Chapter 3

Like promised, water was first. There wasn't much to the test. They just filled a tub with water and told me to stand in it. I refused. The committee members gasped but General smiled as if he expected it. He was smart to. He nodded to the men behind me and they grabbed my arms and started walking towards the water tub. Promise snohomish. I don't need to keep a promise to myself. I didn't fight them... so I hurt them. The man to my right's hand started to burn and the guy on the left's feet too. They dropped me onto my feet. Some committee members stood while others stared. General kept smiling.
"Oh no it's not time for you to leave yet," General announced to them. "She must complete the other tests first. Fire's done but what of the rest?" You could tell they thought it impossible to have more than one element, but they sat back down anyway.
Next test would've been fire but I already did that instead of water so they kept it the same. The men I burnt refused to go near me so General called for others promising I wouldn't harm them. Yeah right. You don't control me and you never will. I thought about doing something to them, but decided against it. I probably already had enough people hating or fearing me and I'd only been here a few hours. I think. I was unconscious for most of it so I don't know how long I was here.
This time I walked over on my own. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. General seemed to get this, but said nothing, so I sat down beside it waiting. My arms were crossed and my face was set so he knew I would not make the first move.
I don't know how much time passed, but I could tell General was getting annoyed. So was the committee.
Finally General spoke up, "What are you doing?!"
I smiled and replied, "You never told me what I was supposed to do."
His face burned as if being told off by a little girl was offensive, "And tell me why I should have to tell you."
I smiled again, but more defiantly, "How else am I supposed to know?"
It was a good point; one he couldn't argue with so he just said, "Step into it."
I smiled again. I enjoyed watching him be tested. I wondered how far I could go. Instead of talking I stood up, looked into the water tub, silently laughed and shook my head. Then I stepped in. Immediately water shot into the air and stayed longer than gravity should have allowed before it plopped back down. I stepped out enjoying the scene in front of me. Everyone, even General himself, was gaping at me. I decided no more tests. It's too late to turn back now.
I summoned all of the elements, water, earth, fire, and air. If it was possible for them to be more shocked, they were. All of the elements swirled around the committee and I, never ceasing to a halt. The fire was just inches away from the few trees around and never burned them. The water was centimeters from the dry, cracked ground and never let it get wet. The wind was blowing in their faces, but didn't touch their hair. The earth made shapes unbelievable to the eye. Then, I let it go, showing no sign of it winding me the slightest, smiled again, and walked away.

*****

Be warned; when you've pretty much just made the government's list of priority, make sure you can run first. That is not something you want to learn the hard way like I did.
As I was leaving, hoping no one would pursue me, General yelled out, "Get her! Stop her! Don't let her leave!" and I've pretty much been running for my freedom since.
I'm about ten yards away from the woods, where I can hide about a million times easier, when the dogs also chasing me for the smell of meat from the butcher's shop (long story), finally get within snapping distance. Five yards. Three yards. I broke through the lush, bright green foliage of the forest, desperately looking around for a good hiding spot. I didn't see anything and started forward again, and I almost let out a scream when something grabbed my ankles. I don't say "almost" for the fact that doing that would alert them to my location, and even though I knew that, the only reason I didn't is because whoever grabbed my feet put a hand on my mouth just in time. The person slipped a blindfold over my head and slapped tape on my mouth. I tried resisting, but their grip was powerful. After that, they picked me up like I weighed nothing, then threw me over their shoulder and started walking. I stopped thrashing around like a lunatic, but considered my options. I've been as good as kidnapped, and for all I know, this person (I hope person at least) was bringing me back to the Summoning Academy. It wouldn't really that bad I guess, but I really don't want to explain how running away was wrong or that I was acting childish. Those are some of things I hated the most about the orphanages. They were all the same on that admitting your wrong-doings with character, then pay the price for your actions type of thing. Why bother?
I did not even notice we stopped until I was set into a chair, and my hands and feet were tied to it. The world became blindingly bright when they removed my blindfold, and I was squinting hard. I heard a mild chuckle at my reaction. I felt my face flush. Laughter again.
My eyes adjusted to the light, and I saw my captor. He was tall (about 6,5 I'd say), muscular, had just the right length of dark brown, windswept hair, tan skin, and unsettling brown eyes. He wore ragged clothes that made it seem like he was either always working and running, or like a homeless person. I guess option number one because this cave is looking great! In one corner it had a bath mat that I guessed was for sleeping, and a hole in the other corner. I don't even want to know what goes in there. He walked over to me and ripped the tape off my mouth so fast I shrieked and winced at the same time. He was studying me in a calculating way, like trying to see if I was going to cuss him out or something. I did and he smirked. The tape was off my mouth, so I could say anything I wanted to. I didn't care what he thought. But I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of asking where I was; but it turned out that I didn't need to say anything. He stood up and said, "I don't know why you're cussing at me. You should be on your knees thanking me for saving you. And you smell like meat." I couldn't leave that unremarked, "Maybe I would consider getting on my knees if I wasn't tied to this chair. Not exactly possible without tipping the chair now is it? And I tripped in the butcher's shop." I gave him a sarcastic pouty face and he replied, "Want me to tip the chair for you then, sweetheart?" I said nothing, so he went on, "What were you thinking, running from the academy like that? They know these woods. You'd have been caught in less than a day." He was starting to annoy me. I thought I might give him a little burn or something to shut him up. I reached for my power and tried to make it reach him, but it wouldn't even leave my body. Each time I tried I grew weaker and more tired. I stopped when I saw him grinning like a madman slowly shaking his head. I realized, that just like me, his powers weren't supposed to exist. He could suck mine up like a vacuum, or enhance it so much that I could go supernova. People like that were almost like legends! I must've been gaping because he laughed again said, "Figured it out, did you now? I wondered when you would. But I've been wonderin' what your power/powers are you know? Academy doesn't normally send an army that large to chase after a normal summoner or no do-gooder. So what are ya'?" I realize that the fact he has powers that shouldn't exist means I should trust him with my secret, but something made me hold back. I don't know whether it was the slightly evil and mischievous look on his face or what, but I really didn't want to say anything.
Sensing this he said, "Really, you can't trust me after I showed you that I'm just as abnormal as you! I already know you can control fire, but I know you're holding something back. Come on girl!" I just looked at him and replied, "Untie me. Then I'll tell you." I didn't really think it would work, but he walked over and cut the ropes off. I stood up and told him, "Thanks. I guess. If you must know I can control all of the elements. Earth, water, fire, and air. But my elements keep growing stronger. They've become a lot more powerful lately and I don't really know how to control that." He just stared at me then smiled, "I knew it. But elements getting stronger? Never heard of it. I guess we'll see where that leads."
"We?"
"Well yeah," he said. "You don't want to go to the Academy do you? I mean you ran away."
I thought about it. I never really considered my future. It was always survival for me. But after my little show at the Academy, I guess he was right. I shouldn't go back. "No. I guess I don't want to go back." "Good," he replied. "Now I guess we should at least know each other's names if we'll be seeing a lot of one another. Andrew." He said all this nodding his head like he was having a seizure.
"Skylar Zill. Don't you have a last name?" He shook his head, "You'll quickly learn I hate my family and don't want to talk about them. There are some things you just don't get over easy." I absentmindedly nodded. He went on, "Time to get some shut eye. You can take the floor over there tonight. I'll take this floor. Consider yourself lucky. That's my favorite floor over there, so treat it well." I laughed, then walked over and laid down on it. I was just glad it wasn't next to the hole. "I see why. Quite comfortable this floor right here is." This time he laughed.
"Good night," We said at the same time. More laughter.
*****

"Good. Very good. So she trusts him now?"

"It appears so." General said. "Or at least she'll be staying with him.

"Wonderful news. This will be one day the royal family will never forget. Time is not on our side though. When will their quest begin?"

"As soon as possible. They might need more time to get to know each other, but otherwise they might leave as soon as tomorrow."

"Perfect."