Lands Unknown

Chapter 7

Amaira

3 hours earlier...

I walk towards the Arledgean library. It's where Ms.Amita gives me my secret lessons. Now, the Arledgean library is open to every single Arledgean, so won't our 'secret' lessons be seen by everyone? Tell you what, I was being vague when I said that I had lessons in the library. You'll see.

I follow her into the library. If you lose your way, it'll be ages until you find your way back. I try to memorize the way to our secret lesson area. We take the first right when we reach the Basics shelf, then a left when we reach the second bookshelf on the right, a left when we reach the second bookshelf on the right of the bookshelf in front of us, then we take a left when we see the sky blue shelf..or was it the purple one? I surrender and let her lead me through the twists and turns until we are standing right in the heart of the library. The library is an ever expanding maze and Ms. Amita knows this place like the back of her hand. She even memorized the pattern in which it expands. She walks over to the bookshelf painted in a dark shade of blue and pushes a protruding book. She gets sprayed in the face by a small circle hole located on its spine. "Amita Anath, access granted."

Like I said, the tech here is much more advanced. The gears click as a part of the floor opens, revealing a staircase. We descend, the glowing moss on the walls lighting up the space in a beautiful green. We step down onto the floor of a vast chamber completely made of rock. The upper wall is a home to millions of glow-worms, emitting a soft blue light. They looked like the stars dotting the dark sky on a clear night. A clear pool reflects the blue light everywhere, bathing our faces in the bright light. The sight never gets old. I feel like dipping my toes into the cool water, and dropping a rock just to see the circles form on the surface.

"Let's start. I want you to try really hard this time and no splashing like last time. Enjoy time is over. Get serious."

"I a-m serious."

She snorts.

"Okay, what are we doing today?"

"Same thing we've been doing from the beginning of time. Waking your powers up."

I sigh, please dear powers wake up, nap time is over.

"Shape the water into a dolphin."

I stretch my hands towards the water and try to lift it. Nothing. I try again. Nothing.

"Amaira, may I ask you something?"

"Yea."

"Have you adjusted to the fact that you have powers? That you are capable of doing what you thought was unreal?"

I don't reply. No. No, I want to go back, forget all this ever happened, I want to be normal. A human, not some character in a fairytale.

She sighs, "This is your life now. Don't try to run away from who you are. Are you afraid that if you embrace your powers, you would lose who you thought you were? Are you afraid to see someone different every time you look into the mirror? Are you afraid that you might not know yourself any more?"

My chest suddenly feels heavy. My breathing turns ragged. Before I know it, my cheeks are wet, she spoke my feelings, my heart. She hugs me tight, "You were always the same. You just found an undiscovered part of yourself that was always there. It makes you who you are. Embrace it with open arms, you will experience life in a new perspective. Let it out, my girl, let it out."

At that moment, I knew that something had been lifted off my heart, it felt like I just took my first breath. Breathing has never been easier. I didn't know how much I wanted to hear these words, until now. I turn to the water, and this time, I embrace the tug. I finally unlock the chains of my heart, I let it out. It was like using a third hand hand I didn't know existed, but I knew how to use it. I shaped the water into a dolphin while Amita makes a water wolf and a lion chase each other. Moments later, there are water rabbits and squirrels jumping around on the surface of the water, without so much as a splash.  I laughed like never before. I felt alive.