The final bell rang just a little too late for Laura's liking. From what she understood, once classes were over, they would have dinner in the mess hall and then go right to her element ceremony. She hurried into the mess hall, sitting with Kristin, McKay, and Drew, eating as fast as possible.

"Well," McKay said "I can tell you're anxious about your ceremony tonight."

"It's that obvious, huh?" Laura asked.

"Um, yeah." Drew replied, "Crazy obvious."

"Why thank you, you are very kind." Laura said sarcastically.

"Sorry, ok?" Drew apologized.

"Meh, I'm too nervous to care right now."

"Nervous? What happened to 'all of them are good, what's the point in forming a preference?'"

"Shut up, Drew."

He smiled and continued eating.

"You have an expectation for an element now?" McKay asked Laura.

"Well, I'm expecting water or fire." Laura replied "What was it like for all you guys, your ceremonies?"

"Well," Drew said "first you stand in this weird circle thing, and then they place things of elemental properties around you. Then-" he smiled "You'll just have to find out."

"Oh, come on Drew!" Laura said frustrated.

"Hey, it's all part of the experience." He said still smiling.

"Fine." Laura groaned.

She was more anxious than ever to get to her ceremony.

Luckily, that's when the bell rang, and it was time for everyone to go to the ceremony.

"Attention all students" Said a voice over the loud speaker "Today, we have a new student, Laura Montgomery. We need all students to report to the amphitheater as soon as possible. Thank you."

"Come on guys! Let's go!" Laura called to her friends.

She dragged them out of the mess hall and followed all of the other students, going outside, over into the field and between two of the cabins.

It was just then, that she realized that she didn't know what to do.

"Um, so what do I do now, exactly?" She asked embarrassed.

"You go over to Mr. Tread. He'll get everyone settled and will get you into the starting placement for the ceremony." Drew explained.

"Thanks" Laura said, and did as he told.

"Mr. Tread?" She called

"Ah! Laura! Good to see you! I can't wait to see what element you'll be able to master! Follow me, child." He said smiling.

Laura smiled back and he took her over into a circle, in the center of the amphitheater.

"Everyone take a seat and silence yourselves!" Mr. Tread said to the students.

Everybody sat down and all was silent.

"Thank you." He said "Now, let the ceremony begin!"

Everyone cheered and Laura smiled.

"Now, relax Laura, and just go around to the elemental representations. You'll know which one yours is." He said.

People then placed down each element, a small ball of fire, an orb of water, a few leaves, and a small cloud.

Suddenly, they all started floating and circling her. she looked all around her, confused. They kept spinning and spinning and Laura didn't know what she was supposed to do; but then they stopped as quickly as they had started floating. Laura assumed that she was supposed to be facing her element. She saw two though. Confused murmurs swept the audience. The fire and water started increasing in size and circling around her. The other elements shook and dropped. There were concerned looks all around in the audience. Suddenly, Laura started rising up, and the fire and water were swirling up around her, like binding her in rope. Then, they fused into her. That's when everything went black.

***


Gasps came from everyone, they had just witnessed a girl with two elements. Everyone gathered around Laura to see if she was alright. She had risen, surrounded by water and fire. Her eyes had glowed too. That had never happened before. Once the elements entered her body, she dropped to the ground unconscious.

"Out of my way! Coming through!" bellowed the school's main doctor, Mrs. Raqulin.

Everyone parted and let Mrs. Raqulin and the nurses through to see Laura. Just then, Drew, McKay, and Kristin barged through the crowd.

"Oh my God, is she okay?!" McKay asked.

"What just happened?!" Drew asked.

"What the heck's going on? What happened to Laura?" Kristin asked.

"Everyone needs to give her space!" Dr. Raqulin said "Back up children!"

"But we're her best friends Ma'am!" McKay argued.

"Friends or not, I don't care, she needs medical attention immediately!" Dr. Raqulin said "Get me a stretcher!"

"How could this have even happened?" McKay asked.

"I don't know. We've never seen anything like it. There are no records, or anythi-
finally!" Dr. Raqulin exclaimed

Just then, a stretcher pulled up and Dr. Raqulin and the nurses rushed Laura to the hospital wing on the fifth floor of the main building; her friends close behind.

"We need to work in peace." Dr. Raqulin said to the students "You may not enter until given permission."

She slammed the door and everyone tried to get a glimpse of what was happening through a little window in the door, which was soon covered up by one of the nurses.

Everyone had no choice but to leave

***

Laura woke up in a hospital room filled to the brim with flowers and get well cards she assumed were from her family, Megan, and Tori. Man, had she had a strange dream. She inspected herself, bandaging on her head, hands, and chest. She swung her legs over the side of her bed and stood up. She walked over to the nearest basket and group of cards. The basket had perfume bottles, and stuff like that, there was also a lot of red and blue items. One card, with a horrifically drawn picture of her surrounded by fire and water, just like in her dream, really sparked her interest; and concern.

She immediately opened the card and skimmed through the message 'you are amazing--never seen it before--first in FOREVER!--best wishes--love you--' finally


"'From your fellow students at Camp Morningstar: Jake, Mary, Olivia, Benjamin, and Jennifer?!" She read aloud.

She then ransacked the place reading who all of the cards were from. There were lots there, considering all of the students at Camp Morningstar. Lots of the gifts were from McKay, Kristin, and Drew. She wanted to hug them all, and was determined to.

She left her room, completely forgetting that she was wearing only a hospital gown, and got halfway down the hall, before she ran into a nurse.

"Miss Montgomery!" she said surprised "You're awake!"

"Of course I'm awake." Laura said.

"But you've been unconscious for a week!" The nurse said.

Laura stopped dead in her tracks "What!?"

The water in the glass, that the nurse held on a tray, started shaking.

"Ever since your ceremony, you've been unconscious. That was about 8 days ago."

Laura only then realized that all of those gifts couldn't have come in only a few hours. She looked down at herself and then realized that she was wearing her hospital gown.

She blushed bright red and asked "Um, is there any chance, I can get my clothes back?"

The nurse blushed too and said "Of course, they should be in your room, in the dresser right next to your bed."

"Thank you" Laura said and marched back to her room.


When there, she found a note on top of her dresser.

Laura,



Because of your amazing ceremony, and making of history, we didn't have any Morningstar T-shirts for you. So we made you some of a different color.

- Ronald Tread

Laura opened the top drawer, to find some purple T-shirts sitting there for her. Mr. Tread had given her T-shirts of her favorite color. She smiled and put them on with a fresh pair of jeans.

Once she was dressed, she put on some perfume found in one of the gift baskets and walked downstairs from the top floor Hospital of the main building, to the classrooms below. The funny thing was, though, that the classes were empty.

She walked around, every room, on every floor; empty. Laura decided to ask Mr. Tread what was going on.

She walked into his office and, luckily, he was there.

"Mr. Tread!" She called.

He turned around and smiled "Hello there Laura! Good to see you up! I see you like my personalized shirt for you."

"Yeah, um, I was wondering, where are all the students? All of the classrooms are empty."

"Well, that's simple! We switch off from lessons to training every other day. Today is a day that you train. Learn to use your power, and other abilities."

"Okay, cool. Where exactly do we train?" Laura asked

"That would be outside, but I don't think that in your condition-" He started

"Okay, thanks Mr. Tread! Bye!" She fled the room.

Now all she had to do was find her friends.

She burst through the front entrance, outside, where she found that the spaces between cabins were being put to good use for training. There were students with bows, swords, and students using their magical given talent. Everyone looked at her, but for once, she wasn't feeling shy.

She looked around, at everyone, everywhere; trying to find her friends. Finally, in an Elemental power arena, she found them. She tried running over, but that caused pain, so she jogged to them. Luckily, they met her half-way, where she hugged them tight.

"Hi, guys." Laura said.

"We've been worried sick about you! Thank God you're okay!" Drew said.

"You've been out for 8 days! We were starting to wonder if you would ever wake up. Luckily, you did!" McKay said.

"I missed you so much!" Kristin said.

Laura giggled and they all walked over to the Elemental arena.

"Hmm," McKay said "I wonder if you're capable of using your powers."

"I don't know. Let's see." Laura responded.


"First, let's see you try and move this water." McKay said.

"Um, can I see how to do it first?" Laura asked.

"Of course, Laura." Drew said.

He turned and faced the water, and brought his hand down, close to it. It seemed that wherever his hand went, the water followed.

"Just concentrate on the water, and move it around. That simple." Drew said "Now, you try, take it from my hand."