Academy of Elements: Earth

Chapter 7: Trillium of Training

I arose early like usual. Having school start at 7:30 in the morning was really taking a toll on my sanity. Though I appreciate the diligence of the routine and the intense training, I did wish to go back to the warmth of the Academy, to see James, Elise, Sarah, and especially Rose. I missed Soren, the teacher who had taught the other Gifted Six and I every combat move we knew. I also longed for the interesting, less blunt, lessons Mrs. Diana, the Ice members Elemental Control teacher.

As I eat a black bean brownie, which was apparently super healthy, and then vigorously chug down my repulsive protein loaded smoothie, I think of the aching memory of the Academy's coffee, which was better than I had tasted anywhere. It was already 7:25 already, according to the shrilling bell that rings momentarily. I make my way up the winding stair case. Nora was back in class which I hated to admit but had drawn a smile on my face. I sit down beside her as the bell rings.

I hadn't spoken to the chocolate haired girl since our encounter the previous night. Today she wears a charcoal sweater with tight jeans, which hug her power slim legs.

"Stop admiring my beautiful legs," Nora whispers. A snort comes from me though I cover it up with a sneeze getting a few glares.

"Stop admiring my beautiful arms." I retort quietly noticing her crystal eyes on my filled out arms.

She looks up to me as if to say "you wish" and looks back to the lesson. I tune into the lesson as well...

"The reason why Elementals have different eye colors is one nobody really knows, though some theorize, that because the eyes are windows to the soul, they reflect our Element, though this may sound quite fanciful the more scientific reason is the powers that flow through our blood also of course flow through our head and hence affect our eyes, this also affects the melanin though you can learn that in science class."

The rest of the lesson is about how magic and the person using it were different souls in a body, how we had to make the magic obedient, something I needed to work on, it was during this time she had used Nora and me as an example. "While Wintell may be able to not create a speck of frost when she is scared, Hill may not be due to sheerly the fact he has a larger well of power, infinite some may say."

Infinite. So then why didn't it take infinity for the Soul Stealer to steal Ella's flames? The Gifted Six were tough, more powerful than anyone, and yes we had huge wells of huge power, but we had limits. I had reached mine, or as far down into my power as I could, the other year when I had frozen time. I didn't like to say I had frozen time because frankly, I hadn't. I had just made the world go slower than me. Freezing time, though it was an ability I wish I could do, was frankly not possible. I had slowed down the section of land where I had been. The memories rush into my head before I can stop them.

Ice crawled from me. Up the sides of the dwelling, it went, freezing anything that tried to get in its way. My tattoo glowed as brightly as the moon over head, where Light watched over us, over me. Ice crawled as I screamed encasing the whole domain. Time seemed to stop Ella falling slower, everyone's movement but my own like they were swimming in molasses.

Ice even crawled over the lava as I ran through the battle field. I screamed in the effort as my power tried to restrain the most intense use of power I had ever used.

And then everything cracked. The Ice splintered and the lava, screams, and movements, swallowed the world.

The bell rings snapping me from the memory and I go to Elemental History, ready to endure Mr. Evermore and his torment. Though he wasn't as bad as some teachers, I had to wonder if he knew he wasn't Satan.