The classroom was circular, with its wall curved into a seamless arc. The desks followed the walls, structured into one continuous band all through the quarter of the circle with three different levels, one raised above the other, allowing the trainees and their instructors to walkthrough.
Zalana sat at the second level from the ground, her hand against her head, coping with the length of time she had listened to the instructor's drolling of the IDC's uniform, an introductory class that shouldn't have dragged on for so long.
'The outer layer has been tiffled with spells and therefore as you can see, it converts itself to a habitat that of the body of the person wearing it. It becomes like a second skin, protecting you.' The spectacled instructor said.
He was from the Administrative and Training Wing for IDC, shortened as ATW. This is one of the publicly known wings of IDC, clearly needed for the training of new recruits. In fact, the Academe is part of the ATW, along with School for Spells and Materials.
Zalana yawned lightly. Though the instructor had been enthusiastic, t was not easy to be concentrating on something she already knew.
'But remember these are not impervious to attacks. They provide a protection but they will tear through if there is too much wear and tear.' He added as a noted, once his session was completed.
As it was one of the first classes, the instructors, sometimes administrative executives from the IDC itself, had come by and introduced a few aspects of the IDC. At least those parts which are more publicly available than not. So far, the topics had been about the various positions the structure of IDC, the locations, the known Wings and then as of right now, the uniform to be worn by those on field in IDC.
Zalana got recruited into the Savant class, of training, but the academic classes, about the various Unnaturals and other unimportant things such as their habitats, the levels at which these exist and how they cross over to other dimensions, was in her eyes, unnecessary. This information was relevant for a Seeker to probably understand the threat and for Scholar to analyse it. What would the Savants do by learning everything through books?
She felt that only training made fighters. Hand to hand combat training or on field training. And even amongst the thirty or odd so group, she knew she would be better than all of them. Hell, she has been on several missions with her father.
On top of this, there is no specialized training within the Academe which according to Zalana, should have been introduced in the Academe itself. Not when they are sent to be part of the various departments of the IDC. It was just efficiency.
In came next, Ragnok, the Amber professor who had been the talk of many. During the assembly that had been held that morning, Zalana heard the whispers about the handsome instructor that stood next to Dean Zhen, his silent brooding catching almost everyone's eyes. He walked in the an elegance not very usual for people his age, possibly around late thirties or early forties. There was both a sternness and a confidence that would be possessed only by people who knew their job as it were just a glass of water and they drank every bit of it.
'I am Ragnok, the head of the department for Combat Training.' He started with a smile. 'I am sure, every teacher, who had come before me, addressed to you the various aspects of IDC and their experiences about it.' There was laughter in the room.
Ragnok rested his hands on the podium, leaning forward. His eyes glistened as he addressed everyone, the colour changing with each blink of his eye.
'So instead, lets do a question and answer round.' He paused, and looked around as if he had taken every one of them into consideration. 'I understand you are all a new set of students but have had enough training to understand how your powers work. So let me answer a few questions before we start our intense training sessions tomorrow.'
One of the guys who had been sitting lazily up front raised his hands. 'How intense?'
'Pretty Intense.' Ragnok answered. 'If we are going to have such stupid questions, I would ask you to refrain from asking them.'
There was a small snicker amongst everyone. Zalana frowned but straightened up, like the many others in the room.
'How do you decide the location of the Preliminary Missions?' One girl had asked. 'And how risky is it to send students to these locations for the same?'
'We don't expect the students to engage in any kind of conflict happening in these regions.' Ragnok explained. 'You are expected to understand, analyse and report. Based on this, you will be scored and categorized for recruitment into IDC.'
'And how do you decide these locations?' She reiterated her question.
'These are maximum level one and level two category threats, present within Rahas or Low to Medium Activity Dimensions.'
'But in Low Activity and Medium Activity Dimensions, we would not be able to fully utilized our Uyir?'
Ragnok smiled. 'Do you know why we call them Low Activity or Medium Activity?'
'Because Jiva Sphaera interacts less with those Dimensions.' Someone answered from behind Zalana.
'Yes, correct. But what is the Jiva Sphaera?'
'A force that provides us the powers we have.' The same voice answered. Zalana did not bother to look back. What she wanted to know was what Ragnok was going to say.
'Has anyone wondered why the Jiva Sphaera limited us to the four elements?' Ragnok asked again.
There was a bit of commotion amongst the group. Ragnok paused, and looked across them with a stern frown that seemingly caused the commotion to die down. 'What do you mean?'
'The structure of the world of Rahas is in such a way that we believe there are only the four elements that we are able to manipulate.' He said. 'We have limited ourselves to thinking how we are able to control just one of the four elements.'
'Its not a limitation.' Someone answered from the front. 'There are only four elements.'
'But yet, we became capable of Cadin magic.' Ragnok answered. 'The Golden Cadins can build shields and weapons from energy, the Silver play with illusions in the wind, the Blue Cadins heal and enchant, while the Black Cadins are able to trans mutate into an animal form. Why is this so?'
'I think it pertains to the principle that these are extensions of the element. A more refined one, but certainly still not able to uptake the economies of scale.' Another said, this time from behind Zalana.
'I disagree.' Ragnok answered. 'I don't believe that Cadin magic is extension of the element.'
'But they behave like the elements themselves.' A scrawny guy answered. Zalana was confused as to how he even came to be allowed in this class. 'Conversion of energy corresponds to fire. Winds are all around us, hence illusion magic. Healing and Enchantment takes place through blood, which is water. And transmutation corresponds to the body, the solid part which is the element of earth. How is it not connected.'
Ragnok smiled. 'This is because I believe that unlike, what most people believe, we the elementals, do not control fire, earth, air or water.' He started, his expressions almost too subtle to see whether or not he was holding a poker face. 'Instead, we are people who are able to control the basic elemental aspect of our environment.'
'Which is?' Someone with an almost perfect timing asked from the crowd.
'Energy.' He answered. 'And matter.'
'If that is so, what are the Cadins?' Someone raised the question, but Zalana couldn't spot who.
'Good question.' He said. 'They are able to convert Energy into Matter for limited amount of time, that is what their spells do. Almost everything is a form of Cadin magic, be it enchanment, healing, transfiguration or illusion, is form of manipulating the energies or basic structure of matter.'
'And what about the Ambers?' Someone from behind Zalana asked, causing Ragnok to look past her.
'Ambers are a special case.' He started. 'They are able to absorb the life force, of course, with the help of spells. But they are a rarity, therefore it is harder to study about them.'
'Are you saying that the Spirits that form part of the elements and our Uyir are not real?' someone else had asked.
Ragnok paused and held his hands together with a small smile. 'I am not here to question anyone's beliefs. Perhaps yes, perhaps no. But tell me, how long has it been since someone claimed to see a Spirit?'
Zalana pursed her lips. The man had logic, but she did not like how he started contesting on ideologies right from his first class. Those are to be left for the politics when one starts to train in IDC. 'Moreover, there has not been anyone who has seen the spirit world and lived to tell the truth.'
Zalana pushed up her hands. 'You are questioning the very fabric of the existence of Rahas, sir.'
Ragnok's eyes flew and rested on her. They shimmered in almost every colour that Zalana could think of. Just how many elements is he able to control?
'Everyone needs to question everything. What is more important the truth or the order?'
Zalana didn't know the answer to that and pursed her lips. Ragnok smiled calmly and took in a deep breathe. 'Alright, we have had multiple tests today for many students and tomorrow, it will be yours. And whenever you are called for a training session be it sparring or skill enhancement, please be ready in your training uniforms in the Grand Arena.'
There was a shuffle in the classroom, as everyone got up to leave. Ragnok simply stood on the deck, watching each student closely as one by one they rose and stepped down towards the doors.
Zalana got up, watching him closely and when she neared the door, their eyes met. She bowed her head slightly and noticed how his eyes hardened ever so slightly. Then she immediately exited, hoping not to spark his interest in her.
***
They were in the main training ground of the Academe, a colosseum like monument raked up to four storeys high. From where Tara was standing it was straight flat sand till the other side of the building for around three hundred yards. The Arena, as it was called, which could house around two football fields, was used as training grounds for learning sessions and combat session after the learning was done.
Tara looked across the line. There were twelve others in all, stand parallel to her on a straight line, waiting for the group of instructors to start their teachings. She noticed that almost half of everyone present either would have the same glowing eyes that would light up every time they fired up their hands. But she was not able to figure out exactly what powers the others had.
Soon enough the huddled group broke apart and one of the walked towards the students. She did not look like she was much older than the students who were present for the class.
'As everyone knows, there are five stages to the training of a Seraph.' She started. 'Survival, Stability, Discipline, Mastery and Creativity. As novices, your focus would be on survival.'
She stepped backwards, her eyes lightly gleaming in green and earth brown. 'All of you present over here are only Na'ars and Neroes.' She announced. 'Unlike the element of air and earth, fire and water is not always around and therefore these elements are not in high volume. It is in the ability of the elemental user that these elements completely depend on.'
'So please line up all Na'ars and Neros.' She commanded. Then she nodded towards her colleagues who were standing few paces behind her. As she nodded, they dispersed from the huddled into a straight line, equally spaced from each other.
Tara watched as they moved to and fro, like synchronized swimmers forming human formations, but in this case, all six of them, were on the ground. There were strong leg movements, as they stomped and pushed their feet onto the ground. The ground started rumbling, and none of the others were surprised as she was when the flat sandy ground started raising itself to become small peaks of rugged terrain.
The ground continued to rumble until the peaks reached a certain height. Once it stopped, the instructor turned back to the students. 'Each person has path way of obstacle created for them, which is of similar difficulty but different from each other. There are no Unnaturals. The terrain is your obstacle.'
'And you will be judged on the time. The idea here is to understand how much training would be required from your side.' Instructor continued. 'In a team of Seraphs, the team is only as weak as it's weakest link. Now, please stand in your marked places.'
She went to the side of the boundary and then took out a timepiece. 'Steel your spirit…ready your element…' She shouted. '…begin your ascent!'
It was only moments after she shouted, when everybody reached a few paces ahead of her, that Tara started.
Three hundred yards. Just a small brisk walk towards the end. She thought to herself. 'This is something I can do, right?'
The terrain was clearly built to emanate a harsh mountainous region. There was clear path and Tara had to walk through it cautiously. As she stepped further into the terrain, walls rose behind her, completely blocking up her view to where she had been standing.
It did feel like she was on a trek through dangerous steep path. Tara looks around and spots a higher cliff, from where she is standing. At least from there, she will be able to know what direction she would need to take forward. She stumbles over as she pushes her way forward.
Breathing, she treads cautiously, trying her best not to slip. Even though her minds knows that the floor was just a few metres below, her heart seemed to not understand this information. Pumping hard, Tara slowly moves forward, her feet feeling her ridge and curve the way.
The cliff was almost six metres high, like some rock climbing vertical wall they had in one or two malls back in earth. Tara bites her lip in frustration. Everything had been easier back on Earth, it was just emotional drama that would cause her to have some frustration. Not a physically straining routine that is literally taking out everything from her.
Tara was able to make out the cuts and ridges of the cliff. Thankfully the uniform she was wearing was a simple long shirt and breeches, hopefully, stretchy that it will not tear. They had received it, when they had been guided to their rooms once the signing in process was completed.
Tara placed her hand onto the first crack in the cliff and with immense strain, pulled herself up, pressing her legs against the cliff so as to not feel the effect of gravity on her body. She found another cut higher up and pushed her body towards it. One by one, with the stones cruelly pressing on to her body, Tara made her way towards the top of the clip.
Finally, she grabbed the edge of the cliff and rolled on to the flat top, panting heavily as she laid down, ehausted with the whole ordeal she had gone through. She sat up and looked at the other end. Many of them were almost at the end line, blasting fire through their limbs, pushing them upwards.
Tara knew, that in whatsoever manner, she would probably be the last one to reach the end, but somehow seeing the others running against, sparked up the bit of competitiveness that she had left.
She got up immediately and ran towards the edge of the cliff. She had been only thinking about getting up the cliff, she never calculated on how to get the down the cliff. Tara looked at the others, who were either water sliding their way down or boosting up fire from the bottom of their feet. Perhaps, she could jump. It was not that high and hopefully, her instincts might kick in.
Realising, she had no other choice, Tara walked back to the other edge of the cliff. She jumped up and down shuffling her feet and then with a jolt, runs to the edge of the cliff, pushing herself with an immense jump.
The next moment, she realized she was falling, on all fours to the ground. 'Sh*****ttt!!!!' she bellowed.
Right at the moment she almost hit the ground, she felt the heat rise up with an immense speed around her palms. The next second, fire blasted off from her palms, shoving her back into the air, breaking her fall. She toppled from the air onto the ground, tumbling onto the ground.
She laid on the ground, breathing heavily.
Two shoes walked towards her, stopping near her head. Tara slowly raised her head to look at the disappointed face of the instructor. She made a 'tsk-tsk' noise with her mouth as waited for Tara to get up.
'Inelegant.' She muttered. 'How did you even pass the entrance exam for the Academe?'
Tara dusts herself. 'Probably luck.'
'Well, you will need a lot more of it.' The instructor said and walked away.
***
The healers in the South were surprisingly warmer than the healers in Golden Hills. They pointed the muscles that Tara had strained and would cause an immense ache, suggesting a few stretching exercises as well before giving her a green potion.
Tara looked at the emerald liquid inside the glass bottle, watching it gleam slightly in the lights of the dusk as she walked back to the dormatories. She placed it back into the pouch they wore around their breeches and sighing in disappointment, climbed up the stairs.
Aaliyah had mentioned, that it was instinctual for someone from the world of Rohyn to be able to manipulate one of the four elements. The only time the fire ever got activated was whenever she stopped thinking about it. But the element of fire, unlike others is volatile. How was ever gonna control it without thinking about it.
As Tara walked into her room and slumped onto her b. She rememebered the one time Aaliyah took time to demonstrate creating fire. Energy from within.
Tara closed her eyes and took in a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Feel the warmth of your body. She remembered Aaliyah's voice say. Focus the heat to wear you want it to be.
She concentrated the warmth onto her hand, slowly and steadily breathing. With each breath she let out, she felt her hands getting warmer and warmer. And then she felt a zing on her fingers
She opened her eyes. Flames of red and orange burnt through her fingers, a beautiful carnage dancing around it.
She had done it. Her element was now alive in her hands. Tara laughed out loud in happiness. This was the first time she did that without it being run by fear or instinct or anger. Just pure method.
She closed her palm to put out the flames. They simply encircled like fire surround torch. Tara opened her hands thinking that would put it out. It simply shifted its shape and started flaming up around her hands.
'Shit.' She muttered to herself. Tara tried to blow it out, which only seemed to fanning.
Then she started following a series of actions in the category of waving, trying her best to close it. She dared not to sit down or place her palm down, in fear of burning something.
Then she started process of waving her hands, trying to fan out the flames her hands. 'Oh my God, Oh my God.'
As she swayed her hands in all sorts of patterns, a ball of fire broke free from her hand, flying outside her door and against into the door of the room opposite to her's.
The next moment came out a scream of pain.
***
Zalana climbed up the spiraling stairs to the second floor of her residence. The residency in the Academe was situated further than the arena towards the end of the Academe, right before the Celebration Hall and that gave her a lot of time to think as to how she wanted to tackle her goals.
She was contemplating her moves for the training session for tomorrow, when suddenly she heard the sound of a door cracking burst through the staircases. The tell-tale signs of a fire drifted in the smoke that slowly clouded into the ceiling. Zalana quickened her pace, taking only the alternative steps and rushing to the scene of the accident.
The scene of the accident unfolded in front of her as she reached on the landing leading to the corridor. The smoke had enveloped the area, and she glanced at the first two rooms. Putting out the embers of the room, she walked towards the door, to investigate the commotion and smoke.
'I really really didn't mean for this to happen. I really didn't.' The Na'ar girl was desperately pleading, her dark brown hair tied into an unflattering ponytail. Her glowing embers of eyes were glassy with tears welled up.
She was kneeling down next to a tall girl with strong, muscly arms and long straight green hair. 'Is everything alright, here?' Zalana asked out.
The Mai girl flashed her eyes angrily at Zalana. 'Does it look like everything is alright?' She then turned towards the Na'ar girl. 'What were you exactly trying to do?'
Zalana watched as the Na'ar got up. Her built was a bit wobbly, and her fully covered sleeves hid what she expected to be just as wobbly hands. 'I am not sure.'
'Have you lost your wits?' The Mai asked, ridiculously. 'Didn't you know not to use the fire in the residencies? Isn't that the first rule that you should know?'
The Na'ar for the first time glanced at Zalana and she noticed the puffiness and dullness around her eyes. 'I really didn't mean to. I was trying to put it off.'
It felt like Zalana had to step in. 'Hey, I don't think she meant to do it.' Something about the Na'ar's pathetic demeanor struck a chord in her.
The Mai girl looked up at Zalana. 'Who in the seven sins are you?'
Zalana smiled politely. 'Not the best situation to be introducing myself, but my name is Zalana.'
'Do they put like everyone together or what? Why are Vita's and Na'ars being put together in the same hostel?' The Mai girl asked.
'I am a Nero actually.' Seeing the Na'ar girl's confusion, she added. 'From Kylma.'
The Na'ar girl nodded unsurely. 'My name is Tara. From Earth, but descent of Golden Hills.'
'Oh, so you are a settler?'
Tara nodded at her. Zalana looked over to the Mai girl. 'That explains why she was trying to put out her fire in her room.'
The Mai girl rolled her eyes and walked over to her bed.
'Yeah, I am not very good with my powers.' Tara agreed.
The Mai girl scoffed and immediately flinched.
'You know water can help you with those scorch marks.' Zalana chimed. She twisted the water out of the vase sitting in the middle of the desk. 'Don't worry I will refill them.' She replied as she walked over to her with the blob of water lilting around her palms.
The Mai girl didn't fight too much over it, and Zalana was glad about that. Once she was done, she let the water flow back into the vase, allowing the white one petalled wide white flowers live a little longer. Tara stood at the door, in anticipation. Zalana walked towards her, smiling at her reassuringly.
'Nyla.' The Mai girl said suddenly.
'What?'
'Nyla, that's my name.' she said. 'And thank you.'
'Sure, no problem, Nyla.' Zalana said as she headed down the hallways.
'Sorry Nyla, and goodnight.' She heard Tara shout. Zalana closed the door behind her and crashed onto her bed, closing her eyes for the much needed sleep she needed.