English

"Ugh whatever. How was he able to know what was going on in my head?"

"That's because he's an ELEMENTAL."

"Huh, I didn't even say that out loud?!.."

******

"Billions of years ago, there lived twelve witches. They ruled and issued decrees in harmony and peace."

"Then, a war came and they had to protect their powers."

"To an Elemental, their power is very important and it may even be more important to them than the life of another". Mr gu says while peering down his glasses at me.

"Reading the minds of people is the simplest power of an elemental and if you don't want someone to read your mind, you simply envision a wall blocking out your thoughts from the other non-mortals."

"Huh? Pfft hahaha..... so funny". "I never thought I would come to a school where bedtime stories are taught as a subject". "Blocking out my memory?", "non-mortals? pfft"....Li Jing says with a sneer.

"Oops that's the bell, this school is glamoured to look like a normal school, on the surface, it looks like your typical dream college but in reality, it is strictly for elementals and that was how you got in". Mr Gu says as his parting words.

"What is he saying?" "Such a mad teacher". Elemental?" "I think he probably meant Mental". Li Jing walks back to the class with her head drooped low when a boy comes barreling at her, however, before he hits her, time seems to pause and everything goes in a slow motion.

Li Jing is confused and Fascinated but the moment she blinks, everything drops.

"Ouch my leg!!" The heavy silence is broken as the boy shouts out in pain.

"Oh sorry, what just happened here?" Li Jing asks.

"Are you actually asking me that question, you are the one that manipulated the time and the airflow of the hallway". The boy stares up at her from his crouched position.

He is cute in a boyish way with his fancy bangs. But he does not attract Li Jing in that way. Rather she senses a brotherly and friendly aura from the boy.

Unlike that Jerk that wanted me out of his class. Who does he think he is? I'll show him who is the boss.

"woah calm down girl, you really need to control your thoughts they are so violent". "Atleast your thoughts are better than some X-rated ones".

"And you just froze the time, cool, how did you do it?!?!" Qing Yuan says animatedly, switching moods from urgency to pain to normalcy to surprise and now fascination.

"What? How would I do that? It's not even possible?" Li Jing begins to argue.

"Ha! I got you, I did it". "I can manipulate time and pause airflow for a few minutes".

"Well you had a good poker face how was I meant to know that you were joking". Li Jing says angrily.

"You can't read my expression? Wierd". "I'm Qing Yuan by the way and my star sign is Gemini". "What's yours?"

"Mine is Sagittarius".

"Good so you can control blue fire?"

"Blue what? This school is filled with a bunch of crazy people".

"Trust me this school is definitely crazier than you think". Qing Yuan says.

"Tell me about it". Li Jing says, frustration evident in her face. It has just been a day yet it feels like a whole year has gone by.

"Let me give you a tour and then I can tell you some bits and pieces of the world of an elemental".

"Sure".

******

"This is the library where you can find lots of books on Elementals and other subjects too". Qing Yuan says, while leading Li Jing through the school.

"Over there is the school maze with real trap doors and pits there". "Students have been barred from ever going there after some people lost their lives when they fell into the trap doors and pits". "So don't even think about going there, you are still too new to the school to get lost so if you get lost, they will think you ran away".

ha! stupid boy. I am more popular than you think. Li Jing says while raising up her shoulders.

Li Jing stares at the Maze transfixed. She feels a pull to get closer but when she takes one unconscious step forward, she is drawn by Qing Yuan.

"Hey, the bell has rung and we skipped the English class so we will likely get punished".

"Ugh, who likes english anyways". Li Jing says frustratedly.

"Seriously, english and mathematics are the worst subjects ever". Qing Yuan agrees with her.

"What? School is the worst. I just want to eat a steaming bowl of hotpot and dumplings". "I am so hungry and the school food is so expensive".

"Ahh I thought I was the only broke one here, I finally met my match". Says Qing Yuan and they both laugh as they run to class.

**********

A woman is in a room, sleeping. She appears to be in a trance or rather a dream and by the expression on her face, it is clear to see that it is a nightmare.

She finds herself in a dark room, and above her sits a man.

The man is on a throne with a circular dial consisting of the twelve star signs. He is flanked by numerous guards who are shirtless and have their star signs tattooed on their shirt.

Fire, Earth, Water, Air. He is the Elemental King.

"The time is near woman, you have to give me my child".

"No she is mine. I was barren for ten years and she appeared on my doorstep one night, freshly born so I took her in and nurtured her".

"I sent her to you woman".

"I don't care. I am her mother and I helped her to who she is today".

"She would soon find out about her true self, you are too late already".

"No no no no. Impossible. She wont believe all the gibberish they might tell her". I trained her!!!

"I gave you the strength to train her and the money to train her also".

"What do you mean, was it you who–..."

"Yes, I was the one".

"I can't let her go without a fight".

"Interesting, a mere mortal wants to fight me?" The King Sneers.

" Hahaha". His subjects laugh.

"Let's wait and see".

**********