Aquamarine

The Training Begins

The next day I woke up in a brief state of panic, not knowing where I was. My mind and heart raced side by side as I took in the unfamiliar surroundings. Then, the previous day came back to me in a rush. Ugh, I was not looking forward to having to deal with Ryan again. What was his problem anyway? Did he enjoy being a sexist pig, or what?

"Nereida! Are you awake yet?" I heard Leah as she walked towards my room. It had a simple mattress and woolen sheets, as well as a wooden dresser and desk with a chair. It was a nice room, although it wasn't as elaborate as Era's, which was covered in wood and stone carvings, but really, mine was just a guest room. What did I expect?

"You really over think things, don't you?" Leah was standing in the "doorway", which was really a giant hole with a blanket covering it. "Maya does that, too. She goes off into her own little world, like you. You two actually seem a lot alike, all guarded and stubborn." That last comment baffled me; I didn't think Maya and I were similar at all. I frowned indignantly as Leah laughed and walked away, leaving me in the guest room alone.

"Leah?" I called, "Where are you going?"

"Outside, silly. It's breakfast time and Maya has a rule about not starting any sort of fire in the house." Leah's loud voice sounded from another part of the "house."

"Considering the fact that your "house" is underneath a tree, I can't believe that Maya would such an unnecessary rule." I quipped sarcastically as I joined Leah in the main room.

"Haha very funny, Nereida." I swear I could hear Leah rolling her eyes, well, that and I felt her do it.

"Call me Nere," I said stiffly as my mother was the only one I let call me Nereida, I was Nere to everyone else.

"Ok...." I heard the confusion in Leah's voice and I didn't care. Something stirred in me as I realized that, once upon a time, I wouldn't have snapped at her in the first place. I pushed the feeling away and wrapped myself up tight in the idea that I shouldn't dwell on it, that nobody cared.

"Nere?" Leah called again, "Are you coming or not? You said that we would start training today!" Ah, yes. Training. I followed Leah silently as she lead me up a staircase an out from under the tree. Why couldn't I have used those yesterday?

"Leah, Nereida, you're here! Finally!" Era called excitedly as she tackled me with a hug and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry, that was the first time that I've slept in an actual bed in a long time; I hope you'll excuse my rudeness." I said as I took in my surroundings. A short distance away from the tree, Maya and Ryan were smoking something on a fire, as they leaned close to one another, talking and laughing. I knew those two would be perfect together, even though I didn't know them very well. Of course, I was standing with Leah and Era, who were currently gaping at me.

"Do you always speak so formally?" Era asked more to herself than me while Leah glared at her.

"Never mind that, what about the fact that Nere has been wandering through the woods for an undetermined period of time?" Leah asked, and I was surprised at the anger in her voice. It was well hidden, but still there. Part of being blind meant that my other senses were extremely perceptive in order to compensate, including my Gift and hearing. I could easily pick up on the emotions of even the most stoic people.

"Nere?" Era asked.

"I prefer Nere to Nereida." I said absent-mindedly as I focused my attention on the blood rushing to Leah's face, and I didn't think it was because of embarrassment.

"Era, focus! Nere, how long have you been living outside

of your house?" Leah screeched, making the two love birds over by the fire turn and stare expectantly.

"A while." I shrugged and started to move towards the fire, not interested in spilling my guts yet. "Maya, what are you two making?" I walked over to them and sat down.

"It's a surprise." You didn't have to have sensitive hearing to hear the mischief in her voice and I heard Ryan choke back a laugh. I decided to do a quick investigation. I reached out my Gift was able to pick up on five prices of a small wild turkey, one of which had been tampered with. Certain substances were being put into it that had me gagging.

"That's disgusting," I stated and scoffed at their shocked expressions. "and just because you put something over a fire doesn't mean I can't tell that you messed with my breakfast."

"Ryan," Era scolded, running over to the three of us, Leah hot on her heels. "You can't just do that! Maya, seriously, she's offered to help us train and you try to poison her?"

"Oh come on, you're over reacting. It was just a prank." Maya rolled her eyes.

"It's ok, I'd just like for it to not happen again." I said dismissing the whole situation with a wave of my hand. "So, you all eat, and we'll get started on your training."

"Ooh! Ooh! Are you going to teach how to kick butt and blow things up!?" Excitement filled Era's voice as concern coated my features. I thought the Fire Elementals were supposed to be the thrill seekers. The Air Elementals were generally carefree pacifists.

"No." I said shortly, putting an end to her wild imagination's flight. Disappointment pulled the corners of her mouth and eyes downwards and put a sag in her shoulders. "Before you can learn how to use your Gift, you must learn about Gifteds."

"What's to learn?" Ryan grumbled, "We already know that their power-hungry animals who forced us into hiding." Why that little--

"I take it then that you're Non-Gifted?" I asked, and when he opened his mouth I continued. "Gifteds are magical beings with special talents. There are two basic types of Gifteds, categorized by their Gifts: Enchanted Gifteds and Nature Gifteds."

"Of course, Elementals are Nature Gifteds." Maya murmured, deep in thought. "Why was there a division, Nere?"

"Nere?" I sorted through my short-term memory, trying to remember if I had told Maya to call me that . Not that I minded, in fact that was what I had wanted to be called.

"I overheard you talking to Era." She explained, and I shook my head slightly, yanking my focus back to the matter at hand.

"The division is more like a title than anything. You see, Enchanted Gifteds, Enchanteds, have Gifts purely associated with magic. An example of an Enchanted would be a sorcerer or sorceress. There's also a group of Enchanteds that we call Craftsmen, whose Gifts help them in a specific trade. We only really use four groupings outside of Enchanteds and Natures, since each person's Gift is unique in strength and quality."

This time it was Leah who spoke up. "What are the four groups?"

"Sorcerers, Craftsmen, Shifters, and Elementals. Shifters are Natures who have the ability to turn into animals. The number of animals and the actual animals they can shift into depend on their strength and personalities. For example, a timid person would not be able to turn into a lion unless they were extremely strong." I felt like I was regurgitating what my mother had taught me, and it made me sick to my stomach thinking that was only a pile

"Elementals are the most powerful of all the Gifteds, but they aren't around consistently. Elementals are only born into the world when they are needed, so Elementals rule, but after they pass on, their families are tasked with looking after Aratin for the next Elementals."

"So, shouldn't the royal family be helping us?" Maya asked.

"Actually, that's why they are trying to kill us."