"Unfreeze her!" Tempest said again, but his voice was completely different this time.
The normally deep voice he had was now even deeper, and it sounded so scary that it freaked the other students out.
"Oh, oh... move away, everyone. This is fire and ice. It's not going to be funny," Ioanna said and stepped back immediately.
The funny part was, the Masters weren't saying anything—they only stood there, watching what was going to happen.
They wanted to see what the students were capable of, after all.
"You're gonna have to make me do that," Avalon dared him again.
She curved her body and hands, posing well and ready to fight.
The rest of the students moved away instantaneously—except for frozen Emma.
No one could actually unfreeze her but Avalon herself.
Maybe the Masters could, or others more powerful than she was.
Tempest formed a fireball and fired it at her, but she extinguished it with ice before it reached her.
She made her own—an ice ball—and aimed it at him, which hit him.
"Argh!" he screamed the moment it touched his body and made a quenching sound, like a bowl of water poured on fire.
It literally hurt him.
Tempest grew angrier, and his body was now engulfed in fire, causing the other students to widen their eyes.
"Is no one going to stop them already?" Rickett gestured.
"Out of my view!" Illekktra half-yelled at Bluey, who was obstructing her. She sat comfortably and crossed her legs, enjoying the scene before her.
"You deserve to be slapped with water, I swear," Bluey said, and Illekktra burst out laughing, clearly enjoying herself.
Tempest didn't create a fireball this time but released a wave of fire and aimed it at Avalon with force, hitting her hard.
Avalon fell on her butt, and her back hit the wall badly as the fire burned her too.
"Ahhh!" she groaned and managed to get up.
Immediately, she dragged her right leg on the floor and stomped it, sending a stream of ice from her side to Tempest's.
Tempest slipped on the ice and fell, hurting himself again, with the same quenching sound echoing.
"Ahh!!" he groaned in pain, as the ice mixed with his fire and burned him badly.
Fire and ice are not friends, they say.
Tempest got up again and began to throw fireballs senselessly, not caring if anyone else got hurt.
That's how angry and uncontrollable he could get.
The entire Sanctuary became a battlefield of fireballs and snowballs.
Whenever Tempest fired at Avalon, she put the flames out and returned her own attack.
He threw another fireball at her, and she didn't even realize when she caught it with her hand.
"Ahh, my arm!" she screamed in pain as the fire burned her icy hand badly.
Clutching her hurt arm, she tried to fire another snowball at Tempest, who was burning with rage. But then, Tempest stomped the ground with his left foot.
The moment he did, a trail of fire formed and rushed toward Avalon, probably intending to burn her.
"Enough!" Master Zack commanded before the fire reached Avalon. Instantly, Tempest stepped back, and the fire vanished, his body returning to normal.
Avalon immediately unfroze Emma.
Emma nearly collapsed, but Illekktra quickly grabbed her.
"Aww, is it over already?" Illekktra pouted.
"Can't believe he did all that for a girl he barely knows," Alcaeus chuckled briefly.
"Beats me," Rickett replied, chuckling too.
"He's in love," Illekktra added, giggling.
"Just shut it and stop being annoying," Ioanna snapped at her, but Illekktra only giggled more.
"She's such a big baby," Bluey added, and they all chuckled.
Illekktra actually looked younger than all of them—a very jovial, friendly, and crazy girl.
"Those two are dangerous, especially Tempest. But their powers are impressive," Master Aerith stated with a small smile.
"There's something about him, but I really can't tell right now," Master Shirlene said seriously.
"I can sense that too," Master Levi added, and the others turned to look at them both.
"What do you both mean?" Master Zack asked.
"I don't know. I can only feel it. We'll figure that out with time," Master Shirlene answered.
The Masters began to walk out, and the students followed afterward.
"Eye of our ancestors. Let's be roommates. I want to know when any girl will break my heart beforehand," Rickett said to Calix jokingly, making Alcaeus laugh as they walked out of the Sanctuary.
"You're crazy. Out of my way," Calix replied, pushing Rickett aside.
"I'll take that as a yes," Rickett said and quickly followed him.
*****
"Why did you choose to play with fire? Look now—your arm is hurting. Why did you even freeze her? That wasn't necessary, you know," Astrid scolded Avalon.
"I never knew I had a big sister here who could scold me anyhow," Avalon hissed and rolled her eyes at Astrid, who scoffed.
"That girl should get ready for the trouble she just ordered. What is a mortal girl even doing here in the first place?" she asked, still holding her burned hand.
It wasn't too bad though.
"Beats me. I was more than shocked when Calix said she isn't an immortal. I bet the Masters know what they're doing, and I can't wait to see where this leads," Astrid said.
Avalon just scoffed.
*****
"Are you alright?" Tempest walked over to Emma, Illekktra, Ioanna, and Bluey, and asked Emma, who still hadn't fully recovered.
"Yeah. I'm fine, thanks," she replied shortly.
Tempest nodded and left without saying anything else.
"His powers are so cool!" Illekktra gushed, and the others—except Emma—looked at her, then laughed.
"Let's be roommates... wait, I don't even know your name," Illekktra said to Emma.
"Room what? You think I'm here to stay? Jeez! Someone should just pour water on me so I can wake up from this nightmare!" Emma said, ruffling her hair wildly.
"Is she alright? I think she's crazy," Illekktra whispered to Ioanna—but Emma heard her.
"I am not crazy, okay? You all are the crazy ones. Just get me out of here, please!!" Emma lamented in frustration.
She palmed her face and left the Sanctuary, not really sure where she was going.
"I am so confused. I don't understand what's wrong with her," Ioanna said, frowning.
"You remember Calix said she's not an immortal?" Bluey asked.
"That's what confuses me. What's she doing here if she isn't an immortal?" Ioanna asked, gesturing.
"Leave that for now, please. I think she needs a little comfort. She might tell us what happened later when she's calm," Illekktra said, and they all nodded.
*******
**VHINLOX VILLE * MORTAL WORLD **
"You're her best friend, Diane. How can you say you don't know where she is?" Mrs. Edswald said loudly.
She was on a call with Diane, Emma's friend.
She'd been looking for Emma since she got home, but Emma hadn't returned from school yet.
She knew Emma was a very stubborn girl who didn't listen to anyone, but one thing she was sure of—Emma had never stayed away from home, no matter how mad she was.
The worst she'd do was come back, lock herself in her room, and avoid everyone.
But it was almost night now, and her daughter was nowhere to be found.
Her phone wasn't even reachable!
Could she have been kidnapped or what?
"I seriously don't know what's going on, ma. I remember Emma and I bade each other goodbye before going home. I even called her, but I couldn't reach her. I really don't know what's going on," Diane explained in frustration.
Megan ended the call immediately and threw her phone away. She began pacing, her mind racing.
Megan is her name.
Did Emma finally decide to stay away from home over the little fight they had earlier?
No, Emma would never do that—no matter how angry she was.
Though they were carefree parents, right now she was very worried.
She was still pacing when her husband came in and noticed her anxiousness.
"Is something the matter?" he asked, dropping his bag.
"Emma isn't home yet, and I have no idea where she is," she said.
He didn't look too shocked.
"Is that why you're worried? She's not a kid, you know. She's probably at her friend's place or somewhere else having fun," he said and sat down, unconcerned.
"I called Diane, and she said Emma isn't at her place. The last time she saw her was at school. I've called her many times, but I haven't been able to reach her—and neither has Diane. This is unlike her. What if she's been kidnapped or something?" Megan said, tapping her foot anxiously.
Mr. Edswald stood up slowly, brows furrowed.
"You... you think she's been kidnapped?" he asked, like a child who didn't understand anything.
FORTUNATE ISLES
Emma sat at a distant corner of the school grounds, far away from everyone.
She leaned against a tree, lost in thought.
Never had she imagined being in such a situation. How she got here, she still didn't understand.
And it seemed she couldn't go back.
"This is a dream, definitely. How can I be in the immortal world? Just how? What am I here for, exactly? What do they need me for?"
"Damn it, just f*ck it! This dream is taking too long. I need to wake up... just let me go!! What do I do now? I need to go home!"
She scratched her head, trying to think.
As much as she wanted to explore this place, she didn't want to.
She wanted to go back to where she belonged.
She didn't belong here.
This place was beautiful—it looked like paradise, no doubt.
But it was dangerous for her.
Just moments ago, she had been frozen by the arrogant Avalon.
That alone was a clear sign she didn't belong.
Worse, she had no powers to defend herself.
Did that fox woman bring her here just to watch her die?
She was there when Avalon froze her—and did nothing.
No one was giving her answers. Everything was getting more complicated, and it was driving her insane.
It felt like she was trapped in her own dream—with no way out.
"Where is that fox woman? I need answers. I need to go back home. Mom and Dad must be worried..."
"Tch! Like they even care," she paused and muttered.
She stood, dusted off her clothes, and took a step. On her second step, she felt a strong wind rushing toward her.
Her eyes widened as it approached. She tried to run but—
"Ahhh!" she screamed and fell.