Special
[WP] Your teacher asked you to demonstrate some magic in class. After you finish your demonstration the room is completely silent until your teacher asks "Do you have *any* idea what you just did?"
*****
- Do you have any idea what you did right now?- Our Elven teacher asked me, looking at my hands, where a second ago I was trying to hold my first real flame.
- Umh...No? This is the exercise number 5, right? And I think it went well, I didn't hurt myself?- I responded, slightly ashamed that I somehow managed to make a scene.
I'm a dumbass, I can't do even the easiest exercise....
The class had mostly been calm, only that one smart girl, Matilda I think, in the front row looked like she saw a ghost. And of course the teacher, who hid his face in his hands, and groaned something that sounded like "Of fucking course there is always one of them in my class...", but I had to hear it wrong, right? Teachers don't curse, do they?
- Matilda? Could you explain to him what exactly colorful flames mean?- he sighed, pulling some papers from under the desk and uncapping a pen.
- Eeeee... Okey... So.... Normal people with fire magic have a normal fire. Like normally colored, red, yellow and orange. And then there are the "special" fire mages, that have a different flame. Like, dunno, General Fiamma? You saw, she can control the color of her flames, and with it their heat and use. Or Officer Lukas, his flames are green and golden, because he can heal with them. Your flame was bigger than normal on our stage of learning, and, well, colorful. Like that of General. What I'm saying, is that you are pretty talented. Or, well, I should say, really talented.- Matilda finished on one breath, stuttering and fidgeting with her fingers.
I rubbed my thumb over the palm of my hand, making some sparks. I felt uncomfortable being given that praise.
I am talented? ME? WHAT?
- So. Oropherion, take this.- The teacher showed in my hand a piece of paper.- And go to the Metting Room. Then take the third corridor from the left, go to the top of the stairs, and knock to the doors here. Wait till someone calls you to enter.- He put a warm hand over my scrawny shoulder, and looked me in the eyes. His irises were of a disconcerting blue, too deep and layered to be normal. I never could look an Elf in the eyes longer than maybe ten seconds, it always gave me vertigo. There was something unnatural, something dangerous lurking in them. Years over years of knowledge and experience, normally reserved for elders, but sparkling with youthful vigor. - Give them that paper. Respond to all questions, if asked, demonstrate what you did in class. And don't be afraid. This is a good thing.-
This did nothing to numb my anxiety. Fortunately, I managed to not embarrass myself by spitting smoke on my way to the classroom door.
See, told you so. First time making a flame by yourself, and you got sent to the higher ups. Great job, nutbrain.
- Come in!- A female voice yelled from behind the door. I anxiously righted my shirt, and tried to push the door.
It didn't move.
PULL IT YOU IDIOT!
I felt the doorknob heating a bit in my palms.
Bad, bad, bad, bad.....
Taking a deep breath I tried to regain control of my powers. No use in messing up even more. The usual painful throb deep in my lungs miraculously didn't resurface this time.
Behind the door was a cozy, warm and somewhat disciplined office, with a big window opening on the training square. The first thing that caught my attention, was the big, solid desk, made from some sort of dark wood, that looked fire-resistant. It was beautiful, if a bit intimidating. On the windowsill sat a young woman, maybe in her thirties, with a book in hand, one feet dangling over the floor, another streached out. She looked happy, or, maybe just content.
- Oh, hi. I wasn't expecting one of the students. What brings you here?- With a smile she nimbly jumped behind the desk, gesturing me to sit on a chair that stood in front of it.
I cautiously sat on the edge of it, not sure what to do.
-Umm... My teacher said to come here... I have this...- I murmured, sliding the slightly sweaty paper on the black surface.
-Oh. Okey.- She picked it up, and read whatever was written here. The more she read, the more her expression got amazed.
I noticed her eyes changing color, from a goldish brown, to something akin to blue.
OH FUCK. OH FUCK. THIS IS NOT "SOME HIGHER UP"! FUCK! I GOT SENT TO GENERAL FIAMMA!
I started to panic. I started to panic, because on my first day of Beginner Flame Control I got sent to the FUCKING GREATEST FIREMAGE ON EARTH.
She will kill me, fuck, I don't know why I'm here....
Breathing got painful again, everything felt like I was in my house , like the smoke was choking me... My thoughts dissolved into a mess, and I couldn't MOVE, couldn't ESCAPE, couldn't do ANYTHING.
- Kid. Gamin. Look at me. Look at me.- A safe, only slightly warm hand on my check.
- Breathe gamin. Breathe with me. In...And out...In...And out...- Two eyes, switching colors in a rhythm.
Blue, green, gold, brown, blue, green, gold, brown...
- Great gamin. You're doing great. Breathe.- someone unclasped my hands from my hair, alleviating the pain I didn't feel until now. Traced the lines of my palms, carefully avoiding the still sore burns.
- What's your name, gamin?-
- I...I'm Oropherion.- I choked out, my voice distant.
- Breathe Oropherion. You are safe here. You are safe. I won't let anything happen to you.- The Voice hugged me. The embrace was so soft, so calm, so warm... After an eternity I started to calm down.
Safe?
No one screaming... No one burning...
Safe.
- Oh, kid... Shhhh.... C'mere. Sit down.- Fiamma delicately sat me on the desk, still half-hugging me. No one hugged me like that since mom died. - Do you want a mug of milk with honey? It's calming.- She stroked my hair, and I felt tears welling in my eyes.
-Mhm...- I nodded, buring my face in her soft, red shirt. She smelled funny, a bit like a dragon, a bit like a warm campfire. I felt exhaustion settling in my bones.
-Ok, gamin. It's all right, it's all right. Do you want to show me your fire?-
- Mhm...- I stopped hugging her, and cupped my hands, concentrating on my fire. I felt a warm glow on my face, and in my hands danced a small, colorful flame, not bigger than a golden coin. It was relaxing. The flame was mine, and it was alive, and it didn't want to eat everything around itself. I looked up, and Fiamma also held a flame in her hands, but it was much bigger, the colors more saturated.
- Hi kiddo. It looks like I finally found someone of my kind.- Her smile was gentle, and I felt like I finally found home.
*****
THE END
