Thank you to Lady Luna and EmUnited for reviewing! Just to be clear, Casper is Dex and Linh's son and Harlan is Wylie's son. Sorry that I haven't updated this week :( but I think that this is my best chapter yet! Hope you enjoy:)

Adira woke up early the next morning, not wanting to face her parents about the awkward interaction the day before. She glanced out her window but was immediately captivated by the brilliant colors brushed across the sky, and the yellow sun in the middle of it all. It was like a festival of colors, dancing and celebrating perpetually.

She threw on her Foxfire uniform: the leggings, shirt, skirt and dark blue cape. After brushing out her hair, she went into the kitchen. It was a large room that lacked the cosy comfort of the courtyard and the grandeur splendor of many of the older rooms of Everglen. A small glass table stood as the informal eating place for hurried children (or parents) and a white kitchen island stood in the center of the cooking space. Adira never ventured there much, seeing as her food was usually prepared for her. She rummaged around in a cabinet, and finally found some raw carnissa root and a bottle of lushberry juice. She bit in, her teeth penetrating the hard surface of the purple plant. Juice trickled down her chin, and she wiped it off.

Adira had never had raw carnissa root before, and surprisingly she liked it. It was moist and savory, it's exotic aroma filling up her nostrils. She found herself taking more of it, and had to force herself to put it away.

She downed her sweet juice in one gulp and headed outside.

The vibrant colors had faded from the sky, bleaching it of it seductive charm and fading it to a familiar light blue. Clouds dotted the sky, wisps of pale white, against the never-ending blue. The grass squeaked beneath her feet, the dew making it hard to walk.

She turned around, and ran up to her room. The light-leaper dangling from her ceiling was turning in slow circles, the crystals catching small rainbows in their glass.

"Foxfire!" she screamed.

She walked into the light, and Everglen slowly disappeared behind her

Adira walked to her locker. She was early, and only a handful of students were in the halls. She licked the metal strip on her locker: it was mallowmelt. She still had forty minutes until her alchemy session.

Someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey," Cassia said quietly.

"Hi Cassia. I didn't think you usually got to school this early," Adira responded.

"I don't. I just had to get out of the house,"Cassia said flatly.

"Me too. I just can't believe they didn't invite us to the meeting. Everyone in my entire family was there except for you and I," Adira ranted.

"And Casper," Cassia reminded her.

"Oh… yeah," Adira said.

After her uneventful alchemy session, Adira headed to lunch. She saw Cassia picking out her food. After choosing a variety of different colors, she headed to towards the seating area.

"How 'bout we sit over there?" Cassia suggested, pointing to a table in the corner of the room where two boys were sitting.

"Sure," Adira shrugged.


"Hey Casper," a voice said.

He looked up. It was Cassia: the girl with blonde hair from the shop they day before.

"Hi," he said. He had thought that the girls wouldn't approach him at school, much less the day after they met.

His friend Harlan looked up at him, questioningly.

"Cassia Sencen and Adira Vacker, meet Harlan Endal," Casper announced.

Adira sat down at the table. She glanced at the boy across from her. He had dark brown hair and grayish-blue eyes.

"Nice to meet you," he said.

"Nice to meet you, " she responded.

"So, what are your abilities?" Cassia asked.

"I'm a telepath," Harlan replied.

"Technopath," Casper sighed. "Don't people only have one ability?" he asked.

"No," Cassia said defensively. "Adira has two."

"I'm can teleport and I'm telepath," Adira explained. "So, what session did you come from?" she asked, in an attempt to make small talk.

"PE," Casper groaned.

"I hate that too!" Cassia moaned.

"Well, well. If it isn't the freaks sitting all together," a high vice sneered from behind her.

Adira turned around. "Pira."

"Vacker. How's your freak mother?" she said.

"Good. And yours?" Adira said pleasantly.

"Fine. But by the way, everyone knows that you're a worthless telepath that even your parents can't trust."

That stung but Adira tried not to let her know.

"Shut up!" Casper said.

"Go away Pira," Harlan agreed.

"Aw! Even you are sticking up for the losers?" she replied in disgust.

"Sorry. It was nice to chat with you but I need to go," Adira said, abruptly getting up.

She walked out of the cafeteria and to the room where her telepathy session was held.

"Good afternoon," she said respectfully, to her mentor Tiergan.

"Good afternoon," he responded. "Today we'll begin with an exercise," he said. "Try to get into my mind," he announced.

"She nodded. Placing her hands upon his temples, she started.

Instantly, she could see herself in a maze with tall stone walls covered with ivy. The leafy tendrils tried to reach the sky, but never made it.

Inside the maze walls, trees and plants grew. It would be impossible to see the roots of the trees in such a dimly lit space but she decided to try anyway.

She started to walk slowly through the corridor reaching over the gnarled tree roots, and stumbling through the plants. She felt her strength wavering and new she couldn't stay in the maze for that much longer.

She started to run, jumping nimbly over the plants but tripped over a root. She started to run again, pushing herself off the ground and then watching the floor for anything that might her stumble.

Finally, she saw an open space and could hear all of Tiergan's thoughts.

When will he come? Will they work together well?

I'm in, she transmitted.

I know. I can feel it, he transmitted back. You can come out now.

Okay.

Adira broke her concentration.

"Okay. That was great. I have another student coming over. It's useful to have a fellow telepathy to trust if you are every in a dangerous situation, and if you are anything like your mom, you probably will be," Tiergan explained.

"Sure," Adira agreed.

A boy with dark hair walked into the room: Harlan.

"Hello," he said.

"Hi," she said.

"I take it that you two already know each other?" Tiergan asked.

"We met today during lunch," Harlan explained.

"Great! Since you don't know each other that well, try transmitting and getting to know each other better."

Hi, she transmitted.

Hi.

His voice was strong in her head. Strong and firm.

So, how do you know Casper?

We just met yesterday, but our parents are friends.

Really? Who are your parents?

Sophie and Fitz Vacker.

Isn't your mom the elf with brown eyes who went on all those adventures to stop the Neverseen?

Yeah. Your father is Wylie Endal?

Yes. Do you have siblings?

Two brothers and you?

An older brother and older sister.

Cool. Is Tiergan your mentor?

Yes. He's very nice.

Yeah. I've known him all my life.
Even when you were a baby?
Yup. He was my mom's mentor.

Isn't it a bit weird to have known your mentor your whole life?

A bit.

Does Pira regularly bully you?

Pretty much every day.

Don't let her bother you.

Trust me. I'm not going too. She doesn't really bother me that much, Adira lied. In truth, Pira did get to her a lot.

"I hope you two learn more about each other today. We can continue this next session," Tiergan announced, breaking their concentration.

"Bye," Adira said.

"Bye," Harlan said.

She walked out into the hallway but was immediately accosted by Pira Larding.

"What are you doing, having a session with Harlan Vacker?" Pira hissed.

Adira ignored her.

"Nevermind," Pira muttered. "Everyone know that you're too dumb to speak." "And I heard that your parents don't even think that you're a telepath. And that they scheduled a meeting with Magnate Leto to see if you can get easier studies," she continued.

That went too far. All Adira wanted to do now was to go home, curl up into a ball, and cry. Pira's words hurt like a knife. They stabbed at her until she felt the pain.

She pushed through the crowd and went to the LightLeapers.

"Everglen," she shouted.

Footsteps came running after her.

"Everglen!" a chorus of voices shouted.

She stepped into the light.

She landed outside the gates and immediately went in.

She ran to a field. She just wanted to get away from Foxfire and from Pira, and from her parents, and from everyone.

Her lip quivered and she started to cry. Her voice pierced the tranquil silence, chords of helplessness and sorrow. She hated that everyone didn't trust her or thought that she was too naive to handle any news.

Anger rose in her throat.

"It's okay," someone soothed from behind her. It was Cassia. Cassia who was always there for her. Cassia who believed in her. Cassia who trusted her.

All feelings of anger were washed away by the powerful bond of friendship.

"Yeah. Pira's a jerk," someone muttered from behind her.

She turned around to see Casper and Harlan behind her.

She wiped her eyes. "Do you want to play Basequest?" she asked.

"Sure," Cassia grinned. "You and me versus Casper and Harlan."

"Agreed," said Casper.

"We'll start out trying to tag you," Cassia said.

"It's on," Casper grinned.

Cassia pulled Adira behind a tree.

"When we see them we'll tag them," she whispered.

Adira heard a scream.

"Something's wrong,"Adira muttered.

She ran further into the field where she saw a figure in black hunched over someone.

Cassia! There is some one here and they look really dangerous. HELP! she transmitted.

She ran to where the man was standing, and saw Casper trembling on the floor.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" she roared.

The man turned to her in surprise. He reached for her, missing her arms but touching her face. Heat started to warm her cheeks. they started to sizzle.

"Ow," she said instinctively.

Cassia ran at him. She kicked him and punched him until the man rolled away from her and pulled out his pathfinder. Then he was gone.

Thoughts raced through Adira's mind. She looked down at Casper. Burns dotted his arms and face. He lay unconscious.

She picked him up by the arms as Harlan did the same with his legs. Cassia grabbed her hand, and she teleported them to Foxfire.

"Little freak back again," Pira taunted.

Adira snapped. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!"
Pira ran.

They ran to Elwins office, their feet a blur in their effort to get Casper treated as quickly as possible.

"What happened?" Elwin asked.

"We were attacked at Everglen," Harlan said. "Will he be okay?"

Elwin didn't reply, but rather started apply a thick paste onto Casper's arms.

"We'll go inform his parents," Cassia offered.

She took Adira's arm and they walked to the light leapers.

"Atlantis!" Cassia yelled, her voice shaking.

They hobbled through the streets approaching Slurps And Burps. Adira pushed the door open and was surprised to see not only Dex and Linh but also Keefe, Fitz, Sophie, Breccan, Alden, Biana, Cyra, and Tam.

"What are you kids doing here?" Cyra snapped, sounding annoyed.

"We don't have time for this right now," Sophie said gently.

"REALLY!" Adira yelled. "I doubt that because this is important-"

"We're in the middle of something right now," Dex said.

Adira went on. "Your son was attacked by a pyrokentic. I think that you can stop your secret meeting for that!" she yelled.

Fitz's face went pale as he noticed the burns on their faces.

"A pyrokentic? Where?"

"Everglen," Cassia replied sounding weary and tired.

"Why were you stupid enough to let him touch you?" Cyra snapped.

"Pain doesn't matter as much as lives do," Cassia snapped back.

Cassia and Adira left, and Adira could hear some people running after her. Adira knew they all had the same intention but the two groups were going to be united until the parents started to realize that their kids didn't always need to be protected. In fact, most of the time the kids were the ones trying to be the protectors.