Falling

Just Another Day

I should explain, this is not a regular school. This is a school for "special" kids. And when I say special, I mean special.

All kids who come here are broken down into four groups. All of us are special, because we are able to control one of the major elements, either, earth, fire, water, or air. these are the four groups. I'm in the fire group, and am one spot away from leading it.

Today I'm challenging Nicholas Stone for the head spot in the fire group. He's the meanest kid in the school, and isn't that powerful, but has powerful friends in other groups. He got to the top spot by lying, cheating, and threatening the students that he challenged. I'm going to kick his butt.

Everyone here starts out at the bottom of the pack. No matter what age or how powerful you are when you first arrive, you always start at the bottom. Some kids have find out about their power early and have already gotten really good with it when they get here. Others have only just found out about their powers when they get here, and have a bit of a harder time.

When we use our powers, it isnt how most people invision someone using an element. With fire, I am able to use it by summoning fireballs and things, but since I like close combat, I use it to fortify my sword, and to add a little extra pop to my swipes and punches when I fist fight.

Here at school, we are taught how to use our powers for close combat and for duels of "magic". I don't like the word magic when in this situation. We don't use magic, exactly, we simply bend the elements to our will.

We are trained to fight the Reapers, the Controllers, as we're called, who have gone bad. They choose to use their powers to try to take over and conquer the regular mortals, because they think that they are better than them.

When they abandon us, they give up their control over their element, but they learn something new. From where we aren't sure, but they learn how to call forth monster, hidious demons straight from their own imaginations. The strongest can even get inside their opponents' heads and conjure monsters from their opponents deepest fears.

We train in London, and directly under Big Ben is our main training facility.

We've captured a few of the creatures that the Reapers have sent after us. We've trained them to scent out Controllers but not to harm them, and we use them to locate potential students.

No one knows about us, and that's the way we like it. 

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Downstairs, I ate a quick breakfast of a piece of toast and creal, sat back, and watched the students come down the steps to eat before first period, which is fist fighting.

Finally, I see who I've been waiting for. Chris Thames, my best friend. He's also a Fire Controller, but like long-range fighting better than close combat. He's about 6'0", and has black hair. He has a bit more of a distance runner's build, strong and lithe.

He's not as strong as I am, but is very agile, and is still vey good in close combat.

"Hey man," he greets me, dragging himself over to my table. "Why you up so early?"

"Oh, nothing important, just woke up feeling fresh," I lie, but what else can I tell him. I had a bad dream, I just couldn't go back to sleep. He'd probably be laughing at me all the way through next week. "So, you ready for training today?"

"No, dude, I never am, it's always too early," he whines, just like he does every day. I tell, you, I have never met anyone who loves to sleep as much as he does.

"Are you coming to my challenge match?" He always forgets things like this. I wonder if he will again.

"Dude, that's today! Dang, I forgot!"