Upon the day of the test, Leila was escorted by her parents like a man in a death row.
Like this might be the last time they will ever see her. As parents they cannot bear to leave her, but her sentence is already down and they cannot do anything about it. So they wanted to savor the moments they can with their child.
Leila understood their feelings. With her demonstrations back then, her parents were more than convinced that she would be taken away. Not that she could somehow convince them that she could avoid what they feared off. She just let them be. The results she will bring will be a surprise for them later.
Just a few meters away from the daycare, Deliah decided to carry her child in her arms. Even if her child is no longer quite suitable to carry, she went ahead anyway. She wanted to hold her close as long as she could.
"Leila will you give mom a kiss?" Deliah said as she hugged her child close. She fears the worst, that another tragedy is looming in her life.
Leila granted her request. Kissing the woman in the cheeks, the child said. "Everything will be fine mom. Believe in your daughter."
Deliah smiled hearing her child's words. "Aren't you now all grown up? Comforting your mother instead the other way."
Leila tilted her head to the side confusingly. There was nothing wrong with her words, she heard it from her father's mouth. When her father told her those words her mother was slowly turning fine. But why when she told her mother the same thing she's only amused?
The sight of the pair of mother and child was very eye catching. They attract the attention of the people passing by. The child was wearing a serious face with her head tilted to the side and the mother was smiling joyfully with whatever the child had said.
Harold was irked with the attention his wife and daughter garners. Putting a hand on the shoulder of his wife he urged them to get going. He didn't like his family in the limelight in any way. They only bring bad things to them, especially now that their daughter is quite a special existence.
Upon arriving at the center, the caretaker greeted them with a smile. They were told that the parents will be staying in the gymnasium while the children will be brought to the testing area. The couple only need to leave the child with Gina or the teachers and they wait for the results in their area.
Deliah gave her child to Gina with words to taking care of her child. Like always she told the child to behave and dropped a kiss as usual, Harold did the same.
Then they watched the child disappear at a turn in the corner. Their eyes hopelessly following their shrinking form, half-heartedly hoping that their fears will not happen at all. That their child will not be taken after this.
Leila was holding Gina's hand as they transverse to the back of the center. The place was big and a tent was set up in the otherwise normally empty area. The parameter is off limits in normal days, but with the events that will transpire now the provision seems reasonable.
The tent was like a circus tent. It was big and colorful. Only that it lacks the attractions that often call the attention of children.
"Little Leila do you see any lines over there?" Gina pointed to the opening of the tent, where there were lines of various colors floating about.
Leila nodded, but didn't comment that she not only saw only one line, but many. "Good, now follow that line and it will guide you to the venue of your test. Some of your fellow classmates are already inside. When you see each other, wait for the person in charge to tell you the next instructions okay."
"Okay ma'am." Leila said as she let go of the hand holding hers. Without looking back she checked out the peculiar exam, fully motivated to vanquish the fears of her parents.
She decided to follow the red line which turned out to be a condensed form of fire mana. It looked very bright, much brighter than the ones she often sees around her father. And as she observed the line, she noticed that some sort of spell was applied that guides the children who saw them.
A little curious, Leila didn't continue following the red line. She took a look on the green line that was leading to another part of the tent, the other hues also led to some other place. It was then she realized that the lines also represent some sort of test.
But knowing is a little useless at the moment. She wanted to have at least two colors for this test. Her mother had told her after she was calm enough that three color attributes are already a sign of a genius. That whoever had them is often held great attention by the country, to the extent that they are given special privileges and treatment.
Obviously what Leila had is an unprecedented potential than those so-called geniuses.
Like Deliah's brother who Leila should have not known of at the moment, was the same, he had an inherent potential in four elements namely: Earth, Fire, Metal and Wood. Just one more element above the usual worshiped geniuses. But due that little extra of an element, it destroyed a loving family. His latent talent had made the country rip him away a normal childhood and possibly the normal civilian life.
Back to the test, Leila was not told of what was the role of the lines and how these things can measure someone's future. She doesn't want to be called a genius nor she wants to be mediocre. If she ended up as another average plain jane on the side, she would not be able to take care of her family. Because no matter what changes are in the world/s, strength is a necessity no matter the time and place it is. Whatever form it may possess.
To make a facade of her uniqueness, she turned around to observe anything unusual in her immediate environment. And as far as her young eyes could reach, there was nothing suspicious. Even if she did see anything that looks out of place, she might not recognize it as she is utterly unknowledgeable with the apparatuses used on the very area.
But she wanted to make sure that everything was well hidden, so she asked the mana in the air to hide her peculiarities and only show to whoever oversees what she wanted them to see. She also implored them to do it discretion.
She felt the mana vibrate in compliance of her request. It happily made it seem she could only see two lines—red and green, fire and water. A combination that is the antithesis of one another, but is somehow now her mask to fulfill a wish.
She stared into the green line for a while and chose it, thoroughly abandoning the red one that she was previously following. She thinks that it should be enough to tell the overseers that she had some talents in the two elements.
On her way she wondered how the overseers of these tests even dealt with the issue of children with multiple affinities. If her guess was correct, each child can only go to one area and in that place they are furthermore examized to see their potential. In this part of the test, surely a child is more bound to follow the most attractive color or sight unlike to what Leila just did.
The girl shook her head at the useless thinking she had and continued threading into the green line she was following.
The line led her to a spacious room with some familiar faces among them. Some were classmates and some were kids in the other classes. They were all gathered in the center, eyes now unto Leila's being as she appeared to them fully.
"Leila!" A child from her class called out to her. "You're here too! What color did you follow? I saw green and blue and they looked all so..."
Leila turned to the girl who called upon her attention. The child was named Khelly Phines, a little girl with a pair of lightest blue eyes and vivid blond hair. She was one of the few children that Leila is quite friendly with in the class after Diana.
The girl was often loud, but the endearing type. She also has the loveliest smiles that drew the former goddess to her. Her presence often lightened up the room as she had made Leila's days more brighter especially when Brian and Diana left her. Furthermore she's reminded Leila of the sun she used to take care when they were first born.
Leila didn't talk, but she had her attention to the girl showing that she's listening. Khelly didn't mind. Instead she was more thankful to talk more, it helps her calm her own mood. The room is suffocating enough, everyone is very tense for the upcoming more tests.
The blond chatted away whatever came to her mind. From the things she saw on the way to the center, the insides of the tent that the others had already seen and were aware of, and even some things she heard in the passing. Her voice was more silent than usual, but loud enough to be heard by nearby children who also welcomed the noise to the otherwise dreadingly quiet room.
The blond girl's ramblings were then interrupted by another child from a different class. It was a little boy with the darkest green eyes Leila had ever seen.
He was in a distance away from them and could obviously not hear whatever was shared between the two girls. His face painted a less than pleasing expression and an arrogant sneer on his mouth, provocative if Leila were to voice out her thoughts.
"If you're not that comfortable, you should keep it to yourself." The boy said out loud. He had his friends with him, all agreeing and giving their own not-so-nice jeering to the girls.
Khelly was indignant with the boy's words and fought back in relitation. Her fears, no longer visible with someone who can back her up. "Just because you're free enough it doesn't mean that you can butt into others' conversation. Didn't your mother teach you that?"
Khelly's words might have touched a sore part that made the boy's face darken. He threw a look of contempt and insulted the girl in childish words that are really not mean, but terrible enough for a child of their age. It was not a pleasant sight to see and hear.
"..people with no hope should not be here." The boy stated as he threw a condescending look on the blond. Not at all caring that he might be being too much now.
It was a blatant provocation, and Leila didn't like naughty children. She gave a side glance on the ignorant little boy and his little group. She then dragged Khelly in a corner to calm down before the blond cannot stop herself from exploding and making things bigger. From her companion's reaction, it was not the first time the other had done something like that.
"Cowards." The boy snorted as he saw them retreating. His word was heard by Leila, which earned him an unimpressed glare from the former goddess.
Cold blue eyes struck fear in him. His legs softened as he received the glare. But he held on to his pride that doesn't allow him to show his weak moments.
He turned around and went to an empty space in the room, his entourage following. No longer minding that annoying little blondie from the other class, he appraised them in their area.
The girl with black hair is not to be ruffled. She is intimidating and someone he felt he could not take on. As he concluded so, he decided not to waste time on the pair anymore. There are others whom he could do as he please, no need to waste time on something useless and time consuming.
On their own corner, unaware of what the boy had classified her with, Leila coaxes the blond to calm down. And when the girl was sedated enough to tell her what had happened The former goddess was a little impressed at the boy's methodical approach in gaining some influence on his group.. Hearing some few words Leila understood what made that boy target them.
"His name was Harvey Jones. He's from a very rich family. He always says that to people with less capabilities as his family. Seeing everyone being too vibrant when we first arrived he scared everyone to silence. It was the reason why this room is too silent, he mocked and frightened others to become worried about their results. Now Everyone is very alert and tense." Khelly said as she explained who the child was and what had happened prior to Leila's arrival.
Editing progress:5/42
Edited: 1/3/21 13:23