Zenery's POV

I sighed, looking around at the surroundings as Milaek and Azami chewed Briar out.
“Really, of all the times to try out a new power, it had to be in the middle of a match, when we are legally obligated to protect you!” Azami said sternly.
“If you had chosen any other time we could have just let you be killed. But nooooo. We had to follow you here and save you from whatever it is that wants to eat humans on this plane. Just lovely.” Milaek picked up, looking quite put off.
I could hear some odd rustlings coming from the forest surrounding us, and was suddenly very unsure of this area. This seemed to be Briar’s native plane, and when he and the headmasters had teleported here, it wasn’t hard to follow. As I had learned many years ago, some Elementalists of Space have the inherent ability to warp to other planes. Each of these Elementalists had a “Native plane” or a plane specific for them to travel too. This was usually the only plane they could access. I could access five, now six; though I wasn’t too sure about trying to access the Glade of The Joyful on my own. Up till this point actually, I had avoided warping, because it’s unwise to travel to the plains without proper protection. They are known to be extremely dangerous and deadly. But hey, it was about time to try it out, instead of just reading old dusty books from the forbidden section of the library back home! Though I’m sure Briar could have picked a better time to try it out.
I managed to zone I right at the end of Milaek and Briar’s one-sided conversation.
“And furthermore your fellow students have no teacher…” she paused, looked up slightly and smiled. “Well it turns out that’s not too much of a problem.” She turned to Azami. “Azami dear, do you think we could leave them be for the rest of class? You know how much I love this sort of thing.”
Azami smiled knowingly.
“Well if you insist… I wont complain, I find it quite pleasing as well.”
I was thoroughly confused, and one look at Briar told me he shared this sentiment. But the headmistresses didn’t forget us for long, and were soon back to scolding Briar.
“Well now, I hope you’re happy, because you and Zenery have to now go find the first gate so you can return to our plane.” Azami picked up where Milaek had left off.
“Gate?” Briar asked.
Azami sighed, and then spoke as if to a toddler.
“Yes Briar. A gate. There are many gates scattered around the planes, and in order to unlock the next plane you need to go through all of the gates in this one.”
Milaek picked back up.
“Most plane travelers can only go to their native plane, but you and Zenery are special cases.”
“Native plane?” Briar asked.
I decided to explain this time.
“A Native plane is the plane where a Space Elementalist’s soul feels most comfortable. It is sometimes also referred to as the Mother plane, because some people speculate that it is where the person’s soul originates from, or that the plane itself watches over you. Nice one you have here by the way.” I said, my amusement growing as his jaw dropped.
“How the hell do you know all that? And what do you mean ‘nice one I have’?” he questioned.
“That’s for me to know and you to not know. And I said ‘nice one’ because I thought it would be polite. If you rather I tell you that your Native Plane is a dreary, nasty place, then so be it.”
Briar’s look of confusion suddenly dissolved into horror.
“No way. No freaking way. This CANT be my native plane.”
“Well I would think it is, because I can go to the four soulless planes, and this one was not one of them.” I would have stopped but I could see the question rising in his mouth. “The four soulless planes are planes where no souls reside. To some Plane travelers they are accessible along with their native planes.”
“Wait, so most people can’t go into soulless planes?”
“No. Most people who can warp can only go to their native planes. And only a few can go to the soulless planes.”
“What about other peoples native planes?”
I paused.
“Not usually, but I managed to follow the warp trail you left. I’m assuming that’s what Milaek and Azami did too.”
I ignored the fact that this wasn’t supposed to be possible.
Azami and Milaek, whom had been caught up in mysterious musings, finally took this moment to speak again.
“Yes, very good Zenery.” Azami said pleasantly.
“But the two of you still need to go through your gates so you can move onto the soulless planes and return back to our plane. Or at least, your plane.” Milaek said, much less pleasantly.
“Okay, so basically Zenery and I have to go look for this gate together, go through it, then go back?” Briar said, finally starting to get a hang of things.
To my surprise Milaek shook her head.
“You’re half right. You will be traveling through the Glade of the Joyful, your native plane, to find the gate. Zenery however” she said turning to me, her eyes flashing mysteriously, “really should be getting to her plane. It’s not time for her to be in other peoples. Yet.”
Briar looked at me suddenly curious.
“What’s your plane like?” he inquired enthusiastically.
“I don’t know. Haven’t gone there yet.” I said shrugging.”
“Yes well!” Azami interrupted, “You must each find your first gate in your native planes to leave. Milaek and I will watch over you to make sure nothing TOO bad happens, but we will not interfere beyond keeping you from death. In fact, you will neither see us nor hear us. We won’t technically be there, but we have our ways of monitoring you.”
I nodded silently. These were our trials.
“Well then Zenery, if you would please go.” Azami motioned to me.
I looked at Briar, who nodded assuringly, then closed my eyes and went into my mind. I saw the four glowing dots, dull though they were, and the brightly shining purple dot labeled “Woods of Creation”. I pressed it and felt myself be sucked into the plane.