Academy of Elements: Earth

Chapter 3: Bloom of Fear

I wake at about one. Six back at home, but here, one in the morning. The underground lake grows with a low diamond light shimmering in waves across the bleach white walls. Stalagmites dip into the water creating ripples surfacing along the glowing surface. I sit from bed and walk to my desk. I turn on my phone the bright light lighting the room in an iridescent light. I switch on the lights, the low lights flashing on. I let out a sigh pulling out my laptop from my bag and sitting it on my desk. I was tired, but still needed to unpack. I hang my clothes in the closet swiftly and the put out a few books on my desk. Simple.Pulling on my a white shirt I walk from my room. Stepping down the stairs I sit at the bottom step. An outline sits on the fountain rim. "Nora?

She twists around sending a blast of Ice at me. The blast throws me into the wall I lean against. I stand, the hoar frost on my shirt making my chest ache. She blasts the ice off of me as I sit down beside her. "What do you want?" She asks standing up and twisting around to face me. Her eyes are read.

"I- couldn't sleep." I say standing.

She rolls her eyes walking away and up to her door.

"Sorry." I say.

She turns around. "Just stay out of my way Jaxon."

"Whats your problem with me Nora?"

"I've been raised hate you. My grandparents and parents both support Darkness, what he will do to our kind."

"Your kind?"

"Death Hunters dumb ass." She growls. "Our blood runs different than yours. Ours is black, and we have been shunned from most of the magical society. And if you freaking kill him then all of us will be executed, the last group, fifty thousand people dead, t his time it will more.

"How did your parents survive?"

"They hid." She says slowly.

She turns around with a sad smile and turns into her room. I stand there looking at her door for a while before sitting back down on the fountain rim. The stars shine brightly like diamonds in a field of coal.

Why hadn't anyone told me about the Death Hunters? I sit down on the fountain, picking a pencil and paper from the ground. I draw. I hadn't drawn in a while, my passion had since faded since my job had begun, only occasionally did I draw now. Slowly, I spiral my pencil, weaving a thin line around and around, pushing it harder and harder until the pencil cracks. The lead leaves a smudge as I stand slowly heaving in a breath of remorse.

I sit at the fountain in the sun stains the sky russet and the world comes alive. Birds singing in a melody of tweets and twitters. A warm breeze washes into the area as the sun lights the world with its soft and hence forth soothing glow. The trees that line the hole filter the light into rich golden strands, the odd shadow of a branch dancing in the pools of gold. Some people make their way out of the door walking down the stair way. John walks beside me.

"John." I say.

He turns.

"You're here?" He questions.

"Me and the others gave a speech yesterday."

"I got here late yesterday." He says rubbing his eyes.

He walks down the stairs. I stand there for a minute confused but then follow the stream of people down. I think about John, there was still one question I dreaded asking, Do you still work for Darkness. One thing I had found out over the break was Darkness had a more normal name, Zenorith. I had agreed with the other five to meet at the fountain at six, and hence there we meet.

We walk into the cafeteria sitting back at Haleys table Food arrives a few minutes later, blander than back at The Academy of Elements, and much more healthy. The bell rings in an hour. Finishing my coffee with a gulp I stand and look down at my time table.