09/09/4098
*Long ago, there was a great war that divided the world. For almost a century, the kingdoms were split, and people only trusted those who shared their same element… but everything changed with the union of three kingdoms: the Air Kingdom, the Poison Kingdom, and the Lightning Kingdom. At first, everything went well, but tensions started because of the Lightning Kingdom. Their ambition caused discontent; they always sought power, control… All of this led to the union of the other kingdoms, social unrest, so many years despising other elements only to suddenly unite and live with them because of a supposed threat… But time heals everything. Slowly, a community was built, a sense of belonging emerged, and people saw beyond simple prejudices and saw humans. 11/11/1071, tyranny came to an end. Krysthaf, the legendary Ice Hero, led an army of heroes and soldiers that put an end to the alliance of the three kingdoms, the so-called "The Sky Schism," thus beginning a new era, which over the years, centuries, and millennia, gave rise to…*
???: Skye, Skye… SKYE!
Skye: *Falling out of bed* Where am I.
???: *Luna enters the room Skye* I told you to set your alarm today. Did you forget again like last time? *with a sarcastic tone.*
Skye: It's not that, Mom, the alarm clock broke.
Luna: Oh… Sorry, dear, I'll try to buy you another one, okay?
Skye: It's okay, Mom, you can always wake me up yourself, and besides, we have to save.
Luna: I'm sorry I can't give you something better, dear, I'm really sorry.
Skye: *Hugging her* You give me all the love you have, and that's more than enough. By the way, why did you wake me up?
Luna: Ahhh that, you're late for your first day at the institute.
Skye: What.
*15 minutes later.*
Luna: Skye, dry your hair with your wind, the last thing we need is for you to get sick.
Skye: Got it, I'm leaving *says Skye opening the door.*
Luna: Be very careful, do you have your snack?
Skye: Yes, don't worry, goodbye.
Luna: Make lots of friends, have fun, and try to stop hiding behind your hood, you have such beautiful hair and eyes! *watching Skye walk away* They grow so fast.
*On the way, Skye runs in a hurry, creating a small gust of wind to dry her still wet hair. Despite being in a rush, she can't help but feel awe every time she walks through the city, admiring its advanced technology. She notices posters from the FCG indicating rules and upcoming events. Besides, her initials are on some of the security cameras.*
Skye: Wow! It's just like everyone said, this city is amazing, and also very peaceful *says Skye admiring even the smallest details.*
*She hears a small noise coming from an alley, some kind of scream. When she looks, she sees nothing as it is very dark and full of shadows. Skye freezes, suddenly feeling a strange pressure that makes her nervous and very scared, especially because she swears she can hear a "ssshhh" coming from the walls. She remembers she's late and decides to keep going, giving herself an excuse to escape that eerie alley.*
*Upon arriving at the school, Skye looks around in awe. Even though she's been in the city for a couple of weeks, she had never seen a school interior. It's completely different from the small town she lived in. She enters, still nervous, with the hood of her oversized sweatshirt up.*
Skye's Thoughts: It's huge *looking around in awe, as if seeing a school for the first time.*
*Skye hears some laughter and turns to see students mocking her cheap sweatshirt and her white-gray hair and eyes. She can hear the words she hears most in her day-to-day, "weird" and "poor." She hides even more in her hood and walks with her head down, pretending not to hear and looking at the schedule, trying to ignore the persistent pain in her chest. She knows well that Air Elementals aren't very loved in general, anywhere, but she thought maybe in Lightown it would be different. Still, her curiosity remains, glancing at some students from the corner of her eye. Some creating flames, others flexing their muscles, and others simply comparing their elements.*
Skye's Thoughts: I wish I had friends like that *thought Skye, looking at a group of boys talking among themselves. Skye keeps walking until she reaches her class, sitting at the back, ignoring the comments and conversations around, choosing the back seat.*
???: Hi! Are you new at the school? *asked a pretty girl with green hair and eyes, smiling kindly and holding Skye's hand in greeting.*
Skye: Ah! Yes, I'm new. My name is Skye *said Skye awkwardly, starting to get nervous at the approach of the girl.*
???: I'm Liana, nice to meet you. Do you mind if we sit with you?
Skye: We? *said Skye before noticing the boy behind Liana, quite tall with a serious face, avoiding eye contact. His hair is almost shoulder-length, his eyes and hair a dark blue.*
Liana: This is my best friend Zephyr, intimidating, right? But he's adorable! Like a real-life teddy bear.
Zephyr: Liana *says Zephyr in a few words, telling her not to start.*
Liana: I almost got carried away, we've known each other for many years and I'd like him to make more friends. Do you want to be his friend?
Zephyr: Liana…
Liana: Just kidding, you know I don't want you to feel uncomfortable and… I'm getting off-topic. Sorry Skye, as you can see, I struggle a little to keep the flow of conversations, I love to talk! Well, as I was saying, can we sit with you?
Skye: Eh… Yes, of course.
*Liana and Zephyr sit with Skye, Liana in the middle, Skye to her left, and Zephyr to her right. Just as Liana turns to say something to Skye, the teacher enters, ordering everyone to be quiet.*
Teacher: Please take a seat. Well, honestly I'd like to skip this part, but if I don't say it, I don't get paid. During this course, we will teach you to control your elements, but obviously, we will also teach other subjects. By the way, I suppose some of you already know, but for those who don't, we will have global evaluations in all areas. Both intellectual and physical. I won't beat around the bush, we will evaluate everything. I suppose that those of you here want to evaluate yourselves as heroes, or at least as soldiers. But I feel obliged to explain a little more about the topic. Heroes. If you haven't heard about them and ended up here, you're screwed. In short, the world's protectors, the "greatest," the most important only below the government, of course. Then, the soldiers, anything to explain? Protectors of civilians in case of a major conflict.
*The teacher stays silent for a moment and becomes more serious.*
Teacher: But I'll be honest and realistic, this isn't a fairy tale. We live in a world where we can create and destroy mountains, buildings, and people. These jobs can secure you a good future, but sometimes you're not part of that future. Do you know why I tell you this so bluntly? Because I've graduated more dead than alive. Well, now that I've earned my second paycheck for explaining all this, I have to open the math notebook to page one and start…
*A while later, the bell rings, so Liana, Zephyr, and Skye gather their things and head to their next class.*
Liana: What an entertaining class! Although it would have been more fun if I had understood something. But hey, this big guy here will surely teach me and explain later. *Says Liana playfully nudging Zephyr with her hip, obviously failing to move him even a little.*
Zephyr: I always end up teaching you.
Liana: Yes! Don't we have fun together?
Zephyr: No.
Liana: Don't say that, my teddy bear! You'll make me sad. *Says Liana making an exaggerated pout* But hey, did you understand anything, Skye?
Skye: Well… Something like that.
Liana: Fantastic! Then maybe we could hang out and *Zephyr pinches Liana's cheek.*
Zephyr: Liana…
Liana: I was just trying to be nice! Sorry Skye, I can be a little hasty sometimes. Although Zephyr is used to it, we've known each other for a long time. Did I tell you he's adorable when he doesn't behave like a living statue?
*Zephyr sighs but makes no attempt to stop Liana.*
Liana: He even lets me do little braids! *Liana pauses for a moment and points. Skye and Zephyr look in the direction she points. A red-haired man around 25 is talking to a student, who seems captivated by his charisma. Zephyr frowns and subconsciously moves closer to Liana.*
Skye: I don't understand… Who is that man, and how did he get in?
Liana: Oh, he's the Lightning Hero, Tyler. He's known for… Well, he doesn't have a very good reputation.
Skye: What do you mean by that?
Liana: Just… Don't get too close to him. His reputation with women is…
Zephyr: Disgusting.
*Tyler leaves, leaving the student alone. Skye notices Zephyr's judging glare and Liana's forced look of disgust while she tries to smile. A man around 30 with brown hair intercepts Tyler and seems annoyed. Next to him, a woman of the same age with blonde hair stands while they talk to Tyler. Skye is about to ask, but the bell rings.*
Skye: We should…
Liana: Oh! That's right, Skye, now you have to go to your next class alone. We've chosen different electives, but we'll see each other in other classes. I think… Anyway, you can guide yourself by looking at the number on top of the doors. Good luck! *Says Liana grabbing Zephyr's hand, who lets himself be dragged, and they leave for their next class.*
*Skye watches them leave. She thought maybe she wouldn't be so alone now that they had approached her, but again she's alone. Barely able to say anything, Skye sighs and continues her path, following Liana's advice to look at the door numbers to guide herself.*
Skye's Thoughts: I just want this day to end quickly. *Says Skye entering her next class, History class.*
Teacher: Please sit down. Well, today, like every year, I have to start telling you about the War of the Elementals. Do I really need to do this? You all should already know everything about this topic. Well, it all goes back millennia, Krysthaf, the great Ice Hero, saved us all by freezing Kazuki Takeda, the Elemental of Electricity, the greatest killer in history but debatable, the biggest threat…
*The teacher stops and stares at the door. She swallows and speaks a little louder, even though she's already being heard quite well.*
Teacher: You know what? I better let you have free class. I'm not going to explain this to 16 or 17-year-olds.
Skye's Thoughts: I wanted to know more…
*Two hours pass, and finally it's recess. Skye walks, holding her backpack while looking for the snack her mother prepared. A group of popular boys passes by, and one pushes her against the lockers on purpose.*
???: Whoa, you fell, you're so clumsy. You should apologize, weirdo. *Says the boy with a mocking, disdainful smile.*
*One of his friends approaches the boy*
???: You're right, Redelf, don't you think she's rude? *Says, kicking Skye's backpack.*
Redelf: You're correct, Ethan, I haven't heard my apology yet.
*Skye is stunned. What she feared most and least wanted is happening. Tears sting her eyes. She looks around but only finds laughter or indifference.*
Redelf: You're making me waste my time, and I hate waiting. *Says the boy, forming a fireball in his hand.*
*Skye grabs her backpack and runs down the hallway as fast as she can, finally reaching a bathroom, where she closes the door and lets the tears fall.*
Skye's Thoughts: Why? What did I do to deserve this?
*The day finally ends. Skye runs home as fast as she can. At one point she hears Liana's voice, but right now she just can't. While walking, she notices the sky darkening, everything seems to go wrong. She reaches home and tells Luna that her day went well. She doesn't want her mother to carry more than she already does. She doesn't want to be a problem for the only person who loves her in this world. At night, Skye gives her last effort to keep a good face during dinner. Finally, the day ends. She lies down on her bed, exhausted, very tired. When it seems she finally has a moment to vent, it starts raining. Nothing serious, nothing out of the ordinary. That's what Skye would tell herself if it weren't for the enormous aura she feels after five minutes. It's huge, like a nightmare. But there's no time to process anything; suddenly there's calm, everything seems quiet, as if something is being awaited. And then, a huge thunderstorm shakes all of Lightown. The alarm sounds.*
Megaphone: All residents, stay inside and do not go out. The FCG is controlling everything. Do not leave your houses and cover all windows. A controlled earthquake is predicted.
*Skye panics, runs into the living room and sees her mother closing all the windows and lowering the blinds. Skye sees soldiers running outside her window.*
Skye's Thoughts: What? Why are there soldiers? Wait… Maybe they're just checking that everyone is safe… Right?
*And there, Skye sees it. A yellow light in the distance that she can't even distinguish what it is before her mother lowers the blinds.*
Skye's Thoughts: What the hell is happening. What's going to happend next?