The Students of Sarila - Elsie Janda (best business books of all time .TXT) 📗

was never able to go see it, though. I was always too busy scrubbing the toilets because of something I didn’t do.
“Why is Sally so important to you?” Peter finally asked.
“She’s all the family I got.” I responded hesitantly. I didn’t want to reveal too many of my secrets.
“How are you related?”
“She adopted me.”
“Adopted?” Peter obviously wasn’t expecting that one.
I really didn’t want to give him the whole sob story about poor little abandoned Tina. “Please don’t make me talk about it.”
“Okay, I won’t.” Peter smiled at me. “I won’t make you talk about anything you don’t want to.”
I sighed in relief. “Thanks.”
“No problem. I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.” He gazed out the window and sighed. “I want to go home, Tina.”
“You will someday, Peter. I promise.” I assured him. “I’ll make sure that you go home soon.”
“Thanks.” He mumbled.
Then Sally called from upstairs, “Hey, you guys come up here!”
Peter and I obeyed. We walked wordlessly up the stairs. “Oh my…” I gasped when I saw the room we entered.
Everything was amazing. From the floors to the windows to the walls… everything. The floor wasn’t normal, to begin with. It had bumps and hills and was sand colored. The corners of the room were decorated with shells. The walls changed colors from a baby blue all the way to a deep ocean blue. The windows didn’t show a real view, or at least that is what I’m assuming. There was one window on each wall. One showed a coral reef, with colorful fish and plants and shells everywhere. Another had a view of a river running through a field. A waterfall crashing down past rocks. A creek running through a forest. I got the strangest feeling that everything I was about to experience was magical.
“Welcome.” Sally said, her voice somewhat distant.
And then I looked at Sally. She looked different as well. Her blonde hair fell to her waist and was decorated with seashells. She wore a dress that fell to her knees. With every movement she made, it appeared as if the fabric moved with her. White-capped waves move over the ocean blue dress. The final thing I noticed was that she wore no shoes.
“Sally?” I was astounded.
“Tina. Peter. You may have noticed that this room is a tad bit… extraordinary. This is because it has taken you from the mortal world to an entirely different realm – Aquarum.” Sally told us.
“Aquarum?” Peter repeated.
“Yes. It is considered the realm of water itself.” Sally replied. “What I am about to tell may be a bit surprising.”
“We’re ready.” I informed her. Peter nodded his head in agreement.
“You two are very special. One of you will one day control the element water.”
Peter and I looked directly at each other. “Excuse me?” Peter asked.
“There are four elements.” Sally began. “Water, fire, air, and earth. Each has two properties – warm or cold, and dry or wet. The combination of those two properties is what makes the element unique. This structure of the world was first discovered by Aristotle.
“Each element has one master, and each property has two masters. I am the master of Water. Alexander and I, like you two will do, had to compete to become the master of Water. I won.”
“Sally?”
“My name is not truly Sally, Tina. It is Sarila.” Sally – Sarila – told me.
“Why Peter and I?” I asked.
“Every 25 years, two very powerful blue auras are found somewhere, anywhere.” Sally – oops, Sarila – continued. “You two are the most powerful we’ve found, and my time as master is ending.”
“How much longer do you have?” Peter questioned.
“No longer than one month. After that point, one of you will take over as the Water Master.” Sally smiled at us.
“We have one month? That isn’t long enough!” I protested. “We won’t be ready by then!”
“Do I need to remind you of all you have done today?” Alexander stepped in. “Tina, don’t forget what you did with that fire. You were smart enough to figure out that you needed Peter’s aura as well as yours to extinguish it. And you lived through something that should’ve burned you to a crisp.
“And Peter. You walked on water. That’s pretty remarkable. It’s taken plenty of other blue auras years to master that.”
“Are we… are we really that special?” I questioned.
“Yes, Tina. You are rare. The last two people that came up as strong as you two are Alexander and I.” Sarila told me. “You two have the power to save the world.”
“I think that brings us to the next subject.” I raised my eyebrows.
“Ah, Ignatio. Not much explaining to do about him. He is the fire master.” Alexander said.
“Figured.” Peter said.
“Ignatio can be unstable. He can be a bit power hungry. He’ll do anything to remain the fire master.” Sarila said. “When his competitor, Lily, died, he was assumed a murderer. But he had to be granted the element of fire. He was the only person eligible.
“Now it’s been 25 years for him. He doesn’t want to give up his power. I’m afraid he’s gone a bit mental about it.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Ignatio is trying to upset the balance between the four elements. Fire is meant to be hot and dry. Those are the two properties. Air is also hot, and Earth is also dry. If Ignatio upsets the balance, then he will gain control of those two properties as well. Air and Earth will weaken. That leaves Water the only element strong enough to fight Fire.” Alexander continued to explain.
“So? Water can extinguish fire any day.” Peter said.
“It’s not going to be that simple, Peter.” I told him. “Fire can evaporate Water as well.”
“So, how do we stop Ignatio from becoming powerful?” Peter inquired.
“We need help from the other elements. It won’t be easy, but you two are going to save the world.” Sarila informed us.


I Find Out How Weird This Place Is

Peter and I were led directly to our rooms. Mine was filled with baby blue. “How did you know…” I started to ask.
“The girl’s aura has been baby blue since the beginning of time. As has the boy’s been dark blue. It’s just how this pattern has worked.” Sarila answered before letting me finish.
“That’s kind of weird. So your aura is baby blue too?” I asked.
“Yes.” Sarila smiled. “The odd difference has always been the scent.”
“Scent?” I repeated.
“Along with an aura, a human gets a slightly unique scent. There are others out there that will have the same fragrance, but not everyone will have the same.” Sarila explained. “Allow me to show you.”
She touched my shoulder and my aura surrounded my body. I noticed hers really was the same color. In the air, I could smell seawater and coconut. “That smells… good.” I commented.
“Yeah. You smell like seawater, Tina.” Sarila told me. “I’ve always loved coconut, you know.”
“Yeah, I know. I did work in the bakery with you. And live with you.” I said.
“I should’ve taken you on vacation more often. I suppose those two trips to Florida really influenced you.” Sarila sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Sally!” I coughed. “I mean, Sarila.”
“It’s going to take us all a while to get used to that, isn’t it?” Sarila smiled. “I haven’t been called Sarila in 14 years.”
“Why so long?”
“At that point, I started searching for the next master.”
“And you found me. And you adopted me.” I realized. “Only because I would be the next master?”
“Because I wondered if you had the potential.” Sarila admitted. “But that was because you had the right personality and attitude for it. I really did adopt you for you, Tina.”
“And what will happen after all this?” I asked. “After one of us takes over.”
“You will still be mine, Tina. You always will be.” Sarila assured me. “If you win, then I’ll stay here with you, or wherever to choose to go. If you don’t, we go back to the bakery. That’s always been my favorite home.”
“Yeah, I’ve grown quite fond of it myself.” I mumbled.
“Tina.” Sarila put a hand on my shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
Ha. What’s wrong? Is she really that stupid? My entire life with her has been a lie. Just a big lie. And she thinks that’s okay? She’s crazy. Insane. That’s what she is.
“Nothing.” I lied.
Sarila clearly didn’t believe me, but didn’t ask again. “Well, you rest up, take a shower. I’ve got clothes for you in the closet, though I’m afraid you won’t be too fond of them. We’re having dinner in the main room – that’s the first one you saw – at 8. Just keep an eye on the clock.”
“Am I still in Aquarum?” I asked her.
“Oh, sorry. I almost forgot.” Sarila sighed. “I’m losing it. Yes, you are still in Aquarum. Things are going to be a little different. Just don’t fight anything.”
“Different? Is that good or bad different?” I inquired.
“Tina, not everything can be labeled as “good” or “bad”.” Sarila said sharply. “That must be understood.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I said.
“And please don’t call me ma’am.” Sarila begged. “It makes me feel old.”
“Well, you’re over 25 years old… Hey! Wait a minute!”
“What?”
“How old are you?”
“I’m turning 41 in 2 months.” She replied. “Why?”
“You don’t look that old at all!”
Sarila rolled her eyes. “Oh, that’s nothing. If you win as master, you are granted with looking young for 25 years. No wrinkles, no grey hairs. I also can’t feel old. That way I can stay as powerful as possible for 25 years.”
“That’s not normal.” I stated.
“Tina, nothing you are about to experience is normal. You must understand this.” Sarila replied and walked out of the room.
I was extremely lost. This world wasn’t normal. Nothing was normal. I guess that made abnormal… normal. I walked around the room. There wasn’t much to it that I noticed at first. Just a bed, a bookshelf, and three doors