Ho ma gard. I'm still alive.
I ran away, being careful not to scream. Where to go? Where do I- ah! Back to class.
"Ma'am! Ma'am! Help me, there's- there's this monster, and- and some- something is fighting it and- and-, " my voice failed me. "Can't- can't you guys hear the racket?"
"The only racket being made here, Miss. River, is being made by you. Rest assured I will be reporting this matter to the authorities." I barely had time to be horrified.
Just then, the thing rounded the corner, and I finally got a full view of the thing, no person, fighting back. The- the one that told me to run.
She was as beautiful as the thing was terrible. She had long nimble looking limbs, was dressed in what was unmistakably a catsuit and showing of some neat curves. Her ivory skin glittered as the blade she wielded stabbed and attacked the thing over and over. I was starstruck.
"AKANE! I SAID RUN!" I looked back at my class. Searching frantically for a sign in anyone's face that they could hear what was going on- and yet, nothing. I tore my gaze away from them and looked up at the lady.
"Where am I meant to run to? And what about them?", I yelled back at her.
"Just run, away. And it won't hurt them. Magic beasts only prey on magic creatures. Just RUN"
And so, I turned my back on the thing and ran. I ran outside the school where I could still here the thing roaring. The largest open space was the field. I ran there. I heard an explosion and looked up. I saw the lady fly across the sky over me, landing deftly on her feet as the thing broke through the building, chasing after her- us.
"Can't they see the damage?", I asked as I ran to her.
"Of course, they can", she answered like this was the most normal occurrence in the world.
"Hold this", she thrust me her sword. It was covered in something dark green and foul smelling, I gagged.
She closed her eyes and placed her thumbs on her temples. She looked like she was talking to herself. When she opened her eyes, I finally noticed the color of her eyes. Bright, electric blue. As soon as she stopped speaking, a sound like a cannon went off and the thing froze. I watched, wide eyed as it blew up from the head downwards and finally exploded. D*mn. I was lost for words.
"And that, young one, is how you deal with a fully grown Pelub", She said, stretching her arms upward. She was actually smiling.
"Miss, you do realize I'm going to be in mega trouble, right?" She looked down at me as if she couldn't comprehend what i was saying. Maybe she didn't.
"PENA!" We both jumped, the voice seemed to be coming from all around us. Until I noticed the tiny string bracelet on her wrist. it glowed blue briefly, and then a man's face appeared from it.
"Sir?" "Where is the ding dang girl?! We haven't got all day!"
Her eyes strayed to mine and then she smiled into the man's face, "Actually sir, she is right here."
"Good. Finally. Have you briefed her yet?", the squishy faced man asked narrowing his eyes at the woman.
"Er... no sir. I was just getting to that", she said and quickly turned the thing off, though I couldn't see how. She turned to me, her auburn hair flying behind her.
"Alright Miss. River. My name is Julia, but you can address me as Professor Julia. I am an instructor at Bermak Interuniversal its a-"
"Hold up. Did you say you're a professor?", I looked her over again, to be sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, "You look super young!"
"Ugh, let me finish kid", she said rolling her eyes, "Okay look. Uh- Bermak. Yea, its like a school- not really a school more like an institution for youngeons like yourself. You know super new to the reality of life-"
"Wait, those things are real?", I groaned.
"Obviously kid, keep up. So anyway. We basically teach you how to deal with beasts like the Pelub and how to control and contain your magic. You know, based on your element and all of that." she took a deep breath, "So, what's yours?"
"My what?"
"Your element of course," she said rolling her eyes again.
"I have no idea what you mean miss." She groaned. Like really loud. I winced.
I just discovered this magic thing and I'm already flunking. Wait what am I saying?? This is not real, someone is playing a sick joke on me. But as I glance back at the damaged school building, I'm not super sure of that.
"How do I find my Element?", I asked Julia, uneasy. Am I really doing this?
"Super easy. Just stretch out your hand and focus super hard on making something happen", she said this while swishing her fingers through the air. An X, then a strange symbol followed by another X. Odd. I looked down at my palm. Will this really work?
I stared at my palm and thought of the first thing that came to mind. It was dead quiet for about one minute, then purple colored smoke curled off my fingers.
Julia's head snapped up her eyes wide and then she jumped away from me. I baled my palm. What did I do this time?
"D- did, did you just do that?", she stammered, her eyes on my palm.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize I shouldn't have done it um... is there a problem?", I asked confused at her frantic expression.
"We need to get back now. Like, right now", she mumbled. Um okay? I guess I didn't mess that up?
"You really don't know the elements?", she asked abruptly. I shook my head. Best be honest right about now.
"There are four elements- well, there were", she glanced at my palm again. "They are water, fire, earth and air. Humans got that much right. Every being with magic in their veins possesses either of these four, with only slight variations in type and strength. Some peoples magic is only strong enough to help them with basic household chores. Some are strong enough to become professors like me. And then the most powerful- those strong enough to become protectors.
"Until very, very recently... the element of- of mist was lost. Disappeared about a hundred years ago. But apparently, it has just resurfaced."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean. It's you. That power was mist. It has to be. And that mean, we need to leave. Now"