Ridley's Academy for the Mystically Gifted

Chapter 1

Rhiannon

The new girl peeked nervously into the classroom, her face a brilliant red. Some people sniggered, whispering as she ducked back out into the corridor. The school councillor stepped inside, and glared at the smirking teens. "This is our new student, Milly Whiting."

A few people perked their heads up in interest, smiling at the tiny blonde. Professor Sytes shook her hand and welcomed Milly warmly, "It is so good to have you here. We're starting a new topic in class today, so hopefully you wont be too far behind."

I laugh along with the rest of the class as she catches sight of the many large glass tanks that take up the teachers desk. Her eyes widen in surprise when she sees the assortment of snakes and lizards that are housed in them.

Professor Sytes realises this to, as she quickly says, "Things are a bit... different at our school, you may find. But you'll soon get used to it. If you sit next to Rhiannon, I'm sure she'll be able to answer any questions you have."

I smiled warmly as Milly came and sat beside me, staring around the room in wonder. As Sytes began to continue with her introduction to our latest topic, the small girl asked me nervously, "I-is this really a school of magic?"

I nodded. "Yep. It's a bit hard to absorb, isn't it?"

"Not really, when they first told me, I knew it was true. I just needed to hear it from someone else. And is this class really-"

"Non-Human Communication? Yes, it's not my forte, but Eve is an expert."

The girl next to me looked over at the sound of her name, and held out her hand to Molly. "Was Nonny talking about me? I'm her room-mate, Eve."

"Hmm..." I ignored her ridiculous nickname for me, and tried to listen to what the teacher was saying as Eve and Milly continued talking over my head. Our new subject was reptilian communication, and I doubted I'd show any more expertise in this than any other of the sub-subjects.

All of a sudden, the door burst open, and a grinning boy stumbled in, waving a hand in apology. "Sorry, professor. I got a little lost on the way here," Jake Rivas took a seat behind me, laughing idiotically.

I sighed, and tried to join in Milly and Eve's chat about school. Just as I opened my mouth, Sytes finished her lecture and assigned partners. Being new to the class, Molly was given Eve, the top student, as a work mate, leaving me alone.

One of the things I hated about Non-Human Comunication class was the fact that it was utterly humiliating. I was expected to attend all classes on account of the fact that I was special. Every Mystic (A person gifted with magical ability) had the power of one of the five elements; Fire, Earth, Water, Air and Spirit. But I was different. For some reason unknown to me, I have the power over almost all of them.

Each element has it's own abilities, such as Spirit Mystics are often telepaths, telekinetics or healers. And while I can harness the elements, I have no such abilities from any of them, and so I spent entire lessons of this class talking aimlessly to animals or inanimate objects.

With the rest of the class, I filed to the front of the classroom and removed a reptile from one of the glass tanks. Unable to control any of the creatures, I dipped a hand into one of the non-venomous tanks and scooped out a small gecko.

Carrying him back to my desk, I stared into his eyes and said, "You can't understand me, can you?"

The gecko said nothing.

Sighing, I swivelled around in my seat and watched my class mates. Milly smiled from across the room as she caught me watching, waiting as Eve brought a snake over. She glanced at the reptile and grinned at Eve, then, realising what she shad seen, her jaw dropped and horrostruck, she choked out, "Eve, that is a taipan."