Elementals II: Prophecies (DISCONTINUED)

~ Chapter 9 ~

Year: 3205
The Military Academy

Blaze:
"So, I'm guessing we've both been through hell and back in just one day. That has to be some sort of record, don't you think?" Ember says as I look up from my hands for a moment. She has her way with words, I'll give her that much. In the beginning I didn't care for much 'girls talk', but lately, like the last two months, I've actually found it helpful. I hope that becomes the case now too. I need that more than ever I sense. "What's going on with you?" Ember suddenly asks me and I look back down on my hands that are resting on my knees and my legs are in a cross.

Where do I even begin? Do I start with the fact that Senior Pool is actually dead, or that Breeze knew this whole time and kept that from me these past two months, or do I go with the fact that today, I killed a Senior, an actual human being. "Seems like you've got more than a handful inside your head this time. Apparently there are some good news..." I turn my head towards her confused. "What?" "Not really sure if I should even be saying it. I thought my day was bad, but looking at you...someone's had worse than me." I sigh deeply to myself as I look out over the armory.

Ember apparently found this spot one day when she was out exploring on her own. Rain doesn't know about it and neither does Breeze...it's kind of the point. After that thing with the two Elementals getting killed, Ember and I have sort of used this place to get away from them...our secretive partners that is. However right now I want to slap Ember for shoving it in my face that I've had a terrible day. If I could just hurt her without actually hurting her, that would do me so much good, but...it wouldn't change any of the things that I have just learned.

After quite a while of silence, Ember finally seems to realize that this is not something that I'm faking. "Oh...this is serious, isn't it?" She asks after a while. I almost find myself laughing at it. Serious? This? No, not at all! "What can possibly make you think that it's anything serious? What can be so serious about Breeze keeping Senior Pool's death away from me for two months, let alone the fact that Senior Pool is dead? Oh, and while we're at it, what is the big deal about killing a Senior anyway?" I realize I've just unleashed all of it and then some when I look down on my hands.

This is not the first time that I notice that my hands have caught on fire without me actually doing it on purpose. I switch it down as I sense my entire body shaking. This is all just too much. Ember sits there speechless, just looking at me as I sit here by myself fighting with whatever I have left to keep myself under control. "I don't even know...it's just too much." I let out after a while as I look down on my hands and my palms close after a while. I hear Ember take a deep breath as she finally seems to catch the seriousness of this.

"Who else knows about this? About Senior Pool and...and that other guy..." She asks and I keep looking down at my hands. "Breeze as mentioned...and the Grand Master..." I let out and I catch her eyes widen just a little bit. "Breeze was a no-brainer, but the actual Grand Master? I would've thought he was the kind of person you'd keep it away from." She goes on. I nod weakly to myself. For the most part, I agree with her. He would be the kind of person I'd hide a thing like this from...at least by the first impression I had of him, but now...now I'm not so sure.

"I should be terrified and shitting my pants about this, right? I mean, Breeze and I, at first, came here with an idea of a connection between the Grand Master and Senior Pool. Pool acted as though there was something we weren't supposed to know about the Grand Master so that image has been imprinted to my mind, but..." I stop for a moment, searching for the words. "...but I don't see what that could have been." I let out as Ember looks at me confused. "What is that supposed to mean?" She asks. "He's not going to do anything about it...about the dead Senior. He doesn't want to kick me out, but rather help me." Just that sentence alone is enough to stir something up inside of me.