For years, the existence of people with control over the elements has been proved. There is evidence for them in ancient markings and pictures, depicting and telling stories of how the ground moved with them or how the water rolled right off their bodies. For years the acceptance of these beings truly being alive has been a simple fact of life. The rest of the people never questioned and never sought to find out more about these beings. They left them alone and thought of the elementals as simply another myth or an entity to praise. The humans coexisted peacefully.
For years, the genetics of these elementals have been dying out along with the belief of their existence. The people just stopped. They still thought of the ancient markings, but thought them nothing more than misconstructed sights and myths for children to believe in. The fact that many cultures described beings with control over elements brushed to mere coincidence. It's a common folktale. A bedtime story.
For years, the governments of the word have been finding these elementals, as young as they possibly can, and sending them away from their families. As much as the parents cry and beg, the government hushes them with all they can. They can not let the secret out now that the legends of old are true. Not after all the work they've done, integrating and hiding their existence from the rest of the world. Not after setting away a facility in the upper regions of a country whose name slips minds more often than not, and teaching the children how to control and be safe in their environments.
By far one of the most mature ideas any government could have come up with.
There are four main groups of elementals. Water, air, earth, and fire. The most common type of element control is air. People in control of this element usually have hyperactive personalities. They are excitable, they like to breeze through life, and just love to get around and about. It's their life to explore and be free.
Water controllers are the second most common. Though becoming more rare. Water persons generally have a laid back kind of personality, they 'go with the flow' as to say. It takes a lot to get a water person angry. Water types like to be in calm environments, but can keep up with the heavy rapids of life.
Earth types are the second most rare kind in the world today. An earth person is very hard to get through on the outside. They seem mostly angry or irritated or even emotionless. This is not true. The earth kind have a hard shell to get through. It takes a lot to get an earth person to open and trust someone enough to be comfortable around them.
The rarest kind of control is fire. The reason for this is simple. Fire types have an intense amount of energy and are often quick to temper. Most fire energy is fueled by emotions, and when child is young, throwing a tantrum can cause devastating results. Fire kinds are hard to get to. They are standoffish and usually quick to push people away.
Every elemental has something special about them, different from person to person on what they can do in speciality. Some air types can fly, while others can run really fast. Some earth types can bend metal while others can construct and build. There are a few things that are consistent with every element no matter who the person is. Air types always have a breeze with them. Water types are always cool to the touch. Fire types always feel warm to the touch. Earth types are really good at giving hugs.
Every elemental can control their respective element, and then some. As said before, some earth controllers can bend metal. This is a rarity in itself. Specified abilities come from a very specific set of genetics. Being able to bend an in between element is uncommon. At the same time, some people are born with the gift to control two elements. The mixture of which two depends on the parents involved and the ancestry behind them. There are rumors that someone can have a dominant element as well as a smaller power over a secondary force. However, specified bending and double bending are still more common than a fire type. To have someone who can bend fire and another element is seen as a myth even in the believing community.
When the elements work together, they can create and do amazing things. A water type and an air type can change the clouds and shape them to desired patterns. An earth type and a fire type can control lava and other various forms of molten rock.
However, while the elements can work together, there is always the possibility of clashing personalities. Water kinds are the most enjoyable and the most likely to get along with the others. Air types come next on the list. While they might get along with everyone, there are others who see them as a nuisance. Earth types tend to stick to themselves and keep away from others. It takes a persistent air, or a very easy going water type to be able to get through their shell and earn their trust. Fire kinds generally don't like anybody and have a hard to connecting with anyone.
Just because two people are of the same element does not mean they will get along.
None of the elements are better or worse than the others. They all need to get along in order for the world to work. No one person is better than someone else just because of what element they can control. A water type can not grow plants without the help of the earth. A fire type can not breathe without the air. To believe oneself more than others is to have lost sight of nature and balance. To think oneself lower than another is to have lost sight of their own importance.
Each elemental has a specific way of guiding their element, each a designated way of gaining control. Air types use a lot of breathing, drawing their power from the space around them and the typical excitement in their own systems. Water kinds have a more fluid way, like dancing with their element, drawing their control from the peaceful and their own sense of calm seated deep within their being. Earth types are strongholds, sticking to keep their body as connected to the ground as possible, drawing their energy from their core and moving in sharp and precise motions. Fire types are flowy, big motions and wide arcs with their body, a mixture of dancing with their element and breathing it in, drawing their energy from their emotions.
Each type is dangerous in it's own way. All are still prone to act recklessly in certain situations. Controlling their abilities is difficult under pressure and stress, especially in the thought of being caught. Water types have the most difficulty and ease with this. Their deep seated calm makes it easy for them to think clearly and gain control of their element. The problem is they need a source, they can not apparate water from nowhere without a lot of practice. Their getting caught is more likely. On the other hand, fire types are most dangerous in terms of control. Their element is closely linked to their emotions, so when under stress or angry, their element levels will spike and cause damage to those around them.
Other elements can cause serious harm to the others if they are not careful and mindful of their surroundings.
At the facility built by a government up in the woods, away from a small town whose name is not important, in a country rarely written about in history books does the building sit. It has all the necessary components in order to train and better raise the young elementals sent there. There are dirt fields, bordered by massive boulders. There is a lake owned by the facility, change to vary in depths as well as a simple indoor pool. There are high hoops placed in the sky and sharp angled walls. There is an arena a bit farther off in a clearing with scorch marks against the rocks and metal dummies burnt black. There is also a workout room of regular recreational use.
Very few teachers work in the building. Some are regular government officials, checking through mail and making sure that all the students are accounted for. Some are teachers sworn to secrecy. They teach simple math and work as grammar instructors when the students have to write essays. They have a history class of the regular humans around them as well as a history class of the life of elementals before them. Every single student is taught to be humble, to never use their powers maliciously, to understand some people are scared of them. They are taught there is nothing wrong with them.
Most students govern their own training unless in special need. They get a schedule, telling what they should practice on based off a test they take every two weeks to better hone and control their element. Sometimes, the students are allowed to take a trip to the little town and pretend to be normal. They are always chaperoned.
It's a normal school besides that. They get small bits of homework, nothing taking more than an hour to complete, if that long. Most students spend their free time training or playing games with the other students. They come from all over the world. As soon as a government finds out that a citizens has the potential to be elemental, they keep tabs on them, and when it is confirmed, they are taken from their family, no matter the age. The families are able to contact their children. Letters, video and phone calls, even visits to the facility in general.
Language barriers are difficult to overcome with the amount of students being sent to the school from all over the world.
It is the best kept secret. From families and the governments in general being able to hide this from the public is phenomenal. They say it's because the students are a danger to the rest of the population. Some believe it's because more often than not, it's just children. They don't know any better and they need guidance and care. They need help. They need a place they can feel safe. They need each other.
But it's just a myth. People who can control the elements don't really exist.