Electracademy

Chapter 30

  "Okay, you all are done for today."
 
With a gasp of relief, I lower the bow. I had been training with the bow for all of EC. I am beginning to get a feel for the weapon, but I am still far from good. I only hit the archery target twice out of all my shots. I carefully unstring the bow and slide it in my quiver. I cautiously move toward the targets, looking to make sure no one is still shooting.
 
I pick up my arrows off the ground. I stand up after picking one up and bump into Owen, who is getting his own black-feathered arrows. A sleek, black bow is strung over his back. He mumbles an apology as he walks away.
 
I put my arrows in my quiver, quickly counting to make sure I have them all. After that, I meet up with friends. "Are we supposed to carry these around all the time?" I ask to no one in particular.
 
Alice shrugs. "I guess so."
 
"I could get used to it." Isa says with a small smile. I could almost never think Isa to be delighted by a harmful device.
 
"Me too." I suprise myself by saying.
 
 

"Wow." I say as I look around the small clearing. "I didn't think there would be anybody else here."
 
We had come to this small clearing by the academy to privately train with our weapons. I had figured we would be by ourselves. It is very cold out, so that would discourage anyone else wanting to come outside. Besides, the school is on high security, so getting outdoors is an ordeal. Unfortunately, though, we are wrong.
 
All around the clearing are classmates training. A group of kids are fencing nearby. Near the edge of the woods, someone has made a target out of a tree stump. The sounds of talking and laughter echo through the trees. Not even the chilling cold can dampen anyone's spirits.
 
"Oh, well." Alice says. She shrugs and spins a knife out of her belt. "We may as well join them."
 
I nod and button up my coat as the winds blows. Isa runs off to join the kids who are fencing, drawing her sword. I see Grayson instructing a small group, making motions with his sword. I smile and go to where the makeshift target is. I turn around when I notice Alice isn't following me.
 
"Alice, don't you wanna come?" I say to her, my breath turning to fog in the air. "You can do knife throwing."
 
Alice sighs and stares at the ground with an odd look. "Nah. I think I will join the melee."
 
I frown at her. "Really? With just knives?"
 
Alice gives a small nod. "Yeah."
 
I shrug and leave her on her way. I turn back to the archery. I notice a group of three people doing something over there. I hurry over to them.
 
"I really agree with you, but we just don't have anything to make one with." A dark-skinned boy is saying.
 
"What if we just get some from Professor Gates?" Says a girl with jet-black hair in a high ponytail.
 
The dark-skinned boy shakes his head, his dark brown hair blowing a little in the breeze. "No, Paige. I don't think that would work.
 
Paige scowls, pursing her ruby-red lips.
 
"Oh, for goodness sake." Says a girl, stepping forward. She has short white-blond hair, cut in a pixie style. She looks at the other two with vibrant green eyes. "Let me handle this." She says. She closes her eyes and does some strange motions with her hands. The grass around her starts to rustle and something starts to happen behind them. Plants and underbrush starts to rustle. Then, slowly, they start to weave together. The whole time the girl concentrates with closed eyes. When she's done there are many targets made from woven plants. I smile as I notice she even made the plants make rings and a bullseye.
 
The boy sees the targets and looks at the girl. "That Electra of yours can be rather useful sometimes, Aslinn."
 
Aslinn scoffs slightly.
 
That's when the boy notices me with the small group.
 
I step forward. "I'm Carly Hope."
 
"Yeah I know." The boy says. "You've been here barely a month and everyone knows you. By the way, I'm Jerome. And these two beams of sunshine are Paige and Aslinn." Jerome points to each girl in turn.
 
"What's your Electras?" I ask the three of them. It seems like that's a good thing to talk about when greeting here at Electracademy.
 
Aslinn decides to speak up. "As you just saw, I am an Elementum, just like your boyfriend. Only, I am an earth elemental, whereas he is fire." There is a tone in Aslinn's voice I can't cipher.
 
"I am an Anima." Paige says.

  "Whats that?" I ask, confused.
 
Paige gives a little whistle. At first nothing happens. Then bird calls come from the woods, echoing the same pattern. Paige whistles again and a small bird comes flitting above our heads.
 
"You can speak to animals." I understand. Paige gives a small nod.
  
"What about you?" I turn to Jerome.
  
"I will demonstrate." He says, looking around. His gaze settles on a huge boulder across the clearing. He starts to head toward it.
 
"Whats he doing?" I ask.
 
"Just watch." Paige says. "Oh, and you might want to stand back."
 
I step back, uncertain. Jerome stops in front of the boulder and turns to make sure I am watching. I give him a thumbs-up as Aslinn mutters something like "Show-off."
  
Jerome places one hand on the massive boulder. I watch as he grips it and hoists it above his head. That boulder is twice the size of him and he lifts it like it's nothing!
 
"Watch out!" Jerome yells.
 
Aslinn pulls me back as Jerome throws the massive rock. It lands on the ground nearby with a loud bang. All the kids in the clearing yelp in suprise. "My bad!" Jerome yells. Many kids roll their eyes and go back to their training.
  
"My Electra is super-strength." Jerome explains once he is back with our small group.
 
"Guess we got another target now." Aslinn shrugs taking her bow off her shoulder. Her bow is forest green and decorated in flowing vines.
 
I shrug and pull an arrow out of my quiver. As I practice I imagine all our abilities in a battle. I almost feel a little sorry for Zeithman. Almost.