Private crafts are a popular gift among the Members of the Tens, Yanar's aristocracy and Izzy had several of them. Their butterfly's shape is where their name comes from. Izzy chose her favourite, a pink/purple colour gradient with silver lines named Unicorn.
The interior design gave the illusion of being in a field of flowers and matched well with the magnolia chairs.
The crafts also had four sleeping units, each with its own bathroom, a reading room, a small kitchen, and a pantry.
Transports are faster than private crafts, but Izzy had modified her butterfly and turned it into one of the fastest craft in the empire. After a trip that took days, they finally arrived at the camp. It was a bitter disappointment; the camp was a semblance of a base made of foam and metal.
With outside showers and toilet facilities, large rectangular barracks used for gatherings, dining, and kitchen, it was a sad reminder that all wars were ugly no matter the reasons.
Bloody Hel, that's our camp? Thought Izzy,
She turned toward Hassan and Thor, her mouth open; Their eyes locked, and the boys shuddered when they heard a voice calling all late arrivals to their respective drill hall rooms.
They felt relieved; they were not the only people who arrived late.
It was time to say goodbye. Hassan and Thor would be heading to the Navy barracks.
She hugged her cousins, took turn placing her forehead on theirs and with a breaking voice, said, "May the gods clear your path to Valhalla."
She kissed them and started walking toward the air force banner
Hassan yelled "Hey cousin"; she stopped and turned around, "May the gods clear your path to Valhalla" he added
Sensing tears filling her eyes, she threw him a kiss, turned around and kept walking. When she reached the entrance of the barracks, with her lips closed tight and knit brows on her face, she looked at the sky.
She closed her eyes and imagined her grand-father taking her hand, squeezing it and she whispered ". You are safe, you are loved, you are strong. You are safe, you are loved, you are strong."
Her face started to relax, the frown slowly dissipated, and a shaky smile appeared on her face; she took a big breath and walked in.
The barrack was bare, with no tables, no decor, not even chairs. When she stepped into the grey air force barrack, a sea of unknown faces turned to stare at her.
She stared back at them, her breathing slowly accelerating. Her head had started to spin, and she looked around to find something she could lean on, but there was nothing.
Oh great, look at all these girls, so tall and slim, next to them I must look like a cave troll. What must they think of me?
She couldn't help but hear her cousin's Ameena voice you better get that diet started, unless you want people to remember you as being the fat queen.
She managed a shy smile and stayed at the back, that way no one is going to notice me.
There were at least four instructors; One was standing on a pedestal and noticed her first.
She jumped, gasped, and said, "Your imperial highness!"
As soon the words came out of his mouth the room went silent. And then as if something had unfrozen them, whispers started to be heard from all parts of the room
Izzy smiled "I'm sorry I'm late, I missed the transport...; I'm sorry."
The other instructors started moving toward her, but she raised her hands "please everybody. Pretend I am not here. Just continue with your presentation. Please"
"of course, your imperial highness."
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Izzy was furious with herself; she created exactly the type of scene she was hoping to avoid by being late.
She nodded "Thank you."
The instructor continued, "we all know the human race has evolved to the point that some humans, meaning us have developed supernatural abilities."
The students smiled; she continued, "I would like one Omni volunteer."
A pale girl with purple hair raised her hand and the instructor beckoned at her.
She added "I need someone with dormant genes"
She waved at a cleaner who grimaced but moved toward her anyway.
"Now turn on your dragon" she said to the volunteer "then take her hand" she added pointing at the cleaner.
The volunteer's hand ignited, turning into a ball of fire.
"Shake her hand"
The volunteer's eyes grew double their size; she looked at her classmates, her instructor and then the cleaner. The cleaner rolled walked up to the student and shook the fiery hand.
The students gasped and the instructor smiled "We are at war, one day we will be called upon to share our powers with the dormants. Do you see the banners behind me, I want each power to stand under their own."
The instructor walked to the brown banner with the green earth logo and faced the students.
"Terrayans" he called, all earth power holder walked up to her, kneeled, dipped a finger on the ground, traced their tongue and forehead with that finger.
"Lochyans,"; they walked up to a midnight blue banner with a light blue water logo, dipped a finger into a ball of water, kneeled and traced their tongue and forehead with it.
"Streaks," walked up to a silver banner with the logo of a turquoise thunder and touched a stone which discharge a small jolt of electricity on their finger and finally did the tracing ritual.
"Airborns" walked up to a white banner with a grey logo for air, placed their finger next to a small fan then did the tracing ritual.
"Infernos" walked up to a red banner with a gold fire logo, touched the flame of a candle then did the tracing ritual.
"Omnis", it's about time thought Izzy. They walked under a white banner with a logo of all powers intertwined and the did the tracing ritual for every single powers.
The students then started screaming and clamping, some even cried. Izzy had tears in her eyes, this is what I call a bonding exercise, we are all united under one giant banner in our heart, Gaia's banner of love.
The instructor was right, humans had been carrying dormant supernatural powers, but they were about to be activated in more people than ever before. The Yans who had so far been the only humans with active powers had started to prepare for the occasion.
Most Yans had a single power apart from Omnis. Most Yan twins are born with more than one power as well and so far, only 60% of the Yan population has active powers. Studies had showed that 5% of the rest of the world's population had started exhibiting supernatural powers as well.
The instructor continued, "We are going to divide you into two teams. Team one is anyone with the Lochyan power. Lochyans and Omnis, please stand on my left. Anyone else to my right."
Another instructor took Team two away.
Izzy's team was team one. The instructor beckoned and asked them to stand in a circle; and so it begins she thought