The Uniter

Chapter Four - Surfaced

   "Weird as hell, isn't it?" A deep-skinned woman stood beside me, hands stuffed in pockets as she peered out of the train car window. The concrete tunnels sped by in an endless blur. "My big brother told me that time would stop at the thirteenth minute, but he never told me how it would feel." She shivered. "I'm not sure I could get used to that."

   I had been so caught up in the haste of making it aboard that I hadn't thought about the tingling sensation still fading from my skin. "At least you had a warning," I chuckled to myself. "I about shit on the stairs when everyone froze."

   She let out a resounding laugh, her body shaking from the movement. "Can you imagine? One second you are standing on the platform and the next, a steaming pile of crap appears on the floor next to you—"

   I joined in the laughter, enjoying the moment despite the oddity of the circumstances. As the hilarity began to wane, our shared laughter tapered off, leaving behind lingering smiles on our faces.

   "I'm Javonna," she smiled. "Just Jay, actually."

   "Amelia," I returned. As my eyes scanned the subway car, I couldn't help but notice the passengers shared a similar age range to mine. "Are we all about the same age?"

   Jay nodded, her black coils bouncing with the motion. "Powers usually manifest between eighteen and twenty, if you even get them. Mine came in this summer." Jay held up her palms, examining them before placing them back in her pockets. "I was walking my dog back in June and I had this weird feeling, like I needed to look behind me. Then I turned around and the path I had walked was covered in plants so thick that you couldn't even see the sidewalk." She giggled to herself. "I didn't know how to make it stop, so I started running and basically covered everything I touched in a layer of vines all the way home."

   A subtle smile played at the corners of my lips, half from amusement and half in awe. "Earth wielder?" I questioned. In that split-second, I decided to keep the age my powers surfaced to myself.

   "Yep," her hazel eyes glimmered with enthusiasm and conviction. "My parents never manifested, but my brother Ricky is a Terran as well." Jay could sense my confusion at that last part. "You don't know what a Terran is, do you?"

   I shook my head, "Not a lot of this was explained to me."

   Jay patted my shoulder. "That's okay, you have a friend now. I can fill you in."

   I have a friend now. It just occurred to me that I've never really had a friend before. Sure, acquaintances or study partners— but never an actual friend. I could feel a small fractured part of myself mend back together at the realization.

   Jay went on to tell me about the five fundamental elements— those I knew about already. She went into deeper detail, describing the sections of the Academy. "When we get there tonight, we are all going to be sorted into our sections. The Professor you get, the classes in your rotation, and where you dorm will all depend on which element you manipulate." She paused for a moment, giving me time to digest the information before continuing. "There is Cirran, air magic— think of cirrus clouds. Then, there is Vulcan, which is fire magic. Then my personal favorite, Terra, earth magic," she gestured to herself. "There's Hydra, which is water magic. And lastly there is Cygnus, space magic."

   Another person had been listening and joined in on the discussion. "Cygnus basically sits empty all semester. That talent is so rare that I heard only ten people got sorted into that section last year."

   Jay raised an eyebrow, "And who are you?"

   "Henry Vegas," he held out a hand. Jay ignored it. "Soon-to-be Cirran."

   I took Henry's hand and gave it a gentle shake. "I'm Amelia, and this is Jay."

   Henry's blonde hair fell into his face, he swept it away hastily. He hid it well, but I could tell he was slightly anxious. "So Jay is a Terran," he arced a brow, "and you are?"

   I still was not fully sure. "Hydra, I think."

   Jay let out a delighted gasp, unable to contain her excitement at what I shared. "I met some of my brother's friends, but I've never met a Hydra before!"

   A small bit of pride crept in and I couldn't help the smile that followed.

   Henry clapped me on the shoulder, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Good luck with Professor Kohlsman," he said, his tone tinged with amusement. "He's kind of a dick."

   "How would you know that?" I asked, my smile faded.

   He gave an arrogant smirk, "Family friend."

   Jay rolled her eyes. "He's probably a dick to you because you get on people's nerves." She shifted her attention to me, her gaze softening with reassurance. "You're going to be fine."

   A sudden shift drew our attention. Jay shook with glee as she pointed out the subtle signs of the impending magical event. A low buzz filled the air, growing in intensity. The hairs on their arms stood on end, and a tingling sensation danced across our skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.

   At the edges of my vision, a faint haze began to form, casting the familiar surroundings of the subway into an ethereal light. Colors seemed to blur and meld together, swirling in a mesmerizing dance of hues and shades that defied comprehension.

   For a heartbeat, the world around them seemed to waver and shift, as if caught between two realities. But as quick as it had started, the sensation faded, leaving me blinking in surprise as I found myself still on the subway, surroundings unchanged.

   "That. Was. So. Cool," Jay exclaimed, her features glowing with excitement as she studied the goosebumps lingering on her arms.

   Henry struggled to maintain his balance, his hand clutching the metal shell of the subway car for support as a wave of nausea washed over him. His normally sharp gray eyes glazed over with discomfort as he admitted, "Let's never do that again."

   "What exactly was that?" I questioned.

   "That was the portal, we aren't on Earth anymore," Jay declared. "Welcome to Aetheria."

   The subway gradually decelerated, the rhythmic hum of the tracks beginning to fade. The steady motion that once propelled the train forward now diminished, signaling the imminent halt. With a gentle sway, the subway car slowed to a stop, and the once familiar view of concrete tunnels transformed before my eyes.

   Peering out the window, I was greeted by an unexpected sight: a vast clearing spread out beyond us, a sweeping expanse stretching into the distance. At its heart sat the Elemental Academy, a majestic building nestled within the center of a colossal crater.

   The scene was surreal, as if plucked from the pages of a fantasy novel. The school's architecture was enchanting, with spires reaching upward like fingers brushing against the heavens. Intricate carvings adorned the buildings, hinting at the magic that surely thrived within its walls.

   Around the school, the crater formed a natural barrier, its rugged edges framing the majestic structure like a protective embrace. Lush greenery carpeted the bottom of the depression, contrasting with the rugged rock faces that encircled it.

   With a hiss, the subway doors slid open, revealing the platform bathing in the soft glow of moonlight. A rushing breeze brushed against my skin, carrying with it the faint scent of damp earth.

   I looked at my peers and noted a shared sense of bewilderment. As we took our first hesitant steps toward Aetheria, I could feel the weight of the mundane world lift from my shoulders, replaced by a sense of excitement and wonder.