Aether Academy

Growing a Bamboo

"In any case, Lillian, for now I'd recommend keeping this information to yourself. Your classes would now be extended to Erde training, of course. I have asked Professor Amy to conduct the training in private for you. Until we can find out anything more about this dual affinity, I suggest we keep this under wraps."

Lillian was lost in thought. If affinity to a single element could lead to death, wasn't affinity to two worse? What if she loses her life? Her mom would be left all alone then.

"Lillian?" Emsworth voice brought her back to her current surroundings.

"Are you alright? Is there something wrong?"

Lillian, for some reason, trusted Emsworth. So, she voiced her thoughts to her. Emsworth sighed and drew her chair back, stood and went to look out of the window.

"To be honest, I don't know. Even though, I myself have an affinity to two elements; they are different in the way that one manifests itself physically and the other mentally. Two physical elements together though? Even I can't say anything about that."

She looked back at her and smiled, "Although, your aura is balanced. The two elements are not opposing each other. That is a good sign."

"My aura?" Lillian was confused how can someone see an aura? It is a feeling after all.

"Yes, your aura. It is quite peaceful, so you shouldn't worry much about it. Spirit is what makes it possible."

"I see. So do you sense a sort of disturbance in the aura if someone is about to...about to lose their life due to their affinity?"

Emsworth gave her another sad smile. She is kind of good at those.

"Yes. In the beginning it is almost invisible to us. But later on, we can see a spot in the aura; it gradually increases and takes over the complete aura. It is one of the hardest things to watch that. Knowing that a person is about to die and yet one cannot do anything about it."

"Oh. Yes, that sounds awful."

Emsworth nodded and then said, "I think you should get back, lunch is about to get over soon. I'll see you in class."

"You have our next class?"

"Yes, I will be teaching you about the four elements. Occasionally, we'll discuss the fifth one too."
Lillian nodded and headed back to the lunch room and plopped down on her earlier seat.

"Hey! You're back! Where were you anyway?" Tara asked.

"Some of my luggage was left behind and I couldn't find it earlier. They found it and I just took it back to my room."

"Okay! What's our next class?"

"The four elements. The headmistress will be taking that."

"Woah! Great! I have never seen her. Have you? I have heard that's really pretty and powerful."

"No, I haven't seen her." Lillian astounded herself with her ability to lie so easily, she did that rarely. She didn't like lying. But meeting the principal twice within a couple of days? It gave way to curiosity. So she lied. What Tara doesn't know won't hurt her.

"Hmm...Anyway. Come on let's go!"

Lillian smiled at her friend. Tara is so cheerful and full of life all the time. It made her happy seeing Tara so happy. She followed her to their next classroom. It was much like the first one, only bigger and also, had lots of plants. Lillian noticed it for the first time. That being close to plants gave her a sort of peacefulness. May be it was an element thing.

Emsworth walked in a few moments later and the whole class went quite. No one wanted to be on the bad diary of the headmistress. To her annoyance though, Ian took the seat right in front of her. Again. If he called ginger one more time...