Chapter 19

Chapter 19

As the morning classes went on, Elara struggled to focus. The excitement of her newly awakened telekinesis and the promise of Maya's guidance during recess occupied her thoughts. She tapped her pencil against her notebook absently, replaying the moment in the hallway when she had accidentally tugged at the boy's iPad. She hadn't meant to do it—just like how her telepathic voice earlier had seemed to amplify itself without her control.

"Miss Elara?" her teacher's voice cut through her thoughts.

She looked up, startled. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Care to answer the question on the board?" the teacher asked, raising an eyebrow.

Elara glanced at the board, quickly scanning the math equation written there. Telekinesis couldn't help her with algebra, unfortunately. "Uh, x equals… 12?"

The teacher smiled. "Correct. Pay attention next time, though."

Elara nodded sheepishly, grateful that she'd been paying at least a fraction of attention. The rest of the lesson went by in a blur, and soon the recess bell rang. She gathered her things and practically sprinted out of the classroom, eager to find Maya.

Meanwhile, Maya was waiting near the open courtyard, hovering slightly above the ground as she practiced fine-tuning her telekinetic control. Students milling about glanced at her with awe, but most had grown used to Maya's showmanship by now. When Elara arrived, breathless but smiling, Maya descended gracefully to the ground.

"Ready?" Maya asked, grinning.

"Absolutely!" Elara replied.

Maya gestured to a quieter corner of the courtyard, away from prying eyes. "Alright, let's start simple. The key to propulsion is balance. You need to focus on lifting yourself while keeping your center of gravity stable. It's like… standing on an invisible board."

Elara nodded, closing her eyes to concentrate. She stretched out her senses, feeling for the same energy she had accidentally tapped into earlier. Slowly, she imagined lifting her body from the ground. For a moment, nothing happened.

"Visualize it," Maya encouraged. "Feel the energy flow, like water lifting you from below."

Elara took a deep breath, picturing herself floating effortlessly. A tingling sensation spread through her body, and suddenly, her feet lifted an inch off the ground. She gasped in surprise and wobbled, nearly falling.

"You've got it!" Maya cheered. "Now, steady yourself. Don't panic."

Elara focused again, this time managing to hover a few inches higher. Her heart raced with exhilaration. "I'm doing it!"

"See? I told you it wasn't that hard," Maya teased. "Next step: propulsion. Think about leaning into your movement, but make sure your focus stays on balance. Here, watch me."

Maya propelled herself forward smoothly, weaving effortlessly around a tree. Elara watched closely, mimicking the movements as she followed. It was clumsy at first—she lurched forward in small bursts—but soon, her movements became more fluid.

"You're a fast learner!" Maya said, impressed.

Elara beamed, but before she could respond, the sound of a loud crash echoed from the other side of the courtyard. Both girls turned, their senses immediately on high alert. A group of students had gathered near the commotion, whispering nervously.

"What's going on?" Elara asked, lowering herself to the ground.

Maya frowned. "Let's find out."

As they approached, they saw a tall boy standing in the middle of the chaos. The metal bench beside him was bent out of shape, and sparks of telekinetic energy flickered around his hands. He looked panicked, clearly unable to control his powers.

"Elara," Maya said, her tone serious, "we might need to step in."

Elara's stomach tightened. "Do you think he's—?"

"Like us?" Maya finished. "Probably. Let's help him before he hurts himself—or someone else."

They exchanged a determined glance before stepping forward, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

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Maya quickly soared above the crowd, her telekinetic propulsion allowing her to navigate the chaos with ease. The gathering had swelled to nearly thirty people, all clamoring to see what was happening. She landed smoothly near the boy, who was trembling as telekinetic sparks flickered uncontrollably around him.

Behind her, Elara was determined to try the flying technique Maya had just demonstrated. Summoning her telekinesis, she focused all her energy on lifting herself off the ground. However, in her excitement, she overestimated the intensity, unleashing a small storm around her. The force of the swirling wind knocked over about ten students in the crowd, sending startled screams into the air.

Maya glanced back just in time to see the commotion Elara had caused. Before she could react, the murmurs of the crowd turned to shouts.

"Wait, you can't use your powers like that!"

"How cruel—she hurt us!"

"Attack her!"

A group of second-years, their abilities already honed, began to retaliate. Most of them had fire-based powers and launched fiery projectiles at Elara, who was now unintentionally rising higher into the sky.

Elara, panicked but trying to maintain her composure, attempted to stabilize herself. However, the swirling energy around her only intensified, whipping into a storm three times stronger than before. The force was so great that it shattered a nearby window—the office of the principal. The storm struck the assistant inside, sending him sprawling to the floor.

Maya's heart sank. This is going from bad to worse, she thought.

The principal, furious, emerged from his office. His gravity-based abilities rippled through the air, forcing everyone down with an oppressive weight. Elara, the boy, and the attacking students were all slammed to the ground. Even Maya, quick as she was, barely managed to activate a protective barrier with the borrowed device from Thalaya. Unfortunately, the barrier encased only her, leaving the others to endure the full force of the principal's power.

When the chaos settled, the principal teleported to the scene, his presence commanding immediate silence. His piercing gaze swept over the group still pinned by his gravity ability.

"Who dares to use their powers so recklessly?" he demanded, his voice cold and authoritative. His eyes landed on Elara. "And you, Elara, what possessed you to create such a disturbance with your telekinesis? Damaging school property? Hurting students? Unacceptable!"

Elara opened her mouth to explain but was silenced by the principal raising his hand.

He took a deep breath, visibly calming himself before speaking again. "As punishment, all of you will complete thirty assignments by the end of this week. Submit the files on time, or face further consequences."

The second-year student with fire abilities, still bristling with indignation, muttered under his breath, "What?! How unfair!"

The principal's sharp ears caught it immediately. His gaze snapped to the student, his expression icy. "Forty assignments. One more word, and it'll be fifty."

The second-year wisely stayed silent, though his frustration was palpable.

Maya exhaled, relieved that the principal's gravity ability had finally eased. She turned to Elara, who looked both embarrassed and drained. "Elara," she whispered, "let's just get through this, okay? We'll figure everything out later."

Elara nodded, her fiery red hair still ruffled by the residual energy of her storm. "I didn't mean to—"

"I know," Maya said, offering a small smile. "We'll fix it together."

As the principal disappeared back into his office, the students groaned at the hefty workload ahead. But for Maya and Elara, the incident had sparked a deeper understanding of their powers—and the need to control them before things spiraled further out of hand.

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The courtyard emptied quickly after the principal left, students grumbling about the unexpected assignments. Maya helped Elara to her feet, her expression a mixture of sympathy and exasperation.

"Elara, you've got to get a grip on your powers," Maya said quietly as they walked toward the school's practice grounds, away from prying eyes. "What happened up there? I mean, the small storm—twice? That's not exactly beginner-level telekinesis."

Elara sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I don't know! I was just trying to copy you. I didn't mean to hurt anyone or—" She gestured vaguely toward the principal's shattered window. "—that. It's like my powers have a mind of their own sometimes."

Maya glanced at her, considering. "It might be because your abilities are new. Telekinesis can feel unstable at first, like it's connected directly to your emotions. You weren't panicking, were you?"

Elara hesitated. "Maybe a little. Okay, fine—a lot. I didn't think I'd fly so high, and when those second-years started attacking, I…"

"Lost control," Maya finished for her. She nodded, understanding. "It's not easy, but you've got to stay calm. Power without control isn't strength—it's chaos."

They reached the practice grounds, a wide, open space designed for students to test their abilities under safe conditions. Thankfully, it was empty at this time of day.

"Alright," Maya said, rolling up her sleeves. "We're going to work on control right now. No flying, no storms—just basic telekinesis. Start with this." She picked up a small pebble and handed it to Elara.

Elara looked at the pebble, unimpressed. "A pebble? Really?"

Maya smirked. "If you can control a pebble, you can control yourself. Trust me—it's harder than it looks."

Elara sighed and focused on the pebble, channeling her energy carefully. The pebble wobbled slightly in her palm before floating up an inch. Elara grinned, but the moment she relaxed, the pebble shot up like a rocket, disappearing into the sky.

"See what I mean?" Maya said, crossing her arms. "Try again. This time, keep your focus steady. Imagine you're holding the pebble with invisible strings—tight enough to keep it in place but loose enough to let it move."

Elara nodded, trying again. This time, the pebble hovered steadily, spinning slightly in midair. She grinned wider.

"Now we're talking," Maya said. "Let's push it a little further. Move it side to side, but keep it under control."

Elara concentrated, her brow furrowed as the pebble shifted left, then right, in smooth, deliberate motions. For a moment, everything felt perfectly balanced.

But then a new voice interrupted them.

"Well, well, look who's practicing like a couple of rookies," the voice sneered.

Both girls turned to see a group of second-years approaching, led by the fire-user who had complained earlier. His arms were crossed, and an arrogant smirk played on his lips.

"What do you want?" Maya asked, stepping slightly in front of Elara.

"Just checking in on the first-years who nearly got us all crushed under gravity," he said, his tone mocking. "Figured you might need some real lessons."

Elara bristled. "We're fine, thanks."

"Are you? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're struggling with a pebble." He ignited a flame in his hand, letting it dance lazily between his fingers. "Why don't we show you how it's done?"

Maya's eyes narrowed. "Back off."

But the second-year wasn't listening. He launched the flame toward Elara's pebble, knocking it out of her control. The pebble dropped to the ground, and Elara's temper flared.

"Enough!" she snapped, her energy flaring around her like a visible aura. The second-years stepped back, startled.

Maya put a hand on Elara's shoulder, her voice calm but firm. "Don't let them bait you. That's exactly what they want."

Elara took a deep breath, reining in her power. The aura faded, and she straightened her posture. "Fine. Let's go, Maya."

As they walked away, the second-year called after them, "Careful, first-years. Next time, we won't go easy on you."

Elara glanced at Maya, who gave her a reassuring smile. "Let them talk. They're just trying to mess with you. Focus on getting stronger—and smarter. That's how we win."

Elara nodded, her resolve hardening. Whatever challenges lay ahead, she knew she had to master her powers—not just for herself, but to prove she belonged in this school.

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