9 The ∑xistentials

Inside Shaina's house.

Silence....

<Sigh>

"Can we all just stop with the awkwardness and just start from the beginning?" I said making direct eye contact with the 12 pairs of eyes around the room.

The guy with dimples nodded his head towards Meg. Given her respect to speak first. Assuming she must be the eldest in the room.

Except!, why would he know how old Meg is? Shocked and skeptical, I looked between my friends, and the two unknown guys.

Meg had taken the hint and started with "Well..." but was cut off by Josey, "What are you two doing here anyway? Last I heard you were at the academy....

The delicate featured guy rolled his eyes stating, "and why can't we be here?"

While the two bickered amongst themselves. I looked over at Jordie. Whom was sitting beside me and happened to catch her eye. She responded with, "I don't know who they are either. To be honest I'm embarrassed to say I haven't nurtured my nature senses. Which allowed those guys to get so close without my knowledge. This just tells me that as much as I have been working on controlling my earth element. I need, not to forget about nurturing my nature senses.

But from observation of them. I can tell you this. Meg and Josey know them and those two guys are already at the academy.

Turning my attention back to the others. I Interrupted them stating, "So what's your names?"

The one with the dimples smiled, "Ah, that's right we haven't been introduced."

"That's because were too busy defending ourselves from the 3rd degree over here...." spoke the other guy while given Josey an icy glare.

Speaking over top the two raised voices. To keep another argument from sparking. The guy with the dimples stated, "Namjoon, nice to meet you...Umm?"

"Ah, Bethana" I responded and he looked around at the others given them a nod but stopping on Jordie. Who then gave her name to him as well.

Looking over to the other guy. He said one thing. "Yoongi".

"Okay... So tell me if I'm correct, the acadmey is for magic welders? me included...?" I asked.

"Correction the academy is made up of Existentials[1] and you're specifically an elementist type Existential" responded Shania.

"But that's not all who attend the academy" chimed Jordie. "There's also Shifters (Those cursed- Werewolfs and those born with the ability to change their everday appearance), Fairy Folk (Elves, Nymphs, and of course Fairies), The Circle (Elementists, Witches and Warlocks), The Night Children (Vampires), and the Aquatics (Mer-people and Sirens).

"Ok....Kind of lost me a little with all the different mythical beings actually existing but alright. So not to sound rude but what are all of you? and why aren't you already at the academy?"

"Well I kind of told you what I am" smiled Jordie. "I'm like a one-sixteenth Forest Nymph which explains my nature senses that I told you about earlier. Also, I'm an Earth Elementist.

"We're all Elementists" responded Shania, "I'm an Water Elementist with special control over manifestating ice. While Josey is a Fire Elementist... with animal instinct....

I noticed a quick conversation happening between the two with their eyes. Like confirming this information was okay to share.

I was then brought back to the conversation by Meg's above whisper of a voice. "I'm an Air Elementist" she said.

I looked back at the two guys. Namjoon just smiled showing his dimples while rubbing his chin. "We're kind of complicated..."

"This is stupid, dragging things out" exclaimed Yoongi . "But Yes, I'm a fire elementist and an water elementist too."

I looked at him skeptical. Fire, I understood with that vicious tongue. But water, which should represent a calm, sensible and creativity person....

"Don't give me that look! There's more to me than you can comprehend. Like the fact I'm a self taught warlock". He spoke with a smug look upon his face with this last statment.

"Specializing in brag heartedness" Responded Josey quietly to herself but still loud enough that Yoongi heard her. To give her another death glare.

"Don't forget you're also one-eighth siren" added Namjoon. As he looked back meeting my eyes and stated, "I'm an Earth Elementist, and also a one-eigth siren and a self taught warlock..... So, what's your Essence[2]... Hertiage?"

"I don't know. I'm not even sure what you just asked me to be honest" I said dejectedly.

"Bull sh**" Yoongi started to speak but the syllables died on his lips with a stern and cold look from Shaina.

"Well, Bethana I think you might be an Air Elementist" said Meg softly.

"I agree. You stirred up some stong winds when you left last night" said Josey.

"You think, Air? What about her spiritual abilities? asked Namjoon confusedly.

Looking between Shaina, Josey and a quick glance at Jordie. Then lingering her sights on me. Meg reluctantly turned her attention back to the two guys.

<Sigh> (*The thing everyone should know about Meg. Is that she may be the eldest but she seldomly takes charge due to her shyness.)

So as typical, Josey chimed in first with, "To put it clear for the both of you. We didn't know Bethana had any magical capabilities before last night".

Thinking back to the conversation of last night. I remember one of my firend's stating, "We pushed back our education as long as possible. Given our ages it will be difficult to catch up with our respective grades".

I chimmed immediately back into the conversation with, "Wait! Didn't you guys mention something along the line that the older the person gets, the harder to learn?"

"Yes, it is" Namjoon said given me a sympathetic look.

I glanced around at my best friends. "You guys are around the same age as me but haven't gone to the academy?".

"To be honest spending so many years together we have become attached. Not wanting to leave you behind because you weren't from an Existential descendant" Josey said showing her vulnerable side for the first time since the arrival of the two guys.

Chimming back in, Shania spoke up, "Actually all of our families have ties to magical ancestors. It was just a matter of time before we figured out what gifts we had".

"Then we had supplementary classes and tutors that our parents made us attended the moment our gifts surfaced" said Jordie with a pout.

"We haven't laxed in our trainings nor education of our gifts" said Josey.

"Humph.

Yeah right...Like what good it did. Since you couldn't even sense us with your abilities" said Yoongi with a snarky attitude.

"Seriously, when are you leaving?" Said Josey countering with her own snarky comment.

"Soon I promise. I just wanted to meet this crazy person that would dare use her abilities as a Void on a street full of Ordans" responded Yoongi.

"What!" exclaimed my friends' in unison. Then turning to look my way.

"What? Don't be expecting me to jnow what he just said or any answers at all from me. I just literally just had my world turned upside down with things that I have always thought to be fairytales, to actually exist!" I said.

Cutting me off Yoongi continued, "She sent out a Sweeper[3] and an Energy Barrier[4]...."

Namjoom spoke up, "However, given the fact that Bethana has no knowledge of our heritages, abilities and rules. I'm impressed with the level of the unknowingly control she had over her spiritual power" said Namjoon given me a supportive smile.

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[1] Existentials- Those referenced as being mythical, fancy or other related terms by Ordians. Existential was a standing joke amongst the clans (Shifters, Fairy folk, The Circle, The Night Children, and the Aquatics) meaning existence.

[1]Essence- is a person's herited gifted abilites and/or supernatural identity.

[2] Sweeper- A tendril of spirital power. It's goal to determine a person's Essence. Similar to that of a heat detector which responds to the thermal energy of a fire.

[3] Energy Barrier- Invisible, Solid and can be considered like a wall or shield.