Elena wasn't more in the know than Maya about the strange creature Leo described and suggested that they pause for a day with their ventures outside. Even Elena wasn't willing to mess with something so alarming.
However, they were left with the conundrum about whether they should inform someone about it. Not knowing how much of a threat it was, Maya worried whether they should keep it a secret.
Telling about it would naturally pose questions of how they knew about it in the first place. Since it would reveal they went outside and potentially even reveal Maya's ability to see ghosts, Elena left it up to her to decide. And Maya has been pondering about it for the next day.
"Why so serious?"
Even her squad picked up on something being on her mind. Although, she didn't want to unnecessarily alarm them, and pretended it was nothing.
Even though such heavy thoughts plagued her for the whole day, Maya had been in an unusually happy mood ever since break time. It was thanks to Adam. At the end of lunch, she somehow ended up sitting alone with him.
They bonded over their love of Stephen King's books. They were entertaining themselves by thinking of names for their squad that wasn't "losers club". However, they had to pause their conversation for later, because Elemental Practices were soon to begin.
"Are you sure you want to do it? Keeping up with both elements," Tanya was confirming Maya's wishes about switching some days of practice to Water. "I can tell you from experience it isn't an easy task, but, of course, I'll do my best to help you if you're certain."
"I'm sure I can do it. I have someone to practice with, so I'll catch up to the other element in no time," Maya was positive.
Tanya gave her an encouraging smile. Her look lingered on Maya while she was thinking about something else and she collected her eyebrows as if considering asking her something.
"Is there something on my face?"
Maya wondered what was troubling her, feeling insecure if she had some of her lunch left on her teeth and remembering she was talking like that with Adam.
"Oh, sorry," Tanya realized she was staring while thinking. "It's just, something about you reminds me of a girl I used to know. I wonder…" her thoughts drifted away.
Maya continued to look at her expectantly, not realizing that Tanya wasn't going to finish her thought.
"It's nothing."
Tanya politely dismissed it. Seeing Maya's dispirited look, she quickly realized that it was weird to bring something up and then change her mind. Finally, she decided to elaborate.
"It's not in a bad way… She was someone you'd admire for being so strong-willed and strong-minded. A person who wouldn't stand for an injustice happening in front of her. She left a lasting impression. I guess, I still remember her well because she stole the attention of a guy I liked, and in all honesty, she was the better candidate."
Tanya's chuckle was a bit pensive.
Maya mirrored her chuckle but quickly realised fate most likely didn't favour this strong-minded girl.
"What happened to her?"
"You're sharp," Tanya clicked her fingers. "Just as you'd guessed, she's gone now. In fact, they're both no longer with us. Just my luck."
Tanya chuckled again as if she saw amusement in her own misfortune. Reminiscing seemed to be something Tanya does often. After all, it looked like she did have fond memories of her life before she realized how unfortunate her generation's fate turned out to be.
It was a heavy subject, but Maya appreciated Tanya comparing her to someone she had admired. Being strong-willed was something she'd never hoped to be described as. Maya wished to ask more about this girl whose likeness she apparently carries, but restrained herself, not wishing to remind Tanya of more pain.
She was still in high spirits because of lunch with Adam, so it would be too much of a contrast to Tanya's mood. Because she was in such a good mood, an attack by Burcu later during the practice, came as a complete surprise.
Burcu had been a person who facilitated Pricilla and Hailey's harassment of Maya. After those two were 'subjugated' by Elena, they became reluctant to do anything again in fear Elena would do something to them. It didn't stop them from staring daggers, but they no longer wished to move against Maya.
So Burcu's frustration about those two chickening out, combined with her jealousy over Tanya seemingly becoming too friendly with a newly spotlighted bipartite and seemingly neglecting the rest of the group, quickly boiled over with her hot temper. As soon as Tanya switched her attention to her Fire group, Burcu exploded.
"Just because you're both bipartite, does not mean you have some kind of a claim on Tanya! She is OUR mentor. Not just yours. You should stop bothering her all the time, so she can pay us the attention we deserve!"
"I'm not claiming her to myself. What are you talking about?" Maya was confused by this sudden personal attack.
"You know well enough what I'm talking about. Because you have one more element does not mean you're in any way better than the rest of us!"
Burcu came out aggressive with her accusations. Maya always thought she would act like a thug at times. At this point, it wouldn't surprise her if she physically attacked her.
An unexpected assistance came from nearby. "Calm down, Burcu. Tanya has already enough on her plate with training two groups." It was Adam, also of the Air element group close by, deciding to intervene.
"Yeah, Burcu. He's right. We don't have to make a scene," even her friend Samiya attempted to quell her rising temper.
"Who does she think she is? And fuck off, Adam. You don't always need to play a white knight."
"I'm not playing a white knight. You are making a scene, Burcu."
Adam tried to calm her down by placing a hand on her shoulder. But she wasn't having it. Already outraged, this only made her erupt.
While screaming and cursing, Burcu used her powerful air control to push him away. Such an air blast toppled him and he fell on his back. In her blind rage, Burcu continued with the intention to deliver an onslaught of attacks.
Seeing the dangerous situation, without thinking, Maya stepped in. She stood in the way, ready to block her attack.
"It's not him you're having a problem with, right now."
"You're right. This is all your fault!"
With her attention shifted to Maya, Burcu attacked. Air was ready to hit Maya like a truck.
Maya deflected. Her hand was thrown back, left trembling from the impact, but her counter was sufficient. The air spread thin around them, tussling their hair and flowy pieces of fabric.
Burcu's attacks weren't too elaborate. Her main attacking strategy was to hit straight with a powerful blow. But she was strong.
The reason she could rely on such a simple attack was because they carried immense strength. She was good at channelling her short temper into a source of power and the shockwave she could create could toss you off your feet through all your defences.
The way she moved was also frightening. When she would swing at you, you couldn't be sure if she was going to hit you with air or her fist… or both.
Burcu readied herself for her second attack. This one was sure to pack much more power than the first one.
Maya was determined to protect Adam, who lay on the ground behind her, but she quickly realized she wouldn't be able to withstand Burcu's full power. Still, she had no choice—if she moved, Adam would take the blow.
So Maya stood firm and stood her ground. Evasiveness was out of the question. It might've looked counter-intuitive, but she used her other hand to keep her balance, instead of shielding herself with both. She knew if she lost her stance, she would get defeated.
And she withstood it.
The heavy impact left her hand trembling and numb. The air current she hastily formed cut through Burcu's attack, shielding the point she wished to protect, while the rest of the onslaught slipped past her where there were no targets.
Her insides felt as if they were on fire and Maya had a metallic taste spread on her tongue—signs of exertion.
But something was different. She heard whispers around her from people witnessing this and saw Burcu's surprised look that quickly turned green with envy, and perhaps, hatred.
After Maya allowed herself to relax, realizing there wouldn't be another attack, she noticed why was everyone so shocked. It was Maya. It was where she stood.
The ground underneath her was no longer flat, it was moved to assist her in her defence. It has risen behind her so she could leverage her other foot to it and push herself forward while shielding Adam behind it.
Burcu wasn't able to blow her away because it was harder to blow her up the hill.
Maya scanned through shocked expressions all around her. Tanya had just run back to defuse the fight and froze in the spot. It was the whole courtyard; students, mentors, and supervisors. They all witnessed it. She moved the ground.
She was a tripartite.
Maya still didn't fully comprehend what she had done when people began congratulating her. There was a surprising amount of stings from the jealous looks. And while she was still in a daze, one of the supervisors grabbed her by the wrist and told her to come with him.
They made their way out of the courtyard. She knew where she was being taken—faculty wing, the headmistress's office. She couldn't help but feel some sort of fear.
'A tripartite?'
That was impossibly rare. She began feeling like she did something wrong to have all this power.
As they passed through water groups, Elena yelled to her to meet her outside later. It seemed like it was important.
Before she knew it, they were in the corridor of the teacher's wing. Maya could hear voices in the Headmistress's office. They barged in, interrupting a heated discussion between her and Daria.
"What is it?" she snapped at the intruders.
"This girl is a tripartite," the supervisor said, pulling her into the office by the wrist.
The Headmistress looked at frightened Maya with a confused look. Daria also stood blinking, then searching for a reaction on the Headmistress's face.
"Thank you for bringing her here. You can leave her and go."