Graduation

Graduation day. A day all high schoolers wait for. For some, it meant that they can now go to college and get more education (and maybe get away from home). For others, it meant that school is finally over. Graduation is also the day the new Guardians are announced to the world. There are four Guardians, one from each element. They are trained to protect the world from anything or anyone that tries to harm it.

Everyone has their expectations on who they think will be a Guardian. Someone powerful and smart that can protect them from evil. Someone like Elijah Blake. Elijah is well known by many to be strong and powerful. He has excellent grades and is kind to everyone. Many students believe that he will become a guardian.

The graduation ceremony was set to start in 2 hours. Students were still getting ready for their big day. Girls are doing their hair and makeup, boys are shaving their beards. Everyone was busy getting ready. 30 minutes before the ceremony was set to start, the students started arriving with their families. They all found their seats and sat down, waiting for the principal to start the ceremony.

"Parents! Students!" The principal, Mr. Scully, speaks into the microphone. "Can I have you all take your seats, please? We are going to begin shortly."

Mr. Scully is the Irish principal of The Academy of the Gifted. He has been for 20 years now. Many of the students look up to him because of how powerful he is. Revealing the Guardians at graduation is a new thing that happened in the past decade. Before, the teachers at the academy would find out who they were and train them. Mr. Scully used to train the Guardians while they were in school.

"We will begin by calling up our students and giving them the diplomas that they have worked so hard for," Mr. Scully starts calling up the students and handing them their diplomas. The valedictorian made her speech and walked off the stage while everyone clapped and cheered.

"Now," Mr. Scully stands behind the podium. "The moment we have all been waiting for. The Guardians of the new generation. I would like to invite Eller Jacob to announce them."

Eller Jacob walked up to the stage to stand behind the podium. He raised his hand and the clapping died down.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to present to you the new Guardians of the new generation," Jacob says. "Can the following students please come up to the stage? Ella King, Brookelyn Oakes, Harry Udal, and Holt Kemp."

The mentioned students stood from their seats and walked back up to the stage they just graduated from.

"Ella King is your new Water Guardian. Brookelyn Oakes is your new Air Guardian. Harry Udal is your new Fire Guardian. Holt Kemp is your new Earth Guardian. I hope they will be able to protect the world and make it a safe place for everyone to live," after Jacob introduces the Guardians, applause erupted.

Some of the students had a newfound hatred toward Ella, most were friends and admirers of Elijah Blake. They all thought she didn't deserve to be the Water Guardian and the title should be Elijah's.

After the announcement, the four newly graduated 20-year-olds went to their families. They celebrated the honor of being a Guardian.

"Ella!" Brooke walks toward her friend. "Can you believe it! We're Guardians!"

"I know! It's so exciting!" The two girls squealed in excitement while their male friends plugged their ears.

"Still hate that," Harry comments.

"Oh shush, we know you guys are excited too," Ella turns to them.

"I mean, it is nice," Holt says.

"Why do I get the feeling we're gonna hate this in a few months?" Ella asks.

"Probably cause we will," Harry answers.

"But!" Brooke interrupts. "Today is not that day! Today we celebrate. We're guardians, we can enjoy it for a few hours before all the responsibilities come in."

"She's right," Holt says. "The school is holding a party for us in the gym right now. Let's go eat some food, I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry," Harry comments as they walk to the school.

"That's true," Holt laughs.

The group of friends enjoys their last night at school. Many of their friends congratulated them on their newfound power. The amount students and families in the room caused the heat to rise and Ella walked outside into the cold night air. She didn't notice someone had followed her until they pulled her back by her arm.

It was Cheryl. She was basically obsessed with Elijah since she transferred during freshman year.

"You don't deserve to be a guardian. Elijah does, he is much more powerful than you. You probably screwed with one of the Ellers to make sure you were with your little friends," Cheryl smirks.

Ella's brown eyes darkened as she grabbed onto Cheryl's hand. The strength at which she held it forced Cheryl's hand to let go of her arm.

"Say something like that again and I'll make sure it's the last time you ever speak," Ella threatens. She let go of Cheryl and walked back into the school. She found her friends waiting for her back inside the gym.

They all hung out and enjoyed the party for a few more hours before deciding to go home. It was midnight by the time they were in bed. All of them were exhausted from the day's festivities.

~~~~

When morning came, they all found letters in their mailboxes from the castle. The royal family had requested an audience with the Guardians at 2:00 in the afternoon.

They all got ready when the time was close and left for the castle. Ella had picked up Brooke while Harry and Holt drive their own cars.

"Can you believe we get to meet the royal family?" Brooke was currently looking in her mirror and touching up her makeup.

"I still can't believe we're guardians," Ella replies.

"Well," Brooke closes her mirror with a snap. "You better believe it. I wonder where we're gonna train. Do you think they'll separate us or keep us together?"

"I don't know," Ella says. "But it might be best to separate us first and then have us come together. We'd be able to train our powers separately so we don't end up hurting each other when we practice together."

"True," Brooke sat back in her seat.

The guards at the front gate checked their IDs before allowing them to enter. The castle was a huge building made of brown brick with vibrant green plants growing all over it. The castle itself has been standing for hundreds of years.

"Welcome to the castle, Guardians," a man greets them at the front doors. "My name is Ronald Argent. I will be your trainer while you are here. Though it will be for a short time. Follow me to the throne room, the king and queen are awaiting your arrival."

"What do you mean by, 'though it will be short'?" Harry asks as they start walking.

"There will be a party for you tonight, held by the queen. There are dresses and suits waiting for you in your rooms. Tomorrow morning Ella, Brooke, and Harry will leave for their respective element homes. There, you will meet your personal guardian trainers," Ronald explains.

"What about me?" Holt asks.

"You will be staying here," Ronald says. "And I will be your trainer. Now, shoulders back, head up, arms at your sides. Do not speak out of turn and do not raise your voice."

Ronald knocks on the door and waits for two guards on the other side to open them. They walk inside before stopping at the bottom of the short staircase that leads up to the king and queen. They all bow before Ronald begins to speak.

"Emperor Arden, Empress Iris," Ronald bows to them as he says their names. "These are the Guardians of the new generation."

"It's an honor to meet you both," Ella says as the Guardians bow one more time.

"Oh please, the honor is all ours," Empress Iris says. "We appreciate that the four of you took the time to visit us today."

"We could never say no," Harry smiles.

"I'm sure Ronald has told you about the ball tonight?" Emperor Arden asks. He continues after they nod yes. "Then I'm sure you'll all need your time to get ready. You may all follow Ronald to your temporary rooms. Except for Ella, the empress and I would like to speak with you, in private."

"Of course," Ella says. She stays still as her friends are led away.

"Ella, do you know who my son is?" Emperor Arden asks.

"Prince Adam, sir," Ella answers. "He went to school with us."

"Yes, he did. He also got himself a girlfriend while he was there. Cheryl," Emperor Arden's words cause Ella to tense. "I'm sure you know her."

"I've heard of her," Ella's face was calm but she was fuming.

"She recently told my son, and my son told me, that one of the female guardians had threatened her out of nowhere while she was at the party last night," he says. "You wouldn't happen to have any idea on that would you."

"I don't, your highness," Ella stands straight and looks directly into the emperor's eyes. "But I can assure you that if anything like that did happen, we wouldn't threaten anyone who didn't threaten us first. I'm going to find my room and start getting ready. See you tonight at the ball."

Ella bowed and turned to walk out the door. She found one of the maids and asked her to lead her to her room. She thanks the maid before walking into her room.

The room was large, filled top to bottom with beautiful furniture. Ella didn't have much time to stare because the stylist and tailor immediately started getting her ready.

"This is gonna be a long night," Ella comments.