Ravenna!
Ravenna!
"Ravenna!" someone yelled at me and had me jolting awake.
"Wake up! We are going to be late for classes." The person said and I realized that it was my friend, Jane.
"I'm up. I'm up." I replied and trudged to the bathrooms, happy to find them almost empty.
"Look at her, a disgrace to our kind." Spits one girl and I just ignore her and get on with cleaning up.
"Yeah, not only our kind but also our kingdom!" another adds and I feel tired. This never gets old but it's starting to tire me out.
After I am done cleaning up, I move to a sink and start to brush my teeth. As I brush, someone decides to splash on me what smelt like urine but I was sure that it was dirty water that had been kept for too long.
"That's all you are, a dirty little thing trying to stain our school! You had better not dirty any of us!" yelled one girl as the rest snickered and ran off. I waited until the place was clear and I was the only one I before chanting a spell.
"Sila ferun."
And like magic, I was all clean and ready for school in the academy uniform. Looking at the mirror, I realized that I had grown. For a fifteen-year-old, I looked nothing like my age as I was taller than most and my brains were nothing to joke of.
"Raven, hurry up!" Jane cried from somewhere in the dorm.
I hurriedly grabbed my towel and toiletries, not that I needed them, and left the bathroom. I joined Jane and went for classes in the place that I had called home for the last few years.
"Adera academy. What a prestigious place!" Jane said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Not that I blame her, this place was basically a prison for all what they call "troubled super naturals".
Black witches, succubae, warlocks, any negative super natural was sent here to try and straighten their ways out and force them to become good.
'Why do they call her a disgrace then?' You must be wondering.
Well, I am one of the last few black witches and it all started with six years ago.
Six years ago, when I was stuck in the soul collecting pagoda, I had a life changing experience. I absorbed all the blood in the fountain and all the wild magic in the plains. No one knew of course but they tied the incident to me as it seemed to be the best way out. It did not help that I would at times, wreak havoc unknowingly.
I awoke in the backyard and realized that I couldn't see neither Emma, Alva, the twins Reify and Rife, Elena and Lux nor the stranger who had supposedly saved me. When my parents found out of how I had disappeared and appeared days later in the backyard along with the way my powers were getting out of hand, they had immediately sent me to a coven for white witches trying to make me holy and wash away the evil. That is how I met Jane.
She was a clairvoyant who could only see bad things that were to happen and her family had also sent her to the coven for the same reason and we had become friends. Those were not the best years as the coven was a place of torture where they used inhumane methods to purify all those with negative energy.
How we survived is because the king regent had ordered for the closing of the coven due to its inhumane ways and then most parents sent their children to Adera and Adele Academies.
These two academies were where the good and bad of society were sent to nurture their talents and powers and rise beyond their peers. At first, I was sent to Adele academy, the school for the good because that is where my siblings are but as time went by, I realized doing good was not my calling. Now, here I am at Adera trying to fit in while leaving past where it should be, behind me.
"Zoning out again, Ms. Hera?" asked a teacher, Mrs. Helga, professor for magic history.
I have always paid attention in this class hoping to find out more about the plains and my endless supply of the three elements but it seemed all my efforts were futile.
"No, Mrs. Helga." I answered, hoping to get this done and dusted. I had but a while to turn eighteen and when I did I would go and live in my grandmother's old cottage away from this vain world.
"Then explain to me why one shouldn't try to harness power that is not the norm with their constitution?" she quipped expecting me to fail. If only she knew that I had three great teachers long before most of these people could read.
"It is because our bodies are made like containers…" I started.
"Pfft! Containers? Like you?" said Elena as the rest of the class giggled.
"Yes, containers. Each element can only go in a container of a specific material and if one tries to force in another, boom! Explosion!" I explained in a slow manner emphasizing the boom scaring a few students.
Mrs. Helga sighed and shook her head at my attempt to get back at the little brats who were older than me but much dumber.
"Yes, that is correct and quite an interesting way for you to explain it too. Now everyone should remember, never try to absorb an element that is not of your body constitution otherwise, disaster will strike." She added and I could I feel the solemnity of her voice which I feel was uncalled for. For you to even use or absorb another element, you first need to have an understanding of it and be able to sense it which I am sure that no one can do.
"Now, even if most of you have already awakened your powers, you will be needed to go and have them tested." She said as she walked around the classroom back to her seat at the right side of the class.
"To go? Where do we get our powers tested from?" Jane asked.
Even though she was awakened as a clairvoyant, she had not awakened as an elemental user since clairvoyance is on the gift side of things.
Clairvoyance, mind reading, telepathy among others were gifts that most were born with, never attained.
"Well, as much as I hate this, you will be going to Adele academy for the tests and I hope that you get used to it. You will find that you will be visiting that school quiet often."
*
"What do you think the professor meant with what she said earlier?" Jane asked as we went for our lunch.
The one thing about being in school is that I get free meals unlike at home where I have to scavenge for my own food. In my parents' house!
'Sigh, maybe I should go to grandmother's cottage this upcoming holiday. I could find books on galaxies and witch powers.' I thought as me and Jane settled on a table.
"Well, from what I have heard, it seems that this year we will be mingling with the goody two shoes from the Adele academy. Can you imagine?" said Terus, our other friend. He sat to my right while Jane sat to the left and I felt that I was being squashed by mighty people.
Jane was a powerful clairvoyant even though she only foretold bad events and Terus, wow
He was a warlock and one of the powerful people I know. But unlike me, he flaunts his powers and wears them on his sleeve like a trophy. Frankly, I may disapprove but it does save me and Jane from a lot of trouble.
"Really? Well that is quiet unsettling. I hate pompous pricks with inflated egos." Jane said and me and Terus laughed. Jane liked a simple life so mingling with those of Adele academy would not be good for her health.
"What do you think, Raven? Will we really go there?" Terus asked as he turned to me, mouth full of what seemed to be mac and cheese.
"Well, whether we go or not, we have each other and that is what counts. I will be your guide so no need to worry." I said reassuring them and they both gave me side hugs.
"It's nice to have such a reliable big little sister. I feel safe now." Terus said and I could sense the playfulness behind his voice.
Yes, I was the little big sister. Like I said, at fifteen, I towered over most of my age mates and surpassed most in terms of brains. I would be done by now but I had promised grandfather that I would try to have a normal teenage hood so I have to stay in school with the nineteen-year-old big babies, my best friends.
As we hugged and ate, a disturbing shadow seemed to cover us and I had a bad feeling.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the three little stooges." Said an annoying voice and I already felt like retching my egg salad.
"Annabeth, what do you want?" I asked, irritated. It was no joke. Her presence made me feel like I had an unreachable itch that I couldn't scratch and it was annoying. I had asked a professor and he had said must be because our bloodlines collide and I swear I had to hold back from laughing.
According to one of my teachers, some bloodlines might have feuds but they are just that, feuds. It can't cause any disturbance to the people in question.
"Oh nothing. Just wanted to make your lives more miserable." She answered with a smile and I felt my blood boil. Gods, I hated her.
"Well, if you done polluting our air with you whoring scent could you please move? My sisters and I are about to suffocate from the rancid smell." Terus said loud enough for everyone to hear causing a bout of laughter al around the dining hall.
Annabeth had no other choice than to stomp off while Terus cackled only missing a few warts and a pointy hat to look like what everyone thinks black witches look like.
"You make me feel for the black witches and how everyone has them stereotyped." Jane said and I felt like laughing because she was right. We laughed it off before going for our remaining classes.
*
Everyone at the academy looked forward to going to Adele academy but I can't say that I shared their same sentiments. I hated the school as it held another part of my dark years and quite frankly, I would destroy the school the first chance I got.
"As it is Friday, please prepare all your things for the journey ahead. We leave at sundown for Adele academy." Said our principal and I couldn't help but feel nauseous.
We were at the usual weekly assembly that usually took up most of the day as a head count had to be made since students tended to disappear it being a Friday and all. When I heard that we needed to travel at sundown, I felt like killing the professor as I knew what happened on the school grounds after dusk.
"Terus, Jane. When we get to the academy stay close to me and don't get lost." I warned as we went for lunch before we resumed our classes.
"Why?" Jane asked and I didn't want to scare her. Even Terus seemed interested with the reason and I didn't know how to tell them.
"Well, let's just say that ugly things happen at that academy after dark and I want to protect my friends so stay close." I answered.
The two first stared at me for a while before shrugging their shoulders.
"How will we stay close? You know that the principal has it out to for you. He will put us in different transportation routes. How do we find each other?" Jane asked and I felt that her question was valid. How do we find each other? Of course I could always find them but I wanted to keep my powers a secret for a while.
"I have something that I wanted to give you guys on your birthdays but since the need has arisen, might as well spoil for you a little." Terus said as he looked around. Using magic unless otherwise on campus was strictly forbidden but Terus never followed rules.
He materialized three bracelets that had beads in our favorite colors and they looked really stylish.
"These are my latest inventions. The finder bracelets. Stylish but can help you always locate your friends." He explained and Jane looked like she was about to squeal as she stared at the bracelets. The girl would go crazy whenever we went shopping so I am not surprised.
"How do they work?" Jane asked as she slipped hers on. It was a pale purple and seemed to match her uniform almost automatically and I can't say that I wasn't impressed.
"Well, they are in our favorite colors. Mine is red, Jane's pale purple and Raven's a bluish gold. If ever I was close to Raven, hers would turn red and mine bluish gold same with yours Jane. And it has a camouflage function where it can become invisible or blend with the environment. It has other functions that you will learn in due time." Terus explained with elaborate demonstrations and I felt tears prickle at my eyes.
Ever since I have known them, Jane and Terus have treated me like family, more than my own. They have always given me gifts even inviting me their houses for the holidays so I won't feel left out. Such a blessing!
"Aww, our little sister wants to cry." Terus said mimicking a baby while slipping the bracelet on my wrist. He gave me a hug and then Jane also wound me up in another embrace while she cried group hug.
"Thanks, Terus." I said in a little voice and felt like I could face the Adele academy without any fears.