Six-year-old Roman twirled around, laughing happily as fire swirled around him before disappearing. He smiled wide at his companion, who was making water levitate above his hand. He smiled back joyfully, approaching him. "Roman! Look what I did!"

"That's amazing Virgil!" he said, putting a hand on his shoulder. They shared excited and fond glances as their eyes sparkled. "You're amazing."

The other six-year-old's cheeks went pink as he bumped their foreheads together gently. "Well, so are you," he replied before throwing the water on him. Roman gasped as Virgil ran away giggling.

"Oh no you didn't!"

He started chasing him, both of them giggling and smiling. Virgil tripped, falling and causing the fire mage to follow suit. The two of them rolled, and Roman ended on top of him. Their eyes locked in a moment of shock before they both laughed. The fire mage leaned down to brush their nose together. "Hey, Ro?" Virgil began to ask. "We'll always be together right? Friends forever?"

"Of course, Virgil," he reassured him. The water mage smiled up at him. "Always."

As he said this, their names were called. "Virgil! Roman! It's time to go!"

Roman's face lit up while Virgil's fell. The fire mage had yet to figure out what was happening, but he knew. They ran back to the other students, stopping in the middle. Roman excitedly pointed to a big red and gold train that he recognized as the Fire School Transport. Virgil stayed put as his companion dashed toward it. When Roman turned, noticed him still standing there and jogged back. "Virgil? Come on! Why are you just standing there?"

"I can't get on that train, Roman," he told him.

The fire mage looked confused. "What... what are you talking about? Why?"

"Roman, we're going to separate schools now," Virgil explained, not meeting his eyes. "The first three years of school is spent learning the magic all of us can use, but now we have to go learn the magic that we're born to use. For you, it's fire. For me, it's water."

Roman looked confused and upset. "What does that mean?"

"It means you won't see me again until we're eighteen..." he murmured, biting his lip. He'd been dreading this day since he'd overheard the teachers discussing it. It also means we'll be taught not to be with people of different magic, he thought, but couldn't bring himself to say.

"No... no, no, that can't be right! That's... that's twelve whole years! No, that's not fair!!" the fire mage cried, eyes glossy. "Please tell me you're joking!"

Virgil simply hugged him tightly, pressing a tiny, almost unnoticeable kiss to his cheek before running away toward the Water School Transport. He needed to get on that train before he broke down in front of Roman and everyone else. Once on it, he found a car alone and looked out the window. His eyes found Roman, standing outside the train after running after him. His eyes were shimmering with tears as he looked up at the blue and black train that was taking his best friend away from him.

"Roman! Time to go!" one of the teachers said, guiding him toward the Fire School Transport though he continued to look at the water one. He reluctantly got on, sitting down in a car that was quickly filled with three other kids. He tried to appear like he wasn't about to cry, greeting them and talking to them to distract himself from the aching pain in his chest reminding him that he wouldn't see Virgil again tomorrow, or even later that day. He looked out the window at the train across the platform, making a silent promise.

Twelve years... I promise you Virgil that I won't forget you, he thought to himself. In twelve years we'll see each other again, and we'll be together forever... I promise.