"My head feels funny," Ari said thickly.

"So did mine, after I did my thing with the water," I reassured her. "It goes away. I don't know what causes it, but it goes away. You just have to rehydrate again."

"It's our auras," Len commented, striding alongside us. I had given up on the amount of times he had randomly appeared near us. "They take away your energy, until your life force - your aura, the energy you draw from it - is gone and you're rendered to the simplest bases of what made your body."

"And what is that?" I asked, morbidly curious.

He was silent for a while. "Salt. Salt crystals." A deep pain flashed through his eyes, and I wondered if he had seen anybody he loved - anybody who had used up all their aura - shatter apart before his very eyes.

I patted his arm silently, not sure what to say. Death and all is something I've been through myself, but my loved ones had never turned into something you can sprinkle on eggs.

Ari was silently processing his news. "I hate to break up this moment," she said, clearing her throat, "But I don't know where the Fire classroom is, and I feel like asking you instead of those ungrateful cretins Kia and I ran into earlier."

"Nearby," Len said vaguely, waving his arm.

I glared at him.

"I mean," he amended, "Follow those girls over there. They have it. I'm not good with directions."

Ari peered suspiciously at the three girls - clad in sashes of petal pink, baby blue, and leaf green. "Still not a good answer, but I guess I'll take it. How'd you know the have Fire next?"

"They asked me," Len said airily, the seriousness of the past moment fading. I glanced at him. He did seem like the type of boy girls would like to have classes with, I thought with a twinge.

He didn't seem to notice my silence. I poked his arm. "As thoughtful as that was, we're still eating lunch with Ari, and those girls won't be with us. Unless they stalk you," I added.

"Oh." Len looked genuinely alarmed at the thought of crazy girls stalking him. "Okay, then. I'll take you there."

"Thank you," Ari sighed, rolling her eyes. "Are we eating lunch?"

"Yeah. What about that willow tree?" There was a drooping willow tree nearby the lake - perfect for a picnic.

"Let's go get food," Len said.

"No, thanks." I elbowed past him. The thought of meeting Kyra again in the breakfast room made my heart contract. "You take Ari there. I'll get it."

"Okay," Ari said, eyes bemused. I shook my head at her questioning expression. Don't bother.

She cracked a smile. "Lead on."

I ducked into the spacious hall, keeping my head low, shoving breads, cheeses, and grapes into a reed basket that I had found in piles by the entrance - used for goodness knows what.

I quickly stepped away, not before I saw Kyra sweep into the hall. Bad timing, I thought, stepping away and ducking through the halls.

It was after a hurried journey through the grounds that I saw Ari and Len by the tree; they had somehow procured a checkered blanket from absolutely nowhere and were now seated upon it. Ari waved me over.

"Got us a feast," I joked breathlessly, nearly collapsing onto the blanket. There was a terrible stitch in my left side. "Nearly dropped the grapes."

Len looked bemused. "So we're eating grapes off the ground?"

I punched his shoulder.

"Ow, okay, never mind," he muttered, rubbing his shoulder. "You hit hard. For a gi-"

"You don't want to find out what happens when I'm really trying," I teased.

"She may have taken classes in boxing," Ari said serenely, buttering her slice of bread.

"I have not," I protested, cheeks flaming. "I, however, may have been trained in the art of sarcastic comebacks."

Len snorted and reached for the grapes. "I shall try not to cut myself on your razor-sharp wit."

"Amen."

The rest of the lunch passed in - what I should say - companionable silence, because all of us were to busy eating to talk.

"As fun as that was," Len said regretfully as the 1 o'clock bell rang, "I believe I have to take you to your classes."

"Thanks for being our male escort," Ari said.

"You're welcome," Len replied, standing up. "Ari, the way to the Fire classroom - you can't miss it, but take a left, follow the corridor until you see the red light, and go to that."

"The red light..." Ari trailed off, shaking her head. "You magical people and your damn lights. Fine, I guess I can give it a go."

"You can't miss it," Len said cheerfully. "The door looks like it's on fire."

"Great," I muttered under my breath. "More danger."

Ari tossed her head. "Okay, guys, I'm off to the doorway to hell. See you all later." She waved at us and departed, following the stream of students to the doors of Woodfall.

I tilted my head, puzzled. "Aren't we supposed to be following Ari into the school?"

Len grinned, his smile lighting up his face. "No, we're following them." He pointed and I stared.

A steady stream of students was flowing towards what looked like - a massive greenhouse, wrought of silvery steel and shining glass. Inside, shapes could be seen moving through the translucent crystal, and greenery could be seen through the walls.

"Let's go," I said, swinging the basket up onto my shoulder. Len folded up the blanket, neatly, and threw it over his shoulder.

We plodded through the grass towards the massive greenhouse. Soon, we were standing inside the carved irony-silver archway. As I stepped inside, a blast of cool, wet air hit my face.

The greenery inside was even lusher than what I'd thought it'd be; a riot of shamrock and emerald and sapphire and splashes of scarlet. Amber flowers speckled with carnelian and violet dotted one bush, and snowy orchid flowers hung from vines. The musical sound of running water permeated the air.

Water and light spun through the air; the ground was paved with lilac, cream and fuchsia petals. It all felt like a dream, and students were murmuring and walking among the beautiful flora.

Len and I stepped from underneath a curling vine; cerise and coral petals drifted down onto my head, blanketing my shoulders and head. I felt a light touch on my shoulder, and spun quickly around.

Len had one of the petals - that was originally in my hair - clasped in his fingers, twirling it around and around. "Sometimes," he said in an unfocused, dreamy voice, "I look at you and wonder if I'm in a fairytale or a dream."

My throat felt suddenly very dry. "Why is that?" I asked unsteadily.

He didn't answer, looking frozen. The petal slipped from his fingers, and fluttered to the ground.

I was spared from answering by a bell, ringing through the greenhouse. Len suddenly lapsed back into Normal Len - the funny expression fading from his face fading into his usual cheer. "I guess that's the bell."

We wandered back to the clearing of petals we had seen earlier - a mass of greenery circling a small clearing paved with soft flowers. Students sitting in a ring around the center.

"And once again, we're late to the daily Meet-And-Greet-The-Teachers meeting," I muttered.

Len made a snorting noise. "And once again, a masterful observation made by Kia the Great."

"Don't call me that," I shot back. "I'm not 'great' at all."

Len turned red, and looked like he wanted to say something, but closed his mouth and subsided.

Suddenly, a whirlwind of petals rises from the center of the circle - mauve and pitch-black. They hang in the air, for a heartbeat, and then they fall around the shimmering form of a lady - Mistress Lenas.

She steps out, her rich brown hair glistening in the light, her spring green robes floating around her like pale green clouds. Her dark eyes surveyed us thoughtfully, and there was a hint of kindness and nurturing inside those depths, like Mother Earth whose magic she had studied.

"Hello," she says softly and sweetly. "My name is Mistress Aois Lenas. I am going to teach you the magic of Earth." Pale green wisps escape from her fingers, smelling like jasmine tea. I inhaled, and suddenly images rose behind my eyelids, accompanied by the sound of Mistress Lenas's voice.

"Earth has nurtured humans for millennia. It had regrown, rebuilt itself, and even in the harshest climates, new life can grow." New plants, poking out from damp earth - spring shoots unfolding to show beautiful flowers - water running over new land to fertilize the earth.

I inhaled sharply and opened my eyes. There was a pile of damp soil in front of me, and Mistress Lenas smiled a knowing smile.

"Within each of these is a seed," she said. "Try to make the seed grow, to sprout." Her lips curved upwards. "If you succeed, you may have the joy of looking at new life, and knowing that you helped birth it."

I stared at the plant, my fingers brushing idly over the soil. I pressed gently onto the packed earth, closed my eyes, and imagined.

Imagined roots spreading through the dark soil. Imagined a green shoot poking tentatively out from the damp earth. Imagined it unfurling itself to show a flower, painted in vivid colors and blooming....

Something brushed my fingers, and I opened my eyes to see a small, tightly furled bud, the tips of lacy petals peeking out. I heard a soft laugh, and looked up to see Mistress Lenas.

"Astoria," she said, naming the plant. She smiled again, the look on her face warm and understanding. "Well done, Miss Kia. I knew you could do it."

A/N: Hey! It's the Sugar cookie here.

So sorry for not being here and updating like a good girl! I have been dreadfully busy - but don't worry, the Shining Silver saga shall still be continued! Please vote and comment and share if you like it! :)

- Sugar

*hugs*