"Mama, I'm going to be late", I complained as my mother continuously rubbed my skin in a sweet smelling ointment that would eliminate the chances of scarring.
Relax Reina, I'm almost done and it's exactly like your body scent so no one will know. I spent time making this for you, you know. she scolded.
Guilty I put my arms around her. "Thank you Mama. What would I do without you?"
"Be stubborn."
"Mama!"
She laughed, pulling me along into our usual bursts of laughter. She was my everything and yet I hopelessly longed for my father.
"I miss him. Will he ever return?"
"I know he will. Your father always keeps his promises."
The arena was built like a platform for deities. Extremely tall walls, sturdy and wide. It was an octagon that made combat for older squads easier. A very tall man jumped and used the wall as a launching force to jump into the air and strike his opponent who was also in the air. Two tall men came tumbling down. They were a blur of movement, my young eyes could hardly keep up. I stared as he gave his opponent a hand and they both grinned. Like a flash, blue eyes held mine. The urge to shy away beaconed but I held his gaze. He walked towards me and the power coming from him made my own blaze to the surface. He must be really powerful.
"Reina", the powerful man said
"Com...",I started.
The man he had been training with tried to say something but was stopped by the blue eyed man.
"Welcome to the Royal Guard. Your training will begin in a few minutes."
"Thank you Your Majesty. It's really an honor to be part of the Guard."
His eyes slightly widened when I called him by the right title. He looked at Commander Zane and something passed between them. Then his eyes fell on one of the girls in an older squad sitting on a wall so high I wondered how she got there. Her thoughts were what gave me the information I needed. The king clearly didn't want me to know he was king but her thoughts had been helpful.
"Once again you surprise me Reinaya.Be careful and reckless",his deep voice drawled. Before I could decipher his words, Commander Zane raised his arm letting loose a lime green rope of his power which grabbed the girl's ankle. She giggled as the rope pulled her to the ground.
"Papa stop it!", she squealed as the rope turned into a feather that tickled her neck. I realised belatedly that the king had vanished.
Unconsciously staring at the father daughter interaction, I wished I had what they had. The beautiful blonde stopped giggling and walked up to me. Lavender eyes stared into mine as they scanned me from head to toe. My name is Zeyana but my friends call me Zeya, I'm in the Enigma Squad. What's your name?
Confused about the name of her squad, I first hesitated then said, "Reina, I'm not sure what my squad is called."
"Don't worry after your first day you will know. My squad has people whose royal ability manifests differently every time. Father says only a few Enigmas gain complete mastery over their gifts."
"That's awesome. How long have you been on the squad?" I asked.
"Just a year although I kept following my father here every day before my tryouts for a year. He was furious when...."
I giggled, she stopped what she was saying and looked around us. Everyone was staring at my glowing body..Oh no dear Creator, not again! I immediately tried to dampen the glow but it didn't ease up. Did the desire to have a friend mess up my emotions? Was I that desperate? Staggering fear gripped me making my emotions take charge. Anger at everything I was claimed me in that moment. I felt abandoned by my father, betrayed by the Creator for I was so different and not in a good way. I could hurt those around me by just feeling something intense. Everyone I tried to let into my life just didn't think I was enough or worthy. My emotions were all over the place screaming and pulling out hair if they could become flesh.
A calm gentle breeze touched my mind. Strong fingers intertwining with mine. A warm embrace with my head on a strong shoulder. Blue eyes smiling at me with adoration. That gentle breeze was all that and more. It left me gasping for more confident that it will always be there. A knowing that I could trust that breeze, that feeling that I was taken care of especially in that moment when everything around me was amok. That gentle breeze was from a blue eyed eight year old boy named Eric. "Let me help Princess," his calm steady voice in my head made me search for his being.
He stood right next to me which meant I was in a daze. Losing control was common among children but as a lighter the risks were greater than if I could summon flames. Lighters controlled the sun and as they grew up even learned to manipulate light into flames which made them extremely powerful.
however their emotional connection to their power made them volatile. A lighter could destroy a village in anger and the outcome of their outburst would be felt for generations to come. Lighters were trained to be unemotional. The lighter gene like telepathy, electrokinesis, telekinesis, pyrokinesis, geokinesis and hydrokinesis was strictly genetic unlike other gifts from the Creator.
Belatedly I realized that I had pushed Zeya away as a light blast left my body. Light being super fast anything it touched was bound by my will. Before Eric's mind touched mine I was engulfed by anger so the raw energy had caused pain. I saw those who were closest to me writhing in pain. I tried controlling my emotions to put up a blank wall but I failed then panicked... "I got you Reina, let me help."
Nodding, I embraced him. My tears socked his shirt as he gently subdued my power by convincing my mind I was calm and collected. The glow left my body and the squad members who had been writhing in pain were taken to healers. Zeyana was burnt but healing and the sight of her singed beautiful hair and arms made me so sad tears freely ran down my cheeks. I struggled out of Eric's arms but he held my arms looking into green teary orbs and whispered,
"You don't have to be afraid to feel. We all do. Some just learn to hide it well."
"I want to learn to hide it well too."
"I'll be by your side helping you always", his fingers brushed aside my flaying hair.
"Promise?" beholding his ocean blues I weakly smiled.
"With my life Reina."
A loud whistle called us to attention. "Older squads will be joining us today. Each member will be assigned a new training partner for days like these. They will assist us once every week to help us transition into the training process. Our afternoons will involve lots of studying. We will train and study for knowledge is power."
Something fascinating happened, older squad members were arriving in all manner of teleportation. Some were engulfed in flames as they arrived. Some used water to materialize. Others just appeared out of thin air without any indication of power.
Two young tall males walked towards us. They were shirtless, chiseled, muscled and extremely good looking which was no big deal since many royals were gorgeous from birth till death, never aging after a certain age, strong and healthy. What made them stand out was the scent of puberty. In Royal, teenagers started developing a distinct scent. All royals had extremely heightened senses which made the change in the males easily identifiable. One of the males smelled like a rainy forest and pine trees, the other like coffee infused with caramel.
I let go of Eric's hand and walked towards an open space with the one called Gabriel. Eric kept looking at me as he readied himself to fight Nate. Nate laughed, "She won't burn Gabe, don't fret. He is fire itself."
My teeth flashed realizing that the older squad had no idea what our squad was capable of. Lesson one. Never underestimate your opponent because of age, appearance or any reason whatsoever...