The Elementals: The Rise of the Deviants

Chapter 19

Derrek and Helena continued talking and my mind slipped as I looked outside. The rain had let up slightly but dark clouds still clustered throughout the sky. I breathed in deeply and felt the dewy atmosphere fill me, revitalising me with every breath. After the weeks of having the moisture sucked out of me, and everything surrounding me, I seemed to have developed a deep appreciation for the simplest amount of dew hanging in the air.

“Val, tell Derrek he needs to lighten up” Helena turned to face me with an amused expression colouring her face.

“Oh, I don’t know if I should...” I replied with a straight face.

“See? She has my back-“

I interrupted Derrek as a smile crept onto my face, “I mean, that’s the last thing you want to tell a Fire-abled when his arm is slung around your body. He might set me on fire!” Derrek threw me an unamused look while Helena and I burst out laughing, just enjoying the little pleasures in this dark and gloomy time.

“So, what class is this for anyway? I’ve lost track of what we have since everything has basically changed now” Derrek asked while we waited in a large empty classroom filled with at least thirty other students.

“First aid, I think?” Helena answered him, “I think it’s actually going to be quite interesting. All other Ableds have never had to do this kind of class before. Usually it’s just down to the Healers but what with Healers being quite a small group and the enormity of the impending war... I guess Mr Obsidian decided it was a good idea that everyone looks out for everyone.”

I looked around and noticed the Elementals weren’t in here with us. “Where’d the Elementals go? I thought they were walking with us?”

“They weren’t in this class because, well... their abilities don’t really have a way of doing first aid right? I mean Cameron has a better chance of breaking bones, with Bree and Sophia, well, wind manipulating and shift shaping won’t do much for helping anyone who’s injured, that goes for Michelle and Leah as well.”

“And then Evanesce and Chimera become a shadow... hard luck that’ll help anyone who’s bleeding out” Derrek jumped in.

I took in what they were saying and guessed they had a point. “So this class is mainly for Abled then, I suppose?”

“Looks like it”

“Except for me” I turned and noticed Blake was standing behind us with his hands stuffed into his pockets. “I guess it’s because my abilities is similar to Water-ableds” He shrugged.

The chatter around the room was loud. I could feel the excitement oozing from everyone as they clustered together in groups and wondered who would teach us and how it would all be done. I was extremely curious as well. I’d seen Derrek use his fire abilities to stop bleeding several times already and it made me wonder how he knew to do that. I was just about to ask him when Ms Insolita, our Abilities Tutorial teacher strode in looking flustered. Ms Insolita’s hair was frazzled more than normal and I put it down to the weather outside. She hurriedly walked over to the desk that sat front and centre, tripping over her long sequined dress a couple of times, and by the time she had composed herself and turned to face us several students were chuckling quietly.

“Hello students! Welcome, welcome to First Aid, for those who haven’t had me as their tutor my name is Ms Insolita. I am Earth-abled but well equipped to tutor many Ableds on their abilities. As you may know, it is not the norm for non-Healers to learn First Aid and this is because we’ve never had the need to since The Stinger Eradication... I take it you all still remember your History? However, even during that war it was solely up to the Healers to heal the injured. Does anyone know why this impending war may be any different?”