Chapter 15 CHAPTER: 015
“It’s cold, Ms. Rina,” a student complains from the back, and the rest of the students murmur in agreement.
Asher looks around their surroundings, which is nothing but tall trees and wet ground, while the sky glooms darkly over their heads, with the sound of night crickets coming from various places. It’s completely dark with only the moonlight as their source of light; they are outside the academy and deep in the forest, a group of fire elementals with Ms. Rina as their guardian.
“You’re a fire elemental for fuck sake. Quit being such a wimp,” Rase barks at the students and smiles at Asher, who gives him a pointed look that immediately wipes the smile off his face, mouthing a ‘sorry’ as if it was Asher he offended.
Ms. Rina turns to the group. “I understand that it’s cold and dark, but instead of having a classroom session, we’re having one outside the academy for the first time. This is to teach you about teamwork since you will be paired into a group of five each."
As soon as the words leave Ms. Rina’s lips, Rase instantly clings to Asher’s side, holding his hand.
“Rase, you won’t be in Asher’s team,” Ms. Rina suddenly says, and the boy immediately groans in protest. “I understand that you want to be together, but during this lesson, you are meant to bond and make new friends. So, Rase, I expect you to make new friends.”
With a roll of his eyes, Rase leaves Asher’s side and gets paired with a group of four elementals, while Asher gets paired too.
“The rules are simple,” Ms. Rina starts as she hands out maps to the groups with X marks on various spots. “There are ten flags hidden. The group that returns with five or more flags before midnight wins.”
“What’s the reward, Ms. Rina?”
“The reward is not failing this exercise.”
Groans break out instantly.
“That’s not a reward!” someone complains.
“It is, because the group that loses will be running laps around the academy at sunrise for the next three days.”
That shuts them up.
“Good luck. I'll be here, waiting.”
With that, each group scampers, going in different directions and soon disappearing behind tall dark trees.
Asher walks behind his group, his own map in hand as he looks through it before suddenly, three of his group members come to an abrupt halt, turning to Asher and the other fire elemental.
“You two are not coming with us,” one of them suddenly says. Asher stares at them blankly.
“But Ms. Rina says we're working as a team,” the excluded fire elemental complains, reaching up to adjust the glasses at the bridge of his nose.
“No one cares what the fuck Ms. Rina says. You both can barely wield your fire. What if we encounter something dangerous? You both are obviously going to get us killed, so we're excluding you from our team. Good luck in staying alive."
With a mocking laugh, they turn and walk away, leaving Asher with the other fire elemental, both of them looking like two lost puppies.
For a few minutes, neither of them speaks. They just stand there, staring in the direction the others disappeared to, their footsteps fading into the distance until there is nothing left but the sound of crickets and the quiet rustling of leaves.
The boy beside Asher lets out a small breath. “…well,” he mutters, pushing his glasses up again. “I knew I was going to be abandoned. At least I have a partner this time.”
Asher stares around awkwardly, almost not knowing what to do with himself. “Huh, what's your name?” He asks the boy, antisocial.
“Jamie. And I know your name is Asher,” the boy smiles at Asher.
Asher nods, not asking how the boy knew his name. He was a trending topic a few weeks ago. "Since we're alone, we’ll find the flags ourselves. Let's go…” he trails off as he lifts the map to read. “…this way,” he motions his chin toward the opposite direction of the three and starts walking ahead, Jamie following behind him.
They don’t get far before the silence starts to feel… heavy, uncomfortable, and awkward, the kind that presses on your ears, with only their footsteps sounding loudly on the damp ground, and now and then, a branch snaps somewhere far off, making both of them glance around without meaning to.
Jamie suddenly clears his throat. Asher glances at him as he speaks. “So… you’re the one who set a classroom on fire, right?”
Asher stiffens. “…yeah,” he answers after a second.
Jamie is quiet for a second. “I think that was cool.”
Asher glances at him, surprised. While Asher once feared that everyone was going to judge and hate him, everyone seemed to be proving him wrong.
“Everyone else looked terrified despite being fire elementals themselves, but I mean… It's fire. It’s supposed to be dangerous.” Jamie adds with a small shrug while Asher nods in response.
They walk in silence for a few seconds more, and then Jamie leans a little closer to look at the map in Asher’s hand.
“Are you sure we’re going the right way?”
“…I think so.”
“You think so?” The boy with the glasses raises a questioning brow.
Asher exhales quietly. “Do you want to read it?”
Jamie immediately raises both hands and shakes his head.
TO BE CONTINUED.