Why Me?: Chosen By Nova B1

C2: The Gift

Rayla sprinted down a narrow street, crossed a field, slipped pass the dilapidated fence and dashed into the woods, not daring to glance back even once. She leapt over the roots of trees, remains of thorn bushes and trampled over the fallen leaves as she made her way through the dense forest, nimbly dodging all obstacles.

At some point Rayla failed to avoid a clump of thorns allowing them to hold onto her pants and bring her tumbling down a small slope. She let out a startled cry and attempted to hold on to something but failed miserably; no amount of dirt she dug her nails into prevented her from sliding to the slope's base.

After coming to an abrupt stop as she hit the bottom, Rayla sat up and began to remove the leftover thorns which so stubbornly gripped her pants even after such a fall. Midway through, tears slowly began to stream down her face and by the time she'd finished, she was all out sobbing, all the while thinking of the most recent events.

"Nova, did I do something terrible enough to deserve such a cruel punishment? Did I not meet some requirement for being an elemental so you just skipped me? Surely that's what the gold tendrils mean. I am nothing but a dud. But how can this be if both my parents are elementals? I always knew that my luck was slim but not once did I think it would be this bad. And above that you made Valerie the one thing I wanted to be, a Fire Elemental."

With her last statement Rayla fell silent for several seconds before giving a deep sigh, "I can't blame Valerie, she did nothing wrong. Even still, I always wanted to be like my dad when I grew up. To be a Fire Elemental so he could teach me, so I could make him proud. But thing is he isn't even here anymore and I don't even have a single element much less fire. I'm nothing but a failure."

"And why would you ever consider yourself a failure?"

In hearing the familiar voice Rayla's head snapped upwards, to then reveal an expression of utter awe as she faced what awaited her. Standing only a few feet away was her supposedly deceased father, his smiling face showing that he hadn't aged a bit over the last five years.

"D-Dad, is that really you?" asked Ralya, unable to believe that it was truly her father standing before her. Holding her head in her hands she continued wordlessly, "Oh Nova, I've finally lost it."

"The one and only, Munchkin."

That was all Rayla needed to hear before running up to her father to embrace him, all the while sobbing and saying how sorry she was for failing him.

As this occurred Ray wiped away her tears and said "Hey, sweetie there is nothing to be sorry for. You've made me very proud and you've grown up to be a beautiful young lady. I'm the one who should be apologizing for having left so soon, but Nova needed me for a time such as this."

"Dad, what do you mean?"

After a brief moment of silence Ray replied, "You know that Nova is connected to all elementals right?" upon seeing his daughter nod Ray continued, "But as you've recently found out, you aren't exactly a normal elemental, the gold tendrils made sure of that. That's where I come in."

"What?" began Rayla, her expression showed nothing but confusion, "Does that mean I am an elemental?" she asked as her hope was being rekindled.

Her father however paid no attention to her question but instead stared intently into the distance, his eyes trained on nothing and everything as if trying to spot a creature or listening for something. After several seconds Ray finally turned towards his daughter, his expression one of sadness and urgency, "We don't have much time. Nova wanted to give you a gift but since she could not do so herself, she had me deliver it."

Ray then pulled out a medium size box decorated with black and red jewels and placed it in Rayla's hands. As his daughter wondered just where he'd kept such a thing Ray said, "Take good care of this box and whatever lies inside, and don't open it until you're settled at the academy. I wish I could explain everything to you to prepare you for what lies ahead but time is of essence. I must return, go on back to the town center quickly, everyone's waiting for you."

"Dad wait! I don't understand! Don't go!" said Rayla sounding frantic as she watched her father become more translucent by the second.

Lowering his head slightly to plant a kiss on his now crying daughter's forehead, Ray continued, "You've made me proud munchkin and you always will. I love you. Also tell your mom that I love her ok?"

"Please don't go..." replied Rayla softly before falling to the ground as she once again found herself alone in the forest. For a moment she wondered if it'd all been a cruel yet wonderful dream, but in seeing the box clasped within her hands, such thoughts were quickly erased.

After staring at the box for several seconds, Rayla wiped away her tears before beginning her walk back to the town center. Just as she went to leave the area where the fantastical events had taken place, Rayla turned to where her father once stood and said, "I love you too dad."

As she made her way back up the narrow street which led to the town center, Delan noticed her and informed everyone of her arrival. Myra then came up to her and said that she too needed to come to the academy, so they could figure out why the staff had such a peculiar reaction to her. After briefing Rayla, Myra turned her attention to the small group gathered.

"Attention everyone. I'd like all of you to return home to collect your belongings, we will be heading to the academy shortly. Pack light, taking at most three days worth of supplies. The rest of your belongings should be taken later today or tomorrow by other means of transportation. It is currently mid-day so you have roughly an hour to pack, bid farewell to your family and to meet back here. You are dismissed."

Seeing that they understood what was required of them, Myra left and the group of teens as they promptly went to do as instructed, many of them noting the sternness of the woman.

Not long after this did Rayla arrive home to her eagerly awaiting mother, "How was it? What elemental are you darling don't keep your old lady wai-" began Layla before stopping mid-sentence as she took notice of her daughter's expression and the fabulous box she held. "Darling what's wrong? And where did you get that box?"

"Well..." began Rayla before taking in a gulp of air, "The staff reacted all strange to me so I ran to the forest but then a thorny bush caught my pants and caused me to fall down a slope and then I started crying because I realized I might not be an elemental and then I said some stuff about being a failure but as I did I heard a voice so I looked up and then..." finally pausing to breathe, half due to oxygen deprivation and the other due to knowing the gravity of what she was about to say, Rayla continued, "I saw dad."

Hearing her words her mother's eyes widened in shock, "It's true mom. He told me that Nova sent him to give me this box and that I shouldn't open it until I'm settled at the academy. He said there was no time to explain but wanted me to know that he was proud of me and loves us both. I went back to the center and Myra said that I will still be going to the academy to find out what those gold tendrils mean. I don't know what to believe or do anymore mom"

By the end of her daughter's explanation Layla was silently crying, going forward to hug her daughter she said, "I'm not sure what you are supposed to do but I know that you will do the right thing and I believe in you honey, and if your dad said to not open that box until you're at the academy then you shouldn't. I am not sure what is going on but I'm still sure you'll be just as great. I already packed your stuff so come have lunch before you head back."

After eating Rayla realized that forty-five minutes had already past, likely due to the small talk she and her mother shared about the day's events. Without delay she retrieved her bag and the box her father gave her and then said her goodbyes to her mother, wrapping her in a bear hug in the process. She then headed to the town center for the third time that day, somehow knowing that it wasn't a trip she'd be making again for a very long time.