Noble Academy

Prologue

Prologue (12 years ago)

"Hey, guys! Look over here!" I yell out. Successfully gaining everyone's attention.

They all crowd around me while still maintaining their distance from the fire in front of me.

"Where did you get that?" one of the boys suspiciously asks.

"I don't know. I just look at the stick and it somehow lit itself on fire." I say, also confused as to how this happened.

They all look amongst themselves before suddenly bursting out into fits of laughter.

"What?" I say to them, oblivious to what was going on.

"You're such a weirdo." One of the girls shouts between a fit of giggles while pointing her finger at me.

A wave of sadness hits me.

"I'm not a weirdo!" I scream.

"Yes, you are. Let's go, guys, leave this weirdo alone to herself." She says loudly before everyone turn to leave with her.

The reality of how alone I am is truly beginning to settle in. It settles like a weight on my heart. Destroying any hope I have left of ever feeling normal or wanted ever again.

--------

"Winter, would you be a dear and please come here?" Bertha says with a sweet smile. She sits on the porch of the orphanage.

The porch is old and rotten. The railings have already begun to break away and it is stained by decades of weather. I skip lightly over towards Bertha feeling my shoes crush the dirt underneath.

"Yes, Bertha?" I ask giving her a strained smile. She smiles back at me.

"Dear can you do me a favor?" I nod in response. "Please don't go near those children"

"But why Bertha?" I asked. A part of me knew the answer, though.

"They don't understand you. You are special and people aren't very nice to those who are different from them. Things they do not understand makes them uncomfortable." She says while combing my short white hair with her fingers. It is very soothing.

I gaze longingly at the group of children chasing each other and laughing.

"They don't seem so bad," I mutter quietly.

"Dear, some people in this world seem like that but inside they can have really dark hearts." She says knowingly.

"I just don't get it, though. How am I different?" I ask longing to be out there playing with the other children.

She grasps my hands in hers and looks at me straight in the eyes.

"That stick did not light itself on fire. You have abilities that they don't have. If anyone were to find out about your abilities they could take advantage of you. I could not live with myself if something happens to you." She says sternly.

"Please stay away from them." She begs me.

"Ok," ,I said reluctantly.