Hello readers, thanks for taking the time to read and review my story. Your review are what keep me writing. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.
Forward: I don't own The Psychic Academy, though I wish to open one in the future. The wonderful Katsu Aki does. When her Characters do appear, they will be mentioned in the forward.
Psychic Academy: On the Other Side
Based on the popular manga series by Katsu Aki
By Darkensea
Chapter 10: The shadow of the mist Part I
Rain beat lightly against the large glass windows of the gymnasium, as dark threatening clouds rolled across the sky. There was the sound of thunder in the distance and strong winds rattled the glass. The students stood lined up in the gym awaiting there instructions for the practical exam. Their teacher stood facing the line some held clipboards while others were wearing gym uniforms similar to the ones that all the students were wearing. Obviously the exam wasn't going to be a competition between the students like Myria had said.
"Now," One of the teachers said in a booming voice. "This exam is usually held outside, but due to the current weather, we decided to move it in here. However your test may not happen in the room, part of the test may happen around the campus. The rules for this exams are simple. Shortly we will pass out envelopes with numbers in them, when you get your number line up under the number on that wall. The group that you will be with is your team for this test. We will be testing your ability to use your auras as well as your teamwork and strategies to accomplish a task. Also in one of the groups members envelopes, is the task which you will have to complete. After you organize and plan, we will begin the test.
Several teacher begin to pass around and hand out small black envelopes, which the student tore open as soon as they received them. Xaioto turned to Moon and held up his number. "Fifteen?"
"No, Three." Moon replied. "Well good luck, man."
"Same to you." The separated and headed toward their respective numbers. Xaioto saw Soni waiting under number fifteen, reading a sheet of paper. He rushed forward and embraced her. "Were working together." He said joyfully.
"What about Moon? Is are whole team together." She asked.
"No, Moon is on his own. In group three."
"I wouldn't say on his own."She replied. "He is with Yukeri. They should be fine."
A boy student approached them. "So this is our team?" He asked. "Interesting. Hey, Soni." He was from Xaioto and Soni's class but Xaioto had never bothered to get his name nor cared enough to talk to him. But that could be said for most of his class. Aside from Soni, Moon and Yukeri, he didn't really speak to anyone else. "What the situation?" He continued talking to Soni.
Soni began to read aloud from the sheet of paper. "An aura user has been misusing his powers to commit robberies across town. As aura user, you have been assigned to track him down and capture him. The criminal, being represented by..." She paused. "I can't read who ever signature this is."
"T'at vould be mine." The voice of there Chemistry teacher said as he approached the group. "I am looking forvard to a good c'ase. At t'e start of t'is test, I vill jump to somevhere in the main sc'ool building. Try and find me." He continued with a slight smile.
"So we had to find and capture Mr. Hearn?" Xaioto asked. "Sound like fun."
"Take t'is vith you." He said giving a small device that looked like a wrist watch to Soni. "This will monitor the time it takes you to complete your task." A few minutes later. There was the loud sound of the class change bell that signified the start of the exam.
"Get him," The boy yelled as he rushed Mr Hearn. Mr. Hearn shattered in to pieces and vanished, causing the boy to crash into the ground where Mr. Hearn was standing.
Xaioto knelt beside him. "He did said he was going to jump, why try that?"
"If I had grabbed him before he jumped then he wouldn't of been able to jump. Without having to drag me along, or jump at all, and our task would of been complete."
"This is an aura exam. It wouldn't be so easy. Just hope we don't lose points for stupidity." Xaioto replied rising to his feet. "We have to get moving before his aura trail fades."
"You can sense aura trails?" He asked in awe. Xaioto didn't reply be started for the door with Soni closely following him. "Who is that kid?" He said aloud rising to his feet and heading off after them.
Xaioto and Soni found themselves in the middle of the Chemistry lab, where the aura trail ended. It had only been three minute, so he couldn't have gotten far on foot. Hearn was somewhere in the room. Their teammate arrived, panting and out of breath.
"So ... where did he... go?" The boy asked.
"Vell, Not a bad response time." Mr Hearn said, spinning around in the large chair behind his desk so he could see his students. "T'e vater for my tea has not even finis'ed boiling." He pointed to a large flask sitting on a Bunsen burner. "I must knov, 'ow did you find me so quickly."
"You left a trial." Xaioto said.
"A', You can sense aura trails, t'at is quite an accomplis'ment for a first year student. Rig't nov, I am supposed to battle you to test your aura application, but I am interested in your ability, and I could not bear to 'ave you destroy my lab in trying to capture me, so I s'all see you s'ortly. Follov t'is trail." Mr. Hearn said, jumping again.
The group turned and looked at Xaioto. He shrugged and headed for the door, leading them out to the courtyard. Where Mr. Hearn was standing, under a large black umbrella. "I see having you on t'is team made it muc' easier t'an it vas suppose to be." He said as they arrived. "Vell, I vonder v'at vill come for t'is battle. My aura domain is Ice"
"I'm Kreytr and my Domain is Fire." The boy said, "Lets go."
"Soni, Aura domain is Rose."
"I'm Xaioto of the Mist."
"S'all ve begin?" Mr. Hearn asked.
"Soni, stay close." Xaioto said. "Umi" Thick mist began to form completely covering the courtyard. Kreytr impatiently launched an attack at Mr. Hearn throwing a spiral column of fire.
"Ice spear." Mr. Hearn said creating a large icicle in front of him and launching it into Kreytr attack. The spear split Kreytr attack easily and connected with his chest, throwing him a few feet back. "Your ras'ness again is causing you to lose points." Mr. Hearn commented.
Soni started toward Mr. Hearn but Xaioto pulled her back. "Wait for it."
"Gat'ering toget'er makes an easy target. Despite your cloud coverage." He formed another ice spear and launched it toward the center of the mist cloud.
"Move." Xaioto said pushing the Soni behind him and out the way of the oncoming attack. Soni is safe he thought as the mist in front him began to part by the spear, but what about you. If that hits, it will skewer you and dodging it will cause it to hit Soni. Another voice in his head screamed at the last moment. "Jump." He felt the cold hit him for a split second then found himself reappearing behind Mr. Hearn. He had survived somehow. He felt dizzy and light headed and his throat screamed for water. Standing had become a struggle. He turned to see Mr. Hearn facing him, charging up another ice spear.
The ground beneath Mr. Hearn erupted as thick vines shot up from beneath him entangling him. "Let him alone." Soni said darkly. Mr Hearn struggled to free him self, but to no avail.
"Congratulations, your task is complete." He said. "Put t'is key into your monitor to stop t'e timer." Soni let him down and he handed her the key.
"So we pass?" Soni asked.
"Most of you." He replied shooting a glance at Kreytr. "The teac'ers vould decide the outcomes later."
Soni turned to see Xaioto laying on the floor unconscious. She rushed to his side. His arms were bleeding. She quickly enclosed him in one of her healing rose buds. When the flower bloomed he still laid on the ground. Wounds were healed but he still hadn't awakened. She shook him gently. "Xaioto?" No response. "Xaioto?" Still no response.
"You better take 'im to the infirmary." Mr. Hearn said. "I vill report on your progress back at the gym."
"Thank you." Soni said. "Can one of you help me carry him?" She asked turning to Kreytr, only to see him disappear in a blaze of fire.
A streak of lighting ripped across the sky, as a girl appeared in front of them, "I'll help." Myria said softly.
"Thank you."
The two girl lifted Xaioto and carried him into the building. "That's was an interesting test." Myria said as they walked. "I was in the middle of my exam when I saw you through the window."
"Xaioto has become really something hasn't he." Soni replied. "I just hope he is alright."
"Yes, he has." Myria replied. "But he needs to stop pushing himself to his limits before he does serious damage to himself... Your not to bad either."
"I really dislike fighting with my aura, I try to only use it to heal and protect the ones I have come to care about."
"I see." Myria said as they approached the infirmary door. "It is a worthy cause to fight I hope you don't loose focus of that as you go on through this school." Entering the infirmary they placed Xaioto on an examination table as instructed by the nurse, then they were asked to wait outside.
"Well," Myria said closing the infirmary door behind her. "I have to get back to my exam, but when he awakens, tell him that was a beautiful guard."
"Ok I will." Soni said. She watched Myria as she walked down the corridor and disappeared around a corner. A short while later the door to the infirmary opened and the nurse called her in. Xaioto laid on the examination table now connected to various machines.
"There seem to be no serious problems here but I need to know what happened to him before I can explain any further."
"We were taking an examination, and got into a battle with one of the teachers as part of the exam. Everything was going good until he jumped in the way of an attack aim at me. He aura guarded against the attack beautifully, and jumped away. After the battle he just collapsed."
"Well we warned him of over exhausting his aura. We are trying to replenish his water level but he seems to be burning through it as fast as we can give it to him, and for some strange reason his surface body temperature is dropping steadily. He should be awake by tomorrow but might have to stay for some more testing."
"We?" Soni asked.
The curtain behind them pulled back and Doc peaked out. "Hello." He said before disappearing behind the curtain again.
"Hopefully the healing part of his aura with help him to recover faster." The nurse continued. "I suggest you return to your dorm and get some rest."
"Thank you." Soni said. "But I would like to say with him a while."
The nurse looked back toward the curtain where Doc was and sighed. "Very well."