A couple names that Evelyn picked up were: Helen Smith, Ariana Miller, Lloyd Johnson, Jayden- something, Kai Hino, and Naomi Nakamura.

It seemed like the school only wanted to mention the top students for their specialty courses.

Evelyn turned to look at Amber and saw her looking at her too.

Amber gave her a small smile that symbolized Hi.

Perhaps, I could be friends with Amber? Evelyn wondered.

So Evelyn smiled slightly back.