Chapter 1 CHAPTER 001
Asher almost flies out of his seat at the speed at which the car's brakes are slammed on, but the seatbelts hold him in place. Asher whips his head to his father, who sits in the driver’s seat, hand gripping the wheel tightly, while his mother sits in the passenger seat with a blank expression; none of them looks at him.
“We’re here,” his mother finally speaks. “You should get out now.”
Asher blinks at the coldness in her tone. “Mother—” he starts, reaching out, but gets cut off.
“Remember your promise, Asher. From now on, we are no longer your parents. Our ties end here,” she sucks in a deep breath. “This is what’s best for our families. Go on now. This is where you belong.”
The words land like knives, stabbing straight through him, but he doesn’t argue. He’s used to this, used to being unwanted, used to being treated like something dangerous.
Instead, he nods, and slowly, he opens the car door and steps out, a backpack thrown over his shoulders, and by the time he pulls his small suitcase from the boot, the engine revs, and the car speeds off without hesitation. Not even a wave or a goodbye. They rush through the academy’s gates like they’re fleeing him, like he is the plague.
They should have known something was wrong with him the moment he was born with red hair and crimson eyes.
Asher stands there, staring at the space where the car had been seconds ago. He shouldn’t be surprised, yet something in his chest twists painfully.
Asher tilts his head, letting a small smile occupy his face as the soft wind blows through his red hair, and then finally, he turns to the tall building in front of him. The Academy, a school for elementals… or, as his parents called them, freaks. People like him.
Asher clenches his fist, feeling the familiar stir of heat beneath his skin. He lowers his head. If he isn’t careful, the flames will appear again, and then everyone here will hate him, too. That’s why his parents left him here, because of his abilities, and this is the first time Asher is going to meet anyone born with the same abilities as him, and for some reason, he isn’t excited. He is used to being alone, used to being the weird one. He doesn’t need people who are as weird as him.
He doesn’t move; he just stands there, waiting for no one in particular, once again realizing this is going to be his home from now on. The Academy, located far away from the towns and cities, is practically in the middle of nowhere, where parents dump their freak children off without looking back.
“Mr. Lauigne. What are you doing standing there?”
Asher snaps his head up quickly, watching as a woman steps out of the front door of the academy, with a smile that’s too big for her face, dressed in a knee-length skirt and top. She stops in front of him, then sports a confused face as she looks at both sides.
“Where are your parents?” she asks, looking at him.
“They…left,” he says quietly, his fingers tightening around the handle of his suitcase.
The woman’s smile fades for a second, but she quickly brings it back. “Alright… well, you’re here now, and that’s what matters.” She clears her throat and straightens her blouse. “I’m Ms. Rina. I handle new student arrivals. Trust me, you will have a lot of fun here at our academy.”
Asher doubts that, but he nods to her satisfaction.
“Let me help with your bag?” She reaches out for his suitcase, but Asher holds it out of her reach and offers a small smile.
“I can handle it, thank you,” he says, quickly.
Ms. Rina pauses, hand hovering awkwardly in the air before she lets it fall back to her side. “Of course,” she says with a smile. “Independent. That’s good.” She turns and gestures toward the open doors. “Come on, then. Let’s get you settled.”
Asher nods, and then he follows her inside, but the moment he crosses the threshold, Asher feels it. It’s like stepping into a different space and time.
Asher doesn’t know what he’s expecting when he steps into the hallway, but the space is crammed with something different right away.
The hallway is wide and bright, with the walls plain, painted a light grey with doors lining both sides, each marked with elemental symbols. Asher almost pauses for a second, but he doesn’t stop as he proceeds to follow Ms. Rina down the empty hall.
“The hall is usually busy; it’s not yet lunchtime; students are in their classes,” Ms. Rina says, throwing another smile at him over her shoulder. “For the meantime, I will take you to your room; you will be sharing it with three others.”
Asher nods, not sure how he feels about sharing a room. He has spent most of his life alone. The thought of three strangers doesn’t excite him.
They walk further down the hall, their footsteps echoing softly. Asher keeps his eyes forward, but he can’t help noticing the symbols on the doors they pass: flames, cracked stones, lightning bolts, and swirling lines of water, with each one glowing faintly. It’s almost cool.
They turn a corner, go through a hall, and take two more turns up swirling staircases before they finally arrive at another hall with many doors, and they are at the front of one. Ms. Rina opens the door, and Asher finds himself in a large room with four beds, four desks, and four lockers. Three beds are already taken, bags resting on top, but the bed and desk beside the window are empty. Ms. Rina walks over and stands there.
“This one’s yours. Your roommates are already in class. You'll get to know them later.”
Asher nods and silently drags his suitcase to the empty bed meant for him. He looks at the bed silently, a heavy feeling resting in his chest, his eyes still blank, unsure what to feel, and he stands there lost in thought until Ms. Rina clears her throat, and he turns to face her.
"Your parents informed the school about the difficulties you've been experiencing."
Asher’s breath hitches, and he clenches his suitcase tightly, jaw clenching, and as if reading his distress, she quickly continues.
“I want you to put that behind you now, because here, you are no different from me or any other student or teacher.”
Asher swallows. His throat feels tight, but he doesn’t say anything; his grip tightens around the suitcase handle until his knuckles ache.
“Asher,” Ms. Rina says gently, taking a step forward and placing a hand over his shoulder, “this place exists so students like you don’t have to live in fear. Here, you can control your powers without being scared of them.”
Asher looks down at the hand clenching the suitcase. She has no idea how hard he’s trying to control it; it’s pushing through his veins, aching, begging to be released. A monster, his parents called him, and the fear in his brothers’ and sisters’ eyes is enough to quench that flame. “Will I ever control it?”
“You can,” she says with a smile. “Look…” She unfurls her hand, and right there, fire blooms at the tip of her finger. Asher stares at it, dumbfounded for a moment, because he can’t do that without setting the whole room on fire.
That’s why his parents hate him, and his siblings fear him.
Ms. Rina lets the flame dance on her finger for a few seconds; it’s small, controlled, and harmless before it fades out like it was never there.
“It took me years,” Ms. Rina says softly. “I used to burn things, and I hurt myself, too. I was scared, too. So, you’re not broken or a freak,” she adds. “You just haven’t been taught yet.” She smiles, then pats his shoulder. “Get some rest; you must be tired. I’ll come get you tomorrow to meet the principal and get your class schedule so you can start right away. You will have a lot of fun here. I promise.”
With one assuring smile, she finally leaves, leaving Asher standing there with a lot of unanswered questions, but this is just the beginning, isn’t it?