The Power of the Elemental Crystals

Chapter 7 - Revelations

I just stood there, frozen from shock for a while.

Noah Jackson.

"Hello, Ellie. I'm sorry we had to reunite this way." His expression was unreadable and my confusion was only growing.

Sally and Matt followed close on my heels the entire time. They currently stood just a few feet behind me, exactly as speechless as I was.

After what seemed like an eternity, I was able to formulate a response, even if it wasn't a very good one.

"What do you want from me?" I inquired cautiously, not wanting to provoke anything.

"Do you have powers?" The question was very straightforward, which only meant I had to reply the same way.

"You already know the answer to that." I said. He wouldn't be asking me that if he didn't already know prior to this conversation we were having.

"Yeah, I suppose I do." He pondered for a moment before continuing. "Then I'm sorry for what's going to happen."

My gaze had been shifting towards the floor, up until he said that. "What do you mean?" I asked, looking directly into his eyes.

He just shook his head and turned the other way. "I have no choice."

Those were his final words before he took off the opposite direction.

"Wait! Noah!" I called out in a desperate attempt to get him to come back. He couldn't expect to just say that and leave me hanging like this, could he?

"Ellie, stop. It's pointless." Matt grabbed the back of my hoodie when he saw me trying to race after Noah.

"Why, Matt?!" I yelled at him and broke free from his grasp, but Noah was already out of sight and maybe, just maybe, Matt was right about it being pointless. But nonetheless, I was annoyed about him thwarting my plans off the rail.

"If he didn't want to say anything, then you chasing after him isn't going to do anything." He examined slowly, making sure I was comprehending what he was saying.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Yeah, okay. Whatever." I mumbled, kicking at the gravel underneath my shoes. "What do you think he meant, anyway?"

"I don't know. It's best if all of us just stay away from him for the time being." He advised. "C'mon, lets go back."

"Yeah, Matt's right." I had almost forgotten about Sally being in the vicinity, but she announced her presence again.

"Mhm..." I murmured, walking back to the water fountain.

"We'll get to the bottom of this, I promise." Matt offered as consolation.

"Yeah.." I muttered, half-believing him.

"We can discuss our theories." He tried again.

"Sure." I said tersely, continuing the chain of one-worded replies.

"Alright, so we know that something is going to happen, based on what Noah said. We also know that he knows that the powers exist, but so far he only suspects you." He recited.

"Yeah. And the black grass." I chimed in.

"Yup, that too." He pondered for a minute. "Wait, you know how our hair changes color according to our powers?"

"Yeah." I responded.

Sally, who had been walking beside us silently, suddenly made a realization. "Guys. Noah has black hair."

Black hair was a natural hair color, but Sally had a point. Noah's hair may be black only because of his powers.

"Yeah.... could it be?" Matt inquired in a hushed voice.

"Could be. I would take that into consideration." Sally said.

"Interesting." I added. "Why do you think Noah's doing this?"

"I don't know. This isn't like him." Matt took a seat by the bleachers as we arrived.

"You're right. Could someone be forcing him to do this?" Sally sat beside him, and I took the spot on the opposite side.

"I really don't know. But I think that is the more likely situation." I bent down to tie my shoelaces, which had become undone from all the running.

"I agree with Ellie." Sally acknowledged. "So, what type of stone do you guys think he has?"

"Well, if he has one, it's going to have to be black. So I'm thinking coal." Matt said.

"Coal doesn't really seem right to me. The types of stones we have are crystals, which are pretty prestigious. I think the closest match for Noah would be obsidian." I announced with a hint of certainty. When it came to science, I had the upper hand.

"Alright. So that sets our plan." Matt conspired. "The next time we see him at school, we're going to search his backpack for his magical stone."

"Sounds good." Sally and I confirmed.

I was determined to end this once and for all.