Seeker (Completed)

The green gifts

Chapter 13

I'm in a field, not a cloud in the sky. It's so peaceful but then the ground rumbles and a vine shoots out of it. Cautiously I walk over to it and it opens out into a white flower. It's a pure white and I raise my hand to touch it when it suddenly bursts into flames. My eyes snap open, coming back to reality dazes me. I walk back to Justin. "Well, what did you see?" He asked impatiently. I tell him and he frowns and asks me over and over again if I'm sure. "Yes, I know exactly what I saw!" I snap after what feels like the hundredth time he asked me. He then steers me to a random room and tells me to wait.

Emma, Justin and an elderly woman enter the room. "Took you long enough," I mumble under my breath. Emma demands to know what I saw even though it's obvious Justin has already told her. I repeat it anyway, the elderly woman sucks her a deep breath. "I am Madam Hilt, I am your elemental teacher. Now leave us," the elderly woman says, ushering an unpleased Emma and Justin out the door. "I am one of the few Guardians out there that have the ability to master all the elements and I am here to teach you how to manipulate earth and fire."

I have been in this room for three hours trying to get in touch with 'Mother Earth' and feel Her energy flow through me, I've been doing this with limited success. Madam Hilt has given me numerous amounts of exercises to do that are supposed to enhance my abilities but at the moment none of them look as though they are working. "Two and a half weeks, that's what they give me to work with you. You have to unlock two elements! Do you know what a gift it is to be able to manipulate more than one element? Why are you listening to me ramble on girl? You should be meditating!" I apologize and go back to my exercises.

By dinner I'm exhausted. The whispering throughout the dinning hall is pretty loud and I can pretty much make out what they are all talking about. 'That girl...ya that one has TWO elements!' or 'Got a partner after like 12 hours.' or 'She like came out of no-where.' I hate gossip, even worse I hate gossip about me so I shovel my food down quickly and go to bed.

I practice until I am mentally and physically exhausted. In my free time when I'm not perfecting my sword skills I'm going over my exercises for summoning fire or controlling plants and reading Magic made easy. I'm definitely improving but I'm not sure if I have enough time to do this.

"You are so lucky," Jenna says in absolute awe. "I wish that I could find out what my elemental power is." I'm shocked; surely they should all have mastered theirs by now? Alex explains that they only allow you once you've completed your physical training. "Why did they allow me then?" I already knew the answer but I'm not just gonna say 'Ya, well, I'm a seeker so they need to train me so I can try to not - you know - die'. At least I'm not gonna tell them yet. "So who does have powers here?" Katie glances over at Beth and Justin on another table. "Them, though they're still learning. Justin controls water and she controls fire, which kinda makes them a weird couple but whatever, right? They're a few others here and there but usually you get moved to a different institute when you get them."

It's June the 20th. The day before my birthday, the day before I make my first 'jump'. I'm with Madam Hilt in our usual room when suddenly I feel a huge rush of energy flowing through me, I feel as though something inside me has been...unlocked is the only way I can put it. A smile spread across my teacher's face. "Finally," she says. "You've passed the barrier. There is nothing more I can do for you, girl. I must say that I'm quite impressed; I've never had a student learn that quickly... I have something for you, it was my mother's - she mastered the earth element as well - anyway I think that you will find more use of it than I will. Treat it kindly." She brings out a large piece of cloth and unfolds it. My heart nearly skips a beat as she hands me the dagger and sword concealed in it. They have a rough texture though they are still deadly sharp and the oddest thing is that they're both green. When I ask her why they are she puts on a secretive smile and just tells me there is a reason for everything. "Thank-you for training me, Madam Hilt. You truly are a great teacher." I don't have an over-whelming fondness for her but it seems like the right thing to say. She puts her hand on my shoulder, "Or maybe you're just a great student."

I go to lunch and sit at my table but Justin and Zack come and ask Nick and I to move to a table so we can talk 'privately'. "Listen," Zack says with a gentle almost sad tone. "There's something we need to tell you." He stares into my eyes. I nod and Justin decides to finish this conversation. "It's the reason why you had to be trained so quickly. The thing is you're what they call a Seeker and tomorrow on your birth-"

I cut him off with a wave of my hand and tell them I already know everything, I stand up to leave but Justin grabs my wrist. With a confused expression he asks me how and I glare at him. "I believe it was a specific conversation that I overheard in which the phrase used was 'she's as good as dead,' " I snap at him and head back to Jenna.

"What did he want to tell you?" Jenna asks as soon as I sit down in my seat. "Listen, guys there's something you need to know which concerns my birthday tomorrow." Jenna starts rambling on about throwing a party. I decide the best way tell them is to show them so I pull my locket out from under my shirt and they all stare at it in silence. Alex cocks his head. "But that's a seeker's necklace..." I nod my head and their eyes widen in realization. Jenna shakes her head, "NO. no this can't happen... not to you." I tell them it's all right and thank them for being great friends, then head off to my room before I have to deal with their awkward tears.

"It's open," I say and Zack enters the room. He sits down next to me and tells me that he believes in me, that I can do this. I give him a weak smile and then he says something that leaves me speechless. "I'm coming with you."