The Realm Protectors - Chapter 17: Chapter 17

This week has probably been one of the most intense hellweeks I've ever participated in. Back in the Otherworld, I used to have them all the time. Hellweek, or the first week of practices for sports, always took a lot out of you. There was constant conditioning both physically and mentally to prepare you for learning plays and playing games. Normally I could keep up just fine. But this week was actually hell.
"One more time." Professor Odde commands from the safety box built into the wall of the facility.
"One more time my ass," I huff as I push myself to a standing position. The physical kinesis teachers have been working with the eight of us extra hard to prepare us for anything: surprise battles anywhere. And while I can manage running around and dodging obstacles like some kind of superhero, using my abilities to their full extent at the same time is a whole different ball game. I take a deep breath before running through the course again. Professor Odde used her abilities to create a forest inside the Earth Facility, and currently has three of her best fourth sects chasing after me, trying to attack me in any way they can. I have to use my abilities to stop them.
This is quite difficult, considering the fact that we have the same abilities, and they're three years older and more experienced.
I swing around a tree and tear through the indoor forest. I can hear three pairs of footsteps behind me, two on the ground and one in the trees. I look around and spot a tree that I tore up from the ground earlier. I climb onto its trunk and jump into the boughs of the standing tree next to it. I pause for breath and reach for my ability, searching for the veins of life. Glowing green veins appear and I spot my three attackers.
"Gotcha," I smirk. I shoot my arm out and twist my wrist, pulling down. A branch falls from a tree twenty yards in front of me, and the attacker in the trees falls. I flick my fingers and she's wrapped in thorny vines. Off to my left, my other two attackers make an 'oomph' noise. I hear the shifting of boughs and realize one of them is now in the trees. I reach for the veins of life again, finding her. I take off through the jungle again, swinging from tree to tree like a deranged monkey. My attacker freezes in her place, hugging the bark of a tree. I whistle and birds descend from the ceiling, knocking her off the branch.
Two down, one to go.
I land on a strong-looking branch and reach for those glowing green veins again, only to feel the branch fall from underneath me. I reach my arm up as I fall, catching a vine and stopping myself from hitting the ground. I use my momentum to swing into my last attacker's chest, knocking him to the ground. I unwrap my arm from the vine and straddle his chest, my hands on his throat.
"Game," I pant. "Set, and match."
He huffs and shoves me off of him as the jungle dissipates back into the floor. Professor Odde claps as she walks out to meet us. I wave my hand and the vines and birds disappear.
"Very good, Avani." Professor Odde says. "I'm impressed with how far you've come this week."
"Thank you, Professor." I say between breaths. I dust off my pants as I stand.
"I only have one more piece of advice before I let you go." She says. Odde tilts her chin down and stares at me, her eyes like the sharp edges of a cliff. "Don't let your pride get in your way, Avani. You are strong, but you are cocky. If you don't learn humility, your ego will catch up with you, and it will bite you in the tox. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Professor." I bow my head, cheeks hot.
"You're dismissed. Good luck on your quest." Odde raises her head. I turn on my heel and head back to the locker room. The two fourth sect girls come in a few seconds later, heading right for me.
"You're so powerful," One of them says, taking off her shirt and changing her bra. I look away. "It's no wonder Professor Grantwood made you a High Arch."
I stay silent, throwing on a sweatshirt and slipping sweatpants on over my shorts. This entire week, people have been following us around like paparazzi, suddenly wanting to be our best friend. Others suddenly hate us, hiding in the corners whenever we pass and whispering.
"You know, it's rude to not thank someone for a compliment." The other girl says, crossing her arms. I stand up, slinging my bag over my shoulder.
"Thank you," I deadpan before walking out.
A crowd of earth elementals from every sect are waiting outside the facility. They call my name, asking for pictures or wanting to ask questions about me, my friends, or my new life. I push through all of them and walk into the lift entry, getting on a lift and taking in a breath of fresh air.
Back in the Otherworld, I lived for popularity like this. Every time I made the game-winning point, the student body would rush out of the stands and lift me up. I adored the affection. It was my life. Now though, I'd give anything for a few seconds alone.
My bag buzzes and I pull out my phone. I bought it earlier this week, at Enya's suggestion. Most people don't have a need for phones in the Realm, since you can be teleported anywhere. They're still useful, however. Mostly for games, but they also have a secure network for chatting. Now we have a High Arch group chat.
It's a message from Nik. Are you on your way back to the AR?
I reply back. On my way now. Getting off the lift.
I descend into the lift exit in the Main Campus, walking towards the teacher's offices. Inside the elevator, I face the retinal scanner and hold still while it scans me.
"Welcome, High Arch Gipson. Descending to tunnels." The robotic voice says. The elevator begins to descend to a floor not listed on the elevator buttons. Mr. Redmond showed us this when we teleported back to school after the press conference last week. He said it's the quickest, most secure, and most private way back to the Arch Residence. It can only be accessed by High Arches.
The elevator dings and the doors open, revealing the clean white tile tunnel. The lights turn on as I step onto the conveyor platform. I close the gate and press the green button. The conveyor whizzes to life, carrying me through the tunnels to the Arch Residence. It slows and stops when I reach the AR dock. I open the gate and pause again for the retinal scanner at the door. It dings and lights up green, signaling that I am indeed me. The door unlocks and I walk inside my new home with a sigh.
Ciana waves from her spot on the couch, where she's watching some show. I walk down the hallway to my room, opening the door. The engraved trees and animals glow green when I touch the doorknob, and the plants in my room seem to take a breath as I step inside. I toss my bag on the floor, flopping on my bed. I huff into the pillow when I hear a knock on the door. I twist my wrist and the door opens.
"Come in," I say into the pillow.
"Are you packed yet?" I hear Ciana's cheery voice from the doorway.
"How do I pack for a quest?" I sit up and ask. Nik's standing in the doorway too, looking small in an oversized black sweater.
"I don't know," Ciana admits, shrugging. "Like you would for a camping trip?"
"Exactly," Enya appears behind her. "Pack light, but pack for a week."
"A week?" I ask.
"We don't know how long it'll take to find Tucker Brooks." Nile says, wrapping his arm around Enya's waist. "Could be a day, could be a week."
I roll my eyes. "Alright, alright, I better get packing."
"And don't forget about the funeral later." Nik pipes in. We all turn to look at her.
"Oh shit, I forgot about that." I mumble. A few days ago, Officer Alexxi came back and told us that the funeral for the High Arches was scheduled for today, and that we had to attend. "We don't have any black things to wear."
Enya raises an eyebrow. "Why would we wear black?" Ciana turns to look at her, confused.
"Because... it's a funeral?" Ciana looks at me for support and I nod.
"In the Realm, you wear gray to funerals." Carter appears in the hallway. I guess I have a crowd out there now. "Black is darkness's color. Gray is neutral. That's why Main Campus is gray."
"Well, we don't have any gray clothes." Ciana points out.
Lyra appears from the end of the hallway pulling a cart with garment bags hung on it. "Our clothes just arrived."
"Oh for the love of–" I huff. "Just come in already." Everyone comes into my room, taking seats in my lounge chairs and on my bed. Ciana looks around at all the plants hanging from the ceiling in admiration. Faris waltzes in a few seconds later and flops on my rug in the lounge area.
"Jaq stopped me on the way here," Lyra explains, handing out the garment bags. "Mr. Redmond asked her to make us outfits for the funeral."
"I thought Jaq made stage costumes," Nik asks.
"She's going to be a designer." Enya explains. "She gets requests all the time. She just does stage costumes in her free time, to help out the crew."
"We should make her our official designer," Ciana points out with a smile, admiring her dress. "She's good."
"That's... actually a really nice idea." Enya nods. "I'll talk to Jaq and the head maid tomorrow."
"We have an hour before we need to get to the High Garden." Nile says. "Let's get ready."
We all make noises of affirmation and they clear out of my room. I go into the bathroom and take a really fast shower, washing off all the sweat. I keep my hair in the protective braids they're in now – note to self, I need to find a good stylist – and pat a light layer of powder on my face. Ciana took me shopping a couple weeks ago for makeup. She pointed out that I didn't need to wear a whole birthday cake, just enough to make myself look professional. We decided on powder and mascara, to make me look 'less shiny' and 'make my eyelashes pop.'
I pull on the gray dress, decently conservative but still pretty attractive. The neckline is a sweetheart, but there's lace covering the rest of my chest and most of my back. The skirt is mostly that scratchy fabric – Ciana said it's called tulle – and goes down to the floor. I huff at the feeling of it against my legs and pull on a pair of gray leggings I have from the Otherworld. I put on the shoes with the gloriously low heel and take a final look in the mirror before going out into the hallway. The boys are waiting in the living room. Faris wolf-whistles at me and I throw a bottle of water at him. They all laugh as I plop onto the couch.
"This monstrosity is enormous." I huff.
"Get used to it, Gipson," Nile laughs. "You're gonna be wearing dresses for a while."
"I should talk to Jaq about that," I mumble to myself. We wait there, talking about the latest sports game between the professional Fajro and Vesi teams. The other girls begin to emerge from their rooms and we get ready to go to the High Garden. Officer Alexxi waits for us by the door, and he leads us outside. The High Garden is at the base of the hill that Arch Hall and the Arch Residence take up. Enya told us that it's where all of the High Arches to have ever ruled the Realm are buried. They're buried in groups of 8 with their fellow arches.
Someday our bodies will lie here too.
I shiver at the thought as we cross under the gray stone arch. The population of Center City is gathered around the stone walls around the cemetery, which have been lowered by Earth elementals to allow for full view of the funeral ceremonies.
Enya leads our procession into the cemetery, to the plots where eight new headstones stand. Each is made from a different material to depict the arch's element. A bust of the person adorns the top of the stone, and the information engraved on the front is complete with their symbol that denoted their position.
The January air is crisp, and many of the assembly outside the cemetery wall are clad in coats of all materials. I feel goosebumps prickle up my arms as I attempt to pull the measly fur shawl tighter around me.
We stop in a semicircle in front of the headstones and Enya takes a deep breath. It hovers as fog in the air. A man in gray robes steps up to us from where he was waiting beside the stones.
"Arch Stellato, could you amplify my voice please?" The man asks. I almost wonder why he doesn't himself – he's pale, like an Air elemental – before I see the deep blue hourglass between his collarbones.
Faris nods and waves his hand. The air stills and then shimmers. The man turns to the assembly outside the walls.
"People of Center City, people of Capital, and people of the Realm," The man begins. His voice carries all the way to the crowd and the cameras. "Today we are gathered in this place of eternal peace to lay to rest our former High Arches. They served us valiantly for a long time, before their lives were cut short.
"They were brave, and they ruled justly. Now they have prepared for us our new High Arches, who we hope will live just as brave, and rule just as wise as their predecessors." The man turns to Enya and nods. She steps forward.
"I first met Former Arch Grantwood when I was a mere fourteen years old. She visited my family and I in our home in Varma Urbo and presented me with the offer to attend her blended school, our dear Asavanra. Throughout the years, she trained her students well. She gathered the eight she believed fit to rule someday, and only a short while ago, told us of our fates.
"She was brave, strong, and true to the last. And with the help of our Grandshield, who we will find, we will avenge her death and the death of our other beloved High Arches." Enya's voice reminds me of those motivational speakers who always seemed so powerful at school during their presentations. The ones who seemed to not matter as soon as the students left.
The rest of the funeral is presided over by the man in the robes while we stand off to the side. The coffins were already placed in the holes when we got to the cemetery, so the only thing we had to do was drop the first handful of dirt into the holes.
Then watch as the rest of the city did the same, saying their goodbyes.