The Spirit Academy

Chapter 33 - What Can You Do

Dahlia sat down next to Guthrie while Roxy paced the room. "What's taking her so long?" Roxy asked.

"You know what?" Guthrie said. "I bet she's selling us out to the GloBals."

"She wouldn't do that." Dahlia protested.

"You're right, I wouldn't do that."

Dahlia looked up to see Hailey drop down the hole. Three others followed down after her. There was an elderly woman, an elderly man and a girl who was a couple of years older than them. They were all dressed in plain white.

Guthrie narrowed her eyes at them.

"Who are they?"

The girl spoke up. "Relax, we don't bite," she then added as afterthought, "Well, unprovoked anyway."

Dahlia looked to Hailey, "What's going on?"

"Like I said, we can't fight with you, but we can help you. Considering the fact that all three of you managed to escape the academy, you must be very powerful. But you haven't learned to harness them to the best of your abilities yet."

Roxy stepped forward. "This is a load of bull. You don't really believe her, do you?"

Roxy turned towards Dahlia. "She just wants to feel better about not helping us."

Guthrie nodded. "Either way, we have to get back to the academy."

"Wait." Hailey said. "Stay the night. You need to rest, you can leave first thing in the morning and in the meantime your mentors can train you."

Guthrie and Roxy both turned to her. Dahlia nodded slowly.

"Okay. We'll stay the night."

Guthrie

The girl was Guthrie's mentor, Kalani. After Dahlia had decided they would stay for the night, they had been given food and water and immediately after Kalani had taken Guthrie to her home. She lived by herself and was one of the members in the tribunal.

Kalani's home was made of mud with only one room, and the only furniture was a small rug in the corner.

As Guthrie walked inside, she felt her stomach churn. Something was very wrong.

Guthrie turned around and saw Kalani looking at her expectantly.

Guthrie shrugged. "What?"

"Well? Show me what you can do."

Guthrie closed her eyes. She remembered blowing the stables away and she felt an urge to blow Kalani's house away, because that would wipe the superior smirk off her face.

Guthrie shrugged again. "Why don't you show me what you can do?"

At first Guthrie thought nothing had happened and was about to smile when her throat started closing up. Kalani was choking her.

Guthrie clawed at her throat, and then waved her arms frantically. She felt the air move around her, and strong winds hit her, but Guthrie only opened her eyes when she finally felt air rushing into her lungs. She lay on her back and tried to get her breath back.

When she finally sat up she saw the Kalani lying in a corner with the rug covering most of her body. Kalani threw the rug off of her and smiled at Guthrie.

"So that's what you can do?"

"Are you crazy?"

Kalani shrugged. "Debatable."

Guthrie covered her face with her hands. "What's wrong with you?"

Kalani sat down next to Guthrie. "Guthrie. You and your friends can do this on your own. You are probably the most powerful air spirit I've ever met. What it comes down to is whether you'll do it or not."

Guthrie looked to Kalani. "What do you mean? Of course I will."

"I'm not talking about saving your friends, Guthrie."

"Then what?"

"If someone does what I did to you, will you be able to do the same to them?"

"I guess."

"Don't 'I guess' me. I need a definite answer. Will you be able to take the life of a spirit if it comes down to them or you?"

Guthrie hesitated. That was enough for Kalani.

"You can't hesitate. Because the GloBals won't."

Lana

Lana had spent the last thirty minutes waiting. She had watched as the fire alarms went off and spirits flooded out of the school. First she had seen Gemma. Jade. Kenna. Anala. Rosie. Amber. Chantal.

And then she had seen Fawn. Raven. Marina. Aithne. Rekka. All being escorted by the GloBals.

But she had not seen either Mishal or Lynn.

Lana looked to where everyone was. The GloBals now had their attention on the growing fire. The water spirits were working to control the fire, and now all of her friends were left unattended. They were all huddled in a group away from all of the students and Lana realised this was her chance.

With one last sweep to check if Mishal or Lynn were there, Lana knew it was now or never.

Lana sucked in a deep breath before spreading her palms out in front of her. She closed her eyes picturing it in her mind. She slowly moved her arms down words and then up. She heard screams but she didn't know if they were because of the fire or because it had worked.

Lana opened her eyes and smiled to herself when she saw where her friends were a few seconds ago, weren't anymore.

Lana looked again for Mishal and Lynn, but they were nowhere to be found.

Lana then spread her hands out above her and fell three metres into the ground, she then brought her hands together closing the ground above her.

Mishal and Lynn just had to hold on a little longer.

Mishal

Mishal and Lynn had run out of the academy as fast as they could. Lynn leaned against Mishal, because Lynn was drained from whatever they had done to her. They had both rested against a tree. Mishal knew the GloBals would find them again but Mishal couldn't find it in her to get up.

"Lynn." Mishal panted, "They're going to find us."

Lynn didn't answer.

"Lynn! I said they're going to find us!"

"They're always going to find us, Mish, don't you get it, we can't escape them."

Mishal gulped. There was something wrong with Lynn. Something broken.

"What'd they do to you Lynn?"

Lynn looked away. "Nothing."

"I heard your screams."

"I like to scream for fun." Lynn looked at Mishal, "You should try it some time."

Mishal looked at Lynn with a shocked expression. "Did you just... did you just make a joke?"

"What?" Lynn shrugged. "I can make jokes."

"Sure. You just choose not to."

"Exactly."

Mishal and Lynn descended into a comfortable silence that pronounced the underlying dread even further. They both knew what it was going to come to. The GloBals would find them.

"No." Mishal whispered.

"What?" Lynn said, opening her eyes.

"We can't just let them... we can't just give up."

"Why not?" Lynn said turning around, as she did her arm scraped the tree and she winced in pain.

Mishal reached forward and pulled Lynn's sleeve open, revealing all the injection sites.

Mishal gasped in horror and Lynn pulled her arm back.

"I'm sorry." Mishal whispered.

"It wasn't your fault." Lynn replied.

"You're right. It was the GloBals. And I'm going to make them pay."