Eira was caught in the rain when she left the library. She had borrowed fresh books— some fiction books for herself and some textbooks for the dreadful essay she had to write.
Eira reached out her hand, letting the rain collect in her palms and slip away. She chuckled to herself as other students looked at her like she was mad. She twirled her fingers, and the rain particles began to move around her like fairies in a forest. She let them follow her to shelter, a garden folly that has seen history.
She shook off the rainwater and laughed at herself.
"Might want to get that water off before you catch a cold."
She whirled to the side only to see a drenched wet fire boy.
"Jason, you look..." She eyed him top to bottom, earning a bark of a laugh from him.
"Terrible I know. Honesty is the best policy, ice girl." Just as they were speaking, the water began to steam off him, and the air grew misty.
"Hiding in the rain too?" Eira said, just to start conversation. She glanced away as he grinned at her, and she resisted the urge to show signs of nervousness.
"The Spring weather is felt by all fire wielders," Jason rubbed his fingers together to emphasis his point. "We need to use more energy to create a flame. The humidity isn't doing us any good."
"I see."
"And you?"
"Spring is lovely for us. Summer might be more dreadful, but I heard the summer here is pleasant."
"Summer's my favourite season," Jason grew close and sat on the bench, next to where she's standing. "You will like it here."
Eira eyed him carefully, studying his posture, his jawline and the way he sat. Everything about him made her feel slightly easier. She joined him shortly on the stone bench and they watched the rain together.
"I need to tell you something."
"Hm?"
"I'm going to train with you."
Eira snapped her head to him, "No."
"Yes," Jason smirked. "It'll be just like old times. Don't you miss it?"
"Do you?"
Jason looked like he was caught in the middle of thievery. His alarmed expression frozen in time. He quickly turned away, wiping his palm on his lap. "I, uh... it was fun to train with you and the team. I didn't expect it to be, but it was."
"Oh," Eira shrugged. "Well, sure, as long as Lathan doesn't mind."
"He doesn't. Ms Kate already talked about it with him."
"I..." Eira turned in her seat. "Is there something else you're not telling me?"
Jason hesitated a beat before putting a palm on his lower chest. "This... this is worrying Kate."
Eira's forehead grew cold and numb. She shuffled closer and eyed his hand. "What? Your wound?"
The wound I inflicted.
"I thought it was healed. How come-"
"I don't know," Jason closed his eyes, worry etched in his brow. "It pains me, sometimes."
"You're hurting now?"
"A little," Jason breathed carefully and let go. "Training with you might provide some answers, since we were in that incident together."
The rain accompanied the silence, and the silence pained Eira as much as the wound did with Jason.
"And I saw an image of Ms Taylor one night," Jason stifled a chuckle to lighten the mood. "She was like a ghost. She said the exact same things she had said to me before. It freaked me out. It freaked Nick out too."
"I... I saw the same."
Jason's attention went to her instantly, "What?"
"Maybe you're right. This training might help figure things out," she looked to her hand and stood. She glanced at the rain then back at Jason. "Let's start right now."
Jason gestured, "In the rain?"
"Yeah."
Jason eyed the rain warily. "I'd rather not."
Eira stared at him and then laughed, "How do fire wielders even survive in the rain?"
"They don't," Jason joked back, and his eyes lit up into a blazing flame, forcing Eira's smile to falter as she stared at this boy. She'll forever be in debt to him.
***
Jason and Eira agreed that they'd train together in the morning, on the beach. Sand for covering fires quickly and water for Eira if she needed resources. It would be an additional training session besides the one with Lathan.
One morning, after breakfast, Eira began walking down the stone steps toward the beach where she met Jason, who was hidden behind a bush and watching something.
She placed her hand on his shoulder first, but it still startled him. He grabbed onto her, wide eyes turned back in alarm, until he released the tension and smiled, "Oh, it's only you."
"What are you doing?"
He gestured, "Look."
Eira looked to the direction he pointed at. Behind the cove was another stone stairway that led from the schoolground to the beach. And there, she saw a wooden dock along the cliff and a boat parked beside it. On the boat, two men were conversing with someone on the dock.
Eira gasped.
"It's Angie."
"Uh, you know her?"
"She's Jess' roommate."
"Well, she doesn't seem to want us to know she's here."
Eira slapped Jason on the shoulder, "Be quiet."
"I didn't even start this convo."
The men gave Angie a brown bag and Angie opened it to look at what was inside. After being satisfied, she nodded at the men and went back to the stairs. The men unhooked the rope from the dock and pushed their way out to the water.
"Should we stop them?"
"If you want to find out what's happening, better keep this quiet until the right time comes- duck...!"
Jason pushed Eira deeper into the bush.
"She turned," Jason whispered and Eira didn't need to hear more to know what was happening.
They waited for two minutes, and another two just to be sure. Until both peeked their heads above the bush like chipmunks.
"Phew, gone!" Eira breathed.
"What do you think she's doing?" Jason stood and pulled Eira up with him.
"I don't know. What do you think is in that brown bag?"
Jason shook his head, "Money?"
Eira shrugged, "Fair guess. One of the causes for crime."
"You better warn that friend of yours," Jason hopped onto the sand, breathing in the air. He always did that, every day since training began, and Eira liked to watch his carefree self, as though there are no worries in the world.
"I will. And we're going to find out what's going on behind it."
Jason glanced over his shoulder, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"She's the roommate! What if she's dangerous to Jess?"
"Just tell Jess to move to another dorm."
"And what about the next person that moves in with them?"
"None of our business."
Eira rolled her eyes, "So cruel, Abbott."
"Last name basis now, are we, Riley?"
Eira raised both hands, "You started it."
***
Eira's hands were shaking. Above their heads, two dragons swam together as fluid as though they were in water. Jason was standing behind her, equally in awe.
"Remember those two?"
"I've never seen them this clearly before," Eira said absentmindedly. She could see the glistening scales along her water dragon's body, sometimes the dragon appeared in its shape and sometimes it went back to water, twirling around the fire.
"Not too bad, is it?"
Eira glanced at Jason and said nothing. Caution never left her, she always had Jason at the corner of her eyes, in case something goes wrong, and she'd be the one to push him out of the way. History could not repeat itself.
"Okay, Eira, slowly..." Jason waved his right arm down, and his dragon left the water dragon and came obediently to his side. Eira could feel the dragon's flames and part of its anger, the heat pouring off it in waves.
Jason seemed to have sensed something too, he lowered his flames with a flick of his wrist and the dragon's form melted into solely flames.
This is fine, this is fine... Eira let her own dragon melt away and slowly, the two stepped in a circle around each other, not letting go of their forces and control on their elements.
"You ready?"
Eira forced a nod and moved away from Jason. She sliced the air, put her arms at the side and waited for Jason's next move but Jason did not hesitate. He struck first with a whip of fire. Eira stumbled a step back before putting up a defence with a water wall, her water hissing in pain.
Eira dodged to the side, drawing water from the ocean in a pivot. She threw it, casting an umbrella above Jason's head. She pulled the water down and it rained upon him, but with Jason's raised palm, the water evaporated under his fire.
"Come on, Eira, fight me for real."
"I am fighting you."
Jason quickened his pace, his footsteps were light and fast and Eira was forced to keep up. She struck harder, executed ice and water in measured but precise movements. The water cut through the air so fast it sent a vibration in the air, Jason side-stepped to dodge it, almost stumbling to the ground.
"Whoa!"
"You hurt!?"
"No! Keep it coming!"
Eira's confidence grew with each encouragement and each hit. She slowly began to realise how long she was able to maintain the fight with someone like Jason, up to the point the two of them were forced to sneak for breaks in between their grapple and catch their breath. Except, one or the other wouldn't let that last too long.
Jason leaped to the side, rolling to a stand. His fingertips dancing with an orange flame, its red tongue flickering. He was breathing hard but his boyish grin never left him as he stared Eira down. Eira was in equal state. She circled her fingers and brought the water back up again.
"I'm not going to let you beat me so easily."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
With a step, both were charging toward each other. Eira thought back to what Lathan taught her. She crossed her right leg to the left. Once her leg connected with the ground, she pushed her off with a sprout of ice. She flipped, her back arched and the water spinning with her snowflakes. She caught Jason's copper eyes, watching her intently, trying to gauge her next strike, but she was faster.
Putting her arms forward, the water force was strong enough to penetrate Jason's fire wall. It hit him square in the chest and sent him flying onto the sand. Eira landed, already spotting Jason's recovery. Momentarily, fear had seized her, clutched her throat like a devil's hand, but seeing Jason up and moving, courage had returned.
Both of them raised their hands and their elements roared, aiming for the sky, caving both of them inside. Jason faced his palm outwards, his laughter carried to her ears.
"This is what I'm talking about, Eira!"
Eira grinned back, her fingers waving. The particles cooled the blood in her palms, and she felt their movements. Then, a slip. A branch breaking in an eerie and silent forest. A misstep on the stairs. Eira shut her fists immediately but she knew something called inevitability.
She wanted to shout but she could hear the screams of her own core and her power soaring through the wind, the water blending with the storm she created. And within her, she felt a dark power grow.
***
A/N
Author: Eira, when life gives you lemons...
Eira: Don't. Just... don't.