The Soul of Brass

Chapter 2

Between the ages of four and six children are tested to see if they hold any magical abilities. While all humans hold magic capabilities very few can use their abilities unaided. There is however a small percentile (2.3%) that can unleash their magical abilities without the use of spells, incantations, spirits, or any otherworldly methods. These humans are called Elementalists. Within the Elementalists are three categories: the Elementals, the Seasons, and the Phases. Children are tested to see if they fall into any of these categories.

Seven Years Ago

"Okay everybody line up!" said the tester, a young woman by the name of Kimmy. As the thirty two kindergarteners stood on the white line, Kimmy couldn't hold back a sigh. Testing month was a long and tiring process. She and her partner, Ronald, had traveled all over the state. This was their fortieth school and their two hundredth class. Over six thousand kids and they were only halfway done. Kimmy scratched her nose. Her auburn hair was up in bun that was too tight and her scalp was beginning to hurt. "Last class of the day," she whispered. Ronald, who was setting up a metronome on the pop up table grunted in reply. Besides the now ticking metronome was a bucket filled with water, a wooden fan, a stone, and a glass lantern.

"Alright everybody! Do you know what today is?"

"Testing day!" exclaimed the kindergarteners with a cheer. They stood before her on the white line on the blacktop.

Kimmy allowed herself a small smile. Testing was strenuous but the children made it worth it. "That's right! Today my partner and I are going to be seeing whether or not any of you have elementalists abilities. Remember: don't get discouraged if you don't have any powers, most people do not have a power. Now, do you all know when your birthdays are?"

"Yeah!"

"Mine's December 17th!"

"October 4th!"

"I was born in August!"

"April 18th!"

Kimmy raised her hands, "Whoa whoa. Good! That's excellent." Kimmy looked over at Ronald. He was holding a clipboard and a pen. Looking up at Kimmy he gave her a slight nod. "Right," she said, "I'm going to call out some dates and if any of them are your birthday raise your hand. -December 21st." No hands were raised. "September 22nd and September 23rd." No hands. "March 20th and March 21st." Kimmy looked around, not a single hand was raised. "June 21st."

A little boy with brown hair raised his hand. Kimmy made her way towards the brown haired boy, steps keeping in time with the ticking metronome.

"Hello," she said, kneeling in front of the boy. "What's your name?" Her left hand reached into her pocket and pulled out a small brown sac. "Noah... Noah Harper," said the brown haired boy. Little Noah looked on with curiosity as Kimmy fished out a single kernel from within the sac. "Okay Noah, I'm going to give you this and we're going to see if we can make some popcorn."

"Popcorn?" asked Noah with disbelief.

"Yes, popcorn. You see this here thing you're holding is called a kernel. It's what popcorn is before it pops."

"How are we going to pop it?"

Kimmy smiled, "I'll tell you in just a sec." Looking around at the other children she said, "Okay I need everyone to be really quite for Noah. Can you do that for me?" The children nodded. "Okay great," turning back to Noah, Kimmy gave him a kind smile. "Remember Noah, don't be disappointed if you can''t pop the kernel." Noah's face turned serious and he nodded.

For a moment the only thing that could be heard was the metronome's ticks. "Noah," said Kimmy, voice lowering, "I want you to close your eyes and take a deep breath for me." Noah did as she instructed. "Good. Now keep your eyes closed and continue breathing. In through the nose and out through your mouth. You should feel yourself relaxing." Noah was feeling just that. The metronome was still ticking in the background. "I want you to concentrate on the kernel in your hand. Focus only on that and the sound of my voice. Everything else should slowly be fading away with every tick."

Tick

tick

tick

"Think of the sun. Think of its heat radiating off of it. Feel that heat in your body. Can you feel it?'

"Yeah," said Noah.

"Okay, now. Feel that heat in your body and bring it all to your hands, grab that heat, let it gather there. Your hands are the sun, let the heat radiate from them."

Heat waves started to radiate from Noah's palms. Sweat started to gather on his brow and his face contorted in concentration.

Tick

Tick

Pop!

Noah's eyes snapped open. In his hands was a single piece of popcorn. "I did it," he whispered. "I did it!" he shouted. Noah's classmates gathered around him and cheered him on. Kimmy rose from her hunches and called to Ronald, "One Summer Seasonal. Noah Harper." Ronald nodded and highlighted the name and scribbled a note on the clipboard, documenting their find. "Next up Elementals," said Kimmy to the children, "get back in line and let's begin!"

First up was fire. After getting the children into a calm mental state as she did with Noah, Kimmy had Ronald walk up to each of the kids with a glass lantern. One had to make the fire bounce around inside the lantern. However, none could move the flame. None could pick up the water from the bucket and form a sphere, none could form a gust and move the wooden fan, and none could roll the stone into a ball.

"So no Elementals in this class," said Kimmy as she put an X on her clipboard. "Alright, next the Phases. All of you put your arms out and cup your hands." Kimmy handed Ronald the clipboard and showed the action to the children. The children mimicked her. "Concentrate now- and try to catch the sunlight!" After about a minute, Kimmy lowered her arms and shook her head at Ronald. "none." she said. Ronald just grunted. Always a man of few words.

"Alright, next is the last test. Everyone look at your shadows." The kids turned away from the sun and looked at the ground. There their shadows were, stretched out in the 3 o clock sun. "I need you to stand very still, as still as you can be. I want you to try to move one of your shadow's arms. Almost like a penguin." Kimmy began to walk down the line, dismissing one child after another. None were successful as she progressed. 

Then all but one child remained. A small girl, smaller than most children her age. Her dark curly hair was kept in two low ponytails, her bangs framed her round face and accented her dark brown eyes. Kimmy stopped in her tracks as she looked at the little girl's shadow. Not only was the hand raised, it was waving. The curly haired girl, too entranced with her shadow, didn't notice Kimmy's and Ronald's advancement. The girl's shadow raised its other hand and along with the first did a penguin impression, raising its arms up and down. The little girl giggled. "That... is impressive." said Ronald, speaking for the first time.

The little girl turned her head as her shadow returned to its regular form. "You said to be a penguin," she said.

Kimmy chuckled and shook her head. Here this girl was exhibiting power of someone twice her age and she didn't even realize it. "What's your name little one?" asked Kimmy.

The little girl looked at Kimmy and replied, "Asha."