The Realm Protectors - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

I change back into my regular clothes after Physical Geokinesis in the locker room with the other girls in my class. Gemma has a light sheen of sweat on her face, and Vermont just looks a little tired. Meanwhile, I'm panting like I just sprinted the mile. Using your powers for an hour is tougher than it looks.
"Do you wanna go to the Avenue for snacks, Avani?" Gemma asks.
"I wish I could Gem, but I have to go see Professor Grantwood about something." I reply. "I'll meet you at the room later, okay?" Gemma nods sadly and follows Vermont out.
I try to wipe the sweat off my face before remembering that everyone else is coming from their physical kinesis classes as well. I head back out into the main lobby of Earth Facility. There are bottles of water in a cooler by the front door, so I grab one as I walk out.
There's a lot of students on their way back to the dorms, so I decide to take the skyway into the Plaza instead. There's two older students waiting in the loading bay, so I watch them as they stand on a green circle on the floor and lean back as the seat swings around the mechanism and underneath them. When they're lifted out into the air, I step onto the green circle and watch the next seat swing around behind me. When it gets right behind me, I lean back and sit down, pulling the safety bar down over my lap.
The winter chill stings my face as I'm lifted up into the air, the seat gliding along the cables above me. The skyway offers a perfect view of the campus, with students going to and from the Plaza and their Campuses. I start to descend towards a round building next to the auditorium. All the eight skyway cables descend into the building, opening up into the Plaza. The students in front of me hop off their seat and run along an arrow on the floor into the open space in the middle of the building before walking out one of the doors. I try to mimic them, hopping off when I'm close enough to the ground and then jogging out of the way.
It only takes me a few more minutes to walk over to the teacher's offices, and I see Lyra and Carter waiting by the elevator. I wave and jog over to them, the elevator opening as soon as I get there. We all get in and Carter presses the button for the top floor. Carter's wearing another sweater vest today, making him look like a teenager in an old man's clothes.
"What?" He asks when he catches me staring.
"Nothing," I shrug. "Just wondering why you wear old man clothes."
Carter huffs a little but relaxes when Lyra giggles breathily.
"He likes the style of the olden days." She says in that odd, light way of hers. "Back when things were more simple."
"Plus, they're warm and comfy. What else could you need?" He says. The elevator dings and the doors slide open. Professor Grantwood's office waits for us, a small group of people crowded around her desk.
"Why does her office take up a whole floor?" I ask Carter. He shrugs.
"Rumor has it she hosts High Arch meetings here when she can't get to Arch Hall." He replies. "They have teacher meetings here too, so you need a large room."
Professor Grantwood sees us standing by the elevator and waves us over. There's a large ring of chairs in front of her desk, many more than we need to seat the eight of us. Nile and Enya are seated already, and engaged in a conversation with the other seven people in the chairs. Professor Grantwood motions to the seats, so we sit down next to Nile and Enya. Ciana, Faris, and Nikolina arrive a few minutes later, and Professor Grantwood settles into her chair.
"Students, I'd like you to meet the High Arches of the Elemental Realm." She says. Ciana chokes on a gasp and turns it into a cough as the seven adults chuckle. Only four of them have the distinguishable Realm Protector tattoos, not counting Professor Grantwood.
"Hello students. I am Grand Arch Coldwell, but you can call me Jett." The man who speaks is pale like Nikolina, with platinum blond hair and very tall. Swirls of white and silver surround his eyes and run down his neck, disappearing under the silver and white suit he wears. The pale, raven-haired woman next to him seems small in comparison, when in reality she's strong and built like a fighter.
"I'm Right Arch Grimaldi, but you can call me Abigail." She says, motioning to the man next to her. He also has tattoos, whorls of water in varying shades of blues, making his eyes pop.
"I am Arch Montgomery." He says, straightening his blue suit. "But call me Brett."
The chocolate-skinned woman next to him is introduced as Arch Robin Hawthorn, and the ebony-skinned man next to her is introduced as Arch Leland Bradford. His eyes are decorated with loops of purple nebulae with twinkling opalescent stars. The lights reflect off of his hair as he turns to introduce us to Arch Olympia Vos, and the intimidating Arch Malcolm Price, who has deep blue sands sprinkled around his eyes, being poured from hourglasses.
"I'd still prefer if you'd all call me Professor Grantwood in front of others, but my name is Cira." Professor Grantwood finishes, her golden tattoos glinting. "I figured it was about time to introduce you to your predecessors and mentors."
"Yes, Arch Grantwood has told us all about your incredible abilities." Grand Arch Coldwell says. "Out of curiosity, may we see your first elements?"
I look at Ciana and we both look at Enya, who shrugs. The eight of us pull out our first element chains, showing off the near-walnut sized lockets. The seven other High Arches admire them, clearly impressed. I feel proud as I release mine.
"You all have such immense power," Right Arch Grimaldi smiles. "You will be fantastic Realm Protectors. The first full set in hundreds of years!"
The High Arches chatter excitedly before Arch Price holds up his hands.
"I think our mentees would like to know who they'll be studying under." he says calmly.
"Won't we study under the Arch of our element?" Nile asks.
"No, actually." Grand Arch Coldwell explains. "It's Asavanra's job to teach you to use your abilities. That's not what we're here for. We're mentoring you in the ways of your future place in the High Arches."
"But how do we know what position is right for us?" I ask. "Do we just pick?"
Professor Grantwood chuckles. "No Avani dear, Malcolm here has peered into the future and has seen you all in your full glory. He's told us what positions you're destined to be in."
Arch Price nods. "Indeed. I will be mentoring Mr. Faris to be the next Arch Ambassador to the Otherworld." Faris nods. "This means that your job will be to deal with any gateway issues, as well as the crossing of guards, students, and immigrants."
"I will train Carter as the next Arch of Academics." Professor Grantwood explains. "You'll deal with all of the educational things in the Realm, and become Headmaster of Asavanra once you graduate."
"You mean this office will be mine?" Carter asks in amazement, looking around.
"I'll be training Lyra as the next Arch of Peace." Arch Vos says. "I think you'll do quite well, child." Lyra bows her head in thanks.
"Miss Nikolina will be training with me to become the Arch of Protection." Arch Bradford says.
"M-me?" Nikolina asks. She mutters something under her breath.
"By the time you take your place, you'll be ready to do your job." Arch Bradford assures her.
"I'll be mentoring Avani to become Arch of the Military." Arch Hawthorn says to me.
"Military?" I ask.
"I think you'll do a great job. You seem like a very athletic and enthusiastic person." She smiles.
"Nile will be training with me to become Arch of Intelligence." Arch Montgomery nods to Nile.
"I'll be training Ciana to become the Right Arch," Right Arch Grimaldi grins at Ciana, who looks like she's just been picked as team captain.
"That leaves me to train Enya as Grand Arch." Grand Arch Coldwell says with a proud grin. "I'm sure that by the time you all take your rightful places, you will be ready for it."
The room is silent for a minute before Enya speaks.
"So when do we start training?" she asks.
"We figured we'd give you a week or class to get settled in before we start having lessons." Professor Grantwood replies.
"When do we get our tattoos?" Ciana raises her hand and asks.
"Ah, the Realm Protector tattoos." Grand Arch Coldwell nods. "I see Cira has been romanticizing in class again."
"It's my favorite unit to cover, Jett." She chuckles. "You receive your tattoos when you fulfill your role in the High Arches. That's when the world will know that you're Realm Protectors."
"Or not," Nikolina mutters. Right Arch Grimaldi glances at her with almost pity.
"Now that that's out of the way, there's one other thing I wanted to talk to you eight about." Professor Grantwood leans forward. "As you older sects may know, the RAS is coming up."
"The what?" I ask.
"The Realm Academy Showcase." Grand Arch Coldwell explains. "All of the capital academies of the Realm gather in one place to show off their most talented students."
"It encourages competitiveness between the schools for sports and other things." Arch Hawthorn grins.
"Yes, it's quite a fun time." Professor Grantwood smirks. "I'd like you eight to create Asavanra's presentation."
Enya's eyes go wide in shock. "Just the eight of us?"
"Three of us have only had our powers for two days!" Ciana exclaims.
"You can bring on other students if you wish, but I'd like you eight to spearhead it." Grantwood explains. "You're the most powerful of your generation, and it'll give you some leadership experience."
"How long do we have to get ready for this?" I ask.
"The RAS isn't until next weekend, so you have a week and a half." Grantwood assures.
"We'd better get to planning then." Enya stands. "If you'd excuse us, your Highnesses, we're off to the Avenue for dinner."
"You're excused." Grand Arch Coldwell nods at her. "We're all looking forward to an excellent presentation."