The Realm Protectors - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

"Your earth friends were nice," Apalla says as we tune out Professor Grantwood's opening speech.
"Where'd y'all meet?" Dawn asks in that southern belle drawl of hers.
"Oh, you know," I wave my hand. "Woke up in the campus hospital together." My roommates laugh like I said something funny and I turn my attention back to Professor Grantwood.
"Asavanra Academy is the best school in the Realm for advancing your talents, whether that talent is with your ability or somewhere else!" Professor Grantwood's voice is bright and cheery. "Our fourth sects are some of the best in the Realm, and many go on to be the best warriors and protectors in the Realm!" Cheers go up around the auditorium, probably from those fourth sects. "And now, I'd like to introduce our fabulous faculty and staff here at Asavanra!" The row of teachers behind Professor Grantwood step forward. They're grouped together by the colors they wear, distinguishing the teachers by their element.
Professor Grantwood goes down the line and introduces each teacher one by one. I recognize the ginger-haired teacher dressed in red as the teacher that gave me my element test. Grantwood introduces her as Ms. Sandman. I also recognize the very pregnant teacher in the white dress and butter yellow cardigan, who is introduced as Mrs. Rahn. Down and down the row of teachers until Professor Grantwood reaches the very end.
"And last but certainly not least, we have Mr. Stewart, who assists me in teaching all of you about the beautiful history of our dear realm." Professor Grantwood says with a smile. "Now, I'm going to give everyone a very very brief rundown of what this year is going to look like. As some of you know, we have four breaks throughout the year. You all just finished the end of the year break, and soon enough we'll have the short spring break, our summer break, our short autumn break, and finally back to the end of the year break. These breaks are valuable periods of time for any student wishing to catch up on any classwork or elemental practice, but you can also use them to visit family. More information on how to apply to visit your family during the school year breaks will be given to you as we get closer to spring break.
"Now, there will be four big exams in every class this year. Quarter exams just before spring break, midterm exams before summer break, another quarter exam before autumn break, and finally the big final exam before the end of the year break. These exams are a large part of your grades, so you are very much encouraged to study."
"That's a lot of tests," Dawn gapes. Professor Grantwood continues talking about extracurricular activities while Apalla laughs.
"Well, yeah. They have to make sure we're actually learning something." Apalla giggles as she turns back to Professor Grantwood.
"Are those the only tests we'll take all year?" I ask excitedly. Better than three or four a week! My excitement disappears when Apalla shrugs.
"It depends on the teacher," She says. "Some make you take a test between each of the exams, some make you take one every week." Dawn goes pale underneath her southern tan and looks like she might pass out.
"You'll be fine," I assure her. "I'm sure the tests can't be that bad. After all, Professor Grantwood told me that basic subjects that Other schools consider important aren't as important here as your kinesis classes." Dawn nods and some of her color starts to return to her face as we turn back to Professor Grantwood.
"I'm now going to ask that everyone returns to their dorms." Grantwood says. "You'll all have your schedules and class lists by the end of today, and you're all asked to go down to Academy Avenue and get your required school supplies before classes start. Any questions? No? Fantastic. We'll see you all in two days when classes start!"
The crowd of students gets up and starts to make their way towards the exit. I follow Apalla and Dawn down the stairs until we reach the tunnels and then I lose them in the crowd of students.
"Dawn? Apalla?" I shout. Students look at me weirdly and curve around me while I look around. I start trying to make my way out of the large throng of students once we reach the bright outside area. Someone catches me by the back of my shirt before I can tumble into the bare bushes lining the path, pulling me back upright. I huff out a breath and turn around.
"Thanks," I smile at Avani, who somehow found her way to me again. She smirks.
"First day on the new legs, Sunshine?" Though she smirks sarcastically, I can tell she's warming up to me a little.
"Navigating a crowd of this many students is very difficult," I reply. "And I was off-balance because I was on my tip-toes looking for my roommates, who seem to have disappeared."
"Same here," Avani shrugs. She holds her hand over her eyes and scans the crowd for our roommates. I can't see my blonde buddy or Gemma's poof of hair anywhere.
"Maybe we can ask a teacher for help finding our way back to our dorms?" I ask.
"Allow me," A voice says from behind us. We turn to see Professor Grantwood standing there in her white pantsuit, almost blending into the snow on the ground. "But first, I'd like to escort you all to my office for a quick meeting of sorts. Follow me." She starts down the path, making Avani and I scurry to catch up with her surprisingly long strides. When we pass another door where students are coming out of, Professor Grantwood stops and scans the crowd. She turns to the shadow of a column and motions for it to follow us.
"What is she–?" Avani starts. We both jump when a girl melts into sight from the shadow. A shadow seems to permanently rest over her, giving her a break from the bright sun beating down against the snow.
"Hello," the girl says, stepping into line with us as we continue to follow Grantwood down the path.
"Hi," I smile. "I'm Ciana. This is Avani." Avani lifts her head in greeting. Grantwood turns a corner and we head towards a large stone building. A plaque next to the door identifies it as the Faculty Offices.
"I'm Nikolina." She says as we step inside a lift.
Professor Grantwood taps her foot while we wait for the lift to stop. When the doors open we follow her into a large room with floor to ceiling windows on every wall, allowing a full view of the whole campus and the city beyond it. We all stare in amazement at the beautiful view as Grantwood walks over and sits down behind a large gray desk. She settles into her chair and motions for the three of us to take a seat in the lounge chairs in front of her desk.
I plop down into the one across from her, crossing my leg over the other while I wait for the other two to sit down. Avani sits down to my right, slouching back and crossing her arms while she continues to look out the windows. Nikolina slowly sits down in one of the chairs closest to the desk, staring at her hands with a blank look on her face. It's only then that it hits me that I'm in the principal's office and should probably be worried.
"Um, Professor–?" I start to ask. Grantwood looks at the watch on her wrist and says,
"Any second now, Ciana, and then I will answer your questions." She looks around at the three of us and smiles softly. "But no, you're not in trouble." Nikolina exhales at that and settles more comfortably into the chair. I look around at the view of campus, finding the Light Campus off to the left behind the massive auditorium. As the sun starts to set over the horizon little twinkling lights appear in rings over the campus, as well as in the flowers lining the pathways, constructing a beautiful blueprint of light.
The lift dings behind us and I turn to see five more students walk into the room. I recognize the redhead walking hand in hand with a tall, surfer-looking boy as Enya, the girl who escorted me to the Light Campus earlier today. Behind them are two more boys, one with a shock of pale white hair and the other with chocolate brown hair, as well as a girl with ebony skin and almost opalescent-looking silvery white hair. Enya plops down on my left, the surfer boy sitting next to her. Nikolina shrinks away from them slightly. The ebony-skinned girl sits next to Avani and smiles at her like an old friend. The boy with the chocolate brown hair sits next to her, and the other boy sits in the last chair next to the desk.
"Welcome dear students." Professor Grantwood finally begins. "I hope you're all nice and comfortable because this discussion may take a while. Before any more of you ask: no, you're not in any kind of trouble. That being said, nothing about this discussion should be relayed to anyone outside of this room. All of the teachers will be informed about it, but no student needs to. Are we clear?" Heads bob around the ring of students. "Good. Now, most of you are familiar with the greatest heroes of our history, correct?"
Enya raises her hand and says, ", ma'am?"
"Yes Miss Fuego, I'm talking about ." Grantwood clasps her hands and rests her chin on them, looking at each of us. "Avani and Ciana haven't heard the story before, what with it being their very first day here in the Realm. I'll summarize it for you all briefly, but remember that we'll be studying it in the class for the first few days.
"Now, a long time ago, after the Realm had flourished and became a healthy and beautiful place for our dear ancestors to live and thrive, some selfish people tried to take control of the Realm and turn it into a monarchy or dictatorship. When some elementals heard of these plans, they became furious. The Realm was a beautiful place where everyone was valued and respected – that's why they created the Realm in the first place, you see. They wanted to get out of the toxic ruling of the Otherworld. So these eight elementals banded together to create a team of heroes that would take down these selfish elementals and restore the balance of the Realm.
"They came to be known as the 'Realm Protectors', the eight most powerful elementals of each element. The people of the Realm decided that they were so heroic that they named them the rulers of the Realm. To protect the sanctity of the Realm they just saved, they decided to rule as a sort of oligarchy. Ever since then, one elemental from each element becomes a High Arch, working together with their peers and the people of the Realm to keep it safe and thriving."
I blink at Professor Grantwood. "? You're a Realm Protector?"
Professor Grantwood smiles. "Technically, yes. But not completely. You see, Realm Protectors are distinguished by their markings, which they receive when they earn their position as a High Arch." She motions to the elaborate golden swirls and suns around her eyes. "However, they're only known as Realm Protectors if the whole team of eight is complete. And unfortunately, there hasn't been a full team of Realm Protectors for hundreds of years."
Enya sits up and readjusts the way she's sitting. "Professor, with all due respect, what exactly are you trying to tell us?"
Professor Grantwood takes a deep breath and looks around at each of us. "After being a High Arch for this long, my peers and I have begun to notice the need for a full team of Realm Protectors. We're not sure what's coming, but it's something big according to High Arch Price."
"So... you need us to find the other Realm Protectors?" The surfer boy next to Enya asks.
"On the contrary, I've already found them." Professor Grantwood replies. "The High Arches have been keeping tabs on all of the elementals coming into the Realm, whether by birth or later as an Otherborn. As you all know, the more power you have as you come into the Realm, the worse reaction you have. And are said to have the most power in history."
We all go silent as her meaning sinks in.
"What are you saying, Professor?" I ask.
"I believe that the next team of Realm Protectors is the eight of you."