Gift Academy (Book One in the Gifted Series)

Chapter Twenty Four

Gina

Everyone starts to panic until Flora stands on a chair and yells at everyone at the top of her lungs.

"EVERYONE CALM DOWN!" Her voice carries throughout the hallways. Everyone immediately calms down and face Flora, though they still look scared and uncertain of what to do. She orders the water and fire Gifted to attack on the front and distract the Extras while the nature and darkness Gifted attack from behind. The light, wind, and earth Gifted will attack from the side while the Extras are busy with the others. Everyone split into their Gifted teams. Flora, Jake, Nick, and Austin lead the attack with the water and fire Gifted. They burst open the doors and there are the Extras, storming towards Gift Academy like a fully-trained army, being led by the one and only Emily. I growl as I realize I won't be able to get a clear shot at her unless I lead the attack with the wind Gifted, so I do.

Fay and Hailey lead the attack from behind, sneaking around the battle of the Extras and fire and water Gifted. Fay then gives the signal and the nature and darkness Gifted attack from behind, surprising the Extras. They wildly attempt to fight the Gifted off, but they're too in shock of what just happened.

That's when it's finally my turn. Wesley, Claire, and I split up and sneak around the confused Extras. I wave at them to attack as Wesley and Claire do the same. All at once, we attack the Extras, leaving them more confused and hopeless than the last time.

But soon enough, the Extras start to take control of their situation, and that's when things get rough.

The Extras form a circle and slowly expand outward, forcing us Gifted to back away.

"Come on! Don't give up!" I shout to the others as I blast another Extra away from me.

Someone grabs my shoulder and turns me to face them. I look into the dark eyes Claire.

"If we surround the Extras and get them to close in, they won't be able to attack us!" Claire tells me, having to shout over the sounds of the raging battle. I think about this for a moment, then nod my head. She turns to everyone else and orders them to close in on the Extras. I look towards the nature and darkness Gifted, who are fighting the Extras up-front. I rush up to them and head to Fay, who just knocked down an Extra with a vine.

"Fay!" I call out to her. She looks in my direction and rushes up to me. We stop in front of each other.

"What is it?" Fay asks me, an eager look in her eyes.

"Tell everyone to close in on the Extras. We might be able to take them down if they're all surrounded," I explain. Fay glances at the Extras and their circle of elemental powers, then looks back at me.

"Okay. Good luck," she replies, then heads back to the others. I can't help but notice a different look in her eyes. It looked like she wanted something that I had. Jealousy, perhaps? But what could I possibly have that she doesn't?

Then it hits me that Fay also saw Austin and I kissing at Extra Academy. She must like Austin, too. I have to tell her that it was a misunderstanding, that Austin and I are just friends, but I don't have time now. We have to win this fight.

I turn back to the other wind and earth Gifted until there's a huge rumble under my feet. An earthquake. Usually earth Gifted can't make large earthquakes like this, so whoever's making it must be powerful.

I trip on the shaking of the ground and land on my palms. I look up and my eyes widen as I see a teenage boy with two Gifts- an Extra- pointing one of his hands at the ground. He's causing the earthquake. In his other hand, a ball of fire is forming. The boy doesn't look much older than sixteen.

He turns around and faces a familiar figure with long, dark brown hair and blue-green eyes.

"FAY!" I shout at her, but she's too far away to hear me. I thrust my hand out towards the Extra with the fire, but a wall of water crashes into me and sends me rolling through the dirt. I look back up and the fireball has been thrown at Fay, completely unaware of what's happening.

She's going to die.

Fay

I don't look back in time.

There's a huge fireball hurling my way, and I can't react fast enough to dodge it. I know that I'm screwed.

Until a tan hand reaches out in front of me and stops the ball of fire, holding it in their hand now. At first, I think it's Nick or Austin, but I'm quickly corrected as I see a guy who looks about twenty years old, with short, straight black hair and dark, intelligent eyes.

Mr. Hernandez.

I sign in relief until I look down and see what happened.

Mr. Hernandez stopped the fireball the Extra threw at me, but he stopped it with his hand. He's holding the ball of fire in his hand without getting burned as I narrate.

I look up and the guy looks angry. Mr. Hernandez takes one step towards the Extra, but he fortunately knows better than facing an angry Mr. Hernandez. He turns and runs in the other direction, glaring at Mr. Hernandez and I.

I look back down at the ball of fire swirling in Mr. Hernandezs' hand.

"Mr. Hernandez...what-" I start, but I can't find the right words. How is he doing this? Controlling fire? I vividly remember him telling us on the first day of school that his gift is water what with his calmness and intelligence.

"Fay, you have to promise me something. Promise me you won't tell anyone else about this," Mr. Hernandez asks of me. I stutter, not sure what to say.

"And don't be afraid," Mr. Hernandez adds. Now I'm shocked. Why would I be afraid of Mr. Hernandez? He's so kind, polite, and helpful. What could possibly make me hate-

A ball of water appears in Mr. Hernandezs' hand. His other hand, not the one holding the fireball.

My eyes widen at the sight.

Mr. Hernandez is controlling both fire and water at the same time.

He has control over fire and water, two Gifts.

Mr. Hernandez is an Extra.