The afternoon sun shone from behind us students as we stood on the beach. Nautilus's coastal waves crashed and made ripples in the sand. Washed up empty rainbow shells lay scattered across the pristine sandy beach. Aylin picked up a few rainbow shells as the class walked and put them in her front pocket.
Lua then stopped and told us to watch the ocean. The students who lived here had seen their waters tens of thousands of times but still followed Lua's directive.
Lua raised an arm toward the crashing waves. The crystals on her left arm, which was facing the ocean, started to glow blue as loxes flowed through her arm. With a sudden blue light, the waves in front of us stopped.
"Shall we?" she said, grinning at the class.
She took steps toward the water, and as her feet were about to touch it, the water receded and was pushed aside. Then suddenly, the whole sea split open with a narrow passage.
The timid class, still thinking the sea would swallow them whole, took slow steps toward Lua, who stood there patiently waiting for them. Aylin grabbed my hand and dragged me toward Lua. As the class saw me and Aylin standing within the passageway without it collapsing onto us, they stepped forward.
The seabed was dark, cold, and hard, and algae covered it, making it a slipping hazard. I told Aylin to watch out for the algae and coral so she wouldn't slip. She hurriedly dragged me off toward Lua, who was standing a bit further away. The sea was incredibly beautiful. For my eyes, it felt like a blessing to see such a sight. Tropical fish of all different sizes were swimming, and I could see through the crystal clear waters the kaleidoscope of different colors. The iridescent waters, the gentle sound of water rippling, the hard and cold ocean bottom. Aylin was admiring everything as well, her eyes full of nostalgia and excitement.
"Look look Vivshi! That fish looks so funny!"
"Look Vivshi at this beautiful rock!" She picked up a white shining rock with blue glimmering light.
She then finally caught up with Lua.
"Is this what you can do with loxes?" Aylin asked, jumping up and down in excitement.
Lua couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm and nodded before reaching her hand out again. Another passage opened up, and Aylin's eyes widened in awe.
"You wanna try?" Lua said with smiling eyes.
Aylin nodded up and down multiple times, and Lua handed her a blue gemstone and told her that it worked like a catalyst. If the Aeons had blessed her, then their powers would flow through her body and allow Freedom to take root.
All she needed to do was focus on the objective, and if the Aeons allowed it, the sea would split.
Aylin held the gem in her hand and put it against her forehead as some sort of prayer before reaching out her right arm toward the ocean.
The sea was slowly opening, and Lua's eyes widened as Aylin's potential was shining through. That's when one of the girls slipped on algae and hit her head against the hard seabed. She got up immediately, trying not to embarrass herself, but her head started to spin, and she fell down again.
Aylin shook by the sudden noise, lost control, and accidentally split the ocean in a zigzag pattern.
"Whoops…"
Lua started to laugh hysterically, and Aylin stood there quietly, staring at what she had done.
She then turned toward me and called out my name in excitement.
"VIVSHI! DID YOU SEE? I DID IT! I SPLIT THE SEA!" She was jumping up and down in joy.
I couldn't help but giggle a bit as well, seeing her so flustered and happy.
The gemstone in Aylin's hand crumbled into blue dust. Lua told Aylin to hold out her hand, and then, before our eyes, the gemstone glowed with a sudden blue glimmer and was restored to its previous form.
"Keep it. You totally slayed with the loxes." Lua started to giggle again after having calmed down.
Aylin's azure eyes shone like the ocean as she held the gemstone in her palm.
"One day, I'm sure you will be able to produce your own lox stones," Lua said with a bright smile.
With that, our day ended with sandy feet and wet hair. We learned that loxes could be utilized by anyone who is blessed by an Aeon. Everyone had loxes inside of them. The environment contained trillions of loxes that were just waiting to be used. It was just up to us to use them properly.
Aylin and I were in my dormitory. She was lying on my bed, kicking her feet and fiddling with the gemstone the same color as her eyes.
"Hey Vivshi!"
"Yes?"
"You wanna try using loxes?" she asked, holding the lox stone out to me.
I picked up the small pebble that would allow me to channel energy. As I held it in my hand, ominous liquid started to pool on the floor. I looked at the crystal and saw the part my fingers were touching corrode, turning the crystal into a black gooey liquid. Immediately, I put it on the desk, and it stopped corroding. I breathed a sigh of relief, and Aylin looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"So did you feel anything?"
"A little tingle."
"That must mean you are also able to utilize loxes!" She picked up the gemstone I had put on the nightstand, hugged my pillow tightly, and started to roll around.
"Can you believe it Vivshi? That we have been at this academy for a month! Time sure flies by when you are having fun. Oh right! We should send Ellie some letters thanking her for sending us to the Academy."
Aylin took out a piece of paper and started to write a letter.
I clasped my hands together.
"I'm sorry Rentry bro… you're gonna get a scolding from the hag."
"What are you doing, silly? Come and write a letter as well!"
She handed me a piece of paper.
"How about you write for me as well? We can have the same letter. Saves paper."
Aylin sighed at my laziness and accepted without further nagging.
She poured hot wax onto the letter and stamped it with the Academy's seal. That's when we heard knocking on my door. I looked out of the peephole and saw Rentry standing in the corridor.
Opening the door, he told me that he was here after hearing that we were both students who could access loxes.
He nodded with a gentle smile, calling us impressive.
"Can you also use loxes?" Aylin asked curiously.
Rentry smirked and proudly puffed out his chest, hitting it with his fist.
"Of course! Want me to demonstrate?"
Rentry took hold of an apple, and without any reason, the apple slowly turned brown and mushy before rotting away in his hand.
Aylin's eyes were glittering in awe.
"That was AWESOME! Can you please teach me how to do that?"
Rentry nervously laughed and started to rub his head before awkwardly telling Aylin that her lox signature didn't match his, and therefore they would have different abilities. Aylin sulked, not being able to perform the same technique as him.
"Come on now… you can do plenty of stuff I can't… for example… maths! I totally suck at that…" Rentry said gloomily, thinking about his math grades.
Rentry then turned toward me and asked me what lox signature I had. What lox signature did I have? I didn't know.
He raised his arm, tapped me on the shoulder, and told me that there was no stress about finding out my lox signature. If I had potential, then one day it would show.
With some words of encouragement, Rentry left. But before he left, he told us about a school event that was coming up. He wanted us to partake in the school's culture and events. With a smile and a thumbs up, he left us to our own devices again.
I was staring out the window, looking at the chaotic streets of Nautilus. This place was so lively compared with the capital. I saw it in Aylin's eyes as well, how the life inside of her had been restored just by being close to water.
Her dull gray eyes in the brothel had been filled with hope and joy, and I couldn't help but reflect upon how rapidly my life had changed in just the span of a few months. This all happened because one day, I ran into the brothel bleeding, and she was the one who saved me. I smiled before thanking Aylin.
"Where did that come from?"
"Just felt I owed you my gratitude."
"What gratitude!?" Aylin giggled.
The room was filled with laughter, and the day ended with Aylin passing out on my bed. I sighed before laying out a blanket on the floor.
"Really. Thank you, Aylin."