Elements Academy (Book One)

Chapter Seven

     I stare in shock at the only thing inside of the cage in the grip of the dragon's tails. A lone girl's shape is outlined against the darkness, her legs brought up to her chest, and her arms wrapped around them. She's shivering in the cold of the Demon Forest. I watch her, but she doesn't do anything but huddle in the cage's corner and shiver. Pity builds up inside of me as I stare at her, and I make my mind up right here that I'd have to get her out of here.

     She doesn't seem like seem like a threat at all. Just a poor lonely girl locked up for no reason. I try to think of a way to get her attention without waking the dragon up again. I step closer yet, holding my breath. The girl doesn't move. I slowly make my way to her cage, stepping over the deadly points of the dragon's tails, and tap on the bars very slightly.

     The girl on the inside jumps and whips around, and for the first time, I get a good look at her in the moonlight. She seems to be the age of a third or fourth year with long black hair down to her waist, and paper-white skin. Probably from being locked out here for so long, where it's always night. But that part of her that really catches my attention is her eyes. They're bright yellow, almost glowing in the dark as she gazes at me. I stare as I realize that cat like slits she has as pupils. I shake off the shock of seeing her up close, and lean in.

     "I'll get you out of here," I whisper, and her eyes soften. She stands up and looks around. The strange girl is wearing a thin black T-shirt with a tear here and there, and tattered jeans. When I look down, I see she's wearing no shoes.

     "How?" She croaks back, as if she hasn't spoken in a long time. She wanders to the part of the cage I'm standing near, and grips the bars helplessly. I study the lock. Needs a key. Luckily, I know how to pick locks. I slip a bobby pin out of my hair, and twist it to match the shape f the lock. Then I jam it into the lock and twist. With a click, the cage's door opens, and I step back.

     The girl stares at me for a moment, looking unsure, then she slowly slips through the cage's door, and looks up at me. Slowly a smile creeps across her face, and she pulls me into a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you!" She whispers gratfully, before pulling away.

     "No problem," I respond, grinning back. "We should get away from this thing before it wakes up." I say, jerking a thumb at the sleeping dragon. The girl nods, and we run off in the other direction, back through the Demon Forest.

     "You're not supossed to be here," The girl looks at me. "Haven't they named this place forbidden because of the creatures here?" We stop in a small moonlit clearing, but I'm still on my toes, watching out for any of the things I'd run into earlier. "And because of...." She pauses and glances up at me, those cat like eyes glinting in the moonlight. "..me?"

     I hesitate. "...Yes..." I finally decide to answer. "But I wanted to know what that dragon was guarding. Everything deserves a chance at life, after all." I look at her. "Why wold Linzey want to lock you up? You don't seem like a threat."

      She sighs. "Linzey just doesn't trust people like me. We're not like you." She replies, but never specifies. I tilt my head in confusion.

     "What do you mean?" 

     "I..." She sighs, and starts walking again. "I weild more elements than the average elemental. For example. I know how to conduct lighting or large storms. Sometimes even shadows, or my own enemies."

     I don't say anything. Hm. She doesn't seem to be talking about any elements that I know about. I look at her. "What's your name?"

     "Nocturna Serah." She replies, her odd eyes glinting in the moonlight.

     Strange name... I think to myself, but I go on. "How long were you locked in there?"

     She sighs. "I've been locked up there sense my first year. I'd be a fourth year right now if I'd still be in school."