"Don't think she's still out do you?" "Don't know, normally there not this stupid."

A searing pain erupted in my head, jolting me awake in a cold sweat. "And she wakes!" A smirking boy says. "Surprise surprise." A girl next to him says. Her tiny beady brown eyes glazed over me, disgust and annoyance clear as day. I slowly ease up, but the pain in my head doesn't subside. "Last year one of the fire starters tried to make a run for it, and we thought that was insanis." The boy said, his eyes grim but his face the picture of laughter. "No one would ever dare fight the capitis soldiers." 

A lump formed in my throat. "Is this the military navis" I asked, my heart beating faster with each passing second. "Glad you noticed." The girl said sarcastically. "Fighting the army, never heard of anything so stultus." 

I felt a flush creep up my neck. "Do not play that noble card." She said, her judging glance slicing into me. "Wow wow, lets go easy on the novus." The boy told her. "Erik." he said, reaching out his arm. The girl scowled as I shook his hand. Erik nudged her. "Bella. Short for Bellator." She said proudly. "Are you two... related?" I asked, looking at her short stubby body and his long lean figure. Her light sandy blond hair was pulled into a tight cuada and her pale freckled face was scrunched. His messy dark hair flopped on his head and his dark skin glowed, even in the circumstances. "What do you think?" Bella snapped. "No need to be amarum Bella." Erik said, smirking her way. Bella flushed with anger and pivoted her gaze to me. Suddenly, the room turned dark, lights flickering off. A small flame cascaded from my finger, hovering over hand. Bella's eyes widened. "I'm going to get some fresh air." 

"No such thing!" Erik called after her, as she stalked out of the compartment. "Don't worry about her, she's just jealous." Erik grinned. An uncomfortable feeling rose in my stomach. "Is she......fjior?" His face darkened. "No. She's powerless. Nequam. Nequam is a horrid word. Useless. No one is useless. Besides the general." I had to laugh at that. "He's not useless... he's lazy." I replied. Erik nodded. "Bella's always wanted to be special. Talented, important. And she is. She's stellar with a dagger and could take out anyone on this ship in seconds. But people don't view that with the power it truly is." My eyes narrowed. "This was fun, but I didn't come here to stay." I said. "Not so fast." Erik said, grabbing one of my shoulders. I tensed. "Escaping this ship won't only get you killed. Do you want your family in shackles? you might think you're noble, but you'd just be selfish." 

I slid open the supply room door, walking silently outside. Thunder cracked through the once light sky, now stormy and covered in dark clouds. The deck was slippery and the cold air felt chalky in my throat. The ship abruptly dipped, causing my feet to slide from under me. "Run!" Bella screamed, salt water sailing over the ship. Drenched to the bone, I ran by Bella's side. "Where's Erik?" I asked, my voice soggy and timid through the sounds of crashing waves. "No doubt already at the escape boats." Bella grunted. The small glass boats lined the edges of the ship, some already stocked with military. One Aquarian soldier shoved a fire starter out of the way, almost tipping him off the boat. Bella escorted me to one of the glass boats, shoving the remaining fire starters inside. "Erik!?" Bella shouted. "Why aren't you inside the boats?" 

"Slight detour." He muttered. "Get in you nitwits!" I yelled, the roaring waves glowing more frantic and violent. "Ad nave is going to sink!" Bella shrieked, shoving everyone inside the last boat. "We need to send a warning." Erik said, franticly observing the wary conditions of his surroundings. "This is what we get for helping others." Bella muttered. "I could burn the water, and create smoke." I offered. "That would require a powerful source of fire, not just one fire starter could achieve." Bella snapped, her eyes Turing into slits. "Better than nothing." Erik said.

I pressed my palm to the thin layer of sloshing water by my feet. Bella opened the top window, allowing the slivers of fog to escape. "Not strong enough." She said irritably. I curled my fists, trying harder. Power surged from my body, flying to my finger tips. I screamed as the water boiled like lava. "Put your feet on the edges!" Bella said, hopping up. I large plume of smoke flew into the sky, higher than I could have imagined. "What did you just do..." Bella said, awe and suspicion a perfect image on her face. But I didn't know.