Academy of Elements: Earth

Chapter 1: Thistle of Change

How is it that I have killed a dragon like creatures, murdered a few people, gone through portals, and fight a Werewolf head on, and yet I still am nervous to take an airplane? I guess many of those weren't a choice, I was in charge of the group that would keep the world from going to hell. Which is where I had last seen them.

Haley since she had strangled a few people.

Aira since she choked fifty or so people.

Brennen since he drowned someone.

Denen since he charred peoples until they were charcoal.

Ella since we had gone for ice cream the previous week.

And they hadn't seen me since I froze time... We had a lot of catching up to do... None of us were the same anymore. Two years ago we would have been barely able to control our elements, and probably never dreamed of how big of a role we would play. A year ago, we had started to realize our role in the world. And it wasn't until a few months ago that we realized that we were in charge of keeping the world alive...

Why does Light assign this role to children?

I sit in my business class booth, my head against the window. All there is, is blue and white around us. Clouds coat the earth like a fleece blanket, and the infinite sea of blue above is empty beside the occasional glimpse at another plane. According to the brochure that I had found when I first had gotten into the booth, there was very little turbulence. I disagree.

The plane jolts again and I bang my head against the window. Ice crawls up the window and I force it back down. Being as powerful as I was, ice would spread from my hands or feet; or head, if I ever was surprised or scared. It was a pain to cover up, but it would likely never go away. Nor would Ella stop heating up a room or setting something a flame, if she ever got her power back.

A lifetime ago a creature of darkness, sent by Darkness, of course, stole her powers. And it was all my fault. It was supposed to be me, or so Darkness had said. I probably would never forgive myself for that... Ella and John were still together, although they live on the opposite side of the earth, and he follows Darkness, and he had been spying on us and had been using Ella to get closer to me, and... why were they still together?

I hear a knock on the door to my booth. I press a button beside the panel and it slides open. Aira stands there, a smile on her face. She now had her hair fading into a light pink from hazelnut hair. Her make-up had gotten a little heavier. She now wore wings on her eyes and blush, which was much different to her very little make-up the other year. "We're halfway to New Zealand." She says with a raise of her brow. "We're going to go to the bar and have some food, do you want to come?"

"No thank you." I smile. "I feel like I'm about to barf."

"That's why you look green..." Aira trails off.

"I hate airplanes." I sneer.

"I love them! The open blue, the blanket of clouds!" She yells walking away.

"Air head!" I call after her.

The plane jolts violently. And I had an idea that Aira was the source of that. I lean my head against the pillow behind me and let my eyelids fall. I open to the sound of thunder.

I look out into the darkness beyond the window and inhale. I hate airplanes. I hate thunderstorms. And I was currently in the middle of both. I stand up and walk out of my booth. Denen's booth was two booths in front of mine, Brennen between us. The girls were on the other side of the plane Ella first then Aira and then Haley.