00. PROLOGUE
Destruction.
Bloodshed.
Ruin.
These were merely a small number of the trials faced by the first men. Their very existence defined by endless war— not only against the savage creatures and illnesses that plagued the world, but against one another.
Some claim the fragments of humanity divided itself into twelve factions to protect itself in this era where survival wasn’t promised, and mercy was unheard of.
In a final bid for survival, they set aside their differences to discuss what could be done to save themselves.
Whispers of an ancient tree that could grant any wish were exchanged among them. It would involve some kind of ritual– one that invokes ancient powers that were long since forgotten. This was a united effort in hopes of another chance for all, not just one faction or another. A leader from each of the remaining clans gathered in a search for this ancient tree, acknowledging that their failure meant their demise.
After much travel, trials and tribulations, the first men encountered the wish-granting tree. This tree was hidden deep within the caves of a forest that none of them had heard of or seen before. Encircling the sacred Tree of Life, the remnants of the first men offered their most cherished artifacts, salvaged from what was left of their shattered homes.
When offering their artifacts to the tree, each whispered a silent prayer for victory over their enemies. When the twelfth and final artifact was offered, the tree began to glow with a spectrum of colors.
This array was an indication from the Tree of Life that their prayers had been answered. Twelve powers were bestowed upon the twelve individuals who had sacrificed the last piece of their homes in hopes of a second chance.
First, the powers of the physical world were granted. The mantle of Gaia, now known as Earth; then Gale, or Air. Ignis, Fire and finally Aqua, otherwise known as Water.
Followed by Flora, dominion over plant life, herbs and other greenery. Fauna, the ability to control animals as well as the ferocious beasts.
Astro. Now referred to simply as “Space,” was the control of the very fabrics of reality.
Then, the Metaphysical elements were granted.
Chrono. Now titled “Time,” was the manipulation of the concept of time. Both in how it is felt and experienced for oneself and for others.
Psyche. Mind. Absolute dominion over the brain, especially those of conscious beings.
Finally, the powers of mortality and energy themselves were granted.
Aeon or Lux which is now referred to as “Spirit,” was the control of life force, light and healing. This Elementalist’s true form was rumored to set those observing too closely aflame.
On the opposite end, there was “Necro,” or “Nox.” In modern times, this element is referred to as “Decay.” This hero held the ability to dictate the shadows. The element also had the power to control darkness and wielded the ability to bend death to their own will.
These twelve heroes became known as “The Elementalists.” Utilizing their ancient powers, they joined forces and drove away any threat to humanity. This led to many celebrations and feasts dedicated to the fantastic heroes who saved their kind from the brink of extinction.
However, these heroes were not immortal.
One by one, the heroes began to fall. Be it to the hand of those who feared their powers, from other Elementalists, or disease. The Elementalists fell until there was only one remaining: the one who held the mantle of death.
For decades, this hero wanders alone in search of another worthy of the mantle of death. When a worthy candidate is found, the mantle of death is passed down, and the heroes will show themselves once again.
This cycle continues and pledges to vanquish any threat to humanity. Some say that the one who wields the mantle of death is still wandering the Earth to this day, searching for a soul worthy of accepting the mantle.
The legends of these heroes have all but faded and maintain a following through word of mouth or cult followings. Some believe it is simply a story to tell children before bed, but there are others who believe that they will one day be granted the mantle of Decay.
Yet, even some filled with delusions of grandeur search the world in hopes of finding the Tree of Life in order to ascend to Godhood.
The Elementalists, though unseen for centuries, have left their mark on history. Some say they await the hour of humanity’s greatest need to make their great return.
And as that hour approaches, so too will balance.
The Elementalists will rise once again.
01. BRENNA BROWN
“I see,” a woman sat in a leather office chair. Her white lab coat contrasted with her deep umber hair and earth toned skin. “Did these nightmares start recently?”
“Yes,” a young girl with mahogany hair tied in two messy pigtails sat across from the woman. Fear flushed her olive skin. “I don’t know what’s happening to me,” her voice shaking.
The two sat inside the woman, Ms. Vera’s, office. The lights were dimmed and recordings of oceans and soft music filled the room. Despite the cold weather outside, Ms. Vera utilized the small fan on her desk. Bean bags were in the back parts of the room– although tempting, the young girl opted for one of the two leather chairs to avoid falling asleep.
“Can you tell me what happens in these nightmares, Brenna?”
“Um,” Brenna began. “In the one I get the most, I’m in a hospital outfit, I think.”
As Brenna spoke, Ms. Vera nodded her head and took notes on a tablet.
“Except instead of getting help in the hospital, I’m being chased or forced to do really scary stuff. In some of them, they make me use my element, but it’s different.”
“Okay,” Ms. Vera’s hazel eyes met Brenna’s, full of concern. “Different how?”
“There’s always a lot of those blood drawing tubes in my arms,” Brenna shuddered. “And I’m always really beat up. When I use my powers for them, my body just feels more pain. There was one where I used so much of my powers, I thought my heart was going to stop.”
Ms. Vera took more notes on Brenna’s nightmares. The silence made the girl nervous.
“Is there something wrong with me?”
“No,” Ms. Vera answered. “There’s nothing wrong with you, Brenna.”
“How do you know?”
“It happens sometimes– more often than you’d think. It could be triggered by outside stressors or by the recent activation of your element, but you’re not exhibiting anything strange. This same thing has happened to most of your peers.”
“But,” Brenna contested. “I’ve been here for so long! It’s been a whole three months! My Ariquor– that test I took– was so long ago…”
Ms. Vera opened a drawer inside of her office desk and took out a small plastic bag with herbs inside and handed it to Brenna. “Here. This is a natural mix that you can brew to help you sleep better. Make sure to wait to drink this before bed!”
“And it helps with the nightmares? For sure?”
“Yes,” the sincerity was apparent in Ms. Vera’s voice. “It worked for your classmates. It will work for you. If not, we certainly have the resources to find something else to help.”
The moment she touched the bag, her stomach dropped. She believed that Ms. Vera was earnest in wanting to help her solve this problem, so why did it feel as if something was wrong?
“Brenna,” Ms. Vera now spoke with heavier concern in her voice. “Are you okay? I mean, is there anything else causing you trouble?”
“I,” Brenna mumbled and bit her lip. “I don’t know. I think I’ll be okay, probably.”
Ms. Vera was silent, but chose not to press the issue further. “If you feel the opposite for one reason or another, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me, okay?”
“Thank you, Ms. Vera. I’ll try making some of the tea tonight.” Although she had no idea why she felt so on edge with the bag in her hand, she still thanked Ms. Vera and decided to walk to class. She was able to make time to meet with her, although she did miss her Elemental Theory course.
Instead of going to the rest of her courses, Brenna walked back to her room.
As she laid in her bed, the voice of her Elemental Theory 101 teacher, Mr. Webber, echoed in her mind.
“The Flora Elementalist has control over plant life, greenery and herbs.”
Herbs. Brenna shot up in her bed and found the herbal mix from Ms. Vera. She closed her eyes and focused on the mix. She drifted into unconsciousness and awoke exactly where she planned to be: The Flora Realm.
“Brenna?” The voice of Phoebe rang in Brenna’s ears. “How did you–”
“I meditated! Check this out.” Brenna showed the bag to Phoebe. One of the people who work at Caelus gave me this. It’s herbs, but I can’t tell what else is in it… Can you help me?”
“… I see,” Phoebe said as she examined the bag. “Some of these herbs are to assist in sleeping, but why do you need help with that?“
“After we meet, something freaky always happens. I have a nightmare usually right after I talk with you.”
“Brenna.”
“The teacher that gave me this said that it’d be okay after a few days, but–”
“Brenna,” Phoebe’s voice was stern. “Do not, under any circumstances, consume these. Are the other Elementalists at Caelus using this, too?”
“Yes,” shocked by how grave Phoebe’s tone had become, Brenna listened intently.
“Convince them to stop,” Phoebe grabbed Brenna by the hand. “You need to leave Caelus,” Phoebe warned.
02. CAELUS
Being accepted into Caelus Academy was a dream come true. Brenna felt inadequate compared to her older sisters, who had successful lives by her standards. She was far from home, but knew that she needed to excel at Caelus by any means to prove herself.
Giving up and going back home wasn’t an option for Brenna. She knew her parents would welcome her back with open arms, but she also knew that this was something she needed to do on her own.
Following her first few days at Caelus, Brenna learned the following things: that she was the Flora Elementalist, that Caelus itself was a research facility for the Elementalists, and that she’s a lot worse at algebra than she thought. The strange woman in her dreams could be an issue, but not so much as finding y was.
“Who are you?” Brenna could tell she was dreaming, but she asked the woman approaching her anyway– she searched the area, wondering if she was the only other person around.
“I’m Phoebe,” the woman said. “I was the Flora Elementalist before you.”
“Oh,” Brenna nodded. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, then? Where is everyone else?”
The meetings between the two became more frequent– as did the nightmares.
“What’s the deal with the nightmares, Phoebe?”
“They’re not nightmares,” Phoebe turned to face Brenna. “They’re memories.”
“Your memories?”
“Yes,” Phoebe uttered. “If you’re seeing what I believe you are, then you’re experiencing the last few years of my life.”
“I’m sorry,” Brenna frowned.
These memories were enough to make Brenna wake up in a cold sweat. She couldn’t imagine what it’d be like to actually experience them.
In some of her flashbacks, Brenna was confined to a small room, unable to use her powers. During these dreams, Brenna was often bloodied, bruised or both.
Whenever these dreams happen, she always awakens with a gasp and immediately reaches toward her bedside table for her notebook.
“If I could just figure out what happened to Phoebe,” Brenna mumbled as scribbled her thoughts in the notebook, aptly labelled “HINTS.”
“Maybe I can make the nightmares stop…”
Brenna remembered the night Phoebe mentioned that she can’t leave the dreamspace, what she called “the Flora realm.” The only way to help Phoebe, in Brenna’s eyes, was to determine her connection with Caelus.
This meant unraveling the institution before it unraveled her.
She jotted down more hints from what she’s observed in her classmates and teachers. Phoebe. Ms. Vera’s scar. The tea. Hai Yin’s stare. Jacobie’s parents. Phoebe. Phoebe. Brenna closed her eyes, hoping to meet Phoebe again in her dreams.
Her thoughts drifted away as sleep reclaimed her, a darker image presented itself.
“How did the test fail?” a man in a white lab coat spoke. This voice sounded familiar to Brenna, but she couldn’t pinpoint who it belonged to. He was surrounded by a few other lab technicians who were as similarly confused at the results of their test. “The chance of failure was so minute, it might as well have been zero.”
The rest of the laboratory came into view. Brenna was inside what she could only explain as an all-encompassing white box. There was a small glass window that she could see vague silhouettes through. She was isolated inside. Her body felt heavy– Aching and throbbing as if she’d been hit by a train.
“The subject has awakened. Restart the trial.”
A door opened from the other side of the room. Another person in a lab coat entered, syringe in hand. Brenna scrunched her eyes tight as he approached her and plunged the needle into her arm. She wanted to scream, but her throat was painfully dry, her vocal chords completely raw.
She was moved from the white room to a pitch black one. Her bruises– there’s no way they weren’t bruises– had grown sorer still, and her body was aching more than she thought it could. Writhing from the pain, she noticed her arms and legs were strapped down to an operating chair.
“If you want to escape, then do it,” one of the operators said. “Just remember that this is for the greater good. If you leave, you are rendering vulnerable people defenseless.”
“This data is crucial for the salvation of mankind.”
Vulnerable people? Brenna thought. How can what’s going on now help anybody? Why are they doing this to me? Thoughts raced through what was left of Brenna’s mind.
Another technician entered the room. Another syringe punctured Brenna’s arm and all she could do was watch as her consciousness faded…
Brenna’s eyes shot open and a white ceiling stared down at her. She could hear the chirping of birds outside of her window. Her alarm clock hadn’t gone off quite yet, but she was certain it was morning. The sterilized darkness of the laboratory melted around her as the comfort of her room returned.
She directed her bleary eyes toward the herbal mix that was still in her hand. If this is bad for us, why are they giving it to us? Brenna couldn’t understand why Caelus would do anything to hurt its students.
Scrambling toward her bedside table for the notebook, Brenna scrawled into the paper what happened while she was asleep. Unknown herb. Memories, not nightmares. Do NOT drink the tea. Find out what Caelus wants. Are the others okay? Find out how Caelus finds the Elementalists?
She knew now that she couldn’t reach out to Ms. Vera or the Director about any of this. Whatever was happening, there was a likely chance that they knew about it, and weren’t telling her and the other Elementalists for a reason. She knew she needed a plan.
03. DEPARTURE
Wondering how things had progressed to where they were now, Brenna remembered how excited she was when she first received her invite to Caelus, a prestigious academy in the woods of West Virginia that was known for its rigorous academics.
[…]
“Brenna!” a voice shouted from the outside of a small bedroom decorated with posters, books, and pictures of friends and family. “It’s almost time to go!”
“Ugh,” Brenna groaned, rolling over in her bed, her messy brown hair covering her face. She had spent most of the night packing. Fitting her entire life into a few suitcases was a lot harder than she thought it’d be.
As she dozed off once more, three knocks struck Brenna’s door.
“Brenna!” It was Brenna’s older sister, Shayne. Full of energy as always, her voice echoed through Brenna’s bedroom. “Mom is going to get mad if you don’t come down soon! Neither of us want to see that. So, get ready!”
“Oh my gosh!” Brenna was now fully awake, realizing that she had missed her alarms. She sat straight up in her bed, any and all signs of exhaustion leaving her body. “Thanks so much, Shayne! I’ll be down in five minutes, can you distract mom?!”
“I’ll get you ten. See you down there!” Shayne gave Brenna a thumbs up, and closed the door. She descended the stairs to stall Brenna’s departure and prevent a meltdown for their mother, who had the entire day meticulously planned out, down to the second.
Today was the day that Brenna was leaving home in order to attend a private academy called Caelus. This academy, located somewhere in the forests of West Virginia, was known for its rigorous academics. Not only did this place of learning provide incredible K-12 education, it also provided trade school options and accredited college courses.
It was possible to attend Caelus for an entire educational career, from kindergarten or preschool, through the completion of a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degrees.
Many who attend Caelus were there by invitation only. Put simply, Brenna receiving an invitation to the Caelus Academy was no small accomplishment. Caelus alumni are notably successful and quick to praise the academy, but rarely speak on what it’s actually like to be there.
When the letter arrived on her doorstep, Brenna was convinced it was delivered to the wrong person. It was addressed to Brenna Marie Brown and had a formal seal she didn’t recognize. She was speechless when she opened it. She hadn’t applied, nor would she dream of it.
Caelus didn’t just invite anyone. It chose people to make an impact on the world. Brenna had no idea how she managed to get in, but that didn’t diminish her excitement.
It could have been due to waking up late, but everything had seemed to move so much faster for Brenna. Despite this, she was still excited to leave home. She loved her home– her mother and father were always supportive and loving, but Brenna was ready to try some new things on her own. After all, she was sixteen years old. It was, in her head, far beyond time her parents allowed her to spread her wings.
Her sister, Shayne, was a freshman in college who had come home to bid Brenna farewell. Her hair was brown, just like Brenna’s. Although, Brenna’s hair had begun to show tones of red in it, similar to her mother’s. They have another sister, Valerie, who was unable to make it to the departure party because she had recently had a baby. The timing was great in Brenna’s head. She was able to meet her nephew before she left for school, although she wished she could’ve been around to see more of her nephew’s milestones.
Finally, Brenna made it downstairs. Suitcases in each hand, carry-on bag hanging on her shoulder and completely out of breath. This process took her about seven minutes, so Shayne’s stalling wasn’t in vain. A true hero.
“Okay,” Brenna exhaled. “I’m ready to go!”
Brenna, her sister, father and mother took hold of Brenna’s bags and walked to the car. The family was headed toward the airport. Caelus was much too far to drive from the Arizona suburbs, where Brenna was born and raised. She’d never flown alone before, but she was confident she could handle it.
The drive to the airport was bittersweet for Brenna. Spending time with family is much harder when the next meeting isn’t certain. The van, driven by Brenna’s father, came to a stop. They had arrived at the airport’s drop-off zone. Brenna’s father was the first to remove himself from the vehicle to help Brenna take her things into the terminal.
“Mom? Dad?” Brenna turned around, feeling as though something was amiss. Although she was ready to venture on her own, the lack of questions from her parents about Caelus unsettled her ever so slightly.
“I’m going to miss you guys so much,” choking back tears, Brenna held her parents tighter than she ever had in her life.
“We’ll miss you too, sweetheart. Write to us when you’re able. We are so, so proud of you. Never forget that, okay?”
“I won’t! I promise I won’t! When I come back I’ll be so smart and you’ll be even prouder!” Tears began to well up in Brenna’s eyes.
“I know you will.”
Over the intercom, Brenna heard a call for her flight, but she wasn’t ready to let go. There’s never, truly a good time to let go.
“Love you! I promise I’ll write as soon as I’m able!”
Caelus was rumored to have either bad wifi signal or strict rules that forbade limited outside communication. This was probably due to the location of the campus. It made sense to Brenna, considering the campus was rumored to be in the middle of the woods. Then again, not many had seen the campus, despite its reputation and popularity. Brenna wasn’t sure which explanation was the truth, but she figured she’d find out soon enough.
“Love you.” Brenna’s mother placed a kiss upon Brenna’s forehead. The young girl turned around, wiping back the tears that had escaped while she bid her parents farewell. Moving forward, Brenna knew that it was time to take the first steps, despite how terrifying the idea was.
Brenna’s mother, father, and sister watched as Brenna’s silhouette became smaller with growing distance between them.
She moved forward, resisting the urge to look back.
04. THE ACADEMY
Six hours later, Brenna’s flight landed in West Virginia. She’d flown with her family before, so the flight itself went smoothly. However, flying and landing alone in a state that she’d never been to before was intimidating to say the least. She was confident she was ready, and she reaffirmed this whenever she felt doubts about her new adventure.
Baggage claim was the same as it always is, so Brenna took her bags and moved towards the exit of the airport. After passing security clearance, Brenna began searching for a sign with either her name, or the name of the academy on it.
Brenna was instructed on what to do once landing. The email from Caelus wrote that there would be someone waiting for her when she left the airport. This person would be her personal escort to the school for her first day. This must be a big deal, Brenna thought to herself.
It wasn’t clear if this was a courtesy or not, given that even with the campus’ size, Caelus was still extremely hard to find. There are people who live in West Virginia who don’t know its exact location– let alone have they seen it with their own eyes.
As she scanned the area, she noticed a tall woman with long, dark curly hair with scarlet tips and eyeshadow to match.
She appeared to be in her late twenties, or early thirties. The woman had hazel skin that was more clear than anything Brenna had ever seen. Is it possible for someone to have skin like that? Brenna thought to herself. Maybe it was foundation. Definitely foundation. Really good skincare routine? Her eyes were a deep brown with hints of gold imbued in them, Brenna noticed as she got closer. She figured that the woman was a model or someone else important and wouldn’t want to be bothered with Brenna’s questions about skincare.
That was when Brenna noticed the woman was also closing the distance between the two of them. She was attempting to ask Brenna a question.
“…Brown?”
“Huh?” Brenna was able to say after getting over her shock that someone so beautiful would bother talking to her.
“You’re Brenna Brown, yes?” The woman was clearly talking to Brenna now. Her voice was warm and soothing.
“O-oh! Yes, I am. Sorry…”
“There’s nothing to apologize for,” the woman gave Brenna a warm smile. “I’m Ms. Vera. I’m one of the Caelus staff members here to escort you to campus. Do you need help with your bags?”
“Hi! I’m Brenna! You already know that though,” Brenna laughed awkwardly and handed Ms. Vera one of her suitcases.
The two walked towards an expensive looking car that was all black and had nice leather seats on the inside. The man driving the car was dressed in a double breasted suit that was made from some expensive looking fabric that Brenna couldn’t even think of the name of. He’s a good driver, Brenna thought to herself. I guess that makes sense… This is his job.
Brenna hadn’t gotten her driver’s license yet. Her parents were always willing to drive her wherever, and when Brenna did try putting herself behind the wheel, it made her anxious beyond comprehension.
After that, her family decided to let her try again when she was ready. She was extremely thankful that her family didn’t force her to do something she didn’t want to, but it made her feel a bit like a disappointment since her sisters had their license the day they turned fifteen-and-a-half.
She instinctively pulled out her phone to take photos of the snowy mountains to send to her family, but she had already lost signal.
I swore I took it off of airplane mode…
Brenna sat back in her chair as she slid her phone back into her bag.
“Our drive will be around four to five hours,” Ms. Vera spoke, breaking Brenna’s endless stream of thoughts. “It’s quite scenic, so I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”
“Do you enjoy it?” There was a sense of sincerity in Brenna’s voice that Ms. Vera presumably sensed, given she answered the question honestly.
“I do,” she smiled, nostalgia beginning to sneak into her. “In the winter, both this drive and the campus remind me of home.”
“Is there a lot of snow there?”
“A lot,” Ms. Vera nodded. “It snows there the entire year, actually.”
“Are you from Alaska?” She thought to guess the only place that had a ton of snow.
“No,” Ms. Vera laughed. “Not quite.”
“Have you seen much snow before? As in, multiple inches or feet?” Ms. Vera tilted her head. “Your file noted that you’ve always been in Arizona.”
“Not really, but I think it’ll be fun to see it in person. I used to look at places with a lot of snow online all the time! I’m hoping the coats I brought with me will be enough when the weather changes.” This was a proud moment for Brenna. She rarely got to brag about how prepared she was. Even though Shayne gave Brenna a few pointers, she was able to do most of the packing herself.
“I’m sure it will be,” Ms. Vera reassured her. “If not, there are places to shop around campus that you can easily obtain a proper winter coat from. Myself or one of the other students would be more than happy to show you.”
“Ah, thank you! That’s perfect!”
“Of course.” Ms. Vera grinned.
Brenna felt her anxiety from coming to Caelus begin to ease itself. Ms. Vera was very kind and extremely helpful thus far, and she was sure that the other members of Caelus were going to be just as kind.
The anxiety flared back up after a few hours passed and the car began closing in on the school. It was happening. She wasn’t just going for a ride with Ms. Vera, they were going to the Caelus Academy.
The academy was massive. It resembled a medieval castle– watch towers, citadels and even a moat surrounding the entire campus. Although it appeared to simply be a castle, it had what looked to be ultra-high-tech additions on it.
This far in the woods and in a castle? Do providers even come all the way out here? She instinctively pulled out her phone to check, but she had already lost signal.
“Oh,” Brenna sighed. “I thought I took it off airplane mode…”
“Signal becomes unreliable this far out,” Ms. Vera explained.
“Huh,” nodded Brenna. “That makes sense.”
The driver parked and Ms. Vera thanked him. Brenna and Ms. Vera walked towards a small vehicle that was similar to a golf cart and drove along the road that led to the main gate towards the entrance of campus.
The enormous gate appeared to be old and dated, but at the base of it was a key card scanner. It slowly opened after Ms. Vera scanned her card. After a few more feet, there was a second, smaller door that led to a security check. No wonder no one has ever seen the inside of this campus, Brenna noted. This security is really serious.
The guards at the check were dressed in what looked like armor to protect their chest, and were also equipped with arm, shoulder and knee pads. Their faces were covered by their masks. Every uniform was exactly the same, which was a bit scary, but Brenna had seen videos of people wandering in the woods of West Virginia trying to find Caelus. It was absolutely needed, considering not everyone has good intentions.
What happens to the people who actually make it into the campus without permission? I guess they probably just get arrested. I wonder how many people actually find it, though…
Brenna noticed a tower topped with a dome, but didn’t know what it was for. Ms. Vera must have noticed Brenna staring, because she looked to the dome, then back to Brenna.
“Some of our students use that arena to exercise,” Ms. Vera began. “It’s a very nice facility. Right now, we’re headed towards the director’s office. The driver of the car is going to deliver your bags directly to your room while we continue your enrollment process for your time at Caelus.”
“Okay!” It made sense to Brenna that she had to meet the director, but she really, really wanted to see what was in the dome.
The two arrived at another building with a handprint clearance. How highly ranked is Ms. Vera to have access to so many things here? Brenna pondered. Maybe she’ll explain her job here when I meet the director. I don’t want to be rude and assume anything… I kind of thought she was the one in charge, but I guess she’s kind of young, so it wouldn’t make sense. I’m not really sure.
The two walked down a hallway and into the director’s office. Upon entering, there was an older man who had a white beard, glasses, pale skin and blue eyes. His eyes were wrinkled, and he had short hair that was the same white as the hair on his face. On his desk was a plaque that read “Hector Webber.”
“Hello Ms. Brown,” the man said. His voice was gravelly, low and authoritative. “I see you’ve already met my colleague, Ms. Vera. I’m sure she took excellent care of you on the way here.”
The man nodded to Ms. Vera, and she nodded back. She positioned herself next to the door of the office.
“My name is Professor Webber. You may simply call me ‘the Director.”
His “request” sounded much more like a command.
He spoke slowly and clearly. Despite his calm demeanor, Brenna couldn’t help but feel intimidated by him. Ms. Vera didn’t seem intimidated at all. I wonder how long it took her to get used to this, Brenna noted. He seems really scary.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m really happy you sent me an invitation.” Brenna used her most professional voice as she reached out to shake the Director’s hand— her father always emphasized how important a good handshake was. His grip was surprisingly firm. Brenna took a seat on the opposite side of the Director’s desk. He sat as well, but Ms. Vera remained standing.
“The pleasure is all ours, Ms. Brown. Now, let’s discuss all you need to know about your time here at Caelus. At our academy, we take the safety and development of our students very seriously,” he explained. “You have been given an extraordinary opportunity, Ms. Brown. We expect you to make full use of it.”
The intensity in Dr. Webber’s voice made Brenna sit up straight in her chair.
“Caelus has a reputation for its pursuit of knowledge. We expect you to have the same passion for learning and improving yourself. Your time here can help accelerate your future– don’t take it for granted. Be sure to value the connections you make here, you never know who you may run into years after graduation.”
The remainder of the meeting was usual– how to get lunch, academy rules and handing over keys to where Brenna would stay. There were many rules to school– some normal, some oddly specific. Students were expected to remain within certain areas after curfew, there were many restricted sections that required staff authorization, and students had to report any unusual changes in health or ability were to be reported immediately.
“Before we part ways, Ms. Brown,” the Director continued. He reached for his cane as he stood to his feet. “I’d like you to follow Ms. Vera and myself to the observation room.”
Brenna’s mind was already overloaded with information and she had written down so many notes on everything the Director had told her, so she wasn’t sure how much more new information she could handle. She wanted to ask if she could take a break and meet again tomorrow, but there’s no way that would happen. The determination was fueling her.
She was on a mission to make a good first impression, so she followed the two to the observation room. Brenna noticed a tower topped with a massive glass dome, gleaming against the snow.
Maybe Ms. Vera asked if we could stop here after she noticed I was looking at the dome earlier… But when would she have done that? Brenna wasn’t really sure, but she was happy that she was able to see the workout facility.
“Thanks for being so patient, Ms. Brown. I know the orientation part of this lasts quite some time,” Ms. Vera whispered to Brenna.
“It’s all good! I’m really excited to see what’s up there!” Brenna didn’t have to force herself to feel energetic about this, as she was fully prepared to see what was in the dome.
“You’ll be pleased to see, I’m sure of it.” Ms. Vera gave Brenna another warm smile.
05: THE ELEMENTALISTS
Brenna, Ms. Vera and the Director were in an elevator that led to the top of one of the campus towers to enter what Brenna had internally dubbed “the Dome.”
After entering, Brenna absentmindedly stared at the panel indicating the floors:
4 3
2 1
L B1
B2 B3
“Caelus Academy is split into four houses,” the Director said. “Astra, Noctis, Solis and Vesper. Your house will serve as your primary student community during your time here. You will be placed in house Astra.”
“Okay,” Brenna nodded. She wasn’t sure what that meant entirely, but she didn’t know how to vocalize any of her questions.
The elevator made a dinging sound, letting the trio know they’d reached their destination. The Director gestured for Ms. Vera and Brenna to exit first. He followed the two as they left.
Ms. Vera led the trio down a hallway with windows on either side, allowing a view of the lower floors. On the floor level was a gymnasium that had black floors with blue lights that outlined the perimeter, and more blue lights that outlined what looked like a basketball court.
The ceilings were high and the temperature was a bit cold, but Brenna assumed it was because people work out in this room. She hadn’t seen any weights or workout equipment, which confused her.
On the second level, there was a long, glass wall that appeared to be extremely strong. There were dozens of researchers on the other side of the glass, seated before monitors and equipment Brenna couldn’t even imagine the names of.
For this to be a workout room, there sure are a lot of people watching…
Brenna remembered that Caelus was a popular research facility. Maybe this was where they conducted athletics testing. She noticed a large drain in the center of the gym below, along with reinforced walls.
What kind of workouts are they doing down here?
“Ms. Brown, are you familiar with the story of the Elementalists?” the Director asked.
“Of course! My mom used to read that to me before bed,” Brenna answered. The twelve heroes who vowed to protect humanity from monsters and stuff like that. There was water, fire, earth, air… I don’t remember all of them.”
“Then this won’t take long. Please follow me.”
“Um, Okay,” Brenna wasn’t sure what that old story had anything to do with her enrollment.
The third level was another observation room, which is where Brenna, the Director and Ms. Vera were located.
“This place is super cool,” still trying to take in her surroundings, Brenna continued. “But, what does this have to do with the Elementalists?” Her face was now right against the glass, trying to look at as much of the arena as she could.
Caelus was also rumored to have amazing research on supernatural occurrences and natural disasters, but those statements didn’t have as much credit as actual graduates had.
“The story of the Elementalists covers ancient heroes who protect humanity from any and every threat,” explained the Director. “Some say that he who holds the mantle of death is still wandering the world, searching for someone worthy of wielding his power.”
“Right,” Brenna acknowledged. She really didn’t understand what that meant.
“Others claim that he wanders the earth because he refuses to relinquish his power.”
“Oh,” Brenna frowned. “Is the guy immortal, then?”
“Perhaps,” the Director responded. “Humanity may have simply needed a reason to explain why the Elementalists stopped appearing.”
She looked to Ms. Vera to see if she knew why the Director was going on for so long about the Elementalists, but she couldn’t quite read her expression.
“Brenna,” the Director ceased walking as he, Brenna and Ms. Vera arrived in a room that was labeled Training Room A. “Please, enter.”
The room had sleek black tile floors and blue lighting surrounding the perimeter. The walls were gray and made from a reinforced material that looked nearly impossible to break. What kind of training do they do here that needs walls this thick?
“You asked what all of this, including your admittance to the Academy, had to do with the story of the Elementalists,” the Director took a seat in a chair that was along the wall of the room. “It’s because all of it is true.”
“I see,” Brenna said, not processing the information that was presented to her. “Wait, what!?”
“Moreover, our calculations show that you are one of them.”
As Brenna racked her brain for the words, any words to say, the door to the training room opened.
Someone new entered the room– a tall boy with rich auburn skin and golden eyes. His hair was styled into locs, which he had pulled back into a ponytail to keep out of his face. The boy wore the Caelus Academy uniform, with the sigil of house Solis. He appeared to be a few years older than Brenna.
“Hello, Mr. Arnold,” Ms. Vera greeted the boy as he walked through the door.
“Hey,” the boy said. After greeting the Director and Ms. Vera, he turned to Brenna. “You’re Brenna, the new kid, right? I’m Cyrus, a senior in the high school program.”
“Hi,” Brenna tripped over her words as she spoke to Cyrus. Partially due to her nervousness about… everything. She was having a hard time looking at him as he spoke to her. She’d never seen bright gold eyes like his before. “Freshman. I’m in my first year, or starting it, so, yeah. Hiya.”
“…Well, now that introductions have finished, let’s begin, shall we?” the Director’s voice traveled through the room clearly.
Does he have to practice doing that? Or has he always been that good at getting people’s attention?
“What demonstration?” asked Brenna. “I thought this was just a tour of campus.”
The Director looked expectantly at Ms. Vera.
“Well, yes, but,” Ms. Vera placed her hand on Brenna’s shoulder. “Just sit tight for a moment. There’s something important we have to do before we can show you around.”
Brenna remained standing next to Ms. Vera, who gave Cyrus the okay to begin. Brenna had no idea what exactly was beginning, but she decided to do as she was told.
Cyrus’ hands began to emit a soft, magenta light and formed a semi-transparent circle.
Brenna’s shock wouldn’t allow her to say anything.
He looked focused, and she didn’t want to mess up whatever was happening in front of her. The circle expanded until it was three-dimensional, morphing into a sphere. It darkened to black, materializing until it looked like a real, physical bowl.
Inside of it a liquid shuddered, the same magenta as the light from which it came.
“…Done,” Cyrus said.
“Excellent execution of the Ariquor, as always, Mr. Arnold,” Ms. Vera praised him, which only got a small smile and a nod of acknowledgement out of Cyrus.
“Wait, how did he just– what is an ari-quarius?” Before Brenna could ask questions, the Director took control of the room once more. She began to feel that she should wait until the Director left to ask anything else.
“Ms. Brown,” he turned his piercing blue eyes to meet Brenna’s. “This will make sense very soon. First, I need you to take hold of the bowl Cyrus conjured. Focus on it. It’s part of an ancient process called an Ariquor.”
Standing rigid, Brenna took the bowl from Cyrus, who gently handed it to her. She had a feeling he could tell how nervous she was, and a bit afraid of just what was happening right now. Maybe he’d been through the same thing.
Something about this magic bowl– made Brenna feel at ease. She focused on it, allowing the low hum of the liquid to calm her senses. As she felt her mind slow down, a pale green light began to surround her hands and the bowl. Roots reached out of the base of it and a small plant sprouted through the liquid as if it were fertile ground, revealing itself to everyone in the room.
“Flora,” Ms. Vera noted.
Is that good or bad, Brenna wondered. Does anybody here explain anything? Everyone seems so under control, like any of this normal…
“Correct,” the Director answered. “Ms. Brown, I’m sure there are other questions you have about everything happening right now. What matters most is that you, as expected, are one of the twelve.”
“I’m… what!?” Almost dropping the plant that she had just manifested, Brenna was dumbfounded by the information she’d just been presented with. “Like, actually?”
The Director began to move towards the door and spoke. “Congratulations, Ms. Brown. Ms. Vera will take care of the rest.”
“Yes, actually,” smiling, Ms. Vera reassured Brenna, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I knew you could do it. Great job!”
It was then Cyrus turned to Brenna.
“Don’t worry,” he said calmly. “Everyone looks like that the first time.”
Brenna raised an eyebrow “Like what?”
“Like we have seven heads.”
Some of the tension Brenna didn’t realize she was holding released when he said that. She hadn’t realized how stiff she was.
“I appreciate your assistance with the ariquor today,” Ms. Vera said to Cyrus.
“No problem. I have to help with some club activities, so I’m going to head out. I’ll see you around, Brenna.” Cyrus followed after the Director, but not so closely that they would run into each other when the elevators reached the bottom floor.
“So, uh, what now?” Still holding the bowl, Brenna’s eyes darted from Cyrus as he left, to Ms. Vera. “Are there eleven other people like me here, then?”
“Not exactly,” Ms. Vera said.
“But there’s twelve Elementalists, right?”
“Yes, but we don’t currently know the whereabouts of all of the mantle holders.”
“In addition to your house placement of Astra, you will be placed in our Advanced Convergence Education classes. We refer to it as ‘ACE.’ You’ll have a house leader to report to for general academics, but I serve as the ACE advisor. Anything in relation to your Elementalist training or well-being will come through me.”
Brenna nodded.
“In your ACE courses, you will study elemental history, theories, and learn how to better utilize your element, which is Flora.” Ms. Vera gestured to the otherworldly plant that remained in the bowl. “You’re able to sway plant life to your own will. It’s a very interesting element. But, until then, let’s get you back to your room. It’s been a long day, and I’m sure you want time to take all of the information in.”
“Yes, please…” Brenna was still attempting to process that one of her childhood fairytales wasn’t a fairytale and that she happened to be one of the characters in it.
The first thing she wanted was to tell her sisters about it, even if she wasn’t the Elementalist that she pretended to be when they played together as children. She’d always wanted to be Water. Her sister Shayne took Fire, while their eldest sister took Air.
“Ah, and one more thing, Brenna.”
“What is it?”
“Please remember that you mustn’t tell anyone, staff or student, about what the ACE class includes. Sharing your Elementalist status may be tempting, but for your safety, please refrain. Despite your current acceptance and enrollment at Caelus, discovery of breaking confidentiality could result in expulsion.” Ms. Vera’s voice still had its warm tone, but she maintained a stern air. “You are welcome to talk with other students within the ACE program, but outside of the designated wing, using your elemental abilities and discussion of it is strictly forbidden.”
“Oh,” thinking that she’d have to find something different to write home about, Brenna nodded her head to show she understood Ms. Vera’s directions. “I get it! Thank you for telling me.”
06. DAY ONE (NEW!)
It was a brisk fall morning— only one day after Brenna’s arrival at Caelus Academy. Normally, this weather would make Brenna think about her Halloween costume or what time her family was leaving for Thanksgiving. Instead, she was processing her recent admittance to her new school.
Caelus was known for its elite academic programs and advances in medical and scientific research, but behind the scenes, it was a facility that trained the Elementalists, a group of individuals said to wield powers given to them by the legendary Tree of Life.
Flora, which held dominion over plant life, was Brenna’s identified element. She knew that there was at least one other Elementalist at her school, who she met when she was initially introduced to the academy. She was excited to meet other Elementalists, but wasn’t sure if the others would be as serious as Cyrus, who helped with her Ariquor.
In her room, Brenna donned her academy uniform. She wore a black skirt and white blazer, the latter bearing House Astra’s emblem— a small cluster of stars. She slung the bag Caelus provided her over her shoulder, unsure what to expect on her first day. As she scanned herself in the mirror, she ensured there wasn’t a single wrinkle in her uniform and that there wasn’t a single hair out of place. Brenna took a deep breath and quietly reaffirmed herself as she left her room for her first day as a student at the Caelus Academy.
Her first class of the day was Elemental Basics. It seemed pretty self-explanatory. Brenna left her dorm and walked toward the ACE wing, or at least, where she thought it was. The scenery of the campus began to blur together the longer she walked. Every pathway seemed to branch into hundreds more.
This campus is so confusing, Brenna thought.
The map she was given didn’t assist much. By now, Brenna’s head was spinning and she couldn’t read much of anything.
It was then she ran straight into another Caelus student, causing them both to crash to the ground.
“Oh my gosh,” Brenna said. “I’m so, so sorry!”
The student Brenna knocked over seemed to be around Brenna’s age. Her jet-black hair was shoulder length and was styled neatly, somehow not looking as if she just ran into another person. She readjusted her uniform and gathered her things as she stood.
“You’re new, aren’t you?” The girl offered a hand to help Brenna up.
“Um,” she stuttered as she took the other girl’s hand. “Yeah, I am.”
“Jacobie,” the girl said. “I’m Jacobie. Welcome to Caelus.”
“I’m Brenna!”
“Do you know where you’re headed?”
“No, actually,” Brenna sighed. “I’m supposed to be in the ACE wing right now.”
“Oh, okay! I have a class nearby. I can show you where that is. Come with me!”
Jacobie led Brenna into one of the academic buildings on campus.
“You’re house Astra,” Jacobie observed. “That means we’ll have some classes together!”
“Really? You’re house Astra too?”
“Yeah,” Jacobie confirmed. “If I remember what your schedule said when you showed me, we’ll have pre-calculus together.”
Pre-Calc. Pre-Calculus. Brenna thought. I hate math. It’s just too hard!
It was a subject that didn’t come naturally to her, no matter which way she approached it. Perhaps Caelus had some kind of superior tutoring process that could make math make sense to her… But she doubted it. Brenna considered herself beyond helping at the ripe age of sixteen.
“Right,” Brenna eventually choked out. “Can’t wait to see that…”
“Anyway, it looks like we’re here!”
The two girls stood in front of a massive door with a sign above it titled “ACE WING.”
“How do we get in? It looks like the door is closed.”
“You have your student ID, right? Scan that here,” Jacobie gestured to the small scanner next to the door. “I’m not in ACE, so I can’t go in. You should be able to, though.”
Brenna scrambled in her bag for her student ID. It was a temporary one until picture day. It had all of the permissions needed for Caelus, but she’d forgotten about it until Jacobie reminded her.
I guess it makes sense that other students can’t get into the ACE wing without special permissions… I was really shocked when I found out the Elementalists were real. What would someone who wasn’t an Elementalist do if they heard about it?
“Here it is!” Brenna presented her ID as she scanned it by the door.
“Awesome,” Jacobie smiled. “I’m glad I could help!”
“Yeah,” Brenna returned a smile. “Thanks so much.”
“I have to head to my class now, but I’ll see you around. Good luck on your first day!”
“Thanks,” she waved as Jacobie walked in a different direction.
After entering the ACE wing, Brenna walked towards class room A5, where her class Elemental Basics would take place. Once inside of the ACE wing, the classes weren’t as hard to find.
She entered the room to see a touch screen board on wheels, a teacher’s desk and four tables. Each table had three chairs behind it, for a total of twelve.
Twelve seats, Brenna thought. For all twelve Elementalists. Would we really all be in the same classes together?
She imagined what it’d be like to be in a classroom full of superpowered people, working on projects and tests together.
I wonder which Elementalists are here already….
Taking a seat at the table in the furthest back corner of the room, Brenna sat as she noticed the Director entering.
“Hello, Ms. Brown.”
“Hi, Mr. Director Webber!”
“…You’re early,” the Director continued. “That is very appreciated. Have you reviewed all of your class syllabi?”
“Ah,” No. She did not. “I-It’s on my to-do list for today in my downtime! I didn’t have a lot of time after yesterday… The whole you-know-what kind of did me in for the night,” laughing, Brenna hoped that she could get a laugh out of the Director. She did not.
“I understand.”
He’s not very talkative. Maybe he doesn’t like me? Does he like anyone? Brenna’s thoughts ran wild as she and the Director sat in silence. Just as the silence became more awkward than Brenna could stand, another student walked through the door.
“Oh, hi,” the girl said. Her eyes were a deep green and contrasted with her bright blonde hair. It was parted to the side and went down to her waist. The uniform she wore was similar to Brenna’s, although she donned the emblem of Noctis.
“Greetings, Ms. Nadiienko.”
This is another Elementalist? Brenna wondered. Well, it has to be if she’s in here with me.
The girl sat in the front center desk of the room before turning to Brenna.
“I’m Oksana,” she smiled. “You’re the new girl, yes?”
“H-hi,” Brenna stammered. “I’m Brenna.”
“I heard,” Oksana said. “We were told that someone new was joining ACE.”
“Really?”
“Well, yeah,” Oksana laughed. “There’s not too many of us. We definitely notice.”
Brenna hadn’t thought about that. The maximum number of students in ACE could only be twelve, which isn’t much. The word of new Elementalists joining probably got around fast.
As she processed, another student entered the room. This one seemed to be a year or two younger than Brenna.
“Good morning, Mr. Lau,” Dr. Webber said.
“What’s up?” The boy waved a hand at the Director, barely acknowledging him.
Before he continued, his eyes focused on Brenna.
“You’re the new girl,” he said.
“Yeah,” Brenna felt stiff. “I’m Brenna.”
“Hai Yin,” the boy replied as he dropped his bag on the table. He contrasted with Oksana, whose things were neatly placed next to her chair.
Brenna looked at the clock, waiting for the boy she met on her unofficial first day to come in.
To her dismay, the Director began to speak.
“Now that everyone has arrived, class will begin,” he said.
The screen lit up behind him.
ELEMENTAL BASICS.
“Ms. Brown,” he continued. “Much of this material will be unfamiliar to you. The others have had considerably more time to study their respective elements. It’d be unrealistic to ask you to know everything today.”
Brenna relaxed for a moment.
“I do, however, expect you to learn.”
Brenna’s relaxation left as fast as it came.
Hai Yin snorted from his seat in the back row.
Oksana gave Brenna a reassuring smile, although Brenna didn’t feel very reassured.
“We will begin with introductions. Please stand and tell your classmates your name, element and house.”
“I am Oksana. My element is water, and I’m House Noctis: resolve, independence and responsibility.”
“Hai Yin. Air. Vesper, the best house.”
Air and Water, Brenna thought. I wonder what their Ariquors looked like compared to mine.
“Ms. Brown,” the Director got Brenna’s attention.
“Right! I’m Brenna Brown and my element is Flora. I’m house Astra! I’m excited to work with you guys.”
“Thank you. Now, we will begin by reviewing a bit of vocabulary that will be necessary to understand elemental abilities.”
Oksana’s notes were prepared on her desk. Hai Yin appeared to have a blank notebook in front of him.
As class began, Brenna knew one thing: not all of the elementalists are similar to Cyrus.
07. WOMO
By the end of class, Brenna’s brain was overloaded. There was so much she needed to learn, and it was only the first day.
“Don’t worry about it too much,” Hai Yin said, noticing Brenna’s glazed over face. “It gets a lot easier when we’re allowed to actually use our elements.”
“He’s right,” Oksana chimed in. “It makes everyone’s head spin at first.”
“Wanna join us for lunch? We’re headed there now,” Hai Yin said.
“That sounds awesome,” Brenna said.
“Come on!” Hai Yin walked ahead of Oksana and Brenna, leading them to one of the dining halls on campus.
The hustle and bustle that Brenna observed was still present as she crossed campus with her ACE classmates. She was amazed at how well Hai Yin could navigate a crowd.
“So,” Brenna asked as the trio closed in on the dining commons. “Have you guys been at Caelus long? It’s my first few days here, but I guess you guys already know that.”
“We do,” Oksana laughed. “I’ve been here a few years. Before you, I was the newest addition to ACE class.”
A few years? I guess it makes sense they know when somebody new shows up…
“I was the first one here,” Hai Yin said as he held the door open for Brenna and Oksana. “It was Ms. Vera and me when I was younger. At least until Cyrus showed up.”
“Cyrus,” Brenna repeated. “Why wasn’t he in class with us today, by the way?”
“He’s in a more advanced class,” Oksana explained. “We can’t go into too much detail, but he still takes ACE courses, just at a different level than us three.”
“Ugh, that’s still so annoying,” Hai Yin complained. “I wanted to have some classes with him! Like, I get it, but it’s still so dumb.”
“Maybe if you score well on your benchmark, you could go into an ACE course with him.”
“Okay, first off,” Hai Yin retorted as he navigated through the lunch line. “I could’ve scored better last time. The written part is so hard. The application part? That’s easy.”
“Sure,” Oksana teased.
The three settled at a circular table near a window.
As Hai Yin discreetly explained how he could’ve tested better if there wasn’t a written test, Brenna noticed a boy quietly enter the dining hall. His eyes were a deep green that complemented his jet-black hair and tan skin. Something about him felt familiar. Without thinking, she began to speak.
“Rayshawn?”
The boy’s head whipped around as he walked directly to Brenna, lunch tray in his hands. His eyes widened, as if he couldn’t believe Brenna was a real person.
“How,” he trailed off. “How did you end up here?”
“I got an invite,” Brenna said. “I was kinda surprised.”
“Yeah,” Rayshawn agreed. “Especially considering that you say you hate school all the time.”
“Okay, I don’t hate it exactly—”
“The last time we spoke, you told me that math classes are a crime against humanity.”
“…Fair. It still is, by the way.”
“So,” Hai Yin interrupted. “Want to let us know how you guys know each other?”
“Oh, right,” Brenna said. “We actually met online. Through a video game.”
“For real?”
“Yeah,” confirmed Rayshawn. “Do you remember that game World of Magic Online?”
Oksana tilted her head.
“No way,” Hai Yin’s jaw dropped. “You guys used to play? I’ve heard about it but never got the chance to.”
“We did!” Brenna laughed thinking about the days when she was new to the game. “Rayshawn and I were in a guild together. He got me through so many dungeons!”
“She was really hopeless,” Rayshawn grinned. “But we figured it out right before the game shut down.”
“That’s awesome,” Hai Yin added.
“So, how’s ACE so far?”
Brenna froze.
Ms. Vera’s voice echoed in her head. You cannot, under any circumstances, tell anyone the truth about the ACE program. This can result in disciplinary action, and in some cases, expulsion.
Her eyes raced between Rayshawn, Oksana and Hai Yin.
“Um, well,” Brenna struggled to find the words to say. “I’m still pretty new to it… So I don’t really notice the difference between it and my old school.”
“Huh,” Rayshawn blinked.
Oksana and Hai Yin seemed to let go of the breath they were holding onto.
“ACE is a big deal here,” Rayshawn said “I always wonder what makes it different from our normal classes. When you figure it out, you gotta let me know!”
“F-for sure,” Brenna avoided eye contact. She felt terrible lying to Rayshawn. She was sure he’d understand. Probably.
“What about you, Rayshawn?” Brenna changed the topic, still unsure of how to feel about lying to his face. “How did Ms. Phillips take it?”
“She, uh,” Rayshawn’s voice lowered.
Oksana and Hai Yin immediately turned their heads away from their classmates.
“She didn’t know,” he continued. “When I first got the letter, she tried throwing it away.”
Brenna was silent.
“Ugh,” Brenna groaned. “She’s ridiculous. I’m glad you’re here, though.”
Brenna thought about how different her life was from Rayshawn’s, despite their shared history. Her parents were beyond excited for her to attend Caelus and threw her a going away party. She promised that she’d write letters and keep in contact, but thinking about how different things could be was a shock to her. Having to run away to do something as big as attend the school of your dreams seemed… Scary.
“Yeah. It’s way better here.”
“I bet…”
The two fell silent for a moment.
“It’s fine, Brenna. It worked out. I’m here now and now we can hang out! The odds of us both coming to the same school are so low. It’s really cool that it happened, yeah?”
“It is,” Brenna smiled, trying not to think too hard about what it would be like to be in a different situation. It frustrated her that she couldn’t do anything to change it.
“Hey, seriously, don’t worry about it too much,” Rayshawn seemed to pick up on how down Brenna felt. “I’m happy here. Things have been great and I don’t want you to worry about stuff that’s basically done, okay? I should probably finish the rest of my food so I can get to my next class. What’s next for you?”
“Let’s see,” Brenna looked at her schedule on her phone. “Oh, God.”
“What?”
“….”
“Brenna?”
“Pre-Calculus.”
“Oh. It’s–”
“Terrible! I’m so bad at math, I’m really worried about it… Do you think it’ll be hard? Is the teacher nice? What if–”
“I think it’ll be okay,” reassuring her, Rayshawn tried to change the topic to prevent Brenna’s anxiety from getting any worse than it already was. “I can walk you there! I have a study hall after this, so I can show up a little late.”
“Thanks,” none of this made Brenna feel any better, but she did feel obligated to show her friend gratitude anyway.
Leaving lunch, the pair went to Brenna’s next classroom and parted ways. She didn’t want to enter, but knew that she really didn’t have any other choice at this point. Similar to her first class, she tried sitting in the very back of the classroom. Unfortunately for her, she saw names by each chair in the room.
Assigned seats.
Brenna found her name and saw that a girl named Jacobie Jackson was her table partner.
Wait, is this the same girl from this morning?
As the students began to pour in, Brenna anxiously awaited the entrance of her seatmate, hoping that it would be who she thought it’d be. While Brenna was trying to keep track of all of the faces, they began to blur together.
“Hi,” a voice beside Brenna snapped her back to reality. “How has your first day been? Any trouble?”
Rendered almost speechless, the only words Brenna could manage to get out were “N…No.”
Jacobie briefly looked at Brenna before continuing to speak.
“If you need any help in class, let me know! I’m a tutor in the learning center, so I can help with whatever you need.”
The offer seemed genuine and Brenna didn’t doubt Jacobie’s academic abilities. She considered it seriously, because she really did struggle in math when she wasn’t in an elite school.
Class proceeded as expected, Brenna trying to keep up and Jacobie offering pointers, which was much appreciated by Brenna. As the end of class approached, Brenna thanked Jacobie for her help and said she’d stop by the learning center to get ahead in class.
After an eventful day, Brenna made her way back to her dorm by herself, wondering how she’d be able to keep up with everything. With her bags still unpacked and the clothes she wore to school still on, Brenna laid face down on her bed.