Colliding Elements (Original Draft)

29. Teachers and Beginners

"If we want to win, then we need the best teachers possible for the Prophecy Four," Undura spoke as she walked alongside Heres.

Heres kept his hands behind his back as he conversed. "Mayrah and Shasa are not able to teach as they're still helping in repairs to the air and water shrines here. And I am getting to be too-"

"I was planning on teaching the earth Elementalist with my colleague Chang," Undura spoke. "Marcia is making the fire one her apprentice, so she will take care of him. I also made contact with the twins, both of them will be here shortly to help the air Elementalist. And I've asked Zale to teach the water Elemental."

"You need to be careful," Here's spoke quietly. They were entering a busier area. "These four are still children and have already been through a lot. The earth child has a major wound still healing on her side, and the air one has a broken leg. They can't go through training at this moment."

"We aren't always at one hundred percent on the battlefield, are we?" Undura's words were monotone. "We must know how to fight, even when weak."

Heres then shut his mouth. Undura was always stubborn, even more than he was. "You truly represent your house well," he spoke only a few seconds later.

Undura looked at her teacher, both of their dark brown eyes locking with one another's. "I just make sure to stick to my duty and keep our numbers strong."

They both walked past a small dining area covered by a lava rock roof. Inside the establishment was Marcia in simple red robes lined with gold at the openings, the same stitching also made the symbol of Aries right below the bottom of her v-collared top. With black hair back in a loosely tied braid. While she was seated and looking around the area, she glanced at Undura and Heres for only a moment. What was more important was Kyle arriving.

"Lady Marcia." A woman around her age came over and spoke, "Is there anything I can get for you?"

"Not right now..." Marcia brought one of her hands to her face, fingers pressing against her lips.

While the woman bowed and walked away, Marcia kept her eyes trained on anyone passing by, finally locking onto a male wearing all red. She stood up from her seat and walked out of the small restaurant to greet the fire Elemental with a touch on his shoulder.

Kyle jumped slightly and turned around to look down at Marcia. "Um, you wanted to see me?"

"I have something important I'd like to discuss with you." Marcia nodded her head back over to where she was once sitting and pulled the young adult over with her.

"Is it safe to talk about it here?" Kyle asked as he sat down across from her.

"It's not like it's war plans or any politics," Marcia stated. "It's completely fine to talk about publicly."

"Okay," Kyle stretched the word out a bit, still uneasy about how open they were.

Marcia leaned forward on the table and looked straight at Kyle. "I'm going to be straightforward about this. I'm in need of an apprentice, and you are who I want to be my apprentice."

It took a moment for it to register in Kyle's head, not understanding the words at first. When it did click, his eyes went wide. "Wait, what? Your apprentice?"

"That's correct." Marcia fixed her posture slightly. "As the next in line as ruler of the Land of Fire, I need to make someone my apprentice. That way they will take my role if anything happens to Kallai and I must take over."

Kyle leaned back in his seat and looked off into the distance, mouth parted open slightly. During his silence, the woman from earlier came back over and took an order from Marcia. It wasn't until the woman left that Kyle spoke, "Why me? I'm from another world."