Burning Bright

Chapter 2

Drew and I quieted down to watch the magic choose. The first kid was always the most interesting. There was a large circular platform in the middle of the stage that acts as an elevator. The child stands on it from beneath as it carries them to the stage. This seems pointless, but it's so that one element can't "get a better feel" for the child from another one. It sounds dumb, but it's really true. The magic itself is sentient. 

There are pros and cons to the kinds of people that usually are chosen by each element. These are not rules and it is nearly impossible to determine which element will choose you. However, elements will never fight over a child. They seem to have a nonverbal communication, as two elements never want the same child. 

Calorns, for instance, are usually logical, but an emotional logical. Instead of thinking "How many people will this choice benefit?" They are more likely to think "How can I improve this choice to benefit more?" They aren't really "free-spirited" as one would assume through the way of the flame. Calorns care for others, but will quickly sever emotional ties if that person does anyone wrong. They can be intense, but will usually not express it outright. Calorns are usually smart, but they can be stand-offish and anti-social. 

Crets are the kindest ones. They will go out of their way to help someone else and will almost always lie if it means sparing one's feelings. They will stand their ground for others, but they can be very passive and will become pushovers when it comes to their own desires. They also very rarely know what they want, and are prone to just "going with the flow" like the hippies you would expect earth- controllers to be. 

Glacies aren't actually cold, as you'd expect them to be. They are usually creative free-spirits. They rarely get along with other types as they can be kind of snobby. That has less to do with magic and more to do with societal standing. Glacies are the poets, playwrights, painters, and philosophers. This adds to their pretension. 

Tempests are the law. Imagine a businessman or a lawyer, and you have the polar opposite of a Tempest. They abide by moral code, therefore making them excellent judges. That being said, as they are natural-born judges, they have a hard time differentiating between lies and the truth. They will assume that any information said is truthful because they themselves are truthful. This can be difficult in court situations as many people will lie if oath has been neglected (Tempests are also very forgetful). 

You'd think that with these characteristics, the Calorns wouldn't be hated. I mean, the Crets are kind, the Tempests don't judge, and Glacies pretty much ignore everyone. Why would society hate Calorns so much? Well if you figure it out, could you tell me?

 I watched as the first child came up the small elevator onto the stage. She looked confident and collected, as if she knew where she belonged. Lights shone on each elemental column. When the magic was inactivated, beautiful murals were painted on the columns.

Crets had a scene of a meadow with a towering mountain behind it. Tempests were given swirling winds of their iconic colors with lightning coming from massive storm clouds. The Glacie pillar portrayed a snowy night with gorgeous ice crystals of near every color. Calorns had a steady gradient of blue to red to orange to yellow- flames eating flames eating flames. 

However, once the magic for that child was chosen, the corresponding column roared to life as the magic shot through its tube, into the ceiling, and then flowed to the child, enveloping them until entering through their mouth. 

This particular girl had short blonde hair and eyes so blue they put the sky to shame. Her wide eyes grew when Glacie icicles danced and poured down the columns, snowflakes twirled and a blue aura flew into her. 

The Glacie section of the room applauded and the girl walked to the front row. She was given pats on the back from members of last year's ceremony that, as always, looked years older.